Hypopituitarism induced by pembrolizumab plus axitinib in the treatment of metastatic renal cell carcinoma: A case report

Immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) therapies have broadened the armamentarium for metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC). As the ICI therapy spreads in the clinical settings, immune-related adverse events are more of a concern for clinicians. The present study reports three cases of mRCC treated with pembrolizumab plus axitinib and diagnosed hypopituitarism based on clinical symptoms and hormonal profile. Acute methylprednisolone infusion therapy was necessary in one case because of severe adrenal hypofunction; however, the clinical symptoms of the other two cases were controlled with oral corticosteroid therapy. To the best of our knowledge, there is no report of pembrolizumab plus axitinib related hypopituitarism in the treatment of mRCC. The present cases suggests that hypopituitarism after pembrolizumab plus axitinib treatment for mRCC can be handled with steroid therapy even after the development of hypopituitarism.