Review on immunooncology drugs for the treatment of cancer

Abstract

Over the past decade, immunotherapy has revolutionized cancer treatment by leveraging the body's immune system to target and eliminate cancer cells, leading to significant advancements and improved patient outcomes across various malignancies. Checkpoint Inhibitors: Drugs targeting immune checkpoints, such as CTLA-4 and PD-1, have been pivotal in cancer therapy. For instance, a long-term follow-up of the Check Mate 067 trial demonstrated that patients with advanced melanoma treated with a combination of nivolumab and ipilimumab had a median overall survival of approximately six years, marking a substantial improvement in survival rates. CAR-T Cell Therapy: Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy has emerged as a promising treatment, particularly for hematologic malignancies. Recent developments aim to enhance these therapies by improving antigen selection and delivery methods, thereby reducing tumor escape rates and increasing efficacy. Microbiome Modulation: Innovative approaches combining immunotherapy with microbiome modulation have shown potential. For example, a clinical trial reported that a patient with stage III small bowel cancer achieved remission after receiving a combination of immunotherapy and fecal microbiota transplantation from a "superdonor." Melanoma: The introduction of immunotherapy has significantly improved outcomes for melanoma patients. Notably, the five-year survival rate for advanced melanoma has risen from less than 10% to more than 50% since the advent of these therapies..