Advances in Immunotherapy and Periocular Malignancy

Larissa A Habib1,2, Natalie Wolkow1,2, Suzanne K Freitag1,2

  • 1a Ophthalmic Plastic Surgery , Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary , Boston , MA , USA.

Immunotherapy has significantly advanced the field of oncology in recent decades. Understanding normal immunosurveillance, as well as the ways in which tumor cells have evolved to evade it, has provided the knowledge for development of drugs that allow one's own immune system to target and destroy malignant cells (immunotherapy). Cutaneous malignancies are particularly sensitive to this class of drugs. In a very sensitive anatomic region such as the periocular tissue, where surgical excision may come with significant morbidity, this technology has had a strong impact in the successful treatment of historically challenging tumors.

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