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Biomedicines
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Cancer Immunotherapy: Molecular Research and Application
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Cancer Immunotherapy: Molecular Research and Application

A special issue of Biomedicines (ISSN 2227-9059). This special issue belongs to the section "Cancer Biology and Oncology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 December 2026 | Viewed by 701

Editors

Dr. Joaquin Marco-Brualla

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Guest Editor
Faculty of Pharmacy, CEU-San Pablo University, Boadilla del Monte, Madrid, Spain
Interests: cancer immunotherapy; cell death mechanisms; mitochondrial dynamics; energy metabolism
Prof. Dr. Alberto Anel

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Guest Editor
Departamento de Bioquímica, Biología Molecular y Celular, Universidad de Zaragoza, 50009 Zaragoza, Spain
Interests: cancer immunology; cell biology; apoptosis; autoimmunity
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

In recent years, advances in molecular biology, immunology, and biotechnology have significantly enhanced our understanding of tumor–immune system interactions. Breakthroughs such as immune checkpoint inhibitors, CAR-T cell therapies, and cancer vaccines have demonstrated the potential of immunotherapy to achieve durable responses in various malignancies. However, important challenges remain, including treatment resistance, limited efficacy across cancer types, and immune-related adverse effects.

We are pleased to invite you to contribute to a forthcoming Special Issue entitled ‘Cancer Immunotherapy: Molecular Research and Application’. This collection aims to gather high-quality original research, reviews, and perspectives that address both fundamental mechanisms and clinical applications of cancer immunotherapy. We particularly welcome contributions exploring novel molecular targets, biomarkers for patient stratification, combination therapies, and translational approaches bridging laboratory findings with clinical practice.

Given the rapid evolution of this field and its critical role in shaping the future of cancer treatment, continued research is essential. Your contribution will help advance knowledge and, ultimately, support the development of more effective and accessible therapies.

Dr. Joaquin Marco-Brualla
Prof. Dr. Alberto Anel
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-anonymized peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Biomedicines is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • cancer immunotherapy
  • immunomodulation
  • drug discovery
  • molecular mechanisms
  • combination therapies
  • translational research
  • biomarkers

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

30 pages, 44705 KB  
Article
From Oncolysis to Adaptive Immunity: Yellow Fever Virus 17D and Ruxolitinib Activate Antitumor Immune Responses in Pancreatic Cancer Models
by Kirill N. Trachuk, Yulia K. Biryukova, Vitalii A. Kapranov, Alina S. Nazarenko, Ekaterina A. Orlova, Grigory L. Kozhemyakin, Grigory A. Demyashkin, Ilya V. Gordeychuk, Aydar A. Ishmukhametov and Nadezhda M. Kolyasnikova
Biomedicines 2026, 14(8), 1763; https://doi.org/10.3390/biomedicines14081763 - 5 Aug 2026
Abstract
Background: Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) remains one of the most lethal cancers, with a five-year survival rate of less than 12%. Oncolytic viruses are considered a promising immunotherapeutic approach, but their effectiveness is often limited by the innate interferon response, which is [...] Read more.
Background: Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) remains one of the most lethal cancers, with a five-year survival rate of less than 12%. Oncolytic viruses are considered a promising immunotherapeutic approach, but their effectiveness is often limited by the innate interferon response, which is the main antiviral barrier in resistant tumors. A combination of an oncolytic virus with JAK/STAT pathway inhibitors has been proposed to overcome this resistance. Methods: In this study, we investigated the oncolytic and immunotherapeutic potential of the attenuated yellow fever vaccine strain YFV 17D in combination with the JAK1/JAK2 inhibitor ruxolitinib in a panel of six PDAC cell lines with diverse genetic profiles and JAK/STAT signaling activities and in a syngeneic immunocompetent PAN02 mouse model. Results: In vitro, we identified three distinct response patterns: synergistic enhancement of viral replication and cytopathic effect, lack of synergism due to absent interferon signaling, and increased viral replication without cytopathic effect. Despite different cell mutation profiles, the cell response patterns were determined by the basal JAK/STAT activity of each cell line rather than by specific KRAS or TP53 mutation. In vivo, the combination therapy significantly extended median survival compared to YFV 17D monotherapy and the control group and induced tumor regression in 62.5% of animals. Since no difference in intratumoral viral RNA was detected between the combination and monotherapy groups, we suggest that the antitumor effect in vivo was mediated not by enhanced viral replication, but by activation of adaptive immunity. This is indirectly suggested by increased intratumoral IL-12, a fourfold increase in CD8+ T cell infiltration, a reduction in CD4+ cells, and the generation of virus-neutralizing antibodies. No systemic cytokine surge, neurovirulence, or viral dissemination was observed, suggesting the safety of the proposed regimen. Conclusions: These findings clarify the immune mechanisms determining the efficacy of YFV 17D combined with ruxolitinib and establish the basis for personalized patient stratification by tumor interferon signaling status. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Cancer Immunotherapy: Molecular Research and Application)
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14 pages, 363 KB  
Article
Atezolizumab Plus Bevacizumab Versus Durvalumab Plus Tremelimumab for Advanced Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Propensity-Score-Matched Analysis
by Sarina Ailawadi, Sepideh Mehravar, Jennifer E. Murphy, Michael H. Storandt and Amit Mahipal
Biomedicines 2026, 14(7), 1638; https://doi.org/10.3390/biomedicines14071638 - 21 Jul 2026
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Abstract
Background: Atezolizumab plus bevacizumab (A + B) and durvalumab plus tremelimumab (D + T) are approved first-line systemic therapy options for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), with no head-to-head comparison. In this propensity-matched analysis, we compared the survival of patients with advanced HCC [...] Read more.
Background: Atezolizumab plus bevacizumab (A + B) and durvalumab plus tremelimumab (D + T) are approved first-line systemic therapy options for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), with no head-to-head comparison. In this propensity-matched analysis, we compared the survival of patients with advanced HCC who received either A + B or D + T therapy. Methods: Patients with advanced HCC who received A + B or D + T treatment in the first-line setting were identified using the TriNetX platform, a health research network that provides access to electronic health record data from 112 healthcare organizations. Propensity-score-matched (PSM) analysis was conducted, and the median overall survival (OS) was estimated using the Kaplan–Meier method. Results: We identified 2819 patients with HCC who were treated with A + B or D + T: 2031 patients received A + B and 788 received D + T. Compared to patients in the A + B cohort, those who received D + T were more likely to be older (median age: 68.4 vs. 66.9 years), have lower platelet counts (186.8 vs. 201.3), higher prevalence of hypoalbuminemia with levels < 2.7 g/dL (35.2% vs. 28.4%), higher prevalence of bilirubin levels between 2.0 and 2.9 mg/dL (28.8% vs. 23.8%), and decreased INR with levels between 0.0 and 1.6 (92.1% vs. 86.3%). After PSM, 1536 patients were included in the survival analyses, with all variables adequately matched. There was no significant difference in the median OS between those receiving A + B or D + T [16.3 vs. 22.5 months, hazard ratio (HR) 0.89, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.76–1.0]. Higher rates of immune-mediated colitis were noted in the D + T group. Conclusions: Similar survival rates were observed among patients with advanced HCC who received A + B and D + T in the first-line setting. Our study suggests that both A + B and D + T are valid treatment options, and that therapy can be tailored based on comorbidities, adverse effects, and patient preferences. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Cancer Immunotherapy: Molecular Research and Application)
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