Journal of Contemporary Brachytherapy

Abstract

5/2019 vol. 11
Case report

Abscopal effect of high-dose-rate brachytherapy on pelvic bone metastases from renal cell carcinoma: a case report

  1. Department of Radiology, Kyoto Prefectural University Graduate School of Medical Science, Kamigyo-ku, Kyoto, Japan
  2. Department of Urology, Kyoto Prefectural University Prefectural University Graduate School of Medical Science, Kamigyo-ku, Kyoto, Japan
J Contemp Brachytherapy 2019; 11, 5: 458–461
Online publish date: 2019/10/28
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Radiation therapy is considered an optimal partner for immunotherapies. Several pre-clinical studies have demonstrated that regression of distant metastases, at remote non-irradiated sites of the body, termed the “abscopal effect”, can be achieved by an appropriate timing and combination of radiation with immunotherapy. However, nearly all pre-clinical and clinical studies evaluating a combination of radiation and immunotherapies have used external beam radiation therapy. We present in this case report, the abscopal effect observed in a 30-year-old Japanese woman with metastatic renal cell carcinoma after the treatment with high-dose-rate interstitial brachytherapy combined with nivolumab. This is the first published report demonstrating an abscopal effect following brachytherapy for human malignancy. Our case indicates that immuno-oncology effects are not limited to external beam irradiation regimens as they can also be attained by brachytherapy.
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