Radiotherapy is known for its action on local tumoral control. However, it is also able to induce immunomodulatory effects at a systemic level. The abscopal effect (from latin ab scopus which means «away from the target») is an illustration of this phenomenon. It is defined as a tumor regression observed outside and at a distance of the irradiation fields. The potential application of this effect of treatment in disseminated cancers is a fast-growing field of research. The optimal therapeutic strategy to achieve this effect remains unknown.
La radiothérapie, connue pour son action sur le contrôle tumoral local, est également capable d’induire des effets immuno-modulateurs systémiques. L’effet abscopal (du latin ab scopus qui signifie «à distance de la cible») décrit la régression tumorale observée à distance de la zone d’irradiation. L’exploitation thérapeutique de celui-ci comme traitement des cancers disséminés est un domaine de recherche en plein essor. Actuellement, les modalités thérapeutiques optimales visant à obtenir cet effet demeurent inconnues.
Keywords: Abscopal effect; Anti; Checkpoint inhibitors; Radiotherapy; tumoral immunity.