| Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is a malignant tumor originating from the nasopharyngeal region. Due to the subtle early symptoms, approximately 70% of patients are diagnosed at a locally advanced or metastatic stage. Radiotherapy is the primary treatment modality for NPC; however, its efficacy is limited in patients with locally advanced disease, and it cannot overcome tumor resistance and recurrence issues. The introduction of immunotherapy, particularly immune checkpoint inhibitors, has brought new hope for the treatment of NPC. The combination of radiotherapy and immunotherapy has shown some clinical efficacy, but several challenges remain. This review summarizes the mechanisms of combining radiotherapy and immunotherapy, as well as the latest research progress in NPC, including the timing of immunotherapy intervention (such as pre-radiotherapy, concurrent, and post-radiotherapy immunotherapy), different immunotherapy agents and combinations (e.g., PD-1 inhibitors, PD-L1 inhibitors, CTLA-4 inhibitors), and the optimization of radiotherapy dose and fractionation schedules. Enhancing the body's anti-tumor immune response while minimizing toxic side effects in the context of combined radiotherapy and immunotherapy is an area that warrants further investigation in the future. |
