Radiotherapy Improves Antitumor Immunity by Inducing Immunogenic Cell Death in Breast Cancer Patients

Document Type : Research Articles

Authors

1 Department of Radiography, College of Allied Medical Sciences, Al-Hussein Bin Talal University, Ma’an, Jordan.

2 Department of Diagnostic & Therapeutic Radiology, Faculty of Medical Technology, Misrata, Libya.

3 Radiation Sciences Department, Medical Research Institute, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt.

4 Medical Imaging and Radiography Department, Faculty of Allied Medical Sciences, Aqaba University of Technology, Aqaba, Jordan.

5 Department of Radiology and Medical imaging, Higher Institute of Technology for Applied Health science, Bader Institute for science and Technology, Cairo, Egypt.

Abstract

Background: Radiotherapy, a significant cancer treatment, stimulates localized tumor cell death and causes immune modulation. Increasing data has indicated that radiation strengthens tumor-related immunity. Aim of the Study: The aim of this work was to investigate the effect of radiotherapy on soluble forms of the primary immune checkpoints CTLA-4, PD-1 and PD-L1 in patients with breast cancer. Patients and Methods: The study was conducted on70 subjects were separated into 2 groups: Group I included 40 patients with breast cancer who received fractionated radiation. Group II: Includes 30 healthy females free from any disease as control group, age and gender matched the patients’ group. ELISA was used to assay CTLA-4, PD-1 and PD-L1. Results: The current study revealed that soluble PD-1 and PD-L1 are significantly elevated in sera of patients with breast cancer pre radiotherapy treatment and significantly higher than in control group. Exposure to radiotherapy significantly drops PD-1 levels and brings its levels in patients closer to those of healthy individuals but not affects PD-L1 levels. Soluble CTLA-4 is insignificantly elevated in sera of breast cancer patients pre radiotherapy treatment and significantly decreased post radiotherapy. Conclusion: Radiotherapy can enhance immune recognition of the tumor cells by dropping the primary immune checkpoints PD-1 and CTLA-4 in breast cancer patients and improve response to immune checkpoints inhibition.

Keywords

Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
Volume 26, Issue 10
October 2025
Pages 3825-3831

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History

  • Receive Date: 03 May 2025
  • Revise Date: 20 June 2025
  • Accept Date: 15 October 2025

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