IMMUNOTHERAPY

Immunotherapy is one of the most cutting-edge approaches in the treatment of cancer, receiving attention in many tumor sites throughout the body. Excitingly, radiation therapy can augment the efficacy of treatment, particularly high dose ablative approaches such as Stereotactic Radiosurgery (SRS). SRS has been shown to induce antigen specific anti-tumor immune responses and antigen-specific memory T-cells.

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Andrew Sharabi MD PhD

RMAS Assistant Professor


While at Johns Hopkins, Dr. Sharabi was involved with much of the early work exploring how radiation combined with checkpoint blockade immunotherapy could increase radiosensitization and improve tumor control. At UC San Diego, he is continuing his work studying basic interactions between radiation and the immune system to better understand how radiation and immunotherapy can be optimally combined in the clinic.


Radiation interactions with the immune system are complex. Shown at right from his comprehensive review published in the Lancet are some of the many molecular pathways by which radiation can augment antigen-specific anti-tumor immune responses. 

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Translating Discoveries into the Clinic

Dr. Sharabi is the Principal Investigator (PI) of a Phase II clinical trial which randomizes patients with metastatic disease to checkpoint blockade immunotherapy (CBI) alone or CBI combined with SBRT. The primary objective is to determine whether SBRT + CBI improves the relative objective response rate compared to CBI alone. SBRT at 9.5Gy x 3 fractions is delivered within 21 days of the start of Cycle #1 of CBI and can target up to 3 lesions. A total of 146 patients will be enrolled.

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To learn more about Basic and Translational Immunotherapy Research, check out the following faculty research labs:


Sharabi Lab

Sharabi Lab



Several other CPRM Researchers are overseeing clinical trials testing the benefits of radiation combined with immunotherapy.

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Jyoti Mayadev MD

National NRG Principal Investigator


Anti PD-L1 (Atezolizumab) as an Immune Primer and Concurrently with Extended Field Chemoradiotherapy for Node Positive Locally Advanced Cervical Cancer” (NCT#03738228).

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Loren Mell MD

National NRG Principal Investigator


Randomized Phase II/III Trial of Radiotherapy with Concurrent MEDI4736 (Durvalumab) vs. Radiotherapy with Concurrent Cetuximab in Patients with Locoregionally Advanced Head and Neck Cancer with a Contraindication to Cisplatin