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Checkpoint blockade in the treatment of breast cancer: current status and future directions

Lironne Wein1, Stephen J Luen1, Peter Savas1

  • 1Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.

British Journal of Cancer
|May 30, 2018
PubMed

Insights

Immune checkpoint inhibitors show promise for breast cancer treatment, particularly advanced triple-negative disease. Research is exploring their use alone or with chemotherapy across various breast cancer subtypes and early-stage settings.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Immunology
  • Cancer Therapeutics

Background:

  • Host immune system significantly impacts breast cancer treatment response and prognosis.
  • Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) are a rapidly advancing therapeutic strategy for solid tumors, including breast cancer.
  • Metastatic triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is highly immunogenic, often develops treatment resistance, and has a poor prognosis, making it a key focus for immunotherapy.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review current evidence on PD-1/PD-L1 blockade in various breast cancer subtypes.
  • To discuss the emerging role of ICIs in early-stage (neoadjuvant) breast cancer.
  • To explore strategies for enhancing patient responses to checkpoint blockade therapy.

Main Methods:

  • Review of existing clinical trial data and scientific literature on immune checkpoint inhibitors in breast cancer.
  • Analysis of PD-1/PD-L1 blockade efficacy in metastatic triple-negative, HER2+, and ER+ breast cancer.
  • Evaluation of neoadjuvant immunotherapy approaches and combination strategies.

Main Results:

  • Accumulating evidence supports the role of the immune system in breast cancer outcomes.
  • Clinical trials have primarily investigated ICIs in metastatic TNBC, with monotherapy and combination regimens being explored.
  • Emerging data suggests potential for ICIs in HER2+ and ER+ disease, as well as in the neoadjuvant setting.

Conclusions:

  • Immune checkpoint inhibitors represent a promising therapeutic avenue for breast cancer, especially TNBC.
  • Further research is needed to optimize ICI use across different breast cancer subtypes and stages.
  • Developing strategies to improve response rates to checkpoint blockade is crucial for advancing breast cancer treatment.

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