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Updated: Apr 12, 2026

Determination of Immune Cell Identity and Purity Using Epigenetic-Based Quantitative PCR
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Published on: February 19, 2020

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Epigenetics meets immune checkpoints

Alessia Covre1, Sandra Coral1, Anna Maria Di Giacomo2

  • 1Medical Oncology and Immunotherapy, Department of Oncology, University Hospital of Siena, Istituto Toscano Tumori, Siena, Italy; Epigen Therapeutics S.r.l., Pordenone, Italy.

Seminars in Oncology
|May 13, 2015
PubMed

Insights

Epigenetic drugs can reverse cancer-driving alterations and enhance immune responses. Combining these epigenetic drugs with immunotherapies like immune checkpoint blockers may lead to more effective cancer treatments.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Immunology
  • Pharmacology

Background:

  • Epigenetic alterations are key drivers in cancer development and progression.
  • Pharmacologic interventions can reverse these epigenetic changes.
  • Emerging epigenetic drugs exhibit potent immunomodulatory effects.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To explore the potential of combining epigenetic drugs with modern immunotherapies.
  • To investigate novel combination strategies for enhanced anticancer therapies.

Main Methods:

  • Review of current knowledge on epigenetic alterations in cancer.
  • Analysis of the immunomodulatory properties of second-generation epigenetic drugs.
  • Consideration of the integration of epigenetic drugs with immune checkpoint inhibitors.

Main Results:

  • Epigenetic drugs show promise in modulating the tumor immune microenvironment.
  • Combination of epigenetic agents and immunotherapies is a feasible strategy.
  • This approach has the potential to overcome treatment resistance.

Conclusions:

  • Combining epigenetic drugs with immunotherapies represents a promising avenue for novel cancer treatment strategies.
  • Further proof-of-principle studies are warranted to validate this therapeutic approach.
  • This innovative combination therapy could significantly improve patient outcomes in oncology.

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