Motonaga Aoi, Nakanishi Shotaro, Tanaka Kei, Nishida Sho, Izumi Keiichiro, Saito Seiichi
Department of Urology, Graduate School of Medicine, University of the Ryukyus, Okinawa, 903-0215, Japan.
Urol Case Rep. 2021 Mar 26;38:101661. doi: 10.1016/j.eucr.2021.101661. eCollection 2021 Sep.
Ipilimumab and nivolumab combination therapy is effective against unresectable or metastatic renal cell carcinoma. However, it is associated with many immune-related adverse events, including hypophysitis that is difficult to diagnose early because of non-specific initial symptoms. Herein, we report the case of a 54-year-old man with metastatic renal cell carcinoma who developed hypophysitis after receiving ipilimumab and nivolumab combination therapy. The initial symptom was headache. However, endocrine tests showed decreased levels of cortisol, free thyroxine and thyroid-stimulating hormone. Moreover, magnetic resonance imaging revealed pituitary enlargement. Accordingly, we diagnosed hypophysitis and immediately started hydrocortisone replacement therapy, which improved the symptoms.
