Checkpoint Inhibitors: Taking the Brakes Off the Immune System

This video is part of the Cancer Research Institute’s series “Immunotherapy: 5 Ways to Stop Cancer.” For more information on treating cancer with immunotherapy, visit http://www.cancerresearch.org.
Checkpoint inhibitors are a very promising avenue for treating cancer. Imagine the immune system is a car, complete with brake and accelerator pedals, telling it when to move forward and attack, and when to stay still. Checkpoint inhibitors disengage the immune system’s brakes, allowing it to attack the cancer cells at full speed. Already approved to treat melanoma and certain lung cancers, therapies like Yervoy (ipilimumab), Keytruda (pembrolizumab), Opdivo (nivolumab), and others may have applications in dozens of additional cancer types.