Safe administration of ipilimumab plus nivolumab to a dialysis patient with renal cell carcinoma

Introduction The combination of ipilimumab plus nivolumab has been used as first-line therapy for metastatic renal cell carcinoma. While it is well known that hemodialysis patients have a higher rate of renal cell carcinoma compared to the general population, no reports have described the safety of ipilimumab-nivolumab in metastatic renal cell carcinoma patients on hemodialysis. Case presentation A 73-year-old man with a 21-year history of dialysis was referred to our department in 2019 for bilateral renal tumors and multiple lung nodules. He had already been diagnosed with bilateral renal tumors in 2015, without undergoing surgery due to comorbidities. In May 2019, contrast-enhanced computed tomography revealed multiple lung metastases in addition to the existing renal tumors; consequently, he was treated with four doses of nivolumab-ipilimumab with no adverse events. Conclusion The combination of ipilimumab plus nivolumab was safely used in a hemodialysis patient with metastatic renal cell carcinoma.