Overcoming barriers to the implementation of interleukin-12-based strategies in cancer immunotherapy: translational challenges, clinical integration, and public health implications

Cancer immunotherapy is one of the renowned therapeutic approaches worldwide, where its intervention has scaled further than conventional therapy. This review targets oncology researchers, immunotherapy clinicians, and public health policymakers and aims to address novel strategies for overcoming the barriers that exploit the implementation of interleukin-12 (IL-12) in cancer immunotherapy. Moreover, it emphasizes the translational challenges and clinical implications for global health interventions. IL-12 cytokine therapy is a specialized type of cancer immunotherapy that involves the systemic or local administration of IL-12 to the targeted tumor microenvironment. Over the years, IL-12 therapy has shown a promising approach in its therapeutic potential in the treatment of various cancer diseases. The molecular structure of IL-12 depicts its potential for stimulating the immune system. IL-12 enhances the production of interferon-gamma (IFN-γ), a specialized cytokine used for the potential treatment of malignant melanoma and other cancer diseases. However, despite its potent antitumor effects, IL-12 therapy has been limited by considerable toxicity observed in preclinical studies, raising concerns about its safety profile. To fully harness IL-12’s therapeutic potential, researchers should prioritize translational studies that mitigate toxicity and improve delivery mechanisms. This includes innovative approaches such as vector-based delivery systems (e.g., viral vectors and nanoparticle carriers), localized gene therapy platforms, and synergistic combination regimens that reduce systemic exposure while enhancing efficacy. Policymakers should promote flexible regulatory frameworks to accommodate adaptive clinical trial designs, while funding bodies are encouraged to support high-impact translational research that accelerates the safe clinical application of IL-12 and similar immunotherapeutic agents.