title: Immune checkpoint blockade: a common denominator approach to cancer therapy.
abstract: The immune system recognizes and is poised to eliminate cancer but is held in check by inhibitory receptors and ligands. These immune checkpoint pathways, which normally maintain self-tolerance and limit collateral tissue damage during anti-microbial immune responses, can be co-opted by cancer to evade immune destruction. Drugs interrupting immune checkpoints, such as anti-CTLA-4, anti-PD-1, anti-PD-L1, and others in early development, can unleash anti-tumor immunity and mediate durable cancer regressions. The complex biology of immune checkpoint pathways still contains many mysteries, and the full activity spectrum of checkpoint-blocking drugs, used alone or in combination, is currently the subject of intense study.
authors: Department of Surgery, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center and Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA. Electronic address: stopali1@jhmi.edu.
authors: Suzanne L
authors: SL
authors: Topalian
authors: The Brady Urological Institute, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center and Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA; Department of Oncology, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center and Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA.
authors: Charles G
authors: CG
authors: Drake
authors: Department of Oncology, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center and Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA.
authors: Drew M
authors: DM
authors: Pardoll
mesh_terms: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018106:CD28 Antigens / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology; D060908:CTLA-4 Antigen / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D007167:Immunotherapy; D018448:Models, Immunological; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology*; D061026:Programmed Cell Death 1 Receptor / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D018106:CD28 Antigens; D060908:CTLA-4 Antigen; D061026:Programmed Cell Death 1 Receptor