Tumor control with PD-1 inhibition in a patient with concurrent metastatic melanoma and renal cell carcinoma

Blockade of the immunological checkpoint programmed death 1 (PD-1) using monoclonal antibodies has shown robust anti-tumor activity across a broad range of solid and hematological malignancies including melanoma and renal cell carcinoma (RCC). Characteristic markers such as the presence of tumor infiltrating lymphocytes, PD-L1 status, and mutational load may be equally or even more important in predicting clinical benefit from PD-1 pathway blockade than tumor histology. This case of a patient with concurrent metastatic melanoma and metastatic RCC, both of which were controlled for more than a year after a single dose of the anti-PD-1 antibody pembrolizumab, illustrates the potential to simultaneously treat distinct immunogenic tumors with anti-PD-1 agents.

Journal for immunotherapy of cancer. 2016 Apr 19*** epublish ***

Melina E Marmarelis, Meredith R Davis, Nilay S Sethi, Katherine M Krajewksi, Rana R McKay, Toni K Choueiri, Patrick A Ott

Department of Medical Oncology, Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Brigham and Women's Hospital, and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA USA., Department of Medical Oncology, Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Brigham and Women's Hospital, and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA USA., Department of Medical Oncology, Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Brigham and Women's Hospital, and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA USA., Department of Imaging, Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Brigham and Women's Hospital, and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA USA., Department of Medical Oncology, Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Brigham and Women's Hospital, and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA USA., Department of Medical Oncology, Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Brigham and Women's Hospital, and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA USA., Department of Medical Oncology, Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Brigham and Women's Hospital, and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA USA.