Cancer immunology is at the interface of immunology and oncology, seeking to understand how immune surveillance, tumour evasion, and therapeutic reactivation of immunity shape disease progression and therapy [1]. 

  • 𝗢𝗻𝗰𝗼𝗹𝘆𝘁𝗶𝗰 𝘃𝗶𝗿𝘂𝘀𝗲𝘀 are engineered to selectively infect and lyse tumour cells while releasing tumour antigens. 

  • 𝗖𝗔𝗥-𝗧 𝗰𝗲𝗹𝗹𝘀 (chimeric antigen receptor T cells) are patient-derived lymphocytes genetically modified to recognise tumour-specific antigens with high affinity, revolutionising haematologic cancer therapy. 

  • 𝗧𝗜𝗟 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗽𝘆 (tumour-infiltrating lymphocytes) expands naturally occurring tumour-reactive T cells from patient biopsies and reinfuses them after activation ex vivo. 

  • 𝗕𝗶𝗧𝗘𝘀 (bispecific T-cell engagers) are small molecules that physically bridge T cells and tumour cells by binding both CD3 and a tumour antigen, triggering direct cytotoxicity. 

  • 𝗡𝗞-𝗖𝗔𝗥 𝗰𝗲𝗹𝗹𝘀 harness the innate cytotoxicity of natural killer cells and enhance it with engineered antigen recognition domains. 

  • 𝗠𝗮𝗰𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗵𝗮𝗴𝗲-𝗖𝗔𝗥 therapies program macrophages to both phagocytose tumour cells and remodel the suppressive tumour microenvironment (TME). 

  • 𝗗𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗰 𝗰𝗲𝗹𝗹 𝘃𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀 use autologous antigen-loaded dendritic cells to present tumour peptides and prime T cells [2][3].  

A major obstacle in solid tumours remains the 𝘛𝘔𝘌, where hypoxia, stromal density, and suppressive myeloid populations impede immune cell infiltration and function [4]. 

𝗚𝗲𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗻 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵 
Pioneers like Prof. Hans-Georg Rammensee (Tübingen) and Prof. Henning Walczak (Cologne/UCL) shape immuno-oncology. Walczak’s research into cell death and inflammation mechanisms raises the question: 

Does inflammation initiate cancer, or does cancer provoke inflammation? Persistent inflammatory signalling may drive oncogenic transformation, while tumour-induced inflammation promotes immune escape [5]. 

𝗤𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗮𝘂𝗱𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲:  Which emerging immuno-oncology modality (e.g., NK-CAR, macrophage-CAR, neo-antigen vaccine) do you believe holds the greatest promise — and why?  

Stay tuned for 𝗗𝗮𝘆 𝟱𝟮: 𝗜𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗲 𝗖𝗵𝗲𝗰𝗸𝗽𝗼𝗶𝗻𝘁𝘀 – 𝗕𝗮𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗧𝗼𝗹𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗧𝘂𝗺𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗜𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆  

𝗥𝗲𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲𝘀: 
1. 10.1038/nature10673 
2. 10.1186/s13045-021-01127-w 
3. DOI: 10.1007/s00108-020-00814-z 
4. 10.1186/s12929-022-00866-3 
5. DOI: 10.1038/s41418-024-01355-w 

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