About this Research Topic
The immune system, through a profoundly complex and intricately controlled network involving organs, lymphatics, innate and adaptive immune cells, and signaling molecules provides a powerful defense against various pathogens and diseases, including cancer. Immune escape, a critical step in cancer development, indicates a breakdown of this well-orchestrated system of immune surveillance. Immunotherapy, a breakthrough cancer treatment, aims to repair and restore this system and establish long-lasting antitumor immune defenses. Despite the complexity of the immune response and its systemic nature, tumor immunology and assessment of immunotherapy efficacy have largely focused on immune contexture within the tumor microenvironment. However, recent findings, such as the immune modulation by the microbiome or the induction of de novo antitumor responses, highlight the critical significance of processes on the periphery and clearly call for a better understanding of the global, rather than the local, immune context.
PET imaging in combination with the right agent offers non-invasive tracking of immune processes on a whole-body level and thus represents a method uniquely well-suited to assess system-wide immune status. The goal of this research topic is to provide an interdisciplinary overview of the recent advances and emerging applications of PET imaging in the assessment of systemic immunity in cancer. We also aim to define the most pressing unmet needs in the field and showcase research that offers promising solutions. To provide a well-rounded current status and ensure representation of viewpoints from different stakeholders that is critical for the successful advancement of the field, we seek input from experts in different specialties: oncology, immunology, agent development, image analysis, etc.
We welcome various types of articles: original research, methods, review (including mini review), technology report, protocol, perspective, case reports, and opinion. The following are some examples of the topics of interest:
• AI approaches to whole-body image analysis
• Quantifying immune response in the context of a moving target i.e. immune cells
• Novel imaging targets
• Novel imaging agents
• Imaging immunomodulation by the microbiome
• Imaging systemic immunity in patient selection
• Imaging systemic immunity for therapy guidance
• Imaging of off-target toxicity
• Lymph node imaging and the need for dissection
PET imaging in combination with the right agent offers non-invasive tracking of immune processes on a whole-body level and thus represents a method uniquely well-suited to assess system-wide immune status. The goal of this research topic is to provide an interdisciplinary overview of the recent advances and emerging applications of PET imaging in the assessment of systemic immunity in cancer. We also aim to define the most pressing unmet needs in the field and showcase research that offers promising solutions. To provide a well-rounded current status and ensure representation of viewpoints from different stakeholders that is critical for the successful advancement of the field, we seek input from experts in different specialties: oncology, immunology, agent development, image analysis, etc.
We welcome various types of articles: original research, methods, review (including mini review), technology report, protocol, perspective, case reports, and opinion. The following are some examples of the topics of interest:
• AI approaches to whole-body image analysis
• Quantifying immune response in the context of a moving target i.e. immune cells
• Novel imaging targets
• Novel imaging agents
• Imaging immunomodulation by the microbiome
• Imaging systemic immunity in patient selection
• Imaging systemic immunity for therapy guidance
• Imaging of off-target toxicity
• Lymph node imaging and the need for dissection
Keywords: systemic immunity, PET agents, whole-body image analysis, immunoPET, T cells, immune cells
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.
