Immune checkpoint inhibitors a new player in the therapeutic game of mesothelioma: New reality with new challenges.

Abstract

Malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) is a rare and orphan thoracic malignancy, with a poor prognosis as the majority of patients are diagnosed with unresectable MPM, with no significant improvements in the therapeutic strategy for over a decade. However, the recent approval of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) in treatment-naïve patients with unresectable MPM marks a significant step forward and hope for the treatment of this disease. In this narrative review, we discuss the biological rationale to use ICI in the treatment of MPM. We summarize the current evidence for the efficacy of ICI in MPM and discuss several unresolved challenges regarding the use of ICI in this disease, such as the best upfront immune approach in MPM (ICI versus ICI plus chemotherapy), the optimal sequential treatment strategy according to the first-line treatment, and the potential role of predictive biomarkers.

• Authors: Kaushal Parikh, Lizza E L Hendriks, Paolo Bironzo, Jordi Remon
• Journal: Cancer treatment reviews (Cancer Treat Rev) Vol. 99 Pg. 102250 (Sep 2021) ISSN: 1532-1967 [Electronic] Netherlands
• PMID: 34174669 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Review)
• Copyright: Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Chemical References

• Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors

Topics

• Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols (therapeutic use)
• Clinical Trials, Phase I as Topic
• Clinical Trials, Phase II as Topic
• Clinical Trials, Phase III as Topic
• Humans
• Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors (administration & dosage, therapeutic use)
• Mesothelioma (drug therapy, immunology)
• Pleural Neoplasms (drug therapy, immunology)
• Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic
• Salvage Therapy