Primary and Acquired Resistance to Cancer Immunotherapy

Speaker
  • Leonardo Nissola, MD

    Clinical Scientist, The Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, and Former Medical Oncology Fellow at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
    BIOGRAPHY

Abstract

One of the main challenges in cancer immunotherapy is the resistance to I-O therapies. Primary resistance can occur before treatment and acquired resistance can occur in patients who responded to treatment but relapse after a period of effectiveness. Most cancer patients will develop primary resistance to checkpoint inhibitors, while 40% of those who don’t have primary resistance have an objective response. Although immunotherapy can induce tumor cell death and provoke significant clinical results, there are still unknown mechanisms that limit cancer immunotherapy.

Learning Objectives:

1. Understanding Primary and Adaptive Resistance to Immunotherapy

2. Monitoring Resistance Mechanisms

3. Overcoming Resistance to Immunotherapy