免疫检查点抑制剂的出现彻底改变了癌症治疗，通过利用机体的免疫系统有效对抗恶性肿瘤。在这些开创性药物中，程序性细胞死亡蛋白1（PD-1）和程序性细胞死亡配体1（PD-L1）抑制剂已成为关键的治疗方法。PD-L1是一种在各种细胞表面上表达的关键蛋白，包括癌细胞，在免疫调节中起着核心作用，通过与T细胞上的程序性细胞死亡蛋白1（PD-1）受体相互作用导致免疫抑制。癌细胞表面PD-L1表达的大幅增加推动了PD-1/PD-L1抑制剂作为潜在免疫治疗药物的探索。这些抑制剂是单克隆抗体，旨在阻断PD-L1和PD-1的相互作用，打破免疫抑制信号，从而重振被激活的T细胞介导的抗肿瘤免疫反应。临床试验对PD-1/PD-L1抑制剂在治疗各种晚期或转移性癌症，包括白血病、非小细胞肺癌（NSCLC）、肝细胞癌、黑色素瘤、胃癌、结直肠癌和乳腺癌等方面的显著疗效进行了研究，已经获得了单药和与其他癌症治疗方法，包括化疗和其他免疫检查点抑制剂的联合治疗的监管批准。尽管PD-1/PD-L1抑制剂取得了显著的成功，但它们并不没有挑战。体内或获得性抵抗以及与免疫相关的不良事件的出现需要全面调查和管理。因此，研究人员已经开始进行联合试验，以增强PD-1/PD-L1抑制剂的治疗潜力并克服抵抗机制。版权所有 © 2023，Abaza等人。

The advent of immune checkpoint inhibitors has revolutionized cancer therapy by leveraging the body's immune system to combat malignancies effectively. Among these groundbreaking agents, programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) and programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1) inhibitors have emerged as pivotal therapeutic approaches. PD-L1, a key protein expressed on the surface of various cells, including cancer cells, plays a central role in immune regulation by interacting with the programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) receptor on T-cells leading to immune suppression. The substantial increase in PD-L1 expression on cancer cell surfaces has driven the exploration of PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors as potential immunotherapeutic agents. These inhibitors are monoclonal antibodies designed to impede the PD-L1 and PD-1 interaction and disrupt the immunosuppressive signal, thereby reinvigorating the anti-tumor immune response mediated by activated T-cells. Clinical trials investigating PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors have demonstrated remarkable efficacy in the treatment of diverse advanced or metastatic cancers, including leukemia, non-small cell lung (NSCLC), hepatocellular, melanoma, gastric, colorectal, and breast cancers, among others. Regulatory approvals have been granted for both monotherapy and combination therapy with other cancer treatments, encompassing chemotherapy and additional immune checkpoint inhibitors. While PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors have exhibited significant success, they are not devoid of challenges. The emergence of intrinsic or acquired resistance, as well as immune-related adverse events, warrants thorough investigation and management. Consequently, researchers have embarked on combination trials to augment the therapeutic potential of PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors and surmount resistance mechanisms.Copyright © 2023, Abaza et al.