Complete Clinical Remission of Stage IV Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Lung Metastasis Administering Low-Dose Immune Checkpoint Blockade in Combination With Hyperthermia and Interleukin-2. (December 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Kleef, Ralf; Moss, Ralph; Szasz, A. Marcell; Bohdjalian, Arthur; Bojar, Hans; Bakacs, Tibor
• Is Part Of: Integrative cancer therapies. Volume 17:Number 4(2018:Dec.)
• Page Start: 1297
• Page End: 1303
• Publication Date: 2018-12
• Subjects: TNBC -- immunotherapy -- checkpoint inhibition -- hyperthermia -- IL-2; Cancer -- Alternative treatment -- Periodicals; 616.99406
• DOI: 10.1177/1534735418794867
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1534-7354

Abstract

The prognosis of triple-negative breast cancer with metastases after chemotherapy remains dismal. We report the case of a 50-year-old female with first disease recurrence at the axillary lymph node and, later on, bilateral pulmonary metastases with severe shortness of breath. The patient received low-dose immune checkpoint blockade (concurrent nivolumab and ipilimumab) weekly over 3 weeks with regional hyperthermia 3 times a week, followed by systemic fever-range hyperthermia induced by interleukin-2 for 5 days. She went into complete remission of her pulmonary metastases with transient WHO I-II diarrhea and skin rash. The patient remained alive for 27 months after the start of treatment, with recurrence of metastases as a sternal mass, and up to 3 cm pleural metastases. This exceptional response should instigate further research efforts with this protocol, which consists only of approved drugs and treatments.