Checkpoint inhibitors and anti-angiogenic agents: a winning combination

Patrick Brest1, Baharia Mograbi2, Gilles Pagès2

  • 1Université Côte d'Azur, Institute of Research on Cancer and Ageing of Nice (IRCAN), CNRS, Inserm, Centre Antoine Lacassagne, FHU-OncoAge, 06107, Nice, France. Patrick.Brest@univ-cotedazur.fr.

British Journal of Cancer
|September 21, 2023
PubMed

Insights

Combining immune checkpoint inhibitors and anti-angiogenic agents offers a promising cancer treatment strategy. This approach enhances treatment effectiveness and patient survival but requires careful monitoring due to potential side effects.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Immunotherapy
  • Cancer Biology

Background:

  • Cancer cells can evade the immune system using specific signals.
  • Tumor growth is sustained by blood vessels that can be targeted.
  • Current treatments have limitations in efficacy and survival benefits.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the synergistic effects of combining immune checkpoint inhibitors and anti-angiogenic agents.
  • To assess the impact of this combination on cancer treatment response rates.
  • To determine the effect on progression-free survival in cancer patients.

Main Methods:

  • Utilizing immune checkpoint inhibitors to block immune evasion signals.
  • Employing anti-angiogenic agents to restrict tumor vascularization.
  • Investigating molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying the combination therapy.

Main Results:

  • The combination therapy demonstrated synergistic effects.
  • Enhanced response rates were observed compared to monotherapy.
  • Longer progression-free survival was achieved with the combination approach.

Conclusions:

  • The combination of immune checkpoint inhibitors and anti-angiogenic agents is a potent cancer treatment strategy.
  • This combination offers improved efficacy and survival outcomes.
  • Close monitoring for increased side effects is essential for patient safety.

Related Concept Videos

Targeted Cancer Therapies02:57

Targeted Cancer Therapies

The targeted cancer therapies, also known as “molecular targeted therapies,” take advantage of the molecular and genetic differences between the cancer cells and the normal cells. It needs a thorough understanding of the cancer cells to develop drugs that can target specific molecular aspects that drive the growth, progression, and spread of cancer cells without affecting the growth and survival of other normal cells in the body.
There are several types of targeted therapies against...
7.7K
Combination Therapies and Personalized Medicine02:50

Combination Therapies and Personalized Medicine

Combining two or more treatment methods increases the life span of cancer patients while reducing damage to vital organs or tissue from the overuse of a single treatment. Combination therapy also targets different cancer-inducing pathways, thus reducing the chances of developing resistance to treatment.
The combination of the drug acetazolamide and sulforaphane is a good example of combination therapy to treat cancer. The cells in the interior of a large tumor often die due to the hypoxic and...
4.9K
Treatment for Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension: Receptor Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors and Calcium Channel Blockers01:26

Treatment for Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension: Receptor Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors and Calcium Channel Blockers

Receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) and calcium channel blockers (CCBs) are two critical categories of drugs employed in the treatment of pulmonary artery hypertension (PAH). PAH is a disease that causes high blood pressure in the pulmonary arteries, resulting in chest pain, fatigue, and shortness of breath.
TKIs, such as imatinib (Gleevec), are particularly effective in tackling the growth and mitogenic factors that become upregulated in PAH patients. These factors contribute to the...
190
Antiplatelet Drugs: Prostaglandin Synthesis, P2Y12 and Glycoprotein IIb/IIIa Inhibitors01:20

Antiplatelet Drugs: Prostaglandin Synthesis, P2Y12 and Glycoprotein IIb/IIIa Inhibitors

Antiplatelet drugs emerge as frontline defenders against the insidious threat of thromboembolic diseases, where abnormal clots obstruct vital blood vessels. These drugs stand as bulwarks, inhibiting platelet aggregation and clot formation, thereby mitigating the risk of life-threatening conditions like myocardial infarction, coronary artery disease, and thrombotic strokes.
Prostaglandin synthesis inhibitors, exemplified by the widely known aspirin, wield their power by irreversibly acetylating...
552
Inhibition of Cdk Activity02:34

Inhibition of Cdk Activity

The orderly progression of the cell cycle depends on the activation of Cdk protein by binding to its cyclin partner. However, the cell cycle must be restricted when undergoing abnormal changes. Most cancers correlate to the deregulated cell cycle, and since Cdks are a central component of the cell cycle, Cdk inhibitors are extensively studied to develop anticancer agents. For instance, cyclin D associates with several Cdks, such as Cdk 4/6, to form an active complex. The cyclin D-Cdk4/6 complex...
4.8K
Regulation of Angiogenesis and Blood Supply01:24

Regulation of Angiogenesis and Blood Supply

Rapidly dividing tumors, embryos, and wounded tissues require more oxygen than usual, lowering the oxygen concentration in the blood. At low oxygen or hypoxic conditions, an oxygen-sensitive transcription factor called the hypoxia-inducible factor 1 or HIF1 is activated. HIF1 is a dimeric protein of alpha (ɑ) and beta (β) subunits.  Under optimal oxygen conditions, HIF1β is present in the nucleus while HIF1ɑ remains in the cytosol. HIF1ɑ is hydroxylated by prolyl...
2.6K