TY - JOUR AB - Severe pneumonitis induced by nivolumab, an anti-programmed cell death-1 monoclonal antibody, is a rare but potentially fatal immune-related adverse event. In cases of steroid-refractory pneumonitis, an appropriate therapeutic strategy using anti-tumor necrosis factor‑α (TNF-α) antibody has not been established. A 59-year-old female was diagnosed with hypopharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma. Previous therapies including chemoradiotherapy and throat laryngectomy were performed, but metastatic recurrence appeared in the intrapulmonary and mediastinal lymph nodes. The patient was administered nivolumab. On the 14th day of nivolumab administration, the patient experienced dyspnea and computed tomography of the chest showed multiple consolidations in the right lung. She was diagnosed with nivolumab-induced pneumonitis. Because the pneumonitis was refractory to steroid therapy, she was administered infliximab, and the pneumonitis improved. On the 72nd and 101st days of nivolumab administration, nivolumab-induced pneumonitis re-appeared with an elevated serum TNF-α concentration. In each occurrence of pneumonitis, repetitive administration of infliximab improved the pneumonitis. Repetitive administration of infliximab may be effective for treating recurrent nivolumab-induced pneumonitis that is associated with an increased serum TNF-α concentration. AD - Department of Medicine and Biosystemic Sciences, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka 812-8582, Japan Department of Respiratory Medicine, Kyushu University Hospital, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka 812-8582, Japan Department of Oncology and Social Medicine, Kyushu University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka 812-8582, Japan AU - Ueno,Shohei AU - Uenomachi,Masato AU - Kusaba,Hitoshi AU - Ito,Mamoru AU - Suzuki,Kunihiro AU - Ohmura,Hirofumi AU - Tsuchihashi,Kenji AU - Ariyama,Hiroshi AU - Akashi,Koichi AU - Baba,Eishi DA - 2021/10/01 DO - 10.3892/mco.2021.2379 IS - 4 JO - Mol Clin Oncol KW - head and neck cancer nivolumab pneumonitis infliximab immunotherapy PY - 2021 SN - 2049-9450 2049-9469 SP - 221 ST - Improvement in recurring nivolumab-induced pneumonitis with repetitive administration of infliximab in a patient with head and neck cancer: A case report T2 - Molecular and Clinical Oncology TI - Improvement in recurring nivolumab-induced pneumonitis with repetitive administration of infliximab in a patient with head and neck cancer: A case report UR - https://doi.org/10.3892/mco.2021.2379 VL - 15 ER -