# Cancer Immunotherapy: State of the Field (October 2026)

Research dossier · v1 · updated 2026-10-30 · 4,339 words · 64 sources · 28 claims · verification: verified

Covers checkpoint inhibitors, T-cell engagers, CAR and TIL cell therapies, and antibody-drug conjugates, with emphasis on predictive biomarkers, immune-related toxicity and the newest published evidence through 2026. The central takeaway is that response prediction and toxicity management remain the binding constraints, and that single markers such as PD-L1 cover only a minority of approvals.

## Contents

- Executive summary
- Background and core concepts
- Timeline of key milestones
- State of the art
  - Checkpoint inhibitors and predictive biomarkers
  - Immune-related toxicity and its management
  - T-cell engagers and cell therapy
  - Antibody-drug conjugates
  - Combinations and myeloid targets
  - Quantitative benchmarks
- Open problems and active debates
- Major programs and players
- Outlook: what to watch (next 12-18 months)
- Key papers
- Glossary

## Sample findings

- In a 2026 systematic review of 32 studies, late-onset immune checkpoint inhibitor myocarditis (presentation at least 90 days after the first dose) had a median onset of 9.0 months (IQR 6.2-12.8) among the 30 cases with timing data.
- In a 2026 single-centre retrospective cohort of 768 lung cancer patients treated with checkpoint inhibitors, rheumatologist-confirmed rheumatic immune-related adverse events occurred in 8.6% (66 patients).

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