Anti-PD-1 immune checkpoint blockade-based therapy using pembrolizumab in a patient with high-grade glioblastoma

Background: Glioblastoma is a grade IV glioma tumor, and is the most frequent neoplasia in the central nervous system. Patients with glioblastoma have a very low overall survival rate and poor prognosis. Their major therapeutic challenges are the limited penetration of therapeutic agents through the blood-brain barrier, increased treatment resistance, and tumor heterogeneity. Case presentation: Anti-programmed cell death 1 (PD-1) immune checkpoint blockade-based therapy using pembrolizumab achieved good stability and non-recurrence in a Kurdish patient with high-grade glioblastoma who was refractory to first-line therapy. Conclusion: It appears that after the failure of routine and standard treatments in patients with glioblastoma, an immunotherapy-based therapeutic strategy is suitable for improving their clinical outcomes and creating antitumor effects.