Doubling Down on BRCA-Mutated Cancer

Trends Cancer. 2017 Nov;3(11):743-744. doi: 10.1016/j.trecan.2017.09.005. Epub 2017 Sep 29.

Abstract

Immunotherapy is changing the landscape of cancer treatment. Nonetheless, not all malignancies respond, possibly due to low mutational load. Recent work in a TP53-/-BRCA1-mutant murine breast cancer model indicates that double blockade with two immune checkpoint inhibitors increases the number of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes and overall survival after DNA damaging chemotherapy, whereas single blockade does not. These findings suggest an approach to enhance the impact of immune checkpoint blockade in BRCA-mutated tumors.

Keywords: BRCA1; breast cancer; immune checkpoint; immunotherapy.

Publication types

  • Review
  • Comment

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • BRCA1 Protein / genetics*
  • Breast Neoplasms / drug therapy*
  • Breast Neoplasms / immunology
  • Breast Neoplasms / pathology
  • DNA Damage / genetics
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Immunotherapy / adverse effects
  • Lymphocytes, Tumor-Infiltrating / drug effects
  • Lymphocytes, Tumor-Infiltrating / immunology
  • Mammary Neoplasms, Animal / drug therapy*
  • Mammary Neoplasms, Animal / genetics
  • Mammary Neoplasms, Animal / immunology
  • Mice
  • Mice, Knockout
  • Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / genetics*

Substances

  • BRCA1 Protein
  • BRCA1 protein, human
  • Tumor Suppressor Protein p53