Cancer Immunology, Immunotherapy

Since its inception in 1976, Cancer Immunology, Immunotherapy (CII) has reported significant advances in the field of tumor immunology.  The journal serves as ...

List of Papers (Total 1,224)

Neutrophil-induced pyroptosis promotes survival in patients with hepatoblastoma

Hepatoblastoma (HB) is the predominant hepatic malignancy among children. Despite therapeutic options for HB were gradually refined in recent years, patients with metastasis suffer from an unsatisfactory prognosis. Pyroptosis is a type of programmed and inflammatory necrosis. Neutrophils are crucial in innate immunity, which were shown to be associated with tumor progression. Our...

Cancer-associated fibroblasts promote pro-tumor functions of neutrophils in pancreatic cancer via IL-8: potential suppression by pirfenidone

The mechanisms by which neutrophils acquire pro-tumor properties remain poorly understood. In pancreatic cancer, cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) may interact with neutrophils, directing them to promote tumor progression. To validate the association between CAFs and neutrophils, the localization of neutrophils was examined in clinically resected pancreatic cancer specimens...

Antitumor effects of natural killer cells derived from gene-engineered human-induced pluripotent stem cells on hepatocellular carcinoma

Mortality and recurrence rates of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remain high despite the use of various treatment methods. Recently, cell-based immunotherapy using natural killer (NK) cells has attracted considerable attention in cancer immunotherapy. NK cells generated from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) are a new option for use as an NK cell resource. The eNK cells...

Early detection of myocarditis caused by immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy with nivolumab and ipilimumab for advanced recurrent renal cell carcinoma

Combination therapy with nivolumab and ipilimumab for advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC) may cause immune-related myocarditis; however, its incidence in this cancer type and regimen remains unknown. At our institution, we measure biomarkers, such as high-sensitivity Troponin (hsTn), and perform electrocardiograms (ECGs) and echocardiography before and every month after the...

A comprehensive analysis of molecular characteristics of hot and cold tumor of gastric cancer

The advent of immunotherapy has revolutionized the treatment paradigm for gastric cancer (GC), offering unprecedented clinical benefits. However, a detailed molecular characterization of the tumor immune microenvironment in GC is essential to further optimize these therapies and enhance their efficacy. Consensus clustering was utilized to classify GC patients into distinct immune...

Hypofractionated radiotherapy combined with a PD-1 inhibitor, granulocyte macrophage-colony stimulating factor, and thymosin-α1 in advanced metastatic solid tumors: a multicenter Phase II clinical trial

This multicenter Phase II clinical study assessed the efficacy and safety of hypofractionated radiotherapy (HFRT) in combination with a PD-1 inhibitor, granulocyte macrophage-colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF), and thymosin-α1 in patients with heavily treated metastatic solid tumors. Patients were enrolled between September 2022 and May 2024. HFRT was administered to targeted...

Pre-injection of exosomes can significantly suppress ovarian cancer growth by activating the immune system in mice

As a type of “cold tumor” with limited immune cell infiltration, ovarian cancer has historically shown limited efficacy in immunotherapy. In this study, we report that exosomes from ovarian cancer can specifically target omentum which is the predilection site for ovarian cancer to metastasize and combat subsequently implanted tumor. Furthermore, we found a substantial increase in...

PSMA antibody, humanized PSMA.CAR10.3, or Cetuximab increases prostate cancer localization of NF-κB p50-deficient immature myeloid cells (p50-IMC) and phagocytosis by their macrophage progeny

Adoptive transfer of immature myeloid cells lacking the repressive NF-κB p50 subunit (p50-IMC) slows the growth of syngeneic murine prostate cancer and other tumors. Directing p50-IMC to tumors using Fc receptor-bound antibodies (Abs) or surface chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) may increase tumor localization and subsequent phagocytosis of cancer cells by their mature myeloid...

Targeting HVEM-GPT2 axis: a novel approach to T cell activation and metabolic reprogramming in non-small cell lung cancer therapy

The modulation of tumor microenvironments through immune checkpoint pathways is pivotal for the development of effective cancer immunotherapies. This study aims to explore the role of HVEM in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) microenvironment. The lung cancer datasets for this study were directly downloaded from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). Single-cell data were sourced from...

Emerging insights into intravital imaging, unraveling its role in cancer immunotherapy

Cancer immunotherapy has attracted great attention as a potential therapeutic approach for advanced malignancies due to its promising survival benefits. Comprehension of intricate interactions between the tumor microenvironment (TME) and immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) is crucial for optimizing and improving immunotherapies. Currently, several experimental strategies are...

Novel combination therapy for platinum-eligible patients with locally advanced or metastatic urothelial carcinoma: a systematic review and network meta-analysis

Recent phase 3 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) demonstrate the promising impact of immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI)-based combination therapies on locally advanced or metastatic urothelial carcinoma (UC). However, comparative data on the efficacy and toxicity of different ICI-based combinations are lacking. This study aims to compare the efficacy of first-line ICI-based...

Dynamic roles of tumor-infiltrating B lymphocytes in cancer immunotherapy

The amazing diversity of B cells within the tumor microenvironment is the basis for the diverse development of B cell-based immunotherapies. Here, we focus on elucidating the mechanisms of tumor intervention mediated by four tumor-infiltrating B lymphocytes. Naive B cells present the initial antigen, germinal center B cell subsets enhance antibody affinity, and immunoglobulin...

HDAC1-3 inhibition triggers NEDD4-mediated CCR2 downregulation and attenuates immunosuppression in myeloid-derived suppressor cells

Myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) play a critical role in cancer progression and resistance, thus representing promising targets for immunotherapy. Despite the established role of histone deacetylases (HDACs) in epigenetic regulation of cell fate and function, their specific impact on MDSCs remains elusive. We sought to investigate the effects and underlying mechanisms of...

Artificial intelligence-based spatial analysis of tertiary lymphoid structures and clinical significance for endometrial cancer

With the incorporation of immune checkpoint inhibitors into the treatment of endometrial cancer (EC), a deeper understanding of the tumor immune microenvironment is critical. Tertiary lymphoid structures (TLSs) are considered favorable prognostic factors for EC, but the significance of their spatial distribution remains unclear. B cell receptor repertoire analysis performed using...

Interventional factors influencing natural killer cell immunity in colorectal cancer: a systematic review

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most common cancer globally. Despite advances in curative CRC surgery, metastatic disease remains a significant problem. Emerging evidence suggests that several commonly used perioperative interventions may influence cancer immunity through natural killer (NK) cell function or numbers. This systematic review aimed to identify the effects of...

Effect of RAS mutations and related immune characteristics on the prognosis of patients with MSI-H/dMMR colorectal cancer

Microsatellite high instability/deficient mismatch repair (MSI-H/dMMR) colorectal cancer (CRC) has an active tumor microenvironment, rendering it more sensitive to immune checkpoint inhibitors. Given that studies involving patients with MSI-H colorectal cancer with RAS mutations are scarce, we explored the effect of RAS mutations on the TME in patients with MSI-H/dMMR cancer and...

The profiles of immunosuppressive microenvironment in the Lauren intestinal-type gastric adenocarcinoma

Gastric adenocarcinoma (GAC), particularly the Lauren intestinal-type GAC (IGAC), leads to significant mortality in China due to the limited effectiveness of current treatments. This study aims to investigate the mechanisms of immune suppression in IGAC to identify potential targets for enhancing immunotherapy outcomes. Performing an extensive collection and re-analysis of single...

Elevated SAMD3 expression in T cells predicts improved survival in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma patients

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) has an immune-suppressive tumor microenvironment that contributes to resistance to immunotherapy. This study aimed to demonstrate that elevated sterile alpha motif domain-containing protein 3 (SAMD3) expression in effector CD8+ T cells was associated with improved survival in PDAC patients. We investigated the heterogeneity and gene...

Blood-based prognostic scores and early dynamics under immunotherapy to select patients with metastatic solid tumors for continuing immune check-point inhibition: a prospective longitudinal study

Immune check-point inhibitors (ICI) were a major breakthrough in cancer care, but optimal patient selection remains elusive in most tumors. Overall 173 adult patients with metastatic solid tumors candidates to ICI in clinical trials at our Institution were prospectively recruited. Blood samples were collected at cycle 1 (C1D1) and 2 (C2D1) and until the occurrence of progressive...

SUMO modified ETV1 promotes M2-polarized tumor-associated macrophage infiltration and cancer progression by facilitating CCL2 transcription in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma cells

Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is one of the most common malignant tumors with a high metastasis rate and a poor prognosis. ETS variant transcription factor 1 (ETV1) plays an important role in multiple malignancies. However, its function in ESCC progression and tumor microenvironment (TME) remains to be explored. In this study, we characterized the role of ETV1 in ESCC...

Normalization of tumor vasculature by imiquimod: proposal for a new anticancer therapeutic indication for a TLR7 agonist

Imiquimod (IMQ), a drug from aminoquinoline group, is the toll-like receptor 7 (TLR7) agonist. It acts as an immunostimulant and radio-sensitizing agent. IMQ stimulates both innate and adaptive immune response. Despite studies conducted, there are no unambiguous data showing how IMQ affects the condition of tumor blood vessels. Tumor vasculature plays the main role in tumor...

Pre-immunotherapy alters stereotactic ablative radiotherapy-induced systemic T cell responses in early-stage NSCLC

Stereotactic ablative radiotherapy (SABR) is thought to activate T cell responses in patients with cancer, leading to its combination with immunotherapy and chemotherapy for treatment of non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Here, we aimed to provide a high-resolution transcriptomic profiling of the systemic T cell response following SABR, with or without preceding immunotherapy...

ANKRD22 participates in the proinflammatory activities of macrophages in the colon cancer tumor microenvironment

Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) are among the most common types of immune cells in the colon cancer microenvironment. Reprogramming M2-type TAMs with immunosuppressive functions into M1-type TAMs with proinflammatory functions is a novel strategy for reshaping the tumor microenvironment (TME) and enhancing the efficacy of immunotherapy in colon cancer. However, the key...

KMO-driven metabolic reconfiguration and its impact on immune cell infiltration in nasopharyngeal carcinoma: a new avenue for immunotherapy

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC), a malignant epithelial tumor, is characterized by a complex tumor microenvironment (TME) and closely associated with metabolic dysfunction. Mitochondrial metabolism plays a crucial role in supporting the rapid proliferation of tumor cells. However, the specific response of mitochondria to the NPC microenvironment and their role in regulating the...

Efficacy of PD-1 blockade plus chemotherapy in patients with oncogenic-driven non-small-cell lung cancer

PD-1 blockade plus chemotherapy has become the first-line standard of care for patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) without oncogenic drivers. Oncogenic-driven advanced NSCLC showed limited response to PD-1 blockade monotherapy or chemotherapy alone. Whether NSCLC patients with oncogenic drivers could benefit from PD-1 blockade plus chemotherapy remains...