Neoadjuvant anti-PD-1-based immunotherapy: evolving a new standard of care

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Immunotherapy
• Translational Research

Background:

• Neoadjuvant (presurgical) anti-programmed cell death protein-1 (PD-1)-based immunotherapy represents a significant advancement in cancer treatment.
• Seminal clinical trial results in lung cancer and melanoma since 2018 have accelerated its development and led to regulatory approvals.

Purpose of the Study:

• To summarize the current state and future directions of neoadjuvant PD-1-based immunotherapy.
• To highlight the expanding research landscape across numerous cancer types and clinical trials.
• To identify key areas of investigation including biological mechanisms, response/resistance, and clinical strategy optimization.

Main Methods:

• Review of recent clinical trial outcomes and regulatory approvals.
• Analysis of ongoing basic and clinical research in PD-1 pathway blockade.
• Exploration of synergistic effects with other antineoplastic drugs.

Main Results:

• Accelerated development and regulatory approvals in indications like triple-negative breast cancer, non-small cell lung cancer, and melanoma.
• Burgeoning global research in hundreds of clinical trials across diverse cancer types.
• Identification of critical research gaps in understanding PD-1 blockade mechanisms and clinical applications.

Conclusions:

• Neoadjuvant PD-1 immunotherapy is a rapidly evolving field with broad potential.
• Further research is crucial to elucidate mechanisms, optimize strategies, and expand its use across more cancer types.
• Current knowledge provides a strong foundation for future translational research in this area.