@article{Jiao2026, 
author = {Xiaofei Jiao and Yiyang Shen and Yixuan Tang and Jiahao Liu and Qinglei Gao},
title = {Treatment implications of T cell DNA damage in anti-tumor immunity},
year = {2026},
journal = {Cancer Biology & Medicine},
volume = {23},
number = {10},
pages = {1402-1417},
keywords = {DNA damage, T cell, anti-tumor immunity, treatment},
url = {https://www.sciopen.com/article/10.20892/j.issn.2095-3941.2026.0020},
doi = {10.20892/j.issn.2095-3941.2026.0020},
abstract = {T cell activity is fundamental to effective immunotherapies and sustained tumor control. Recent studies have demonstrated that the therapeutic potential of T cells is notably affected by DNA damage dynamics. Notably, DNA damage within T cells is both a predictive biomarker for therapeutic responses and a druggable vulnerability whose modulation enhances the anti-tumor efficacy of immunotherapies and targeted treatments. This review is aimed at assessing current understanding of the origins of DNA damage in T cells, its consequences, and therapeutic implications within the tumor microenvironment and during anticancer treatment. By elucidating the mechanisms through which DNA damage dictates T cell fate and function, we highlight its dual role as a biomarker and a therapeutic target. Our goal is to accelerate the optimization of immunotherapeutic regimens and the development of combinatorial approaches leveraging a dynamically regulated immune microenvironment by integrating T cell-intrinsic DNA damage response into patient stratification and trial design, together with rational optimization of genotoxic therapies and immunotherapy, to enable a durable response while minimizing immune toxicity.}
}