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Immunotherapy in Breast Cancer: the Emerging Role of PD-1 and PD-L1

  • Breast Cancer (B Overmoyer, Section Editor)
  • Published:
Current Oncology Reports Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose of Review

The purpose of the review is to summarize the data regarding PD-L1 expression in breast cancer and the results of first clinical trials with PD-1 or PD-L1 inhibitors in patients with metastatic breast cancer.

Recent Findings

PD-L1 expression is heterogeneous across primary breast cancers, and is generally associated with the presence of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes and the presence of poor-prognosis features such as high grade, and aggressive molecular subtypes (triple-negative (TN), basal, HER2-enriched). Early phase clinical trials using PD-1 or PD-L1 inhibitors alone or in combination have shown objective tumor responses and durable long-term disease control, in heavily pre-treated patients, notably in the TN subtype.

Summary

Blockade of PD-1 or PD-L1 shows impressive antitumor activity in some subsets of breast cancer patients. Many clinical trials are ongoing in the metastatic and neoadjuvant setting, alone and in combination with chemotherapy, targeted therapy, radiotherapy, and/or other immune therapy. The identification of biomarkers predictive for a clinical benefit is warranted.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Medical Oncology, Institut Paoli-Calmettes, 232 Bd. Ste-Marguerite, 13009, Marseille, France

    François Bertucci & Anthony Gonçalves

  2. Department of Molecular Oncology, Centre de Recherche en Cancérologie de Marseille (CRCM), CNRS U7258, INSERM U1068, Marseille, France

    François Bertucci & Anthony Gonçalves

  3. Faculty of Medicine, Aix-Marseille University, Marseille, France

    François Bertucci & Anthony Gonçalves

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Correspondence to François Bertucci.

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François Bertucci declares that he has no conflict of interest.

Anthony Gonçalves has received research support through grants from Novartis, Roche, and Eisai; has received compensation from Roche and Eisai for service as a consultant; and has received non-financial support from Novartis, Roche, Eisai, Amgen, and Pfizer.

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Bertucci, F., Gonçalves, A. Immunotherapy in Breast Cancer: the Emerging Role of PD-1 and PD-L1. Curr Oncol Rep 19, 64 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11912-017-0627-0

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