Neoantigen-driven personalized tumor therapy: An update from discovery to clinical application

Abstract. Neoantigens exhibit high immunogenic potential and confer a uniqueness to tumor cells, making them ideal targets for personalized cancer immunotherapy. Neoantigens originate from tumor-specific genetic alterations, abnormal viral infections, or other biological mechanisms, including atypic...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Published in:Chinese Medical Journal
Main Authors: Na Xie, Guobo Shen, Canhua Huang, Huili Zhu, Peifang Wei
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wolters Kluwer 2025-09-01
Online Access:http://journals.lww.com/10.1097/CM9.0000000000003708
Description
Summary:Abstract. Neoantigens exhibit high immunogenic potential and confer a uniqueness to tumor cells, making them ideal targets for personalized cancer immunotherapy. Neoantigens originate from tumor-specific genetic alterations, abnormal viral infections, or other biological mechanisms, including atypical RNA splicing events and post-translational modifications (PTMs). These neoantigens are recognized as foreign by the immune system, eliciting an immune response that largely bypasses conventional mechanisms of central and peripheral tolerance. Advances in next-generation sequencing (NGS), mass spectrometry (MS), and artificial intelligence (AI) have greatly expedited the rapid detection and forecasting of neoantigens, markedly propelling the development of diverse immunotherapeutic strategies, including cancer vaccines, adoptive cell therapy, and antibody treatment. In this review, we comprehensively explore the discovery and characterization of neoantigens and their clinical use within promising immunotherapeutic frameworks. Additionally, we address the current landscape of neoantigen research, the intrinsic challenges of the field, and potential pathways for clinical application in cancer treatment.
ISSN:0366-6999
2542-5641