title: Nivolumab for Metastatic Melanoma.
abstract: Melanoma is an aggressive skin cancer with a generally poor prognosis at Stage III-IV disease. Traditionally, metastatic melanoma was treated by surgical resection, when possible, and with systemic chemotherapy. New developments in molecular biology have led to the identification of immune checkpoints which are exploited by malignant cells, allowing them to go undetected by the immune system. Nivolumab (Opdivo®) is a human monoclonal antibody which prevents immune inhibition by interacting with PD-1 on tumor cells; thus, increasing tumor-specific T cell proliferation. Nivolumab has demonstrated efficacy superior to that of standard chemotherapy and relative safety in clinical trials. Indeed, the outcomes for patients with advanced melanoma are being improved by novel biologic agents such as nivolumab.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of Toronto School of Medicine, Toronto, ON, Canada; Mediprobe Research Inc., London, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: A K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Gupta
authors.affiliation: Mediprobe Research Inc., London, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Daigle
mesh_terms: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D006801:Humans; D008545:Melanoma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000556:secondary; D000077594:Nivolumab; D061026:Programmed Cell Death 1 Receptor / Q000276:immunology; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D061026:Programmed Cell Death 1 Receptor; D000077594:Nivolumab