Immunotherapy in Practice

Immune checkpoint inhibition: beyond T-cell activation – with Prof. Sabine Tejpar & Prof. Ahmad Awada

*This podcast is intended for healthcare professionals*
 
Host Prof. Pierre Coulie welcomes Prof. Sabine Tejpar, expert in colorectal cancer, explore how new insights into immune checkpoint inhibition are reshaping clinical practice beyond T-cell activation.
For years, the focus in cancer immunotherapy has been on T-cell activation. Today, new research shows that immune checkpoint inhibition involves far more than just T cells, with other key players like regulatory T-cells (Tregs), macrophages, and dendritic cells reshaping our understanding of oncology.
Prof. Tejpar explains how a deeper understanding of the tumor microenvironment opens new therapeutic strategies.
 
Prof. Ahmad Awada (Chirec) adds his perspective on emerging combination approaches 
We also examine emerging next-generation checkpoint inhibitors, their role in MSS tumors, and how biomarkers and AI are driving precision oncology and better immunotherapy outcomes.
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Prof. Sabine Tejpar is an associate professor at KU Leuven and head of Digestive Oncology at UZ Leuven, where she leads the Molecular Genetics of Colorectal Tumors research group (KULeuven). She is a leading expert in colorectal cancer, focusing on tumor biology, immunotherapy, and precision strategies for MSI-high and micro-satellite stable (MSS) colorectal cancers.
Prof. Ahmad Awada is Head of the Oncology Department and Director of the Chirec Cancer Institute in Brussels. He has significant clinical expertise in the treatment of solid tumors, particularly breast cancer, and has been instrumental in developing new anticancer drugs—including cytotoxics, molecular-targeted therapies, and immunotherapy—many of which are now standard in clinical practice.
Prof. Pierre Coulie is an immunologist and emeritus professor at UCLouvain’s de Duve Institute. Former President of the Royal Academy of Medicine of Belgium, he leads research bridging fundamental immunology and clinical advances in cancer immunotherapy.
 
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Chapters:
00:00 – Introduction to the podcast
01:45 – Basic science: how immune checkpoint inhibition works.
04:34 – Clinical discussion with Prof. Sabine Tejpar. Impact of immune checkpoint inhibitors on MSI-high colorectal cancer.
05:27 – Heterogeneity within MSI-high tumors07:03 – Redefining “hot” and “cold” tumors beyond CD8 count07:47 – Enhancing responses: reshaping the tumor microenvironment
09:10 – MSS tumors and next-generation approaches
10:05 – Expert perspective: Prof. Awada on emerging combinations. New targets, neoadjuvant therapy, and AI-driven biomarker development.
12:42 – Key takeaways and closing summary: checkpoint inhibition beyond T-cells, tumor microenvironment, MSI-high vs MSS tumors, combination strategies, biomarkers
 
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References: 
Aggarwal et al. Nat Immunol. 2023 Sep;24(9):1415-1422. doi: 10.1038/s41590-023-01569-z
Pauken et al. Cancer Cell. 2025 Apr 14;43(4):623-640. doi: 10.1016/j.ccell.2025.03.005
Bicak et al.  J Clin Invest. 2024 Sep 17;134(18):e184846. doi: 10.1172/JCI184846
 
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About the podcast:
Immunotherapy in Practice is the oncology podcast from the Immunoscience Academy to keep healthcare professionals up to date on the latest advancements in cancer treatment. In each episode, we explore how immunotherapy is transforming daily practice by activating the immune system alongside chemotherapy, targeted therapy, radiation therapy, and surgery.
 
With the support of Bristol Myers-Squibb.
Please refer to the summary of product characteristics for all information regarding registered medications.
 
ONC-BE-2500142 – Aug/2025

Measuring response to immunotherapy: pseudoprogression, iRECIST and ctDNA – with Prof. Mireille Langouo & Prof. Eric Van Cutsem

*This podcast is intended for healthcare professionals*
 
How and why does response assessment in cancer immunotherapy differ fundamentally from chemotherapy or targeted therapy? Prof. Mireille Langouo, medical oncologist at the Jules Bordet Institute, explores this question at the micro of Prof. Coulie.
 
This episode explores the challenges of evaluating response to immune checkpoint inhibitors, covering the concept of pseudoprogression, delayed kinetics, and how iRECIST criteria help avoid premature discontinuation of effective therapies.
Prof. Langouo also outlines the complementary roles of CT, PET-CT, and MRI in interpreting tumor response in cancer immunotherapy, while Prof. Eric Van Cutsem shares his perspective on the emerging role of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) as a biomarker in oncology.
 
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Prof. Mireille Langouo is a medical oncologist at the Institut Jules Bordet (ULB) in Brussels, specializing in immunotherapy for melanoma and skin cancers. She is involved in clinical care and research on predictive biomarkers such as tertiary lymphoid structures and ctDNA to optimize precision immunotherapy.
Prof. Eric Van Cutsem is an emeritus professor at KU Leuven and former head of Digestive Oncology at UZ Leuven. A leading expert in gastrointestinal cancers, he has played a key role in shaping international oncology practice through leadership roles within ESMO and other major cancer research networks.
Prof. Pierre Coulie is an immunologist and emeritus professor at UCLouvain’s de Duve Institute. Former President of the Royal Academy of Medicine of Belgium, he leads research bridging fundamental immunology and clinical advances in cancer immunotherapy.
 
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Chapters:
00:00 – Introduction to the podcast
00:38 – Basic science: response assessment in chemotherapy vs. immunotherapy, tumor kinetics and delayed responses in immune checkpoint inhibition
03:25 – Clinical discussion withProf.. Mireille Langouo. Time to response in immunotherapy
04:39 - Concept of pseudoprogression
06:15 – Differentiating pseudoprogression from true progression: iRECIST
07:18 – Imaging modalities (CT, PET-CT, MRI) and their roles in response assessment
09:05 – Expert perspective: Prof. Eric Van Cutsem on ctDNA in GI oncology
10:54 – ctDNA as a promising tool for monitoring response in immunotherapy
11:54 – Key takeaways: delayed responses, pseudoprogression, iRECIST criteria, imaging modalities, ctDNA biomarkers
 
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About the podcast:
Immunotherapy in Practice is the oncology podcast from the Immunoscience Academy to keep healthcare professionals up to date on the latest advancements in cancer treatment. In each episode, we explore how immunotherapy is transforming daily practice by activating the immune system alongside chemotherapy, targeted therapy, radiation therapy, and surgery.
 
With the support of Bristol Myers-Squibb.
Please refer to the summary of product characteristics for all information regarding registered medications.
 
ONC-BE-2500142 – Aug/2025

Immunotherapy in older patients: similar potential benefit, different considerations – with Prof. Lore Decoster & Prof. Sandrine Aspeslagh

*This podcast is intended for healthcare professionals*
 
Prof. Lore Decoster, expert in geriatric oncology, explains how cancer immunotherapy applies to older patients and why age alone should not be a barrier to treatment. While immune checkpoint blockade may potentially show similar benefits in elderly and younger patients, factors such as frailty, performance status, and comorbidities require tailored decision-making.
In this episode of Immunotherapy in Practice, host Prof. Pierre Coulie introduces the concept of immunosenescence—how aging affects the immune system—before discussing with Prof. Decoster its implications for cancer immunotherapy in older adults. Prof. Decoster outlines how immunotherapy side effect profile differs from chemotherapy, with comparable rates but potentially greater functional impact in older patients.
Prof. Sandrine Aspeslagh shares her experience managing very elderly and frail patients, emphasizing the importance of multidisciplinary support and clear communication about expectations. We explore geriatric screening tools, ethical considerations, and real-world cases where achieving symptom relief, rather than cure, can be an appropriate treatment goal. 
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Prof. Lore Decoster is Head of Clinic at UZ Brussel and Belgium’s national representative to the International Society of Geriatric Oncology (SIOG). Prof. Lore Decoster specializes in lung, thyroid, breast, and gynecological cancers, with a strong focus on geriatric oncology.
Prof. Sandrine Aspeslagh is a medical oncologist at UZ Brussel specializing in immunotherapy. She is actively involved in the study and management of toxicities linked to immunotherapy and contributes to the BITOx (Belgian Immunotherapy Toxicity) consortium, advancing research and clinical guidelines for managing immunotherapy-related adverse events.
Prof. Pierre Coulie is an immunologist and emeritus professor at UCLouvain’s de Duve Institute. Former President of the Royal Academy of Medicine of Belgium, he leads research bridging fundamental immunology and clinical advances in cancer immunotherapy.
 
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00:00 – Introduction: immunotherapy and the aging patient population
01:07 – Basic science: understanding immunosenescence and aging immune function
04:10 – Clinical discussion with Prof. Lore Decoster: benefit of immunotherapy in older patients
06:00 – Frailty vs chronological age: biological age in treatment decisions
06:29 – Immunotherapy side effects in elderly patients vs chemotherapy
08:45 – Ethical and practical considerations in adjuvant and neoadjuvant settings
10:00 – Toxicity and predictability with chemotherapy vs immunotherapy
11:12 – Expert perspective: Prof. Sandrine Aspeslagh: practical cases and challenges in very elderly patients
12:50 – Geriatric screening tools and multidisciplinary approaches
14:30 – Key takeaways: efficacy, toxicity, frailty, geriatric assessment, symptom relief
 
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References
Dale W et al. J Clin Oncol. 2023;41(26):4293-4312. doi:10.1200/JCO.23.0093
 
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Immunotherapy in Practice is the oncology podcast from the Immunoscience Academy to keep healthcare professionals up to date on the latest advancements in cancer treatment. In each episode, we explore how immunotherapy is transforming daily practice by activating the immune system alongside chemotherapy, targeted therapy, radiation therapy, and surgery.
 
With the support of Bristol Myers-Squibb.
 
Please refer to the summary of product characteristics for all information regarding registered medications.
 
ONC-BE-2500142 – Aug/2025

Life after immunotherapy: new opportunities, new challenges – with Prof. Bart Neyns & Prof. Johan Vansteenkiste

*This podcast is intended for healthcare professionals*
 
Prof. Bart Neyns, expert in melanoma and immunotherapy, discusses what happens when cancer immunotherapy works exceptionally well and patients achieve durable remission. Unlike chemotherapy or targeted therapy, immune checkpoint inhibitors can induce long-lasting immune memory, leading to ongoing antitumor activity even after treatment stops.
 
In this episode of Immunotherapy in Practice, host Prof. Pierre Coulie and Prof. Neyns examine when it is appropriate to electively discontinue immunotherapy. The conversation also explores the psychological and practical challenges of survivorship, including patients' difficulties in readjusting to normal life after cancer treatment. 
Prof. Johan Vansteenkiste (UZ Leuven) shares a striking lung cancer case illustrating how clinical benefit may persist even after early treatment discontinuation due to side effects.
 
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Prof. Bart Neyns is Head of Medical Oncology at UZ Brussel and Clinical Professor at VUB. He is internationally recognized for his work in melanoma, leading early-phase immunotherapy trials and translational research on checkpoint inhibitors, dendritic cell vaccines, and intratumoral therapies. He also focuses on survivorship and the long-term management of patients achieving durable remission after immunotherapy.
Prof. Johan Vansteenkiste is Emeritus Professor of Medicine at KU Leuven and Head of the Respiratory Oncology Unit and Clinical Trial Unit at UZ Leuven. He is a pioneer in lung cancer research and immunotherapy and serves in leadership roles within ESMO, IASLC, and ERS.
 
Prof. Pierre Coulie is an immunologist and emeritus professor at UCLouvain’s de Duve Institute. Former President of the Royal Academy of Medicine of Belgium, he leads research bridging fundamental immunology and clinical advances in cancer immunotherapy.
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  0:00 – Introduction: immunotherapy and immune memory
  00:46 – Basic science: immune memory: how checkpoint inhibitors induce lasting antitumor immunity
  02:24 – Clinical discussion with Prof. Bart Neyns: cancers where immunotherapy where immunotherapy yields the most promising outcomes 
  03:41 – Evidence for long-term survival and remission after immunotherapy
  04:15 – Elective discontinuation of therapy: when and why it’s possible
  05:55 – Survivorship challenges: psychological and social adaptation after remission
  08:90 – Detecting and dealing with psycho emotional issues. 
  09:20 – Expert perspective: Prof. Johan Vansteenkiste: lung cancer case of early discontinuation with durable remission
  12:05 – Key takeaways: remission, discontinuation, survivorship and psychological support
 
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References: 
 
Vanlaer et al. Cancers (Basel). 2024 Apr 24;16(9):1638. doi: 10.3390/cancers16091638
Rogiers et al. Cancers (Basel). 2023 Sep 30;15(19):4823. doi:10.3390/cancers15194823
Egeler et al. Qual Life Res. 2023 Sep;32(9):2517-2525. doi: 10.1007/s11136-023-03427-9
Boekhout et al. Acta Oncol. 2021 Jan;60(1):69-77. doi:10.1080/0284186X.2020.1818823
Rogiers et al. Immunol Res. 2020 Jul 21:2020:2192480. doi: 10.1155/2020/2192480
Rogiers et al. Support Care Cancer. 2020;28(7):3267–3278. doi:10.1007/s00520-019-05168-3
Rogiers et al. J Oncol.2019 Apr 28:2019:5269062. doi: 10.1155/2019/5269062
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Immunotherapy in Practice is the oncology podcast from the Immunoscience Academy to keep healthcare professionals up to date on the latest advancements in cancer treatment. In each episode, we explore how immunotherapy is transforming daily practice by activating the immune system alongside chemotherapy, targeted therapy, radiation therapy, and surgery.
 
With the support of Bristol Myers-Squibb.
 
Please refer to the summary of product characteristics for all information regarding registered medications.
 
ONC-BE-2500142 – Aug/2025