Pulse Brain · Growing Health Evidence Index
Tier 4 — Narrative / commentaryPeer-reviewed

Cancer immunotherapy using checkpoint blockade

Antoni Ribas, Jedd D. Wolchok

Science · 2018

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Summary

This review examines immune checkpoint inhibition as a cancer therapeutic strategy, focusing on antibodies that block CTLA-4 and PD-1 to release immune brakes on antitumour T cell responses. Whilst most responding patients achieve durable disease control, approximately one-third experience relapse; the authors discuss emerging evidence that acquired resistance involves alterations in antigen presentation and interferon-γ signalling, and propose that next-generation combination therapies may overcome these resistance mechanisms.

UK applicability

The findings are directly applicable to UK cancer care, as checkpoint inhibitors are routinely used within NHS oncology practice. Understanding resistance mechanisms and combination strategies is relevant to improving patient outcomes in the UK health system.

Key measures

Tumour response rates, disease control duration, relapse frequency, mechanisms of acquired resistance in antigen presentation and interferon-γ signalling pathways

Outcomes reported

The study reviewed clinical efficacy of CTLA-4 and PD-1 pathway blockade antibodies in achieving long-lasting tumour responses across multiple cancer types, and examined mechanisms of acquired resistance in patients who relapse.

Theme
Nutrition & health
Subject
Other / interdisciplinary
Study type
Narrative Review
Study design
Narrative review
Source type
Peer-reviewed study
Status
Published
System type
Human clinical
DOI
10.1126/science.aar4060
Catalogue ID
SNmoh0dxe9-8mwtd6

Topic tags

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