The rapidly evolving paradigm of neoadjuvant immunotherapy across cancer types

Nat Cancer. 2025 Jun;6(6):967-987. doi: 10.1038/s43018-025-00990-7. Epub 2025 Jun 24.

Abstract

Neoadjuvant immunotherapy is rapidly changing the treatment landscape for many tumor types. The superiority of neoadjuvant compared to adjuvant immunotherapy has now been established in both preclinical studies and clinical trials. Neoadjuvant immunotherapy, either as monotherapy or in combination with other immune checkpoint inhibitors or other agents, has become a standard of care for several cancer types, while many new indications are expected. Future research should focus on determining the benefit of treatment combinations versus monotherapy and the contribution of adjuvant after neoadjuvant (or perioperative) treatment versus neoadjuvant treatment alone as well as on identifying predictive biomarkers of response.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Clinical Trials as Topic
  • Humans
  • Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors / therapeutic use
  • Immunotherapy* / methods
  • Neoadjuvant Therapy* / methods
  • Neoplasms* / drug therapy
  • Neoplasms* / immunology
  • Neoplasms* / therapy

Substances

  • Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors