Rapid and Long-term Response of Pulmonary Pleomorphic Carcinoma to Nivolumab: A Case Report

Abstract

Pulmonary pleomorphic carcinoma (PPC) is a rare very aggressive subtype of non-small cell lung cancer. We herein report a case of PPC that showed a rapid response to nivolumab. The patient, whose multiple tumors had progressed very aggressively, was treated with nivolumab, an anti-programmed cell death-1 (PD-1) antibody. The tumors dramatically shrank after one cycle of nivolumab. The tumors were positive for programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1). An immunohistochemical analysis revealed numerous PD-1⁺, CD68⁺ and CD206⁺ macrophages. This PD-1 antibody may be a good treatment option, especially in tumors that express PD-L1 and which show PD-1⁺ macrophage infiltration.