The Combined Use of Chemotherapy and Radiotherapy with PD-1 Inhibitor, Pembrolizumab, in Advanced Cervical Cancer: A Case Report

As a result of the limited therapeutic options, advanced cervical cancer is difficult to treat, making the prognosis poor. Therefore, new therapeutic modalities or combinations need to be explored. We herein reported a case of stage IVB cervical cancer which was irresponsive to chemotherapy alone. Based on previous studies and after patient’s consent was obtained, we made a therapeutic plan: chemotherapy (albumin-bound paclitaxel and carboplatin) combined with immunotherapy (PD-1 inhibitor pembrolizumab). After 6 cycles of combined treatment, the patient got almost complete resolution with slight advent event. The treatment was further supported by local radiotherapy combined with immunotherapy. During the treatment period, disease was relatively stable, but the patient suffered severe grade 4 myelosuppression. We were therefore left with no other choice than to interrupt both chemotheraphy and radiotherapy. Before long, the tumor grew explosively again. These guided us to conclude that the combination use of albumin-bound paclitaxel (nab-paclitaxel) and carboplatin and pembrolizumab is effective and well tolerated in the treatment of advanced cervical cancer. The combined use of radiotherapy and pembrolizumab may also be effective. However, the combination use of chemotherapy, radiotherapy and immunotherapy in advanced cancer has not been well studied, and there are still many unsolved queries.