Cancer Immunotherapy and Tumor Escape Mechanisms: New Insights and Future Directions

Cancer immunotherapy has revolutionized oncological treatment in recent years, offering hope for durable responses and improved survival in patients with various malignancies. By harnessing components of the immune system—such as checkpoint inhibitors, adoptive cell transfer, and therapeutic vaccines—immunotherapy has yielded unprecedented clinical results. However, not all patients benefit equally, and resistance to therapy remains a significant challenge.

At the core of this therapeutic resistance is the phenomenon of tumor immune escape. Tumors have evolved diverse mechanisms to evade immune detection and destruction, including upregulation of immune checkpoint molecules, secretion of immunosuppressive cytokines, metabolic modulation, alteration of antigen presentation pathways, and establishment of immune-privileged microenvironments. Understanding these mechanisms is critical for the development of next-generation immunotherapies and the design of effective combination strategies.

This research topic aims to bring together cutting-edge studies and comprehensive reviews that focus on:
• Novel mechanisms by which tumors evade immune recognition and cytotoxicity.
• Insights from tumor-immune microenvironment interactions shaping the efficacy of immunotherapeutic approaches.
• Biomarker discovery for predicting response and resistance to immunotherapies.
• Emerging therapeutic strategies aimed at overcoming tumor immune escape, including bispecific antibodies, personalized cancer vaccines, and engineered immune cells.
• Translational and clinical studies that provide real-world implications for future therapies.

By elucidating the interplay between cancer immunotherapy and tumor escape, we aim to deliver new perspectives and identify actionable targets to enhance patient outcomes in the era of precision medicine.