title: Contact immunotherapy enhances the therapeutic effects of nivolumab in treating in-transit melanoma: Two cases reports.
abstract: Because nivolumab significantly prolongs survival in patients with metastatic melanoma, enhancing its antitumor immune response is of great interest to dermato-oncologists. In this report, we describe two cases of metastatic melanoma successfully treated with nivolumab in combination with contact immunotherapy, using contact sensitizing agents, such as squaric acid dibutylester and diphencyprone. In addition, immunohistochemical staining supported one of the possible mechanisms of this combination therapy. Our present cases suggested a possible therapy for metastatic melanoma using nivolumab in combination with contact immunotherapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan.
authors.forename: Taku
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Fujimura
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan.
authors.forename: Sadanori
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Furudate
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan.
authors.forename: Aya
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kakizaki
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan.
authors.forename: Yumi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kambayashi
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan.
authors.forename: Takahiro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Haga
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan.
authors.forename: Akira
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hashimoto
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan.
authors.forename: Setsuya
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Aiba
mesh_terms: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003503:Cyclobutanes / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003521:Cyclopropanes / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007167:Immunotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000628:therapy*; D000077594:Nivolumab; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000628:therapy*
chemical_list: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D003503:Cyclobutanes; D003521:Cyclopropanes; D000077594:Nivolumab; C020637:squaric acid dibutyl ester; C029402:diphenylcyclopropenone
keywords: PD-1/PD-L1 blockade; contact immunotherapy; immunohistochemical staining; melanoma; nivolumab