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Immunomodulation by targeted anticancer agents

Giulia Petroni1, Aitziber Buqué1, Laurence Zitvogel2

  • 1Department of Radiation Oncology, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, USA.

Cancer Cell
|December 18, 2020
PubMed

Insights

Targeted anticancer agents, while specific, can also affect the immune system. Understanding these immunostimulatory or immunosuppressive effects may improve cancer treatment efficacy.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Immunology
  • Pharmacology

Background:

  • Conventional chemotherapy lacks specificity.
  • Targeted anticancer agents inhibit specific molecular alterations driving cancer.
  • These agents can also modulate immune responses, impacting treatment outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To discuss the immunomodulatory effects of targeted anticancer agents.
  • To explore strategies for leveraging these effects to enhance clinical efficacy.

Main Methods:

  • Review of existing literature on targeted anticancer agents and their immunological impacts.
  • Analysis of immunostimulatory and immunosuppressive mechanisms.

Main Results:

  • Targeted agents exhibit diverse immunomodulatory effects.
  • These effects can be either beneficial or detrimental to therapeutic outcomes.
  • Specific examples of agents and their immune interactions are discussed.

Conclusions:

  • The immune effects of targeted anticancer agents are significant.
  • Harnessing these immunomodulatory properties offers a promising strategy for improving cancer therapy.
Keywords:
BRAFCD8(+) cytotoxic T lymphocytesCDK4/CDK6CGAS signalingDNA damage responseEGFRKRAST(REG) cellsTGF-βimmune checkpoint blockersimmunogenic cell death

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