Immunotherapy Special Issue

Checkpoint inhibitors — immunotherapy drugs that are improving the treatment landscape for many patients across the spectrum of cancers — are relatively new. The science involved in finding and treating the patients most likely to respond to these drugs — without overlooking any or treating those who won’t benefit — is even newer.

We've known for over a century about rare patients who experience spontaneous regressions of cancer. We don’t have absolute proof, but, presumably, this occurs because their immune systems are able to rally and fight the disease.

Stand Up To Cancer’s “interception” trials tackle lung and pancreatic disease early, with the goal of preventing progression to advanced stages.

A new book delves into the stories of 25 immunotherapy pioneers and the history of the field they helped to develop.

In melanoma, combining two immunotherapies may lower costs and improve quality of life.

An immunotherapy pair looks promising for those with pleural mesothelioma, which is now treated with chemotherapy.

Immunotherapy’s effectiveness may depend on the bacteria living in patients’ gastrointestinal tracts, studies show.

Novel immunotherapies either release the immune system’s parking brake or hit its gas pedal.

Oncolytic, or engineered, viruses that infect and kill cancer cells are showing promise.

Checkpoint inhibitors can be extremely effective for the right patients, but identifying who will benefit remains an imprecise science.

A new expert guideline for managing immunotherapy’s side effects has been released.