Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have revolutionized cancer therapy by reinvigorating antitumor immunity through the blockade of inhibitory pathways such as programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1)/programmed cell death protein ligand 1 (PD-L1) and cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated protein 4 (CTLA-4). Despite their remarkable clinical success, only a subset of patients derives durable benefit, whereas others exhibit primary or acquired resistance and develop immune-related adverse events (irAEs).
These heterogeneous responses highlight an urgent need for robust biomarkers to predict therapeutic efficacy and for innovative combinatorial strategies to enhance clinical outcomes. Beyond their classical roles in hemostasis and thrombosis, platelets have recently emerged as pivotal modulators of tumor progression and immune regulation.
Accumulating evidence indicates that platelets engage in dynamic crosstalk with tumor and immune cells, reshaping the tumor microenvironment (TME) and modulating the response to ICI therapy. Of note, platelet-associated immune checkpoint molecules (e.g., PD-L1) have shown great promise as liquid biopsy markers for patient stratification and real-time immunomonitoring.
Frontiers in Immunology published a clinical update in Infectious Disease on 24 Apr 2026.
The item focuses on From escort to target, the multidimensional roles and prospects of platelets in tumor immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy.
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