Summit for Cancer Immunotherapy
Novel combination approaches for solid tumours: leveraging checkpoint inhibition and radiation therapy in renal cell carcinoma
Wednesday, April 14, 2021 | 2:30 – 4:00 pm EDT
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SPEAKERS
- Dr. Aly-Khan Lalani, Assistant Professor, Onlocoly, McMaster University
- Deb Maskens, Patient Representative
- Donna McCarty, Plain Language Facilitator
Immune checkpoint blockers, such as Ipilimumab and Nivolumab, have been shown to improve the lifespan of patients with metastatic kidney cancer by unleashing our immune system. However, not every patient benefits from immunotherapy. Understanding the factors that indicate which patients are likely to benefit from treatment, or ways to help immunotherapy work better for more patients, are important, unmet needs. Removal of the primary kidney mass – in disease that has already spread – was shown over 20 years ago to be modestly beneficial for metastatic kidney cancer patients; however, recent studies cast doubt on this benefit in the current immunotherapy era.
Alternatively, highly focused radiation is a convenient, safe method to kill cancer cells that may also enhance our immune response. We hypothesize that combining immunotherapy and highly focused radiation will improve the treatment of kidney cancer for patients who initially present with widely spread disease. To address this hypothesis, BioCanRx is conducting a randomized phase II clinical trial (CYTOSHRINK) to study the benefits of combining Ipilimumab/Nivolumab and radiation for metastatic kidney cancer patients. Further, their proposed studies interrogating host samples of tumor tissue, blood and stool from immunological and genomic perspectives will provide a deeper understanding of tumor biology at the start and changes during treatment with this novel combination strategy.
Note: There will be a plain language overview before the session begins and an opportunity to ask questions after the discussion.
