Proceedings of the National Cancer Institute Workshop on combining immunotherapy with radiotherapy: challenges and opportunities for clinical translation

Abstract

Radiotherapy both promotes and antagonises tumour immune recognition. Some clinical studies show improved patient outcomes when immunotherapies are integrated with radiotherapy. Safe, greater than additive, clinical response to the combination is limited to a subset of patients, however, and how radiotherapy can best be combined with immunotherapies remains unclear. The National Cancer Institute–Immuno-Oncology Translational Network–Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer–American Association of Immunology Workshop on Combining Immunotherapy with Radiotherapy was convened to identify and prioritise opportunities and challenges for radiotherapy and immunotherapy combinations. Sessions examined the immune effects of radiation, barriers to anti-tumour immune response, previous clinical trial data, immunological and computational assessment of response, and next-generation radiotherapy–immunotherapy combinations. Panel recommendations included: developing and implementing patient selection and biomarker-guided approaches; applying mechanistic understanding to optimise delivery of radiotherapy and selection of immunotherapies; using rigorous preclinical models including companion animal studies; embracing data sharing and standardisation, advanced modelling, and multidisciplinary cross-institution collaboration; interrogating clinical data, including negative trials; and incorporating novel clinical endpoints and trial designs.