Opdivo (nivolumab)

Short course preoperative nivolumab with or without relatlimab showed encouraging efficacy and survival outcomes, which compare favorably with chemo-immunotherapy-based perioperative treatment regimens.

For instance, a recent phase II study of nivolumab rechallenge in non-small cell lung cancer patients who relapsed after an initial response reported a modest ORR of 8.5%...Although major guidelines recommend permanent discontinuation for severe (Grade ≥ 3) irAEs, emerging evidence-including class-switching strategies and organ-specific prophylaxis-suggests that rechallenge may be feasible in selected patients. A personalized risk-benefit assessment remains essential, considering the type and severity of the initial irAE and the reason for discontinuation.

P2, N=62, Completed, Arbutus Biopharma | Active, not recruiting --> Completed

P2, N=19, Active, not recruiting, University of Colorado, Denver | N=36 --> 19 | Trial primary completion date: Dec 2025 --> Jun 2025

In esophageal tumors, adjuvant nivolumab is used. Among HER2-positive patients, adding pembrolizumab to trastuzumab and chemotherapy - in PDL1 CPS ≥1 cases - has become a new standard. A special mention must be made of MSI-H tumors, in which immunotherapy is highly effective, and adjuvant chemotherapy is not recommended according to current guidelines.

This report conducts a systematic review of four principal studies: ① The KEYNOTE-689 trial was the inaugural study to establish that "pembrolizumab combined with standard therapy" diminishes the risk of disease progression or mortality by 34% in patients with Programmed Cell Death-L1(PD-L1) CPS ≥ 10, resulting in Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval; ② The NIVOPOSTOP trial revealed that adjuvant nivolumab alongside CRT significantly improved 3-year disease-free survival (DFS) (63.1% vs. 52.5%), with efficacy unaffected by PD-L1 status; ③ The C-POST trial indicated a substantial DFS advantage with adjuvant cemiplimab in high-risk skin squamous cell carcinoma (HR = 0.32);④ The NeoRTPC02 trial innovatively integrated low-dose radiotherapy with immune chemotherapy, achieving a pathological complete response(pCR) rate of 60.9%. Nonetheless, the ideal treatment approach, strategies for reducing radiation dosage, preservation of organ function, and selection of biomarkers necessitate additional confirmation. Future efforts must focus on interdisciplinary collaboration to enhance tailored precision treatment protocols, aiming to improve the 5-year survival rate of HNSCC while maintaining organ function and quality of life.

Given the tumour's unresectable nature due to proximity to critical mediastinal structures and the patient's comorbidities, she was initiated on a modified combination immune checkpoint inhibitor regimen with nivolumab and ipilimumab. This case highlights the importance of a meticulous diagnostic approach to solitary pulmonary lesions and underscores the evolving role of immunotherapy in managing rare malignancies such as PMML. Reporting such cases enhances the clinical understanding and guides future management of this rare disease.

Umbilical involvement in LP is exceedingly rare, with only three cases reported in the literature, including one instance of nivolumab-induced umbilical LP (Martos-Cabrera L, Lladó I, Fernández-Rico P, Butrón-Bris B, Rodríguez-Jiménez P. Umbilical lichen planus induced by nivolumab. Increasing reports of atypical lichenoid reactions highlight the spectrum of these events. Our report adds evidence of umbilical and psoriasiform LP as a distinct clinical pattern, highlighting the importance of awareness among oncologists and dermatologists.

P1/2, N=50, Not yet recruiting, Corcept Therapeutics

This overview provides a concise synthesis of targeted therapies under investigation or already in clinical use, including monoclonal antibodies against epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) (e.g., cetuximab) and immune checkpoint inhibitors (e.g., nivolumab, pembrolizumab), as well as inhibitors of programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) and its ligand (PD-L1) or agents targeting angiogenic and intracellular signaling pathways such as VEGF and mTOR...Metformin and statins, for instance, have demonstrated anti-proliferative and pro-apoptotic effects in preclinical OSCC models. Notably, recent evidence suggests that regular use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), including aspirin, may improve survival specifically in patients with PIK3CA-altered Head and Neck tumors, potentially through modulation of the COX-2/PGE2 axis. Although prospective evidence remains limited and somewhat heterogeneous, existing preclinical and observational studies suggest that these agents may improve survival and reduce treatment-related toxicity, further pointing to the relevance of molecular stratification in guiding future repurposing strategies. This article aims to map the current therapeutic landscape, highlighting both established molecular targets and emerging repositioned drugs in the management of OSCC and OPSCC.

The sequences for the anti-PD1 modules were derived from the clinical antibody nivolumab...Critically, in a serial rechallenge assay designed to simulate chronic antigen exposure, both armored CAR-T cell groups showed markedly enhanced proliferation and persistence compared to conventional CAR-T cells, which failed to expand after repeated stimulation. Our findings validate the bidirectional EF1 promoter as an efficient system for generating multi-functional T cells and demonstrate that armoring CAR-T cells with secreted anti-PD1 antibodies is a potent strategy to enhance their persistence and anti-tumor efficacy.

The observed toxicity was consistent with the known toxicity profile of immunotherapy and did not lead to discontinuation of therapy. Our case report highlights the need to test for predictive markers in patients with locoregionally advanced rectal cancer in order to identify specific subtypes of the disease that can be treated with immunotherapy with a high probability of achieving clinical complete remission, thereby avoiding potentially risky surgery.