Tumor neoantigens and tumor immunotherapies

Abstract

AbstractAs a high‐risk group of patients with cancer, the elderly exhibit limited efficacy with traditional treatments. Immunotherapy emerges as a promising adjunctive therapeutic approach that holds potential in addressing the needs of geriatric patients with cancer. Neoantigens, a unique class of tumor‐specific antigens generated by non‐synonymous mutations, are garnering increasing attention as targets for immunotherapy in clinical applications. Newly developed technologies, such as second‐generation gene sequencing and mass spectrometry, have provided powerful technical support for the identification and prediction of neoantigens. At present, neoantigen‐based immunotherapy has been extensively applied in clinical trials and has demonstrated both safety and efficacy, marking the beginning of a new era for cancer immunotherapy. This article reviews the conception, classification, inducers, and screening process of tumor neoantigens, as well as the application prospects and combination therapy strategies of neoantigen‐based cancer immunotherapy.