# Pembrolizumab-Induced Rupioid Psoriasis Treated by Apremilast Without Interrupting the Ongoing Antineoplastic Treatment

## TL;DR

A 77-year-old man with lung cancer developed psoriasis from pembrolizumab but was successfully treated with apremilast without stopping cancer treatment.

## Contribution

This is the first reported case of pembrolizumab-induced psoriasis successfully managed with apremilast, allowing continuation of antineoplastic therapy.

## Key findings

- Apremilast effectively treated pembrolizumab-induced rupioid psoriasis without interrupting cancer treatment.
- Relapse occurred when apremilast was stopped but resolved upon its reintroduction.
- Pembrolizumab could be safely continued alongside apremilast without exacerbating psoriasis.

## Abstract

We report the case of a 77-year-old man affected by a poorly differentiated metastatic pulmonary adenocarcinoma who, after the first course of therapy with cisplatin-pemetrexed-pembrolizumab treatment, developed rupioid psoriasis. We decided to discontinue pembrolizumab for four weeks until lesions improved and to start therapy with apremilast (an oral small molecule phosphodiesterase (PDE)4 inhibitor) in combination with systemic methylprednisolone 16 mg/day with consequent tapering until discontinuation in a few weeks.

After accomplishing three months of treatment with apremilast, the patient gained complete remission of the rupioid lesions. Pembrolizumab therapy was reintroduced, and cycles were carried out without exacerbating the clinical picture. During the fourth month of therapy with apremilast, it was attempted to stop the treatment despite continuing the therapy with pembrolizumab. As a result, there was a relapse of the erythematous scaling plaques. After the subsequent reintroduction of apremilast, a new remission of the clinical picture occurred despite the absence of interruption of pembrolizumab. As far as we know, this is the second case of rupioid psoriasis induced by immunotherapy with pembrolizumab. Still, while the previous case was undergoing therapy with acitretin and methylprednisone, our patient is the first case treated with apremilast with excellent and rapid remission even after discontinuation and re-administration of pembrolizumab without exacerbation of dermatitis. In addition, the appearance of psoriasis during immunotherapy can be properly treated, which does not contraindicate the continuation of the antineoplastic treatment.