SynthesisBMC cancer2026
Impact of immunotherapy as a monotherapy or in combination with conventional therapies on regulatory T-cell (Treg) modulation in prostate cancer: a systematic review.
Synthesis in BMC cancer, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
0 citing papers in PubMed.
No citing paper in PubMed yet.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
4 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundProstate cancer is known to have a cold tumor microenvironment (TME) that promotes immune evasion through different cellular pathways. Aggressive disease progression is often linked to Regulatory T cells (Tregs) which play an important role in immunosuppression. While immunotherapy aims to use the immune system to fight tumor cells, its efficacy is frequently hindered by Tregs, which prevent effector T cells from reaching and fighting tumor cells. This review evaluates the impact of different immunotherapeutic interventions, alone or in combination, on Treg frequency and function within the prostate TME.
methodsFollowing PRISMA guidelines, a systematic search of major databases identified studies investigating immunotherapeutic effects on Tregs in prostate cancer. Studies were included if they evaluated monotherapies or combination strategies, as defined by inclusion criteria.
results31 studies met the inclusion criteria. Qualitative analysis revealed that monotherapies, including immune checkpoint inhibitors and vaccines, produced inconsistent effects on Treg populations, which in many cases did not significantly decrease their levels or suppressive function. Notable exceptions included targeted recruitment inhibitors such as anti-CCR4 and specific viral-mediated therapies. In contrast, combination therapies proved to be more effective in reshaping the TME. When immunotherapy and other treatment such as androgen deprivation therapy, immunogenic chemotherapy, and targeted molecular inhibition are combined, enhanced anti-tumor immunity is observed.
conclusionSuccessful modulation of the prostate TME requires shifting from monotherapy toward combination strategies that overcome Treg-mediated immunosuppression. Effector-to-Treg ratios and functional markers, rather than Treg frequency alone, may better predict outcomes, as CD8⁺ infiltration does not always reflect restored cytotoxicity. These findings highlight the dual potential of Tregs as therapeutic targets and biomarkers in prostate cancer.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What Socratic holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.