Pembrolizumab for non‐small cell lung cancer with central nervous system metastases: A two‐case report

Non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) accounts for up to 85% of all lung cancers. Central nervous system metastases are a common complication of NSCLC and confer a poor prognosis and a dismal survival rate. Treatment is limited, has poor outcomes, and affects patient quality of life. Pembrolizumab is a...

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Main Authors: Mingyi Di, Li Zhang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2019-02-01
Series:Thoracic Cancer
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1111/1759-7714.12963
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author Mingyi Di
Li Zhang
author_facet Mingyi Di
Li Zhang
author_sort Mingyi Di
collection DOAJ
description Non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) accounts for up to 85% of all lung cancers. Central nervous system metastases are a common complication of NSCLC and confer a poor prognosis and a dismal survival rate. Treatment is limited, has poor outcomes, and affects patient quality of life. Pembrolizumab is an anti‐PD‐1 antibody that has shown good results for the management of NSCLC. However, its penetration of the central nervous system has not been well studied, and patients with untreated brain metastases are excluded from most clinical trials. Herein, we report two cases of NSCLC with brain metastases in patients successfully treated with pembrolizumab, and discuss the efficacy and safety of pembrolizumab in these patients. Pembrolizumab has shown good control and the patients have had long progression‐free survival with a high quality of life. Neither patient has experienced serious or grade 3–4 treatment‐related adverse events. Pembrolizumab demonstrates activity in brain metastases in NSCLC patients with an acceptable safety profile. Thus, there may be a role for systemic immunotherapy in patients with untreated or progressive brain metastases.
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spelling doaj.art-6da034d6023845738be95860882154172022-12-22T01:40:17ZengWileyThoracic Cancer1759-77061759-77142019-02-0110238138510.1111/1759-7714.12963Pembrolizumab for non‐small cell lung cancer with central nervous system metastases: A two‐case reportMingyi Di0Li Zhang1Department of Respiratory Medicine, Peking Union Medical College Beijing ChinaDepartment of Respiratory Medicine, Peking Union Medical College Beijing ChinaNon‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) accounts for up to 85% of all lung cancers. Central nervous system metastases are a common complication of NSCLC and confer a poor prognosis and a dismal survival rate. Treatment is limited, has poor outcomes, and affects patient quality of life. Pembrolizumab is an anti‐PD‐1 antibody that has shown good results for the management of NSCLC. However, its penetration of the central nervous system has not been well studied, and patients with untreated brain metastases are excluded from most clinical trials. Herein, we report two cases of NSCLC with brain metastases in patients successfully treated with pembrolizumab, and discuss the efficacy and safety of pembrolizumab in these patients. Pembrolizumab has shown good control and the patients have had long progression‐free survival with a high quality of life. Neither patient has experienced serious or grade 3–4 treatment‐related adverse events. Pembrolizumab demonstrates activity in brain metastases in NSCLC patients with an acceptable safety profile. Thus, there may be a role for systemic immunotherapy in patients with untreated or progressive brain metastases.https://doi.org/10.1111/1759-7714.12963Central nervous system metastasesnon‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC)pembrolizumab
spellingShingle Mingyi Di
Li Zhang
Pembrolizumab for non‐small cell lung cancer with central nervous system metastases: A two‐case report
Thoracic Cancer
Central nervous system metastases
non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC)
pembrolizumab
title Pembrolizumab for non‐small cell lung cancer with central nervous system metastases: A two‐case report
title_full Pembrolizumab for non‐small cell lung cancer with central nervous system metastases: A two‐case report
title_fullStr Pembrolizumab for non‐small cell lung cancer with central nervous system metastases: A two‐case report
title_full_unstemmed Pembrolizumab for non‐small cell lung cancer with central nervous system metastases: A two‐case report
title_short Pembrolizumab for non‐small cell lung cancer with central nervous system metastases: A two‐case report
title_sort pembrolizumab for non small cell lung cancer with central nervous system metastases a two case report
topic Central nervous system metastases
non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC)
pembrolizumab
url https://doi.org/10.1111/1759-7714.12963
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