Highlights in IO: next-generation CAR-T therapy for glioblastoma <p>Over the past few years, outcomes and findings from several phase 1 clinical trials evaluating chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cell therapies for glioblastoma (GBM) have been reported. For CAR-T cell therapy to succeed in GBM, several challenges must be overcome, including the immunosuppressive microenvironment (immunosuppressive cells, hypoxia, and metabolic constraints), antigen heterogeneity, and the anatomically isolated environment. To address these… Journal for ImmunoTherapy of Cancer April 1, 2026 Original source
Epigenetic remodeling in sarcoma promotes T-cell infiltration via modulation of the Hippo pathway Background <p>Insufficient T-cell infiltration limits the effectiveness of immunotherapy in sarcoma, yet the tumor-intrinsic mechanisms that govern immune exclusion remain poorly defined.</p> Methods <p>By integrating patient-derived ex vivo sarcoma spheroids with autologous expanded tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes and an in vivo metastatic osteosarcoma model, antitumor immune regulation by histone modifications was examined.</p> Results <p>Histone H3 lysine 27 acetylation (H3K27ac) was identified as… Journal for ImmunoTherapy of Cancer April 1, 2026 Original source
Intraperitoneal CF33-hNIS combined with PD-L1 blockade eradicates gastric cancer peritoneal metastases and prevents recurrence via durable T cell memory Background <p>Peritoneal metastasis (PM) from gastric cancer (GC) is associated with poor prognosis and limited treatment options. We investigated a novel peritoneal-targeted therapy using CF33-human sodium iodide symporter (hNIS), a chimeric orthopoxvirus, combined with anti-PD-L1 immune checkpoint blockade in an immunocompetent mouse model of GCPM.</p> Methods <p>We evaluated replication and cytotoxicity of CF33-hNIS in human and murine GC cell lines.… Journal for ImmunoTherapy of Cancer April 1, 2026 Original source
Impact of NSAID type, initiation timing, duration and dose on clinical outcomes of immunotherapy in NSCLC: a multicenter two-cohort study Background <p>Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are frequently used medications in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). We comprehensively evaluated the effect of NSAID exposure patterns on immunotherapy outcomes, prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) and immune cells.</p> Methods <p>This multicenter study employed both prospective and retrospective approaches for patient enrollment. Patients were included if they had advanced NSCLC, and were first-time users of immune… Journal for ImmunoTherapy of Cancer April 1, 2026 Original source
Influence of USP15 and its derived-peptide on non-small cell lung cancer immune evasion via regulating PD-L1 stability Background <p>Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) therapy targeting programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1)/programmed cell death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) shows promising clinical benefits in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, the relatively low response rate highlights the need to elucidate the regulatory mechanism of PD-L1 expression, and develop an alternative strategy to target PD-1/PD-L1 immune checkpoint pathway. Our study focuses on the… Journal for ImmunoTherapy of Cancer April 1, 2026 Original source
PD-L1-targeted PET imaging for non-invasive assessment of immunotherapy response in lung cancer Background <p>Immune checkpoint inhibitors have improved outcomes for several malignancies; however, there remains a lack of accurate, non-invasive methods to assess tumor PD-L1 expression levels and guide immunotherapy. This study aimed to evaluate the role of PD-L1-targeted positron emission tomography (PET) imaging in predicting immunotherapy response and prognosis in lung cancer.</p> Methods <p>Four healthy volunteers and 22 treatment-naïve lung cancer… Journal for ImmunoTherapy of Cancer April 1, 2026 Original source
Dual-chemokine-armed oncolytic Senecavirus A co-recruits cDC1 and CXCR3+ T cells to convert 'cold melanoma and drive durable regression Background <p>Oncolytic virotherapy represents a promising anticancer strategy by combining direct tumor lysis with in situ immune activation. However, its efficacy remains limited in immune-cold tumors, which are characterized by poor T-cell infiltration and an immunosuppressive microenvironment. Although engineering oncolytic viruses to deliver chemokines has been explored to modulate immune recruitment, most existing approaches activate only a single immune axis.… Journal for ImmunoTherapy of Cancer March 31, 2026 Original source
Clinical value of tumor mutational burden for neoadjuvant and adjuvant immune checkpoint inhibitor in early-stage non-small cell lung cancer <p>Tumor mutational burden (TMB) and PD-L1 are established biomarkers for guiding immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) therapy in advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). As ICI use expands into early-stage disease, we explored the feasibility of using TMB, which can be determined via a comprehensive genomic profiling assay along with <i>EGFR</i> and <i>ALK</i> genomic alterations, as a biomarker for outcomes in… Journal for ImmunoTherapy of Cancer March 31, 2026 Original source
A fatty competitor in tumour immunity <p>Nature Reviews Cancer, Published online: 31 March 2026; <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41568-026-00927-x">doi:10.1038/s41568-026-00927-x</a></p>Adipose tissue and adipocytes have been implicated in promoting tumour progression and hindering anti-tumour immunity. Wang et al. investigated the functional role of tumour-associated visceral adipose tissue in regulating colorectal cancer anti-tumour immunity and immunotherapy efficacy. Nature Reviews Cancer March 31, 2026 Original source
[Clinical Picture] New subcutaneous nodules and joint pain in a patient with pancreatic cancer A 51-year-old man with advanced pancreatic cancer presented to General Hospital of Southern Theater Command (Guangzhou, China) in December, 2025, with a 3-week history of rapidly spreading, painful subcutaneous nodules (figure A), and bilateral knee pain. He was on maintenance oral tegafur after initial response to FOLFIRINOX. His knee pain, initially managed as gout given his history, was unresponsive to… The Lancet Oncology March 30, 2026 Original source
[Policy Review] A practical toolkit with recommendations for analysing and visualising patient-reported outcomes in early phase dose-finding oncology trials (OPTIMISE-AR) Patient-reported outcomes (PROs) are increasingly recognised for their role in assessing tolerability in dose-finding oncology trials (DFOTs). However, analysis and reporting of PRO data within DFOTs are often unclear and inconsistent. OPTIMISE-AR (Incorporating Patient-Reported Outcomes in Dose-Finding Trials–Analysis Recommendations) establishes a practical toolkit supporting the statistical analysis, visualisation, and reporting of PRO data within DFOT publications. International, multidisciplinary, cross-sector statistical… The Lancet Oncology March 30, 2026 Original source
[Policy Review] Advancing cancer equity in seven high-income countries: an analysis of policy levers and National Cancer Control Plans Persistent inequities in cancer outcomes remain a defining challenge for global health systems, including in high-income countries. Despite advances across prevention, early detection, treatment, and survivorship, disparities persist, reflecting entrenched social and structural inequities. While equity is increasingly articulated within national and global cancer agendas, comparative analysis of how equity is conceptualised and operationalised in national cancer control planning remains… The Lancet Oncology March 30, 2026 Original source
[Policy Review] Anti-infective vaccination strategies in patients with haematological malignancies or solid tumours: updated guideline of the Infectious Diseases Working Party of the German Society for Hematology and Medical Oncology Vaccine-preventable infections remain a major cause of morbidity and mortality in patients with cancer. The updated guideline for anti-infective vaccination strategies in patients with cancer of the German Society of Hematology and Medical Oncology Infectious Diseases Working Group was developed by a guideline panel of experts in internal medicine, haematology, medical oncology, and infectious diseases. For previously covered vaccinations, we… The Lancet Oncology March 30, 2026 Original source
[Policy Review] Principles of cytoreductive surgery for primary and metastatic peritoneal malignancies—the PSOGI–ESGO–ISSPP Lyon consensus Complete macroscopic resection is the key objective of cytoreductive surgery for peritoneal malignancy. However, heterogeneity in terminology and operative technique persists across centres and between surgical and gynaecological disciplines. This study sought to establish international consensus on the nomenclature of cytoreductive surgery procedures, key technical principles of peritonectomy procedures and visceral resections, and management of regional lymph nodes in the… The Lancet Oncology March 30, 2026 Original source
[Articles] Deep learning on histopathological images to predict breast cancer recurrence risk and chemotherapy benefit: a multicentre, model development and validation study These findings show that AI applied to routine histopathology can serve as a practical and scalable tool for guiding chemotherapy decisions in hormone receptor-positive, HER2-negative, early breast cancer. This approach has the potential to reduce unnecessary chemotherapy and broaden access to precision oncology, particularly in resource-limited settings where genomic testing remains unavailable or unaffordable. The Lancet Oncology March 30, 2026 Original source
[Articles] Interpretation of constitutional cancer predisposition gene variants in 14 765 individuals in the 100 000 Genomes Project cancer arm: a retrospective cohort analysis Understanding the frequency and nature of variants in cancer predisposition genes is important for planning of clinical services. Our analysis highlights the implications of more expansive genetic testing and the variant interpretation considerations necessary to yield benefit and avoid harm (eg, unnecessary surveillance) for patients. The Lancet Oncology March 30, 2026 Original source
[Articles] Ifinatamab deruxtecan, a B7-H3-directed antibody–drug conjugate, in patients with advanced solid tumours (IDeate-PanTumor01): dose-escalation results from a phase 1/2 trial The maximum tolerated dose was not reached with ifinatamab deruxtecan; however, one death due to treatment-related interstitial lung disease highlights the importance of prompt evaluation and careful management of patients who develop interstitial lung disease. Promising antitumour activity was observed across various solid tumours. These findings support further evaluation of ifinatamab deruxtecan in randomised controlled trials. The Lancet Oncology March 30, 2026 Original source
[Articles] New prostate cancer risk groups by PSMA-PET (PPP3): an international, retrospective, registry-based cohort study We present new risk nomograms by PROMISE along with a simple table to prognosticate 3-year, 5-year, and 7-year overall survival in prostate cancer. PROMISE and PPP3 assessments are freely available online for global implementation. The Lancet Oncology March 30, 2026 Original source
[Articles] [177Lu]Lu-PSMA-617 in combination with pembrolizumab for treatment of metastatic castration resistant prostate cancer (PRINCE): a single-arm, phase 1b/2 study Multicycle [177Lu]Lu-PSMA-617 and pembrolizumab showed encouraging activity with manageable toxicity that was consistent with [177Lu]Lu-PSMA-617 or pembrolizumab, and the combination might provide durable clinical benefit in a subset of patients. The Lancet Oncology March 30, 2026 Original source
[Articles] [177Lu]-PSMA-617-PSMA-617 in oligometastatic hormone sensitive prostate cancer (BULLSEYE): an open-label, randomised, phase 2 study 177Lu-PSMA-617 showed promising response rates and delayed disease progression in patients with oligometastatic HSPC in this trial. In addition, most treatment-related adverse events were low grade. The Lancet Oncology March 30, 2026 Original source