Nivolumab monotherapy after induction chemotherapy, bioradiotherapy, and cetuximab monotherapy leading to complete remission of locoregional advanced tongue cancer: A case report

Herein, we report on a 66-year-old woman with locoregional advanced tongue cancer. She was diagnosed with left side tongue carcinoma and achieved complete remission using nivolumab monotherapy after induction chemotherapy (IC) with docetaxel, cisplatin, and 5-fluorouracil, followed by intensity-modulated bioradiotherapy and cetuximab monotherapy. Following bioradiotherapy, she was administered 70 cycles of cetuximab monotherapy. Both IC and bioradiotherapy exerted antitumor effects. However, primary tumor recurrence occurred. She received nivolumab, and the recurrent lesion disappeared after 18 cycles. She has been alive and well for >5 years, showing a successful locoregional control for advanced tongue cancer during this period.

Automated summary

This case report describes a 66-year-old woman with locoregional advanced tongue cancer who achieved successful locoregional control for over 5 years through a combination of chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and immunotherapy. The patient initially underwent induction chemotherapy followed by intensity-modulated bioradiotherapy and cetuximab monotherapy, with nivolumab ultimately leading to the disappearance of recurrent lesions.