Chemotherapy plus nivolumab-associated acute kidney injury in a patient with non-oropharyngeal head and neck squamous cell carcinoma with renal metastasis

Abstract The frequency of immunotherapy-associated acute kidney injury is low, and the incidence of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma metastasizing to the kidney is even lower. We report a 52-year-old man with both conditions who experienced acute kidney injury after receiving treatment with chemotherapy plus immunotherapy including ifosfamide, etoposide, and nivolumab. Following steroid treatment, his serum creatinine level partially recovered to near baseline level. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first such case to be reported in the literature. Chemotherapy plus immunotherapy should be used with caution.