Abstract
Cancer immunotherapy has proven to be a potent treatment modality. Although often successful in generating antitumor immune responses, cancer immunotherapy is frequently hindered by tumor immune-escape mechanisms. Among immunosuppressive strategies within the tumor microenvironment, suppressive immune regulatory cells play a key role in promoting tumor progression through inhibiting the effector arm of the immune response. Targeting these suppressive cells can greatly enhance antitumor immune therapies, hence augmenting a highly effective therapeutic antitumor response. Several approaches are being tested to enhance the effector arm of the immune system while simultaneously inhibiting the suppressor arm. Some of these approaches are none other than traditional drugs repurposed as immune modulators. Cyclophosphamide, an old-school chemotherapeutic agent used across a wide range of malignancies, was found to be a potent immune modulator that targets suppressive regulatory immune cells within the tumor microenvironment while enhancing effector cells. Preclinical and clinical findings have confirmed the ability of low doses of cyclophosphamide to selectively deplete regulatory T cells while enhancing effector and memory cytotoxic T cells within the tumor microenvironment. These immune effects translate to suppressed tumor growth and enhanced survival, evidence of antitumor therapeutic efficacy. This article discusses the reincarnation of cyclophosphamide as an immune modulator that augments novel immunotherapeutic approaches.
Original language | English (US) |
---|---|
Pages (from-to) | 377-382 |
Number of pages | 6 |
Journal | Cancer Immunology Research |
Volume | 4 |
Issue number | 5 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - May 2016 |
Fingerprint
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Immunology
- Cancer Research
Cite this
Old-School Chemotherapy in Immunotherapeutic Combination in Cancer, A Low-cost Drug Repurposed. / Eid, Rasha Abu; Razavi, Ghazaleh Shoja E.; Mkrtichyan, Mikayel; Janik, John; Khleif, Samir N.
In: Cancer Immunology Research, Vol. 4, No. 5, 05.2016, p. 377-382.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Old-School Chemotherapy in Immunotherapeutic Combination in Cancer, A Low-cost Drug Repurposed
AU - Eid, Rasha Abu
AU - Razavi, Ghazaleh Shoja E.
AU - Mkrtichyan, Mikayel
AU - Janik, John
AU - Khleif, Samir N.
PY - 2016/5
Y1 - 2016/5
N2 - Cancer immunotherapy has proven to be a potent treatment modality. Although often successful in generating antitumor immune responses, cancer immunotherapy is frequently hindered by tumor immune-escape mechanisms. Among immunosuppressive strategies within the tumor microenvironment, suppressive immune regulatory cells play a key role in promoting tumor progression through inhibiting the effector arm of the immune response. Targeting these suppressive cells can greatly enhance antitumor immune therapies, hence augmenting a highly effective therapeutic antitumor response. Several approaches are being tested to enhance the effector arm of the immune system while simultaneously inhibiting the suppressor arm. Some of these approaches are none other than traditional drugs repurposed as immune modulators. Cyclophosphamide, an old-school chemotherapeutic agent used across a wide range of malignancies, was found to be a potent immune modulator that targets suppressive regulatory immune cells within the tumor microenvironment while enhancing effector cells. Preclinical and clinical findings have confirmed the ability of low doses of cyclophosphamide to selectively deplete regulatory T cells while enhancing effector and memory cytotoxic T cells within the tumor microenvironment. These immune effects translate to suppressed tumor growth and enhanced survival, evidence of antitumor therapeutic efficacy. This article discusses the reincarnation of cyclophosphamide as an immune modulator that augments novel immunotherapeutic approaches.
AB - Cancer immunotherapy has proven to be a potent treatment modality. Although often successful in generating antitumor immune responses, cancer immunotherapy is frequently hindered by tumor immune-escape mechanisms. Among immunosuppressive strategies within the tumor microenvironment, suppressive immune regulatory cells play a key role in promoting tumor progression through inhibiting the effector arm of the immune response. Targeting these suppressive cells can greatly enhance antitumor immune therapies, hence augmenting a highly effective therapeutic antitumor response. Several approaches are being tested to enhance the effector arm of the immune system while simultaneously inhibiting the suppressor arm. Some of these approaches are none other than traditional drugs repurposed as immune modulators. Cyclophosphamide, an old-school chemotherapeutic agent used across a wide range of malignancies, was found to be a potent immune modulator that targets suppressive regulatory immune cells within the tumor microenvironment while enhancing effector cells. Preclinical and clinical findings have confirmed the ability of low doses of cyclophosphamide to selectively deplete regulatory T cells while enhancing effector and memory cytotoxic T cells within the tumor microenvironment. These immune effects translate to suppressed tumor growth and enhanced survival, evidence of antitumor therapeutic efficacy. This article discusses the reincarnation of cyclophosphamide as an immune modulator that augments novel immunotherapeutic approaches.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84976548411&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84976548411&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1158/2326-6066.CIR-16-0048
DO - 10.1158/2326-6066.CIR-16-0048
M3 - Article
C2 - 27196429
AN - SCOPUS:84976548411
VL - 4
SP - 377
EP - 382
JO - Cancer Immunity
JF - Cancer Immunity
SN - 2326-6066
IS - 5
ER -