Dr Moschos on Treatment Strategies With Adoptive T-Cell Therapy in Melanoma
Source: OncLive, April 2025
Stergios J. Moschos, MD, an associate professor of medicine in the Department of Medicine in the Division of Oncology at the University of North Carolina (UNC) Chapel Hill School of Medicine, UNC Health, emphasized the importance of appropriately administering bridging therapy to patients who are slated to receive the adoptive T-cell therapy lifileucel (Amtagvi).
Patient selection plays a critical role in the successful administration of adoptive T-cell therapies, Moschos began. One key determinant of successful treatment is the use of effective bridging therapy to reduce tumor burden prior to lymphodepletion and cell infusion, Moschos stated. The rationale behind bridging therapy is to achieve disease control and minimize tumor burden, thereby enhancing the efficacy of cellular therapy and reducing the risk of treatment-related toxicities, he explained.
Patients with rapidly progressive disease or a high tumor burden are at elevated risk for severe toxicity during lymphodepleting chemotherapy, which may compromise their ability to receive or benefit from subsequent cell therapy, Moschos stated. Therefore, early identification of appropriate bridging strategies is essential once a patient is deemed a candidate for cellular therapy, he reiterated. Therapeutic agents used during this period may include a MEK inhibitor, a PD-1 inhibitor, or lenvatinib (Lenvima), Moschos outlined.