Current Strategies for Tumor Photodynamic Therapy Combined With Immunotherapy

Jianfeng Hua; Pan Wu; Lu Gan; Zhikun Zhang; Jian He; Liping Zhong; Yongxiang Zhao; Yong Huang

doi:10.3389/fonc.2021.738323

Current Strategies for Tumor Photodynamic Therapy Combined With Immunotherapy

Front Oncol. 2021 Nov 17:11:738323. doi: 10.3389/fonc.2021.738323. eCollection 2021.

Authors

Jianfeng Hua¹, Pan Wu¹, Lu Gan¹, Zhikun Zhang¹, Jian He¹, Liping Zhong¹, Yongxiang Zhao¹, Yong Huang^{1

2}

Affiliations

¹ National Center for International Research of Bio-targeting Theranostics, Guangxi Key Laboratory of Bio-targeting Theranostics, Collaborative Innovation Center for Targeting Tumor Diagnosis and Therapy, Guangxi Talent Highland of Bio-targeting Theranostics, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China.
² The First People's Hospital of Changde City, Changde, China.

Abstract

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a low invasive antitumor therapy with fewer side effects. On the other hand, immunotherapy also has significant clinical applications in the treatment of cancer. Both therapies, on their own, have some limitations and are incapable of meeting the demands of the current cancer treatment. The efficacy of PDT and immunotherapy against tumor metastasis and tumor recurrence may be improved by combination strategies. In this review, we discussed the possibility that PDT could be used to activate immune responses by inducing immunogenic cell death or generating cancer vaccines. Furthermore, we explored the latest advances in PDT antitumor therapy in combination with some immunotherapy such as immune adjuvants, inhibitors of immune suppression, and immune checkpoint blockade.

Keywords: combination; immunotherapy; nanoparticle; photodynamic therapy; tumor.

Publication types

Review