Thoracic Malignancies and Immunity: Advances, Challenges, and Future Directions of Immunotherapy
A special issue of Current Oncology (ISSN 1718-7729). This special issue belongs to the section "Thoracic Oncology".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 July 2026 | Viewed by 451
Special Issue Editor
Interests: thoracic oncology; lung cancer (NSCLC and SCLC); malignant pleural mesothelioma; thymic malignancies and thymoma; minimally invasive and robotic thoracic surgery; endoscopic and bronchoscopic interventions; immunotherapy; combination therapies; tumor microenvironment and resistance mechanisms; translational research in thoracic oncology; radiomics in thoracic malignancies
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Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
The advent of immunotherapy has profoundly reshaped the therapeutic paradigm for thoracic malignancies, yet many questions remain unanswered. Challenges such as resistance mechanisms in lung cancer and mesothelioma, the accurate quantification of PD-L1 in early-stage lung cancer, immune-related toxicities, and the onset of autoimmune disorders or sarcoidosis highlight the complexity of the interplay between cancer and immunity. Furthermore, the relationship between thymic malignancies, lymphoma, autoimmune diseases, and thymic hyperplasia deserves further investigation.
This Special Issue aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the latest advances in this area, while critically addressing the major challenges and risks associated with immunotherapy in thoracic oncology.
We envision this publication covering (but not limited to) the following topics:
- Tumor–immune system interactions and the immunobiology of thoracic malignancies;
- PD-L1 testing: methodological challenges and clinical implications;
- Mechanisms of resistance to immune checkpoint inhibitors;
- Management of immune-related adverse events and toxicities;
- Immune dysregulation leading to autoimmune diseases or sarcoidosis;
- Novel therapeutic combinations and translational perspectives in immunotherapy.
Dr. Giacomo Cusumano
Guest Editor
Manuscript Submission Information
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Keywords
- lung cancer (NSCLC and SCLC)
- malignant pleural mesothelioma
- immune checkpoint inhibitors
- biomarkers (PD-L1, TMB, ctDNA)
- tumor microenvironment & immune evasion
- combination therapies (chemo-IO, IO-IO, radiotherapy)
- neoadjuvant and adjuvant immunotherapy
- immune-related adverse events (irAEs)
- resistance mechanisms & re-challenge
- real-world evidence & translational research
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