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Table 2 List of case reports of hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis in oncological patients with immune checkpoint inhibitors

From: Treatment-related hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis due to atezolizumab: a case report and review of the literature

Ref.

Immunotherapy

Primary tumor

Bone marrow biopsy

Neurology symptoms

Treatment

Clinical outcomes

[4]

Nivolumab

NSCLC

+

No

Steroids

Improvement

[5]

Nivolumab/

Ipilimumab/

Avelumab

(3 cases, monotherapy)

Melanoma/

Merkel cell carcinoma

+/−

Unknown

Steroids

Death/

improvement

[6]

Pembrolizumab

Bladder carcinoma

+

Unknown

Steroids and etoposide

Unknown

[7]

Ipilimumab and nivolumab

Melanoma

Not done

No

Steroids and mycophenolate mofetil

Improvement

[8]

Pembrolizumab

Melanoma

Not done

No

Steroids

Improvement

[9]

Ipilimumab and nivolumab

Melanoma

+

No

Steroids

Improvement

[10]

BRAF inhibitors sequential after pembrolizumab

Melanoma

Not done

No

Steroids

Improvement

[11]

Ipilimumab sequential after pembrolizumab

Melanoma

+

No

Steroids and etoposide

Death

[12]

Pembrolizumab

NSCLC

+

No

Steroids

Improvement

[13]

Nivolumab

NSCLC

Not done

No

Steroids and mycophenolate mofetil

Improvement

[14]

Pembrolizumab

Thymic cancer

+

Yes

Steroids, IVIG, anakinra

Death

[15]

Pembrolizumab

Prostate cancer

+

No

Steroids+ plasmapheresis + etoposide + tacrolimus

Improvement

[16]

Pembrolizumab

Breast cancer

Not done

No

Steroids

Improvement

[17]

Nivolumab and anti-IDO

Glioblastoma

+

Yes

Steroids

Death

[18]

Pembrolizumab

Head and neck

+

No

Steroids and etoposide

Improvement

[19]

Pembrolizumab

NSCLC

+

No

Steroids

Improvement

[20]

Ipilimumab and nivolumab

Melanoma

+

No

Steroids, tocilizumab

Improvement[

[21]

Pembrolizumab

Pulmonary sarcomatoid carcinoma

Not done

No

Steroids

Death

[21]

Ipilimumab + nivolumab

Melanoma

Not done

No

Steroids + etoposide + IVIG + tocilizumab

Improvement

[21]

Ipilimumab + nivolumab

Melanoma

+

No

Steroids + etoposide

Death

[21]

Ipilimumab + nivolumab

Melanoma

No

Steroids

Improvement

[21]

Ipilimumab + nivolumab

Melanoma

+

No

Steroids

Improvement

[22]

Atezolizumab + chemotherapy

NSCLC

+

No

Steroids

Improvement

[23]

Pembrolizumab

NSCLC

+

No

Steroids

Improvement

[24]

Pembrolizumab

NSCLC

+

No

Steroids

Improvement

[24]

Pembrolizumab

NSCLC

Not done

No

Steroids

Improvement

[25]

Pembrolizumab

NSCLC

+

No

Steroids + etoposide

Improvement

  1. NSCLC non-small cell lung cancer, antiIDO anti Indoleamine 2,3-Dioxygenase, IVIG intravenous immunoglobulins