title: Releasing the Brake on the Immune System: The PD-1 Strategy for Hematologic Malignancies.
abstract: Manipulation of the immune system as a viable cancer treatment strategy has re-emerged. The programmed death 1 (PD-1) pathway is an important, physiologic immune checkpoint necessary to limit autoimmune processes but co-opted by tumors to suppress the antitumor response and allow tumor escape. Blockade of the PD-1 pathway through the use of PD-1 or PD ligand 1(PD-L1) antibodies releases this brake on the immune response. The anti-PD-1 antibodies have produced encouraging results across a broad range of malignancies. Many hematologic malignancies have usurped the PD-1 pathway. Recent investigations have explored the use of anti-PD-1 therapy in hematologic malignancies, with encouraging results. Incorporation of PD-1 blockade into the treatment algorithms for hematologic malignancies is currently being pursued in multiple active clinical trials. Here we review the data on anti-PD-1 monoclonal antibodies to date and discuss ongoing and future clinical trials.
authors.forename: Locke J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Bryan
authors.forename: Leo I
authors.initials: LI
authors.lastname: Gordon
mesh_terms: D000906:Antibodies / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D006801:Humans; D007951:Leukemia, Myeloid / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology; D008232:Lymphoproliferative Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology; D058990:Molecular Targeted Therapy; D061026:Programmed Cell Death 1 Receptor / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000906:Antibodies; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D061026:Programmed Cell Death 1 Receptor