The field of tumor immunology has highlighted the adeptness of tumor cells in evading the host's immune system. This insight has fueled interest in uncovering new tumor immune checkpoints, which are vital for developing next-generation immunotherapies. Traditional inhibitors, like PD-1/PDL-1, although revolutionary, benefit only a limited group of patients. This limitation has prompted researchers to look beyond, exploring a wider array of potential targets and ligands that could unlock new therapeutic avenues. Moreover, combining therapies that target both known and novel agonistic signals appears increasingly promising for activating robust anti-tumor immune responses, marking a significant shift in the approach to cancer treatment.

This Research Topic aims to explore the potential of novel tumor immune checkpoints and their role in enhancing cancer immunotherapy. It intends to delve into the complexities of the tumor microenvironment, which is enriched with various pro-carcinogenic factors such as immune checkpoints, suppressor cells, and specific cytokines. Addressing these complex interactions through new inhibitory and stimulatory strategies can significantly improve the efficacy of current immunotherapies. Additionally, the integration of these new findings into the existing framework of T cell and NK cell therapies offers a groundbreaking approach to combating cancer more effectively.

To gather further insights in the optimization of cancer immunotherapy through novel immune targets, we welcome articles addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:

• New targets for CAR-T or CAR-NK cells,
• New indicators of immune cell exhaustion in the tumor microenvironment,
• New immune checkpoint inhibitors for tumor treatment,
• New machine learning models designed to predict or analyze immune checkpoints,
• Molecular mechanisms regulating the expression of checkpoints in the tumor microenvironment.

We encourage the submission of Original Research, Review, and Mini-Review articles to enrich this engaging and rapidly evolving Research Topic.

Are you interested in contributing a manuscript to this Research Topic?

New Tumor Immune Checkpoints and Their Applications in Tumor Immunotherapy