Articles related to CHECKPOINT INHIBITORS

Despite the array of intensive treatment approaches, local control and overall survival rates in patients with advanced-stage disease remain low (approximately 40%–50% at 5 years). This review discusses recent studies integrating ICIs into definitive treatment regimens.

The authors summarize the results of the major studies of ICB monotherapy and combinations; review novel combinations under investigation, including ICB with cellular therapies; and discuss potential candidate biomarkers for improving the selection of patients who may respond to ICB.

When tested in mice with pancreatic cancer, a BET inhibitor/anti-PD-1 combination prevented neoplastic transformation induced by the oncogene KRAS, increased survival and increased the recruitment of cytotoxic T-cells to the tumor.

The phase 3 RATIONALE 306 trial of tislelizumab plus chemotherapy significantly improved OS compared to chemotherapy alone in patients with previously untreated advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

A study in the Annals of Internal Medicine looked at the association between cardiovascular outcomes and the coprescription of nitrates with PDE5 inhibitors in more than 42,000 men over a 10-year period. Two composite outcomes were measured: 1) cardiac arrest, shock, myocardial infarction, ischemic stroke, or acute coronary arteriography; and 2) syncope, angina pectoris, or drug-related adverse event. The authors found no statistically significant increase in measured cardiovascular AEs.

“For patients with T1cN1-2 or T2-4N0 (stage II or III), early-stage TNBC, the Panel recommends use of pembrolizumab (200 mg once every 3 weeks or 400 mg once every 6 weeks) in combination with neoadjuvant chemotherapy, followed by adjuvant pembrolizumab after surgery.”