The role of nivolumab in melanoma

The incidence of melanoma continues to rise worldwide. Prior to 2010, there had been no progress in the treatment of advanced melanoma in living memory. Since then, immunotherapy has become a standard of care in the treatment of advanced melanoma. Nivolumab is a fully human monoclonal antibody against PD-1, which is a negative regulatory checkpoint in the T cells. The clinical benefit of nivolumab as a single agent is well established, with response rates of ≥40%, durable responses and a favorable tolerability profile. The combination of nivolumab and ipilimumab has also become a standard of care and the role of nivolumab in the adjuvant setting for high-risk patients has been recently confirmed.