Immunological effects of BRAF+MEK inhibition. (2nd September 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Ascierto, Paolo A.; Dummer, Reinhard
• Is Part Of: Oncoimmunology. Volume 7:Number 9(2018)
• Publication Date: 2018-09-02
• Subjects: advanced melanoma -- BRAF -- MEK -- immune therapy -- target therapy; Tumors -- Immunological aspects -- Periodicals; Neoplasms -- therapy -- Periodicals; Immunotherapy -- Periodicals; 616.994
• DOI: 10.1080/2162402X.2018.1468955
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2162-402X

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Recent developments in immunotherapy have prolonged overall survival in metastatic melanoma with the possibility to reach a long-term benefit. Targeted therapies based on BRAF and MEK inhibition also seem to have a long-term beneficial effect, which is more evident in patients with favorable baseline characteristics, namely normal levels of lactate dehydrogenase, without brain metastases, and low tumor burden. This long-term benefit of targeted therapies might be related to an immune-modulation: indeed BRAF and MEK inhibitors affect tumor microenvironment and immune surveillance, and it has been shown that patients with complete response to targeted treatment have a pre-existing favorable immunologic signature.