Open AccessAn update on GM-CSF and its potential role in melanoma management
Author(s) -
Robert O. Dillman
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
melanoma management
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2045-0893
pISSN - 2045-0885
DOI - 10.2217/mmt-2020-0011
Subject(s) - medicine , haematopoiesis , melanoma , granulocyte macrophage colony stimulating factor , adjuvant , immunology , immunotherapy , progenitor cell , monocyte , cancer research , ex vivo , in vivo , stem cell , immune system , biology , cytokine , microbiology and biotechnology
GM-CSF drives the differentiation of granulocytes and monocyte/macrophages from hematopoietic stem cell progenitors. It is required for differentiating monocytes into dendritic cells (DC). Although approved for recovery of granulocytes/monocytes in patients receiving chemotherapy, G-CSF is preferred. Enthusiasm for GM-CSF monotherapy as a melanoma treatment was dampened by two large randomized trials. Although GM-CSF has been injected into tumors for many years, the efficacy of this has not been tested. There is a strong rationale for GM-CSF as a vaccine adjuvant, but it appears of benefit only for strategies that directly involve DCs, such as intratumor talimogene laherparepvec and vaccines in which DCs are loaded with antigen ex vivo and injected admixed with GM-CSF.