Abscopal downstaging of intermediate stage hepatocellular via combination cryoablation and immunotherapy with complete pathologic response.

ABSTRACT

The abscopal effect is a rare phenomenon characterized by disease regression in distant sites after tumoral locoregional therapy. Locoregional therapy, such as cryoablation, can induce an antitumor immunological response, potentially improving outcomes in cancer patients receiving immunotherapy. This report describes a patient with multifocal hepatocellular carcinoma who progressed through multiple locoregional therapies, was initially unresponsive to immunotherapy, and later achieved rapid and sustained disease regression with a combination cryoablation and immunotherapy. A 5-year sustained complete tumor response successfully bridged to liver transplantation.