The efficacy of nivolumab administration after pegylated interferon-alpha adjuvant therapy in a case of head and neck melanoma

Abstract

The anti-PD-1 antibody nivolumab has been used to treat malignant melanoma, although its response rate is low and it shows high individual variation. The effect of combination therapy with the anti-CTLA-4 antibody ipilimumab is not very beneficial given the increased side effects associated with it. Although anti-PD-1 therapy after stereotactic radiosurgery has been attempted, there is not enough evidence to support its efficacy. We report the case of a 67-year-old man with postoperative recurrent head melanoma that was treated using anti-PD-1 antibody administration after PEG IFN-α adjuvant therapy. Rapid reduction in tumor size was observed after this sequential administration, and no immune-related adverse events were observed after treatment with both the drugs. Our observations suggest that pegylated interferon-alpha adjuvant therapy followed by anti-PD-1 antibody treatment is clinically efficacious and well tolerated by patients with metastatic melanoma.[Skin Cancer (Japan) 2016 ; 31 : 216-221]