Chemo-Immunotherapy: A New Trend in Cancer Treatment

SIMPLE SUMMARY: Chemoimmunotherapy is an emerging treatment option for cancer that combines traditional chemotherapy with immunotherapy. This approach aims to increase the efficacy of cancer treatment by simultaneously targeting cancer cells through chemotherapy and boosting the immune system’s ability to fight cancer through immunotherapy. Several studies have shown promising results after using chemoimmunotherapy to treat various types of cancer, including melanoma and lung cancer. However, the optimal dosing, timing, and sequencing of these treatments still require further investigation. In this review, we summarize recent advances and future directions in the field of chemoimmunotherapy in the clinical management of patients with cancer. ABSTRACT: Chemotherapy has been the basis of advanced cancer treatment for decades. This therapy has largely been considered immunosuppressive, yet accumulated preclinical and clinical evidence shows that certain chemotherapeutic drugs, under defined conditions, may stimulate antitumor immunity and potentiate immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI)-based therapy. Its effectiveness has been highlighted by recent regulatory approvals of various combinations of chemotherapy with ICIs in several tumors, particularly in some difficult-to-treat cancers. This review discusses the immune modulatory properties of chemotherapy and how they may be harnessed to develop novel chemo-immunotherapy combinations. It also highlights the key determinants of the success of chemo-immunotherapy and provides an overview of the combined chemo-immunotherapies that have been clinically approved.