title: Long-lasting responses under treatment with ipilimumab: an argument against maintenance therapy?
abstract: Ipilimumab, a monoclonal CTLA-4 antibody, was the first drug improving overall survival in patients with metastatic melanoma. However, there are still unanswered questions concerning therapeutic regimes, e.g. if maintenance therapy is needed to achieve long-term response. We present three patients with metastatic melanoma who received ipilimumab after progression under chemotherapy. In all of these patients ipilimumab led to a long-term tumor control of at least 32 months. Interestingly, all of them developed severe autoimmune toxicity and ipilimumab treatment was discontinued after 1 respectively 2 cycles. The present cases demonstrate that a long-term response to ipilimumab can be achieved without maintenance therapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.
authors.forename: Julika
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Dick
authors.forename: Alexander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Enk
authors.forename: Jessica Cecile
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Hassel
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced; D018450:Disease Progression; D006801:Humans; D000074324:Ipilimumab; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000556:secondary; D008875:Middle Aged; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000556:secondary
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D000074324:Ipilimumab