Frontiers in Oncology (Nov 2020)

Durable Complete Response in a Melanoma Patient With Unknown Primary, Associated With Sequential and Severe Multi-Organ Toxicity After a Single Dose of CTLA-4 Plus PD-1 Blockade: A Case Report

  • Johanna Matull,
  • Elisabeth Livingstone,
  • Axel Wetter,
  • Lisa Zimmer,
  • Anne Zaremba,
  • Harald Lahner,
  • Dirk Schadendorf,
  • Selma Ugurel

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3389/fonc.2020.592609
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 10

Abstract

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Monoclonal antibodies blocking PD-1 and CTLA-4 immunological checkpoints lead to durable tumor responses in a considerable number of advanced melanoma patients. Besides their anti-neoplastic efficacy, these immune checkpoint inhibitors cause a wide range of immune-related adverse events (irAEs), often enforcing an early discontinuation of therapy. The value of irAEs as a predictive marker for better patient survival is still debated. We report here on a melanoma patient with intramuscular, pulmonary, and bone metastases who developed severe sequential irAEs involving multiple organ systems after single application of a combined immunotherapy with ipilimumab plus nivolumab, followed by a durable complete response despite an early discontinuation of therapy.

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