title: Combining targeted therapy with immunotherapy (interferon-α): Rational, efficacy in gastrointestinal stromal tumor model and implications in other malignancies.
abstract: Imatinib revolutionized gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) treatment but median-progression-free-survival of unresectable/metastatic disease is < 2 y. B-RAF(V600)-mutated-melanoma responds to vemurafenib dramatically but median-progression-free-survival is < 9 mo. Combining imatinib with immunotherapy (peginterferon α-2b) in GIST showed significant induction of antitumor immunity and highly promising clinical outcomes. This strategy warrants further testing in other malignancies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine; Huntsman Cancer Institute; University of Utah; Salt Lake City, UT USA.
authors.forename: Lei L
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Launce
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gouw
authors.forename: Mahyar
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sabripour
authors.forename: Wen-Jen
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Hwu
authors.forename: Robert S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Benjamin