August 21, 2017
Keio University School of Medicine
A collaborative study involving 14 institutions across Japan, including hospitals, university hospitals, and research institutes, led by Senior Lecturer Shigeaki Suzuki of the Department of Neurology at the Keio University School of Medicine, has identified the following characteristics of myasthenia gravis that develops as a result of treatment with Opdivo, a drug known to be effective against cancer.
(1) Although myasthenia gravis is a side effect of Opdivo administration, its incidence is low. However, when induced by Opdivo, it is often complicated by myositis and myocarditis and tends to be more severe than cases not caused by the drug. (2) Similar to cases not caused by the drug, treatment with steroids and immunoglobulin is effective in preventing severe outcomes, but it requires long-term hospitalization, and some cases have resulted in death. (3) For cases induced by Opdivo, especially those with severe symptoms, earlier diagnosis and prompt treatment through team-based medical care are necessary.
The results of this research were published in "Neurology," the official journal of the American Academy of Neurology, on August 18, 2017 (U.S. Eastern Time).
Please see below for the full press release.