The remarkable clinical heterogeneity observed in cancer stems from the underlying biological heterogeneity which impacts the disease course and the response to treatment. Understanding the bidirectional interactions between the malignant cells and the host immune system is therefore of essence in realizing precision oncology. Immunogenetics and, more recently, immunogenomics are pillars of cancer immunology since they offer the possibility to dissect the repertoires of adaptive immune responses at the molecular level. Next-generation sequencing, in particular, has allowed the comprehensive characterization of immune repertoires. Indeed, NGS immunogenetic analysis has emerged as key to both understanding cancer pathogenesis and improving the accuracy of clinical decision-making in oncology.

NGS immunogenetic analysis has applications in lymphoid malignancies, assisting in the diagnosis e.g. through differentiating from reactive conditions, as well as in disease monitoring through accurate assessment of minimal residual disease. Moreover, it facilitates the study of T cell receptor clonal dynamics in critical clinical contexts, such as transplantation as well as innovative immunotherapy for solid cancers.

We welcome manuscripts focussing on the following subtopics:
Diagnostics and monitoring:
- Prognostic/ Predictive significance of B- and T- cell clonal expansion in lymphoproliferation
- Monitoring of MRD in lymphoid malignancies
- Prognostic value of T cell gene repertoire immune profiling in immune reconstitution after transplantation
- T-cell compartment implication in cancer immunotherapy
- Features of T cells in patients under immune checkpoint inhibitors

Therapeutics:
- Adoptive cell transfer
- Vaccine therapy

In this Research Topic, we need to address what can be achieved in order to maximally realize the promise of NGS immunogenetic analysis in precision oncology.

Please note: Manuscripts consisting solely of bioinformatics, computational analysis, or predictions of public databases which are not accompanied by validation (independent cohort or biological validation in vitro or in vivo) will not be accepted in any of the sections of Frontiers in Oncology.

Submit your idea

Impact

Frontiers in Oncology

Participating Journals

Impact