Williams Faith Oluwaseun, Katsaiti Irene, Garcet Arianne, Rajendran Uthra, Akunuri Srikanth
Acute Medicine, King's College Hospital National Health Service (NHS) Foundation Trust, London, GBR.
Internal Medicine, King's College Hospital National Health Service (NHS) Foundation Trust, London, GBR.
Cureus. 2025 Aug 31;17(8):e91338. doi: 10.7759/cureus.91338. eCollection 2025 Aug.
Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have transformed the therapeutic landscape of advanced melanoma; however, their clinical benefit is tempered by a widening spectrum of immune-related adverse events (irAEs), including endocrine dysfunction. Among these, hypophysitis and adrenal insufficiency remain under-recognised, yet potentially life-threatening complications. We describe a case of secondary adrenal insufficiency in a 78-year-old female with unresectable Stage IIIC acral melanoma treated with nivolumab and relatlimab. She presented with profound hyponatraemia, hypotension, and fatigue. Subsequent evaluation confirmed central adrenal insufficiency. Glucocorticoid replacement led to rapid clinical improvement. This case underscores the imperative for heightened clinical vigilance in patients receiving ICI therapy. Recognition and prompt intervention are crucial to reducing morbidity and optimising oncologic and endocrine outcomes, which could range from thyroid dysfunction and adrenal insufficiency to hypophysitis, as the case underscores the clinical complexity of diagnosing ICI-related endocrinopathies and highlights the need for high clinical vigilance and structured endocrine surveillance in patients undergoing immune checkpoint blockade.
免疫检查点抑制剂(ICIs)已经改变了晚期黑色素瘤的治疗格局;然而,它们的临床益处因包括内分泌功能障碍在内的越来越多的免疫相关不良事件(irAEs)而受到影响。其中,垂体炎和肾上腺功能不全仍然未得到充分认识,但可能是危及生命的并发症。我们描述了一例78岁女性继发性肾上腺功能不全的病例,该患者患有不可切除的IIIC期肢端黑色素瘤,接受了纳武单抗和瑞派替尼治疗。她出现了严重的低钠血症、低血压和疲劳。随后的评估证实为中枢性肾上腺功能不全。糖皮质激素替代治疗使临床症状迅速改善。该病例强调了接受ICI治疗的患者必须提高临床警惕性。认识到并及时干预对于降低发病率以及优化肿瘤学和内分泌学结局至关重要,这些结局可能包括甲状腺功能障碍和肾上腺功能不全,乃至垂体炎,因为该病例强调了诊断ICI相关内分泌病的临床复杂性,并突出了在接受免疫检查点阻断治疗的患者中进行高度临床警惕和结构化内分泌监测的必要性。