10 Must-Read Posts in Immuno-Oncology This Week

At OncoDaily Immuno-Oncology, we track what matters most in cancer immunotherapy—checkpoint science, resistance, biomarkers, CAR-T, and beyond. Each week, we spotlight the most compelling insights shared by global key opinion leaders (KOLs) across platforms like X and LinkedIn. This curated roundup brings you the latest breakthroughs, clinical updates, and thought-provoking perspectives driving the IO conversation forward.

From AI in PD-L1 scoring and CAR-T product biology to novel trial results and emerging strategies targeting immune resistance—these are the 10 posts you shouldn’t miss this week.

This Week’s Expert Highlights in Immuno-Oncology

Yakup Ergün (Medical Oncologist at Antalya City Hospital):

“AI-based PD-L1 scoring in aNSCLC (IMpower110/150) (SP263)

•  High concordance
•  Similar survival w/ both methods
• Some AI+/manual− cases showed better OS
  AI may redefine PD-L1 stratification—unlocking a future beyond human scoring limits.”

You Can Read All Article Here.

Yan Leyfman (Co-founder and Executive Director of MedNews Week):

” New insights into CAR T-cell therapy for R/R LBCL
Single-cell RNA sequencing of 57 CAR T products reveals striking biological differences between axi-cel (CD28) and tisa-cel (4-1BB) therapies.

Key findings:

•  Axi-cel is enriched in CD4/CD8 central memory & effector T cells with higher immune activation.
• Tisa-cel shows more proliferative but less functional profiles.
• Prolonged expansion during tisa-cel manufacturing reduces naïve/memory T cells.
• Differences may explain axi-cel’s greater efficacy and toxicity.”

Get the Full Insight Here Here

Amzath nazeer A (Research Scholar at Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT):

“Excited to share that our review on “𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐨𝐥𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐄𝟑 𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐚𝐬𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐝𝐞𝐮𝐛𝐢𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐬𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐏𝐃-𝐋𝟏 𝐫𝐞𝐠𝐮𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐮𝐦𝐨𝐫 𝐦𝐢𝐜𝐫𝐨𝐞𝐧𝐯𝐢𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐜𝐞𝐥𝐥 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐢𝐧𝐨𝐦𝐚” is now published in Medical Oncology (Springer, IF 3.5) .

We explored how PD-L1 — a key immune checkpoint protein — is regulated by E3 ligases and DUBs, and how this impacts the tumor microenvironment in RCC. It opens up interesting possibilities for improving immunotherapy strategies.”

You Can Read All Article Here

IKF (The Frankfurt Institute of Clinical Cancer Research):

” PHERFLOT – Mini Oral at ESMO 2025
We are proud to share that PD Dr. Eray Gökkurt will present the PHERFLOT study as a Mini Oral at ESMO 2025!

PHERFLOT is a phase II trial initiated by Eray Gökkurt and Alexander Stein sponsored and conducted by the IKF – The Frankfurt Institute of Clinical Cancer Research. The study investigates the perioperative combination of pembrolizumab and trastuzumab with FLOT chemotherapy in patients with  HER2-positive, localized esophagogastric adenocarcinoma.
By integrating checkpoint inhibition and HER2-targeted therapy into the established FLOT backbone, PHERFLOT aims to improve pathological response and long-term outcomes in the curative setting.

Congratulations to PD Dr. Gökkurt and all investigators, teams, and patients involved!
The study is conducted under the umbrella of AIO-Office in der DKG and supported by MSD. “

Read the Full Article Here.

Joseph Steward  (Freelance Medical and Scientific Writer):

“A new study in Nature Cancer provides compelling evidence that combining stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) with pembrolizumab can overcome immunotherapy resistance in non-small cell lung cancer patients with “immunologically cold” tumors. Background & Methods: Researchers analyzed 293 serial tissue and blood samples from the PEMBRO-RT phase 2 trial, comparing pembrolizumab alone versus SBRT followed by pembrolizumab in metastatic NSCLC. They defined immunologically cold tumors as those with low tumor mutation burden (<300 mutations/exome), null PD-L1 expression, or Wnt pathway mutations—features typically associated with poor immunotherapy response.

Key Findings:

• Patients with immunologically cold tumors had significantly longer progression-free survival with SBRT+pembrolizumab versus pembrolizumab alone
• SBRT induced systemic immune activation at non-irradiated tumor sites, including upregulation of interferon-γ, interferon-α, and antigen processing pathways
•  T-cell receptor sequencing revealed expansion of both new and pre-existing T-cell clones in tumor and blood compartments
•  Neoantigen-reactive T-cell responses were detected in long-term survivorsClinical Implications:This work suggests that radiotherapy can transform immunologically cold tumors into immunologically active ones through the abscopal effect—systemic immune activation at sites distant from the irradiated tumor. For patients with primary immunotherapy resistance, this combination approach may provide a therapeutic window of opportunity.The findings support biomarker-guided patient selection for radioimmunotherapy, particularly for those with tumors harboring features of immunotherapy resistance.”

Enrique Grande (Head of Oncology at MD Anderson Cancer Center Madrid):

” Real-world data from the ARON-1 study show that immune-based combinations outperform ICI doublets in intermediate-/poor-risk non–clear cell renal cell carcinoma (nccRCC).
Pembrolizumab + lenvatinib stands out with promising survival & disease control.”

You Can Read All Article Here

UAB (Department of Neurosurgery):

“Now enrolling: Led by Drs. James Markert and Burt Nabors, UAB is conducting a clinical trial for malignant glioma, studying pembrolizumab + M032 (a modified virus).”

Continue Reading the Full Feature Here

Jenny Seligmann (Professor of Gastrointestinal Oncology at the University of Leeds)

“Liver mets in MSS metastatic colorectal cancer remain huge unmet need…
EORTC 1560 was a phase 2 trial testing whether immunotherapy plus ablation would lead to responses through an abscopal effect

Unfortunately no responses seen in 21 pts & study closed due to futility.
More effective strategies are needed for this population!”

You Can Read All Article Here

Arndt Vogel (Head of the Visceral Oncology Center, Head of the Center for Personalized Medicine, MHH, and Senior Consultant of the Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Endocrinology at Hannover Medical School):

“Lenvatinib Plus Pembrolizumab + CTx vs CTx in advanced Gastroesophageal Adenocarcinoma

• LEAP-015 Study phase III
• ORR 59.5%vs 45.4%
• mPFS 7.2 vs 7.0 mo
• mOS 13.1 vs 13.0 mo
• Neg. study, no benefit, more toxicity ” 

Full Article Available Here Here

Estela Rodriguez (Associate Director of Community Outreach-Thoracic Oncology and Co-Lead Thoracic Site Disease Group, Associate Director of Community Outreach at Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center):

“Best of ASCO Miami Dr Ignacio Gil Bazo  presents fascinating data on how to optimize lung cancer IO response with early morning infusion ( before 1130am) , short term starvation – both controversional but making the case for more preclinical data to understand contribution of circadian rhythm and metabolism.”

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