Eric Deutsch

(Chemo)Radiotherapy–Immunotherapy Combinations: Time to Get Tailored?

AbstractChemoradiotherapy is considered an immunogenic anticancer treatment. Data obtained during the course of chemoradiotherapy treatment of patients with cervical cancer show heterogeneous changes in the tumor immune landscape, highlighting the need for patient selection to rationally design successful combined immunotherapies. Blood-based biomarkers could be valuable to perform such stratification.See related article by Chen et al., p. 3990

Theragnostic Gadolinium-Based Nanoparticles Safely Augment X-ray Radiation Effects in Patients with Cervical Cancer

Activated guided irradiation by X-ray (AGuIX) nanoparticles are gadolinium-based agents that have the dual benefit of mimicking the effects of a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast agent used in a clinical routine and enhancing the radiotherapeutic activity of conventional X-rays (for cancer treatment). This "theragnostic" action is explained on the one hand by the paramagnetic properties of gadolinium and on the other hand by the generation of high densities of secondary radiation following the interaction of ionizing radiation and high-Z atoms, which leads to enhanced radiation dose deposits within the tumors where the nanoparticles accumulate. Here, we report the results of a phase I trial that aimed to assess the safety and determine the optimal dose of AGuIX nanoparticles in combination with chemoradiation and brachytherapy in patients with locally advanced cervical cancer. AGuIX nanoparticles were administered intravenously and appropriately accumulated within tumors on a dose-dependent manner, as assessed by T