Successful immune checkpoint blockade in a patient with advanced stage microsatellite-unstable biliary tract cancer.

ABSTRACT: Cancers acquire multiple somatic mutations that can lead to the generation of immunogenic mutation-induced neoantigens. These neoantigens can be recognized by the host's immune system. However, continuous stimulation of immune cells against tumor antigens can lead to immune cell exhaustion, which allows uncontrolled outgrowth of tumor cells. Recently, immune checkpoint inhibitors have emerged as a novel approach to overcome immune cell exhaustion and reactivate antitumor immune responses. In particular, antibodies blocking the exhaustion-mediating programmed death receptor (PD-1)/programmed death receptor ligand (PD-L1) pathway have shown clinical efficacy. The effects were particularly pronounced in tumors with DNA mismatch repair (MMR) deficiency and a high mutational load, which typical

SUBMITTER: Czink E 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5593153 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature