A Patient with HIV Treated with Ipilimumab and Stereotactic Radiosurgery for Melanoma Metastases to the Brain

Abstract

Cancers, such as melanoma, that are associated with immune deficiencies are a major cause of morbidity and mortality in HIV- infected patients. Once patients developmelanomametastases to the brain, treatment is oſten limited to palliative surgery and/or radiation. Ipilimumab, aCTLA-4 antagonist, has been shown to improve themedian survival of patientswithmetastaticmelanoma. However, available data regarding the safety and efficacy of ipilimumab in HIV-infected patients who develop intracranial melanoma metastases is limited. Here we report our experience administering ipilimumab to a patient with HIV-AIDS who developed multiple intracranial melanoma metastases. Following treatment, our patient showed improvement in systemic tumor control without any apparent interference with antiretroviral treatment.