Long-term response with durvalumab after chemoradiotherapy for pulmonary pleomorphic carcinoma: A case report

Pulmonary pleomorphic carcinoma (PPC) is a non-small-cell lung cancer, resistant to chemotherapy and no standard therapy has as yet been established. We herein report the case of a 59-year-old man with PPC who showed a long-term response with durvalumab after chemoradiotherapy. He was referred to our hospital with a mass shadow at the right upper lung. PPC clinical stage IIIB was diagnosed, and the tumor proportion score of programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) was 100%. Six days after transbronchial biopsy, he had difficulty walking owing to sensory abnormalities. We found that the primary tumor had invaded the spinal cord and compressed the cord at T1-T4, resulting in the abnormalities. He underwent tumor resection and received chemotherapy involving cisplatin (CDDP) + S-1 and concurrent radiotherapy (66 Gy). Subsequently, durvalumab treatment as consolidation therapy was commenced. After one year of durvalumab treatment had been completed, he had no apparent signs of relapse or severe adverse events. This case suggests that a long-term response can be achieved with durvalumab after chemoradiotherapy for stage III inoperable PPC showing high PD-L1 expression. KEY POINTS: Significant findings of the report A long-term response might be achieved with durvalumab after chemoradiotherapy in patients with stage III inoperable pulmonary pleomorphic carcinoma showing high expression of programmed death-ligand What this study adds It is possible to continue durvalumab treatment for one year without any severe adverse events. Although pulmonary pleomorphic carcinoma is considered to have a poor prognosis, the combination therapy of immune checkpoint inhibitors and radiotherapy may be an effective treatment option.