Costimulatory b7-h1 in renal cell carcinoma patients: indicator of tumor aggressiveness and potential therapeutic target

Abstract

The invention features methods of diagnosis by assessing B7-H1 expression in a tissue from a subject that has, or is suspected of having, cancer, methods of treatment with agents that interfere with B7-H1-receptor interaction, methods of selecting candidate subjects likely to benefit from cancer immunotherapy, and methods of inhibiting expression of B7-H1.

1 - 9 . (canceled) 
     
     
         10 . A method for increasing the survival of tumor-specific T cells within a human having aggressive cancer, wherein said method comprises:
 (a) identifying said human as having aggressive cancer with greater than 10 percent of the cells of said aggressive cancer expressing hB7-H1,   (b) administering an anti-PD-1 antibody, or a fragment thereof that binds to a PD-1 receptor, to said human to increase the survival of tumor-specific T cells within said human.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein said cancer is renal cancer. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein said method comprises administering said anti-PD-1 antibody to said human. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein said antibody is a humanized antibody. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein said antibody is an IgG antibody.