INTRODUCTION
Cancer is the leading cause of death in most countries, including Norway, Sweden, and Finland.1 Cancer incidence and mortality are still growing worldwide with the aging and growth of the population.1 The estimated global incidence of cancer per 100,000 population in 2020 in Denmark was 350, Norway 325, Sweden 285, Finland 270, and Iceland 260.2 In these Northern European countries, prostate cancer and breast cancer are the most diagnosed cancers in males and females, respectively.1 Breast, lung, colon, and prostate cancers are the most common cancers in the five Nordic European countries excluding non-melanoma skin cancers (NMSC).3 According to mortality, lung and prostate are the leading causes of cancer death.1 Cancer is an important cause of morbidity secondary to the cancer itself and adverse events induced by cancer treatments. Early detection and quality of cancer treatments have significantly improved cancer outcomes, leading to more patients living with cancer or surviving cancer.3
Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have revolutionized cancer treatment, leading Professor Honjo and Professor Allison who discovered ICIs to be awarded the 2018 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine.4 ICIs are monoclonal antibodies targeting cytotoxic T lymphocyte-associated antigen-4 (CTLA-4), programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1), programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1), or lymphocyte-activation gene 3 (LAG-3) (Table 1). There are numerous indications for ICIs in a neo-adjuvant, adjuvant, and curative setting. Immunotherapy is now approved for more than fifteen cancer sites such as melanoma, small cell and non-small cell lung cancer, renal cancer, and triple-negative breast cancer.5,6 Indications for ICIs continue to grow.
Cancer cells have ways to evade body immune surveillance. ICIs are antibodies targeting negative regulators of T cell activation, thus removing the brakes on the immune system and leading to the activation of host T cells to attack cancer. ICIs-activated
Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have revolutionized cancer treatment, leading Professor Honjo and Professor Allison who discovered ICIs to be awarded the 2018 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine.4 ICIs are monoclonal antibodies targeting cytotoxic T lymphocyte-associated antigen-4 (CTLA-4), programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1), programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1), or lymphocyte-activation gene 3 (LAG-3) (Table 1). There are numerous indications for ICIs in a neo-adjuvant, adjuvant, and curative setting. Immunotherapy is now approved for more than fifteen cancer sites such as melanoma, small cell and non-small cell lung cancer, renal cancer, and triple-negative breast cancer.5,6 Indications for ICIs continue to grow.
Cancer cells have ways to evade body immune surveillance. ICIs are antibodies targeting negative regulators of T cell activation, thus removing the brakes on the immune system and leading to the activation of host T cells to attack cancer. ICIs-activated
