Anti-cancer vaccine combined with immunotherapy shows promise in melanoma
A phase II trial reports a longer recurrence-free and distant-metastasis free survival with the combination of mRNA and pembrolizumab.
Study shows that immunotherapy initiation at the end of life has increased over time
In US, the trend was more frequently seen at very low-volume and nonacademic centers than at high-volume and academic centers
Interferon signaling mediates acquired resistance to immunotherapy
A study identifies some altered inflammatory genes and pathways in non-small cell lung cancer that may be potential targets for overcoming acquired immune resistance
Study reveals mechanisms of acquired resistance to immunotherapy in lung cancer
Acquired genomic changes, decreased TILs and HLA class I expression were identified in patients with non-small cell lung cancer progressing on immune checkpoint inhibitors
Most combinations of cancer drugs have additive, but not synergistic efficacy
A study describes an additivity model that can be used to predict the likelihood of success or failure of combination therapies in phase III trials
TILs show long-term efficacy in melanoma, but predicting treatment response is still a challenge
After proof of efficacy in patients with melanoma in a clinical trial, major efforts are now directed to make the use of TILs easier and safer in clinical practice.
Is TMB a good predictive biomarker for immunotherapy?
Evidence is compelling, but utility may depend on the clinical context
Lenvatinib plus pembrolizumab does not improve outcomes in NSCLC
Certain immunotherapy combinations that are effective in selected solid tumours may not be effective in lung cancer without targetable genetic alterations.
Blocking GDF-15 may be promising to overcome resistance to immunotherapy
A study reports evidence of antitumour activity by combining a GDF-15 neutralising antibody with PD-1 inhibition in cancers that are refractory/relapsed to immune checkpoint inhibitors
Challenges in cell-based immunotherapies create opportunities for progress
According to the 2023 ESMO Immuno-Oncology Awardee, Steven A. Rosenberg, the keys to progress are identifying the optimal characteristics of antitumour effector lymphocytes, cancer antigen identification and strategies for overcoming resistance mechanisms to enhance immune-cell function