Abscopal Effects and Immunomodulation in Skin Cancer Therapy

Abstract

Radiation therapy (RT) is a crucial modality in cancer treatment, functioning through direct DNA damage and immune stimulation. However, RT's effects extend beyond targeted cells, influencing neighboring cells through the bystander effect (ByE) and distant sites via the abscopal effect (AbE). The AbE, first described by Mole in 1953, encompasses biological reactions at sites distant from the irradiation field. While RT can enhance antitumor immune responses, it may also contribute to an immunosuppressive microenvironment. To address this limitation, combining RT with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) has gained renewed interest, aiming to amplify antitumor immune responses. Evidence of AbEs has been observed in various metastatic or advanced cutaneous cancers, including melanoma, basal cell carcinoma, cutaneous lymphoma, Merkel cell carcinoma, and cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma. Clinical studies suggest combining RT with ICIs targeting CTLA-4 and PD-1/PD-L1 may enhance AbE incidence in these cancers. This review primarily explores the current understanding of AbEs in skin cancers, briefly acknowledging the ByE focusing on combining RT with immunomodulation. It focuses on proposed mechanisms, preclinical and clinical evidence, challenges in clinical translation, and future directions for harnessing AbEs in managing advanced skin malignancies. Alternative modalities for inducing abscopal-like responses are also explored. While promising, challenges remain in consistently reproducing AbEs in clinical practice, necessitating further research to optimize treatment combinations, timing, and patient selection.