Neoantigens in Cancer Immunotherapy: An Overview with a Focus  on Non-small Cell Lung Cancer and Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma

Fatemeh  Eskandari-Malayeri; Sajjad  Shekarchian; Esmail  Mortaz

doi:10.18502/ijaai.v25i4.21734

Fatemeh Eskandari-Malayeri Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Sajjad Shekarchian Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Esmail Mortaz Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

DOI: https://doi.org/10.18502/ijaai.v25i4.21734

Keywords: Cancer immunotherapy; Non-small cell lung cancer; Neoantigens; Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma

Abstract

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) figure prominently in the list of prevalent and resistant cancers that reveal significant differences in response to immunotherapy. Neoantigens, specific antigens resulting from tumor mutations, play an important role in provoking immune responses and the success of immunotherapy. This review scrutinizes the quantitative and qualitative differences in neoantigens in NSCLC and PDAC and their impact on the efficacy of immunotherapy. The evidence suggests that the higher mutational burden, greater diversity, and different quality of neoantigens in NSCLC compared with PDAC are among the key drivers contributing to the enhanced susceptibility to immunotherapy in this cancer. These differences could pave the way for the development of personalized therapies and novel strategies to improve treatment outcomes in resistant cancers.