The VISTA of Cancer Treatment
Jane Naberhuis, Ph.D.
Article
In a healthy host, negative checkpoint regulators (NCRs) reign in the T cell immune response, maintaining tolerance and preventing immunopathology. However, in the tumor microenvironment, NCRs can promote immune escape. Recent clinical trials have investigated the use of blocking antibodies to prevent this NCR-driven immune escape. Targeting the NCRs cytotoxic T lymphocyte-associated molecule-4 (CTLA-4) or programmed cell death 1 (PD-1) has shown clinical promise, but either results in only a 10-20% response rate when provided as monotherapy.1 However, clinical trials with combined anti-CTLA-4 and anti-PD-1 monoclonal antibody treatment have improved response rate to 40-60%.1
