[Radiation therapy and targeted therapies: Risks and opportunities]

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Radiation Oncology
• Pharmacology

Background:

• Radiotherapy and targeted therapies are crucial in cancer management.
• Current data on the combined toxicity and efficacy of these treatments are limited and fragmented.
• A comprehensive review is needed to understand the risks and benefits of combining radiotherapy with targeted therapies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To conduct a literature review on the risks and opportunities of combining radiotherapy with targeted therapies.
• To consolidate existing knowledge on the synergistic effects and toxicities of combined treatment modalities.
• To identify gaps in current research and highlight areas for future investigation.

Main Methods:

• Searched major databases (EMBASE, ClinicalTrials.gov, Medline, Web of Science) for relevant studies.
• Utilized a comprehensive list of keywords including radiotherapy, radiosurgery, and specific targeted therapy drug names (e.g., cetuximab, trastuzumab, vemurafenib) and targets (e.g., EGFR, ALK, BRAF).
• Included terms related to targeted therapy classes like tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) and antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs).

Main Results:

• A limited number of trials suggest a synergistic effect between radiotherapy and targeted therapies.
• Mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) inhibitors, when used in combination, exhibit known toxicities with established clinical guidelines.
• The review identified a promising but underexplored landscape for combined cancer treatments.

Conclusions:

• The current body of evidence provides a preliminary view of the combined use of radiotherapy and targeted therapies.
• Significant limitations exist due to the scarcity of robust data.
• Further high-quality research is essential to fully realize the potential of these combined therapeutic strategies in oncology.