Abstract
Pioneering work has unraveled the role of the immune system in the development and
control of cancer. This knowledge has set the basis for the successful implementation
of immunotherapy into the standard of care for a large number of cancer types. Based
on response rates and prolongation of overall survival, immunotherapeutic approaches
have been approved in a growing number of tumor diseases. Activation or therapeutic
utilization of T cells represent the basis of these concepts. Checkpoint inhibitory
antibodies inhibiting CTLA-4, PD1 and PD-L1 receptors and ligands induce long-term
clinical tumor control in a significant number of cancer patients including metastatic
melanoma and non-small cell lung cancer. As an alternative concept of T cell activation,
the dual CD19 – CD3 targeting bispecific antibody blinatumomab has been approved for
refractory acute lymphatic B-cell leukemia (ALL). Moreover, T cells genetically engineered
with an anti-CD19-chimeric antigen receptor have also been approved for ALL and malignant
B-cell lymphoma by the food and drug administration (FDA). In all of these immunotherapies,
severe side effects may occur and require a well-trained team of physicians. Moreover,
the growing number of clinically investigated and validated novel compounds as well
as cellular therapeutics accentuate the complexity and challenge of this treatment
modality. This review highlights the most prominent recent clinical developments in
the field of immuno-oncology.
Grundlegend für die Zulassung immunonkologischer Therapeutika war ein längeres Gesamtüberleben
bei ansonsten nur sehr schwer behandelbaren Krebspatienten. Mittlerweile ist die Tumorimmuntherapie
als fünfte Säule der Krebstherapie etabliert. Allerdings ist die Komplexität der neuen
Substanzen und zellulären Therapeutika in Bezug auf die Wirkweise und mögliche Nebenwirkungen
eine Herausforderung für den Behandler.
Schlüsselwörter
Immuntherapie - Zielstrukturen - Bispezifisch - T-Zellaktivierung - Tumormikromilieu
Key words
immunotherapy - target structures - bispecific - T-cell activation - tumor microenvironment
