Combination of immunotherapy and radiotherapy in the treatment of brain metastases from non-small cell lung cancer.

ABSTRACT: It was commonly assumed in the past that blood-brain barrier could efficiently prohibit penetration of large peptide molecules, such as monoclonal antibodies, including programmed death-1 (PD-1)/programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) inhibitors. This belief has been recently revised by studies that demonstrate the presence of functional lymphatic vessels lining the dural sinuses. Furthermore, the activated circulating T cells have been shown to cross the blood-brain barrier. Such observations created strong rationale for attempts of immunotherapy for patients with brain metastases, used either alone or in combination with radiotherapy. The expected benefit from immunotherapy particularly refers to patients without targetable "driver" mutations who are not considered as candidates for novel targ

SUBMITTER: Suwinski R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8182508 | biostudies-literature | 2021 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature