Nivolumab for the treatment of colorectal cancer

ABSTRACT

Introduction: Despite a variety of therapies for advanced metastatic colorectal cancer being available, the outcomes in this malignancy remain suboptimal. Immunotherapy has been slow to impact the management of this patient group. Checkpoint inhibitors, such as nivolumab, have had disappointing results when used broadly. However, for the subset of patients with microsatellite unstable colorectal cancer, the use of checkpoint inhibitors such as nivolumab appears to be transformative, and will provide a new therapeutic option for patient with advanced disease.

Areas covered: Nivolumab gained regulatory approval for the treatment of dMMR/MSI-H metastatic colorectal cancer in mid 2017. The current review will summarize the clinical evidence of checkpoint inhibitors in metastatic colorectal cancer, with a focus on nivolumab.

Expert commentary: For patients with dMMR/MSI-H mCRC, the use of nivolumab has now been shown to have objective and sustained clinical responses in a pivotal phase II trial. While additional data are limited, the therapeutic role for augmenting an immune response in metastatic colorectal cancer is likely to continue to expand. Further combination trials of nivolumab with immunologic and non-immunologic agents are ongoing.

KEYWORDS:

• Colorectal cancer
• anti-PD1
• nivolumab
• immunotherapy
• MMR
• MSI

Declaration of interest

The authors have no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties.

Reviewer disclosures

Bristol-Myers Squibb provided a scientific accuracy review at the request of the journal editor. A reviewer on this manuscript has disclosed that they have received consulting and research funding from Bristol-Myers Squibb. Peer reviewers on this manuscript have no other relevant financial or other relationships to disclose.

Additional information

Funding

This paper was not funded.