What is it about?

Immunotherapy represents a promising strategy for cancer treatment that utilizes immune cells or drugs to activate the patient's own immune system and eliminate cancer cells. One of the most exciting advancements in cancer immunotherapy is the targeting of neoantigens, which are peptides derived from non-synonymous somatic mutations in the cancer cell and absent in normal cells. Although neoantigen-based therapeutic vaccines have not yet received approval for standard cancer treatment, early clinical trials have yielded encouraging results when used either as monotherapy or in combination with checkpoint inhibitors. Progresses made in high-throughput sequencing and bioinformatics have facilitated the identification of neoantigens with enhanced precision and efficiency. Consequently, personalized neoantigen-based vaccines tailored to each patient have been developed, capable of eliciting a robust immune response that effectively eradicates tumors and prevents recurrence.This review provides a concise overview consolidating the latest clinical advancements in neoantigen-based therapeutic vaccines, while also discussing challenges and future perspectives for this innovative approach, particular emphasizing its potential improvement of clinical efficacy against advanced solid tumors.

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Why is it important?

The novelty and significance of this review lie in providing a comprehensive overview of the clinical translation and application of a neoantigen cancer vaccine. This review will bridge the gap between preclinical studies and the current knowledge about the therapeutic effects of a neoantigen cancer vaccine in humans. It summarizes the latest clinical trials, offering a concise overview consolidating the latest clinical advancements in therapeutic neoantigen-based cancer vaccines, while also discussing challenges and future perspectives for this innovative approach, particular emphasizing its potential improvement of clinical efficacy against advanced solid tumors.

Perspectives

The uniqueness of this review lies in its focus on the clinical translational applications of neoantigen cancer vaccines. While much of the existing literature focuses on the development and preclinical evaluation of these vaccines, our review bridges the gap between bench and bedside by providing insights into their real-world clinical implementation. This comprehensive perspective sets our review apart from others in the field and highlights the importance of translating promising preclinical findings into effective clinical therapies. In addition, our review discusses innovative strategies in the clinical application of neoantigen cancer vaccines. We explore the different cancer vaccine platforms and administration methods tailored to individual cancer patient. Furthermore, we assess the potential synergistic effects of combining neoantigen vaccines with other forms of immunotherapy, such as immune checkpoint inhibitors. These innovative approaches demonstrate the cutting-edge research being conducted in the field and have the potential to significantly improve cancer treatment outcomes. Moreover, our review discusses the challenges and opportunities in the clinical translation of neoantigen cancer vaccines. We evaluate the global regulatory landscape, which are vital for successful integration of these therapies into standard clinical practice. By addressing these important aspects, our review offers a unique and comprehensive perspective on the potential barriers and facilitators of clinical adoption, thus contributing to the advancement of neoantigen vaccine development. Furthermore, our review provides valuable insights into the ongoing clinical trials and future perspectives of neoantigen cancer vaccines. We examine the current state of clinical research, including the challenges faced in patient recruitment and trial design, and offer potential solutions to overcome these obstacles. By critically evaluating the clinical landscape and highlighting future directions, our review contributes to the advancement of neoantigen vaccine research and inspires further innovation in this field.

XIAOLING LI
Tianjin Cancer Hospital Airport Hospital

Read the Original

This page is a summary of: Neoantigen cancer vaccines: a new star on the horizon, Cancer Biology and Medicine, December 2023, Tsinghua University Press,
DOI: 10.20892/j.issn.2095-3941.2023.0395.
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