Induction of the Abscopal Effect with Immunotherapy and Palliative Radiation in Metastatic Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma: A Case Report and Review of the Literature

Ashwin Shinde; Jennifer Novak; Morganna L Freeman; Scott Glaser; Arya Amini

doi:10.7759/cureus.4201

Induction of the Abscopal Effect with Immunotherapy and Palliative Radiation in Metastatic Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma: A Case Report and Review of the Literature

Cureus. 2019 Mar 7;11(3):e4201. doi: 10.7759/cureus.4201.

Authors

Ashwin Shinde¹, Jennifer Novak¹, Morganna L Freeman², Scott Glaser¹, Arya Amini¹

Affiliations

¹ Radiation Oncology, City of Hope National Medical Center, Duarte, USA.
² Medical Oncology, City of Hope National Medical Center, Duarte, USA.

Abstract

The induction of the abscopal effect using immunotherapy and radiation is under investigation through case reports and institutional studies. We describe a case of the abscopal effect with a combination of ipilimumab, nivolumab, and palliative radiation, in a patient with metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (mHNSCC).

Keywords: abscopal effect; ctla-4; head and neck cancer; immunotherapy; palliative; pd-1 inhibitor; quad shot; radiation.

Publication types

Case Reports