Cancer has become one of the most serious diseases that endanger human health. In recent years, immunotherapy has developed rapidly and has become another effective treatment for cancer after surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy and targeted therapy. However, the effects of immunotherapy may be context-dependent, as binding to signaling molecules and activation of pathways vary considerably between cancer types and individuals. The cellular and non-cellular components of the tumour microenvironment and the highly variable local environment in which tumour cells develop, can regulate the cascade of signaling pathways that reprogram tumourigenesis, growth, invasion, metastasis and ultimately influence the response to therapy. Therefore, an adequate understanding and ability to regulate the tumour microenvironment and its associated signaling is an urgent need to predict and improve the effectiveness of immunotherapy.
Today, immunotherapy has opened up a new trend in oncology treatment, but how to deal with the large variation of immunotherapy between different cancer types and between individuals has become a new challenge. There are still many questions to be addressed to advance the study of inter- and intracellular signaling in the highly variable tumour microenvironment that affects immunotherapy. How can the unique features of different tumour microenvironments be identified, what are the molecular mechanisms underlying these features, and which signaling pathways are more important for tumour metastasis and recurrence? How can micrometastases be identified early and the seeds of metastasis be nipped in the bud? What are the temporal and spatial characteristics of tumour metastasis? How can therapies targeting the microenvironment be effectively used to reduce the risk of tumour recurrence? Do therapeutic targets in the microenvironment undergo epigenetic alterations in response to immunotherapeutic pressure? In the current research questions, we seek to address some of these questions and contribute to the diagnosis and treatment of cancer.
Both review and research papers are welcome. Potential topics include but are not limited to the following:
• Alteration of immune cell properties in cancer development
• Immunomodulation of the tumor microenvironment by immunotherapy
• Exploration of cancer immunotherapy targets
• Combining immunotherapy and targeted therapies in cancer treatment
• Inter- and intracellular signaling and carriers, transport pathways
Keywords:
Tumor microenvironment, Signaling pathway, Immunotherapy, Tumour metastasis, Cancer stem cell, Cell-cell interaction, Cancer development
Important Note:
All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
Cancer has become one of the most serious diseases that endanger human health. In recent years, immunotherapy has developed rapidly and has become another effective treatment for cancer after surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy and targeted therapy. However, the effects of immunotherapy may be context-dependent, as binding to signaling molecules and activation of pathways vary considerably between cancer types and individuals. The cellular and non-cellular components of the tumour microenvironment and the highly variable local environment in which tumour cells develop, can regulate the cascade of signaling pathways that reprogram tumourigenesis, growth, invasion, metastasis and ultimately influence the response to therapy. Therefore, an adequate understanding and ability to regulate the tumour microenvironment and its associated signaling is an urgent need to predict and improve the effectiveness of immunotherapy.
Today, immunotherapy has opened up a new trend in oncology treatment, but how to deal with the large variation of immunotherapy between different cancer types and between individuals has become a new challenge. There are still many questions to be addressed to advance the study of inter- and intracellular signaling in the highly variable tumour microenvironment that affects immunotherapy. How can the unique features of different tumour microenvironments be identified, what are the molecular mechanisms underlying these features, and which signaling pathways are more important for tumour metastasis and recurrence? How can micrometastases be identified early and the seeds of metastasis be nipped in the bud? What are the temporal and spatial characteristics of tumour metastasis? How can therapies targeting the microenvironment be effectively used to reduce the risk of tumour recurrence? Do therapeutic targets in the microenvironment undergo epigenetic alterations in response to immunotherapeutic pressure? In the current research questions, we seek to address some of these questions and contribute to the diagnosis and treatment of cancer.
Both review and research papers are welcome. Potential topics include but are not limited to the following:
• Alteration of immune cell properties in cancer development
• Immunomodulation of the tumor microenvironment by immunotherapy
• Exploration of cancer immunotherapy targets
• Combining immunotherapy and targeted therapies in cancer treatment
• Inter- and intracellular signaling and carriers, transport pathways
Keywords:
Tumor microenvironment, Signaling pathway, Immunotherapy, Tumour metastasis, Cancer stem cell, Cell-cell interaction, Cancer development
Important Note:
All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.