The landscape of combining immune checkpoint inhibitors with novel Therapies: Secret alliances against breast cancer

• Published in: Cancer treatment reviews Vol. 130; p. 102831
• Main Authors: Rebaudi, Federico, De Franco, Fabiana, Goda, Rayan, Obino, Valentina, Vita, Giorgio, Baronti, Camilla, Iannone, Eleonora, Pitto, Francesca, Massa, Barbara, Fenoglio, Daniela, Jandus, Camilla, Poggio, Francesca, Fregatti, Piero, Melaiu, Ombretta, Bozzo, Matteo, Candiani, Simona, Papaccio, Federica, Greppi, Marco, Pesce, Silvia, Marcenaro, Emanuela
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier Ltd 01.11.2024
• Subjects: Breast cancer; Immune checkpoints; Immune checkpoints blockade; Immunotherapy; Targeted therapy; Immune checkpoints blockade; Breast cancer; Immune checkpoints; Targeted therapy; Immunotherapy
• ISSN: 0305-7372; 1532-1967; 1532-1967
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ctrv.2024.102831

•Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) represent a groundbreaking approach in breast cancer (BC) management by targeting immune and tumor cell proteins, aiming to reverse immune suppression and enhance tumor cell eradication.•Immunotherapy is gaining traction in BC treatment, particularly through targeting suppressive pathways like PD-1 and CTLA-4, alongside emerging strategies like cytokine therapies, cancer vaccines, oncolytic viruses, and adoptive cell therapies.•ICIs can be employed as monotherapy or combined with conventional treatments such as surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and targeted hormone therapy.•Combining ICIs with other ICIs or other treatment strategies holds promise for enhancing accuracy, efficacy, and tumor targeting.•Ongoing research is unlocking the potential of ICIs to reshape the BC treatment landscape, heralding a new era of precision immuno-oncology. This review focuses on the immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) in the context of breast cancer (BC) management. These innovative treatments, by targeting proteins expressed on both tumor and immune cells, aim to overcome tumor-induced immune suppression and reactivate the immune system. The potential of this approach is the subject of numerous clinical studies. Here, we explore the key studies and emerging therapies related to ICIs providing a detailed analysis of their specific and combined use in BC treatment.