Response to Combined Peptide Receptor Radionuclide Therapy and Checkpoint Immunotherapy with Ipilimumab Plus Nivolumab in Metastatic Merkel Cell Carcinoma

For patients with Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) who are refractory to immune checkpoint inhibition (ICI), treatment options are limited. Few cases of MCCs have been reported to show responses to peptide receptor radionuclide therapy (PRRT). A combination of PRRT and ICI has not been reported in MCC to date. A patient with metastatic MCC, who was resistant to first-line avelumab and acquired resistance to ipilimumab/nivolumab (IPI/NIVO) with additional radiotherapy, presented with multiple distant metastases. After confirmation of SSTR expression, treatment was continued with an additional 4 doses of IPI/NIVO combined with 2 cycles of PRRT. Treatment was well tolerated, with transient hemotoxicity and mild nausea. Restaging after 3 mo demonstrated an exceptional response. This case demonstrates the feasibility of combined treatment with IPI/NIVO and PRRT as an option for MCC patients progressing under ICI. Prospective evidence confirming the additive value of combining ICI and radionuclide therapy in a larger cohort is needed.

Automated summary

For patients with Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) who are refractory to immune checkpoint inhibition (ICI), treatment options are limited. Combination therapy with peptide receptor radionuclide therapy (PRRT) and immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) may be an effective treatment option.