Dr. Gordon on Immunotherapy Research in Osteosarcoma

Nancy Gordon, MD, a pediatric oncologist and research assistant at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, discusses current immunotherapy research being conducted in the field of osteosarcoma.

In osteosarcoma, the main reason that patients die is because of pulmonary metastases, Gordon explains. Immunotherapy for osteosarcomas has shown some benefit in different aspects. There has been treatment which has been delivered through cytokines, including interleukin-2 (IL-2). While studies have shown that immune cells go to the tumors, the issue is that the immune cells leave. One of the ways to help those cells stay within the tumor is by increasing their growth and proliferation, she adds. This can be done by adding cytokines, one of which is IL-2.

Additionally, one of the problems with the immune cells is that they can express PD-1/PD-L1. This restricts the ability of the cells to kill the tumor cells, she explains.