Immunotherapy represents a paradigm shift in oncology, rooted in a century of evolving scientific understanding and clinical application. From the pioneering use of Coley’s toxins in the late nineteen Show more
Immunotherapy represents a paradigm shift in oncology, rooted in a century of evolving scientific understanding and clinical application. From the pioneering use of Coley’s toxins in the late nineteenth century to the introduction of cytokine-based interventions, the trajectory of immunotherapeutic approaches has paralleled advancements in immunology and molecular biology. This review comprehensively examines the historical development and progressive refinement of immunotherapy for cancer, charting the transition from non-specific immune stimulation to targeted immune modulation. Central to this discussion are the sophisticated mechanisms by which tumour cells evade immune detection and destruction. These include downregulation of antigen presentation machinery, secretion of immunosuppressive cytokines, recruitment of regulatory T cells and myeloid-derived suppressor cells, and exploitation of immune checkpoint pathways, particularly CTLA-4 and PD-1/PD-L1 axes. The advent of immune checkpoint inhibitors has yielded durable clinical responses in diverse malignancies, substantiating their role as foundational agents in cancer therapy. Nonetheless, both primary and acquired resistance to immune checkpoint inhibition remain significant clinical obstacles. Resistance mechanisms are multifactorial, involving tumour-intrinsic genetic alterations, modulation of the tumour microenvironment, and adaptive changes in immune cell phenotypes. Contemporary research endeavors are directed at overcoming these barriers, including the optimization of combinatorial regimens, development of next-generation checkpoint modulators, tumour-specific vaccines, and the integration of adoptive cell therapies. Future directions in cancer immunotherapy are poised to leverage advances in systems biology, genomics, and single-cell technologies to individualize interventions and enhance therapeutic efficacy. Ultimately, a comprehensive delineation of tumour-immune interactions will underpin the next generation of rational, effective, and durable cancer immunotherapies. Show less
Lung cancer is a common malignant tumor that occurs in the human body and poses a serious threat to human health and quality of life. The existing treatment methods mainly include surgical treatment, Show more
Lung cancer is a common malignant tumor that occurs in the human body and poses a serious threat to human health and quality of life. The existing treatment methods mainly include surgical treatment, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy. However, due to the strong metastatic characteristics of lung cancer and the emergence of related drug resistance and radiation resistance, the overall survival rate of lung cancer patients is not ideal. There is an urgent need to develop new treatment strategies or new effective drugs to treat lung cancer. Ferroptosis, a novel type of programmed cell death, is different from the traditional cell death pathways such as apoptosis, necrosis, pyroptosis and so on. It is caused by the increase of iron-dependent reactive oxygen species due to intracellular iron overload, which leads to the accumulation of lipid peroxides, thus inducing cell membrane oxidative damage, affecting the normal life process of cells, and finally promoting the process of ferroptosis. The regulation of ferroptosis is closely related to the normal physiological process of cells, and it involves iron metabolism, lipid metabolism, and the balance between oxygen-free radical reaction and lipid peroxidation. A large number of studies have confirmed that ferroptosis is a result of the combined action of the cellular oxidation/antioxidant system and cell membrane damage/repair, which has great potential application in tumor therapy. Therefore, this review aims to explore potential therapeutic targets for ferroptosis in lung cancer by clarifying the regulatory pathway of ferroptosis. Based on the study of ferroptosis, the regulation mechanism of ferroptosis in lung cancer was understood and the existing chemical drugs and natural compounds targeting ferroptosis in lung cancer were summarized, with the aim of providing new ideas for the treatment of lung cancer. In addition, it also provides the basis for the discovery and clinical application of chemical drugs and natural compounds targeting ferroptosis to effectively treat lung cancer. Show less