2021
Resistance mechanisms to checkpoint inhibitors
Weiss SA, Sznol M. Resistance mechanisms to checkpoint inhibitors. Current Opinion In Immunology 2021, 69: 47-55. PMID: 33676271, DOI: 10.1016/j.coi.2021.02.001.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsImmune checkpoint inhibitorsPD-1/PD-L1 axisMultiple immune checkpoint inhibitorsPD1/PD-L1PD-L1 axisHuman translational studiesPre-clinical studiesPre-clinical animalResistance mechanismsCheckpoint inhibitorsPD-L1Clinical outcomesTreatment failureClinical trialsTranslational studiesCancer treatmentPotential mechanismsInhibitorsPatientsClinicTrialsAntibodies
2020
Safety and efficacy of combination nivolumab plus ipilimumab in patients with advanced melanoma: results from a North American expanded access program (CheckMate 218)
Hodi FS, Chapman PB, Sznol M, Lao CD, Gonzalez R, Smylie M, Daniels GA, Thompson JA, Kudchadkar R, Sharfman W, Atkins M, Spigel DR, Pavlick A, Monzon J, Kim KB, Ernst S, Khushalani NI, van Dijck W, Lobo M, Hogg D. Safety and efficacy of combination nivolumab plus ipilimumab in patients with advanced melanoma: results from a North American expanded access program (CheckMate 218). Melanoma Research 2020, 31: 67-75. PMID: 33234846, PMCID: PMC7757740, DOI: 10.1097/cmr.0000000000000708.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsAdvanced melanomaEastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance statusUnresectable stage III/IV melanomaStage III/IV melanomaTreatment-related adverse eventsElevated lactate dehydrogenase levelBRAF wild-type tumorsOverall survival dataRandomized clinical trialsLactate dehydrogenase levelsAccess programBRAF-mutant tumorsRelevant patient subgroupsWild-type tumorsCombination nivolumabEligible patientsOS ratesCheckpoint inhibitorsTreatment discontinuationAdverse eventsPerformance statusUnacceptable toxicityMucosal melanomaPatient subgroupsClinical trialsBempegaldesleukin plus nivolumab in untreated, unresectable or metastatic melanoma: Phase III PIVOT IO 001 study design
Khushalani NI, Diab A, Ascierto PA, Larkin J, Sandhu S, Sznol M, Koon HB, Jarkowski A, Zhou M, Statkevich P, Geese WJ, Long GV. Bempegaldesleukin plus nivolumab in untreated, unresectable or metastatic melanoma: Phase III PIVOT IO 001 study design. Future Oncology 2020, 16: 2165-2175. PMID: 32723187, DOI: 10.2217/fon-2020-0351.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsMetastatic melanomaKey secondary end pointEnd pointSafety/tolerabilityObjective response ratePD-1 inhibitorsPrimary end pointSecondary end pointsFirst-line therapyProgression-free survivalNatural killer cellsOverall survivalSurvival benefitAdvanced melanomaKiller cellsClinical trialsEffector TClinical activityNivolumabBempegaldesleukinResponse rateMelanomaPathway agonistStudy designPhase IIIDefining tumor resistance to PD-1 pathway blockade: recommendations from the first meeting of the SITC Immunotherapy Resistance Taskforce
Kluger HM, Tawbi HA, Ascierto ML, Bowden M, Callahan MK, Cha E, Chen HX, Drake CG, Feltquate DM, Ferris RL, Gulley JL, Gupta S, Humphrey RW, LaVallee TM, Le DT, Hubbard-Lucey VM, Papadimitrakopoulou VA, Postow MA, Rubin EH, Sharon E, Taube JM, Topalian SL, Zappasodi R, Sznol M, Sullivan RJ. Defining tumor resistance to PD-1 pathway blockade: recommendations from the first meeting of the SITC Immunotherapy Resistance Taskforce. Journal For ImmunoTherapy Of Cancer 2020, 8: e000398. PMID: 32238470, PMCID: PMC7174063, DOI: 10.1136/jitc-2019-000398.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsCancer immunotherapyClinical definitionNew agentsPD-1/PD-L1 blockadePD-1 pathway blockadeConsensus clinical definitionPD-L1 blockadeDeath receptor-1Immunotherapy of cancerStandard of careClinical trial designTreatment discontinuationMechanisms of resistancePathway blockadeClinical trialsConfirmatory scanPrimary resistancePatient benefitSecondary resistanceTrial designTreatment approachesUnmet needReceptor 1Tumor resistancePattern of response
2019
Immunotherapy of Melanoma: Facts and Hopes
Weiss SA, Wolchok JD, Sznol M. Immunotherapy of Melanoma: Facts and Hopes. Clinical Cancer Research 2019, 25: 5191-5201. PMID: 30923036, PMCID: PMC6726509, DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.ccr-18-1550.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsOverall survivalMetastatic diseaseImmune therapyPredictive biomarkersNivolumab/ipilimumab combinationRandomized phase III trialLong-term clinical benefitImmunobiology of tumorsDuration of therapyPhase III trialsLong-term survivorsEffective immune therapyAdjuvant settingIpilimumab combinationMetastatic settingIII trialsPatient subsetsClinical benefitImmune modulationMetastatic melanomaClinical trialsSingle agentTherapyTrue increaseCell therapy
2011
White Paper on Adoptive Cell Therapy for Cancer with Tumor-Infiltrating Lymphocytes: A Report of the CTEP Subcommittee on Adoptive Cell Therapy
Weber J, Atkins M, Hwu P, Radvanyi L, Sznol M, Yee C, Committee O. White Paper on Adoptive Cell Therapy for Cancer with Tumor-Infiltrating Lymphocytes: A Report of the CTEP Subcommittee on Adoptive Cell Therapy. Clinical Cancer Research 2011, 17: 1664-1673. PMID: 21325070, DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.ccr-10-2272.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsAdoptive T-cell therapyTumor-infiltrating lymphocytesAdoptive cell therapyInterleukin-2TIL therapyClinical trialsRandomized phase II/III clinical trialsExpansion of TILTumor antigen-specific T cellsHigh-dose IL-2Phase II/III clinical trialsHigh-dose interleukin-2Autologous tumor-infiltrating lymphocytesLonger progression-free survivalPhase II/IIIAntigen-specific T cellsCell therapyT cell-based therapiesTIL infusion productsClinical response rateNonrandomized clinical trialProgression-free survivalStage IV melanomaMetastatic melanoma patientsT-cell therapyFuture perspectives in melanoma research. Meeting report from the "Melanoma Research: a bridge Naples-USA. Naples, December 6th-7th2010"
Ascierto PA, De Maio E, Bertuzzi S, Palmieri G, Halaban R, Hendrix M, Kashani-sabet M, Ferrone S, Wang E, Cochran A, Rivoltini L, Lee PP, Fox BA, Kirkwood JM, Ullmann CD, Lehmann FF, Sznol M, Schwartzentruber DJ, Maio M, Flaherty K, Galon J, Ribas A, Yang J, Stroncek DF, Mozzillo N, Marincola FM. Future perspectives in melanoma research. Meeting report from the "Melanoma Research: a bridge Naples-USA. Naples, December 6th-7th2010". Journal Of Translational Medicine 2011, 9: 32. PMID: 21439082, PMCID: PMC3078100, DOI: 10.1186/1479-5876-9-32.Peer-Reviewed Original Research
2010
Incidence of the V600K mutation among melanoma patients with BRAF mutations, and potential therapeutic response to the specific BRAF inhibitor PLX4032
Rubinstein JC, Sznol M, Pavlick AC, Ariyan S, Cheng E, Bacchiocchi A, Kluger HM, Narayan D, Halaban R. Incidence of the V600K mutation among melanoma patients with BRAF mutations, and potential therapeutic response to the specific BRAF inhibitor PLX4032. Journal Of Translational Medicine 2010, 8: 67. PMID: 20630094, PMCID: PMC2917408, DOI: 10.1186/1479-5876-8-67.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsV600K mutationsClinical trialsBRAF V600E/K mutationK mutationPotential therapeutic responseMutant BRAF inhibitorsBRAF inhibitor PLX4032BRAF V600K mutationMelanoma patientsTherapeutic responseBRAF mutationsPatientsV600E mutationInhibitor PLX4032BRAF kinasePLX4032TrialsCommon mutationsMutationsMelanomaIncidence
2009
Betting on immunotherapy for melanoma
Sznol M. Betting on immunotherapy for melanoma. Current Oncology Reports 2009, 11: 397-404. PMID: 19679015, DOI: 10.1007/s11912-009-0053-z.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsAdvanced melanomaAntigen-specific T cell expansionEffective antitumor immune responseAntitumor immune responseEffective treatment optionT cell expansionAntigen-specific lymphocytesTumor defense mechanismsDurable remissionsPreparative regimensConditioning regimensAdoptive immunotherapyImmune therapyCancer vaccinesImmune activationTreatment optionsPredictive biomarkersPrimary tumorTumor immunobiologyClinical trialsAntigen presentationImmune responseHigh riskNew cytokinePatients
2005
Evaluating the Expression and Prognostic Value of TRAIL-R1 and TRAIL-R2 in Breast Cancer
McCarthy MM, Sznol M, DiVito KA, Camp RL, Rimm DL, Kluger HM. Evaluating the Expression and Prognostic Value of TRAIL-R1 and TRAIL-R2 in Breast Cancer. Clinical Cancer Research 2005, 11: 5188-5194. PMID: 16033835, DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.ccr-05-0158.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchMeSH KeywordsAdultAgedAged, 80 and overBreast NeoplasmsCase-Control StudiesFemaleFollow-Up StudiesGene Expression ProfilingHumansMiddle AgedMultivariate AnalysisOligonucleotide Array Sequence AnalysisPrognosisReceptors, TNF-Related Apoptosis-Inducing LigandReceptors, Tumor Necrosis FactorSurvival AnalysisConceptsEarly-stage breast cancerTRAIL-R2 expressionBreast cancerPrognostic valueTRAIL-R2TRAIL-R1Normal breast specimensTumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand receptor 1Lymph node involvementSubset of patientsBreast cancer patientsIndependent prognostic markerTRAIL-R1 expressionNormal breast epitheliumTRAIL receptor expressionLigand receptor 1Apoptosis-inducing ligand receptor 1Adjuvant treatmentNode involvementNodal statusPathologic variablesTumor sizeCancer patientsClinical trialsPrognostic marker