REVIEW article
Front. Cell. Infect. Microbiol.
Sec. Molecular Viral Pathogenesis
Volume 15 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fcimb.2025.1657691
This article is part of the Research TopicTherapeutic Targets and strategies in Long COVID and Post-Viral SyndromesView all 3 articles
Revisiting Lung Cancer Immunotherapy in the Era of Long COVID: Mechanistic Insights and Therapeutic Implications
Provisionally accepted
- Medical College, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
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In the post-COVID-19 era, understanding the long-term impact of Long COVID on the immune system is essential for deciphering its influence on lung cancer pathogenesis and immunotherapeutic efficacy. This review comprehensively examines how persistent COVID-19 sequelae-manifested as chronic inflammation, pulmonary fibrosis, cytokine dysregulation, and T-cell exhaustion can reshape the lung cancer microenvironment. In addition, the emerging roles of memory B cells and altered neutrophil function in promoting tumorigenesis are discussed. Importantly, we analyze recent clinical evidence suggesting that COVID-19 vaccination may enhance the efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitors, potentially by modulating host immunity. By integrating mechanistic insights with clinical observations, this review aims to illuminate the challenges and opportunities at the intersection of Long COVID and lung cancer treatment, thereby fostering the development of personalized therapeutic strategies in the post-pandemic era.
Keywords: Long Covid, lung cancer, T-cell exhaustion, immune checkpointinhibitors, Pulmonary Fibrosis, COVID-19 vaccination
Received: 01 Jul 2025; Accepted: 20 Oct 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Zhang, Lv, Ji, Cao, Xue and Dai. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Shengzhe Zhang, zhangshengzhe1988@outlook.com
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