Expert opinion on biological therapy
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Expert Opin Biol Ther · Jun 2013
ReviewNew insights, recent advances, and current challenges in the biological treatment of multiple myeloma.
The availability of thalidomide, lenalidomide, and bortezomib has radically changed multiple myeloma (MM) treatment and significantly improved patients' outcome. Nevertheless, MM is still an incurable disease due to the development of resistance and relapse practically in all patients. Unraveling MM pathogenesis, identifying prognostically high-risk patient populations, and optimizing current treatment strategies are among the challenges we are facing to reach a cure for this disease. ⋯ Given continuing advances to overcome current treatment challenges in MM, we are confident that long-lasting responses can be expected in many of our patients within the next decade.
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Expert Opin Biol Ther · Jun 2013
ReviewAnti-programmed death-1 and anti-programmed death-ligand 1 antibodies in cancer therapy.
Multiple agents targeting the immune "checkpoint" programmed death-1 (PD-1) pathway have demonstrated early evidence of durable clinical activity and an encouraging safety profile in patients with various tumor types, including some cancers, such as non-small-cell lung cancer, historically perceived as non-immunogenic and thus nonresponsive to immunotherapy. ⋯ Rather than targeting the tumor directly, immunotherapies inhibiting PD-1 pathway signaling modulate the antitumor immune response. Indeed, these agents have already demonstrated promising antitumor activity and manageable toxicity in various cancers. If future data continue to support encouraging clinical profiles of anti-PD-1 and anti-programmed death-ligand 1 antibodies, the current paradigm of cancer therapy may shift. In select patient populations (ideally identified by a predictive biomarker), PD-1 pathway-targeted immunotherapy has the potential to serve as the backbone of cancer treatment, and trials evaluating combinations with chemotherapy and/or molecularly targeted therapies will determine whether additive or even synergistic responses can be achieved.