Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor-Induced Myositis/Myasthenia Gravis Overlap

Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have considerably changed the management of several malignancies. Although these agents transformed the scope of management in oncology and proved long-term efficacy, they have been associated with numerous autoimmune-related adverse events. We presented a case of a 61-year-old male with a history of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who presented with respiratory failure requiring mechanical ventilation. He was discharged with a working diagnosis of myasthenia gravis crisis secondary to the use of pembrolizumab. On further evaluation, he was found to possibly have pembrolizumab-induced myositis. He was treated with plasmapheresis, methylprednisolone, and rituximab and achieved significant improvement. Pembrolizumab, a monoclonal antibody, is an ICI that targets programmed death protein 1 (PD-1), thereby blocking the interaction between PD-1 and PDL-1, leading to an enhancement of T-cell mediated immune response against tumor cells. Pembrolizumab has been used to treat a variety of malignancies including melanoma, NSCLC, and other solid tumors. Though ICIs have revolutionized the field of oncology, they should be used with caution. ICIs can cause immune-related adverse events (irAEs), including myasthenia gravis and myositis. Diagnosing irAEs is challenging due to their nonspecific presentations and lack of antibody markers. Therefore, patients and clinicians should be aware of irAEs in order to initiate timely intervention.