Immunotherapies are yielding effective treatments for several previously untreatable cancers. Still, the identification of suitable antigens specific to the tumour that can be targets for cancer vaccines and T cell therapies is a challenge. Alternative processing of mRNA, a phenomenon that has been shown to alter the proteomic diversity of many cancers, may offer the potential of a broadened target space. Here, we discuss the promise of analysing mRNA processing events in cancer cells, with an emphasis on mRNA splicing, for the identification of potential new targets for cancer immunotherapy. Further, we highlight the challenges that must be overcome for this new avenue to have clinical applicability.

免疫疗法对几种先前无法治愈的癌症产生了有效的治疗方法。然而，鉴定可以作为癌症疫苗和T细胞疗法靶标的对肿瘤特异性的合适抗原仍然是一个挑战。mRNA的替代加工（一种已显示可改变许多癌症的蛋白质组学多样性的现象）可能提供扩大靶标空间的潜力。在这里，我们讨论了分析癌细胞中mRNA加工事件的希望，重点是mRNA剪接，以鉴定潜在的癌症免疫治疗新靶标。此外，我们强调了这种新途径具有临床适用性必须克服的挑战。