Hyperthermia combined with immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy in the treatment of primary and metastatic tumors

Abstract

According to the difference in temperature, thermotherapy can be divided into thermal ablation and mild hyperthermia. The main advantage of thermal ablation is that it can efficiently target tumors in situ, while mild hyperthermia has a good inhibitory effect on distant metastasis. There are some similarities and differences between the two therapies with respect to inducing anti-tumor immune responses, but neither of them results in sustained systemic immunity. Malignant tumors (such as breast cancer, pancreatic cancer, nasopharyngeal carcinoma, and brain cancer) are recurrent, highly metastatic, and highly invasive even after treatment, hence a single therapy rarely resolves the clinical issues. A more effective and comprehensive treatment strategy using a combination of hyperthermia and immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) therapies has gained attention. This paper summarizes the relevant preclinical and clinical studies on hyperthermia combined with ICI therapies and compares the efficacy of two types of hyperthermia combined with ICIs, in order to provide a better treatment for the recurrence and metastasis of clinically malignant tumors.

Role of long non-coding RNA in chemoradiotherapy resistance of nasopharyngeal carcinoma

“…PD-L1 carried by NPC cell–derived exosomes is an immune-related protein that binds to PD-1 on the surface of CD8+T cells, diminishing immune cell activity, fostering NPC immune escape, and advancing NPC occurrence and progression ( 86 ). Hyperthermia’s ability to regulate immune responses, bolster radiation resistance, eliminate tumors through heat, impede NPC metastasis and recurrence, and in conjunction with ICIs, elevate 5-year survival rates in patients with NPC ( 87 ). ACT employs a patient’s T cells and other structures to combat malignant tumors ( 88 ).…”

Bessere Abwehr durch Thermotherapie jenseits natürlicher Quellen?

“…Eine simultane Hyperthermie kann über verschiedene Mechanismen diese Effekte verstärken. Ein kürzlich erschienener Review listet 5 abgeschlossene RCT, von denen noch keines veröffentlicht ist, sowie weitere 8 in Rekrutierung [14]. Bislang werden allerdings nur lokale Hyperthermie-Techniken eingesetzt, die größtenteils über Sonden bzw.…”

Tumor ablation induced anti-tumor immunity: destruction of the tumor in situ with the aim to evoke a robust anti-tumor immune response

“…In clinical trials with HCC patients, it was observed that the addition of RT helps to augment the effects of ICI [ 22 ]. Combination of thermal ablation may also be combined with CPI, and ongoing clinical trials were reported [ 23 ] Adoptive cellular therapy (ACT) is based on the patient’s immune cells, which are manipulated and then reinfused back into the patient. To date, there are several major modalities of ACT: tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) which reside in the tumor and propagated by a cocktail of cytokines.…”

“…In clinical trials with HCC patients, it was observed that the addition of RT helps to augment the effects of ICI [ 22 ]. Combination of thermal ablation may also be combined with CPI, and ongoing clinical trials were reported [ 23 ]…”