Immediate and Durable Response to Ipilimumab Therapy in Malignant Melanoma. A Case Report of 31 Months Sustained Response
Abstract
Female patient with numerous skin and soft tissue metastases from the primary lower limb melanoma was given with systemic chemotherapy, however with no clinically relevant treatment response. Therefore, the patient was offered to start anti-CTLA therapy with ipilimumab, in the frame of the specific/expanded treatment program.
Between April and June 2011 the patient received within 12 weeks, the full induction ipilimumab therapy (4 doses of 3 mg/kg, Q3W). The major treatment response was evident soon, after 6 weeks (2 doses of ipilimumab) of therapy.
Nine months after the end of therapy, there were only few, tiny lesions remaining, with no signs of infiltration. Biopsy did not prove the presence of tumor cells within the tested lesions.
With no additional ipilimumab, the achieved response has been lasting till the last follow-up visit in June 2013, with no signs of the disease progression. Altogether, it counts for the 31 month duration of the major response to ipilimumab induction therapy.