The article reviews the progress of research on the mechanism of anti-tumor immune response induced by Tumor Treating Fields (TTFields). TTFields has been approved for the treatment of glioblastomas and malignant pleural mesotheliomas. It highlights that TTFields have shown promising effects as a monotherapy and in combination with chemotherapy, but the underlying mechanisms through, which TTFields exert their anticancer effects remain incompletely understood. Recent research suggests that inducing anti-tumor immune responses may be a key mechanism of the anticancer activity of TTFields, leading to several clinical trials exploring the combination of TTFields with tumor immunotherapy and achieving positive results.
The article also discusses the potential mechanisms through which TTFields induce anti-tumor immune responses, including enhancing immune cell infiltration and function, inducing immunogenic cell death in tumor cells, regulating immune-related signaling pathways, and upregulating immune checkpoints in tumor cells. Furthermore, the clinical significance of TTFields in activating and enhancing anti-tumor immune responses is highlighted, showing potential improvements in patient survival and quality of life.
The combination of TTFields with immune checkpoint inhibitors has shown unprecedented therapeutic effects in clinical practice, indicating the promising clinical application prospects of TTFields. However, the document emphasizes the need for further research to clarify the molecular mechanisms of TTFields in anti-tumor therapy, potentially overcoming the problem of low sensitivity to radiotherapy and chemotherapy and enhancing the therapeutic outcomes of TTFields. Overall, the review provides a comprehensive overview of the progress and potential of TTFields in activating anti-tumor immune responses and improving clinical outcomes in cancer therapy.
