Alkylating chemotherapy may exert a uniquely deleterious effect upon neo-antigen-targeting anticancer vaccination.

Alkylating chemotherapy exerts both antineoplastic and immunostimulatory effects. However, in addition to depleting regulatory T cells (Treg), alkylating agents also mediate a long lasting antiproliferative effect on responder lymphocytes. Our recent findings indicate that this antiproliferative effect profoundly impairs vaccination-induced immune responses, especially in the case of vaccines that target specific tumor-associated neo-antigens that do not require Treg depletion.