Letter From the Editor- February

Dear JITC Readers,

Welcome to the second JITC digest of 2021. The papers highlighted in this month’s spotlight exciting new frontiers in the immunotherapy field—underscoring the advancements made in new therapies beyond checkpoint inhibitors as well as the ever-evolving understanding of how the “classical” treatments exert anti-tumor effects.

 

The journal added new sections devoted to adoptive cell therapies and oncolytic viruses as recently as last year, and these important areas continue to advance.

 

This month, a paper by Jitendra Kumar et al reveals a strategy to overcome a longstanding challenge in adoptive cell therapies for solid tumors, namely, the immunosuppressive milieu in the tumor microenvironment. Additionally, Giulia Marelli and colleagues demonstrate a rational approach to enhancing the efficacy of oncolytic virus therapy with improved systemic distribution and enforced cytokine production for the vector.

 

The central role of the innate immune system in the anti-tumor effects of checkpoint inhibition are increasingly coming to prominence. Highlighting this rapidly evolving avenue of inquiry, Anastasia Prokopi et al provide evidence that dendritic cells are essential for tumor control in melanoma.

 

Complementing the original research in this month’s digest is an outstanding review by Xiuting Liu, Graham D Hogg, and David G DeNardo, which clearly outlines the direct and indirect effects of checkpoint inhibition on non-lymphoid cells. For additional nuanced and sophisticated explorations of the evolving landscape of tumor immune suppression and evasion, be sure to revisit the Immune Checkpoints Beyond PD-1 series.

 

Finally, it would be impossible for JITC to maintain its status as the preeminent immuno-oncology journal without the tireless efforts of anonymous peer reviewers, who ensure that every paper published in the journal is of the highest quality. In 2020, more than 1,400 unique reviewers evaluated papers for the journal, and the editorial board wishes to extend a sincere and heartfelt thank you for their dedication and perseverance. If you are interested in applying to become a reviewer, please visit the volunteer portal to apply.

 

Best regards,

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

To view the entire February 2021 JITC Digest, please click here.