Potential Biomarkers in Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors
A special issue of Cancers (ISSN 2072-6694). This special issue belongs to the section "Cancer Immunology and Immunotherapy".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 October 2025) | Viewed by 2367
Special Issue Editor
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have transformed the treatment landscape across various cancer types by harnessing the immune system to combat tumors. Despite their success, response rates remain suboptimal, with only a subset of patients achieving durable clinical benefits. Identifying reliable biomarkers for predicting and monitoring responses to ICIs has thus become a critical area of research.
This Special Issue focuses on potential biomarkers in immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy, exploring their role in patient selection, resistance mechanisms, and therapeutic outcomes. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to, the following:
- PD-L1 expression as a predictive biomarker and its limitations.
- Tumor mutational burden (TMB), microsatellite instability (MSI), and neoantigen load.
- Emerging biomarkers such as circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA), peripheral immune signatures, and novel genomic, transcriptomic, or proteomic markers.
- Mechanisms underlying primary and acquired resistance to ICIs.
- Biomarkers for immune-related adverse events (irAEs).
- The integration of biomarkers into real-world clinical decision-making and trials.
We welcome submissions of original research, reviews, and commentaries that advance our understanding of biomarkers in immunotherapy. By shedding light on predictive and prognostic indicators, this Special Issue aims to contribute to the ongoing efforts to refine immune-based treatments and improve outcomes for cancer patients.
Dr. Goulnar Kasymjanova
Guest Editor
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 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-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Cancers is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly 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 2900 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
- advanced metastatic cancer
- personalized immunotherapy
- predictive biomarkers
- circulating tumor DNA
- resistance mechanisms
- tumor microenvironment (TME)
- adverse events
- real-world evidence
Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue
- Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
- Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
- Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
- External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
- Reprint: MDPI Books provides the opportunity to republish successful Special Issues in book format, both online and in print.
Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.
