STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN — The 2018 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine was awarded to James P. Allison and Tasuku Honjo for their work in harnessing the body's immune system to fight against cancer. <br />Allison and Honjo established a link between immunotherapy and cancer treatment by identifying how the different cells interact with each other. <br />According to the Conversation, Allison and Honjo were able to identify certain pathways, called "immune checkpoints," that actively stop immune cells from attacking cancerous tumors. <br />These pathways inhibit the body's T-cells—white blood cells that destroy infected cells and tumor cells—and prevent them from locating and attacking tumors. <br />Allison and Honjo identified two separate proteins located on the surface of T-cells, CTLA-4 and PD-1, that interact with tumor cell proteins causing T-cells to not attack the tumor. <br />Allison and Honjo's research led to the development of immune checkpoint inhibitors, monoclonal antibodies that block the regulatory pathways controlled by CTLA-4 and PD-1. <br /><br />These drugs attach to the CTLA-4 and PD-1 proteins and prevent them from turning off the T-cells. <br />With some cancers, these new drugs have led to significant tumor regressions. The FDA has approved their use for several advanced cancers such as: metastatic melanoma, lung cancer, kidney cancer, bladder cancer head and neck cancers and other tumors. <br />However, there can be significant risks as well. Immune checkpoint inhibitors can cause damaging inflammation in the skin, gut, heart, lungs and other vital organs. In addition, the long-term effects of the new drugs are also currently unknown.
