Narrative review of pembrolizumab for the treatment of esophageal cancer: evidence and outlook.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

Based on the current evidence, review the efficacy and safety profile of pembrolizumab, along with its shortcomings, in an effort to define future research directions.

Background

The survival outcome of esophageal cancer (EC) is poor, especially in patients with advanced stage. Palliative surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy and chemoradiotherapy have limited efficacy in prolonging the survival time. Currently, immunotherapies, including adoptive cell therapy-based, antibody-based, and vaccine-based therapies, are attracting considerable attention. The mechanism of immunotherapy lies in the modification of immune response and prevention of immune escape. Immunomodulatory agents can block the programmed cell death protein 1/programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-1/PD-L1) path

SUBMITTER: Jin Z 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8350624 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature