Rechallenge of anti-PD-1/PD-L1 antibody showed a good response to metastatic breast cancer: a case report

Immunotherapy. 2021 Feb;13(3):189-194. doi: 10.2217/imt-2020-0242. Epub 2020 Nov 23.

Abstract

Rechallenge of immune checkpoint inhibitors has been reported for neoplasms other than breast cancer. Reported here is a case of a 55-year old woman diagnosed as having triple-negative right breast cancer with multiple metastases including lung. Atezolizumab and nab-paclitaxel were administered followed by epirubicin-cyclophosphamide. With subsequent eribulin, the overall best response was progressive disease, and curative surgical resection was performed. Three months after surgery (1.5 years after initial response of lung metastasis), right lung metastasis emerged at a site different from baseline. Based on the microsatellite instability-high status, pembrolizumab was administered and showed a good response. The patient has been treated with pembrolizumab, maintaining partial response, for over 9 months, which suggests the benefit of immune checkpoint inhibitors rechallenge in breast cancer.

Keywords: MSI-high breast cancer; atezolizumab; immune checkpoint inhibitor; metastatic breast cancer; pembrolizumab; rechallenge; triple negative.

Publication types

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

MeSH terms

  • Albumins / therapeutic use
  • Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized / therapeutic use
  • Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / therapeutic use
  • B7-H1 Antigen / metabolism
  • Drug Resistance, Neoplasm
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors / therapeutic use*
  • Lung Neoplasms / drug therapy
  • Lung Neoplasms / secondary
  • Microsatellite Instability
  • Middle Aged
  • Paclitaxel / therapeutic use
  • Retreatment
  • Treatment Outcome
  • Triple Negative Breast Neoplasms / drug therapy*
  • Triple Negative Breast Neoplasms / pathology*
  • Triple Negative Breast Neoplasms / surgery

Substances

  • 130-nm albumin-bound paclitaxel
  • Albumins
  • Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized
  • B7-H1 Antigen
  • CD274 protein, human
  • Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors
  • atezolizumab
  • pembrolizumab
  • Paclitaxel