Response to Pembrolizumab in Advanced Anal Squamous Cell Carcinoma With High TMB and PD-L1 and PD-L2 Amplification

Clin Colorectal Cancer. 2021 Dec;20(4):350-353. doi: 10.1016/j.clcc.2021.05.008. Epub 2021 May 24.

Abstract

We report the case of a 44-year-old female with a prior diagnosis of Sjögren's syndrome who was treated for metastatic anal squamous cell carcinoma with second-line pembrolizumab and has achieved a sustained partial response after a follow-up of 13 months. Comprehensive genomic profiling was remarkable for PD-L1 and PD-L2 amplification and a high tumor mutational burden (19 mutations per megabase). To the best of our knowledge, we present the first report to correlate PD-L1 and PD-L2 amplification with good outcomes of immune checkpoint inhibition in metastatic anal squamous cell carcinoma.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized
  • Anus Neoplasms* / drug therapy
  • Anus Neoplasms* / genetics
  • B7-H1 Antigen / genetics
  • Carcinoma, Squamous Cell* / drug therapy
  • Carcinoma, Squamous Cell* / genetics
  • Female
  • Humans

Substances

  • Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized
  • B7-H1 Antigen
  • pembrolizumab