Explore the latest breakthroughs in oncology, immunotherapy, targeted therapies, liquid biopsy technologies, and AI-driven precision medicine. This collection highlights cutting-edge clinical studies, innovative treatment strategies, and emerging biomedical technologies shaping the future of cancer diagnosis, personalized therapy, and patient care worldwide.
Radioimmunotherapy using iodine-131 labeled bispecific immune checkpoint antibody cadonilimab (AK104), a PD-1/CTLA-4 agent, was evaluated for non-small cell lung cancer treatment. The agent showed strong tumor-targeting retention and suppressed tumor growth in experimental models. Treatment enhanced CD8+ T-cell infiltration and clonal expansion while inducing immunogenic cell death via neutrophil recruitment and ROS/NO release. Tumor microenvironment remodeling improved immune cell interactions, suggesting that combining 131I radiotherapy with bispecific checkpoint inhibition may improve antitumor efficacy in NSCLC.
Read MoreCAR-engineered immune cell therapy has expanded beyond CAR-T cells to multiple cellular platforms for cancer treatment. Although seven FDA-approved CAR-T therapies show strong efficacy in hematologic malignancies, their clinical use is limited by toxicity, solid tumor resistance, and manufacturing challenges. Alternative CAR-modified cells such as natural killer cells, macrophages, neutrophils, and dendritic cells are being explored due to their distinct antitumor mechanisms, safety profiles, and persistence characteristics. The review also summarizes biological properties, sourcing, manufacturing approaches, and clinical progress of CAR platforms. Beyond oncology, CAR technology shows potential in treating autoimmune disorders, infections, fibrosis, and senescence-related diseases, supporting broader therapeutic applications.
Read MoreTreatment with the bispecific antibody–drug conjugate Izalontamab brengitecan (BL-B01D1) showed promising clinical activity in patients with advanced EGFR-mutated non-small cell lung cancer after progression on EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors. Pooled analysis of 171 patients showed objective response rate 47.4%, disease control rate 81.3%, median progression-free survival 6.9 months, and median overall survival 24.8 months. Hematologic toxicity was common but manageable, with rare interstitial lung disease (0.6%). Results support further evaluation of this targeted therapy.
Read MoreBispecific antibodies represent a next-generation immunotherapeutic approach for metastatic non-small cell lung cancer by enabling simultaneous dual-target immune modulation within a single engineered molecule. These agents, developed in IgG-like and fragment-based formats, aim to improve pharmacokinetic stability, tumor affinity, and antitumor synergy while overcoming resistance associated with conventional immune checkpoint inhibitor combinations. Early clinical evidence suggests potential improvements in progression-free and overall survival, but broader clinical adoption requires survival advantage confirmation, toxicity management strategies, biomarker validation, and solutions for manufacturing and cost challenges.
Read MoreThe bispecific antibody AGB201 is a first-in-class α-LTβR immunotherapy designed to enhance checkpoint response in solid tumors by remodeling the tumor microenvironment. It selectively targets an oncofetal fibronectin splice variant (EDB) expressed in tumor stroma and activates NFκB signaling upon antigen binding, inducing chemokines such as CCL19, CXCL10, and CXCL12 along with IL-12, which are associated with tertiary lymphoid structure formation. Preclinical studies demonstrated strong antitumor activity with tumor regression in most treated mice and durable immune memory. Combination with PD-1 or CTLA-4 blockade further improved response rates, supporting clinical development.
Read MoreTriple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is challenging to manage because of its aggressive course and lack of ER, PR, and HER2 expression. Recent therapeutic advances are reshaping treatment, particularly antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) and immunotherapy. ADCs such as sacituzumab govitecan and datopotamab deruxtecan have shown superior efficacy compared with standard chemotherapy in metastatic TNBC. Combining ADCs with immune checkpoint inhibitors is emerging as a promising strategy to enhance antitumor activity, supported by trials like MORPHEUS-panBC and BEGONIA. While evidence mainly involves metastatic disease, these combinations are also under evaluation in neoadjuvant and adjuvant settings. In view of these rapid developments, recent progress in ADCs and immunotherapy combinations for TNBC, explores their synergistic mechanisms, and discusses prospects for personalized treatment strategies.
Read MoreTargeted therapy and immunotherapy have transformed lung cancer management, yet therapeutic resistance remains a major challenge. In patients with driver gene–positive tumors, acquired resistance to targeted drugs is almost inevitable. Immunotherapy efficacy in early-stage lung cancer is limited by tumor immune heterogeneity, while advanced disease often shows high tumor mutational burden, genomic instability, and progression despite chemo-immunotherapy. Cancer vaccines offer a promising alternative by activating antitumor immune cycles, inducing immune memory, and remodeling the tumor microenvironment with low toxicity. Among vaccine platforms, mRNA vaccines show advantages in safety, immune response efficiency, and cost.
Read MoreTumour infiltrating lymphocyte (TIL) therapy provides durable benefit for selected patients with advanced melanoma, particularly after failure of immune checkpoint inhibitors or targeted treatments. The 2024 FDA approval of Lifileucel, a commercially manufactured autologous TIL product, represents a milestone for advanced therapy medicinal products in solid tumours, with Health Canada approval and European decisions pending. Despite encouraging trial outcomes, TIL therapy involves complex processes including patient selection, tumour harvest, manufacturing, lymphodepletion, and IL-2 support, requiring specialised infrastructure. High costs demand careful economic evaluation and national coordination to ensure equitable access, multidisciplinary oversight, and sustainable implementation through collaborative networks and phased rollout strategies.
Read MoreAnti-PD-L1 antibodies have reshaped cancer therapy and are increasingly used in early-stage disease in adjuvant and neoadjuvant settings. In some malignancies, earlier use reduces metastatic risk and may improve survival. However, overall survival benefits in the adjuvant setting remain inconsistent, partly due to limited long-term data and the confounding impact of effective metastatic therapies. Optimal perioperative strategies in melanoma, renal cell carcinoma, and non-small-cell lung cancer include treatment de-escalation, expansion to biomarker-defined high-risk populations, and evidence suggesting neoadjuvant or perioperative approaches may surpass adjuvant therapy, with personalization guided by biomarkers such as circulating tumour DNA and other emerging assays.
Read MoreThis retrospective study evaluated HER2 expression in 157 Mexican women aged 40 years or younger with luminal, HER2-negative breast cancer. Reassessment identified 21.0 percent of tumors as HER2-low and 18.5 percent as HER2-ultralow. HER2-low tumors were more frequently associated with luminal B subtype, higher Ki-67, lower progesterone receptor expression, and increased tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes, whereas HER2-null and ultralow tumors showed no distinct clinicopathological features. Survival analysis revealed no significant differences in disease-free or overall survival among HER2-null, HER2-low, and HER2-ultralow groups. Overall, nearly 40 percent of young women had HER2-low or ultralow disease, underscoring the need for precise HER2 assessment to guide eligibility for emerging HER2-targeted therapies.
Read MoreCancer remains a major global health challenge, requiring more effective diagnostic and therapeutic strategies. Artificial intelligence is emerging as a transformative tool in oncology by integrating radiologic, histopathologic, genomic, and clinical data to improve tumor characterization, risk stratification, and personalized treatment decisions. AI-driven image analysis enhances diagnostic accuracy, while prognostic and reinforcement learning models support survival prediction and treatment optimization. AI also accelerates drug discovery and clinical trial design and strengthens clinical decision support systems. However, challenges including data quality, interoperability, algorithmic bias, limited transparency, and ethical and regulatory concerns must be addressed to ensure safe, equitable, and effective implementation in precision oncology.
Read MoreCancer causes nearly 10 million deaths annually, and conventional chemotherapy and radiotherapy are limited by non-specificity and toxicity. Over the past two decades, treatment has shifted toward targeted therapies that disrupt molecular drivers of tumour growth, enabling personalized care. Advances include tyrosine kinase inhibitors, monoclonal antibodies, immune checkpoint inhibitors, and antibody-drug conjugates, with biomarker-guided and tumour-agnostic strategies expanding options. Emerging platforms such as RNA therapies, CAR-T, TCR-T, and liquid biopsies further refine precision oncology, supported by artificial intelligence. However, tumour heterogeneity, resistance, high costs, limited diagnostics, and inequitable access particularly in LMICs remain major barriers to globally equitable cancer care.
Read MoreEarly-stage breast cancer is often curable, yet 15 to 25 percent of patients relapse due to undetected residual disease. Liquid biopsy enables noninvasive real-time detection of tumour-derived material in blood. Circulating tumour DNA, assessed through ultrasensitive sequencing and methylome analysis, can identify minimal residual disease shortly after surgery or neoadjuvant therapy. Postoperative ctDNA clearance in the ISPY 2 Signatera study correlated with pathologic response and improved survival. Additional biomarkers such as circulating tumour cells, exosomal RNA, and microRNAs enhance detection sensitivity. Emerging assays, including GuardantReveal, support ctDNA-guided surveillance, with molecular monitoring poised to refine screening and personalize adjuvant treatment strategies.
Read MoreLiquid biopsy using circulating tumor DNA represents a major advance in precision oncology by providing a minimally invasive, real-time tool for cancer detection and monitoring. ctDNA enables early diagnosis, assessment of therapeutic response, and identification of minimal residual disease to predict recurrence. Technological progress in next-generation sequencing, digital PCR, artificial intelligence, and multi-omics integration has improved assay sensitivity and specificity. Clinical evidence supports ctDNA for tracking tumor evolution, detecting actionable mutations, guiding treatment decisions, and predicting relapse more accurately than some conventional methods. Despite challenges in standardization, sensitivity, and cost, ongoing innovations are accelerating its integration into routine cancer care.
Read MoreSurgical resection is the main curative treatment for early-stage non-small cell lung cancer, while chemotherapy offers modest survival benefit. In tumors without actionable mutations, adding neoadjuvant or perioperative immunotherapy to chemotherapy is now standard, improving pathological response and event-free survival. In oncogene-addicted disease, adjuvant osimertinib for EGFR-mutant tumors and alectinib for ALK-rearranged tumors significantly improve event-free survival, with osimertinib also enhancing overall survival. Future strategies may incorporate perioperative targeted therapy for these subgroups. Evidence for other actionable alterations remains limited, and management often follows non-oncogene-driven protocols, highlighting evolving treatment paradigms in early-stage disease.
Read MoreTriple-negative breast cancer is an aggressive subtype lacking estrogen, progesterone, and HER2 expression, with frequent resistance and relapse after chemotherapy and immunotherapy. The development of novel targeted therapies is therefore essential. Advances in proteomics, structural biology, and protein degradation are expanding therapeutic targets. Current and emerging treatments include immune checkpoint inhibitors, PARP inhibitors, Trop-2–directed antibody-drug conjugates, anti-angiogenic agents, PI3K/Akt/mTOR inhibitors, androgen receptor antagonists, and CDK4/6 inhibitors, supported by clinical trial data. Integrative omics approaches are identifying new targets involving tumor metabolism and microenvironment interactions. Future strategies emphasize biomarker-driven precision therapy and innovative radiotherapy integration to improve outcomes.
Read MorePoly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibitors (PARPis) are important in treating high-grade serous ovarian cancer, but resistance often limits long-term effectiveness. The ALK inhibitor brigatinib enhances PARP inhibitor activity through an ALK-independent mechanism by inhibiting focal adhesion kinase and EPHA2 tyrosine kinases. This dual blockade suppresses Akt and ERK signaling and reduces FRA1 protein stability, disrupting adaptive survival pathways. In patient-derived xenograft models, brigatinib combined with PARP inhibitors induced tumor regression and improved survival compared with monotherapy, particularly in tumors with high FAK and EPHA2 expression, supporting biomarker-guided combination therapy for overcoming PARP resistance.
Read MoreAtezolizumab plus bevacizumab is a first-line therapy for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma, but resistance often develops. Tumor-intrinsic activation of the NRF2–COX2–PGE2 pathway was identified as a key driver of immune cold tumor microenvironments and treatment resistance. Using mouse models, single-cell sequencing, spatial transcriptomics, and clinical cohorts of 549 treated patients and 199 surgical patients, high NRF2 and COX2 expression correlated with poor response and shorter progression-free survival. Validation in IMbrave150 and GO30140 confirmed treatment-specific resistance mechanisms. Plasma PGE2 predicted outcomes. Targeting NRF2–COX2 signaling may enhance efficacy and enable biomarker-guided patient stratification.
Read MoreCancer is a major global health burden, ranking second among causes of mortality worldwide. Human papillomavirus is a DNA virus with strong oncogenic potential, particularly high-risk genotypes associated with multiple cancers. Persistent infection with oncogenic strains leads to malignancies including cervical, oropharyngeal, anal, penile, vulvar, and vaginal cancers, with cervical cancer being the most common HPV-related cancer, especially in low- and middle-income countries. Key mechanisms involve viral oncoproteins E6 and E7 and host genome integration. Advances in diagnostics, therapeutics, and clinical trials aim to improve prevention, early detection, and treatment strategies to reduce the global burden of HPV-associated cancers.
Read MoreProstate cancer is a leading cause of cancer mortality in men, with many patients developing biochemical recurrence after radical treatment. Conventional imaging modalities have limited sensitivity for early relapse detection. The identification of prostate-specific membrane antigen enabled the development of PSMA PET imaging, which provides superior diagnostic accuracy compared with CT, MRI, and bone scintigraphy. The proPSMA trial demonstrated the clinical superiority of PSMA PET. Regulatory approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has supported PSMA-targeted theranostics. Future advances include novel PSMA ligands, improved tumor targeting, optimized radioligand therapy, and artificial intelligence–assisted imaging analysis for personalized prostate cancer management.
Read MoreMeningiomas are the most common primary intracranial tumors, with approximately 20 % presenting as higher-grade, more aggressive forms. Surgical resection remains the primary treatment, but peptide receptor radionuclide therapy is emerging as a promising option for advanced, recurrent, or multifocal disease. The theranostic approach enables simultaneous detection and treatment of somatostatin receptor–expressing tumors. Preclinical studies suggest radiosensitization benefits, while clinical research is expanding, focusing on dosimetry, quantitative imaging, and radiomics for improved patient selection and response prediction. Further prospective trials are needed to establish optimal clinical integration of radionuclide therapy for aggressive meningiomas.
Read MoreOncology is shifting from organ-based treatment to precision medicine guided by molecular and immune targets. This is particularly important for rare cancers, including histologically uncommon tumors and molecularly defined subtypes. Tumor-agnostic therapies, supported by biomarker-driven drug approvals by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, allow treatment across cancer types sharing actionable mutations. These approvals are based on durable response rates across diverse tumors. With about 200 rare cancer types, traditional large trials are difficult, increasing interest in personalized, n-of-1 combination therapies to address tumour genomic heterogeneity and optimize individualized treatment outcomes.
Read MoreRandomized controlled trials are the gold standard for establishing treatment efficacy in gynecologic oncology due to their strong internal validity and rigorous design. However, growing clinical complexity, patient heterogeneity, and the need for faster evidence generation expose limitations of relying solely on randomized trials. Long study timelines, strict eligibility criteria, and reduced real-world applicability can limit translation into routine practice, particularly for heterogeneous gynecologic cancers. Integrating real-world evidence with randomized data may improve clinical decision-making and treatment implementation.
Read MoreTherapeutic cancer vaccines are being developed using DNA, mRNA, protein-loaded antigen-presenting cells, synthetic peptides, and viral vectors. Over the past four decades, only two therapeutic oncologic vaccines have been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration: sipuleucel-T for metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer and a 2025 approval for recurrent respiratory papillomatosis. Neoantigen-based DNA, mRNA, and peptide vaccines have shown strong T-cell immunogenicity and clinical activity, especially when combined with immune checkpoint inhibitors. Biomarker-guided therapy, such as PD-L1 expression and tumor mutation profiling, is increasingly important for optimizing vaccine efficacy in premalignant and advanced cancer settings.
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