Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42903418›Full record

ReviewFrontiers in immunology2026

Molecular mechanisms and therapeutic strategies of immunotherapy resistance in esophageal cancer.

Yiqian Pang, Panpan Jiang, Ke Liu, Xingyao Suo, Dianbao Zhang, Yishi Xu, Yi Ge, Qizhi Fu, Shegan Gao

Abstract readReview
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Review in Frontiers in immunology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Yiqian Pang *Key Laboratory of Microbiome and Esophageal Cancer Prevention and Treatment, The First Affiliated Hospital, and College of Clinical Medicine of Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, China.
Panpan Jiang *Key Laboratory of Microbiome and Esophageal Cancer Prevention and Treatment, The First Affiliated Hospital, and College of Clinical Medicine of Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, China.
Ke LiuKey Laboratory of Microbiome and Esophageal Cancer Prevention and Treatment, The First Affiliated Hospital, and College of Clinical Medicine of Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, China.
Xingyao SuoKey Laboratory of Microbiome and Esophageal Cancer Prevention and Treatment, The First Affiliated Hospital, and College of Clinical Medicine of Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, China.
Dianbao ZhangKey Laboratory of Microbiome and Esophageal Cancer Prevention and Treatment, The First Affiliated Hospital, and College of Clinical Medicine of Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, China.
Yishi XuKey Laboratory of Microbiome and Esophageal Cancer Prevention and Treatment, The First Affiliated Hospital, and College of Clinical Medicine of Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, China.
Yi GeKey Laboratory of Microbiome and Esophageal Cancer Prevention and Treatment, The First Affiliated Hospital, and College of Clinical Medicine of Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, China.
Qizhi FuKey Laboratory of Microbiome and Esophageal Cancer Prevention and Treatment, The First Affiliated Hospital, and College of Clinical Medicine of Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, China.
Shegan GaoKey Laboratory of Microbiome and Esophageal Cancer Prevention and Treatment, The First Affiliated Hospital, and College of Clinical Medicine of Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, China.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Immunotherapy, particularly immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), has transformed the treatment landscape for advanced esophageal cancer (EC). Nevertheless, clinical benefits are constrained by primary and acquired resistance driven by a dynamic immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME), extensive metabolic reprogramming, and epigenetic dysregulation. This review provides a comprehensive analysis of the molecular mechanisms underlying immunotherapy resistance in EC, including TME remodeling by cancer-associated fibroblasts, tumor-associated macrophages, and immunosuppressive cell populations; metabolic reprogramming encompassing glucose, amino acid, and lipid metabolism; epigenetic regulation involving DNA methylation, histone modifications, and non-coding RNAs; and compensatory immune checkpoint upregulation. We further highlight the emerging role of the microbiome and critically evaluate combination strategies designed to overcome resistance, including anti-angiogenic agents, ADCs, and personalized approaches guided by multi-omics and organoid models.

Indexed as

Drug Resistance, NeoplasmEsophageal NeoplasmsImmune Checkpoint InhibitorsImmunotherapyAnimalsEpigenesis, GeneticHumansMetabolic ReprogrammingTumor MicroenvironmentImmune Checkpoint Inhibitorscombination therapyesophageal cancerimmunotherapy resistancemetabolic reprogrammingtumor microenvironment

Identifiers

PMID42903418
PMCPMC13681373

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.