Immune-Related Concepts in Biology and Treatment of Germ-Cell Tumors

Adv Urol. 2018 Mar 13:2018:3718165. doi: 10.1155/2018/3718165. eCollection 2018.

Abstract

Germ-cell tumors (GCTs) are highly curable with chemotherapy. Salvage chemotherapy or surgery can cure a proportion of patients, but the ones failing these treatments will die of their disease in the young age. Immune checkpoint pathways are emerging as powerful targetable biomarkers, and a significant preclinical and clinical research is underway to widen our knowledge and expand the treatment possibilities with immune therapy. The concept of immune modulation that was currently adopted in many solid tumors is understudied in GCTs. Herein, we summarize the current knowledge of published literature discussing the immune mechanisms and immune therapy in GCTs.

Publication types

  • Review