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Monitoring the Cancer-Immunity Cycle and Exploring Tumor Microenvironment Dynamics
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The thin red line between the immune system and cancer evolution

Constantin N Baxevanis1, Maria Goulielmaki1, Maria Adamaki2

  • 1Cancer Immunology and Immunotherapy Center, Saint Savas Cancer Hospital, 11522 Athens, Greece.

Translational Oncology
|October 20, 2022
PubMed

Insights

Cancer immunoediting involves immune responses that can both inhibit and promote tumors. Understanding tumor neoantigens and heterogeneity is key to developing effective cancer immunotherapies and overcoming treatment resistance.

Area of Science:

  • Immunology
  • Oncology
  • Genetics

Background:

  • The cancer immunoediting theory highlights the dual role of antitumor immunity in cancer progression.
  • Tumor-specific neoantigens, derived from somatic mutations, are critical targets for T-cell immunity and therapeutic interventions due to their specificity.
  • Intratumor neoantigenic heterogeneity influences adaptive immunity and the effectiveness of immune checkpoint inhibitors.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To explore mechanistic pathways and genomic aberrations driving tumor clonal evolution.
  • To identify strategies for improving clinical outcomes in cancer therapy.
  • To guide therapeutic decisions for delaying, avoiding, or overcoming treatment resistance.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of tumor-specific neoantigens.
  • Investigation of intratumor neoantigenic heterogeneity.
  • Exploration of genomic aberrations and clonal evolution in tumors.
  • Study of interactions between tumor cells and immune lymphocytes.

Main Results:

  • Neoantigens are crucial targets for endogenous antitumor immunity and therapeutic strategies.
  • Intratumor heterogeneity impacts adaptive immunity and immunotherapy efficacy.
  • Tumor-immune cell interactions shape tumor heterogeneity and immune response levels.

Conclusions:

  • Understanding tumor clonal evolution and genomic underpinnings is essential for enhancing cancer therapies.
  • Identifying effective therapeutic strategies requires a deep knowledge of neoantigen dynamics and tumor heterogeneity.
  • Mechanistic insights are crucial for optimizing patient treatment and overcoming therapeutic resistance.
Keywords:
Immune resistanceImmunoeditingImmunotherapyNeoantigensTumor heterogeneity

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