Are radiologists ready to evaluate true response to immunotherapy?

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Radiology
• Immunotherapy

Background:

• Standardized radiological imaging criteria are vital for cancer patient management.
• Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) offer new treatment options for chemotherapy-resistant cancers.
• This review focuses on response evaluation criteria for patients undergoing immunotherapy.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the literature on response evaluation criteria for immunotherapy.
• To identify the most effective criteria for optimal patient management.
• To highlight areas for future research in this field.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of studies on response evaluation criteria for immunotherapy.
• Analysis of criteria used in oncological management.
• Identification of challenges faced by radiologists in assessing treatment response.

Main Results:

• Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) are increasingly adopted in cancer treatment.
• Radiologists play a key role in managing immunotherapy treatment response.
• The immune-related response criteria (irRECIST) are a potential tool for response assessment.

Conclusions:

• ICIs are becoming standard in cancer care.
• Radiologists face challenges in assessing tumor response to immunotherapy.
• Immune-RECIST criteria require further validation through prospective clinical trials.