Immune checkpoint inhibitor sensitivity of DNA repair deficient tumors

Faithful DNA replication is necessary to maintain genome stability and implicates a complex network with several pathways depending on DNA damage type: homologous repair, nonhomologous end joining, base-excision repair, nucleotide-excision repair and mismatch repair. Alteration in components of DNA repair machinery led to DNA damage accumulation and potentially carcinogenesis. Preclinical data suggest sensitivity to immune checkpoint inhibitors in tumors with DNA repair deficiency. Here, we review clinical studies that explored the use of immune checkpoint inhibitor in patient harboring tumor with DNA repair deficiency.