As trials like SPRINT (NCT03523702) and TRIPL (NCT06865339) combine thoracic radiotherapy with immune checkpoint inhibitors for locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), clinicians must balance curative intent against the risk of compounding toxicities, including difficulty swallowing, cardiac events, and breathing problems.1,2 Many patients being treated for lung cancer also carry other medical comorbidities, adding another layer of complexity to treatment planning.
Nitin Ohri, MD, MS, a professor of radiation oncology at Montefiore Einstein Comprehensive Cancer Center in the Bronx, New York, spoke with CancerNetwork® at the 2026 American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) Annual Meeting about how his team approaches toxicity management and helps patients tolerate treatment more effectively as these combination regimens continue to grow more complex in the field. Additionally, he emphasized avoiding the overtreatment of patients, which may avert the risks of heart issues and other toxicities. Acknowledging the potentially immunosuppressive nature of radiotherapy, Ohri described the strategy of combining radiation with immunotherapy while appropriately limiting treatment duration and dosing.
