cemiplimab + hypofractionated radiotherapy

Cemiplimab + hypofractionated radiotherapy is a combination therapy used primarily for advanced cancers, notably advanced cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma and advanced basal cell carcinoma. Cemiplimab is a monoclonal antibody that blocks programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1), an immune checkpoint, thereby enhancing anti-tumor immune responses. Hypofractionated radiotherapy involves delivering higher doses of radiation per fraction over fewer sessions, aiming to maximize tumor cell kill and potentially augment the immunogenicity of the tumor microenvironment. Clinical studies and case reports demonstrate that this combination can lead to faster and more persistent clinical and radiological responses compared to cemiplimab monotherapy, without significantly increasing toxicity. The abscopal effect, a phenomenon in which localized radiotherapy induces systemic anti-tumor effects, is a proposed but incompletely understood mechanism for this synergy.

Other names

cemiplimab-rwlc