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Rational Cancer Treatment Combinations: An Urgent Clinical Need

Julia Boshuizen1, Daniel S Peeper1

  • 1Division of Molecular Oncology and Immunology, Oncode Institute, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Plesmanlaan 121, 1066CX Amsterdam, the Netherlands.

Molecular Cell
|June 20, 2020
PubMed

Insights

Revolutionary cancer technology advances understanding and reveals new targets. Rational design of combination therapies, informed by biology, is crucial to overcome resistance and avoid clinical trial failures.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Translational Medicine
  • Cancer Therapeutics

Background:

  • Technological advancements are deepening the understanding of tumors and their microenvironments.
  • New therapeutic targets are continuously being identified, driving innovation in cancer treatment.
  • Therapy resistance in advanced cancers limits the efficacy of single-agent treatments, necessitating combination therapies.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the successes and failures of current cancer treatment combinations.
  • To discuss emerging preclinical concepts for combination therapies that warrant clinical investigation.
  • To highlight the need for rational design of combination therapies informed by biological insights.

Main Methods:

  • Review of current clinical trial landscape for combination cancer therapies.
  • Analysis of successes and failures in existing combination treatment strategies.
  • Exploration of preclinical data for novel combination therapy concepts.

Main Results:

  • Over 5,000 clinical trials are investigating combination treatments globally.
  • The number of potential treatment combinations far exceeds the capacity for clinical trials.
  • Current combination strategies have yielded both successes and notable failures.

Conclusions:

  • Rational design of combination therapies, based on mechanistic understanding, is essential.
  • Improved preclinical strategies can guide clinical exploration and optimize patient outcomes.
  • Addressing therapy resistance requires a more strategic approach to treatment combinations.

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