Journal: Nature reviews. Cancer
This review discusses how non-cancer medications commonly used during anticancer treatment influence outcomes with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs).
Key points:
- Routine concomitant drugs: Many routine concomitant drugs (for comorbidities or symptom control) have immunomodulatory effects that can alter ICI efficacy and toxicity, yet their impact is not well characterized in practice.
- Effects synthesized in the article:
- Antitumor immune responses: How these agents affect antitumor immune responses and clinical benefit from ICIs.
- Immune-related adverse events: How they influence the incidence, type, and severity of immune-related adverse events.
- Highlighted drug classes:
- Drugs that may blunt ICI efficacy: For example, through systemic immunosuppression or microbiome disruption.
- Drugs that may enhance ICI responses: Classes that might enhance ICI responses or be rationally combined with ICIs because of favorable immune effects.
- Repurposing opportunities: The authors explore the concept of repurposing immunomodulatory drugs originally used for other comorbid conditions to improve ICI outcomes, either by boosting antitumor immunity or by more selectively managing immune-related toxicity.
Overall message: The review emphasizes the need to systematically consider and study concomitant medications as a modifiable determinant of ICI response and safety in everyday oncology practice.