ASCO 2026 | Overcoming checkpoint inhibitor resistance in non-inflamed tumors
Mark Yarchoan, MD, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, comments on the limitations of checkpoint inhibitor therapy, noting that it is only effective in about 20% of tumors with pre-existing immunity against cancer neoantigens. Developing strategies such as vaccines, bispecific antibodies, and other tumor-specific approaches will be essential to induce immune responses in tumors without pre-existing immunity. This interview took place during the 2026 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Meeting in Chicago, IL.
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Transcript
First of all, in the era of checkpoint inhibitors, there’s only about 20% of tumors that really melt away with checkpoint inhibitor therapy. And that is the small subset of tumors where there’s already pre-existing immunity against cancer neoantigens. I think the next decade is all going to be about how do we address those large numbers of tumors where there’s just not really pre-existing immunity that can be reversed with a checkpoint inhibitor...
First of all, in the era of checkpoint inhibitors, there’s only about 20% of tumors that really melt away with checkpoint inhibitor therapy. And that is the small subset of tumors where there’s already pre-existing immunity against cancer neoantigens. I think the next decade is all going to be about how do we address those large numbers of tumors where there’s just not really pre-existing immunity that can be reversed with a checkpoint inhibitor. And I think vaccines are important because they are priming agents. Vaccines, bispecifics, and other tumor-specific strategies, they can induce immune responses when we do not have pre-existing immune responses, and that’s why they’re so important.
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