Immunotherapy is the most exciting field of cancer medicine, allowing long-term remission or even a cure. From the 1970s, scientists have been trying to find a way to kick the immune system into recognising cancers.
Cancer hides from the immune system, developing a sort of “secret handshake” that persuades the immune system not to attack the cancer. In 1992, Japanese scientists discovered a molecule on the T-cells that was part of this secret handshake. They called it “programmed Death 1”, or PD1. The new immunotherapy drugs are the long-term result. They appear to work in advanced melanoma. .
The first drug to be licensed was ipilimumab. Ipi can have dramatic effects but it only works in about 20 % patients shrinking the tumours.
Scientists hope that if they can re-programme the immune system to recognise cancer cells and eradicate them, it will also remember them, preventing a recurrence.
Immunotherapy is a new chapter in management of melanoma, like discovery of Penicillin for treating infections.
