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Review
. 2014 Nov;1(2):165-172.
doi: 10.2217/mmt.14.14. Epub 2014 Dec 4.

How anti-PD1 treatments are changing the management of melanoma

Peter Hersey  1   2   1   2 , Hojabr Kakavand  2   3   2   3 , James Wilmott  2   3   2   3 , Andre van der Westhuizen  4   4 , Stuart Gallagher  1   1 , Kavitha Gowrishankar  1   1 , Richard Scolyer  2   3   2   3
Affiliations
Review

How anti-PD1 treatments are changing the management of melanoma

Peter Hersey et al. Melanoma Manag. 2014 Nov.

Abstract

The introduction of immunotherapy based on the blockade of the PD1/PD-L1 checkpoints has been associated with high response rates and durable remissions of disease in patients with metastatic melanoma, to the extent that it is now considered the standard of care for a wide range of patients, irrespective of their BRAF or NRAS mutation status. In addition, more frequent follow-up of patients who are at high risk of recurrence after surgical treatment appears to be justified, as does neoadjuvant treatments in order to render patients treatable by surgery. The limitations of this treatment include failure of some patients to respond, a low rate of complete responses and relapses of the disease during treatment. New initiatives in order to overcome these limitations include the identification of biomarkers for the selection responders and evaluations of treatment combinations that will increase responses and their durability. The latter includes combinations with antibodies against other checkpoints on T cells and cotreatments with inhibitors of resistance pathways in melanoma.

Keywords: CD8 T cells; PD1/PD-L1; TILs; immunotherapy; melanoma; monoclonal antibodies; resistance factors; survival outcomes.

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Conflict of interest statement

Financial & competing interests disclosure The authors have no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties. No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.

Figures

<b>Figure 1.</b>
Figure 1.. The checkpoint receptors CTLA4 and PD1 have complementary functions, with CTLA4 appearing early in the response and PD1 after repeated stimulation.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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