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ASCO18: Antibiotic use reduces effectiveness of immunotherapy in cancer patients


A study presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology Annual Meeting (ASCO, 1–5 June 2018, IL, USA) has revealed that use of antibiotics may greatly reduce the efficacy of immunotherapy.

It has previously been reported that the microbiome, which can be disrupted by antibiotic use, is involved in immunotherapy responses. This study hoped to assess the impact of antibiotics on the efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitors (CKIs) in the treatment of advanced cancer.

The researchers carried out a retrospective data analysis of 303 metastatic cancer patients – suffering melanoma, non-small cell lung cancer or renal cancer – who underwent treatment with CKIs.

Read the full story on Infectious Disease Hub.