Journal Article DKFZ-2026-02166

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Tumor immune microenvironment remodeling predicts response to checkpoint inhibitor therapy.

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2026
Cell Press Cambridge, Mass.

Cancer cell nn, nn () [10.1016/j.ccell.2026.08.007]
 GO

Abstract: Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have transformed cancer therapy, yet the basis of variable patient responses remains unclear. We assemble a longitudinal single-cell RNA sequencing atlas of 441 samples from 241 patients across ten cancer entities to map treatment-associated remodeling of the tumor immune microenvironment (TIME). With a hierarchical reference-guided deep-phenotyping framework, we define 77 immune and stromal subtypes and resolve four conserved TIME subtypes. Approximately 40% of tumors shift between states during therapy, and the transition is more predictive of outcome than the baseline state. Favorable transitions toward inflamed or B cell-enriched subtype track with improved response and survival, while persistence in or shifts toward myeloid dominance indicate resistance. We derive a 59-gene signature that predicted response and survival for 1,383 baseline tumors across 19 independent cohorts. These findings establish immunotype transitions as a central determinant of ICI efficacy, offering new avenues for response prediction and rational immunotherapy design.

Keyword(s): immunotherapy ; pan-cancer ; single-cell RNA sequencing ; treatment response ; tumor microenvironment

Classification:

Note: #DKTKZFB26# / epub

Contributing Institute(s):
  1. DKTK Koordinierungsstelle Essen/Düsseldorf (ED01)
  2. DKTK ED Translationale Hautkrebsforschung (ED03)
Research Program(s):
  1. 899 - ohne Topic (POF4-899) (POF4-899)

Appears in the scientific report 2026
Database coverage:
Medline ; BIOSIS Previews ; Biological Abstracts ; Clarivate Analytics Master Journal List ; Current Contents - Clinical Medicine ; Current Contents - Life Sciences ; Ebsco Academic Search ; Essential Science Indicators ; IF >= 50 ; JCR ; SCOPUS ; Science Citation Index Expanded ; Web of Science Core Collection
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 Record created 2026-09-02, last modified 2026-09-03



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