not-yet-known not-yet-known not-yet-known unknown Cancer immunotherapy represents a transformative strategy in modern oncology, utilizing the body’s immune system to recognize and eliminate malignant cells with precision. Unlike traditional therapies, which often directly target the tumor, immunotherapy enhances the immune system’s inherent ability to differentiate between healthy and cancerous cells, leading to more targeted and potentially longer-lasting therapeutic effects. The advent of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), particularly those targeting the PD-1/PD-L1 and CTLA-4 pathways, has marked a significant breakthrough in this field, yielding substantial clinical success in various cancer types. However, the therapeutic landscape is still challenged by issues such as the development of resistance mechanisms, heterogeneity in patient responses, and the limited efficacy of current ICIs across all tumor types. Given these challenges, there is a critical need to identify and validate new immune targets that can synergize with existing therapies or function independently to overcome resistance and improve patient outcomes. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the latest research efforts focused on uncovering novel immune targets. By expanding the repertoire of immune targets, these discoveries aim to enhance the effectiveness of cancer immunotherapy, offering hope for more personalized and resilient treatment options. The integration of these novel targets into clinical practice could not only extend the benefits of immunotherapy to a broader spectrum of cancers but also mitigate some of the current limitations, paving the way for more durable and effective therapeutic strategies in the fight against cancer.

Cancer is a complex and heterogeneous disease characterized by uncontrolled cell growth and proliferation. One hallmark of cancer cells is their ability to undergo metabolic reprogramming, which allows them to sustain their rapid growth and survival. This metabolic reprogramming creates an immunosuppressive microenvironment that facilitates tumour progression and evasion of the immune system. In this paper, we review the mechanisms underlying metabolic reprogramming in cancer cells and discuss how these metabolic alterations contribute to the establishment of an immunosuppressive microenvironment. We also explore potential therapeutic strategies targeting metabolic vulnerabilities in cancer cells to enhance immune-mediated anti-tumour responses.

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has led to multiple waves of infections globally. As the virus continues to evolve, new variants have emerged, some with concerning changes in transmissibility and virulence. Among these variants, the ” FLiRT Variants” have recently garnered attention due to their potential to alter the dynamics of transmission and disease severity. According to the Infectious Disease Society of America, the nickname ‘FLiRT’ is based on the technical names for their mutations. The FLiRT variants, particularly KP.2, seem to exhibit heightened transmissibility in comparison to earlier Omicron sub-variants. Additionally, they demonstrate a capacity to evade immunity conferred by prior infection and vaccines, although the full extent of this evasion is still being investigated In this article, we review the characteristics of the FLiRT Variant, including its genetic mutations, epidemiological features, potential impact on public health measures, and implications for vaccine efficacy. We also discuss strategies for surveillance, prevention, and mitigation efforts to control the spread of this variant and mitigate its impact on global health.

The much hyped Artificial Intelligence (AI) model known as chat generative pre-trained transformer ( Chat GPT), developed by Open AI can have far-reaching benefits for pathologists saving time so that they can devote their time to more meaningful work. Generative AI is a special class of AI model, that based on patterns and structures learned from existing data can create new data. However, certain hurdles have to be taken care of like integrating ChatGPT with image analysis which will revolutionize the field of pathology by providing assistance with diagnostic accuracy and precision. Generation of meaningful insights from the textual information provided by ChatGPT can be possible by the platform which should have the capability of processing different types of image data, such as medical images, and pathology slides. Due consideration should be given to ethical and legal issues including bias.

The emergence of COVID-19 as a global pandemic has had far-reaching effects on the health of individuals worldwide. Although there has been a decrease in the severity of the disease, there is a growing concern about the long-term impact of COVID-19 on the health of individuals, particularly cardiovascular complications, known as Long-COVID, which can significantly increase morbidity and mortality rates in people recovering from COVID-19 in the recent past. The severity of COVID-19 has been linked to various factors, including the role of neutrophils and neutrophil extracellular traps (NET). These extracellular webs, composed of chromatin, microbicidal proteins, and oxidant enzymes, are released by neutrophils to fight infections. However, if not properly regulated, NETs can lead to thrombo-inflammatory states and microangiopathy in the body, resulting in complications such as sepsis, thrombosis, and respiratory failure. Understanding the detailed pathophysiology and association of NETs with the prognosis of COVID-19 infection is crucial for future implications and management. The purpose of this review is to analyze the potential contribution of NETosis in the pathophysiology of COVID-19 and its subsequent complications apart from its beneficial effect. This may provide insight into potential therapeutic interventions for COVID-19 patients.

The past few decades have witnessed a major leap in knowledge relating to the role of tumor microenvironment in carcinogenesis and evolving behaviour of the tumor. Multiple factors within the tumor microenvironment modulate the cancer cells and the associated therapies. Stephen Paget first asserted that the microenvironment plays an important role in the growth of tumor metastasis. The most important player in the tumor microenvironment is cancer-associated fibroblast which significantly participates in the proliferation, invasion and metastasis of tumor cells. Cancer-associated fibroblasts show phenotypic and functional heterogeneity. Mostly cancer-associated fibroblasts originate from quiescent resident fibroblast or mesoderm-derived precursor cells (mesenchymal stem cells), although several alternate sources of origin have been noted, however, due to a lack of specific fibroblast-restricted markers, it is very difficult to trace lineage and identify the biological origin of distinct sub-types of CAFs. CAFs are predominantly shown by several studies to mainly act as tumor-promoting agents, however, tumour-inhibiting actions are also being validated by several studies. A more objectified and comprehensive functional and phenotypic classification of CAF is required, which will help in better way for tumor management. Here, in this review, we have tried to review the current status of CAF origin, along with phenotypic and functional heterogeneity, and recent progress in cancer-associated fibroblast (CAF) research.