PD-1 checkpoint inhibitors in cancer (2014-2018)
Cancer cells use the PD-L1 protein to switch off immune attack. Drugs that block this pathway, pembrolizumab (Keytruda) and nivolumab (Opdivo), let the immune system recognize and kill tumors. These drugs transformed cancer treatment.
PD-1 inhibitors became standard care for several cancers, including melanoma and lung cancer.
The approach established that blocking immune checkpoints can treat disease, opening a new class of immunotherapy.
PD-L2 is part of the same PD-1 pathway. Senescent cells appear to use a similar immune-evasion trick as cancer cells, suggesting checkpoint-blocking strategies could apply to aging.
