Zhengwu Tang1, Rui Fang2, Guihui Tong3, Peng Liu4, Zhu'an Ou4, Yong Tang5. 1. Department of Orthopedics, The First Affiliated Hospital of University of South China, Hengyang, Hunan, China. 2. Department of Pharmacy, Guangdong Women and Children Hospital, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China. 3. Pathology Department, General Hospital of Southern Theatre Command of PLA, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China. 4. Department of Thoracic Surgery, General Hospital of Southern Theatre Command of PLA, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China. 5. Department of Thoracic Surgery, General Hospital of Southern Theatre Command of PLA, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China. Electronic address: ywz1112@sina.com.
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: Primary pulmonary lymphoepithelioma-like carcinoma (LELC) is a rare subtype of non-small-cell lung cancer with no established treatment protocols. Immunotherapy is rarely used as a second-line choice in patients with advanced LELC, and more cases of this condition should be presented. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We present a patient with advanced primary pulmonary LELC overcoming the resistance to second-line anti-programmed death-1 (PD-1) immunotherapy. We also review the literature to summarize the current immunotherapy landscape of this rare disorder. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: The LELC patient progressed after first-line chemotherapy, was treated by immunotherapy alone and progressed again. To overcome the developed resistance to immunotherapy, chemotherapy with nedaplatin plus paclitaxel in addition to nivolumab was administered and a progression-free survival (PFS) of 5 months was achieved. It was also observed that the blood levels of neuron-specific enolase may act as an efficacy biomarker in LELC. Patients with this rare disorder resistant to anti-PD-1 immunotherapy might benefit from therapy based on PD-1 inhibition; this is a future avenue of research.
OBJECTIVES:Primary pulmonary lymphoepithelioma-like carcinoma (LELC) is a rare subtype of non-small-cell lung cancer with no established treatment protocols. Immunotherapy is rarely used as a second-line choice in patients with advanced LELC, and more cases of this condition should be presented. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We present a patient with advanced primary pulmonary LELC overcoming the resistance to second-line anti-programmed death-1 (PD-1) immunotherapy. We also review the literature to summarize the current immunotherapy landscape of this rare disorder. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: The LELC patient progressed after first-line chemotherapy, was treated by immunotherapy alone and progressed again. To overcome the developed resistance to immunotherapy, chemotherapy with nedaplatin plus paclitaxel in addition to nivolumab was administered and a progression-free survival (PFS) of 5 months was achieved. It was also observed that the blood levels of neuron-specific enolase may act as an efficacy biomarker in LELC. Patients with this rare disorder resistant to anti-PD-1 immunotherapy might benefit from therapy based on PD-1 inhibition; this is a future avenue of research.