| Autor: |
Mohammed U. Al Homsi, Mai Mostafa, Khaled Fahim |
| Jazyk: |
angličtina |
| Rok vydání: |
2018 |
| Předmět: |
|
| Zdroj: |
Case Reports in Oncology, Vol 11, Iss 2, Pp 467-475 (2018) |
| Druh dokumentu: |
article |
| ISSN: |
1662-6575 |
| DOI: |
10.1159/000490636 |
| Popis: |
Avelumab is indicated for the management of Merkel cell carcinoma, a rare and aggressive neuroendocrine skin cancer. Its regulatory approval followed the positive outcome of a Phase 2 trial on 88 patients with stage IV disease, which excluded patients with immunodeficiency due to HIV, a risk factor for this cancer type. We report a positive and sustained response to avelumab in an HIV-positive patient with stage IV Merkel cell carcinoma refractory to previous chemotherapy (cisplatin/etoposide) and radiotherapy. Five cycles of avelumab 10 mg/m2 resulted in the resolution of tumor activity visualized using PET-CT scanning in all affected lymph nodes. The only major side effect associated with avelumab was thyroiditis and mild hypothyroidism, a known adverse effect of this treatment, which was well controlled by L-thyroxine treatment. Treatment is ongoing and the positive response has been sustained during 5 further cycles of treatment up to date. This apparently durable response is consistent with the earlier clinical trial experience with avelumab, but seen here in a patient with HIV-associated immunodeficiency as a predisposing factor (an exclusion criterion from the previous trial). Further clinical trials with avelumab in a broader patient population with Merkel cell carcinoma are warranted. |
| Databáze: |
Directory of Open Access Journals |
| Externí odkaz: |
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