Case Report: Overcoming challenges in pancreatic cancer with liver metastases: a personalized therapeutic odyssey of TACE, ablation, and immunotherapy

Ying Zhu; Zhouyu Ning; Zhiqiang Meng

doi:10.3389/fimmu.2023.1275782

Case Report: Overcoming challenges in pancreatic cancer with liver metastases: a personalized therapeutic odyssey of TACE, ablation, and immunotherapy

Front Immunol. 2023 Oct 11:14:1275782. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1275782. eCollection 2023.

Authors

Ying Zhu^{1

2}, Zhouyu Ning^{1

2}, Zhiqiang Meng^{1

2}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Integrative Oncology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China.
² Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.

Abstract

Pancreatic cancer represents a malignant neoplasm originating from pancreatic cells. The optimal approach to cancer treatment remains uncertain, lacking a definitive consensus. Here, we present a compelling case of a 49-year-old female with pancreatic head cancer with liver metastases, as identified by CT and confirmed by biopsy. PET-CT indicated widespread metastatic involvement. TACE therapy with gemcitabine and cisplatin was initiated, yielding a stable disease response. The patient's high PD-L1 expression prompted TACE-PD-1 monoclonal antibody combination therapy. Subsequent treatments, including ablation, sustained PD-1 immunotherapy, and consolidation TACE, culminated in a complete response, as evidenced by imaging and tumor marker dynamics. Our case underscores the potential of multifaceted strategies in managing aggressive pancreatic cancer.

Keywords: PD-1; PD-L1; immunotherapy therapy; microwave ablation; pancreatic cancer; transarterial chemoembolization (TACE).

Publication types

Case Reports
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Chemoembolization, Therapeutic* / methods
Female
Humans
Immunotherapy
Liver Neoplasms* / secondary
Middle Aged
Pancreatic Neoplasms* / pathology
Pancreatic Neoplasms* / therapy
Positron Emission Tomography Computed Tomography
Programmed Cell Death 1 Receptor

Substances

Programmed Cell Death 1 Receptor

Grants and funding

The author(s) declare financial support was received for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article. Funding for this work was provided by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (award number 81774043).