Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42620454›Full record

ArticleFrontiers in oncology2026

Metachronous severe multisystem immune-related adverse events during tremelimumab plus durvalumab therapy for hepatocellular carcinoma: a clinicopathological autopsy case report.

Takuto Nosaka, Junki Yamashita, Yu Akazawa, Tomoko Tanaka, Kazuto Takahashi, Tatsushi Naito, Masahiro Ohtani, Yukihiro Kimura, Yoshiaki Imamura, Hiroshi Tada and 2 more

Abstract readCase Reports
In one paragraph

Article in Frontiers in oncology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
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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

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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

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

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

12 authors.

Takuto NosakaDepartment of Gastroenterology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Fukui, Fukui, Japan.
Junki YamashitaDepartment of Gastroenterology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Fukui, Fukui, Japan.
Yu AkazawaDepartment of Gastroenterology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Fukui, Fukui, Japan.
Tomoko TanakaDepartment of Gastroenterology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Fukui, Fukui, Japan.
Kazuto TakahashiDepartment of Gastroenterology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Fukui, Fukui, Japan.
Tatsushi NaitoDepartment of Gastroenterology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Fukui, Fukui, Japan.
Masahiro OhtaniDepartment of Gastroenterology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Fukui, Fukui, Japan.
Yukihiro KimuraDepartment of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Fukui, Fukui, Japan.
Yoshiaki ImamuraDivision of Diagnostic Pathology/Surgical Pathology, University of Fukui Hospital, Fukui, Japan.
Hiroshi TadaDepartment of Cardiovascular Medicine, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Fukui, Fukui, Japan.
Motohiro KobayashiDepartment of Pathology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Fukui, Fukui, Japan.
Yasunari NakamotoDepartment of Gastroenterology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Fukui, Fukui, Japan.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have improved outcomes in advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), but severe multisystem immune-related adverse events (irAEs) remain a major clinical challenge. We report an autopsy-confirmed case of advanced HCC treated with tremelimumab plus durvalumab that developed severe metachronous multisystem irAEs characterized by sequential pancreatitis, laryngeal edema with sialadenitis, and myocarditis. Twelve days after treatment initiation, the patient presented with fever and abdominal distension, and computed tomography showed CTCAE grade 3 pancreatitis. On hospital day 6, he developed life-threatening laryngeal edema requiring intubation and steroid pulse therapy. Although the airway edema improved, complete atrioventricular block developed on day 23. Cardiac troponin I increased to 42,006 pg/mL, and endomyocardial biopsy demonstrated CD8-predominant myocarditis consistent with CTCAE grade 4 irAE. Cardiac conduction recovered after additional corticosteroid therapy, but the patient subsequently died of septic shock. Autopsy revealed CD8-positive lymphocytic infiltration not only in clinically recognized irAE-affected organs, including the pancreas, salivary glands, pharynx/larynx, and heart, but also in clinically silent organs, including the kidneys and intestine, indicating widespread subclinical immune-mediated injury. Multiplex immunofluorescence analysis demonstrated CD3-positive T-cell infiltration enriched for CD8-positive T cells, with variable or focal Granzyme B expression across affected tissues. In contrast, CD68-positive macrophages and CD66b-positive neutrophils were not the dominant inflammatory populations. This clinicopathological autopsy case supports the concept that clinically apparent irAEs may represent only the visible portion of systemic CD8-positive T-cell-dominant immune-mediated injury. Severe irAEs after tremelimumab plus durvalumab therapy may progress metachronously and involve clinically silent organs beyond those recognized during life, highlighting the need for continued multisystem monitoring after the onset of severe irAEs.

Indexed as

autopsyhepatocellular carcinomaimmune-related adverse eventsmyocarditistremelimumab plus durvalumab

Identifiers

PMID42620454
PMCPMC13485758

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.