Review Article: Immunotherapy for Pediatric Malignancies: Benefits and Beyond
Soumya Syamala Krishnan1, Joseph Atia Ayariga2, Nidhi Prakash3
1Department of Medicine, State University of New York, Downstate Health Sciences University, Brooklyn, NY 11203; Department of Microbiology and Biotechnology, JB Campus, Bangalore University, Bangalore, Karnataka 560 056, India.
Critical Reviews in Oncogenesis
|November 23, 2025
Summary
Pediatric cancer research faces challenges due to limited adult risk factors. Immunotherapy offers a promising alternative to traditional treatments like chemotherapy, which have significant side effects.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric oncology
- Cancer immunology
- Translational cancer research
Background:
- Childhood malignancies present unique research challenges compared to adult cancers.
- Current standard treatments (surgery, chemotherapy, radiation) for pediatric cancers have significant, non-specific side effects.
- Intense chemotherapy for pediatric malignancies remains a complex challenge in cancer management.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the potential of immunotherapy in treating pediatric cancers.
- To discuss current immunotherapy strategies and their limitations in pediatric oncology.
- To explore advancements in understanding tumor immunology for novel pediatric cancer therapies.
Main Methods:
- Literature review focusing on pediatric cancer immunology.
- Analysis of current immunotherapy approaches for childhood malignancies.
- Examination of immune surveillance, escape, and response mechanisms in pediatric tumors.
Main Results:
- Understanding of tumor immune interactions is advancing pediatric cancer treatment.
- Immunotherapy presents a novel therapeutic avenue with potential benefits over conventional methods.
- Current immunotherapy strategies show promise but face specific limitations in pediatric applications.
Conclusions:
- Immunotherapy holds significant potential for improving outcomes in pediatric cancer.
- Further research is needed to overcome limitations and optimize immunotherapy for childhood malignancies.
- A deeper understanding of cancer immune responses is crucial for developing next-generation pediatric cancer therapies.
Related Concept Videos
02:49Cancer Therapies
Cancer therapies are various modes of treatment, such as surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy that are administered to cancer patients.
However, cancer treatments can pose several challenges, as therapies used to kill cancer cells are generally also toxic to normal cells. Moreover, cancer cells mutate rapidly and can develop resistance to chemical agents or radiation therapy. Besides, all types of cancer cells may not respond to the same therapy. Some cancer cells respond to one...
However, cancer treatments can pose several challenges, as therapies used to kill cancer cells are generally also toxic to normal cells. Moreover, cancer cells mutate rapidly and can develop resistance to chemical agents or radiation therapy. Besides, all types of cancer cells may not respond to the same therapy. Some cancer cells respond to one...
02:57Targeted Cancer Therapies
The targeted cancer therapies, also known as “molecular targeted therapies,” take advantage of the molecular and genetic differences between the cancer cells and the normal cells. It needs a thorough understanding of the cancer cells to develop drugs that can target specific molecular aspects that drive the growth, progression, and spread of cancer cells without affecting the growth and survival of other normal cells in the body.
There are several types of targeted therapies against specific...
There are several types of targeted therapies against specific...
02:56Treatment Resistant Cancers
Cancer is the second leading cause of death in the United States. A cancer cell is genetically unstable and hence can mutate faster. They can also modify their microenvironment and escape immune surveillance. The difficulties in treating cancer are further compounded by the emergence of rapid resistance to anticancer drugs. The most common ways to attain resistance in cancer cells include alteration in drug transport and metabolism, modification of drug target, elevated DNA damage response, or...
02:50Combination Therapies and Personalized Medicine
Combining two or more treatment methods increases the life span of cancer patients while reducing damage to vital organs or tissue from the overuse of a single treatment. Combination therapy also targets different cancer-inducing pathways, thus reducing the chances of developing resistance to treatment.
The combination of the drug acetazolamide and sulforaphane is a good example of combination therapy to treat cancer. The cells in the interior of a large tumor often die due to the hypoxic and...
The combination of the drug acetazolamide and sulforaphane is a good example of combination therapy to treat cancer. The cells in the interior of a large tumor often die due to the hypoxic and...
01:27Tumor Immunotherapy
Immunotherapy is a treatment that boosts or manipulates the immune system to fight diseases, including cancer. For instance, by stimulating an immune response through vaccinations against viruses that cause cancers, like hepatitis B virus and human papillomavirus, these diseases can be prevented. Nonetheless, some cancer cells can avoid the immune system due to their rapid mutation and division. The immune response to many cancers involves three phases: elimination, equilibrium, and escape.
01:30Cancer Vaccines
Cancer treatment vaccines are a rapidly evolving field that offers a promising approach to immunotherapy. Unlike traditional vaccines that prevent diseases, cancer treatment vaccines are designed to treat existing cancers by stimulating the immune system to recognize and attack cancer cells.
Cancer vaccines come in two categories: preventive (prophylactic) and treatment (active). Preventive vaccines, such as the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine, protect against viruses that cause certain...
Cancer vaccines come in two categories: preventive (prophylactic) and treatment (active). Preventive vaccines, such as the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine, protect against viruses that cause certain...