Radiation as an immunological adjuvant: current evidence on dose and fractionation

Radiation as an immunological adjuvant: current evidence on dose and fractionation is organized by Opus Medicus, Inc.

Dates:
Released Date: 08-Apr-2018
Expiration Date: 07-Apr-2021

Accreditation:
Opus Medicus designates this Internet enduring material for a maximum of 1.25 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity / 1.25 ABIM MOC Points1.

Topics:
• Introduction
• Radiation-Induced Cell Death, Implications For Immunotherapy Combinations
• Experiments testing single fractions of radiation
• Experiments testing dose fractionation
• Learning from clinical experience
• Challenges and future directions
• Conclusions

Course Description:
Ionizing radiation to a cancer site has the ability to convert the irradiated tumor in an immunogenic hub. However, radiation is a complex modifier of the tumor microenvironment and, by itself, is seldom sufficient to induce a therapeutically significant anti-tumor immune response, since it can also activate immune suppressive pathways. While several combinations of local radiation and immunotherapy have been shown in pre-clinical models to induce powerful anti-tumor immunity, the optimal strategy to achieve this effect remains to be defined. This course critically reviews the available in vitro and in vivo data on this subject and discusses the potential impact of fractionation on the ability of radiation to synergize with immunotherapy.

Objectives: 
• Radiation-induced cell death and the implications for immunotherapy combinations.
• Effects on tumor cells of single dose versus fractionated radiation.

Additional details will be posted as soon as information is available.