Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 10, 2026
Magnetic-, Acoustic-, and Optical-Triple-Responsive Microbubbles for Magnetic Hyperthermia and Pothotothermal Combination Cancer Therapy
Published on: May 22, 2020
A robust response to combination immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy in HPV-related small cell cancer: a case report
Won Jin Ho1, Lisa Rooper2, Sarah Sagorsky3
1Department of Oncology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 1650 Orleans St, CRB1 Rm#186, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA.
Background:
Human papillomavirus-related small cell carcinoma of the head and neck is an extremely rare, aggressive subtype with poor outcomes. Therapeutic options are limited and are largely adopted from small cell lung cancer treatment paradigms.
Case Presentation:
This report describes a 69-year old male who was diagnosed of HPV-related oropharyngeal cancer with mixed small cell and squamous cell pathology which was clinically aggressive and progressed through multimodal platinum-based therapies. Upon manifestation of worsening metastatic disease, the patient was initiated on a combination of ipilimumab and nivolumab. Within 2 months of starting immunotherapy, a robust partial response was observed. During the treatment course, the patient developed immune-related adverse effects including new diabetes mellitus, colitis, and hypothyroidism. The disease-specific survival was 26 months.
Conclusion:
Combination immunotherapy may be an attractive option for HPV-related small cell head and neck cancers resistant to other treatment modalities and thus warrants further evaluation.
Insights
Human papillomavirus-related small cell carcinoma of the head and neck is rare and aggressive. Combination immunotherapy (ipilimumab and nivolumab) showed a partial response in a patient with advanced disease.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Immunotherapy
- Head and Neck Cancer
Background:
- Human papillomavirus (HPV)-related small cell carcinoma of the head and neck is an extremely rare and aggressive malignancy.
- Treatment options are limited, often relying on paradigms from small cell lung cancer.
- This subtype is associated with poor patient outcomes.
Observation:
- A 69-year-old male with aggressive HPV-related oropharyngeal cancer (mixed small cell and squamous cell) progressed despite platinum-based therapies.
- The patient received combination ipilimumab and nivolumab for worsening metastatic disease.
Findings:
- A partial response was observed within 2 months of initiating combination immunotherapy.
- The patient experienced immune-related adverse effects, including new-onset diabetes mellitus, colitis, and hypothyroidism.
- Disease-specific survival reached 26 months.
Implications:
- Combination immunotherapy presents a potential treatment strategy for refractory HPV-related head and neck small cell carcinomas.
- Further clinical evaluation of this immunotherapy approach is warranted for this rare cancer subtype.
Related Concept Videos
01:36Humoral Immune Responses
01:40Cell-mediated Immune Responses
01:23Cells of the Adaptive Immune Response
01:28Cells of the Innate Immune Response
Phagocytes
Phagocytes police the peripheral tissues by removing cellular debris and responding to the invasion of foreign substances or pathogens. Many phagocytes attack and remove microorganisms even before lymphocytes detect them. The human body has two general...
01:27Cytotoxic T Cells-mediated Immune Response
Immunological surveillance is the ability of immune cells to monitor and eliminate infected cells with intracellular pathogens, neoplastically transformed cells, and cells with non-self antigens. Cytotoxic T cells and NK...
02:49Cancer Therapies
However, cancer treatments can pose several challenges, as therapies used to kill cancer cells are generally also toxic to normal cells. Moreover, cancer cells mutate rapidly and can develop resistance to chemical agents or radiation therapy. Besides, all types of cancer cells may not respond to the same therapy. Some cancer cells respond to one...