On behalf of the SITC Board of Directors, we are pleased to announce the publication of a new manuscript titled, “Challenges and Opportunities in Cancer Immunotherapy: A Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC) Strategic Vision” available now in the Journal for ImmunoTherapy of Cancer (JITC).
This manuscript is the first in a JITC Special Series — The Next Wave of Immuno-oncology: A Roadmap from the Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer, which will outline the current state of the field, elevate the most pressing challenges, and propose the most promising opportunities for high clinical impact in the scientific, clinical, and regulatory arenas of cancer immunotherapy. This series will serve as an update to the landmark editorial published by SITC leaders in 2011, “Defining the critical hurdles in cancer immunotherapy.”
In the 13 years since that publication, cancer immunotherapy has grown exponentially and completely transformed cancer care. As we enter the next era of cancer immunotherapy, SITC leadership recognized the importance of understanding the complex and evolving landscape of both old and new challenges that might hinder the next wave of immuno-oncology approvals or further progress in the field. To support and galvanize the field, an international, multidisciplinary group of the cancer immunotherapy experts from academic, pharmaceutical, biotechnology, patient advocacy, and regulatory institutions was convened to redefine the most pressing challenges today and high-impact opportunities to overcome them.
Areas of Opportunity in Cancer Immunotherapy
This first manuscript in the series will introduce the newly defined challenges and areas of opportunity listed below by describing the state of the field and needs, current challenges, and opportunities for each:
- Mechanisms of anti-tumor immunity and toxicity
- Biomarker and biospecimen issues
- Unique aspects of novel constructs
- Host and environmental interactions with tumor immunotherapy
- Pre-malignant immunity
- Clinical trial design, endpoints, and conduct
- Mechanisms of drug resistance
Additionally, to provide a roadmap for the field and catalyze future successes, this overarching manuscript also includes expert-identified strategies or tools that have the potential to be cross-cutting through multiple areas of opportunity, and therefore would have significant clinical impact if implemented. Central to all the opportunities and strategies discussed are the patients – this manuscript highlights the importance of patient engagement at every step of translational research, and of course, the ultimate goal of improving outcomes and survival.
The forthcoming manuscripts in the JITC Special Series will take a deeper dive into each of the areas of opportunity described above. More information on the special series can be found here.
