PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Kim Teresa
AU  - Rodabe N. Amaria
AU  - Christine Spencer
AU  - Alexandre Reuben
AU  - Zachary A. Cooper
AU  - Jennifer A. Wargo
TI  - Combining targeted therapy and immune checkpoint inhibitors in the treatment of metastatic melanoma
AID  - 10.7497/j.issn.2095-3941.2014.04.002
DP  - 2014 Dec 01
TA  - Cancer Biology and Medicine
PG  - 237--246
VI  - 11
IP  - 4
4099  - http://www.cancerbiomed.org/content/11/4/237.short
4100  - http://www.cancerbiomed.org/content/11/4/237.full
SO  - Cancer Biol Med2014 Dec 01; 11
AB  - Melanoma is the deadliest form of skin cancer and has an incidence that is rising faster than any other solid tumor. Metastatic melanoma treatment has considerably progressed in the past five years with the introduction of targeted therapy (BRAF and MEK inhibitors) and immune checkpoint blockade (anti-CTLA4, anti-PD-1, and anti-PD-L1). However, each treatment modality has limitations. Treatment with targeted therapy has been associated with a high response rate, but with short-term responses. Conversely, treatment with immune checkpoint blockade has a lower response rate, but with long-term responses. Targeted therapy affects antitumor immunity, and synergy may exist when targeted therapy is combined with immunotherapy. This article presents a brief review of the rationale and evidence for the potential synergy between targeted therapy and immune checkpoint blockade. Challenges and directions for future studies are also proposed.