A case report: deep and durable response to low-dose lenvatinib and tislelizumab in an elderly patient with advanced intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma

Background Older patients with advanced cholangiocarcinoma lack systemic therapy standards. These people have a high risk of chemotherapy, accompanied by adverse reactions and even discontinuation of treatment.Case presentation We report a 78-year-old female subject with advanced intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma presenting with unresectable lesions involving the hepatic veins, along with extensive metastatic lymph nodes. After the geriatric assessment, capecitabine was utilized for only one cycle owing to adverse events (AEs). Next, a combination of low-dose lenvatinib and tislelizumab was administrated as a second-line treatment, which resulted in remarkable early tumor shrinkage. The following individual lenvatinib taper enabled a manageable safety profile and durable deep response. A near-complete response was achieved, with the primary tumor significantly reducing from 5.6 cm x 4.7 cm to nearly complete disappearance, accompanied by complete regression of lymph nodes, and both progression-free survival and overall survival exceeding 24 months.Conclusion The case provides valuable insights that could influence future treatment strategies for older patients with advanced cholangiocarcinoma who are unsuitable for chemotherapy. The dose-individualized chemotherapy-free regime of lenvatinib and tislelizumab might be used in similar cases to improve their outcomes.