Table 2.

Potential immune-enchancing and immune-inhibitory effects of FDA-approved chemotherapy partners for ICIs, as reviewed in12–14 18 54 55

Chemotherapy class	Agents approved for use with ICIs	Mechanisms of potential immune synergy
Alkylating agents	Platinum-containing agents (eg, carboplatin, cisplatin).	Immunogenic cell death. Neoantigen presentation in the TME. Inhibition of suppressive cells.
Antimetabolites	Nucleoside analogs (eg, fluoropyrimidines, gemcitabine).	Inhibition of suppressive cells. Enhanced DC function.
Microtubule-disrupting agents	Taxanes (eg, paclitaxel).	Enhanced DC function. Promotion of Th1 immunity.
Topoisomerase inhibitors	Podophyllotoxins (eg, etoposide), anthracyclines.	Immunogenic cell death. Neoantigen presentation in the TME. Enhanced DC function.

DC, dendritic cell; Th1, T helper type 1; TME, tumor microenvironment.