Combinatorial Immunotherapy and Chemotherapy

Immunotherapy has emerged as an effective strategy in several cancer types that, unlike most conventional therapies, can deliver durable disease control with a favorable toxicity profile. In an unselected population, however, the majority of patients will not respond. Combining immunotherapy with other treatment modalities may increase the likelihood and potentially the depth of response. One approach is to combine immunotherapy with cytotoxic chemotherapy. There are both potential benefits and limitations to this approach, and while early data are encouraging, more work is needed to optimize these combinations and clearly define their role in the therapeutic landscape.