Open Access

The dynamic duo: A narrative review on the synergy between stereotactic body radiotherapy and immunotherapy in lung cancer treatment (Review)

  • Authors:
    • Sarah Hsin Cheng
    • Kuan-Yi Tu
    • Hsin-Hua Lee
  • View Affiliations

  • Published online on: June 11, 2024     https://doi.org/10.3892/or.2024.8755
  • Article Number: 96
  • Copyright: © Cheng et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of Creative Commons Attribution License.

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Abstract

Immunotherapy, particularly immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), is undoubtedly one of the major breakthroughs in lung cancer research. Patient survival and prognosis have all been improved as a result, although numerous patients do not respond to immunotherapy due to various immune escape mechanisms of the tumor cells. Recent preclinical and clinical evidence has shown that stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT), also known as stereotactic ablative radiotherapy, has a prominent immune priming effect that could elicit antitumor immunity against specific tumor antigens and destroy distant tumor cells, thereby achieving the elusive abscopal effect, with the resulting immuno‑active tumor environment also being more conducive to ICIs. Some landmark trials have already demonstrated the survival benefit of the dynamic duo of SBRT plus immunotherapy in metastatic non‑small‑cell lung cancer, while others such as PEMBRO‑RT further suggest that the addition of SBRT to immunotherapy could expand the current indication to those who have historically responded poorly to ICIs. In the present review, the biological mechanisms that drive the synergistic effect of SBRT and immunotherapy were first briefly outlined; then, the current understanding from clinical trials was summarized and new insight into the evolving role of immunotherapy and SBRT synergy in lung cancer treatment was provided. Finally, novel avenues for discovery were highlighted. The innovation of the present review lies in the inclusion of non‑ICI immunotherapy in the discussion, which provides a more comprehensive view on the current development and future trend of SBRT + immunotherapy synergy.
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July-2024
Volume 52 Issue 1

Print ISSN: 1021-335X
Online ISSN:1791-2431

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Copy and paste a formatted citation
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Spandidos Publications style
Cheng SH, Tu K and Lee H: The dynamic duo: A narrative review on the synergy between stereotactic body radiotherapy and immunotherapy in lung cancer treatment (Review). Oncol Rep 52: 96, 2024.
APA
Cheng, S.H., Tu, K., & Lee, H. (2024). The dynamic duo: A narrative review on the synergy between stereotactic body radiotherapy and immunotherapy in lung cancer treatment (Review). Oncology Reports, 52, 96. https://doi.org/10.3892/or.2024.8755
MLA
Cheng, S. H., Tu, K., Lee, H."The dynamic duo: A narrative review on the synergy between stereotactic body radiotherapy and immunotherapy in lung cancer treatment (Review)". Oncology Reports 52.1 (2024): 96.
Chicago
Cheng, S. H., Tu, K., Lee, H."The dynamic duo: A narrative review on the synergy between stereotactic body radiotherapy and immunotherapy in lung cancer treatment (Review)". Oncology Reports 52, no. 1 (2024): 96. https://doi.org/10.3892/or.2024.8755