CD15+ tumor infiltrating granulocytic cells can predict recurrence and their depletion is accompanied by good responses to S-1 with oral cancer

Tertiary lymphoid structures in tongue cancer: Association with clinicopathological parameters, preoperative S-1 chemotherapy response, and prognosis

BACKGROUND

Tertiary lymphoid structures (TLSs) are observed in cancer-invasive sites of various organs, and show evidence of tumor-specific B and/or T cells, suggesting an active humoral antitumor response. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between TLSs and prognosis in patients with tongue squamous cell carcinoma (TSCC) after preoperative S-1 chemotherapy.

METHODS

Among 196 TSCC cases, 111 patients who received preoperative S-1 chemotherapy were compared to 85 patients who did not receive chemotherapy. We investigated the incidence of TLSs in both preoperative biopsy and resected specimens.

RESULTS

TLSs were present in 24 (12%) biopsy specimens and 31 (16%) resected specimens. TLSs were associated with clinicopathologically advanced cases and positivity for lymphatic invasion. None of the cases with pStage 0 (i.e., noninvasive cancer) showed TLSs. In preoperative S-1 chemotherapy cases, TLSs were significantly more common in those treated with S-1 for more than 21 days and in those with treatment effects 0, Ia, and Ib. TLSs may not be a favorable prognostic factor by themselves but maybe a prognostic factor when combined with preoperative S-1 treatment.

CONCLUSION

The presence of TLSs was suggested to be a factor indicating a favorable prognosis when considering the indication for preoperative S-1 chemotherapy. The synergistic effect of S-1 by activating antitumor immunity may be associated with a better prognosis in TSCC patients with TLSs.

Relationship between histopathological therapeutic effect and prognosis in oral cancer patients after preoperative S-1 chemotherapy followed by surgery

OBJECTIVES

Preoperative S-1 chemotherapy is administered to prevent tumor proliferation before surgery in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between the histological therapeutic effect and prognosis in patients with OSCC after pre-operative S-1 chemotherapy.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Among 461 OSCC cases, 281 patients who received preoperative S-1 chemotherapy were compared with 180 patients that did not receive chemotherapy to determine the histological therapeutic effect in the resected specimens and the differences in relapse-free survival.

RESULTS

The histological chemotherapeutic effect was well correlated with the subsequent prognosis. In an examination of the combined effect of treatment and ypStage, the groups with good S-1 treatment effects had extremely good prognoses, even if the postoperative resection specimens were within the same ypStage. In a stratified search of patients who received S-1 for more than 7 days and who had a significantly better prognosis than those who did not receive S-1, it was found that the prognosis was significantly better for patients with tongue cancer according to site; furthermore, tongue cancer, age under 70 years of age, male sex, and clinical stage I were factors associated with a significantly better prognosis.

CONCLUSIONS

Even if the postoperative resection specimens were within the same ypStage, the groups that responded to S-1 treatment were considered to have extremely good prognoses.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE

A good adaptation for S-1 was tongue cancer, and especially tongue cancer with cStage I, male sex, and age less than 70 years old.

Effect of Radio-Chemotherapy on PD-L1 Immunohistochemical Expression in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma

BACKGROUND

Programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) checkpoint inhibitors represent a mainstay of therapy in head and neck squamous cell cancer (HNSCC). However, little is known about the influence of combined therapy on PD-L1 expression. The study aims to gather evidence on this topic.

METHODS

A systematic search was carried out in electronic databases Pubmed-MEDLINE and Embase to retrieve studies on the comparison of PD-L1 expression before and after conventional therapy. Data were extracted and a quantitative analysis with pooled odds ratios (ORs) was performed when applicable.

RESULTS

Of 5688 items, 15 were finally included. Only a minority of studies assessed PD-L1 with the recommended combined positive score (CPS). The results are highly heterogeneous, with some studies reporting an increase in PD-L1 expression and others reporting a decrease. Three studies allowed for quantitative analysis and showed a pooled OR of 0.49 (CI 0.27-0.90).

CONCLUSIONS

From the present evidence, a clear conclusion towards an increase or decrease in PD-L1 expression after combined therapy cannot be drawn, but even with few studies available, a trend towards an increase in expression in tumor cells at a cutoff of 1% can be noted in patients undergoing platinum-based therapy. Future studies will provide more robust data on the effect of combined therapy on PD-L1 expression.

Prognostic and Therapeutic Role of CD15 and CD15s in Cancer

Simple Summary

CD15 (Lewis X) is a typical myeloid antigen presented in myeloid and monocytic lineages of cells. This molecule interacts with E-, L- and P-selectins, which allows for adhesion with endothelial cells. CD15 is found on various cancer cells, including renal cancer, prostate and bladder cancers, acute leukaemias, hepatocellular carcinoma, breast cancer and melanoma cells. Its high expression can serve as a prognostic marker for patients and is a potentially valuable target for immunotherapy against cancer. Blockage of the antigen’s function results in reduced metastatic potential and it may be an immunotherapeutic target. CD15s is a sialyl derivative of CD15; however, unlike the high expression of CD15, which is a prognostic factor in Hodgkin lymphoma, CD15s relates to poor prognosis for patients. CD15 is considered a marker of cancer stem cells. This review presents a comprehensive description of the prognostic role of CD15 and CD15s and their use in anticancer therapy.

Abstract

CD15 (Lewis X/Lex) is a fucosyl (3-fucosly-N-acetyl-lactosamine) moiety found on membrane proteins of various cancer cells. These cancers include renal cancer, prostate and bladder cancers, acute leukaemias, hepatocellular carcinoma, breast cancer and melanoma. The biological role of CD15 is interaction with E-, L- and P-selectins (adhesion molecules), allowing for adhesion with endothelial cells. In this way, cancer cells start to interact with the endothelia of blood vessels and consequently move out from the blood flow to the surrounding tissues. Blockage of the antigen’s function results in reduced metastatic potential. Moreover, the molecule may be a therapeutic target against cancer in monoclonal antibody-based therapies. CD15 may serve as a prognostic marker for patients and there are high hopes for its use in the immunotherapeutic treatment of tumours. CD15s is a sialyl derivative of CD15 that possesses its own unique characteristics. Its soluble form may act as a competitive inhibitor of the interaction of cancer cells with epithelial cells and thus disallow migration through the vessels. However, the prognostic relevance of CD15 and CD15s expression is very complex. This review presents a comprehensive description of the role of CD15 and CD15s in cancer development and metastasis and overviews its significance for clinical applications.