AIM: The present study evaluated the safety and efficacy of camrelizumab (a 
programmed death-1 antibody) in combination with microwave ablation (MWA) in 
advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).
MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 21 patients were prospectively enrolled. MWA 
was performed in 25 pulmonary lesions during 21 sessions. Camrelizumab was 
administered 5-7 days after MWA as a dose of 200 mg, which was repeated every 2 
weeks until disease progression or intolerable toxicities. The primary endpoints 
were safety and the objective response rate (ORR). Other endpoints included 
progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS).
RESULTS: The technical success rate was 100%. No treatment-associated deaths 
were identified. Major complications, minor complications, and side effects of 
MWA were observed in 9, 8, and 14 patients, respectively. The main major 
complications included pneumothorax, pneumonia, hemorrhage, and pleural 
effusion. The adverse events of camrelizumab included reactive skin capillary 
hyperplasia (n = 9), hypothyroidism (n = 5), pneumonia (n = 4), fatigue (n = 2), 
leukopenia (n = 1), and neutropenia (n = 1). Grade 2 and 3 camrelizumab adverse 
events were identified in eight and three patients, respectively. The ORR was 
33.3%, with two patients achieving complete response and five patients achieving 
partial response. The median PFS was 5.1 months and OS was not reached.
CONCLUSIONS: Camrelizumab administration combined with MWA was safe in the 
treatment of advanced NSCLC, and the combination improved the ORR of 
camrelizumab alone compared to previous reports.