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Evaluating the Effectiveness of Cancer Drug Sensitization In Vitro and In Vivo
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Evidence-Based Medicine in Oncology: Commercial Versus Patient Benefit

Volker Schirrmacher1, Tobias Sprenger1, Wilfried Stuecker1

  • 1Immune-Oncological Center Cologne (IOZK), D-50674 Cologne, Germany.

Biomedicines
|July 29, 2020
PubMed

Insights

This review discusses evidence-based medicine in oncology, highlighting Individualized Multimodal Immunotherapy (IMI) as an alternative to traditional randomized controlled trials (RCTs). IMI generates evidence independently, focusing on personalized and individualized cancer treatment approaches.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Evidence-Based Medicine
  • Immunotherapy

Background:

  • The rise of personalized and individualized medicine challenges traditional randomized controlled trials (RCTs) in oncology.
  • Big pharma's commercial interests have impacted the reputation of RCTs.
  • There is a growing need for alternative evidence generation methods in cancer research.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To explain principles of evidence-based medicine in oncology.
  • To present a model for generating evidence independently from RCTs.
  • To discuss the role of personalized and individualized medicine in cancer therapeutics.

Main Methods:

  • Review of evidence-based medicine principles.
  • Explanation of personalized medicine (molecular analysis, targeted therapy) and individualized medicine (whole patient, immunotherapy).
  • Introduction of Individualized Multimodal Immunotherapy (IMI) based on tumor-host interactions and immunogenic cell death (ICD) induced by oncolytic viruses.
  • Systematic data collection and analysis for evidence generation.
  • Critical discussion of RCTs conducted by pharmaceutical companies.

Main Results:

  • Individualized Multimodal Immunotherapy (IMI) offers a method for generating evidence outside of traditional RCTs.
  • Evidence generation is based on the unique immunological tumor-host interactions and the induction of immunogenic cell death (ICD) via oncolytic viruses.
  • The study highlights the potential for independent clinics and institutions to develop novel cancer therapeutics.

Conclusions:

  • Evidence can be generated independently from RCTs, particularly in personalized and individualized medicine.
  • A critical dialogue regarding RCTs by big pharma is recommended.
  • Medical associations should incorporate findings from personalized and individualized medicine studies into clinical guidelines.
Keywords:
adverse eventscancer immunologyconflict of interestdendritic cellevidence-based medicineimmunotherapyoncolytic virusrandomized-controlled trial

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