Immunotherapy: an emerging modality to checkmate brain metastasis

Area of Science:

• Neuro-oncology
• Cancer immunology
• Translational medicine

Background:

• Brain metastasis (BrM) historically carries a poor prognosis with limited therapeutic options.
• Radiotherapy (RT) and surgery are traditional mainstays for BrM management.
• Emerging immunotherapies (IT) are revolutionizing BrM treatment paradigms.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the evolving role of immunotherapy in treating brain metastasis.
• To examine the influence of the BrM tumor microenvironment on cancer progression and IT efficacy.
• To highlight future directions and ongoing clinical trials in BrM immunotherapy.

Main Methods:

• Comprehensive literature review of recent studies on IT for BrM.
• Analysis of the impact of the tumor microenvironment on BrM.
• Synthesis of current and future clinical trial data for IT in BrM.

Main Results:

• Immunotherapy demonstrates significant potential in managing BrM, both as monotherapy and in combination.
• The tumor microenvironment critically influences BrM progression and response to IT.
• Ongoing trials are exploring novel IT strategies to improve outcomes for BrM patients.

Conclusions:

• Immunotherapy represents a paradigm shift in brain metastasis treatment.
• Targeting the tumor microenvironment is crucial for enhancing IT effectiveness in BrM.
• Future research and clinical trials are vital for advancing IT in managing BrM.