Chemotherapy plus atezolizumab for a patient with small cell lung cancer undergoing haemodialysis: a case report and review of literature

Abstract

Abstract Little is known about the safety of chemotherapy plus atezolizumab for patients with extensive‐stage small cell lung cancer (ES‐SCLC) undergoing haemodialysis (HD). An 80‐year‐old male received carboplatin [area under the concentration‐time curve (AUC) = 5 on day 1], etoposide (40 mg/m2 on days 1, 2, and 3), and atezolizumab (1200 mg/body on day 1) as the first‐line therapy for ES‐SCLC. He was undergoing HD thrice a week for seven years. HD was provided 16 h after carboplatin administration. During the first cycle, grade 4 neutropenia (neutrophil count: 74/μL) and leukopenia (white blood cell count: 680/μL) occurred. Therefore, chemotherapy was administered with a reduced dose of carboplatin (AUC = 4) and etoposide (30 mg/m2) from the second to fourth cycles. After four cycles, no severe non‐haematological adverse events occurred, showing a remarkable response. We conclude that the carboplatin, etoposide, and atezolizumab combination can be safely administered to cancer patients undergoing HD.

Keywords

• Atezolizumab
• carboplatin
• etoposide
• extensive‐stage small cell lung cancer
• haemodialysis