Case Report: Pembrolizumab unmasks a capillary leak syndrome with chylothorax in early TNBC - Takeaways - MDSpire

Case Report: Pembrolizumab unmasks a capillary leak syndrome with chylothorax in early TNBC

  • By

  • Naïla Benkalfate

  • Ghazi Hadjamara

  • Caroline Petorin

  • Magaly Zappa

  • Aimable Habonimana

  • Dufens Pierre Louis

  • Anne-Laure Chene

  • Jean-Patrick Clarke

  • Renan Liberge

  • Kinane Drak Alsibai

  • Claire Defrance

  • Barbara Pistilli

  • Baptiste Boulet

  • Soraya Benguerfi

  • Houari Aissaoui

  • May 22, 2026

  • 0 min

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  • 1

    Pembrolizumab is standard care for early-stage triple-negative breast cancer but can cause rare adverse events like capillary leak syndrome.

  • 2

    A 40-year-old woman developed capillary leak syndrome and chylothorax after two cycles of adjuvant pembrolizumab, presenting with dyspnea and edema.

  • 3

    Imaging confirmed polyserositis and interstitial pulmonary edema, while laboratory tests showed hypoalbuminemia without other abnormalities.

  • 4

    Corticosteroid therapy led to rapid clinical resolution, and pembrolizumab was permanently discontinued without recurrence.

  • 5

    This case emphasizes the need for comprehensive evaluation of unexplained serous effusions and edema in patients receiving pembrolizumab.

Original Source(s)

Case Report: Pembrolizumab unmasks a capillary leak syndrome with chylothorax in early TNBC

  • by Naïla Benkalfate, Ghazi Hadjamara, Caroline Petorin, Magaly Zappa, Aimable Habonimana, Dufens Pierre Louis, Anne-Laure Chene, Jean-Patrick Clarke, Renan Liberge, Kinane Drak Alsibai, Claire Defrance, Barbara Pistilli, Baptiste Boulet, Soraya Benguerfi, Houari Aissaoui

  • May 22, 2026

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