Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42112399›Full record

ArticleFrontiers in immunology2026

Fatal AA-like bone marrow failure and invasive pulmonary aspergillosis after long-term pembrolizumab in squamous NSCLC: a case report.

Yawen Wang, Weigang Dong, Jianwen Qin

Abstract readCase Reports
In one paragraph

Article in Frontiers in immunology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

3 authors.

Yawen Wang *Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Chest Hospital, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China.
Weigang Dong *Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Chest Hospital, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China.
Jianwen QinDepartment of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Chest Hospital, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) such as pembrolizumab have substantially improved outcomes in advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), including squamous histology, but prolonged exposure may be complicated by immune-related adverse events (irAEs) and opportunistic infections. We report a 58-year-old man with advanced squamous NSCLC who achieved durable tumor control after six cycles of pembrolizumab plus platinum-based chemotherapy, followed by pembrolizumab maintenance monotherapy (18 cycles). During the later course, he developed severe bacterial pneumonia, invasive pulmonary aspergillosis (IPA), and subsequent aplastic anemia (AA)-like bone marrow failure. Despite systemic antifungal therapy and supportive measures, he experienced progressive pancytopenia complicated by massive hemoptysis and ultimately died. This case underscores the dual nature of ICIs: while providing meaningful and sustained antitumor benefit, they may rarely precipitate life-threatening hematologic toxicity and facilitate severe opportunistic infections in a complex immunologic milieu. Close surveillance of blood counts and infectious complications is warranted during long-term ICI therapy; unexplained cytopenias or new/worsening radiologic abnormalities should prompt early bone marrow evaluation and comprehensive microbiologic work-up. Metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) may offer useful adjunctive evidence in diagnostically challenging infections, particularly when invasive sampling is not feasible, but results should be interpreted in conjunction with clinical and radiologic context within a multidisciplinary framework.

Indexed as

Anemia, AplasticAntibodies, Monoclonal, HumanizedAntineoplastic Agents, ImmunologicalCarcinoma, Non-Small-Cell LungCarcinoma, Squamous CellImmune Checkpoint InhibitorsInvasive Pulmonary AspergillosisLung NeoplasmsFatal OutcomeHumansMaleMiddle AgedAntibodies, Monoclonal, HumanizedAntineoplastic Agents, ImmunologicalImmune Checkpoint Inhibitorspembrolizumabaplastic anemiaimmune checkpoint inhibitorsinvasive pulmonary aspergillosisnon-small cell lung cancerpembrolizumab

Identifiers

PMID42112399
PMCPMC13149250

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