MELANOMA IMMUNOTHERAPY: MECHANISMS AND OPPORTUNITIES

Immune checkpoint blockade via inhibition of Cytotoxic T Lymphocyte Antigen 4 (CTLA-4) and Programmed Cell Death 1 Receptor (PD-1) has demonstrated significant clinical benefits in treating melanoma and other types of cancers and has since become a very progressive field in cancer research. Despite durable tumor regression observed in some patients, response rates to CTLA-4 and PD-1 still have room for improvement. There are many additional immune modulatory pathways, including inhibitory molecules expressed on tumor cells and secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines by lymphatic cells that could potentially be targeted to enhance the anti-tumor responses to PD-1 and CTLA-4. Here, we review the current status of CTLA-4 and PD-1 inhibitors in the treatment of melanoma and several therapeutic targets and strategies that may synergize with checkpoint blockades.