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Review
. 2025 Feb:206:104588.
doi: 10.1016/j.critrevonc.2024.104588. Epub 2024 Dec 10.

Innovations in cancer immunotherapy: A comprehensive overview of recent breakthroughs and future directions

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Review

Innovations in cancer immunotherapy: A comprehensive overview of recent breakthroughs and future directions

Chou-Yi Hsu et al. Crit Rev Oncol Hematol. 2025 Feb.

Abstract

A major advance in cancer treatment has been the development and refinement of cancer immunotherapy. The discovery of immunotherapies for a wide range of cancers has revolutionized cancer treatment paradigms. Despite relapse or refractory disease, immunotherapy approaches can prolong the life expectancy of metastatic cancer patients. Multiple therapeutic approaches and agents are currently being developed to manipulate various aspects of the immune system. Oncolytic viruses, cancer vaccines, adoptive cell therapies, monoclonal antibodies, cytokine therapies, and inhibitors of immune checkpoints have all proven successful in clinical trials. There are several types of immunotherapeutic approaches available for treating cancer, and others are being tested in preclinical and clinical settings. Immunotherapy has proven successful, and many agents and strategies have been developed to improve its effectiveness. The purpose of this article is to present a comprehensive overview of current immunotherapy approaches used to treat cancer. Cancer immunotherapy advancements, emerging patterns, constraints, and potential future breakthroughs are also discussed.

Keywords: CAR T-cells; Cancer immunotherapy; Cancer vaccines; Cytokine therapies; Immune checkpoint inhibitors; Monoclonal antibodies; Oncolytic viro-immunotherapy.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no conflict of Interest.

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