Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors in Cancer Therapy—How to Overcome Drug Resistance?

Abstract

Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), antagonists used to remove tumor suppression of immune cells, have been widely used in clinical settings. Their high antitumor effect makes them crucial for treating cancer after surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and targeted therapy. However, with the advent of ICIs and their use by a large number of patients, more clinical data have gradually shown that some cancer patients still have resistance to ICI treatment, which makes some patients unable to benefit from their antitumor effect. Therefore, it is vital to understand their antitumor and drug resistance mechanisms. In this review, we focused on the antitumor action sites and mechanisms of different types of ICIs. We then listed the main possible mechanisms of ICI resistance based on recent studies. Finally, we proposed current and future solutions for the resistance of ICIs, providing theoretical support for improving their clinical antitumor effect.

Inconsistency in steroid use as antiemetics in clinical trial protocols involving immune checkpoint inhibitors combined with chemotherapy

“…Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) represent a major advance in cancer treatment, with significant improvements in survival across a range of cancers. These therapies work by counteracting the immunosuppressive tactics of cancer cells, enabling T cells to effectively target and destroy them 1 …”

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“…Recently, tumor immunotherapy has been demonstrated to be a powerful and novel therapeutic regimen with great durability and specificity against cancers [ 5 ]. Immunotherapy is research based on the communication between cancer and the host immune system [ 6 ]. Actually, the hypothesis of tumor immunosurveillance was firstly proposed by Burnet and Thomas in 1957 [ 7 , 8 ].…”