Treatment of pembrolizumab-induced cutaneous lesions with ruxolitinib

Immunotherapy is a fundamental part in the battle against cancer. The recent explosive progress and success of immune checkpoint inhibitors provide novel strategies for the treatment of a variety of cancers. Because of the novel and appealing mechanism in fighting cancer, many patients show increased interest in using checkpoint inhibitors for their inoperable malignancies. Thereafter, the associated immune-related adverse effects (irAEs) become a challenging issue for clinical practitioners. Patients with irAEs of grade 2 or a higher degree typically have their drug withheld and are treated using corticosteroids. Additional immunosuppressant may be used for patients in uncontrolled condition. However, some patients cannot tolerate or are unsuitable to corticosteroids or other immunosuppressants. Here, we report a case of successful treatment of pembrolizumab-induced cutaneous lesions with a Janus kinase inhibitor ruxolitinib, without other side effects.