LETTER FROM THE EDITOR - DECEMBER

 

Hello JITC Readers,

Welcome to the last edition of the JITC Digest in 2023. It’s been another wonderfully successful year for the journal, one that saw the publication of more than 400 articles and the engagement of nearly 1,300 unique reviewers. Additionally, 2023 featured the completion of our special series on liquid biopsies while commencing a new collection on computational I-O. I am also extremely proud of the inaugural Peer Review Mentorship Program graduates and their mentors that helped make the experience a resounding success and paved the way for an even larger number of participants in the coming year.

Before we look ahead to 2024, I would like to highlight a few recent articles that come from across the globe and span our original research sections. A multicenter randomized phase II trial by Benedetta Pellegrino et al demonstrates the utility of subcutaneous (SC) trastuzumab as an alternative for patients with early-stage HER2-positive breast cancer. Their findings suggest that this SC approach, which is more patient friendly, may lead to improved stromal tumor infiltrating lymphocytes compared with intravenous administration.

William C. Temple and colleagues humanized previously generated anti-CD72 nanobodies from which the resulting CD72 CAR-T cells were evaluated both in vitro and in vivo against preclinical models of B cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia and B cell non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Describing preclinical characterization and development of a novel cellular therapy, their work also informs CAR design principles to support a future, first-in-human phase I clinical trial to evaluate humanized CD72 nanoCARs in patients with CD72⁺ B cell malignancies that do not respond to CD19 CAR-T cell therapy.

Check out these selections and more in the Editor Picks below. Most importantly, I wish you all a happy holiday season and best wishes in the new year!

Regards,
James L. Gulley, MD, PhD, FACP
Journal for ImmunoTherapy of Cancer Interim Editor-in-Chief

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR - NOVEMBER

 

Hello JITC Readers,

Welcome to the latest edition of the JITC Digest. It is hard to believe that SITC’s 2023 Annual Meeting and Pre-Conference Programs were underway two weeks ago. It was wonderful to meet so many of you amidst the beautiful backdrop of sunny San Diego. Whether you attended in person or virtually, I hope you enjoyed the many quality sessions offered throughout the meeting and had a chance to connect with friends and colleagues.

Among those recognized at SITC 2023, I would like to send a heartfelt congratulations to Jeffrey S. Weber, MD, PhD, recipient of the 2023 “Pedro J. Romero Service to JITC Award.” I also congratulate the JITC Best Paper Award recipients on their outstanding original research. Learn more about all JITC awardees as well as the 2023 JITC Peer Review Mentorship Program graduates below. We welcome them to the team as our newest reviewers and thank all of you who have served in this crucial role for JITC. If you haven’t applied but are interested in volunteering to serve as a peer reviewer, please send us your application!

The excitement continues as we announce the first two publications in a new series of review articles on “Computational Immuno-Oncology,” edited by Alan Hutson, PhD. Be sure to check back throughout 2023–2024 for new articles. In addition to these reviews, there are numerous original research highlights for the past month of publications, including Eunhee Lee and colleagues demonstrating how an asymmetric anti-CLL-1×CD3 bispecific antibody shows promise for treating patients with acute myeloid leukemia that would likely result in less cytotoxicity than existing therapies. Elsewhere, Abdul Rafeh Naqash et al show how C-reactive protein could serve as a blood-based prognostic marker in patients with non-small cell lung cancer undergoing immune checkpoint inhibitor treatment.

I thank you all for your continued support of the journal. If we didn’t connect at SITC 2023, I hope to see you next November for SITC 2024 in Houston!

Regards,
James L. Gulley, MD, PhD, FACP
Journal for ImmunoTherapy of Cancer Interim Editor-in-Chief

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR - OCTOBER

 

Hello JITC Readers,

As I welcome you to the latest edition of the JITC Digest, I am excitedly looking ahead to the 2023 Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC) Annual Meeting & Pre-Conference Programs, just two weeks away, November 1st–5th, at the Convention Center in beautiful San Diego. 

There will be a number of exciting JITC events throughout the conference. For those of you attending in person, I encourage you to meet JITC’s Interim Deputy Editor-in-Chief Dr. Sjoerd H. van der Burg while he hosts a Meet-the-Editor session at the SITC booth on Saturday, November 4th at 12:15 p.m. PDT. Additionally, join me at the awards ceremony later that day at 6:30 p.m. PDT to congratulate the 2023 JITC Best Paper Award winners as well as our first class of graduates from the JITC Peer Review Mentorship Program. If you can’t make it to San Diego, be sure to follow JITC’s coverage on our LinkedIn and X social media accounts. See the special feature below for full details of all the JITC-related events at SITC 2023. 

While there will be plenty of outstanding science at the upcoming SITC meeting, there is compelling research published each month in JITC. This month’s highlights include a study by Karen Kai-Lin Fang et al on how anti-CD4-chimeric antigen receptor (CAR4) double-negative T cells (DNTs) can effectively target T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia and peripheral T-cell lymphoma. These findings support the potential use of allogeneic CAR4-DNTs as a novel treatment strategy for T-cell malignancies. Wenwen Zhang et al present a single-arm, phase II study that demonstrates the promising efficacy and safety of lenvatinib plus anti-PD-1 antibodies as conversion therapy in unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma. Check out these and other intriguing science stories below. 

I hope to see you all in San Diego! 

Regards,
James L. Gulley, MD, PhD, FACP
Journal for ImmunoTherapy of Cancer Interim Editor-in-Chief

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR - SEPTEMBER

 

Hello JITC Readers,

Welcome to this month’s edition of the JITC Digest. As we move through September, for many it marks the beginning of the academic year. It also means the Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC) Annual Meeting & Pre-Conference Programs are just around the corner. Opportunities to interact with JITC will be taking place throughout the event, including a Meet-the-Editor session on Saturday, November 4th from 12:15 p.m. PT to 1:15 p.m. PT at the SITC booth and the recognition of JITC award recipients. Check back next month for the expanded details on JITC activities. I hope to see you in San Diego!

I am also proud to share the final publications that complete our special series on liquid biopsies. The review “Cell-free DNA approaches for cancer early detection and interception” by Jamie E. Medina et al recently published along with its corresponding viewpoint letter from Christian Rolfo and Alessandro Russo. Be sure to read their work and the full slate of articles in this special collection that offers insights on the biology, technologies, and clinical applications of liquid biopsies as they are increasingly utilized in cancer immunotherapy. Thank you to our fantastic Guest Editors, Dr. Valsamo Anagnostou and Dr. Mark Stewart, for their innovative approach and enthusiastic dedication in leading the development of this series. They are the backbone to this informative, engaging series. 

There also continues to be plenty of exciting original research in JITC. Elizabeth Lee Carpenter et al present the results of a clinical trial that demonstrate the safety and efficacy of autologous tumor melanoma vaccines used in the adjuvant setting in resected stage III/IV melanoma patients and may improve disease-free and overall survival. Jared Ostmeyer and colleagues show how a novel metric called the T-cell tolerant fraction may serve as a predictor of clinically significant immune-related adverse events. Don’t miss these highlights and more in the latest Digest.

Regards,
James L. Gulley, MD, PhD, FACP
Journal for ImmunoTherapy of Cancer Interim Editor-in-Chief

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR - AUGUST

 

Hello JITC Readers,

Welcome to the latest edition of the JITC Digest. It’s August, which means that our Peer Review Mentorship Program is now collecting applications from early career professionals to participate as mentees in the upcoming new class. The first year of the program, currently underway, has been a smashing success, and we’re excited to expand the number of opportunities to help train the next generation of researchers that will keep the field moving forward. You can learn more about the program and how to apply below in the special feature. 

For those of you more established in your career, there is less than one month remaining to apply to be the next JITC Editor-in-Chief. If you are an active, well-known and well-regarded scientist, academic, or clinician, I encourage you to consider applying for this inspiring and rewarding position. 

As the journal collects applications for these important roles, we also take a look at some of the science being applied across the research spectrum. Kanako Shimuzu and colleagues demonstrate how a therapeutic cancer vaccine combined with CD122-biased IL-2Cx may serve as a promising strategy for patients with advanced cancers. Feifei Wei et al developed a highly accurate, reproducible machine learning-based platform that predicts the immune checkpoint inhibitor response of patients with non-small-cell lung cancer. Check out these featured articles and more in this month’s Digest

Regards,

James L. Gulley, MD, PhD, FACP

Journal for ImmunoTherapy of Cancer Interim Editor-in-Chief

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR - JULY

 

Dear JITC Readers,

It is my pleasure to welcome you to the latest JITC Digest. If you haven’t heard yet, the Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC) is now accepting applications in search of the next JITC Editor-in-Chief. I can honestly tell you from firsthand experience that it is an honor and a joy to lead such an exceptional journal. Though I will be relinquishing my duties with the journal at the end of 2024 as I step into my role as SITC President in 2025, I look forward to working closely with the incoming Editor-in-Chief throughout next year as we manage the formal transfer of leadership. See the special feature below to find out more about the roles and responsibilities of the Editor-in-Chief and how to apply.

I would also like to call your attention to “Battling Breast Cancer with High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound”, a special episode of the Excited by the Science podcast that features JITC Associate Editor Dr. Ravi Patel. The conversation with Dr. Patel centers on research published in JITC that shows encouraging developments in reducing late recurrence or metastasis in breast cancer. Check out their enlightening discussion and the original JITC article below.

As for the latest research, this month’s highlights include a study from Solvay and colleagues that proposes a molecular explanation for the combined roles of tryptophan deprivation and kynurenine production in mediating IDO1/TDO-induced immune suppression, while McGray et al demonstrate the therapeutic potential of T cells that secrete folate receptor alpha-directed bispecific T-cell engagers in ovarian cancer.

Regards,

James L. Gulley, MD, PhD, FACP

Journal for ImmunoTherapy of Cancer Interim Editor-in-Chief

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR - JUNE

 

Dear JITC Readers,

Welcome to the latest JITC Digest. June is Cancer Immunotherapy Month^TM and an opportunity to help promote awareness of the cancer immunotherapy field. I encourage you to learn more about how SITC celebrates the month and consider taking part in the educational and professional development opportunities offered by the society, including numerous upcoming events.

One important aspect of immunotherapy as it becomes standard of care in an increasing number of disease states are the position papers and guidelines that provide guidance to enhance clinical decision making in the field. View the collection of these articles that includes SITC’s clinical practice guidelines and feature two brand new publications offering guidance for treating gynecologic and gastrointestinal cancers.

In addition to these important guidelines, JITC continues to publish top-notch research, some of which are found in my Editor’s Picks below. Highlights include how the antidiabetic drug metformin directly improved CD8 T-cell fitness in hypoxia, both in vitro and in vivo by Finisguerra et al, and how a radiomics model provided an innovative and accurate way to predict the response of immune checkpoint inhibitors for patients with advanced breast cancer from Zhao et al.

Finally, regardless of the month, JITC is dedicated to providing authors with the best service possible. Our publisher, BMJ, has been rolling out changes to help improve the experience for authors. Learn about some of these tools in the special feature below.

Regards,

James L. Gulley, MD, PhD, FACP

Journal for ImmunoTherapy of Cancer Interim Editor-in-Chief

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR - MAY

 

Dear JITC Readers,

Welcome to the latest edition of the JITC Digest. As the busy meeting season continues, I know many of us are excited to check out the latest research that will be unveiled at next month’s American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting in Chicago. For those of you attending in person, please stop by the SITC Booth (#2026) in the exhibition hall, where I will be holding a Meet the Editor activity on Sunday, June 4th, 11–11:30 am CT. It’s a great opportunity to talk about your work and explore opportunities within JITC.

Whether or not you’re attending the meeting, you can follow along with JITC’s social media coverage of ASCO 2023 on Twitter and LinkedIn. Our journal’s social media presence continues to expand, thanks in no small part to our dedicated Social Media Editors Drs. Kristin Anderson, Praveen Bommareddy, and Cheng Sun. Learn more about each of them in the special feature below.

You can also check out this month’s Editor’s Picks, which highlight efforts from around the world and across the research spectrum, including the generation and preclinical characterization of a novel SIRPα blocking antibody, BYON4228, by van Helden et al, and how radiation treatment shapes the immune compartment and interactions with cancer cells within renal cell carcinoma patient tumors from Chow et al.

Regards,

James L. Gulley, MD, PhD, FACP

Journal for ImmunoTherapy of Cancer Interim Editor-in-Chief

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR - APRIL

 

Hello JITC Readers,

It is my pleasure to welcome you to the latest edition of the JITC Digest. While I am honored to step into the role of Interim Editor-in-Chief, I must first send my sincerest thanks and appreciation to Founding Editor-in-Chief Pedro J. Romero for his guidance and dedication during his decade plus leading the journal. I encourage you all to view the special feature below, a thank you to Dr. Romero on behalf of JITC‘s Editorial Board and staff.

As JITC now opens a new chapter and enters its second decade, I am pleased to welcome Sjoerd van der Burg as Interim Deputy Editor-in-Chief. I look forward to working closely with him as we carry on the high quality and stellar reputation of the journal into a bright future. 

Change may be in the air at JITC, but unchanged is the commitment to continue publishing the best the immunotherapy field has to offer. Be sure to check out some of the top recent publications featured here in the Editor’s Picks. From identifying a population of CD163-expressing M2-like macrophages as key suppressors of T cell immunity with Marit J. van Elsas et al to a phase I, first-in-human trial that provides proof of principle that vaccination combined with checkpoint blockade may elicit antitumor T cell responses against prostate cancer by Karen A. Autio et al, there is something for everyone.

Finally, I would also like to thank the many of you who stopped by the SITC booth for the Meet the Editor activity during AACR 2023. It is always wonderful to see so many colleagues and discuss the latest science. If you couldn’t make it, join me at ASCO 2023 on Sunday, June 4^th. I will be available for a Meet the Editor activity at 11am CT at the SITC booth (#2016). I hope to see you there!

Regards,

James L. Gulley, MD, PhD, FACP

Journal for ImmunoTherapy of Cancer Interim Editor-in-Chief

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR - MARCH

 

Hello JITC Readers,

For more than 10 years, I have had the honor and the pleasure of being at the helm of the Journal for ImmunoTherapy of Cancer (JITC). It has been an absolutely extraordinary experience. Many of you know that I have transitioned already to Professor Emeritus at University of Lausanne. As I contemplate the next phase of my career, the time has come for me to pass the baton on to another to lead JITC so that they may experience all the inspiration and community that the journal has to offer. 

Being the Founding Editor-in-Chief of JITC has been one of the most exciting and rewarding tasks in my academic career. The effort to build JITC, shared with several successive leaders at the Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC) as well as publishers BMC (2013–2019) and BMJ (2020–present), has made it all the more special. 

I would like to express my appreciation to the team of nearly 100 editors, especially to Section Editors—Kees Melief, Sjoerd van der Burg, Douglas McNeel, Claudia Palena, Jeff Weber, Ignacio Melero, Alexandra Snyder, Howard Kaufman, Sebastian Kobold, Marcela Maus, Robert Ferris, Sandra Demaria, Laurence Fong, and Christian Capitini—former Section Editors, and Specialty Editors. I also thank the multiple teams at SITC that support the journal in various, critical ways. Most especially, I express my deepest gratitude to our Managing Editor, Andrea Kunz, and Assistant Managing Editor, Matthew Erickson, who are the tireless brains and hands keeping JITC thriving and vibrant. There simply is not enough space here to name all of the society’s and scientific community’s members who have generously accompanied us in this successful publishing adventure.

As I transition into a new role with the journal as a Consulting Editor for Special Series and Reviews, I am pleased to share that our current JITC Deputy Editor-in-Chief, Dr. James Gulley, is stepping into the role of Interim Editor-in-Chief starting in April while SITC conducts an open search for the next Editor-in-Chief later this year. Having worked with him on the journal over the past several years, I am grateful to see his leadership recognized and know he will carry the role of Interim Editor-in-Chief with pride. I also congratulate our dedicated Section Editor, Sjoerd van der Burg, who will be promoted to Interim Deputy Editor-in-Chief during this transition period. I wish James, Sjoerd, the editorial team, and all the JITC family continued success. With them in the pilot’s cockpit, the journal enters into its second decade of its life as the vehicle to accelerate the discovery and implementation of new treatments for cancers based on the immune system.

Regards,

Pedro J. Romero, MD
Editor-in-Chief, Journal for ImmunoTherapy of Cancer

 

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR - FEBRUARY

Hello JITC Readers,

Welcome to the latest edition of the JITC Digest. This month I’m excited to share our special feature, spotlighting JITC’s newest review series, “Liquid Biopsies Coming of Age: Biology, Emerging Technologies, and Clinical Translation.” Our first two reviews and their companion viewpoint letters have already published, and be sure to check the collections page throughout 2023 for additional articles on this exciting and emerging frontier.

Our article highlights this month feature other exciting frontiers for the immunotherapy field including epigenetic modulation and microbial influences on anti-tumor immunity.

Lauren M Perry and colleagues describe the presence of an intratumoral microbiome and virome in soft tissue sarcoma as well as associations between intratumoral viruses, natural killer cell infiltration, and oncologic outcomes.

Rationale for combination of epigenetic modulation with macrophage-targeting therapies for the treatment of MYC-driven medulloblastoma is provided by Viktoria Marquardt and colleagues.

Two pathways for T cell-induced secretion of the TIM-3 and VISTA ligand galectin-9 from solid tumors are revealed by Stephanie Schlichtner et al.

And finally, Jelmer H van Puffelen and colleagues show that intravesical Bacillus Calmette–Guérin causes epigenetic, transcriptomic, and functional changes in myeloid cells consistent with trained immunity, which may protect patients undergoing treatment for non-muscle invasive bladder cancer from respiratory infections.

Best,

Pedro J. Romero, MD
Editor-in-Chief, Journal for ImmunoTherapy of Cancer