Adding checkpoint inhibitors to first-line chemotherapy for NUT carcinoma patients

Haebe, Sarah; Schuebbe, Gesa; Jurmeister, Philipp; von Bergwelt-Baildon, Michael; Westphalen, C. Benedikt; Lauer, Ulrich M.; Kunz, Wolfgang G.; Subklewe, Marion; Weigert, Oliver (2025): Adding checkpoint inhibitors to first-line chemotherapy for NUT carcinoma patients. npj Precision Oncology, 9: 26. ISSN 2397-768X

Abstract

Rare cancers present significant challenges in diagnosis, treatment, and research, accounting for up to 25% of global cancer cases. Due to their rarity and atypical presentations, they are often misdiagnosed, resulting in late-stage detection and poor outcomes. Here, we describe a patient case with advanced metastatic nasopharynx NUT carcinoma, one of the rarest and most aggressive cancers. We conducted a comprehensive analysis of this patient’s tumor, including Tumor Mutation Burden, Microsatellite Instability, and genetic profiling to explore further putative druggable targets. The tumor exhibited high PD-L1 expression and showed a notable response to immune checkpoint inhibitors when combined with platinum-based radio-chemotherapy. Our findings indicate that checkpoint inhibitors could play a critical role in treating NUT carcinoma, offering new therapeutic avenues and hope for patients with this challenging diagnosis. Whether PD-L1 expression may be a useful predictor of immune checkpoint inhibitor efficacy warrants further research.

• Doc-Type: Article (LMU Hospital)
• Organisational unit (Faculties): 07 Medicine > Medical Center of the University of Munich > Medical Clinic and Outpatient Clinic III (Oncology)
• DFG subject classification of scientific disciplines: Life sciences
• DFG: Funded by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG, German Research Foundation) - 491502892