Gastric cancer remains third leading cause of global cancer mortality and is the fifth most common type of cancer in the United States. A select number of gastric cancers harbor alterations in
EGFR
and/or have amplification/overexpression in the HER2; 2–35 and 9–38%, respectively. The advent of next-generation sequencing of tissue and circulating tumor DNA has allowed for the massive expansion of targeted therapeutics to be employed in many settings. There have been a handful of trials using EGFR inhibitors with modest outcomes. Using novel strategies to target multiple co-mutations as well as identifying immunoregulatory molecule expression patterns will potentially drive future trials and improve gastric cancer patient outcomes.
X-linked agammaglobulinemia (XLA) is a primary humoral immunodeficiency characterized by severe hypogammaglobulinemia and increased risk of infection. The genetic condition results from a mutation in the Bruton tyrosine kinase (BTK) gene located on the X chromosome leading to a near absence of B cells. Patients affected by XLA are most commonly predisposed to frequent and severe bacterial infections. However, here we report the case of a 20-year-old male with XLA who presented with viral pneumonia with multiple pathogens. This coexistence has been rarely reported. The patient received intravenous immunoglobulin therapy with noted significant improvement in the two weeks of follow-up. His clinical history supports the hypothesis of increased susceptibility to viral pathogens in the absence of immunoglobulin therapy. The humoral defect is the cornerstone of this phenomenon. This case presents the importance of multiviral causes for patients with recurrent episodes of pneumonia in an immunocompromised state.
Given the promising response of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICPIs) in treating advanced malignancies, their use in clinical practice is on the rise. ICPIs are associated with a wide spectrum of immune-related adverse events (irAEs). The reported side effects of therapy can be severe enough to require interruption or withdrawal. We are presenting a case of a checkpoint inhibitor-induced acute pancreatitis and colitis, treated with high-dose steroids. This case highlights the need for all physicians to be aware of the different presentations of irAEs from checkpoint inhibitors to provide the correct diagnosis and management.
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