ImmunotherapyPub Date : 2026-04-01Epub Date: 2026-05-27DOI: 10.1080/1750743X.2026.2676456
Abbas Jafari, Kovsar Mohammadnezhadharmileh, Maryam Majidinia, Soheil Vazifedust, Ebrahim Mazloomi
{"title":"Disrupting neuro-immune feedback loops: novel targets to amplify cancer immunotherapy.","authors":"Abbas Jafari, Kovsar Mohammadnezhadharmileh, Maryam Majidinia, Soheil Vazifedust, Ebrahim Mazloomi","doi":"10.1080/1750743X.2026.2676456","DOIUrl":"10.1080/1750743X.2026.2676456","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Nervous system and immune system have tight interactions that modulate both nerves and immune cells' activities. The interplay between the nervous and immune systems within the tumor microenvironment is a critical yet underexplored determinant of cancer immunotherapy efficacy. This review presents a new model called the Neuro-Immune Feedback Loop, which suggests that two-way communication (like the immunosuppressive effects of norepinephrine and the influence of cytokines on nerve activity) creates self-perpetuating cycles that tumors use to avoid immune responses. We compile evidence regarding neurotransmitters (such as dopamine), neuropeptides (like CGRP) to suggest innovative strategies to disrupt the immune-nerve loops. The current review proposes that context-sensitive neuro-immune switches (for instance, the dual functions of GABA) and multi-target therapies (such as CRISPR-modified neurons combined with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) could enhance immunotherapy effectiveness. By connecting neuroscience with immunology and oncology, this review aims to provide a roadmap for overcoming resistance to immunotherapies, presenting testable ideas and a new approach for precision cancer treatment. Literature search: PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science were searched for relevant studies published between January 2000 and March 2026, with emphasis on recent publications (2024-2026) related to neuro-immune interactions in cancer.</p>","PeriodicalId":13328,"journal":{"name":"Immunotherapy","volume":" ","pages":"451-478"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13271319/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148029907","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Complete pathologic response after neoadjuvant immunotherapy for mismatch repair-deficient colon cancer with invading adjacent organs.","authors":"Akira Shinohara, Masashi Miguchi, Satoshi Ikeda, Masami Yamauchi, Shihoko Katayama, Tomomasa Fujii, Yuki Takemoto, Ryosuke Nakano, Masakazu Hashimoto, Nobuaki Fujikuni, Keiichi Mori, Takashi Nishisaka, Yasuhiro Matsugu, Hideki Nakahara","doi":"10.1080/1750743X.2026.2678750","DOIUrl":"10.1080/1750743X.2026.2678750","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Mismatch repair-deficient (dMMR) colorectal cancer exhibits poor responsiveness to fluoropyrimidine-based chemotherapy but remarkable sensitivity to immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). Neoadjuvant dual ICI therapy results in high pathologic response rates with minimal toxicity. However, the immunotherapy-induced rapid regression of locally advanced tumors with suspected invasion into adjacent organs may result in fistula formation. We describe here the case of an 80-year-old woman with locally advanced dMMR ascending colon cancer (cT4bN2aM0, stage IIIC), who underwent diverting ileostomy followed by neoadjuvant nivolumab plus ipilimumab therapy. Rapid tumor shrinkage resulted in the formation of a transient fistula between the ascending and transverse colon. Robotic-assisted right hemicolectomy performed 40 days after neoadjuvant therapy initiation revealed a complete pathologic response without residual carcinoma. Histopathology showed complete tumor regression with necrotic and granulomatous tissue at the invasion site, suggesting rapid fistula formation. Postoperatively, the patient developed Grade 2 immune-related pneumonitis, which resolved with corticosteroid therapy using prednisolone; no recurrence was observed six months postoperatively. This study demonstrates that neoadjuvant dual ICI therapy can achieve a complete pathologic response in locally advanced dMMR colon cancer. Preoperative diverting stoma may help reduce the risk of perforation following fistula formation resulting from rapid tumor necrosis.</p>","PeriodicalId":13328,"journal":{"name":"Immunotherapy","volume":" ","pages":"377-383"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13271291/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148029899","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
ImmunotherapyPub Date : 2026-04-01Epub Date: 2026-05-27DOI: 10.1080/1750743X.2026.2679883
Soumendu Patra, Harshita Shand, Suvankar Ghorai
{"title":"Beyond conventional therapies: immunotherapeutic strategies targeting HPV-associated cervical cancer.","authors":"Soumendu Patra, Harshita Shand, Suvankar Ghorai","doi":"10.1080/1750743X.2026.2679883","DOIUrl":"10.1080/1750743X.2026.2679883","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Cervical cancer continues to represent a significant global health challenge, primarily due to persistent infection with high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) types. While prophylactic HPV vaccines have substantially reduced infection rates, their inability to address established infections or HPV-driven malignancies highlights a critical therapeutic gap. Conventional treatment modalities, such as chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and surgery remain the cornerstone of cervical cancer management; however, these approaches are often associated with nonspecific toxicity, diminished quality of life, treatment resistance, and elevated recurrence rates. Notably, conventional therapies are not specifically designed to target persistent HPV infection, and viral clearance may not be consistently achieved. This narrative review synthesizes studies retrieved from PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar published up to March 2026. It critically evaluates the limitations of current therapeutic strategies and emphasizes emerging non-conventional immunotherapeutic approaches designed to address HPV persistence and tumor immune evasion. Particular attention is given to nanocarrier-based therapeutic platforms, siRNA-mediated E6/E7 silencing and CRISPR-based disruption of the HPV genome, are presented as promising methods for precise molecular intervention. Additionally, advances in therapeutic vaccines, immune checkpoint inhibition, and γδ T-cell-based immunotherapy are also explored as potential strategies to restore HPV-specific immune surveillance and achieve sustained clinical responses.</p>","PeriodicalId":13328,"journal":{"name":"Immunotherapy","volume":" ","pages":"503-523"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13271318/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148042302","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Clinical determinants and biomarkers for predicting chemotherapeutic response in advanced non-small cell lung cancer: a single-center retrospective study.","authors":"Ling Zhang, Wei Li, Yidong Wang, Quanbin Zha, Liujun Cao, Deqiang Wang","doi":"10.1080/1750743X.2026.2665977","DOIUrl":"10.1080/1750743X.2026.2665977","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>To evaluate clinical determinants and predictive biomarkers for response to platinum-based doublet chemotherapy in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This retrospective study included 200 advanced NSCLC patients (Jan 2021-Jun 2023) stratified into responders (<i>n</i> = 54) and non-responders (<i>n</i> = 146) according to RECIST version 1.1. Clinical characteristics, pre-chemotherapy inflammatory indexes [neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR)], tumor markers [carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), cytokeratin 19 fragment antigen 21-1 (CYFRA21-1)], and nutritional indicators [albumin (ALB), hemoglobin (HGB)] were analyzed.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>ECOG performance status ≥2, stage IV disease, ≥3 metastatic sites, and liver metastases were independent risk factors for poor response, whereas ≥4 chemotherapy cycles were protective. Non-responders had higher NLR, PLR, CEA, CYFRA21-1, and lower ALB and HGB (all <i>p</i> < 0.05). ROC analyses showed good predictive performance (AUC 0.688-0.816, <i>p</i> < 0.001). Responders had longer median progression-free survival (7.0 vs 4.0 months) and overall survival (15.0 vs 9.0 months, both <i>p</i> < 0.001).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>ECOG score ≥2, stage IV disease, multiple metastases, and liver metastases negatively impact chemotherapeutic response, whereas treatment continuity is protective. Baseline NLR, PLR, CEA, CYFRA21-1, ALB, and HGB show predictive utility. A favorable chemotherapeutic response is associated with significantly enhanced survival.</p>","PeriodicalId":13328,"journal":{"name":"Immunotherapy","volume":" ","pages":"355-363"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13271329/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147874085","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
ImmunotherapyPub Date : 2026-04-01Epub Date: 2026-05-04DOI: 10.1080/1750743X.2026.2668205
Harshad S Kapare, Rutuja Jadhav, Pawan N Karwa, Ritesh P Bhole, Sonali Labhade
{"title":"Next-generation cancer immunotherapy: the promise of CAR T-Cell therapy.","authors":"Harshad S Kapare, Rutuja Jadhav, Pawan N Karwa, Ritesh P Bhole, Sonali Labhade","doi":"10.1080/1750743X.2026.2668205","DOIUrl":"10.1080/1750743X.2026.2668205","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell treatment has developed among major substantial improvements for modern cancer treatment, providing sustained responses in patients with otherwise resistant blood cancers. This method comprises of patients reprogramming or donor's T lymphocytes to interpret tumor associated antigens self-sufficiently of major histocompatibility multifaceted presentation, thereby circumventing a key limitation of natural immune surveillance. The approval of CD19- and BCMA-targeted therapies demonstrated remarkable clinical impact and validated the approach. Over successive generations, CAR constructs have been refined with additional costimulatory elements, cytokine support, and multifunctional signaling domains, improving both their persistence and therapeutic activity. Despite such progress, important challenges remain, including risks of relapse, toxicity including neurotoxicity and cytokine release syndrome with limited efficacy in solid tumors. Current research is focused on strategies, such as armored CARs, gene editing, and combination therapies to expand clinical benefit. A comprehensive literature search was conducted using PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science databases, covering publications from 2000 to 2026 till date. Relevant peer-reviewed articles were selected based on their relevance to CAR T-cell therapy, including preclinical and clinical studies. Detailed search strategy, inclusion criteria, and screening methods are described in the main manuscript. This review explores the evolution, applications, and future outlook of CAR T-cell rehabilitation.</p>","PeriodicalId":13328,"journal":{"name":"Immunotherapy","volume":" ","pages":"399-420"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13271310/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147837506","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
ImmunotherapyPub Date : 2026-04-01Epub Date: 2026-05-16DOI: 10.1080/1750743X.2026.2674410
Davide Frumento, Ștefan Țălu
{"title":"Recent developments in nanotechnology-enhanced immunotherapy for glioblastoma.","authors":"Davide Frumento, Ștefan Țălu","doi":"10.1080/1750743X.2026.2674410","DOIUrl":"10.1080/1750743X.2026.2674410","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most aggressive form of primary brain tumor and remains associated with dismal clinical outcomes despite the use of multimodal treatment strategies. In recent years, immunotherapy has gained increasing attention as a novel paradigm in cancer treatment. Unlike conventional therapies that directly target tumor cells, immunotherapy seeks to harness the host immune system to eradicate malignancies. However, the profoundly immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment characteristic of GBM severely limits the effectiveness of immunotherapeutic approaches. In addition, the blood-brain barrier (BBB) poses a formidable obstacle to the delivery of therapeutic agents to intracranial tumors. Consequently, effective immunotherapy for GBM requires strategies that both enable efficient BBB penetration and overcome local immunosuppression within the tumor microenvironment. This review first summarizes the immune system of the central nervous system (CNS), the immunosuppressive mechanisms underlying GBM progression, and current immunotherapeutic strategies for GBM. We then discuss recent advances in nanomaterial-based immunotherapy for GBM, focusing on four major approaches: immune checkpoint inhibition, targeting tumor-associated immune cells, stimulation of immune responses via immunogenic cell death, and combination therapies. This narrative review was conducted through a literature search of major biomedical databases, focusing on studies related to GBM immunotherapy and nanomaterial-based therapeutic strategies.</p>","PeriodicalId":13328,"journal":{"name":"Immunotherapy","volume":" ","pages":"421-433"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13271326/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147959933","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
ImmunotherapyPub Date : 2026-04-01Epub Date: 2026-05-18DOI: 10.1080/1750743X.2026.2674421
Yen Vu, Robert Saddawi-Konefka, Moran Amit
{"title":"Cancer-induced neuronal injury as a driver of immunotherapy resistance.","authors":"Yen Vu, Robert Saddawi-Konefka, Moran Amit","doi":"10.1080/1750743X.2026.2674421","DOIUrl":"10.1080/1750743X.2026.2674421","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":13328,"journal":{"name":"Immunotherapy","volume":" ","pages":"351-353"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13271265/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147972220","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"First-line treatments for metastatic non-small-cell lung cancer with sugemalimab plus chemotherapy: a China-based cost-effectiveness analysis.","authors":"Zixuan Zhang, Kehui Meng, Meiyu Wu, Andong Li, Yangke Yi, Chaohao Shi, Xiaomin Wan, Chongqing Tan, Zhongbiao Jiang","doi":"10.1080/1750743X.2026.2660567","DOIUrl":"10.1080/1750743X.2026.2660567","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>To assess the cost-effectiveness of sugemalimab plus chemotherapy as first-line treatment for metastatic Non-small cell lung cancer(NSCLC) in China.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A three-state Markov model with 21-day cycles over 10 years was developed to compare sugemalimab plus chemotherapy versus placebo plus chemotherapy. Key model inputs were derived from the 4-year survival data of the GEMSTONE-302 trial and publicly available sources. Outcomes were measured in quality-adjusted life years(QALYs) and incremental cost-effectiveness ratios(ICERs). The willingness-to-pay(WTP) threshold was set at three times the per capita GDP of China in 2024(40,062.34$/QALY). Sensitivity analyses were performed to assess model robustness.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Base-case ICERs were 65,766.82$/QALY for squamous and 70,117.72$/QALY for non-squamous NSCLC, both above the WTP threshold. Subgroup analyses indicated that patients with PD-L1 expression ≥50% had the most favorable ICER(60,516.14$/QALY), while those with PD-L1 < 1% had the least favorable outcome(80,599.12$/QALY). Sensitivity analyses identified drug price and utility values as the most influential parameters affecting ICERs.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Sugemalimab plus platinum-based chemotherapy offers long-term clinical benefits for metastatic NSCLC but is not cost-effective at current prices in China. Improving cost-effectiveness may require targeting patients with high PD-L1 expression, adjusting reimbursement policies, and reducing drug prices.</p>","PeriodicalId":13328,"journal":{"name":"Immunotherapy","volume":" ","pages":"297-304"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13182964/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147770202","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
ImmunotherapyPub Date : 2026-03-01Epub Date: 2026-05-03DOI: 10.1080/1750743X.2026.2662145
Lin Jia, Yingtai Chen, Ying Lu
{"title":"ELAVL1 increases macrophage M1 polarization via upregulating S100A8 to promote Crohn's disease progression.","authors":"Lin Jia, Yingtai Chen, Ying Lu","doi":"10.1080/1750743X.2026.2662145","DOIUrl":"10.1080/1750743X.2026.2662145","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>This study aims to investigate the impact and molecular mechanism of ELAVL1 in promoting macrophage M1 polarization in Crohn's disease (CD) by upregulating S100A8 expression.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from CD patients were collected to assess the expression of S100A8 and ELAVL1. The effect of ELAVL1/S100A8 on THP1 derived macrophage polarization and pro-inflammatory mediator secretion were evaluated via siRNA silencing and rescue experiments. RNA-binding protein immunoprecipitation (RIP) and RNA pull-down assays validated the interaction between ELAVL1 and S100A8.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Both S100A8 and ELAVL1 were significantly overexpressed in CD patients. Knockdown of S100A8 or ELAVL1 in M1-polarized macrophages marked reduced the expression of M1 biomarkers (CD80, CD86) and pro-inflammatory mediators. However, S100A8 overexpression reversed the inhibitory effects of ELAVL1 knockdown on M1 polarization, thereby promoting the M1 polarization and inflammatory response. RIP and RNA pull-down assays confirmed that ELAVL1 directly binds to S100A8 mRNA to regulate its expression.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>ELAVL1 promotes M1 polarization of macrophages to exacerbate intestinal inflammation in CD via up-regulating S100A8 expression. These findings highlight the ELAVL1/S100A8 axis as a potential therapeutic target or diagnostic biomarker for managing CD.</p>","PeriodicalId":13328,"journal":{"name":"Immunotherapy","volume":" ","pages":"305-315"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13182970/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147814273","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}