Work

Temporal and therapeutic confounders in predicting efficacy of immunotherapy rechallenge via baseline intratumoral tertiary lymphoid structures

Year: 2026

Type: editorial

Abstract: This correspondence discusses the recent multicenter study by Tang et al (2026) regarding the predictive value of baseline mature intratumoral tertiary lymphoid structures for immune checkpoint inhibitor rechallenge in non-clear cell renal cell carcinoma. While we commend the authors’ pioneering efforts, we raise critical methodological and biological considerations. First, the concurrent switching of tyrosine kinase inhibitors in nearly half the cohort acts as a major therapeutic confounding variable. Second, the biological plausibility of response conversion under class-refractory immunotherapy warrants cautious evaluation. Third, the extensive evolutionary stress during front-line therapy highlights a severe temporal decoupling between archival baseline tissue banking and post-resistance rechallenge outcomes. Finally, deeper mechanistic validation via spatial omics and comprehensive exhaustion panels is needed to strengthen these translational findings.

Source: Journal for ImmunoTherapy of Cancer

DOI: 10.1136/jitc-2026-016391

Authors: Anran Sun, Hongkai Chen, Anyang Wei

Institutions: The Affiliated Yongchuan Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Southwest Hospital, South China University of Technology

Language: English

Topic: Cancer Immunotherapy and Biomarkers

Subfield: Oncology

Field: Medicine

Domain: Health Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $2,490