Case Report: Combined PD-1 and tyrosine kinase blockade stabilizes refractory pancreatic cancer guided by the spatial structure of tumor immune microenvironment
Pancreatic cancer is characterized by a poor prognosis and limited responsiveness to conventional therapies, presenting a substantial therapeutic challenge. Although chemotherapy remains the cornerstone of systemic treatment, options become scarce once frontline therapies fail. While targeted therap...
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2025-05-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Immunology |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fimmu.2025.1547388/full |
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| author | Heqi Yang Heqi Yang Yuhang Ma Yuhang Ma Chenyan Zhang Chenyan Zhang Qingqing Leng Qingqing Leng Ke Cheng Ke Cheng Chengjian Zhao Dan Cao Dan Cao |
| author_facet | Heqi Yang Heqi Yang Yuhang Ma Yuhang Ma Chenyan Zhang Chenyan Zhang Qingqing Leng Qingqing Leng Ke Cheng Ke Cheng Chengjian Zhao Dan Cao Dan Cao |
| author_sort | Heqi Yang |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Pancreatic cancer is characterized by a poor prognosis and limited responsiveness to conventional therapies, presenting a substantial therapeutic challenge. Although chemotherapy remains the cornerstone of systemic treatment, options become scarce once frontline therapies fail. While targeted therapies and immunotherapies have emerged as potential alternatives, their efficacy in pancreatic cancer is not well established. As research advances, exploring the tumor immune microenvironment (TiME) of pancreatic cancer is crucial and holds significant potential for developing novel treatment strategies.We report a case of a pancreatic cancer patient who, after the failure of frontline and second-line treatments, was treated with a pioneering combination of targeted therapy and immunotherapy to modulate the unique TiME. The targeted agent, surufatinib, is a tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) that targets vascular endothelial growth factor receptor (VEGFR) 1–3, fibroblast growth factor receptor 1 (FGFR1), and colony-stimulating factor 1 receptor (CSF-1R). The immunotherapy agent, toripalimab, is an immune checkpoint inhibitor targeting programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1). Remarkably, the patient benefitted from this regimen, exhibiting stable disease, improved clinical symptoms, and prolonged progression-free survival. This case highlights the potential of personalized therapy in treating pancreatic cancer, particularly in patients with distinctive features of the TiME that may predict favorable responses to immunotherapy. Personalized strategies that consider the spatial structure and composition of the TiME may offer a promising avenue for achieving long-term progression-free survival in patients with pancreatic cancer. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-e29b3ca9daf8462dae4f422ed9d8283f |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 1664-3224 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-05-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Immunology |
| spelling | doaj-art-e29b3ca9daf8462dae4f422ed9d8283f2025-08-20T01:48:40ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Immunology1664-32242025-05-011610.3389/fimmu.2025.15473881547388Case Report: Combined PD-1 and tyrosine kinase blockade stabilizes refractory pancreatic cancer guided by the spatial structure of tumor immune microenvironmentHeqi Yang0Heqi Yang1Yuhang Ma2Yuhang Ma3Chenyan Zhang4Chenyan Zhang5Qingqing Leng6Qingqing Leng7Ke Cheng8Ke Cheng9Chengjian Zhao10Dan Cao11Dan Cao12Department of Medical Oncology, Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, ChinaDivision of Abdominal Tumor Multimodality Treatment, Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, ChinaDepartment of Medical Oncology, Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, ChinaDivision of Abdominal Tumor Multimodality Treatment, Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, ChinaDepartment of Medical Oncology, Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, ChinaDivision of Abdominal Tumor Multimodality Treatment, Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, ChinaDepartment of Medical Oncology, Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, ChinaDivision of Abdominal Tumor Multimodality Treatment, Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, ChinaDepartment of Medical Oncology, Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, ChinaDivision of Abdominal Tumor Multimodality Treatment, Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, and Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, Chengdu, Sichuan, ChinaDepartment of Medical Oncology, Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, ChinaDivision of Abdominal Tumor Multimodality Treatment, Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, ChinaPancreatic cancer is characterized by a poor prognosis and limited responsiveness to conventional therapies, presenting a substantial therapeutic challenge. Although chemotherapy remains the cornerstone of systemic treatment, options become scarce once frontline therapies fail. While targeted therapies and immunotherapies have emerged as potential alternatives, their efficacy in pancreatic cancer is not well established. As research advances, exploring the tumor immune microenvironment (TiME) of pancreatic cancer is crucial and holds significant potential for developing novel treatment strategies.We report a case of a pancreatic cancer patient who, after the failure of frontline and second-line treatments, was treated with a pioneering combination of targeted therapy and immunotherapy to modulate the unique TiME. The targeted agent, surufatinib, is a tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) that targets vascular endothelial growth factor receptor (VEGFR) 1–3, fibroblast growth factor receptor 1 (FGFR1), and colony-stimulating factor 1 receptor (CSF-1R). The immunotherapy agent, toripalimab, is an immune checkpoint inhibitor targeting programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1). Remarkably, the patient benefitted from this regimen, exhibiting stable disease, improved clinical symptoms, and prolonged progression-free survival. This case highlights the potential of personalized therapy in treating pancreatic cancer, particularly in patients with distinctive features of the TiME that may predict favorable responses to immunotherapy. Personalized strategies that consider the spatial structure and composition of the TiME may offer a promising avenue for achieving long-term progression-free survival in patients with pancreatic cancer.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fimmu.2025.1547388/fullpancreatic cancertumor immune microenvironmentspatial structureimmunotherapytargeted therapy |
| spellingShingle | Heqi Yang Heqi Yang Yuhang Ma Yuhang Ma Chenyan Zhang Chenyan Zhang Qingqing Leng Qingqing Leng Ke Cheng Ke Cheng Chengjian Zhao Dan Cao Dan Cao Case Report: Combined PD-1 and tyrosine kinase blockade stabilizes refractory pancreatic cancer guided by the spatial structure of tumor immune microenvironment Frontiers in Immunology pancreatic cancer tumor immune microenvironment spatial structure immunotherapy targeted therapy |
| title | Case Report: Combined PD-1 and tyrosine kinase blockade stabilizes refractory pancreatic cancer guided by the spatial structure of tumor immune microenvironment |
| title_full | Case Report: Combined PD-1 and tyrosine kinase blockade stabilizes refractory pancreatic cancer guided by the spatial structure of tumor immune microenvironment |
| title_fullStr | Case Report: Combined PD-1 and tyrosine kinase blockade stabilizes refractory pancreatic cancer guided by the spatial structure of tumor immune microenvironment |
| title_full_unstemmed | Case Report: Combined PD-1 and tyrosine kinase blockade stabilizes refractory pancreatic cancer guided by the spatial structure of tumor immune microenvironment |
| title_short | Case Report: Combined PD-1 and tyrosine kinase blockade stabilizes refractory pancreatic cancer guided by the spatial structure of tumor immune microenvironment |
| title_sort | case report combined pd 1 and tyrosine kinase blockade stabilizes refractory pancreatic cancer guided by the spatial structure of tumor immune microenvironment |
| topic | pancreatic cancer tumor immune microenvironment spatial structure immunotherapy targeted therapy |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fimmu.2025.1547388/full |
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