title: Beyond melanoma: inhibiting the PD-1/PD-L1 pathway in solid tumors.
abstract: Immune checkpoint inhibitors have been identified as breakthrough treatment in melanoma given its dramatic response to PD-1/PD-L1 blockade. This is likely to extend to many other cancers as hundreds of clinical trials are being conducted or proposed using this exciting modality of therapy in a variety of malignancies. While immune checkpoint inhibitors have been extensively studied in melanoma and more recently in lung cancer, little is known regarding immune checkpoint blockade in other cancers. This review will focus on the tumor immune microenvironment, the expression of PD-1/PD-L1 and the effect of immune modulation using PD-1 or PD-L1 inhibitors in patients with head and neck, prostate, urothelial, renal, breast, gastrointestinal and lung cancers.
authors.affiliation: Division of Hematology-Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Virginia Health System, Charlottesville, VA, USA.
authors.forename: Ryan
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gentzler
authors.affiliation: Division of Hematology-Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Virginia Health System, Charlottesville, VA, USA.
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hall
authors.affiliation: Division of Hematology-Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Virginia Health System, Charlottesville, VA, USA.
authors.forename: Paul R
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Kunk
authors.affiliation: Division of Hematology-Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Virginia Health System, Charlottesville, VA, USA.
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Gaughan
authors.affiliation: Division of Hematology-Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Virginia Health System, Charlottesville, VA, USA.
authors.forename: Patrick
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Dillon
authors.affiliation: Departement of Surgery, University of Virginia Health System, Charlottesville, VA, USA.
authors.forename: Craig L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Slingluff
authors.affiliation: Division of Hematology-Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Virginia Health System, Charlottesville, VA, USA.
authors.forename: Osama E
authors.initials: OE
authors.lastname: Rahma
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D060890:B7-H1 Antigen / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D006801:Humans; D007167:Immunotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D008545:Melanoma / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy*; D058990:Molecular Targeted Therapy; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy*; D061026:Programmed Cell Death 1 Receptor / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D015398:Signal Transduction; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy*; D059016:Tumor Microenvironment
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D060890:B7-H1 Antigen; C105992:PDCD1 protein, human; D061026:Programmed Cell Death 1 Receptor
keywords: PD-1; PD-L1; atezolizumab; immune checkpoint blockage; immune checkpoint inhibitors; immunotherapy; nivolumab; pembrolizumab; solid tumors; tumor infiltrating lymphocytes