Immunotherapy for Colorectal Cancer

Abstract

Colorectal cancer is a common malignancy that is frequently able to evade immune defenses. Although this may contribute to promoting and propagating cancer growth, recent advances suggest that for some tumors, particularly those with high levels of microsatellite instability and hypermutability from DNA mismatch repair defects, immunotherapy is effective to control tumor progression. Unfortunately, the overwhelming majority of patients have poor antitumoral immune cell penetration and fewer molecular defects within the cancer to successfully mount an anticancer defense. Studies, primarily in early phases of investigation, are underway to evaluate new combinations of immune checkpoint inhibitors, other targeted therapies, cellular therapies, and vaccines.

Keywords: Checkpoint inhibitor; Colorectal cancer; Immune checkpoint blockade; Immunotherapy; PD-1; PD-L1; Tumor mutation burden.