The field of microbiome research, particularly its interaction with immunotherapy, is rapidly evolving and holds significant promise for enhancing cancer treatment outcomes. The gut microbiome, in particular, has been shown to influence the efficacy and toxicity of various immunotherapy treatments, including PD1 immune checkpoint inhibitors, CAR-T cells, and haematopoietic cell transplants (HCT). These interactions are complex, involving a myriad of bacteria, fungi, and viruses that interact with host immune cells both at mucosal surfaces and systemically. Recent clinical trials have demonstrated that interventions targeting the microbiome, such as fecal microbiome transplants, can improve immunotherapy outcomes by reversing resistance to PD1 inhibitors and reducing graft-versus-host disease post-HCT. Despite these promising findings, there remains a critical need to identify optimal strategies for microbiome modulation, predict patient responses based on microbiome composition, and further elucidate the immune-microbiota interactions that determine the success or failure of immunotherapy.
This research topic aims to advance our understanding of the microbiota's role in modulating anti-tumor immunity. By exploring the intricate interactions between the microbiome, the tumor, and the immune system, we seek to identify predictive, prognostic, and monitoring biomarkers that can enhance clinical management of cancer patients undergoing immunotherapy. The ultimate goal is to uncover novel targetable pathways between microbes and the immune system, leading to innovative therapeutic strategies that could improve cancer treatment efficacy.
To gather further insights into the microbiome's influence on immunotherapy, we welcome articles addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:
- Preclinical studies on microbiota-immune interactions affecting immunotherapy outcomes
- Correlative studies linking microbiota composition with patient immunotherapy responses
- Innovative methods for targeting the microbiome to enhance immunotherapy efficacy
- Microbiota-host interactions that modulate innate and adaptive immune responses
Please note that submissions focusing solely on bioinformatics or computational analyses without robust validation are outside the scope of this research topic.
Keywords: Immune-checkpoint blockade, cancer, CAR-T cells, extracellular vesicles, immuno-oncology
Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
