Clinical Trials
Dual Checkpoint and Angiogenic Blockade: The Emergence of PD-1/VEGF Bispecific Antibodies for Genitourinary Malignancies
The emergence of immune checkpoint inhibitors has transformed the treatment landscape for many solid tumors, including lung, renal, and urothelial cancers. Antibodies targeting programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) or its ligand, PD-L1, have produced durable responses across multiple malignancies; however, the majority of patients ultimately fail to achieve long-term disease control. One mechanism underlying resistance to immune checkpoint blockade is the persistence of an immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment characterized by aberrant angiogenesis. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), a key mediator of tumor angiogenesis, not only promotes tumor vascularization but also suppresses antitumor immunity by impairing dendritic cell maturation, reducing T-cell infiltration, and facilitating the accumulation of regulatory T cells and myeloid-derived suppressor cells.1 Consequently, simultaneous inhibition of the PD-1/PD-L1 and VEGF pathways has emerged as an attractive therapeutic strategy to enhance antitumor immune responses and overcome resistance to immunotherapy.2
Evan Y. Yu, MD
Evan Yu, a medical oncologist, treats prostate, bladder, and testicular cancer and is passionate about providing a personalized medical approach to a selection of novel therapies as well as understanding biological mechanisms of drug sensitivity and resistance.
Clinical Expertise
Medical Oncology, Translational Research, Novel molecular targeted agents, Biomarkers, Imaging (PET scans, MRI), Bone health.
- Section Head, Cancer Medicine, Clinical Research Division Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center
- Medical Director, Clinical Research Support Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Consortium
- Professor of Medicine Division of Oncology, Department of Medicine University of Washington School of Medicine Seattle, WA
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