Integrating molecular mechanisms, immunotherapy, and drug sensitivity in cancer immunology and oncology: Volume III

This Research Topic is the third volume of the “Integrating Molecular Mechanisms, Immunotherapy, and Drug Sensitivity in Cancer Immunology and Oncology” Community Series. Please see Volume I here and Volume II hereCancer immunology and oncology have made significant strides through the integration of tumor immunobiology, immunotherapy, and drug sensitivity analysis. Understanding the tumor immune microenvironment, including the roles of T cells, NK cells, tumor-associated macrophages, myeloid-derived suppressor cells, and their cytokine and chemokine networks, has unveiled critical pathways of immune evasion, immunosuppression, and resistance to treatment. Immunotherapy has emerged as a transformative approach, harnessing and reprogramming the immune system, through checkpoint blockade, adoptive cell therapies, cancer vaccines, and immune-modulating agents, to target and eradicate cancer cells. Meanwhile, drug sensitivity analysis is crucial for tailoring therapies to individual patients, ensuring optimal responses and minimizing adverse effects, including immune-related adverse events. Despite these advances, many patients still experience limited responses, immune escape, or adverse effects due to varying immune landscapes and drug sensitivities. Addressing these challenges requires a comprehensive approach that combines insights from tumor immunology and molecular oncology with cutting-edge immunotherapeutic strategies and the systematic study of drug sensitivity.This Research Topic aims to explore the intersection of these fields to uncover new immune-related therapeutic targets, optimize treatment regimens, and ultimately improve patient outcomes in oncology. Its primary goal is to address the gap between mechanistic immunological insight and its practical application in improving clinical outcomes, with a particular focus on how immune status shapes drug sensitivity. Despite significant advances in understanding tumor-immune interactions, translating these discoveries into effective and personalized immunotherapies remains a challenge. The problem lies in the complexity of the tumor immune microenvironment, which involves diverse immune cell populations, immune checkpoint pathways, cytokine signaling, immunometabolic constraints, and genetic and epigenetic factors that together drive tumor progression, immune evasion, therapy resistance, and variable drug responses. Recent advances in immune profiling, single-cell immunophenotyping, genomics, and proteomics have provided valuable insights; however, integrating these findings into actionable clinical immunotherapy strategies requires further exploration. To bridge this gap, this Research Topic will focus on several key areas: identifying and validating novel immune-related molecular targets for drug sensitivity analysis, optimizing immunotherapeutic approaches through improved immune-based patient stratification and rational combination therapies, and developing innovative strategies to predict and overcome immune-mediated resistance. By combining tumor immunology with molecular biology and clinical research, we aim to uncover actionable strategies that enhance the efficacy of existing immunotherapies and facilitate the development of new immune-targeted therapies. Ultimately, the goal is to translate these advances into tangible benefits for patients, improving both survival rates and quality of life.This Research Topic aims to explore the integration of tumor immunology, immunotherapy, and drug sensitivity in cancer. Topics of this collection include but are not limited to the following:• Characterization of the tumor immune microenvironment, including T cell, NK cell, macrophage, and myeloid-derived suppressor cell dynamics, and their relationship to drug sensitivity and therapy resistance. • Mechanisms of immune evasion and immunosuppression that shape tumor progression, metastasis, and response to treatment. • Identification and validation of immune-related molecular targets that influence drug sensitivity in cancer therapy. • Advances in immunotherapy, including checkpoint inhibitors, adoptive cell therapies, bispecific antibodies, and personalized cancer vaccines, with a focus on their impact on drug sensitivity, immune-related adverse events, and patient outcomes. • Immunometabolism and cytokine or chemokine signaling as drivers of therapy resistance and drug sensitivity. • Development of innovative strategies for predicting and overcoming immune-mediated and drug resistance, including rational combination immunotherapies. • Strategies for translating immunological and molecular discoveries into effective clinical practice, including immune biomarker development and personalized treatment plans. • Optimization of patient stratification, response prediction, and individualized treatment approaches through immune profiling, molecular profiling, and drug sensitivity testing.Please note that manuscripts consisting solely of bioinformatics or computational analysis of public genomic or transcriptomic databases which are not accompanied by robust and relevant validation (clinical cohort or biological validation in vitro or in vivo) are out of scope for this Research Topic. Topic editors: Qi Zhang, Zhiwen Luo Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/86149/integrating-molecular-mechanisms-immunotherapy-and-drug-sensitivity-in-cancer-immunology-and-oncology-volume-iii