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Risk of tumor flare after nivolumab treatment in patients with irradiated field recurrence

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Abstract

Nivolumab offers a statistically superior survival benefit over docetaxel in patients with advanced, previously treated squamous and non-squamous non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, we unexpectedly encountered “tumor flare” that was associated with initially increased tumor lesion size and subsequently decreased tumor burden in patients with NSCLC treated with nivolumab, which is known as pseudoprogression. Tumor flare with rapid progression related to accelerated progression after nivolumab treatment has also been observed. Here we report two patients having early irradiated field recurrence who experienced “tumor flare” that showed pseudoprogression and rapid progression. In addition, we present a brief literature review on “tumor flare” after nivolumab treatment.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Thoracic Oncology, Aichi Cancer Center Hospital, 1-1, Kanokoden, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya, Aichi, 464-8681, Japan

    Tatsuya Yoshida, Hiromi Furuta & Toyoaki Hida

Authors
  1. Tatsuya Yoshida
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  2. Hiromi Furuta
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  3. Toyoaki Hida
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Correspondence to Tatsuya Yoshida.

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Conflict of interest

Dr Hida has obtained research grants from Ono Pharmaceutical, Novartis Pharma, Chugai Pharmaceutical, Eli Lilly, Taiho Pharmaceutical, AstraZeneca, Nippon Boehringer Ingelheim, Pfizer, Bristol-Meyers Squibb, Clovis Oncology, Eisai, Takeda Bio, Dainippon Sumitomo Pharma, Abbvie, Merck Serono, Kyowa Hakko Kirin, Daiichi Sankyo, and Astellas and has received personal fees from Ono Pharmaceutical, Novartis Pharma, Chugai Pharmaceutical, Eli Lilly, Taiho Pharmaceutical, AstraZeneca, Nippon Boehringer Ingelheim, Pfizer, Clovis Oncology, and Bristol-Meyers Squibb. All other authors have no conflicts of interest.

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All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki Declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.

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Informed consent to publish this study was obtained from all participants included in the study.

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Yoshida, T., Furuta, H. & Hida, T. Risk of tumor flare after nivolumab treatment in patients with irradiated field recurrence. Med Oncol 34, 34 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12032-017-0895-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12032-017-0895-4

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