Background/aim: Immunotherapy with PD-1/PDL1 blocking monoclonal antibodies has improved survival compared to the standard-of-care chemotherapy for several malignancies at different stages of these malignancies. Due to several reasons, many cancer patients in medical need have no access to these drugs. In this study, we aimed to investigate whether a low dose of nivolumab could also lead to a therapeutic response.
Patients and methods: Patients with advanced cancer were treated with a flat low dose of 10 mg of nivolumab IV every two weeks at no drug cost.
Results: Disease control was noted in nine of the 18 patients. Two patients achieved complete remission, two had prolonged partial remission, and five had stable disease, of these only two experienced adverse events.
Conclusion: A flat low dose of nivolumab may have clinical activity and is a cheap therapeutic option in patients in medical need for whom standard-dose immune checkpoint inhibitors are not accessible for any reason.
Keywords: CTLA-4; Nivolumab; PD-1/PDL-1; advanced cancer; checkpoint inhibitors; immunotherapy.
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