Complete Remission Lasting over 6 Years after Allogeneic iNKT Cell Immunotherapy in an HIV-Positive Patient with Lung Adenocarcinoma: A Case Report

Background: The intersection of HIV infection and cancer presents unique therapeutic challenges because of immune dysfunction and the aggressive clinical behavior of malignancies in this population. We report a case of durable tumor remission after interruption of allogeneic iNKT cell-based immunotherapy in a patient with HIV infection and concurrent lung adenocarcinoma who was enrolled in a single-arm exploratory clinical trial (NCT03093688). Case Presentation: The patient was a 47-year-old woman who developed recurrent lung adenocarcinoma after surgery. Clinicians administered gefitinib as initial therapy due to the presence of an EGFR L858R mutation, but they discontinued treatment because of adverse events. The patient then received allogeneic iNKT cells and DCs every 3–5 weeks, with each infusion defined as one treatment cycle. She completed four cycles and experienced only grade 1–2 adverse events. Remarkably, she has remained in complete tumor remission for more than 6 years after treatment interruption, with no evidence of disease progression or significant immune-related adverse events. Conclusion: This case highlights the potential of allogeneic iNKT cell-based immunotherapy to achieve long-term tumor remission in HIV-positive patients with advanced lung adenocarcinoma. Further studies are needed to clarify the mechanisms that underlie sustained tumor remission.