Perspectives in immunotherapy: meeting report from the immunotherapy bridge (December 2nd-3rd, 2020, Italy)

• Authors: Paolo A Ascierto, Istituto Nazionale Tumori IRCCS “Fondazione G. Pascale”; Carlo Bifulco, Earle A. Chiles Research Institute; Fortunato Ciardiello, University “Luigi Vanvitelli”, Naples; Sandra Demaria, Weill Cornell Medical College; Leisha A Emens, Magee Women’s Hospital, Pittsburgh; Robert Ferris, UPMC Hillman Cancer Center; Silvia C Formenti, Weill Cornell Medicine and Meyer Cancer Center; Jerome Galon, INSERM, Laboratory of Integrative Cancer Immunology; Samir N Khleif, Georgetown University; Tomas Kirchhoff, Perlmutter Cancer Center; Jennifer McQuade, MD Anderson Cancer Center; Kunle Odunsi, University of Chicago; Akash Patnaik, University of Chicago; Chrystal Paulos, Emory University; Janis M Taube, Johns Hopkins University SOM; John Timmerman, UCLA Medical Center; Bernard A Fox, Robert W. Franz Cancer Research Center,; Patrick Hwu, Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa; Igor Puzanov, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center
• Journal Title: JOURNAL OF TRANSLATIONAL MEDICINE
• Volume: Volume 19, Number 1
• Publisher: BMC | 2021-06-02, Pages 238-238
• Type of Work: Article | Final Publisher PDF
• Publisher DOI: http://doi.org/10.1186/s12967-021-02895-2
• Subjects: Health Sciences, Pathology; Health Sciences, Oncology
• Keywords: Science & Technology; Life Sciences & Biomedicine; Medicine, Research & Experimental; Research & Experimental Medicine; Immunotherapy; Checkpoint inhibitors; Combination therapy; Biomarkers; Tumor microenvironment; Vaccine; SQUAMOUS-CELL CARCINOMA; PHASE-II; PD-1 BLOCKADE; SINGLE-ARM; NIVOLUMAB; MULTICENTER; PEMBROLIZUMAB; RECURRENT; LYMPHOMA; AVELUMAB

Abstract

Improved understanding of tumor immunology has enabled the development of therapies that harness the immune system and prevent immune escape. Numerous clinical trials and real-world experience has provided evidence of the potential for long-term survival with immunotherapy in various types of malignancy. Recurring observations with immuno-oncology agents include their potential for clinical application across a broad patient population with different tumor types, conventional and unconventional response patterns, durable responses, and immune-related adverse events. Despite the substantial achievements to date, a significant proportion of patients still fail to benefit from current immunotherapy options, and ongoing research is focused on transforming non-responders to responders through the development of novel treatments, new strategies to combination therapy, adjuvant and neoadjuvant approaches, and the identification of biomarkers of response. These topics were the focus of the virtual Immunotherapy Bridge (December 2nd–3rd, 2020), organized by the Fondazione Melanoma Onlus, Naples, Italy, in collaboration with the Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer and are summarised in this report.