Aug 2026· Clinical and Translational Oncology· 0 citations· 72 references
Medicine
TL;DR
This review synthesizes current data on cellular, molecular, and systemic predictors, focusing on immune cell phenotypes, protein biomarkers, gene signatures, and metabolic factors, focusing on immune cell phenotypes, protein biomarkers, gene signatures, and metabolic factors.
Immunotherapy has emerged as a pivotal approach in cancer treatment, yet its efficacy is influenced by the interactions within the tumor microenvironment (TME). Angiogenesis, the formation of new blood vessels, is a hallmark feature of the TME, particularly in aggressive malignancies such as pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). This study aims to elucidate angiogenesis patterns in PDAC and investigate their associations with clinical characteristics, TME features, and the response to immunotherapy. By analyzing 40 angiogenesis‐related genes, 28 angiogenesis‐associated immune genes (AIGs) were identified, enabling classification of PDAC patients into two subclusters with distinct clinical and TME profiles. Afterwards, we constructed an AIGScore risk model using least absolute shrinkage and selection operator regression in PDAC, and its reliable predictive ability was confirmed in both training and validation sets. Functional analyses suggested that a high AIGScore may be associated with worse prognosis, reduced tumor immune cycle activity, elevated immune and stromal scores, and diminished response to anti‐PD‐1 immunotherapy. Pan‐cancer analyses further indicated a potential correlation between the seven AIGs and tumor progression, as well as patient outcomes across other malignancies. In summary, this study proposes a novel AIGScore model with significant prognostic utility for PDAC. The findings may provide insights into TME characteristics and offer a potential framework for optimizing immunotherapeutic strategies in patients with PDAC.
Qing Chang, Qian Wang, Xiumei Jiang et al.· Visual Information Expert Wo...· 0 citations
Immunotherapy has transformed the lung cancer treatment landscape, establishing a role in nearly all histologic subtypes, including non-small cell and small cell lung cancers. However, only a few biomarkers, including PD-L1 tumor proportion score, tumor mutational burden, and microsatellite instability, are currently available, and their predictive value remains inconsistent across different histologies. The biological heterogeneity of lung tumors and the dynamic interplay between systemic therapies and the tumor microenvironment (TME) further complicate biomarker development. At the same time, novel immunotherapeutic strategies, including bispecific antibodies and antibody-drug conjugates, are expanding the spectrum of immune targets beyond conventional checkpoint inhibition, highlighting the need for biomarkers that better reflect the functional state of the TME. In this review, we address the limitations of currently used biomarkers across lung cancer histologies and describe emerging immune-related biomarkers encompassing innate immune infiltration, antigen presentation capacity, cytotoxic T-cell activation, and inflammatory signaling; these have shown promise as histology-independent predictors of response. Robust prospective studies are essential to validate integrated signatures capable of capturing profiles of patients who are most likely to respond to immune checkpoint inhibitors and next-generation treatments.
E. Gobbini, Subhamoy Chakraborty, I. Vathiotis et al.· Cancer immunology research· 0 citations
INSTRUCTION
Follicular lymphoma (FL) is an indolent B cell malignancy characterized by recurrent genetic alterations, yet its clinical course is highly variable and not fully explained by tumor-intrinsic features alone. Increasing evidence highlights the tumor microenvironment (TME) as a critical regulator of disease progression, therapeutic response, and immune escape.
AREAS COVERED
FL TME is composed of diverse cellular elements, including T cell subsets, tumor-associated macrophages, stromal cells, and follicular dendritic cells, which collectively provide survival signals and shape immune dysfunction. These interactions have led to the identification of potential therapeutic targets, such as immune checkpoint molecules, macrophage polarization pathways, and stromal-tumor signaling axes. In parallel, microenvironment-derived biomarkers, including specific immune cell compositions, spatial organization patterns, and gene expression signatures, are emerging as important predictors of prognosis and treatment outcomes. Advances in single-cell and spatial profiling technologies have further refined our understanding of TME heterogeneity, enabling the discovery of clinically relevant targets and biomarkers.
EXPERT OPINION
Together, these insights support a more integrated model of FL biology and provide a foundation for developing microenvironment-directed therapies and precision medicine approaches.
Zhi-Zhang Yang, Stephen Ansell· Expert Review of Clinical Im...· 0 citations
Simple Summary Metastatic colorectal cancer is associated with poor prognosis, as patients respond very differently to available therapies, and the disease can change over time. Better biomarkers are needed to help clinicians choose the most effective treatment for each patient and to monitor whether therapy is working. This review summarizes the most promising biomarkers currently being investigated in metastatic colorectal cancer, including those measured in tumor tissue and those detected through blood-based tests. We describe prognostic and predictive markers related to tumor genetics, immune activity, tumor-associated cells, and interactions with the microbiome, as well as emerging metabolic and lipid-related signatures. We also highlight circulating biomarkers such as circulating tumor DNA, immune cell profiling, and circulating tumor cells. Finally, we discuss key limitations preventing clinical implementation and explore how combining multiple biomarker types with artificial intelligence may accelerate the development of reliable tools for personalized cancer treatment.
E. Benidovskaya, N. Huyghe, M. V. Giolito et al.· Cancers· 0 citations
Focusing on acquired resistance as a core bottleneck in precision therapy, mechanisms underlying anti-Human Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor 2 (HER2) resistance and primary/secondary resistance to immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) were systematically dissected, while also addressing immune-related adverse events and pseudo-/hyperprogression.
Ovarian cancer is the most lethal gynecologic malignancy, primarily because of late-stage diagnosis, rapid disease progression, and marked molecular and immunologic heterogeneity. It remains the leading cause of gynecologic cancer-related death, affecting approximately 1 in 70 women in developed countries over their lifetimes. Tumor development and progression are orchestrated within the tumor immune microenvironment, a dynamic and complex structural niche that supports malignant transformation and immune evasion of the tumor. In this narrative educational review, we aim to provide a comprehensive overview of recent advances in the understanding of ovarian cancer pathogenesis, the molecular mechanisms driving tumor progression, and the multifaceted role of the immune system in disease development and therapeutic response. Moreover, we summarize recent clinical trials targeting key molecular drivers and components of the tumor immune microenvironment, including immunotherapeutic and targeted approaches. Personalized medicine, guided by integrative genomic and transcriptomic profiling, has become increasingly vital for patient stratification and treatment selection. Ultimately, a shift toward highly individualized, mechanism-based therapeutic strategies is essential to improve clinical outcomes and survival in ovarian cancer.
B. Vavrušáková, R. Bartošová, M. Hendrych et al.· Discover Oncology· 0 citations
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