PPubMed6 Sep 2026

Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors in Relapsed/Refractory Anaplastic Large Cell Lymphoma ( ALCL ): A Case Report and Review of the Literature

Constantin Klenner, Josef Singer

Abstract

1## Background Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) have significantly advanced clinical oncology, yet their application in rare entities remains scarcely explored. One such entity is anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL), classified as ALK+/ALK−, breast implant-associated (BIA-ALCL), or primary cutaneous (pcALCL). For systemic ALCL, first-line treatment generally consists of anthracycline-based chemotherapy, with BV-CHP (Brentuximab Vedotin, Cyclophosphamide/Hydroxydaunorubicin/Prednisone) representing the preferred regimen for CD30-positive disease in adult patients . In relapsed/refractory (r

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PD-1 blockade led to complete remission in a relapsed/refractory ALCL patient, and a review of three other cases shows all four achieved remission, indicating possible efficacy.

What’s new

i.Reported a new case of r/r ALCL responding to PD‑1 inhibition
ii.Identified and summarized three previously published PD‑1/PD‑L1 cases in ALCL
iii.Demonstrated 100% complete remission across four patients
iv.Highlighted the need for prospective trials and biomarker studies

How they did it

The authors treated a relapsed/refractory ALCL patient with a PD‑1 inhibitor and documented the clinical outcome. They then performed a literature review to locate prior ALCL cases treated with checkpoint inhibitors and extracted response and safety data.

What they found

All four reported patients (the new case plus three literature cases) achieved complete remission
Progression‑free survival ranged from 4 to 33 months
Adverse events, when reported, were manageable and typical of immune‑related toxicity

Caveats

✕Very limited sample size (only four patients)
✕Data derived from case reports without control groups
✕Incomplete patient‑level safety information
✕Findings are observational and require prospective validation

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