Since Wilhelm Busch and Friedrich Fehleisen first documented significant tumor regression following acute inflammation in 1866, the quest to harness the immune system against cancer has endured for over a century, highlighted by pioneering advancements.1,2 In the 1980s, surgeon William Coley pioneered the use of bacteria extracts, known as “Coley toxin”, to stimulate effective immune-mediated tumor destruction.3 The 1970s represented a turning point with the discovery of immune-stimulating cytokines, leading to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approvals of recombinant alpha interferon for hairy cell leukemia in 1986 and high-dose interleukin-2 for metastatic renal cell carcinoma in 1992. Although these therapies exhibited durable responses, their administration was limited by severe adverse effects, underscoring the need for safer and more precise approaches.4
The modern era of immunotherapy began in the 1990s with seminal insights into immune checkpoint biology. James P. Allison’s discovery of cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated protein 4 as a T-cell inhibitory receptor, followed by Tasuku Honjo’s identification of programmed death 1 and ligand 1, revolutionized cancer treatment.5,6 The promising outcomes of clinical trials have led to the approval of immune checkpoint inhibitors targeting cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated protein 4, programmed death 1, and programmed death ligand 1. Since 2011, the FDA has approved over 83 indications of immune checkpoint inhibitors across more than 17 cancer types, with over 2,000 additional clinical trials currently in development exploring checkpoint targets. Concurrently, adoptive cell therapies have reached clinical maturity. The initial successful trial of anti-CD19 chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy for refractory B-cell lymphoma led to the FDA approving tisagenlecleucel-T for relapsed or refractory B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia and axicabtagene ciloleucel for refractory large B-cell lymphoma in 2017.7,8 Nowadays, over 2,000 ongoing clinical trials are investigating the efficacy and safety of cell therapies in cancer, including cancer vaccines, chimeric antigen receptor natural killer, and bacteria-based therapeutics.9 Immunotherapy is now recognized as the fourth pillar of oncology, alongside surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy.
The editors of Oncology Advances are pleased to introduce a special issue addressing the critical challenges in cancer immunotherapy: (1) mechanisms underlying primary and acquired resistance; (2) clinically validated predictive and prognostic biomarkers for precision patient stratification; (3) innovative combination strategies and novel immune targets in cancer immunotherapy; and (4) the need for effective management strategies for immune-related adverse events that mitigate risks without compromising anti-tumor activity.
Dr. Chuan Xu (Associate Editor of Oncology Advances) serves as Guest Editor for the special issue, with submissions accepted until the deadline of October 31, 2025. We invite front-line scientists and clinicians to contribute seminal work to this timely collection. The Guest Editorial Team is assembling a collection of high-impact review articles, original research, commentaries, and case reports advancing discourse in cancer immunotherapy. Submissions that align with the focus are strongly encouraged. For inquiries or to express interest in contributing, please contact [email protected].
Declarations
Funding
The work was supported in part by a grant from the National Key Research and Development Program of China (Grant No. 2023YFC3402100), a grant from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 92259102) , a grant from the Sichuan Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 2024NSFSC0057), and a grant from the Chongqing Science and Technology Bureau (Grant No. CSTB2024TIAD-KPX0029).
Conflict of interest
Dr. Chuan Xu has been an Associate Editor of Oncology Advances since May 2024. The other authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.
Authors’ contributions
Study concept and design (LH, CX), drafting of the manuscript (LH, DW), critical revision of the manuscript (LH), and study supervision (CX). All authors have made significant contributions to this study and have approved the final manuscript.