News & Comment

Real-world data (RWD) and real-world evidence (RWE) from heterogeneous data sources has the potential to transform oncology research, especially when coupled with artificial intelligence (AI). We discuss the issues involved in primary data capture and post-hoc AI analysis and propose using AI to support the capture of primary RWD.

Neoantigen immunogenicity prediction is a burgeoning field with vast potential; however, the shortage of high-quality data and biases in current datasets limit model generalizability. Here we discuss some of the pitfalls that may underly this limited performance and propose a path forward.

Owing to high response rates, the Food and Drug Administration has approved both gene- and immune-targeted drugs for tumor-agnostic, genomic biomarker-based indications, for lethal solid and blood cancers. We posit that current data support tissue-agnostic activity as a paradigm, rather than an exception to the rule.

In delineating scientific findings, authors should avoid assertions of primacy and novelty, in favor of measured descriptions of advance and potential importance for the field.

Charles Swanton obtained a PhD from the Imperial Cancer Research Fund Laboratories (now the Francis Crick Institute) in 1998 and completed his medical oncology and Cancer Research UK (CRUK)-funded postdoctoral clinical scientist training in 2008. He was appointed chair in personalized cancer medicine at the UCL Cancer Institute, and consultant thoracic medical oncologist at UCL Hospitals in 2011. In 2016, he was awarded a Napier Professor in Cancer by the Royal Society, and in 2017 he was appointed principal group leader of the Francis Crick Institute. He is co-director of the Cancer Research UK Lung Cancer Centre of Excellence, and chief clinician of Cancer Research UK.

In combining technical innovation with foundational research, targeted therapies remain at the forefront of oncology drug discovery efforts.

Identifying different ways to stimulate the anti-tumor immune response is essential to enrich the immunotherapy arsenal with more and improved treatment options for patients.

Declaring competing interests is crucial for transparency and for the integrity of cancer research, publishing and healthcare. Critically evaluating where bias may lie is essential too.

Respectful communication is at the core of the scientific process and our editorial policies.

Authors may appeal negative editorial decisions. But should they? Here we discuss when an appeal is more or less likely to be successful and the dos and don’ts of the appeal process.

T cell-based immunotherapies have revolutionized cancer treatment, and strategies to redirect T cells to recognize cancer cells are being investigated both preclinically and clinically. Bispecific T cell-engagers are antibodies that simultaneously bind to an antigen on tumor cells and a surface molecule on T cells. They have shown impressive activity in B cell malignancies and are being explored in many other cancer entities.

What are the elements of a well-written, informative and widely accessible paper?

Charles Rudin completed his MD, PhD, medical and oncology training at the University of Chicago, where he joined the department of medicine faculty in 1998. He directed the lung, esophageal and head and neck cancer program at Johns Hopkins University from 2003 to 2013, while also serving as associate cancer center director for clinical research. He joined Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in 2013 as chief of thoracic oncology, co-director of the Druckenmiller Center for Lung Cancer Research, and the Sylvia Hassenfeld Chair in Lung Cancer Research.

Mark A. Dawson obtained his medical degree from the University of Melbourne, followed by a PhD from the University in Cambridge. From 2010 to 2014, he was a Wellcome-Beit fellow at the University of Cambridge, and thereafter he joined the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre as a consultant hematologist and group leader of the cancer epigenetics laboratory. In 2016, he was appointed co-program head of the Cancer Biology and Therapeutics Program, and in 2019 as associate director for research.

Recent progress in melanoma treatment is based on research that poorly represents global population diversity, with little focus on relevant subtypes for non-European and admixed populations. However, there is an opportunity to change this and contribute to a more accurate understanding of melanoma worldwide.

Elaine R. Mardis earned her PhD at the University of Oklahoma, in the laboratory of Bruce Roe. After postgraduate work at Bio-Rad Laboratories in California, she joined the Washington University School of Medicine faculty in 1993. In 2016, she moved to Nationwide Children’s Hospital and is a Professor of Pediatrics at The Ohio State University. She was elected to the US National Academy of Medicine in 2019.

What are the dos and don’ts of cover letters and how can authors maximize their value?

Cancer biology is the cornerstone on which much of modern cancer research is based. Continuing to explore the intricacies of this multilayered foundational scientific area is essential.