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Promising immunotherapeutic approaches to the treatment of metastatic melanoma: modulation of the immune response
Yale Cancer Center, New Haven, CT
Durable remissions of advanced unresectable melanoma can be achieved in a small fraction of patients with immune-based therapy, such as high-dose interleukin-2 (IL-2). Based on an increased understanding of normal and pathologic immune responses at the molecular level and the specific interactions between growing tumors and the host immune response, new approaches to cancer immunotherapy are emerging. Optimism for advances in the immunotherapy of melanoma comes from new agents and approaches that specifically target and modify the regulators of T-cell proliferation, survival and effector function, and/or block tumor-related immunosuppressive mechanisms. One of these agents, anti-CTLA4 (anti-cytotoxic T-lymphocyte–associated antigen 4), has shown the ability to produce durable responses in patients with metastatic melanoma, including some previously unresponsive to IL-2. Preclinical studies indicate that even stronger antitumor immune responses can evolve when agents are combined rationally.
| Commun Oncol 2008;5(suppl 2):14–22 | full text |  163 kb |