Future Hopes with Immunotherapy Alone or Combinations

Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) have revolutionized the cancer treatment landscape since their initial approval for melanoma. Although a significant number of patients experience durable responses, the vast majority do not benefit from ICI monotherapy and often develop primary or acquired resistance to therapy. Combination therapies involving ICIs have shown promise in improving outcomes and overcoming resistance. However, combined regimens raise concerns regarding potentially increased toxicity and the possibility of impaired efficacy. This chapter covers ICI-based combination approaches, ongoing and published trials, as well as novel combination strategies, challenges, and future perspectives for cancer treatment. Considering the heterogeneity among patients and cancer types, tailored combination selection may improve the effects of ICI-based combination strategies and tackle the persistent challenge of resistance to treatment.