CASE REPORT article
Front. Oncol.
Sec. Gastrointestinal Cancers: Gastric and Esophageal Cancers
Volume 15 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fonc.2025.1596818
Toripalimab Induces Exacerbation of Psoriasis in an Esophageal Cancer Patient: A Case Report
Provisionally accepted
- Dongyang People’s Hospital, Dongyang, China
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Background: Toripalimab in combination with cisplatin and paclitaxel is indicated as a first-line treatment for metastatic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). Toripalimab, a PD-1 inhibitor, commonly causes immune-related adverse reactions such as immune-related rash, immune-related pneumonitis, and immune-related diarrhea and colitis.This study reports a case of toripalimab-induced exacerbation of psoriasis in an esophageal cancer patient, emphasizing the need for careful monitoring and management in such treatments. Case presentation: A 60-year-old male patient with a history of well-controlled psoriasis without medication and no other significant medical conditions was hospitalized due to recurrence and exacerbation of psoriasis following two cycles of Toripalimab combined with cisplatin and nab-paclitaxel therapy after esophageal malignancy surgery. The psoriasis flare-up was considered to be induced by Toripalimab. After admission, the patient was treated with high-dose methylprednisolone. Upon symptom control, the steroid dosage was gradually tapered and completely discontinued over a total course of approximately eight weeeks, with no recurrence throughout the tapering and discontinuation period.For cancer patients with pre-existing autoimmune diseases, particularly those with psoriasis, comprehensive multidisciplinary evaluation is essential before initiating Toripalimab therapy. During immunotherapy cycles, specialized follow-up by dermatologists and clinical pharmacists is recommended to monitor the status of pre-existing dermatological conditions and potential adverse reactions.
Keywords: Toripalimab, esophageal cancer, Psoriasis, case report, adverse effects
Received: 20 Mar 2025; Accepted: 11 Aug 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Zhao, Cheng and Li. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Luping Zhao, Dongyang People’s Hospital, Dongyang, China
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