Immune-Checkpoint Inhibition in the Treatment of Gastro-Esophageal Cancer: A Closer Look at the Emerging Evidence

To date, several trials have evaluated the safety and efficacy of immune-checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) for the treatment of gastroesophageal cancers (GEC). In the US, ICIs have established indications for second-line treatment of microsatellite unstable tumors, while their use in third-line settings w...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Koosha Paydary, Natalie Reizine, Daniel V. T. Catenacci
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2021-11-01
Series:Cancers
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/13/23/5929
_version_ 1797508025220595712
author Koosha Paydary
Natalie Reizine
Daniel V. T. Catenacci
author_facet Koosha Paydary
Natalie Reizine
Daniel V. T. Catenacci
author_sort Koosha Paydary
collection DOAJ
description To date, several trials have evaluated the safety and efficacy of immune-checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) for the treatment of gastroesophageal cancers (GEC). In the US, ICIs have established indications for second-line treatment of microsatellite unstable tumors, while their use in third-line settings was recently withdrawn. Notably, the use of ICIs for first-line therapy of GEC is rapidly evolving, which currently includes high PD-L1 expressing tumors, irrespective of HER2 status, and in the adjuvant setting after neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy in select patients. In this article, we review the results of studies that have evaluated the utility of ICI in the third-line, second-line, first-line, and peri-operative treatment settings of GECs. Considerations should be made before making any cross-trial comparisons since these trials vary in chemotherapy backbone, anatomical and histological eligibility, biomarker assessment, PD-L1 diagnostic antibodies, and definition of PD-L1 positivity. Regardless, the totality of the data suggest that first-line ICI use may most benefit GEC patients with high PD-L1 combined positivity score (CPS) ≥5 or ≥10, irrespective of histology or anatomy. Moreover, although PD-L1 by CPS has a good negative predictive value for significant benefit from ICIs, it has a low positive predictive value. Therefore, there is a pressing need to identify better biomarkers to predict benefit from ICIs among these patients.
first_indexed 2024-03-10T04:56:44Z
format Article
id doaj.art-f2b7e32cdfe8473da16e1154a5c6f0d0
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 2072-6694
language English
last_indexed 2024-03-10T04:56:44Z
publishDate 2021-11-01
publisher MDPI AG
record_format Article
series Cancers
spelling doaj.art-f2b7e32cdfe8473da16e1154a5c6f0d02023-11-23T02:11:38ZengMDPI AGCancers2072-66942021-11-011323592910.3390/cancers13235929Immune-Checkpoint Inhibition in the Treatment of Gastro-Esophageal Cancer: A Closer Look at the Emerging EvidenceKoosha Paydary0Natalie Reizine1Daniel V. T. Catenacci2Section of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Chicago Medical Center and Biological Sciences, Chicago, IL 60637, USASection of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Chicago Medical Center and Biological Sciences, Chicago, IL 60637, USASection of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Chicago Medical Center and Biological Sciences, Chicago, IL 60637, USATo date, several trials have evaluated the safety and efficacy of immune-checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) for the treatment of gastroesophageal cancers (GEC). In the US, ICIs have established indications for second-line treatment of microsatellite unstable tumors, while their use in third-line settings was recently withdrawn. Notably, the use of ICIs for first-line therapy of GEC is rapidly evolving, which currently includes high PD-L1 expressing tumors, irrespective of HER2 status, and in the adjuvant setting after neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy in select patients. In this article, we review the results of studies that have evaluated the utility of ICI in the third-line, second-line, first-line, and peri-operative treatment settings of GECs. Considerations should be made before making any cross-trial comparisons since these trials vary in chemotherapy backbone, anatomical and histological eligibility, biomarker assessment, PD-L1 diagnostic antibodies, and definition of PD-L1 positivity. Regardless, the totality of the data suggest that first-line ICI use may most benefit GEC patients with high PD-L1 combined positivity score (CPS) ≥5 or ≥10, irrespective of histology or anatomy. Moreover, although PD-L1 by CPS has a good negative predictive value for significant benefit from ICIs, it has a low positive predictive value. Therefore, there is a pressing need to identify better biomarkers to predict benefit from ICIs among these patients.https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/13/23/5929immune-checkpoint inhibitorgastroesophageal cancerprogrammed death ligand-1
spellingShingle Koosha Paydary
Natalie Reizine
Daniel V. T. Catenacci
Immune-Checkpoint Inhibition in the Treatment of Gastro-Esophageal Cancer: A Closer Look at the Emerging Evidence
Cancers
immune-checkpoint inhibitor
gastroesophageal cancer
programmed death ligand-1
title Immune-Checkpoint Inhibition in the Treatment of Gastro-Esophageal Cancer: A Closer Look at the Emerging Evidence
title_full Immune-Checkpoint Inhibition in the Treatment of Gastro-Esophageal Cancer: A Closer Look at the Emerging Evidence
title_fullStr Immune-Checkpoint Inhibition in the Treatment of Gastro-Esophageal Cancer: A Closer Look at the Emerging Evidence
title_full_unstemmed Immune-Checkpoint Inhibition in the Treatment of Gastro-Esophageal Cancer: A Closer Look at the Emerging Evidence
title_short Immune-Checkpoint Inhibition in the Treatment of Gastro-Esophageal Cancer: A Closer Look at the Emerging Evidence
title_sort immune checkpoint inhibition in the treatment of gastro esophageal cancer a closer look at the emerging evidence
topic immune-checkpoint inhibitor
gastroesophageal cancer
programmed death ligand-1
url https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/13/23/5929
work_keys_str_mv AT kooshapaydary immunecheckpointinhibitioninthetreatmentofgastroesophagealcanceracloserlookattheemergingevidence
AT nataliereizine immunecheckpointinhibitioninthetreatmentofgastroesophagealcanceracloserlookattheemergingevidence
AT danielvtcatenacci immunecheckpointinhibitioninthetreatmentofgastroesophagealcanceracloserlookattheemergingevidence