title: Radiotherapy and immunotherapy: Can this combination change the prognosis of patients with melanoma brain metastases?
abstract: Brain metastases are a common occurrence in patients with melanoma. Prognosis is poor. Radiotherapy is the main local treatment for brain metastases. Recently, immunotherapy (i.e. immune checkpoints inhibitors) showed a significant impact on the prognosis of patients with metastatic melanoma, also in the setting of patients with brain metastases. Despite various possible treatments, survival of patients with melanoma brain metastases is still unsatisfactory; new treatment modalities or combination of therapies need to be explored. Being immunotherapy and radiotherapy alone both efficient in the treatment of melanoma brain metastases, the combination of these two therapies seems logical. Moreover radiotherapy can improve the efficacy of immunotherapy and the immune system plays a relevant role in the action of radiotherapy. Preclinical data support this combination. Clinical data are more contradictory. In this review, we will discuss available therapies for melanoma brain metastases, focusing on the preclinical and clinical available data supporting the possible synergism between radiotherapy and immunotherapy.
authors: Radiotherapy and Radiosurgery Department, Humanitas Cancer Center and Research Hospital, Via Alessandro Manzoni 56, 20089, Rozzano, Milan, Italy. Electronic address: davide.franceschini@humanitas.it.
authors: D
authors: D
authors: Franceschini
authors: Radiotherapy and Radiosurgery Department, Humanitas Cancer Center and Research Hospital, Via Alessandro Manzoni 56, 20089, Rozzano, Milan, Italy.
authors: C
authors: C
authors: Franzese
authors: Radiotherapy and Radiosurgery Department, Humanitas Cancer Center and Research Hospital, Via Alessandro Manzoni 56, 20089, Rozzano, Milan, Italy.
authors: P
authors: P
authors: Navarria
authors: Radiotherapy and Radiosurgery Department, Humanitas Cancer Center and Research Hospital, Via Alessandro Manzoni 56, 20089, Rozzano, Milan, Italy.
authors: A M
authors: AM
authors: Ascolese
authors: Radiotherapy and Radiosurgery Department, Humanitas Cancer Center and Research Hospital, Via Alessandro Manzoni 56, 20089, Rozzano, Milan, Italy.
authors: F
authors: F
authors: De Rose
authors: Department of Medical Oncology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale Tumori, Via Giacomo Venezian, 1, 20133 Milano, Italy.
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Del Vecchio
authors: Department of Biomedical Sciences, Humanitas University, Via Alessandro Manzoni 56, 20089, Rozzano, Milan, Italy; Department of Oncology and Hematology, Humanitas Cancer Center and Research Hospital, Via Alessandro Manzoni 56, 20089, Rozzano, Milan, Italy.
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Santoro
authors: Radiotherapy and Radiosurgery Department, Humanitas Cancer Center and Research Hospital, Via Alessandro Manzoni 56, 20089, Rozzano, Milan, Italy; Department of Biomedical Sciences, Humanitas University, Via Alessandro Manzoni 56, 20089, Rozzano, Milan, Italy.
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Scorsetti
mesh_terms: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000556:secondary / Q000628:therapy*; D059248:Chemoradiotherapy; D006801:Humans; D007167:Immunotherapy; D000074324:Ipilimumab; D008545:Melanoma / Q000556:secondary / Q000628:therapy*; D000077594:Nivolumab; D011379:Prognosis; D016634:Radiosurgery / Q000379:methods*; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D000074324:Ipilimumab; D000077594:Nivolumab
keywords: Checkpoint inhibitors; Immunotherapy; Radiation therapy; Stereotactic radiosurgery