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Immune checkpoint blockade therapy of mesothelioma: a clinical and radiological challenge

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Abstract

Treatment of malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) represents a highly unmet medical need. Here, we discuss the results and therapeutic potential of first- and second-generation immunomodulatory antibodies targeting distinct immune checkpoints for the treatment of MPM, as well as their prospective therapeutic role in combination strategies. We also discuss the role of appropriate radiological criteria of response for MPM and the potential need of ad hoc criteria of disease evaluation in MPM patients undergoing treatment with immunotherapeutic agents.

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Abbreviations

CT:

Computed tomography

CTLA-4:

Cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen-4

DCR:

Disease control rate

ir:

Immune-related

ir-RC:

Immune-related response criteria

iv:

Intravenous

mAb:

Monoclonal antibody

m-RECIST:

Modified response evaluation criteria in solid tumours

MPM:

Malignant pleural mesothelioma

MRI:

Magnetic resonance imaging

ORR:

Objective response rate

OS:

Overall survival

PD:

Progression of disease

PD-1:

Programmed cell death-1

PD-L1:

Programmed cell death ligand-1

PFS:

Progression-free survival

PR:

Partial response

RECIST:

Response evaluation criteria in solid tumours

SD:

Stable disease

W:

Week

WHO:

World Health Organization

Wks:

Weeks

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Funding

This work was supported in part by the Associazione Italiana per la Ricerca sul Cancro (IG15373, 2014).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Medical Oncology and Immunotherapy, Center for Immuno-Oncology, University Hospital of Siena, Istituto Toscano Tumori, Siena, Viale Mario Bracci n. 16, 53100, Siena, Italy

    Luana Calabrò & Michele Maio

  2. Department of Radiology, Euganea Medica Diagnostic Center, Padua, Italy

    Aldo Morra

  3. Erasmus MC Cancer Institute, Rotterdam, The Netherlands

    Robin Cornelissen & Joachim Aerts

Authors
  1. Luana Calabrò
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  2. Aldo Morra
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  3. Robin Cornelissen
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  4. Joachim Aerts
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  5. Michele Maio
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Contributions

Luana Calabrò, Aldo Morra, Robin Cornelissen, Joachim Aerts, and Michele Maio wrote the manuscript. All co-authors supervised and critically contributed to the final version of the manuscript, and they approved the final version.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Luana Calabrò.

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Conflict of interest

Luana Calabrò served on the advisory board of Bristol Myers Squibb; Aldo Morra declares no conflict of interest; Robin Cornelissen served on advisory boards of Boehringer-Ingelheim, Roche, and Lilly; Joachim Aerts served on advisory boards of Eli-Lilly Bristol Myers Squibb, Roche-Genetech, Astra-Zeneca, MSD Sharp & Dohme, and Boehringer Ingelheim, and is a stock owner of Amphera Immunotherapy; Michele Maio served on advisory boards of Bristol Myers Squibb, Roche-Genentech, and AstraZeneca-MedImmune.

Research involving human participants

We obtained oral consent from the three patients (reported in the clinical cases) for the description and publication of their cases (including figures).

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Calabrò, L., Morra, A., Cornelissen, R. et al. Immune checkpoint blockade therapy of mesothelioma: a clinical and radiological challenge. Cancer Immunol Immunother 67, 1317–1324 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00262-018-2191-3

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