Emerging role of checkpoint blockade therapy in lymphoma

Following the successful application of immune checkpoint blockade therapy (CBT) in refractory solid tumors, it has recently gained momentum as a promising modality in the treatment of relapsed lymphoma. This significant therapeutic advance stems from decades of research that elucidated the role of immune regulation pathways and the mechanisms by which tumors can engage these critical pathways to escape immune detection. To date, two main pathways, the cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated protein 4 (CTLA-4) and programmed death 1 (PD-1), have emerged as key targets of CBT demonstrating unprecedented activity particularly in heavily pretreated relapsed/refractory Hodgkin lymphoma and some forms of non-Hodgkin disease. Herein we provide a brief discussion of checkpoint blockade in the context of lymphoma biology with a specific focus on novel checkpoint inhibitors and their therapeutic activity. We discuss current clinical trials and the landscape of CBT to underscore both the remarkable progress and foreseeable limitations of this novel treatment strategy. In particular, we build upon state-of-the-art knowledge and clinical insights gained from the early trials to review potential approaches to how CBT may be integrated with other treatment modalities, including chemoimmunotherapy to improve patient outcomes in the future. Finally, as the role of CBT evolves to potentially become a cornerstone of therapy in refractory/relapsed lymphoma, we briefly emphasize the importance of predictive biomarkers in an effort to select appropriate patients who are most likely to derive benefit from CBT.