Febrile neutropenia in a metastatic melanoma patient treated with ipilimumab - case report.

BACKGROUND Ipilimumab is a fully human monoclonal antibody (mAb) targeting cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen-4 (CTLA-4). Ipilimumab is currently approved in the U.S. and Europe for the treatment of metastatic melanoma in the first- and second-line treatment. Treatment with ipilimumab is linked to immune-related adverse events (irAEs) occurring in the majority of patients. These specific AEs include dermatitis, gastrointestinal disorders (diarrhea, colitis), hepatitis, hypophysitis, hypothyroidism, neuropathy, and iritis/inflammation of the ciliary body. CASE REPORT We report a case of febrile neutropenia with agranulocytosis in the blood smear of a 35-year-old metastatic melanoma patient treated with ipilimumab 3 mg/kg. CONCLUSION This AE was probably caused by antineutrophil antibodies associated with ipilimumab treatment. To our knowledge this is the first case report of febrile neutropenia in a metastatic melanoma patient treated with ipilimumab 3 mg/kg.