Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 25, 2026

Evaluation of the Spindle Assembly Checkpoint Integrity in Mouse Oocytes
Published on: September 13, 2022
Immune checkpoint inhibition for the treatment of mesothelioma
Anna K Nowak1,2,3, Alison McDonnell1,2,3, Alistair Cook1,2,3
1a National Centre for Asbestos Related Diseases , University of Western Australia , Crawley , Australia.
Introduction:
Combination chemotherapy is currently standard care for advanced mesothelioma. Checkpoint blockade is a promising new treatment.
Areas Covered:
This review covers clinical use and biomarkers of checkpoint blockade. Medline search used keywords 'mesothelioma' combined with 'checkpoint blockade' OR 'PD-L1' OR 'PD1' OR 'anti-CTLA4'; the search terms AND 'clinical trial' or AND 'biomarker*' were added. Handsearching covered abstracts from relevant meetings from 2016 to 2018 and reference lists. Data informed a narrative review.
Expert Opinion:
Single agent anti-CTLA4 blockade is inactive in mesothelioma. Single agent PD-1 blockade as second or subsequent treatment gives 20-29% partial responses; no randomized comparisons against placebo or chemotherapy are available. Biomarkers of response have been difficult to identify. There is no consensus as to whether tumor PD-L1 expression predicts outcomes. Combination checkpoint inhibitors (CTLA4 and PD1 blockade) provide a small incremental increase in response rates and progression-free survival. Chemoimmunotherapy is the next frontier.
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