Open Access

Immune checkpoint inhibitors in metastatic melanoma therapy (Review)

  • Authors:
    • Vedant Shah
    • Viraj Panchal
    • Abhi Shah
    • Bhavya Vyas
    • Siddharth Agrawal
    • Sanket Bharadwaj
  • View Affiliations

  • Published online on: February 9, 2024     https://doi.org/10.3892/mi.2024.137
  • Article Number: 13
  • Copyright : © Shah et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of Creative Commons Attribution License [CC BY 4.0].

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Abstract

An increase in the incidence of melanoma has been observed in recent decades, which poses a significant challenge due to its poor prognosis in the advanced and metastatic stages. Previously, chemotherapy and high doses of interleukin‑2 were available treatments for melanoma; however, they offered limited survival benefits and were associated with severe toxicities. The treatment of metastatic melanoma has been transformed by new developments in immunotherapy. Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), monoclonal antibodies that target cytotoxic T‑lymphocyte‑associated antigen‑4 (CTLA‑4), programmed cell death protein 1 (PD‑1) and its ligand, PDL‑1, have emerged as promising therapeutic options. Commonly used ICIs, such as ipilimumab, nivolumab and pembrolizumab, have been found to be associated with an improved median overall survival, recurrence‑free survival and response rates compared to traditional chemotherapies. Combination therapies involving different types of ICIs, such as anti‑PD1 with anti‑CTLA‑4, have further enhanced the overall survival and response rates by targeting various phases of T‑cell activation. Additionally, the development of novel biomarkers has facilitated the assessment of responses to ICI therapy, with tissue and serum‑based prognostic and predictive biomarkers now available. The increased response observed with ICIs also provides potential for immune‑related adverse effects on various organ systems. Further research is required to evaluate the efficacy and safety of various combinations of ICIs, while ongoing clinical trials explore the potential of newer ICIs. Concerns regarding the development of resistance to ICIs also warrant attention. The present review summarizes and discusses the advent of ICIs with a marked significant breakthrough in the treatment of metastatic melanoma, providing improved outcomes compared to traditional therapies.
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March-April 2024
Volume 4 Issue 2

Print ISSN: 2754-3242
Online ISSN:2754-1304

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Copy and paste a formatted citation
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Spandidos Publications style
Shah V, Panchal V, Shah A, Vyas B, Agrawal S and Bharadwaj S: Immune checkpoint inhibitors in metastatic melanoma therapy (Review). Med Int 4: 13, 2024
APA
Shah, V., Panchal, V., Shah, A., Vyas, B., Agrawal, S., & Bharadwaj, S. (2024). Immune checkpoint inhibitors in metastatic melanoma therapy (Review). Medicine International, 4, 13. https://doi.org/10.3892/mi.2024.137
MLA
Shah, V., Panchal, V., Shah, A., Vyas, B., Agrawal, S., Bharadwaj, S."Immune checkpoint inhibitors in metastatic melanoma therapy (Review)". Medicine International 4.2 (2024): 13.
Chicago
Shah, V., Panchal, V., Shah, A., Vyas, B., Agrawal, S., Bharadwaj, S."Immune checkpoint inhibitors in metastatic melanoma therapy (Review)". Medicine International 4, no. 2 (2024): 13. https://doi.org/10.3892/mi.2024.137