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Xu Y, Qi Y, Lu Z, Tan Y, Chen D, Luo H. Navigating precision: the crucial role of next-generation sequencing recurrence risk assessment in tailoring adjuvant therapy for hormone receptor-positive, human epidermal growth factor Receptor2-negative early breast cancer. Cancer Biol Ther 2024; 25:2405060. [PMID: 39304993 PMCID: PMC11418226 DOI: 10.1080/15384047.2024.2405060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2024] [Revised: 09/02/2024] [Accepted: 09/12/2024] [Indexed: 09/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Hormone receptor-positive (HR+)/human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-negative (HER2-) breast cancer is the most common subtype, representing over two-thirds of new diagnoses. Adjuvant therapy, which encompasses various medications and treatment durations, is the standard approach for managing early stage HR+ HER2- breast cancer. Optimizing treatment is essential to minimize unnecessary side effects while addressing the biological variability inherent in HR+/HER2- breast cancers. Incorporating biological biomarkers into treatment decisions, alongside traditional clinical factors, is vital. Gene expression assays can identify patients unlikely to benefit from adjuvant chemotherapy, thereby refining treatment strategies and improving risk assessment. This paper reviews evidence for several genomic tests, including Oncotype DX, MammaPrint, Breast Cancer Index, RucurIndex, and EndoPredict, which assist in tailoring adjuvant therapy. Additionally, we explore the role of liquid biopsies in personalizing treatment, emphasizing the importance of considering late relapse risks and potential benefits of extended systemic therapy for HR+/HER2- breast cancer patients.
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MESH Headings
- Humans
- Breast Neoplasms/genetics
- Breast Neoplasms/drug therapy
- Breast Neoplasms/metabolism
- Breast Neoplasms/pathology
- Female
- Chemotherapy, Adjuvant/methods
- Receptor, ErbB-2/metabolism
- Receptor, ErbB-2/genetics
- Risk Assessment/methods
- Neoplasm Recurrence, Local/genetics
- Neoplasm Recurrence, Local/pathology
- Neoplasm Recurrence, Local/metabolism
- Biomarkers, Tumor/genetics
- Biomarkers, Tumor/metabolism
- High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing/methods
- Precision Medicine/methods
- Receptors, Estrogen/metabolism
- Receptors, Progesterone/metabolism
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Xu
- Department of Obestetrics and Gynecology, Xiangyang Central Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Hubei University of Arts and Science, Xiangyang, China
| | - Yingxue Qi
- The Medical Department, Jiangsu Simcere Diagnostics Co. Ltd. Nanjing Simcere Medical Laboratory Science Co. Ltd., The State Key Laboratory of Neurology and Oncology Drug Development, Nanjing, China
| | - Zhongyu Lu
- The Medical Department, Jiangsu Simcere Diagnostics Co. Ltd. Nanjing Simcere Medical Laboratory Science Co. Ltd., The State Key Laboratory of Neurology and Oncology Drug Development, Nanjing, China
| | - Yuan Tan
- The Medical Department, Jiangsu Simcere Diagnostics Co. Ltd. Nanjing Simcere Medical Laboratory Science Co. Ltd., The State Key Laboratory of Neurology and Oncology Drug Development, Nanjing, China
| | - Dongsheng Chen
- The Medical Department, Jiangsu Simcere Diagnostics Co. Ltd. Nanjing Simcere Medical Laboratory Science Co. Ltd., The State Key Laboratory of Neurology and Oncology Drug Development, Nanjing, China
- Cancer Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinzhou Medical University, Jinzhou, China
- Center of Translational Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinzhou Medical University, Jinzhou, China
| | - Haijun Luo
- Department of Pathology, The Affiliated Changsha Central Hospital, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Changsha, China
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Cha SM, Park JW, Lee YJ, Lee HJ, Lee H, Lee IW, Gong G, Park SH, Lee HJ, Jeong BK. SPP1+ macrophages in HR+ breast cancer are associated with tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes. NPJ Breast Cancer 2024; 10:83. [PMID: 39349495 PMCID: PMC11442831 DOI: 10.1038/s41523-024-00695-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2024] [Accepted: 09/22/2024] [Indexed: 10/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Breast cancer categorized into hormone receptor-positive (HR+), HER2-positive (HER2+), and triple-negative (TNBC) subtypes, exhibits varied outcomes based on the number of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs). To explore the divergent roles of TIL levels across different subtypes, we employed single-cell RNA sequencing on 31 patients with breast cancer. HR+ breast cancer with high TIL levels (TIL-high) revealed increased SPP1+ macrophages, increased SPP1 expression in other monocytes/macrophages (mono/macro) subgroups, and enriched pathways associated with extracellular matrix (ECM) remodeling in mono/macro. Moreover, cell-cell interaction analyses revealed enhanced SPP1, MIF, and FN1 signaling in the interaction between SPP1+ macrophages and T-cells in TIL-high HR+ breast cancer. Spatial transcriptomics data highlighted the close proximity of SPP1+ macrophages, CD8+ T-cells, and CD4+ T-cells in TIL-high HR+ breast cancer. Our findings unveil the novel influence of SPP1+ macrophages on T-cells in TIL-high HR+ breast cancer, potentially explaining the poor prognosis and offering insights for targeted interventions.
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Grants
- A20221175 Asan Institute for Life Sciences, Asan Medical Center
- A20221175 Asan Institute for Life Sciences, Asan Medical Center
- A20221175 Asan Institute for Life Sciences, Asan Medical Center
- A20221175 Asan Institute for Life Sciences, Asan Medical Center
- A20221175 Asan Institute for Life Sciences, Asan Medical Center
- A20221175 Asan Institute for Life Sciences, Asan Medical Center
- A20221175 Asan Institute for Life Sciences, Asan Medical Center
- A20221175 Asan Institute for Life Sciences, Asan Medical Center
- A20221175 Asan Institute for Life Sciences, Asan Medical Center
- A20221175 Asan Institute for Life Sciences, Asan Medical Center
- NRF-2018R1D1A1B07048831 National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF)
- NRF-2018R1D1A1B07048831 National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF)
- NRF-2018R1D1A1B07048831 National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF)
- NRF-2018R1D1A1B07048831 National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF)
- NRF-2018R1D1A1B07048831 National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF)
- NRF-2018R1D1A1B07048831 National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF)
- NRF-2018R1D1A1B07048831 National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF)
- NRF-2018R1D1A1B07048831 National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF)
- NRF-2018R1D1A1B07048831 National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF)
- NRF-2018R1D1A1B07048831 National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF)
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Affiliation(s)
- Su Min Cha
- Department of Pathology, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
- Biomedical Sciences, Asan Medical Institute of Convergence Science and Technology (AMIST), University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
| | | | - Yoon Jae Lee
- University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
| | | | | | | | - Gyungyub Gong
- Department of Pathology, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Sung Hee Park
- School of Systems Biomedical Science, Soongsil University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Hee Jin Lee
- Department of Pathology, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea.
- Biomedical Sciences, Asan Medical Institute of Convergence Science and Technology (AMIST), University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea.
- NeogenTC Corp., Seoul, South Korea.
| | - Byung-Kwan Jeong
- Department of Pathology, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea.
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Ghannam SF, Makhlouf S, Alsaleem M, Rutland CS, Allegrucci C, Mongan NP, Rakha EA. The Conflicting Prognostic Role of the Stroma-Tumor Ratio in Breast Cancer Molecular Subtypes. Mod Pathol 2024; 37:100607. [PMID: 39216541 DOI: 10.1016/j.modpat.2024.100607] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2024] [Revised: 07/05/2024] [Accepted: 08/08/2024] [Indexed: 09/04/2024]
Abstract
The tumor microenvironment plays a key role in tumor progression. The proportion of the stroma-to-tumor cells (stroma-tumor ratio [STR]) has a variable prognostic significance in breast cancer (BC) molecular classes. In this study, we evaluated the mechanisms of stroma formation and composition in different molecular subtypes, which could explain the different prognostic values. This study interrogated 2 large well-characterized BC cohorts. Firstly, an in-house BC cohort (n = 822) encompassing all BC molecular subtypes from the Nottingham series was used. In each subtype, stromal assessment was carried out, and tumors were assigned to 2 groups: high and low STR, and further correlation with tumor characteristics and patient outcomes was investigated. The contribution of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) to the stroma has also been studied. Secondly, the public domain data set (The Cancer Genome Atlas data [TCGA], n = 978) was used as a validation cohort and for differential gene expression (DGE) analysis. DGE was performed to identify a set of genes associated with high STR in the 3 main molecular subtypes. High STR was associated with favorable patient outcomes in the whole cohort and in the luminal subtype, whereas high STR showed an association with poor outcomes in triple-negative BC (TNBC). No association with outcome was found in the HER2 enriched BC. DGE analysis identified various pathways in luminal and TNBC subtypes, with immune upregulation and hypoxia pathways enriched in TNBC, and pathways related to fibrosis and stromal remodeling enriched in the luminal group instead. Low STR accompanied by high TILs was shown to carry the most favorable prognosis in TNBC. In line with the DGE results, TILs played a major prognostic role in the stroma of TNBC but not in the luminal or HER2-enriched subtypes. The underlying molecular mechanisms and composition of the stroma in BC are variable in the molecular subtypes and explain the difference in its prognostic significance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suzan F Ghannam
- Academic Unit for Translational Medical Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom; Department of Histology and Cell Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Suez Canal University, Ismailia, Egypt; Nottingham Breast Cancer Research Centre, Biodiscovery Institute, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom
| | - Shorouk Makhlouf
- Academic Unit for Translational Medical Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom; Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Assiut University, Assiut, Egypt
| | - Mansour Alsaleem
- Unit of Scientific Research, Applied College, Qassim University, Qassim, Saudi Arabia
| | - Catrin Sian Rutland
- Nottingham Breast Cancer Research Centre, Biodiscovery Institute, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom; School of Veterinary Medicine and Science, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom
| | - Cinzia Allegrucci
- Nottingham Breast Cancer Research Centre, Biodiscovery Institute, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom; School of Veterinary Medicine and Science, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom
| | - Nigel P Mongan
- School of Veterinary Medicine and Science, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom; Department of Pharmacology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York
| | - Emad A Rakha
- Academic Unit for Translational Medical Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom; Cellular Pathology Department, Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, Nottingham, United Kingdom; Pathology Department, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar.
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Yamaguchi K, Nakazono T, Egashira R, Fukui S, Imaizumi T, Maruyama K, Nickel D, Hamamoto T, Yamaguchi R, Irie H. Relationship between kinetic parameters of ultrafast dynamic contrast-enhanced (DCE) MRI and tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) in breast cancer. Jpn J Radiol 2024:10.1007/s11604-024-01645-w. [PMID: 39186213 DOI: 10.1007/s11604-024-01645-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2024] [Accepted: 08/15/2024] [Indexed: 08/27/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE To evaluate the relationship between kinetic parameters of ultrafast dynamic contrast-enhanced (DCE) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) in breast cancer. PATIENTS AND METHODS This retrospective study was approved by an institutional review board and included 76 women (median age: 60) with 76 surgically proven breast cancers who underwent DCE MRI including ultrafast sequence. Based on the TILs level, we classified the patients into the low-TILs (< 10%) group and the high-TILs (≥ 10%) group. Maximum slope (MS) and time to enhancement (TTE) derived from ultrafast DCE sequence were correlated in each TILs group. The percentages of six kinetic patterns (fast, medium, and slow from the early phase, washout, plateau, and persistent from the delayed phase) derived from the conventional DCE sequence were also correlated in each TILs group. RESULTS Of the 76 breast cancers, 57 were in the low-TILs group and 19 comprised the high-TILs group. The median MS in the high-TILs group (32.4%/sec) was significantly higher than that in the low-TILs group (23.68%/s) (p = 0.037). In a receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) analysis, the area under the curve (AUC) for differentiating between the high- and low-TILs group was 0.661. The TTE in the high-TILs group was significantly shorter than that in the low-TILs group (p = 0.012). In the ROC analysis, the AUC was 0.685. There were no significant differences between the percentages of the six kinetic patterns from the conventional DCE sequence and the TILs level (p = 0.075-0.876). CONCLUSION Compared to the low-TILs group, the high-TILs group had higher MS and shorter TTE.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ken Yamaguchi
- Department of Radiology, Faculty of Medicine, Saga University, 5-1-1 Nabeshima, Saga, 849-8501, Japan.
| | - Takahiko Nakazono
- Department of Radiology, Faculty of Medicine, Saga University, 5-1-1 Nabeshima, Saga, 849-8501, Japan
| | - Ryoko Egashira
- Department of Radiology, Faculty of Medicine, Saga University, 5-1-1 Nabeshima, Saga, 849-8501, Japan
| | - Shuichi Fukui
- Department of Radiology, Faculty of Medicine, Saga University, 5-1-1 Nabeshima, Saga, 849-8501, Japan
| | - Tsutomu Imaizumi
- Department of Radiology, Faculty of Medicine, Saga University, 5-1-1 Nabeshima, Saga, 849-8501, Japan
| | - Katsuya Maruyama
- MR Research & Collaboration Department, Siemens Healthcare K.K., Gate City Osaki West Tower, 1-11-1 Osaki, Shinagawa-Ku, Tokyo, 141-8644, Japan
| | - Dominik Nickel
- MR Application Development, Siemens Healthcare GmbH, Allee Am Roethelheimpark 2, 91052, Erlangen, Germany
| | | | - Rin Yamaguchi
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Kurume University Medical Center, 155-1 Kokubu, Kurume, 859-0863, Japan
| | - Hiroyuki Irie
- Department of Radiology, Faculty of Medicine, Saga University, 5-1-1 Nabeshima, Saga, 849-8501, Japan
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Flecher MC, Balabram D, Salles YA, Souza FR, Estrela-Lima A, Nakagaki KYR, Cassali GD. Evaluation of immunophenotype and inflammation in canine mammary neoplasms with solid arrangement. J Comp Pathol 2024; 213:1-9. [PMID: 39018987 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcpa.2024.06.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2024] [Revised: 05/01/2024] [Accepted: 06/14/2024] [Indexed: 07/19/2024]
Abstract
Morphological and immunohistochemical studies of solid arrangement canine mammary carcinomas have shown that the different histological types may be characterized by proliferation of epithelial and/or myoepithelial cells. However, little is known about immunophenotypes and the importance of inflammation as prognostic factors in these neoplasms. The objective of the present study was to characterize the immunophenotype and degree of inflammation in the solid type of canine mammary neoplasm and to investigate their association with metastasis, Ki-67 index, tumour size, necrosis and survival. Sixty-five carcinomas with solid pattern, basaloid carcinomas, solid papillary carcinomas, malignant adenomyoepitheliomas (MAMEs) or malignant myoepitheliomas (MMEs) were investigated. Luminal A, luminal B HER2 negative and HER2 positive, HER2 overexpressed and triple negative immunophenotypes were immunolabelled as were Ki-67 protein and cyclooxygenase-2 (Cox-2). Histological peritumoural and intratumoural inflammatory infiltrates were graded (distribution × intensity) and the presence of necrosis identified. We found a statistical difference between histological types and immunophenotypes, with MME and MAME having a higher occurrence of luminal A, whereas most neoplasms had the luminal B HER-negative immunophenotype. There was no correlation between immunophenotype and degree of peri- and intratumoural inflammation, nodal metastasis, necrosis or tumour size. An increased degree of peri- and intratumoural inflammation was significantly associated with lymph node metastasis, and more severe intratumoural inflammation was associated with the presence of tumour necrosis. Tumour size, Ki-67 index and Cox-2 score were not associated with inflammation in either peri- or intratumoural regions. No difference was observed in survival in relation to immunophenotype or degree of inflammation, but the Cox regression model revealed that nodal metastasis influenced the risk of death.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mayra C Flecher
- Department of General Pathology/Laboratory of Comparative Pathology, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Av. Pres. Antônio Carlos, 6627, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, 31270-091, Brazil; Department of Veterinary Pathology, Universidade Vila Velha, Vila Velha, Espirito Santo, 29101-420, Brazil
| | - Débora Balabram
- Department of Surgery, School of Medicine, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Av. Pres. Antônio Carlos, 6627, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, 31270-091, Brazil
| | - Yasmin A Salles
- Department of Veterinary Pathology, Universidade Vila Velha, Vila Velha, Espirito Santo, 29101-420, Brazil
| | - Fernanda R Souza
- Department of General Pathology/Laboratory of Comparative Pathology, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Av. Pres. Antônio Carlos, 6627, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, 31270-091, Brazil
| | - Alessandra Estrela-Lima
- Department of Anatomy, Pathology and Veterinary Clinics, Federal University of Bahia, Salvador, Bahia, 401170-110, Brazil
| | - Karen Y R Nakagaki
- Department of General Pathology/Laboratory of Comparative Pathology, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Av. Pres. Antônio Carlos, 6627, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, 31270-091, Brazil
| | - Geovanni D Cassali
- Department of General Pathology/Laboratory of Comparative Pathology, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Av. Pres. Antônio Carlos, 6627, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, 31270-091, Brazil.
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Colomer R, González-Farré B, Ballesteros AI, Peg V, Bermejo B, Pérez-Mies B, de la Cruz S, Rojo F, Pernas S, Palacios J. Biomarkers in breast cancer 2024: an updated consensus statement by the Spanish Society of Medical Oncology and the Spanish Society of Pathology. Clin Transl Oncol 2024:10.1007/s12094-024-03541-1. [PMID: 38869741 DOI: 10.1007/s12094-024-03541-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2024] [Accepted: 05/25/2024] [Indexed: 06/14/2024]
Abstract
This revised consensus statement of the Spanish Society of Medical Oncology (SEOM) and the Spanish Society of Pathological Anatomy (SEAP) updates the recommendations for biomarkers use in the diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer that we first published in 2018. The expert group recommends determining in early breast cancer the estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR), Ki-67, and Human Epidermal growth factor Receptor 2 (HER2), as well as BReast CAncer (BRCA) genes in high-risk HER2-negative breast cancer, to assist prognosis and help in indicating the therapeutic options, including hormone therapy, chemotherapy, anti-HER2 therapy, and other targeted therapies. One of the four available genetic prognostic platforms (Oncotype DX®, MammaPrint®, Prosigna®, or EndoPredict®) may be used in ER-positive patients with early breast cancer to establish a prognostic category and help decide with the patient whether adjuvant treatment may be limited to hormonal therapy. In second-line advanced breast cancer, in addition, phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate 3-kinase catalytic subunit alpha (PIK3CA) and estrogen receptor 1 (ESR1) should be tested in hormone-sensitive cases, BRCA gene mutations in HER2-negative cancers, and in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), programmed cell death-1 ligand (PD-L1). Newer biomarkers and technologies, including tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs), homologous recombination deficiency (HRD) testing, serine/threonine kinase (AKT) pathway activation, and next-generation sequencing (NGS), are at this point investigational.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ramon Colomer
- UAM Personalised Precision Medicine Chair & Medical Oncology Department, La Princesa University Hospital and Research Institute, C/Diego de León, 62, 28006, Madrid, Spain.
| | | | | | - Vicente Peg
- Pathological Anatomy Service, Vall d'Hebron University Hospital, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Begoña Bermejo
- Medical Oncology Department, Biomedical Research Institute INCLIVA, Medicine Department of the University of Valencia and Clinic University Hospital, Valencia, Spain
| | - Belén Pérez-Mies
- Pathological Anatomy Service, Ramón y Cajal University Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, University of Alcalá, IRYCIS and CIBERONC, Madrid, Spain
| | - Susana de la Cruz
- Medical Oncology Department, Navarra University Hospital, Navarre, Spain
| | - Federico Rojo
- Anatomy Service, Fundación Jiménez Díaz University Hospital and CIBERONC, Madrid, Spain
| | - Sonia Pernas
- Oncology Department, Catalan Institute of Oncology (ICO)-IDIBELL, L'Hospitalet, Barcelona, Spain
| | - José Palacios
- Pathological Anatomy Service, Department of Pathology, Ramón y Cajal University Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, University of Alcalá, IRYCIS and CIBERONC, Ctra. Colmenar Viejo, Km 9,1, 28034, Madrid, Spain.
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Bruss C, Albert V, Seitz S, Blaimer S, Kellner K, Pohl F, Ortmann O, Brockhoff G, Wege AK. Neoadjuvant radiotherapy in ER +, HER2 +, and triple-negative -specific breast cancer based humanized tumor mice enhances anti-PD-L1 treatment efficacy. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1355130. [PMID: 38742103 PMCID: PMC11089195 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1355130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2023] [Accepted: 04/15/2024] [Indexed: 05/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Pre-operative radiation therapy is not currently integrated into the treatment protocols for breast cancer. However, transforming immunological "cold" breast cancers by neoadjuvant irradiation into their "hot" variants is supposed to elicit an endogenous tumor immune defense and, thus, enhance immunotherapy efficiency. We investigated cellular and immunological effects of sub-lethal, neoadjuvant irradiation of ER pos., HER2 pos., and triple-negative breast cancer subtypes in-vitro and in-vivo in humanized tumor mice (HTM). This mouse model is characterized by a human-like immune system and therefore facilitates detailed analysis of the mechanisms and efficiency of neoadjuvant, irradiation-induced "in-situ vaccination", especially in the context of concurrently applied checkpoint therapy. Similar to clinical appearances, we observed a gradually increased immunogenicity from the luminal over the HER2-pos. to the triple negative subtype in HTM indicated by an increasing immune cell infiltration into the tumor tissue. Anti-PD-L1 therapy divided the HER2-pos. and triple negative HTM groups into responder and non-responder, while the luminal HTMs were basically irresponsive. Irradiation alone was effective in the HER2-pos. and luminal subtype-specific HTM and was supportive for overcoming irresponsiveness to single anti-PD-L1 treatment. The treatment success correlated with a significantly increased T cell proportion and PD-1 expression in the spleen. In all subtype-specific HTM combination therapy proved most effective in diminishing tumor growth, enhancing the immune response, and converted non-responder into responder during anti-PD-L1 therapy. In HTM, neoadjuvant irradiation reinforced anti-PD-L1 checkpoint treatment of breast cancer in a subtype -specific manner. According to the "bench to bedside" principle, this study offers a vital foundation for clinical translating the use of neoadjuvant irradiation in the context of checkpoint therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christina Bruss
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, University Medical Center Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
- Bavarian Cancer Research Center (BZKF), Regensburg, Germany
| | - Veruschka Albert
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, University Medical Center Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
- Bavarian Cancer Research Center (BZKF), Regensburg, Germany
| | - Stephan Seitz
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, University Medical Center Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
- Bavarian Cancer Research Center (BZKF), Regensburg, Germany
| | - Stephanie Blaimer
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, University Medical Center Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
- Bavarian Cancer Research Center (BZKF), Regensburg, Germany
| | - Kerstin Kellner
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, University Medical Center Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
- Bavarian Cancer Research Center (BZKF), Regensburg, Germany
| | - Fabian Pohl
- Bavarian Cancer Research Center (BZKF), Regensburg, Germany
- Department of Radiotherapy, University Medical Center Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Olaf Ortmann
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, University Medical Center Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
- Bavarian Cancer Research Center (BZKF), Regensburg, Germany
| | - Gero Brockhoff
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, University Medical Center Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
- Bavarian Cancer Research Center (BZKF), Regensburg, Germany
| | - Anja K. Wege
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, University Medical Center Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
- Bavarian Cancer Research Center (BZKF), Regensburg, Germany
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8
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Sun XY, Wang CQ, Mao Y, Zhang ZQ, Cui J, Dong XN, Wang HB. Prognostic value and distribution pattern of tumor infiltrating lymphocytes and their subsets in distant metastases of advanced breast cancer. Clin Breast Cancer 2024; 24:e167-e176. [PMID: 38212189 DOI: 10.1016/j.clbc.2023.12.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2023] [Revised: 11/09/2023] [Accepted: 12/29/2023] [Indexed: 01/13/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND There are significant correlations between the levels of tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) and the prognosis of primary breast cancer. While little is known about immunological mechanisms in the distant metastasis of advanced breast cancer. PATIENTS AND METHODS A total of 106 patients with advanced metastatic breast cancer were enrolled in this study between 2016 and 2022. Hematoxylin and eosin staining and immunohistochemistry were used to assess the densities of stromal TILs (sTILs), intratumoral TILs (iTILs) and invasive marginal TILs (imTILs) and CD4+, CD8+, CD20+, FOXP3+ TILs in the primary tumor and metastasis (bone, lung, liver, and distant lymph node) of advanced breast cancer. RESULTS Higher levels of sTILs at metastatic sites were associated with better progression-free survival (PFS), postmetastasis survival (PMS) and overall survival (OS) (p = .026, .001 and .005, respectively). The levels of iTILs were significantly lower than those of sTILs and imTILs in both primary tumor (p< .001, both) and metastasis (p< .001, both). The level of CD4+ T cells was higher than those of CD8+ T cells and CD20+ B cells in both primary tumor (p < .001) and metastasis (p < .001). The levels of sTILs (p=0. 001) and imTILs (p< .001) in the primary tumor were generally higher than those in the metastasis. CONCLUSION The levels of TILs and their subsets can predict the survival and prognosis of patients with advanced breast cancer. The distributions of TILs and their subsets are similar between the primary tumor and metastasis. The metastases have a lower degree of lymphocytes infiltration than its corresponding primary tumor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin-Yi Sun
- Department of Breast Surgery, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, Shandong, PR China
| | - Cheng-Qin Wang
- Department of Pathology, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, Shandong, PR China
| | - Yan Mao
- Department of Breast Surgery, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, Shandong, PR China
| | - Zhen-Qi Zhang
- Department of Pathology, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, Shandong, PR China
| | - Jian Cui
- Department of Breast Surgery, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, Shandong, PR China
| | - Xian-Ning Dong
- Department of Pathology, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, Shandong, PR China
| | - Hai-Bo Wang
- Department of Breast Surgery, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, Shandong, PR China.
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9
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Kang D, Wang C, Han Z, Zheng L, Guo W, Fu F, Qiu L, Han X, He J, Li L, Chen J. Exploration of the relationship between tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte score and histological grade in breast cancer. BMC Cancer 2024; 24:318. [PMID: 38454386 PMCID: PMC10921807 DOI: 10.1186/s12885-024-12069-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2023] [Accepted: 02/28/2024] [Indexed: 03/09/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The histological grade is an important factor in the prognosis of invasive breast cancer and is vital to accurately identify the histological grade and reclassify of Grade2 status in breast cancer patients. METHODS In this study, data were collected from 556 invasive breast cancer patients, and then randomly divided into training cohort (n = 335) and validation cohort (n = 221). All patients were divided into actual low risk group (Grade1) and high risk group (Grade2/3) based on traditional histological grade, and tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte score (TILs-score) obtained from multiphoton images, and the TILs assessment method proposed by International Immuno-Oncology Biomarker Working Group (TILs-WG) were also used to differentiate between high risk group and low risk group of histological grade in patients with invasive breast cancer. Furthermore, TILs-score was used to reclassify Grade2 (G2) into G2 /Low risk and G2/High risk. The coefficients for each TILs in the training cohort were retrieved using ridge regression and TILs-score was created based on the coefficients of the three kinds of TILs. RESULTS Statistical analysis shows that TILs-score is significantly correlated with histological grade, and is an independent predictor of histological grade (odds ratio [OR], 2.548; 95%CI, 1.648-3.941; P < 0.0001), but TILs-WG is not an independent predictive factor for grade (P > 0.05 in the univariate analysis). Moreover, the risk of G2/High risk group is higher than that of G2/Low risk group, and the survival rate of patients with G2/Low risk is similar to that of Grade1, while the survival rate of patients with G2/High risk is even worse than that of patients with G3. CONCLUSION Our results suggest that TILs-score can be used to predict the histological grade of breast cancer and potentially to guide the therapeutic management of breast cancer patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deyong Kang
- Department of Pathology, Fujian Medical University Union Hospital, 350001, Fuzhou, P. R. China
| | - Chuan Wang
- Breast Surgery Ward, Department of General Surgery, Fujian Medical University Union Hospital, 350001, Fuzhou, P. R. China
| | - Zhonghua Han
- Breast Surgery Ward, Department of General Surgery, Fujian Medical University Union Hospital, 350001, Fuzhou, P. R. China
| | - Liqin Zheng
- Key Laboratory of OptoElectronic Science and Technology for Medicine of Ministry of Education, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Photonics Technology, College of Photonic and Electronic Engineering, Fujian Normal University, 350007, Fuzhou, P. R. China
| | - Wenhui Guo
- Breast Surgery Ward, Department of General Surgery, Fujian Medical University Union Hospital, 350001, Fuzhou, P. R. China
| | - Fangmeng Fu
- Breast Surgery Ward, Department of General Surgery, Fujian Medical University Union Hospital, 350001, Fuzhou, P. R. China
| | - Lida Qiu
- College of Physics and Electronic Information Engineering, Minjiang University, 350108, Fuzhou, P. R. China
| | - Xiahui Han
- Key Laboratory of OptoElectronic Science and Technology for Medicine of Ministry of Education, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Photonics Technology, College of Photonic and Electronic Engineering, Fujian Normal University, 350007, Fuzhou, P. R. China
| | - Jiajia He
- School of Science, Jimei University, 361021, Xiamen, P. R. China.
| | - Lianhuang Li
- Key Laboratory of OptoElectronic Science and Technology for Medicine of Ministry of Education, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Photonics Technology, College of Photonic and Electronic Engineering, Fujian Normal University, 350007, Fuzhou, P. R. China.
| | - Jianxin Chen
- Key Laboratory of OptoElectronic Science and Technology for Medicine of Ministry of Education, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Photonics Technology, College of Photonic and Electronic Engineering, Fujian Normal University, 350007, Fuzhou, P. R. China.
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10
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Nicolini A, Ferrari P, Silvestri R, Gemignani F. The breast cancer tumor microenvironment and precision medicine: immunogenicity and conditions favoring response to immunotherapy. JOURNAL OF THE NATIONAL CANCER CENTER 2024; 4:14-24. [PMID: 39036381 PMCID: PMC11256721 DOI: 10.1016/j.jncc.2024.01.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2023] [Revised: 01/13/2024] [Accepted: 01/21/2024] [Indexed: 07/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Some main recent researches that have dissected tumor microenvironment (TME) by imaging mass cytometry (IMC) in different subtypes of primary breast cancer samples were considered. The many phenotypic variants, clusters of epithelial tumor and immune cells, their structural features as well as the main genetic aberrations, sub-clonal heterogeneity and their systematic classification also have been examined. Mutational evolution has been assessed in primary and metastatic breast cancer samples. Overall, based on these findings the current concept of precision medicine is questioned and challenged by alternative therapeutic strategies. In the last two decades, immunotherapy as a powerful and harmless tool to fight cancer has received huge attention. Thus, the tumor immune microenvironment (TIME) composition, its prognostic role for clinical course as well as a novel definition of immunogenicity in breast cancer are proposed. Investigational clinical trials carried out by us and other findings suggest that G0-G1 state induced in endocrine-dependent metastatic breast cancer is more suitable for successful immune manipulation. Residual micro-metastatic disease seems to be another specific condition that can significantly favor the immune response in breast and other solid tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Nicolini
- Department of Oncology, Transplantations and New Technologies in Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Paola Ferrari
- Department of Oncology, Transplantations and New Technologies in Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Roberto Silvestri
- Department of Biology, Genetic Unit, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
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11
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Lee S, Kang BH, Lee HB, Jang BS, Han W, Kim IA. B-Cell-Mediated Immunity Predicts Survival of Patients With Estrogen Receptor-Positive Breast Cancer. JCO Precis Oncol 2024; 8:e2300263. [PMID: 38452311 DOI: 10.1200/po.23.00263] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2023] [Revised: 12/21/2023] [Accepted: 01/11/2024] [Indexed: 03/09/2024] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE The estrogen receptor-positive (ER+) breast cancer (BC), which constitutes the majority of BC cases, exhibits highly heterogeneous clinical behavior. To aid precision treatments, we aimed to find molecular subtypes of ER+ BC representing the tumor microenvironment and prognosis. METHODS We analyzed RNA-seq data of 113 patients with BC and classified them according to the PAM50 intrinsic subtypes using gene expression profiles. Among them, we further focused on 44 patients with luminal-type (ER+) BC for subclassification. The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) data of patients with BC were used as a validation data set to verify the new classification. We estimated the immune cell composition using CIBERSORT and further analyzed its association with clinical or molecular parameters. RESULTS Principal component analysis clearly divided the patients into two subgroups separately from the luminal A and B classification. The top differentially expressed genes between the subgroups were distinctly characterized by immunoglobulin and B-cell-related genes. We could also cluster a separate cohort of patients with luminal-type BC from TCGA into two subgroups on the basis of the expression of a B-cell-specific gene set, and patients who were predicted to have high B-cell immune activity had better prognoses than other patients. CONCLUSION Our transcriptomic approach emphasize a molecular phenotype of B-cell immunity in ER+ BC that may help to predict disease prognosis. Although further researches are required, B-cell immunity for patients with ER+ BC may be helpful for identifying patients who are good responders to chemotherapy or immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seungbok Lee
- Department of Genomic Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Byung-Hee Kang
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam, Republic of Korea
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Ewha Womans University Seoul Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Han-Byoel Lee
- Department of Surgery, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Biomedical Research Institute, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Cancer Research Institute, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Bum-Sup Jang
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Wonshik Han
- Department of Surgery, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Biomedical Research Institute, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Cancer Research Institute, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - In Ah Kim
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam, Republic of Korea
- Department of Radiation Oncology and Cancer Research Institute, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
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12
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de Mello RA, Perez KR, Vazquez TP. Current and future trends in neoadjuvant immunotherapy for the treatment of triple-negative breast cancer. Immunotherapy 2024; 16:257-266. [PMID: 38197149 DOI: 10.2217/imt-2022-0277] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/11/2024] Open
Abstract
Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) comprises 15-20% of all breast cancers (BC). Lacking targeted therapy options, TNBC becomes the focal point of clinical investigations aiming not only to identify drugs with enhanced response potential but also to uncover new immunological and/or metabolic pathways conducive to more effective treatments. Currently, neoadjuvant treatment for TNBC relies on standard chemotherapy in conjunction with immunotherapy, given the improved response observed with this drug combination. This review delves into the latest therapeutic updates in TNBC treatment and explores potential advancements shaping the future landscape of this disease in the neoadjuvant setting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ramon Andrade de Mello
- Department of Oncology, Oxford Cancer Center, Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Churchill Hospital, OX3 7LE, Oxford, UK
- Department of Oncology, University of Oxford, OX3 7ER, Oxford, UK
- Post Graduation Program in Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Nine of July University, 015250-000, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Kátia Roque Perez
- Post Graduation Program in Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Nine of July University, 015250-000, São Paulo, Brazil
- Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Neoplasicas, Lima, Peru
| | - Thais Pérez Vazquez
- São Paulo Cancer Institute, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, 01246-000, Brazil
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13
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Arqueros C, Gallardo A, Vidal S, Osuna-Gómez R, Tibau A, Lidia Bell O, Ramón Y Cajal T, Lerma E, Lobato-Delgado B, Salazar J, Barnadas A. Clinical Relevance of Tumour-Infiltrating Immune Cells in HER2-Negative Breast Cancer Treated with Neoadjuvant Therapy. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:2627. [PMID: 38473874 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25052627] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2024] [Revised: 02/20/2024] [Accepted: 02/22/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Currently, therapy response cannot be accurately predicted in HER2-negative breast cancer (BC). Measuring stromal tumour-infiltrating lymphocytes (sTILs) and mediators of the tumour microenvironment and characterizing tumour-infiltrating immune cells (TIICs) may improve treatment response in the neoadjuvant setting. Tumour tissue and peripheral blood samples were retrospectively collected from 118 patients, and sTILs were evaluated. Circulating exosomes and myeloid-derived suppressor cells were determined by flow cytometry. TIICs markers (CD4, CD8, CD20, CD1a, and CD68) were assessed immunohistochemically. High sTILs were significantly associated with pathological complete response (pCR; p = 0.048) and event-free survival (EFS; p = 0.027). High-CD68 cells were significantly associated with pCR in triple-negative (TN, p = 0.027) and high-CD1a cells with EFS in luminal-B (p = 0.012) BC. Cluster analyses of TIICs revealed two groups of tumours (C1 and C2) that had different immune patterns and clinical outcomes. An immunoscore based on clinicopathological variables was developed to identify high risk (C1) or low-risk (C2) patients. Additionally, cluster analyses revealed two groups of tumours for both luminal-B and TNBC. Our findings support the association of sTILs with pCR and show an immunological component in a subset of patients with HER2-negative BC. Our immunoscore may be useful for future escalation or de-escalation treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristina Arqueros
- Department of Medical Oncology, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, 08041 Barcelona, Spain
- Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08035 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Alberto Gallardo
- Department of Pathology, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, 08041 Barcelona, Spain
- Department of Morphological Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08035 Barcelona, Spain
- Institut d'Investigació Biomèdica Sant Pau (IIB-Sant Pau), Institut de Recerca Sant Pau-CERCA Center, 08041 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Silvia Vidal
- Inflammatory Diseases, Institut d'Investigació Biomèdica Sant Pau (IIB-Sant Pau), Institut de Recerca Sant Pau-CERCA Center, 08041 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Rubén Osuna-Gómez
- Inflammatory Diseases, Institut d'Investigació Biomèdica Sant Pau (IIB-Sant Pau), Institut de Recerca Sant Pau-CERCA Center, 08041 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Ariadna Tibau
- Department of Medical Oncology, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, 08041 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Olga Lidia Bell
- Translational Medical Oncology Laboratory, Institut d'Investigació Biomèdica Sant Pau (IIB-Sant Pau), Institut de Recerca Sant Pau-CERCA Center, 08041 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Teresa Ramón Y Cajal
- Department of Medical Oncology, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, 08041 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Enrique Lerma
- Department of Pathology, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, 08041 Barcelona, Spain
- Department of Morphological Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08035 Barcelona, Spain
- Institut d'Investigació Biomèdica Sant Pau (IIB-Sant Pau), Institut de Recerca Sant Pau-CERCA Center, 08041 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Bárbara Lobato-Delgado
- Unitat de Genòmica de Malalties Complexes, Institut d'Investigació Biomèdica Sant Pau (IIB-Sant Pau), Institut de Recerca de l'Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau-CERCA Center, 08041 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Juliana Salazar
- Translational Medical Oncology Laboratory, Institut d'Investigació Biomèdica Sant Pau (IIB-Sant Pau), Institut de Recerca Sant Pau-CERCA Center, 08041 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Agustí Barnadas
- Department of Medical Oncology, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, 08041 Barcelona, Spain
- Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08035 Barcelona, Spain
- Translational Medical Oncology Laboratory, Institut d'Investigació Biomèdica Sant Pau (IIB-Sant Pau), Institut de Recerca Sant Pau-CERCA Center, 08041 Barcelona, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomedica en Red Cancer (CIBERONC), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28029 Madrid, Spain
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14
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Alaluf E, Shalamov MM, Sonnenblick A. Update on current and new potential immunotherapies in breast cancer, from bench to bedside. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1287824. [PMID: 38433837 PMCID: PMC10905744 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1287824] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2023] [Accepted: 01/12/2024] [Indexed: 03/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Impressive advances have been seen in cancer immunotherapy during the last years. Although breast cancer (BC) has been long considered as non-immunogenic, immunotherapy for the treatment of BC is now emerging as a new promising therapeutic approach with considerable potential. This is supported by a plethora of completed and ongoing preclinical and clinical studies in various types of immunotherapies. However, a significant gap between clinical oncology and basic cancer research impairs the understanding of cancer immunology and immunotherapy, hampering cancer therapy research and development. To exploit the accumulating available data in an optimal way, both fundamental mechanisms at play in BC immunotherapy and its clinical pitfalls must be integrated. Then, clinical trials must be critically designed with appropriate combinations of conventional and immunotherapeutic strategies. While there is room for major improvement, this updated review details the immunotherapeutic tools available to date, from bench to bedside, in the hope that this will lead to rethinking and optimizing standards of care for BC patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emmanuelle Alaluf
- Medical Oncology Clinic, Institut Jules Bordet, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium
- Department of Immunology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | | | - Amir Sonnenblick
- Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
- Oncology Division, Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Tel Aviv, Israel
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15
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Licata L, Barreca M, Galbardi B, Dugo M, Viale G, Győrffy B, Karn T, Pusztai L, Gianni L, Callari M, Bianchini G. Breast cancers with high proliferation and low ER-related signalling have poor prognosis and unique molecular features with implications for therapy. Br J Cancer 2023; 129:2025-2033. [PMID: 37935787 PMCID: PMC10703787 DOI: 10.1038/s41416-023-02477-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2023] [Revised: 10/10/2023] [Accepted: 10/18/2023] [Indexed: 11/09/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Luminal breast cancers with high proliferation (MKShi) and low ER-related signalling (ERSlo) have a poor prognosis. We investigated treatment responses and molecular features of MKShi/ERSlo tumours to inform potential therapies. METHODS Gene expression data from patients who received neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) without (MDACC, N = 199) or with pembrolizumab (I-SPY2, N = 40), or endocrine therapy (NET) without (POETIC, N = 172) or with palbociclib (NeoPalAna, N = 32) were analyzed to assess treatment response by MKS/ERS-subgroups. TCGA was used to assess the mutational landscape and biomarkers associated with palbociclib-resistance (Cyclin-E, RBsig, IRPR) and immunotherapy-response (TMB, TILs, T-cell inflamed) by MKS/ERS-subgroups. RESULTS Compared to MKShi/ERShi tumours, MKShi/ERSlo tumours had higher pathological response rates to NAC (22% vs 8%, p = 0.06) but a higher recurrence risk (4-year metastasis-free survival 70% vs 94%, p = 0.01). MKShi/ERSlo tumours frequently harboured TP53 (34%) and PIK3CA (33%) mutations, and showed high expression of Cyclin-E, RBsig and IRPR, high TMB and elevated TIL and T-cell inflamed metagene expression. MKShi/ERSlo tumours retained high proliferation after NET with or without palbociclib but had higher pathological complete response rates when pembrolizumab was added to NAC (42% vs 21%, p = 0.07). CONCLUSIONS MKShi/ERSlo tumours have dismal outcomes and are enriched in chemotherapy-sensitive but ET- and palbociclib-resistant tumours. Biomarker analysis and clinical data suggest a potential role for immunotherapy in this group.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luca Licata
- Department of Medical Oncology, San Raffaele Hospital, Milan, Italy
- School of Medicine and Surgery, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy
| | | | - Barbara Galbardi
- Department of Medical Oncology, San Raffaele Hospital, Milan, Italy
- School of Medicine and Surgery, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy
| | - Matteo Dugo
- Department of Medical Oncology, San Raffaele Hospital, Milan, Italy
- School of Medicine and Surgery, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy
| | - Giulia Viale
- Department of Medical Oncology, San Raffaele Hospital, Milan, Italy
- School of Medicine and Surgery, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy
| | - Balàzs Győrffy
- Department of Bioinformatics, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
- Cancer Biomarker Research Group, Research Centre for Natural Sciences, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Thomas Karn
- Goethe University Hospital Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Lajos Pusztai
- Yale Cancer Center, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | | | | | - Giampaolo Bianchini
- Department of Medical Oncology, San Raffaele Hospital, Milan, Italy.
- School of Medicine and Surgery, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy.
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16
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Miglietta F, Dieci MV, Giarratano T, Torri V, Giuliano M, Zustovich F, Mion M, Tondini CA, De Rossi C, Bria E, Franchi M, Merlini L, Giannatiempo R, Russo D, Fotia V, Poletti P, Caremoli ER, Arpino MG, De Salvo GL, Zambelli A, Guarneri V. Association of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes with recurrence score in hormone receptor-positive/HER2-negative breast cancer: Analysis of four prospective studies. Eur J Cancer 2023; 195:113399. [PMID: 37950941 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejca.2023.113399] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2023] [Revised: 10/16/2023] [Accepted: 10/18/2023] [Indexed: 11/13/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The clinical value of tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) in hormone receptor-positive (HR+)/HER2- breast cancer (BC) may be unearthed by focusing on more biologically aggressive tumors. Here we deepen and describe the correlation between RS and TILs, proposing an immuno-genomic model for HR+ /HER2- BC. METHODS We enrolled T1-T3, N0-N1 BC patients with available RS® and TILs in the context of four multicenter, prospective studies. RS® and TILs were considered as continuous and categorical variables. RS® was categorized into: 0-10 (low risk), 11-25 (intermediate risk) and 26-100 (high risk); TILs were categorized into: low TILs (0-10%), intermediate TILs (11-59%) and high TILs (60-100%). RESULTS 811 patients were included. RS distribution was (n = 810): low risk 22.0%, intermediate risk 61.2%, high risk 16.8%. TIL distribution was (n = 455): low TILs 84.6%, intermediate TILs 13.6% and high TILs 1.8%. A significant, weak positive, linear correlation was found between continuous TILs and RS (Pearson coefficient=0.223, p < 0.001). When considering RS and TILs categories, tumors with intermediate/high TIL levels significantly enriched the high RS subgroup (p = 0.006). This was confirmed both within Luminal A and Luminal B cohorts. Among high-RS patients, 16.7% of Luminal A and 26.7% of Luminal B tumors had intermediate/high TILs. CONCLUSIONS We observed that RS® and TILs capture only slightly overlapping information on the biology of HR+ /HER2- tumor microenvironment. We demonstrated the feasibility of combining RS and TILs into a composite immuno-genomic model, which may serve the purpose of guiding and focalizing patient selection in the further development of immunotherapy strategies for Luminal-like disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Federica Miglietta
- Oncology 2, Istituto Oncologico Veneto IOV-IRCCS, Padova, Italy; Department of Surgery, Oncology and Gastroenterology (DiSCOG), University of Padova, Italy
| | - Maria Vittoria Dieci
- Oncology 2, Istituto Oncologico Veneto IOV-IRCCS, Padova, Italy; Department of Surgery, Oncology and Gastroenterology (DiSCOG), University of Padova, Italy.
| | | | - Valter Torri
- Istituto Di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri - IRCCS, Milan, Italy
| | - Mario Giuliano
- Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, University Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | | | - Marta Mion
- UOC Oncologia, Camposampiero-Cittadella, AULSS6 Camposampiero, Italy
| | | | - Costanza De Rossi
- Medical Oncology Department, ULSS 3 Serenissima, Angel Hospital (Ospedale Dell'Angelo), Mestre and SS Giovanni e Paolo General Hospital, Venezia, Italy
| | - Emilio Bria
- Medical Oncology, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy; Comprehensive Cancer Center, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli, IRCCS Rome, Italy
| | - Michela Franchi
- Oncology, FROM Fondazione per la Ricerca Ospedale Maggiore, Bergamo, Italy
| | - Laura Merlini
- UOC Oncologia Ospedali Riuniti Padova Sud, Padova, Italy
| | - Rosa Giannatiempo
- UOD di Anatomia Patologica, Ospedale Evangelico Betania, Napoli, Italy
| | - Daniela Russo
- Unit of Pathology, Department of Advanced Biomedical Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, Napoli, Italy
| | - Vittoria Fotia
- Medical Oncology Department, ASST Papa Giovanni XXIII, Bergamo, Italy
| | - Paola Poletti
- Medical Oncology Department, ASST Papa Giovanni XXIII, Bergamo, Italy
| | | | - Maria Grazia Arpino
- Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, University Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Gian Luca De Salvo
- Unità di ricerca clinica, Istituto Oncologico Veneto IOV-IRCCS, Padova, Italy
| | - Alberto Zambelli
- Medical Oncology Unit, Humanitas Cancer Center - IRCCS, Rozzano, Milano, Italy; Department of Biomedical Sciences, Humanitas University, Pieve Emanuele (Milano), Italy
| | - Valentina Guarneri
- Oncology 2, Istituto Oncologico Veneto IOV-IRCCS, Padova, Italy; Department of Surgery, Oncology and Gastroenterology (DiSCOG), University of Padova, Italy
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17
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Makhlouf S, Wahab N, Toss M, Ibrahim A, Lashen AG, Atallah NM, Ghannam S, Jahanifar M, Lu W, Graham S, Mongan NP, Bilal M, Bhalerao A, Snead D, Minhas F, Raza SEA, Rajpoot N, Rakha E. Evaluation of tumour infiltrating lymphocytes in luminal breast cancer using artificial intelligence. Br J Cancer 2023; 129:1747-1758. [PMID: 37777578 PMCID: PMC10667537 DOI: 10.1038/s41416-023-02451-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2023] [Revised: 09/08/2023] [Accepted: 09/20/2023] [Indexed: 10/02/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Tumour infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) are a prognostic parameter in triple-negative and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-positive breast cancer (BC). However, their role in luminal (oestrogen receptor positive and HER2 negative (ER + /HER2-)) BC remains unclear. In this study, we used artificial intelligence (AI) to assess the prognostic significance of TILs in a large well-characterised cohort of luminal BC. METHODS Supervised deep learning model analysis of Haematoxylin and Eosin (H&E)-stained whole slide images (WSI) was applied to a cohort of 2231 luminal early-stage BC patients with long-term follow-up. Stromal TILs (sTILs) and intratumoural TILs (tTILs) were quantified and their spatial distribution within tumour tissue, as well as the proportion of stroma involved by sTILs were assessed. The association of TILs with clinicopathological parameters and patient outcome was determined. RESULTS A strong positive linear correlation was observed between sTILs and tTILs. High sTILs and tTILs counts, as well as their proximity to stromal and tumour cells (co-occurrence) were associated with poor clinical outcomes and unfavourable clinicopathological parameters including high tumour grade, lymph node metastasis, large tumour size, and young age. AI-based assessment of the proportion of stroma composed of sTILs (as assessed visually in routine practice) was not predictive of patient outcome. tTILs was an independent predictor of worse patient outcome in multivariate Cox Regression analysis. CONCLUSION AI-based detection of TILs counts, and their spatial distribution provides prognostic value in luminal early-stage BC patients. The utilisation of AI algorithms could provide a comprehensive assessment of TILs as a morphological variable in WSIs beyond eyeballing assessment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shorouk Makhlouf
- Academic Unit for Translational Medical Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
- Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Assiut University, Assiut, Egypt
| | - Noorul Wahab
- Tissue Image Analytics Centre, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK
| | - Michael Toss
- Academic Unit for Translational Medical Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
- Department of Histopathology, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, Sheffield, UK
| | - Asmaa Ibrahim
- Academic Unit for Translational Medical Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
- Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Suez Canal University, Ismailia, Egypt
| | - Ayat G Lashen
- Academic Unit for Translational Medical Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
- Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Menoufia University, Menoufia, Egypt
| | - Nehal M Atallah
- Academic Unit for Translational Medical Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
- Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Menoufia University, Menoufia, Egypt
| | - Suzan Ghannam
- Academic Unit for Translational Medical Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
- Department of Histology and cell biology, Faculty of Medicine, Suez Canal University, Ismailia, Egypt
| | | | - Wenqi Lu
- Tissue Image Analytics Centre, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK
| | - Simon Graham
- Tissue Image Analytics Centre, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK
| | - Nigel P Mongan
- Biodiscovery Institute, School of Veterinary Medicine and Sciences, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
- Department of Pharmacology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, 10065, USA
| | - Mohsin Bilal
- Tissue Image Analytics Centre, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK
| | - Abhir Bhalerao
- Tissue Image Analytics Centre, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK
| | - David Snead
- University Hospital Coventry and Warwickshire, Coventry, UK
| | - Fayyaz Minhas
- Tissue Image Analytics Centre, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK
| | | | - Nasir Rajpoot
- Tissue Image Analytics Centre, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK.
| | - Emad Rakha
- Academic Unit for Translational Medical Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK.
- Department of Histopathology, Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, Nottingham, UK.
- Department of Pathology, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar.
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18
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Mishra B, Kodandapani S, Challa S, Dash S. Significance of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes in tumor regression in breast cancer: A study in a tertiary care cancer center in South India. J Cancer Res Ther 2023; 19:1837-1843. [PMID: 38376287 DOI: 10.4103/jcrt.jcrt_824_21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2021] [Accepted: 02/09/2022] [Indexed: 02/21/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Tumor immunology plays a significant role in predicting tumor biology and how a tumor is going to respond to neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT). Tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) are the easiest and by far the cheapest method of assessing tumor immunity. Many studies have suggested that TILs play an important role in tumor regression in breast cancer. AIM The aim of the current study was to determine significance of TILs in tumor regression in breast cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS Patients with newly diagnosed and histologically proven breast cancer who were treated with both NACT and surgery in our institute were included in the study. TILs were assessed both before and after NACT, and were correlated with the relative amount of tumor regression and molecular subtypes based on the immunohistochemistry profile. RESULTS The study included 43 specimens of carcinoma breast in females. 42 cases were diagnosed with invasive carcinoma, no special type (NST), and one with lobular carcinoma. Pathological complete remission (pCR) was noted in 6 cases, partial remission (PRe) in 12 cases, and no response in 25 cases. TILs were noted before and after NACT in all cases and were correlated with other clinicopathological parameters. CONCLUSION The present study highlights that TILs play a vital role in tumor regression and can be included in routine reporting. It can provide an insight into tumor biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bagmi Mishra
- Department of Lab Medicine, Basavatarakam Indo American Cancer Hospital, Hyderabad, India
| | - Suseela Kodandapani
- Department of Lab Medicine, Basavatarakam Indo American Cancer Hospital, Hyderabad, India
| | - Sundaram Challa
- Department of Lab Medicine, Basavatarakam Indo American Cancer Hospital, Hyderabad, India
| | - Sashibhusan Dash
- Department of Oncopathology, Acharya Harihar Post-Graduate Institute of Cancer, Cuttack, Odisha, India
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19
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Fukui R, Watanabe T, Morimoto K, Fujimoto Y, Nagahashi M, Ishikawa E, Hirota S, Miyoshi Y. An increase in tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes after treatment is significantly associated with a poor response to neoadjuvant endocrine therapy for estrogen receptor-positive/HER2-negative breast cancers. Breast Cancer 2023; 30:703-713. [PMID: 37115435 PMCID: PMC10404203 DOI: 10.1007/s12282-023-01462-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2023] [Accepted: 04/17/2023] [Indexed: 04/29/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The reason for the poor prognosis of estrogen receptor (ER) + /human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)- breast cancer patients with high levels of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) is poorly understood. The association between TILs and response to neoadjuvant endocrine therapy (NET) was examined. METHODS We recruited 170 patients with ER + /HER2- breast cancer who were treated with preoperative endocrine monotherapy. TILs were evaluated before and after NET, and their changes were noted. Furthermore, T cell subtypes were examined using CD8 and FOXP3 immunohistochemical analyses. Neutrophil and lymphocyte counts in the peripheral blood were analyzed with reference to TIL levels or changes. Responders were defined as Ki67 expression levels ≤ 2.7% after treatment. RESULTS Post-treatment (p = 0.016), but not pre-treatment (p = 0.464), TIL levels were significantly associated with the response to NET. TIL levels increased significantly after treatment among non-responders (p = 0.001). FOXP3 + T cell counts increased significantly after treatment in patients with increased TILs (p = 0.035), but not in those without increased TILs (p = 0.281). Neutrophil counts decreased significantly after treatment in patients without increased TILs (p = 0.026), but not in patients with increased TILs (p = 0.312). CONCLUSION An increase in TILs after NET was significantly associated with a poor response to NET. Given that FOXP3 + T-cell counts increased, and neutrophil counts did not decrease in patients with increased TILs after NET, the induction of an immunosuppressive microenvironment was speculated to play a role in the inferior efficacy. These data might partially indicate the involvement of the immune response in the efficacy of endocrine therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Reiko Fukui
- Department of Surgery, Division of Breast and Endocrine Surgery, School of Medicine, Hyogo Medical University, Mukogawa-Cho 1-1, Nishinomiya City, Hyogo, 663-8501, Japan
| | - Takahiro Watanabe
- Department of Clinical Pathology, Chibune General Hospital, Osaka, Japan
| | - Koji Morimoto
- Department of Nutrition, College of Nutrition, Koshien University, Takarazuka, Hyogo, Japan
| | - Yukie Fujimoto
- Department of Surgery, Division of Breast and Endocrine Surgery, School of Medicine, Hyogo Medical University, Mukogawa-Cho 1-1, Nishinomiya City, Hyogo, 663-8501, Japan
| | - Masayuki Nagahashi
- Department of Surgery, Division of Breast and Endocrine Surgery, School of Medicine, Hyogo Medical University, Mukogawa-Cho 1-1, Nishinomiya City, Hyogo, 663-8501, Japan
| | - Eri Ishikawa
- Department of Surgical Pathology, School of Medicine, Hyogo Medical University, Nishinomiya, Hyogo, Japan
| | - Seiichi Hirota
- Department of Surgical Pathology, School of Medicine, Hyogo Medical University, Nishinomiya, Hyogo, Japan
| | - Yasuo Miyoshi
- Department of Surgery, Division of Breast and Endocrine Surgery, School of Medicine, Hyogo Medical University, Mukogawa-Cho 1-1, Nishinomiya City, Hyogo, 663-8501, Japan.
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20
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Lu Y, Tong Y, Fei X, Chen X, Shen K. Clinical characteristics, tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes, and prognosis in HER2-low breast cancer: A comparison study with HER2-zero and HER2-positive disease. Cancer Med 2023; 12:16264-16278. [PMID: 37366301 PMCID: PMC10469737 DOI: 10.1002/cam4.6290] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2022] [Revised: 05/15/2023] [Accepted: 06/15/2023] [Indexed: 06/28/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION HER2-low breast cancer is a gradually recognized and unexplored group of diseases. We aimed to investigate the clinical and prognosis features and to identify the role of stromal tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (sTILs) in this population. METHODS Consecutive primary breast cancer patients treated between January 2009 to June 2013 were retrospectively reviewed. HER2-low was defined as immunohistochemistry (IHC) 1+, or 2+ and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) negative. sTILs were scored following the international guidelines. Clinicopathologic features and survival were compared according to HER2 and sTILs category. RESULTS A total of 973 breast cancer patients were enrolled, including 615 (63.2%) HER2-low patients. HER2-low patients shared more similarity with HER2-0 cases in clinicopathological features. sTILs in HER2-Low patients was comparable to HER2-0 patients (p = 0.064), both significantly lower than HER2-positive ones (p < 0.001). Meanwhile, tumors with sTILs ≥50% accounted for the least proportion of HER2-low cases (p < 0.001). HER2 status had no significant influence on recurrence-free survival (RFS, p = 0.901) in the whole population. However, in the estrogen receptor (ER)-negative subgroup, HER2-low was related to worse RFS (p = 0.009) and OS (p = 0.001) compared with HER2-positive ones. sTILs increment was an independent favorable prognostic factor in the whole (OS, p = 0.003; RFS, p = 0.005) and HER2-low population (OS, p = 0.007; RFS, p = 0.009) after adjusted to clinicopathological parameters. CONCLUSIONS HER2-low patients shared similar clinicopathological features with HER2-0 rather than HER2-positive cases and had relatively low sTILs. ER-negative/HER2-low patients had significantly inferior survival. sTILs increment was independently associated with favorable survival in the HER2-low group, suggesting a potential benefit from a novel treatment strategy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yujie Lu
- Department of General Surgery, Comprehensive Breast Health Center, Ruijin HospitalShanghai Jiao Tong University School of MedicineShanghaiChina
| | - Yiwei Tong
- Department of General Surgery, Comprehensive Breast Health Center, Ruijin HospitalShanghai Jiao Tong University School of MedicineShanghaiChina
| | - Xiaochun Fei
- Department of Pathology, Comprehensive Breast Health Center, Ruijin HospitalShanghai Jiao Tong University School of MedicineShanghaiChina
| | - Xiaosong Chen
- Department of General Surgery, Comprehensive Breast Health Center, Ruijin HospitalShanghai Jiao Tong University School of MedicineShanghaiChina
| | - Kunwei Shen
- Department of General Surgery, Comprehensive Breast Health Center, Ruijin HospitalShanghai Jiao Tong University School of MedicineShanghaiChina
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21
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Li X, Chen Y, Wang T, Liu Z, Yin G, Wang Z, Sui C, Zhu L, Chen W. GPR81-mediated reprogramming of glucose metabolism contributes to the immune landscape in breast cancer. Discov Oncol 2023; 14:140. [PMID: 37500811 PMCID: PMC10374510 DOI: 10.1007/s12672-023-00709-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2023] [Accepted: 05/31/2023] [Indexed: 07/29/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Local tumor microenvironment (TME) plays a crucial role in immunotherapy for breast cancer (BC). Whereas, the molecular mechanism responsible for the crosstalk between BC cells and surrounding immune cells remains unclear. The present study aimed to determine the interplay between GPR81-mediated glucometabolic reprogramming of BC and the immune landscape in TME. MATERIALS AND METHODS Immunohistochemistry (IHC) assay was first performed to evaluate the association between GPR81 and the immune landscape. Then, several stable BC cell lines with down-regulated GPR81 expression were established to directly identify the role of GPR81 in glucometabolic reprogramming, and western blotting assay was used to detect the underlying molecular mechanism. Finally, a transwell co-culture system confirmed the crosstalk between glucometabolic regulation mediated by GPR81 in BC and induced immune attenuation. RESULTS IHC analysis demonstrated that the representation of infiltrating CD8+ T cells and FOXP3+ T cells were dramatically higher in BC with a triple negative (TN) subtype in comparison with that with a non-TN subtype (P < 0.001). Additionally, the ratio of infiltrating CD8+ to FOXP3+ T cells was significantly negatively associated with GPR81 expression in BC with a TN subtype (P < 0.001). Furthermore, GPR81 was found to be substantially correlated with the glycolytic capability (P < 0.001) of BC cells depending on a Hippo-YAP signaling pathway (P < 0.001). In the transwell co-culture system, GPR81-mediated reprogramming of glucose metabolism in BC significantly contributed to a decreased proportion of CD8+ T (P < 0.001) and an increased percentage of FOXP3+ T (P < 0.001) in the co-cultured lymphocytes. CONCLUSION Glucometabolic reprogramming through a GPR81-mediated Hippo-YAP signaling pathway was responsible for the distinct immune landscape in BC. GPR81 was a potential biomarker to stratify patients before immunotherapy to improve BC's clinical prospect.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaofeng Li
- National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Department of Molecular Imaging and Nuclear Medicine,Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Yiwen Chen
- National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Department of Molecular Imaging and Nuclear Medicine,Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Ting Wang
- National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Department of Molecular Imaging and Nuclear Medicine,Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Zifan Liu
- National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Department of Molecular Imaging and Nuclear Medicine,Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Guotao Yin
- National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Department of Molecular Imaging and Nuclear Medicine,Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Ziyang Wang
- Department of Molecular Imaging and Nuclear Medicine, Tianjin Cancer Hospital Airport Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Chunxiao Sui
- National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Department of Molecular Imaging and Nuclear Medicine,Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Lei Zhu
- National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Department of Molecular Imaging and Nuclear Medicine,Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Wei Chen
- National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Department of Molecular Imaging and Nuclear Medicine,Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, Tianjin, China.
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Mohamed A, Kruse M, Tran J. Progress in immune checkpoint inhibition in early-stage triple-negative breast cancer. Expert Rev Anticancer Ther 2023; 23:1071-1084. [PMID: 37747062 DOI: 10.1080/14737140.2023.2262764] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2023] [Accepted: 09/20/2023] [Indexed: 09/26/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Immune checkpoint inhibitors have been particularly effective in treating cancers with robust immune microenvironments and have been successfully incorporated into the management of metastatic ER-negative and HER2-negative breast cancer. This has prompted investigation of immunotherapy in early-stage triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) to address the suboptimal clinical outcomes and limited therapeutic options. AREAS COVERED This review highlights the studies examining the use of neoadjuvant immunotherapy with standard chemotherapy in the management of early-stage TNBC and explores ongoing areas of study including the role of adjuvant checkpoint inhibition and novel combination therapies with immunotherapy. EXPERT OPINION The current standard of care for early-stage ER-negative, HER2-negative breast cancer measuring ≥2 cm or with lymph node involvement is neoadjuvant chemotherapy with pembrolizumab followed by ongoing pembrolizumab in the adjuvant setting to complete 1 year of total therapy as per the KEYNOTE-522 study. This approach is associated with improved pathologic complete response (pCR) rate and event free survival, irrespective of PD-L1 status. Many questions remain regarding the optimization of chemotherapy partner(s) for immunotherapy, necessity of adjuvant immunotherapy for patients who achieve pCR, inclusion of other therapies in the adjuvant setting (particularly capecitabine or olaparib), and use of adjuvant immunotherapy when it was not received in the neoadjuvant setting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ahmed Mohamed
- Department of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Taussig Cancer Institute, Cleveland, United States of America
| | - Megan Kruse
- Department of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Taussig Cancer Institute, Cleveland, United States of America
| | - Jennifer Tran
- Department of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Taussig Cancer Institute, Cleveland, United States of America
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23
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Sun T, Wang T, Li X, Wang H, Mao Y. Tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes provides recent survival information for early-stage HER2-low-positive breast cancer: a large cohort retrospective study. Front Oncol 2023; 13:1148228. [PMID: 37409261 PMCID: PMC10318431 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2023.1148228] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2023] [Accepted: 06/01/2023] [Indexed: 07/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Purpose It has been reported that breast cancer (BC) with low expression of human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) might be a distinct subtype of BC. However, the prognostic effect of low HER2 expression on BC patients remains controversial. We aim to conduct this single-institution retrospective analysis to assess HER2-low-positive BC outcomes in Chinese women and the prognostic role of TILs in HER2-low-positive early-stage BC. Method We retrospectively enrolled 1,763 BC patients treated in a single institution from 2017 to 2018. TILs are regarded as continuous variables and are divided into low TILs (≤10%) and high TILs (>10%) for statistical analysis. Univariate and multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression models were used to test the associations between TILs and disease-free survival (DFS) with adjustment for clinicopathologic characteristics. Result High TIL levels (>10%) were associated with tumor size (>2 cm, p = 0.042), age at diagnosis (p = 0.005), Ki-67 index (>25%; p <0.001), HR (hormone receptor) status (positive, p <0.001), advanced pathological stage (p = 0.043), subtype (p <0.001), and HER2 status (p <0.001). The Kaplan-Meier analysis indicated that no significant difference in DFS (p = 0.83) could be found between HER2-positive, HER2-low-positive, and HER2-0 BC. The DFS of HER2-low-positive BC and HER2-nonamplified BC with high levels of TILs was statistically better than that of patients with low levels of TILs (p = 0.015; p = 0.047). In HER2-low-positive BC patients with high TIL levels (>10%), DFS was significantly improved in both the univariate (HR = 0.44, 95% CI 0.22-0.87, P = 0.018) and multivariate (HR = 0.47, 95% CI 0.23-0.95, P = 0.035) Cox models. For further subgroup analysis, HR (+)/HER2-low-positive BC with high TIL (>10%) levels was associated with improved DFS in both the univariate (HR = 0.41, 95% CI 0.19-0.90, P = 0.025) and multivariate (HR = 0.42, 95% CI 0.19-0.93, P = 0.032) Cox models. The HR (-)/HER2-0 BC with high TIL (>10%) level was not statistically significant in the univariate Cox model, but it was statistically significant in the multivariate (HR = 0.16, 95% CI 0.28-0.96, P = 0.045) Cox model. Conclusion Among early-stage BC, no significant survival difference could be found between the HER2-positive, HER2-low-positive, and HER2-0 cohorts. High levels of TILs were significantly associated with improved DFS in HER2-low-positive patients, especially in the HR (+)/HER2-low-positive subtype.
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Affiliation(s)
- Teng Sun
- Department of Surgery, School of Clinical Medicine, Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
- Breast Disease Center, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Tong Wang
- Department of Statistics, School of Public Health, Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Xiangjun Li
- Department of Surgery, School of Clinical Medicine, Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
- Breast Disease Center, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Haibo Wang
- Department of Surgery, School of Clinical Medicine, Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
- Breast Disease Center, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Yan Mao
- Department of Surgery, School of Clinical Medicine, Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
- Breast Disease Center, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
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24
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Qian XL, Xia XQ, Li YQ, Jia YM, Sun YY, Song YM, Xue HQ, Hao YF, Wang J, Wang XZ, Liu CY, Zhang XM, Zhang LN, Guo XJ. Effects of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes on nonresponse rate of neoadjuvant chemotherapy in patients with invasive breast cancer. Sci Rep 2023; 13:9256. [PMID: 37286786 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-36517-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2022] [Accepted: 06/05/2023] [Indexed: 06/09/2023] Open
Abstract
High level of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) can predict the rate of total pathological complete remission (tpCR) of breast cancer patients who receive neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT). This study focused on evaluating the data of patients whose primary tumor and/or lymph node metastasis show nonresponse (NR) to NACT, trying to provide a basis for the clinical decision which patients will develop NACT resistance. The study included breast cancers from 991 patients who received NACT. ROC curve analysis confirmed that TILs showed significant predictive value for NR of hormone receptor (HR)+HER2- and triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). Among HR+HER2- breast cancer, TILs ≥ 10% was an independent predictor for low NR rate. Furthermore, positive correlation of TILs with Ki67 index and Miller-Payne grade, and negative correlation with ER and PR H-scores were only identified in this subgroup. In TNBC, TILs ≥ 17.5% was an independent predictor for low NR rate. The predictive value of low TILs on NR may facilitate to screen patients with HR+HER2- or TNBC who may not benefit from NACT. HR+HER2- breast cancer with low levels of TILs should be carefully treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy, and other alternatives such as neoadjuvant endocrine therapy can be considered.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao-Long Qian
- Department of Breast Pathology and Lab, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center of Cancer, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin's Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Key Laboratory of Breast Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin Medical University, Ministry of Education, National Human Genetic Resource Sharing Service Platform, West Huanhu Road, Tianjin, 300060, China
| | - Xiao-Qing Xia
- Department of Breast Pathology and Lab, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center of Cancer, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin's Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Key Laboratory of Breast Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin Medical University, Ministry of Education, National Human Genetic Resource Sharing Service Platform, West Huanhu Road, Tianjin, 300060, China
| | - Ya-Qing Li
- Department of Breast Pathology and Lab, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center of Cancer, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin's Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Key Laboratory of Breast Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin Medical University, Ministry of Education, National Human Genetic Resource Sharing Service Platform, West Huanhu Road, Tianjin, 300060, China
| | - Yu-Mian Jia
- Department of Breast Pathology and Lab, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center of Cancer, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin's Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Key Laboratory of Breast Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin Medical University, Ministry of Education, National Human Genetic Resource Sharing Service Platform, West Huanhu Road, Tianjin, 300060, China
| | - Yuan-Yuan Sun
- Department of Breast Pathology and Lab, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center of Cancer, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin's Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Key Laboratory of Breast Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin Medical University, Ministry of Education, National Human Genetic Resource Sharing Service Platform, West Huanhu Road, Tianjin, 300060, China
| | - Yuan-Ming Song
- Department of Breast Pathology and Lab, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center of Cancer, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin's Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Key Laboratory of Breast Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin Medical University, Ministry of Education, National Human Genetic Resource Sharing Service Platform, West Huanhu Road, Tianjin, 300060, China
| | - Hui-Qin Xue
- Department of Breast Pathology and Lab, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center of Cancer, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin's Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Key Laboratory of Breast Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin Medical University, Ministry of Education, National Human Genetic Resource Sharing Service Platform, West Huanhu Road, Tianjin, 300060, China
| | - Yan-Fei Hao
- Department of Breast Pathology and Lab, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center of Cancer, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin's Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Key Laboratory of Breast Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin Medical University, Ministry of Education, National Human Genetic Resource Sharing Service Platform, West Huanhu Road, Tianjin, 300060, China
| | - Jin Wang
- Department of Breast Pathology and Lab, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center of Cancer, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin's Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Key Laboratory of Breast Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin Medical University, Ministry of Education, National Human Genetic Resource Sharing Service Platform, West Huanhu Road, Tianjin, 300060, China
| | - Xiao-Zi Wang
- Department of Breast Pathology and Lab, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center of Cancer, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin's Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Key Laboratory of Breast Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin Medical University, Ministry of Education, National Human Genetic Resource Sharing Service Platform, West Huanhu Road, Tianjin, 300060, China
| | - Chen-Ying Liu
- Department of Breast Pathology and Lab, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center of Cancer, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin's Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Key Laboratory of Breast Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin Medical University, Ministry of Education, National Human Genetic Resource Sharing Service Platform, West Huanhu Road, Tianjin, 300060, China
| | - Xin-Min Zhang
- Department of Pathology, Cooper Medical School of Rowan University, Camden, NJ, USA
| | - Li-Na Zhang
- The Second Surgical Department of Breast Cancer, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center of Cancer, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin's Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Key Laboratory of Breast Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin Medical University, Ministry of Education, National Human Genetic Resource Sharing Service Platform, Tianjin, 300060, China
| | - Xiao-Jing Guo
- Department of Breast Pathology and Lab, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center of Cancer, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin's Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Key Laboratory of Breast Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin Medical University, Ministry of Education, National Human Genetic Resource Sharing Service Platform, West Huanhu Road, Tianjin, 300060, China.
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25
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García-Torralba E, Pérez Ramos M, Ivars Rubio A, Navarro-Manzano E, Blaya Boluda N, de la Morena Barrio P, García-Garre E, Martínez Díaz F, Chaves-Benito A, García-Martínez E, Ayala de la Peña F. Clinical Meaning of Stromal Tumor Infiltrating Lymphocytes (sTIL) in Early Luminal B Breast Cancer. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:2846. [PMID: 37345183 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15102846] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2023] [Revised: 05/12/2023] [Accepted: 05/17/2023] [Indexed: 06/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Luminal breast cancer (BC) is associated with less immune activation, and the significance of stromal lymphocytic infiltration (sTIL) is more uncertain than in other BC subtypes. The aim of this study was to investigate the predictive and prognostic value of sTIL in early luminal BC. The study was performed with an observational design in a prospective cohort of 345 patients with predominantly high-risk luminal (hormone receptor positive, HER2 negative) BC and with luminal B features (n = 286), in which the presence of sTIL was analyzed with validated methods. Median sTIL infiltration was 5% (Q1-Q3 range (IQR), 0-10). We found that sTIL were associated with characteristics of higher biological and clinical aggressiveness (tumor and lymph node proliferation and stage, among others) and that the percentage of sTIL was predictive of pathologic complete response in patients treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy (OR: 1.05, 95%CI 1.02-1.09, p < 0.001). The inclusion of sTIL (any level of lymphocytic infiltration: sTIL > 0%) in Cox regression multivariable prognostic models was associated with a shorter relapse-free interval (HR: 4.85, 95%CI 1.33-17.65, p = 0.016) and significantly improved its performance. The prognostic impact of sTIL was independent of other clinical and pathological variables and was mainly driven by its relevance in luminal B BC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Esmeralda García-Torralba
- Department of Medical Oncology, Hospital Universitario Morales Meseguer, 30008 Murcia, Spain
- Department of Medicine, Medical School, University of Murcia, 30001 Murcia, Spain
- Instituto Murciano de Investigación Biosanitaria, IMIB, 30120 Murcia, Spain
| | - Miguel Pérez Ramos
- Department of Pathology, Hospital Universitario Morales Meseguer, 30008 Murcia, Spain
| | - Alejandra Ivars Rubio
- Department of Medical Oncology, Hospital Universitario Morales Meseguer, 30008 Murcia, Spain
- Department of Medicine, Medical School, University of Murcia, 30001 Murcia, Spain
- Instituto Murciano de Investigación Biosanitaria, IMIB, 30120 Murcia, Spain
| | - Esther Navarro-Manzano
- Department of Medicine, Medical School, University of Murcia, 30001 Murcia, Spain
- Instituto Murciano de Investigación Biosanitaria, IMIB, 30120 Murcia, Spain
- Centro Regional de Hemodonación, 30003 Murcia, Spain
| | - Noel Blaya Boluda
- Department of Medical Oncology, Hospital Universitario Morales Meseguer, 30008 Murcia, Spain
- Department of Medicine, Medical School, University of Murcia, 30001 Murcia, Spain
- Instituto Murciano de Investigación Biosanitaria, IMIB, 30120 Murcia, Spain
| | - Pilar de la Morena Barrio
- Department of Medical Oncology, Hospital Universitario Morales Meseguer, 30008 Murcia, Spain
- Department of Medicine, Medical School, University of Murcia, 30001 Murcia, Spain
- Instituto Murciano de Investigación Biosanitaria, IMIB, 30120 Murcia, Spain
| | - Elisa García-Garre
- Department of Medical Oncology, Hospital Universitario Morales Meseguer, 30008 Murcia, Spain
- Department of Medicine, Medical School, University of Murcia, 30001 Murcia, Spain
- Instituto Murciano de Investigación Biosanitaria, IMIB, 30120 Murcia, Spain
| | - Francisco Martínez Díaz
- Department of Pathology, Hospital Universitario Reina Sofía, 30003 Murcia, Spain
- Department of Pathology, Medical School, University of Murcia, 30001 Murcia, Spain
| | - Asunción Chaves-Benito
- Department of Pathology, Hospital Universitario Morales Meseguer, 30008 Murcia, Spain
- Department of Pathology, Medical School, University of Murcia, 30001 Murcia, Spain
| | - Elena García-Martínez
- Department of Medical Oncology, Hospital Universitario Morales Meseguer, 30008 Murcia, Spain
- Instituto Murciano de Investigación Biosanitaria, IMIB, 30120 Murcia, Spain
- Medical School, Universidad Católica San Antonio, 30107 Murcia, Spain
| | - Francisco Ayala de la Peña
- Department of Medical Oncology, Hospital Universitario Morales Meseguer, 30008 Murcia, Spain
- Department of Medicine, Medical School, University of Murcia, 30001 Murcia, Spain
- Instituto Murciano de Investigación Biosanitaria, IMIB, 30120 Murcia, Spain
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26
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Lian W, Yang P, Li L, Chen D, Wang C. A ceRNA network-mediated over-expression of cuproptosis-related gene SLC31A1 correlates with poor prognosis and positive immune infiltration in breast cancer. Front Med (Lausanne) 2023; 10:1194046. [PMID: 37275369 PMCID: PMC10234574 DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2023.1194046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2023] [Accepted: 04/17/2023] [Indexed: 06/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Solute carrier family 31 member 1(SLC31A1) has been reported as the copper importer, and was identified to be involved in the process of "cuproptosis". However, the mechanism of SLC31A1 in breast cancer remains unclear. Methods We examined the expression of SLC31A1 mRNA in breast cancer tissues and cell lines using Real-time PCR. The data for this study were obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database and analyzed via R 3.6.3. TIMER, UALCAN, GEPIA2, STRING, Metascape, Kaplan-Meier Plotter, starBase and miRNet websites were used for a comprehensive analysis of SLC31A1. Results Our study suggested that SLC31A1 mRNA was over-expressed in breast tumor tissue and breast cancer cell lines, and which was closely related to poor relapse-free survival (RFS) and distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS). In addition, we constructed a co-expression network of SLC31A1. Functional enrichment analysis indicated that they were mainly involved in copper ion transport. Interestingly, SLC31A1 expression was positively associated with all m6A-related genes, especially with YTHDF3 (r = 0.479). Importantly, the LINC00511/miR-29c-3p/SLC31A1 axis was identified as the most potential pathway promoting breast cancer progress by affecting copper transport. Furthermore, the expression level of SLC31A1 in breast cancer was positively correlated with tumor immune cell infiltration, immune cell biomarkers and cancer-associated fibroblast (CAF). Conclusion Up-regulation of SLC31A1 expression and regulation of copper ion transport mediated by LINC00511-miR-29-3p axis is related to poor prognosis and positively correlated with tumor immune infiltration in breast cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weibin Lian
- Department of Breast Surgery, Quanzhou First Hospital Affiliated to Fujian Medical University, Quanzhou, Fujian, China
- Department of Breast Surgery, Fujian Medical University Union Hospital, Fuzhou, Fujian, China
| | - Peidong Yang
- Department of Breast Surgery, Quanzhou First Hospital Affiliated to Fujian Medical University, Quanzhou, Fujian, China
| | - Liangqiang Li
- Department of Breast Surgery, Quanzhou First Hospital Affiliated to Fujian Medical University, Quanzhou, Fujian, China
| | - Debo Chen
- Department of Breast Surgery, Quanzhou First Hospital Affiliated to Fujian Medical University, Quanzhou, Fujian, China
| | - Chuan Wang
- Department of Breast Surgery, Fujian Medical University Union Hospital, Fuzhou, Fujian, China
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Fonseca-Montaño MA, Cisneros-Villanueva M, Coales I, Hidalgo-Miranda A. LINC00426 is a potential immune phenotype-related biomarker and an overall survival predictor in PAM50 luminal B breast cancer. Front Genet 2023; 14:1034569. [PMID: 37260772 PMCID: PMC10228735 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2023.1034569] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2022] [Accepted: 05/03/2023] [Indexed: 06/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: Breast cancer (BRCA) represents the most frequent diagnosed malignancy in women worldwide. Despite treatment advances, BRCAs eventually develop resistance to targeted therapies, resulting in poor prognosis. The identification of new biomarkers, like immune-related long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), could contribute to the clinical management of BRCA patients. In this report, we evaluated the LINC00426 expression in PAM50 BRCA subtypes from two clinical independent cohorts (BRCA-TCGA and GEO-GSE96058 datasets). Methods and results: Using Cox regression models and Kaplan-Meier survival analyses, we identified that LINC00426 expression was a consistent overall survival (OS) predictor in luminal B (LB) BRCA patients. Subsequently, differential gene expression and gene set enrichment analyses identified that LINC00426 expression was associated with different immune-related and cancer-related pathways and processes in LB BRCA. Additionally, the LINC00426 expression was correlated with the infiltration level of diverse immune cell populations, alongside immune checkpoint and cytolytic activity-related gene expression. Conclusion: This evidence suggests that LINC00426 is a potential biomarker of immune phenotype and an OS predictor in PAM50 LB BRCA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco Antonio Fonseca-Montaño
- Laboratorio de Genómica del Cáncer, Instituto Nacional de Medicina Genómica (INMEGEN), Mexico City, Mexico
- Programa de Doctorado, Posgrado en Ciencias Biológicas, Unidad de Posgrado, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Mireya Cisneros-Villanueva
- Laboratorio de Genómica del Cáncer, Instituto Nacional de Medicina Genómica (INMEGEN), Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Isabelle Coales
- Centre for Host Microbiome Interactions, King’s College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Alfredo Hidalgo-Miranda
- Laboratorio de Genómica del Cáncer, Instituto Nacional de Medicina Genómica (INMEGEN), Mexico City, Mexico
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28
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MACC1 as a Potential Target for the Treatment and Prevention of Breast Cancer. BIOLOGY 2023; 12:biology12030455. [PMID: 36979146 PMCID: PMC10045309 DOI: 10.3390/biology12030455] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2022] [Accepted: 03/13/2023] [Indexed: 03/18/2023]
Abstract
Metastasis associated in colon cancer 1 (MACC1) is an oncogene first identified in colon cancer. MACC1 has been identified in more than 20 different types of solid cancers. It is a key prognostic biomarker in clinical practice and is involved in recurrence, metastasis, and survival in many types of human cancers. MACC1 is significantly associated with the primary tumor, lymph node metastasis, distant metastasis classification, and clinical staging in patients with breast cancer (BC), and MACC1 overexpression is associated with reduced recurrence-free survival (RFS) and worse overall survival (OS) in patients. In addition, MACC1 is involved in BC progression in multiple ways. MACC1 promotes the immune escape of BC cells by affecting the infiltration of immune cells in the tumor microenvironment. Since the FGD5AS1/miR-497/MACC1 axis inhibits the apoptotic pathway in radiation-resistant BC tissues and cell lines, the MACC1 gene may play an important role in BC resistance to radiation. Since MACC1 is involved in numerous biological processes inside and outside BC cells, it is a key player in the tumor microenvironment. Focusing on MACC1, this article briefly discusses its biological effects, emphasizes its molecular mechanisms and pathways of action, and describes its use in the treatment and prevention of breast cancer.
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29
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Mao X, Zhou D, Lin K, Zhang B, Gao J, Ling F, Zhu L, Yu S, Chen P, Zhang C, Zhang C, Ye G, Fong S, Chen G, Luo W. Single-cell and spatial transcriptome analyses revealed cell heterogeneity and immune environment alternations in metastatic axillary lymph nodes in breast cancer. Cancer Immunol Immunother 2023; 72:679-695. [PMID: 36040519 DOI: 10.1007/s00262-022-03278-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2022] [Accepted: 08/12/2022] [Indexed: 10/14/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Tumor heterogeneity plays essential roles in developing cancer therapies, including therapies for breast cancer (BC). In addition, it is also very important to understand the relationships between tumor microenvironments and the systematic immune environment. METHODS Here, we performed single-cell, VDJ sequencing and spatial transcriptome analyses on tumor and adjacent normal tissue as well as axillar lymph nodes (LNs) and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from 8 BC patients. RESULTS We found that myeloid cells exhibited environment-dependent plasticity, where a group of macrophages with both M1 and M2 signatures possessed high tumor specificity spatially and was associated with worse patient survival. Cytotoxic T cells in tumor sites evolved in a separate path from those in the circulatory system. T cell receptor (TCR) repertoires in metastatic LNs showed significant higher consistency with TCRs in tumor than those in nonmetastatic LNs and PBMCs, suggesting the existence of common neo-antigens across metastatic LNs and primary tumor cites. In addition, the immune environment in metastatic LNs had transformed into a tumor-like status, where pro-inflammatory macrophages and exhausted T cells were upregulated, accompanied by a decrease in B cells and neutrophils. Finally, cell interactions showed that cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) contributed most to shaping the immune-suppressive microenvironment, while CD8+ cells were the most signal-responsive cells. CONCLUSIONS This study revealed the cell structures of both micro- and macroenvironments, revealed how different cells diverged in related contexts as well as their prognostic capacities, and displayed a landscape of cell interactions with spatial information.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaofan Mao
- Clinical Research Institute, The First People's Hospital of Foshan, Foshan, China.,Medical Engineering Technology Research and development center of Immune Repertoire in Foshan, The First People's Hospital of Foshan, Foshan, China
| | - Dan Zhou
- Department of Breast Surgery, The First People's Hospital of Foshan, Foshan, China
| | - Kairong Lin
- Clinical Research Institute, The First People's Hospital of Foshan, Foshan, China.,Medical Engineering Technology Research and development center of Immune Repertoire in Foshan, The First People's Hospital of Foshan, Foshan, China
| | - Beiying Zhang
- Clinical Research Institute, The First People's Hospital of Foshan, Foshan, China.,Medical Engineering Technology Research and development center of Immune Repertoire in Foshan, The First People's Hospital of Foshan, Foshan, China
| | - Juntao Gao
- MOE Key Laboratory of Bioinformatics; Bioinformatics Division and Center for Synthetic and Systems Biology, BNRist; Department of Automation, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Fei Ling
- School of Biology and Biological Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, China
| | - Lewei Zhu
- Department of Breast Surgery, The First People's Hospital of Foshan, Foshan, China
| | - Sifei Yu
- Clinical Research Institute, The First People's Hospital of Foshan, Foshan, China.,Medical Engineering Technology Research and development center of Immune Repertoire in Foshan, The First People's Hospital of Foshan, Foshan, China
| | - Peixian Chen
- Department of Breast Surgery, The First People's Hospital of Foshan, Foshan, China
| | - Chuling Zhang
- Clinical Research Institute, The First People's Hospital of Foshan, Foshan, China.,Medical Engineering Technology Research and development center of Immune Repertoire in Foshan, The First People's Hospital of Foshan, Foshan, China
| | - Chunguo Zhang
- Clinical Research Institute, The First People's Hospital of Foshan, Foshan, China.,Medical Engineering Technology Research and development center of Immune Repertoire in Foshan, The First People's Hospital of Foshan, Foshan, China
| | - Guolin Ye
- Department of Breast Surgery, The First People's Hospital of Foshan, Foshan, China
| | - Simon Fong
- Department of Computer and Information Science, University of Macau, Macau SAR, China
| | - Guoqiang Chen
- Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, The First People's Hospital of Foshan, Foshan, China.
| | - Wei Luo
- Clinical Research Institute, The First People's Hospital of Foshan, Foshan, China. .,Medical Engineering Technology Research and development center of Immune Repertoire in Foshan, The First People's Hospital of Foshan, Foshan, China.
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30
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Valenza C, Taurelli Salimbeni B, Santoro C, Trapani D, Antonarelli G, Curigliano G. Tumor Infiltrating Lymphocytes across Breast Cancer Subtypes: Current Issues for Biomarker Assessment. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:cancers15030767. [PMID: 36765724 PMCID: PMC9913599 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15030767] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2022] [Revised: 01/17/2023] [Accepted: 01/24/2023] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) represent a surrogate biomarker of anti-tumor, lymphocyte-mediated immunity. In early, triple-negative breast cancer, TILs have level 1B of evidence to predict clinical outcomes. TILs represent a promising biomarker to select patients who can experience a better prognosis with de-intensified cancer treatments and derive larger benefits from immune checkpoint inhibitors. However, the assessment and the validation of TILs as a biomarker require a prospective and rigorous demonstration of its clinical validity and utility, provided reproducible analytical performance. With pending data about the prospective validation of TILs' clinical validity to modulate treatments in early breast cancer, this review summarizes the most important current issues and future challenges related to the implementation of TILs assessments across all breast cancer subtypes and their potential integration into clinical practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carmine Valenza
- Division of New Drugs and Early Drug Development for Innovative Therapies, European Institute of Oncology, IRCCS, Via Ripamonti 435, 20141 Milan, Italy
- Department of Oncology and Hematology-Oncology, University of Milan, Via Festa del Perdono 7, 20122 Milan, Italy
| | - Beatrice Taurelli Salimbeni
- Division of New Drugs and Early Drug Development for Innovative Therapies, European Institute of Oncology, IRCCS, Via Ripamonti 435, 20141 Milan, Italy
- Department of Clinical and Molecular Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, 00185 Rome, Italy
| | - Celeste Santoro
- Division of New Drugs and Early Drug Development for Innovative Therapies, European Institute of Oncology, IRCCS, Via Ripamonti 435, 20141 Milan, Italy
- Department of Oncology and Hematology-Oncology, University of Milan, Via Festa del Perdono 7, 20122 Milan, Italy
| | - Dario Trapani
- Division of New Drugs and Early Drug Development for Innovative Therapies, European Institute of Oncology, IRCCS, Via Ripamonti 435, 20141 Milan, Italy
- Department of Oncology and Hematology-Oncology, University of Milan, Via Festa del Perdono 7, 20122 Milan, Italy
| | - Gabriele Antonarelli
- Division of New Drugs and Early Drug Development for Innovative Therapies, European Institute of Oncology, IRCCS, Via Ripamonti 435, 20141 Milan, Italy
- Department of Oncology and Hematology-Oncology, University of Milan, Via Festa del Perdono 7, 20122 Milan, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Curigliano
- Division of New Drugs and Early Drug Development for Innovative Therapies, European Institute of Oncology, IRCCS, Via Ripamonti 435, 20141 Milan, Italy
- Department of Oncology and Hematology-Oncology, University of Milan, Via Festa del Perdono 7, 20122 Milan, Italy
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +39-02-5748-9599
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31
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Mutka M, Joensuu K, Eray M, Heikkilä P. Quantities of CD3+, CD8+ and CD56+ lymphocytes decline in breast cancer recurrences while CD4+ remain similar. Diagn Pathol 2023; 18:3. [PMID: 36627701 PMCID: PMC9830729 DOI: 10.1186/s13000-022-01278-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2022] [Accepted: 12/19/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Much is known about tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (Tils) in primary breast cancer, as this has been the focus of much research in recent years, but regarding recurrent breast cancer, only few studies have been done. Our aim was to compare the quantities of Tils in primary breast carcinomas and their corresponding recurrences and to analyze the differences in the tumor Tils compositions in correlations with recurrence-free times and the clinicopathology of the tumor. METHODS One hundred thirty-seven breast cancer patients self-paired for primary- tumor-recurrence were divided into three groups based on the length of the recurrence-free interval. H&E-staining and immunohistochemical staining with antiCD3, antiCD4, antiCD8 and antiCD56 were performed. Differences in Tils between primaries and recurrences, between the recurrence-free interval groups, and between different clinicopathologic parameters were statistically analyzed. RESULTS Fewer stromal CD3+, CD8+ and CD56+ lymphocytes were found at recurrences compared to the primaries. No significant change in the percentage of CD4+ stromal lymphocytes. ER-negative primaries, PR-negative or HER2-positive tumors had more Tils in some subgroups. Ductal primaries had more Tils than lobular primaries and G3 tumors had more Tils than lower-grade tumors. The corresponding differences at recurrences could either not be detected or they were reversed. The fastest recurring group had generally more Tils than the slower groups. CONCLUSIONS CD4+ cell numbers did not decline from primary to recurrence in contrast to all other subclasses of lymphocytes. The proportion of CD4+ cells was higher in recurrences than in primaries. Tumors with a higher grade and proliferation rate had higher percentages of Tils. HER2+ and hormone receptor negative tumors tended to have higher Tils scores. In recurrences these differences were not seen or they were reversed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Minna Mutka
- grid.7737.40000 0004 0410 2071Department of Pathology, HUSLAB, Helsinki University Hospital and University of Helsinki, FIN-00290 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Kristiina Joensuu
- grid.7737.40000 0004 0410 2071University of Helsinki, FIN-00290 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Mine Eray
- grid.7737.40000 0004 0410 2071Department of Pathology, HUSLAB, Helsinki University Hospital and University of Helsinki, FIN-00290 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Päivi Heikkilä
- grid.7737.40000 0004 0410 2071Department of Pathology, HUSLAB, Helsinki University Hospital and University of Helsinki, FIN-00290 Helsinki, Finland
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32
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Castoldi A, Lee J, de Siqueira Carvalho D, Souto FO. CD8 + T cell metabolic changes in breast cancer. Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Basis Dis 2023; 1869:166565. [PMID: 36220587 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbadis.2022.166565] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2022] [Revised: 08/22/2022] [Accepted: 10/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
Immunometabolism has advanced our understanding of how the cellular environment and nutrient availability regulates immune cell fate. Not only are metabolic pathways closely tied to cell signaling and differentiation, but can induce different subsets of immune cells to adopt unique metabolic programs, influencing disease progression. Dysregulation of immune cell metabolism plays an essential role in the progression of several diseases including breast cancer (BC). Metabolic reprogramming plays a critical role in regulating T cell functions. CD8+ T cells are an essential cell type within the tumor microenvironment (TME). To induce antitumor responses, CD8+ T cells need to adapt their metabolism to fulfill their energy requirement for effective function. However, different markers and immunologic techniques have made identifying specific CD8+ T cells subtypes in BC a challenge to the field. This review discusses the immunometabolic processes of CD8+ T cell in the TME in the context of BC and highlights the role of CD8+ T cell metabolic changes in tumor progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angela Castoldi
- Instituto Keizo Asami, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Recife, Brazil; Núcleo de Ciências da Vida, Centro Acadêmico do Agreste, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Caruaru, Brazil; Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biologia Aplicada à Saúde, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Recife, Brazil.
| | - Jennifer Lee
- Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical School, 330 Brookline Avenue, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | | | - Fabrício Oliveira Souto
- Instituto Keizo Asami, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Recife, Brazil; Núcleo de Ciências da Vida, Centro Acadêmico do Agreste, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Caruaru, Brazil; Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biologia Aplicada à Saúde, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Recife, Brazil
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33
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Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors and Novel Immunotherapy Approaches for Breast Cancer. Curr Oncol Rep 2022; 24:1801-1819. [PMID: 36255603 DOI: 10.1007/s11912-022-01339-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/26/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW To critically review the existing evidence on immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) in early-stage and metastatic breast cancer and discuss emerging strategies in the different breast cancer subtypes. RECENT FINDINGS Immunotherapy has become one of the major milestones in contemporary oncology, revolutionizing the treatment of multiple solid tumors. ICI agents combined with chemotherapy have demonstrated significant efficacy in both early-stage and metastatic triple-negative breast cancer. However, only a subgroup of patients responds to those agents and some associated toxicities, although infrequent, can be life-disabling. Emerging data from immunotherapy studies in advanced hormone receptor-positive (HR +) breast cancer as well as HER2-positive disease are arising with mixed results. Although breast cancer has not classically been considered a hot tumor, ICIs have proven to be effective in a subset of breast cancer patients. However, much remains to be learned, and the identification of new biomarkers beyond PD-L1 expression is essential not only to improve the efficacy of ICI but also to identify patients who can avoid them, together with their toxicities and costs.
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34
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Massa D, Tosi A, Rosato A, Guarneri V, Dieci MV. Multiplexed In Situ Spatial Protein Profiling in the Pursuit of Precision Immuno-Oncology for Patients with Breast Cancer. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:4885. [PMID: 36230808 PMCID: PMC9562913 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14194885] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2022] [Revised: 09/29/2022] [Accepted: 10/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have revolutionized the treatment of many solid tumors. In breast cancer (BC), immunotherapy is currently approved in combination with chemotherapy, albeit only in triple-negative breast cancer. Unfortunately, most patients only derive limited benefit from ICIs, progressing either upfront or after an initial response. Therapeutics must engage with a heterogeneous network of complex stromal-cancer interactions that can fail at imposing cancer immune control in multiple domains, such as in the genomic, epigenomic, transcriptomic, proteomic, and metabolomic domains. To overcome these types of heterogeneous resistance phenotypes, several combinatorial strategies are underway. Still, they can be predicted to be effective only in the subgroups of patients in which those specific resistance mechanisms are effectively in place. As single biomarker predictive performances are necessarily suboptimal at capturing the complexity of this articulate network, precision immune-oncology calls for multi-omics tumor microenvironment profiling in order to identify unique predictive patterns and to proactively tailor combinatorial treatments. Multiplexed single-cell spatially resolved tissue analysis, through precise epitope colocalization, allows one to infer cellular functional states in view of their spatial organization. In this review, we discuss-through the lens of the cancer-immunity cycle-selected, established, and emerging markers that may be evaluated in multiplexed spatial protein panels to help identify prognostic and predictive patterns in BC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Davide Massa
- Department of Surgery, Oncology and Gastroenterology, University of Padova, 35128 Padova, Italy
- Division of Oncology 2, Istituto Oncologico Veneto IRCCS, 35128 Padova, Italy
| | - Anna Tosi
- Immunology and Molecular Oncology Diagnostics, Istituto Oncologico Veneto IRCCS, 35128 Padova, Italy
| | - Antonio Rosato
- Department of Surgery, Oncology and Gastroenterology, University of Padova, 35128 Padova, Italy
- Immunology and Molecular Oncology Diagnostics, Istituto Oncologico Veneto IRCCS, 35128 Padova, Italy
| | - Valentina Guarneri
- Department of Surgery, Oncology and Gastroenterology, University of Padova, 35128 Padova, Italy
- Division of Oncology 2, Istituto Oncologico Veneto IRCCS, 35128 Padova, Italy
| | - Maria Vittoria Dieci
- Department of Surgery, Oncology and Gastroenterology, University of Padova, 35128 Padova, Italy
- Division of Oncology 2, Istituto Oncologico Veneto IRCCS, 35128 Padova, Italy
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Prognostic and Predictive Significance of Stromal Tumor-Infiltrating Lymphocytes (sTILs) in ER-Positive/HER2-Negative Postmenopausal Breast Cancer Patients. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14194844. [PMID: 36230767 PMCID: PMC9564297 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14194844] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2022] [Revised: 09/23/2022] [Accepted: 09/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The clinical impact of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) is less known for breast cancer patients with the estrogen receptor-positive (ER+)/human epidermal growth factor receptor-negative (HER−) subtype. Here, we explored the prognostic and predictive value of TILs regarding distant recurrence-free interval (DRFI) and breast cancer-specific survival (BCSS) in 763 postmenopausal patients randomized to receive tamoxifen vs. no systemic treatment. TILs were assessed in whole section tumor samples stained with H&E and divided into low (<10%), intermediate (10−39%), or high (≥40%). High TILs were associated with poor prognostic variables and good prognoses for all patients, but not within the ER+/HER2− group. Within the ER+/HER2− group, high gene expression of CD19 and PD-L1 and high IMMUNE1 score indicated good prognosis in multivariable analysis while high CD8 and CD19 gene expression and high IMMUNE1 score were associated with less tamoxifen benefit. These results indicate that within the ER+/HER2− subtype there could be subsets of patients where expression of specific TIL markers might be used to reveal candidates for immune therapy interventions upon failure of the endocrine therapy.
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Celepli P, Karabulut S, Bigat İ, Celepli S, Hücümenoğlu S. CD47 expression and tumor-associated immune cells in breast cancer and their correlation with molecular subtypes and prognostic factors. Pathol Res Pract 2022; 238:154107. [PMID: 36088827 DOI: 10.1016/j.prp.2022.154107] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2022] [Revised: 07/28/2022] [Accepted: 08/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Breast cancer is the most common malignancy in women and a heterogeneous disease at the molecular level. Since most breast cancer cases are not of a special type, it is suggested that tumor-associated macrophages and tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes, which are involved in tumor growth, invasion, angiogenesis, and metastasis, may be important factors that should be evaluated together with standard criteria to determine the prognosis of cancer and assist in treatment decisions and outcome stratification. In this study, CD47 expression, which is involved in macrophage-mediated immune escape, tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes, and tumor-associated macrophages were evaluated in breast cancer molecular subgroups and correlated with prognostic factors. MATERIAL AND METHOD The immunohistochemistry of CD47, CD163, and CD3 was analyzed on the tissue microarrays of 278 invasive breast cancer cases. RESULTS The CD47, CD163, and CD3 expressions were found to be correlated with various clinicopathological parameters in breast cancer. High levels of CD47, CD163, and CD3 expressions had a significant correlation with the ER status and PR status, Ki-67 proliferation index, and molecular subtype (P < 0.05). The CD47 expression had a significant correlation with the CD3 and CD163 expressions (p = 0.021 and p = 0.001, respectively). CONCLUSIONS Our results suggest that CD47, CD163, and CD3 may be among the prognostic factors of breast cancer. The combined use of CD47, CD163, and CD3 can be a new prognostic factor for patients with breast cancer, especially as a therapeutic target in hormone receptor-negative breast cancer cases and those with a high proliferation index.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pınar Celepli
- Department of Pathology, Ankara Training and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.
| | - Sefika Karabulut
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Gulhane Institute of Health Sciences, Ankara, Turkey.
| | - İrem Bigat
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, TOBB University of Economics and Technology, Ankara, Turkey.
| | - Salih Celepli
- Department of General Surgery, Gulhane Education and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.
| | - Sema Hücümenoğlu
- Department of Pathology, Ankara Training and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.
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Köpke MB, Chateau MC, Boissière-Michot F, Schneider M, Garrido F, Zati-Zehni A, Vilsmaier T, Kessler M, Ditsch N, Cavaillès V, Jeschke U. Prognostic Relevance of Nuclear Receptors in Relation to Peritumoral Inflammation and Tumor Infiltration by Lymphocytes in Breast Cancer. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14194561. [PMID: 36230483 PMCID: PMC9559250 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14194561] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2022] [Revised: 09/15/2022] [Accepted: 09/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The prognostic impact of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) is intensively investigated in breast cancer (BC). It is already known that triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), the most aggressive type of BC, has the highest percentage of TILs. In addition, there is an influence of steroid hormone receptor expression (type I nuclear receptors) on TIL subpopulations in breast cancer tissue. The link between type II nuclear receptors and the level of TILs is unclear. Therefore, the aim of this study was to quantify TILs in a panel of 264 sporadic breast cancers and investigate the correlation of TIL levels with type I and II nuclear receptors expression. TIL levels were significantly increased in the subgroup of TNBC. By contrast, they decreased in estrogen (ER)- or progesterone receptor (PR)-positive cases. Moreover, TIL levels were correlated with type II nuclear receptors, including PPARγ, with a significant inverse correlation of the nuclear form (r = −0.727, p < 0.001) and a weak positive correlation of the cytoplasmic form (r = 0.202, p < 0.002). Surprisingly, BC cases with a TIL Salgado score of >15% showed a significantly decreased overall survival. In addition, peritumoral inflammation was also quantified in BC tissue samples. In our cohort, although the level of peritumoral inflammation was not correlated with OS, it determined the prognostic value of ER, PR, and PPARγ in BC. Altogether, the present study provides a differentiated overview of the relations between nuclear receptor expression, TIL levels, peritumoral inflammation, and prognosis in BC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melitta B. Köpke
- Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, University Hospital Augsburg, 86156 Augsburg, Germany
| | - Marie-Christine Chateau
- Translational Research Unit, Montpellier Cancer Institute Val d’Aurelle, 208 rue des Apothicaires, F-34298 Montpellier, France
| | - Florence Boissière-Michot
- Translational Research Unit, Montpellier Cancer Institute Val d’Aurelle, 208 rue des Apothicaires, F-34298 Montpellier, France
| | - Mariella Schneider
- Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, University Hospital Augsburg, 86156 Augsburg, Germany
| | - Fabian Garrido
- Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, University Hospital Augsburg, 86156 Augsburg, Germany
| | - Alaleh Zati-Zehni
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Hospital, LMU Munich, 81377 Munich, Germany
| | - Theresa Vilsmaier
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Hospital, LMU Munich, 81377 Munich, Germany
| | - Mirjana Kessler
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Hospital, LMU Munich, 81377 Munich, Germany
| | - Nina Ditsch
- Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, University Hospital Augsburg, 86156 Augsburg, Germany
| | - Vincent Cavaillès
- IRCM-Institut de Recherche en Cancérologie de Montpellier, INSERM U1194, Université Montpellier, Parc Euromédecine, 208 rue des Apothicaires, F-34298 Montpellier, France
- Correspondence: (V.C.); (U.J.); Tel.: +33-4-11-28-31-72 (V.C.); +49-821-400-165505 (U.J.)
| | - Udo Jeschke
- Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, University Hospital Augsburg, 86156 Augsburg, Germany
- Correspondence: (V.C.); (U.J.); Tel.: +33-4-11-28-31-72 (V.C.); +49-821-400-165505 (U.J.)
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Alkhayyal N, Elemam NM, Hussein A, Magdub S, Jundi M, Maghazachi AA, Talaat IM, Bendardaf R. Expression of immune checkpoints (PD-L1 and IDO) and tumour-infiltrating lymphocytes in breast cancer. Heliyon 2022; 8:e10482. [PMID: 36097493 PMCID: PMC9463383 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2022.e10482] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2022] [Revised: 07/16/2022] [Accepted: 08/24/2022] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Breast cancer (BC) has become the most common cancer globally in 2020 as well as in the United Arab Emirates. The breast tumor microenvironment is composed of various immune cell types, including lymphocytes. Tumour-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) play a crucial role in tumor eradication and progression. Further, immune checkpoint markers such as programmed death receptor ligand 1 (PD-L1) and indoleamine-2,3-dioxygenase (IDO) have been associated with tumor evasion from the immune system. In this study, we aimed to explore the status of TILs, PD-L1 and IDO as well as to investigate their association with the clinicopathological parameters. Materials and methods A total of 59 patients diagnosed with primary infiltrating BC were selected, after which tissue sections were stained to identify TILs along with immunohistochemical staining of PD-L1 and IDO. Moreover, in-silico tools were used to assess the expression of PD-L1, IDO and CD3ε in various molecular subtypes of BC. Results It was found that the percentage of TILs correlated with estrogen receptor (ER) and progesterone receptor (PR) expression. This was supported by the finding that most of the triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) cases belonged to the group with a high percentage of TILs (h-TILs). Similarly, the expression of PD-L1 and IDO was correlated with the ER and PR, whereas TNBC cases showed a high expression of PD-L1 and IDO. This goes in line with the in-silico findings where the TNBC group showed the highest expression of PD-L1 and IDO as well as the T cell marker CD3ε. Conclusion This study highlighted a possible link between the immunosuppressive markers PD-L1 and IDO with TILs density in the BC microenvironment.
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Fanucci KA, Yang A, Chambers A, Dizon D, Safran H, Niroula R. Objective Impact of Hematology-Oncology Hospitalist Care in an Inpatient Setting. JCO Oncol Pract 2022; 18:e1641-e1647. [DOI: 10.1200/op.22.00208] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE: The utilization of the hospitalist care model has increased over the past decade because of improved cost-effectiveness, quality of care, and value that it provides. Studies have shown that compared with the traditional care model, use of hospitalists provides cost-saving and improved value to hospital systems. However, the data for the use of oncology hospitalists (ONC Hosp) are sparse. In this study, we investigate the impact of inpatient ONC Hosp on 30-day readmissions, length of stay (LOS), discharge to hospice, and inpatient mortality when compared with a traditional model where outpatient oncologists manage the acute issues of hospitalized patients with cancer. METHODS: Rhode Island Hospital hired ONC Hosps to attend on the inpatient oncology service. To determine the impact of this new patient care model, we performed a retrospective review of oncology patients admitted to Rhode Island Hospital between July 1, 2012, and June 30, 2018, and compared quality outcomes of 30-day readmission, LOS, discharge to hospice, and inpatient mortality to those from the traditional care model. RESULTS: Compared with outpatient oncologists care, care by ONC Hosp was associated with a significant decrease in 30-day readmissions (23.0% v 29.6%, P = .019) and a significant increase in discharge to hospice (18.1% v 12.1%, P < .001). No significant difference was detected between LOS ( P = .833) or inpatient mortality ( P = .332). CONCLUSION: This study shows that compared with the traditional care model, the use of ONC Hosps has a positive impact on patient care and the potential to add value to the hospital system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristina A. Fanucci
- Yale University, New Haven, CT
- Rhode Island Hospital, The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI
| | - Andrew Yang
- Rhode Island Hospital, The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI
| | - Alison Chambers
- Rhode Island Hospital, The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI
| | - Don Dizon
- Rhode Island Hospital, The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI
| | - Howard Safran
- Rhode Island Hospital, The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI
| | - Rabin Niroula
- Rhode Island Hospital, The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI
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Davodabadi F, Sarhadi M, Arabpour J, Sargazi S, Rahdar A, Díez-Pascual AM. Breast cancer vaccines: New insights into immunomodulatory and nano-therapeutic approaches. J Control Release 2022; 349:844-875. [PMID: 35908621 DOI: 10.1016/j.jconrel.2022.07.036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2022] [Revised: 07/23/2022] [Accepted: 07/25/2022] [Indexed: 10/16/2022]
Abstract
Breast cancer (BC) is known to be a highly heterogeneous disease that is clinically subdivided into four primary molecular subtypes, each having distinct morphology and clinical implications. These subtypes are principally defined by hormone receptors and other proteins involved (or not involved) in BC development. BC therapeutic vaccines [including peptide-based vaccines, protein-based vaccines, nucleic acid-based vaccines (DNA/RNA vaccines), bacterial/viral-based vaccines, and different immune cell-based vaccines] have emerged as an appealing class of cancer immunotherapeutics when used alone or combined with other immunotherapies. Employing the immune system to eliminate BC cells is a novel therapeutic modality. The benefit of active immunotherapies is that they develop protection against neoplastic tissue and readjust the immune system to an anti-tumor monitoring state. Such immunovaccines have not yet shown effectiveness for BC treatment in clinical trials. In recent years, nanomedicines have opened new windows to increase the effectiveness of vaccinations to treat BC. In this context, some nanoplatforms have been designed to efficiently deliver molecular, cellular, or subcellular vaccines to BC cells, increasing the efficacy and persistence of anti-tumor immunity while minimizing undesirable side effects. Immunostimulatory nano-adjuvants, liposomal-based vaccines, polymeric vaccines, virus-like particles, lipid/calcium/phosphate nanoparticles, chitosan-derived nanostructures, porous silicon microparticles, and selenium nanoparticles are among the newly designed nanostructures that have been used to facilitate antigen internalization and presentation by antigen-presenting cells, increase antigen stability, enhance vaccine antigenicity and remedial effectivity, promote antigen escape from the endosome, improve cytotoxic T lymphocyte responses, and produce humoral immune responses in BC cells. Here, we summarized the existing subtypes of BC and shed light on immunomodulatory and nano-therapeutic strategies for BC vaccination. Finally, we reviewed ongoing clinical trials on BC vaccination and highlighted near-term opportunities for moving forward.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fatemeh Davodabadi
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Basic Science, Payame Noor University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mohammad Sarhadi
- Cellular and Molecular Research Center, Research Institute of Cellular and Molecular Sciences in Infectious Diseases, Zahedan University of Medical Sciences, Zahedan 9816743463, Iran
| | - Javad Arabpour
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Advanced Science and Technology, Tehran Medical Sciences, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran; Young Researchers and Elite Club, Tehran Medical Sciences, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Saman Sargazi
- Cellular and Molecular Research Center, Research Institute of Cellular and Molecular Sciences in Infectious Diseases, Zahedan University of Medical Sciences, Zahedan 9816743463, Iran.
| | - Abbas Rahdar
- Department of Physics, University of Zabol, Zabol 98613-35856, Iran.
| | - Ana M Díez-Pascual
- Universidad de Alcalá, Facultad de Ciencias, Departamento de Química Analítica, Química Física e Ingeniería Química, Ctra. Madrid-Barcelona, Km. 33.6, 28805 Alcalá de Henares, Madrid, Spain.
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Spatial interplay of lymphocytes and fibroblasts in estrogen receptor-positive HER2-negative breast cancer. NPJ Breast Cancer 2022; 8:56. [PMID: 35484275 PMCID: PMC9051105 DOI: 10.1038/s41523-022-00416-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2021] [Accepted: 03/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
In estrogen-receptor-positive, HER2-negative (ER+HER2-) breast cancer, higher levels of tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) are often associated with a poor prognosis and this phenomenon is still poorly understood. Fibroblasts represent one of the most frequent cells in breast cancer and harbor immunomodulatory capabilities. Here, we evaluate the molecular and clinical impact of the spatial patterns of TILs and fibroblast in ER+HER2- breast cancer. We used a deep neural network to locate and identify tumor, TILs, and fibroblasts on hematoxylin and eosin-stained slides from 179 ER+HER2- breast tumors (ICGC cohort) together with a new density estimation analysis to measure the spatial patterns. We clustered tumors based on their spatial patterns and gene set enrichment analysis was performed to study their molecular characteristics. We independently assessed the spatial patterns in a second cohort of ER+HER2- breast cancer (N = 630, METABRIC) and studied their prognostic value. The spatial integration of fibroblasts, TILs, and tumor cells leads to a new reproducible spatial classification of ER+HER2- breast cancer and is linked to inflammation, fibroblast meddling, or immunosuppression. ER+HER2- patients with high TIL did not have a significant improved overall survival (HR = 0.76, P = 0.212), except when they had received chemotherapy (HR = 0.447). A poorer survival was observed for patients with high fibroblasts that did not show a high level of TILs (HR = 1.661, P = 0.0303). Especially spatial mixing of fibroblasts and TILs was associated with a good prognosis (HR = 0.464, P = 0.013). Our findings demonstrate a reproducible pipeline for the spatial profiling of TILs and fibroblasts in ER+HER2- breast cancer and suggest that this spatial interplay holds a decisive role in their cancer-immune interactions.
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Investigating the Prognostic Relevance of Tumor Immune Microenvironment and Immune Gene Assembly in Breast Carcinoma Subtypes. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14081942. [PMID: 35454849 PMCID: PMC9031175 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14081942] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2022] [Revised: 03/29/2022] [Accepted: 04/06/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
We hypothesized that different BC subtypes are characterized by spatially distinct tumor immune microenvironment (TIME) and that immune gene assembly of metastatic (Met) and non-metastatic (Ctrl) BCs vary across subtypes. Peritumoral, stromal and intratumoral TIL was assessed on 309 BC cases. Hot, cold and immune-excluded groups were defined, and the prognostic role of this classification was assessed. CD4+/CD8+ positivity was analyzed in 75 cases in four systematically predefined tumor regions. Immune gene expression of Met and Ctrl HER2-negative BCs was compared by using NanoString nCounter technology. The amount of TIL infiltration varied greatly within all BC subtypes. Two-third of the cases were cold tumors with no significant survival difference compared to hot tumors. A lower CD4+/CD8+ ratio at the stromal internal tumor region was significantly associated with longer distant metastasis-free survival. The differentially expressed immune genes between Met and Ctrl varied across the studied BC subtypes with TNBC showing distinct features from the luminal subtypes. The TIME is characterized by a considerable heterogeneity; however, low level of TILs does not equate to disease progression. The differences in immune gene expression observed between Met and Ctrl breast carcinomas call attention to the important role of altered immune function in BC progression.
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Mori N, Inoue C, Tamura H, Nagasaka T, Ren H, Sato S, Mori Y, Miyashita M, Mugikura S, Takase K. Apparent diffusion coefficient and intravoxel incoherent motion-diffusion kurtosis model parameters in invasive breast cancer: Correlation with the histological parameters of whole-slide imaging. Magn Reson Imaging 2022; 90:53-60. [DOI: 10.1016/j.mri.2022.04.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2021] [Revised: 03/04/2022] [Accepted: 04/12/2022] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
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Corti C, Venetis K, Sajjadi E, Zattoni L, Curigliano G, Fusco N. CAR-T cell therapy for triple-negative breast cancer and other solid tumors: preclinical and clinical progress. Expert Opin Investig Drugs 2022; 31:593-605. [PMID: 35311430 DOI: 10.1080/13543784.2022.2054326] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Most breast cancer-related deaths arise from triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). Molecular heterogeneity, aggressiveness and the lack of effective therapies are major hurdles to therapeutic progress. Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cells have emerged as a promising immunotherapeutic strategy in TNBC. This approach combines the antigen specificity of an antibody with the effector function of T cells. AREAS COVERED This review examines the opportunities provided by CAR-T cell therapies in solid tumors. Emerging targets, ongoing clinical trials, and prospective clinical implications in TNBC are considered later. An emphasis is placed on the key challenges and possible solutions for this therapeutic approach. EXPERT OPINION A challenge for CAR-T cell therapy is the selection of the optimal targets to minimize on-target/off-tumor toxicity. Tumor escape via antigen loss and intrinsic heterogeneity is a further hurdle. TROP2, GD2, ROR1, MUC1 and EpCAM are promising targets. Persistence and trafficking to tumor cells may be enhanced by the implementation of CARs with a chemokine receptor and/or constitutively activated interleukin receptors. Fourth-generation CARs (TRUCKs) may redirect T-cells for universal cytokine-mediated killing. Combinatorial approaches and the application of CARs to other immune cells could revert the suppressive immune environment that characterizes solid neoplasms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiara Corti
- Division of New Drugs and Early Drug Development for Innovative Therapies, IEO, European Institute of Oncology IRCCS, Milan, Italy.,Department of Oncology and Hemato-Oncology, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | | | - Elham Sajjadi
- Department of Oncology and Hemato-Oncology, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Lorenzo Zattoni
- Department of Oncology and Hemato-Oncology, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Curigliano
- Division of New Drugs and Early Drug Development for Innovative Therapies, IEO, European Institute of Oncology IRCCS, Milan, Italy.,Department of Oncology and Hemato-Oncology, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Nicola Fusco
- Department of Oncology and Hemato-Oncology, University of Milan, Milan, Italy.,Division of Pathology, IEO, European Institute of Oncology IRCCS, Milan, Italy
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Costa B, Vale N. Drug Metabolism for the Identification of Clinical Biomarkers in Breast Cancer. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:3181. [PMID: 35328602 PMCID: PMC8951384 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23063181] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2022] [Revised: 03/09/2022] [Accepted: 03/15/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Breast cancer is classified into four major molecular subtypes, and is considered a heterogenous disease. The risk profiles and treatment of breast cancer differ according to these subtypes. Early detection dramatically improves the prospects of successful treatment, resulting in a reduction in overall mortality rates. However, almost 30% of women primarily diagnosed with the early-stage disease will eventually develop metastasis or resistance to chemotherapies. Immunotherapies are among the most promising cancer treatment options; however, long-term clinical benefit has only been observed in a small subset of responding patients. The current strategies for diagnosis and treatment rely heavily on histopathological examination and molecular diagnosis, disregarding the tumor microenvironment and microbiome involving cancer cells. In this review, we aim to praise the use of pharmacogenomics and pharmacomicrobiomics as a strategy to identify potential biomarkers for guiding and monitoring therapy in real-time. The finding of these biomarkers can be performed by studying the metabolism of drugs, more specifically, immunometabolism, and its relationship with the microbiome, without neglecting the information provided by genetics. A larger understanding of cancer biology has the potential to improve patient care, enable clinical decisions, and deliver personalized medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bárbara Costa
- OncoPharma Research Group, Center for Health Technology and Services Research (CINTESIS), Rua Dr. Plácido da Costa, 4200-450 Porto, Portugal;
| | - Nuno Vale
- OncoPharma Research Group, Center for Health Technology and Services Research (CINTESIS), Rua Dr. Plácido da Costa, 4200-450 Porto, Portugal;
- Department of Community Medicine, Health Information and Decision (MEDCIDS), Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, Al. Prof. Hernâni Monteiro, 4200-319 Porto, Portugal
- Associate Laboratory RISE-Health Research Network, Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, Al. Prof. Hernâni Monteiro, 4200-319 Porto, Portugal
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Tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs)/volume and prognosis: The value of TILs for survival in HER2 and TN breast cancer patients treated with chemotherapy. Ann Diagn Pathol 2022; 58:151930. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anndiagpath.2022.151930] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2021] [Revised: 01/27/2022] [Accepted: 02/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
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47
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Dieci MV, Guarneri V, Tosi A, Bisagni G, Musolino A, Spazzapan S, Moretti G, Vernaci GM, Griguolo G, Giarratano T, Urso L, Schiavi F, Pinato C, Magni G, Lo Mele M, De Salvo GL, Rosato A, Conte P. Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy and Immunotherapy in Luminal B-like Breast Cancer: Results of the Phase II GIADA Trial. Clin Cancer Res 2022; 28:308-317. [PMID: 34667023 PMCID: PMC9401542 DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.ccr-21-2260] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2021] [Revised: 08/31/2021] [Accepted: 10/12/2021] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE The role of immunotherapy in hormone receptor (HR)-positive, HER2-negative breast cancer is underexplored. PATIENTS AND METHODS The neoadjuvant phase II GIADA trial (NCT04659551, EUDRACT 2016-004665-10) enrolled stage II-IIIA premenopausal patients with Luminal B (LumB)-like breast cancer (HR-positive/HER2-negative, Ki67 ≥ 20%, and/or histologic grade 3). Patients received: three 21-day cycles of epirubicin/cyclophosphamide followed by eight 14-day cycles of nivolumab, triptorelin started concomitantly to chemotherapy, and exemestane started concomitantly to nivolumab. Primary endpoint was pathologic complete response (pCR; ypT0/is, ypN0). RESULTS A pCR was achieved by 7/43 patients [16.3%; 95% confidence interval (CI), 7.4-34.9]; the rate of residual cancer burden class 0-I was 25.6%. pCR rate was significantly higher for patients with PAM50 Basal breast cancer (4/8, 50%) as compared with other subtypes (LumA 9.1%; LumB 8.3%; P = 0.017). Tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL), immune-related gene-expression signatures, and specific immune cell subpopulations by multiplex immunofluorescence were significantly associated with pCR. A combined score of Basal subtype and TILs had an AUC of 0.95 (95% CI, 0.89-1.00) for pCR prediction. According to multiplex immunofluorescence, a switch to a more immune-activated tumor microenvironment occurred following exposure to anthracyclines. Most common grade ≥3 treatment-related adverse events (AE) during nivolumab were γ-glutamyltransferase (16.7%), alanine aminotransferase (16.7%), and aspartate aminotransferase (9.5%) increase. Most common immune-related AEs were endocrinopathies (all grades 1-2; including adrenal insufficiency, n = 1). CONCLUSIONS Luminal B-like breast cancers with a Basal molecular subtype and/or a state of immune activation may respond to sequential anthracyclines and anti-PD-1. Our data generate hypotheses that, if validated, could guide immunotherapy development in this context.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Vittoria Dieci
- Department of Surgery, Oncology and Gastroenterology, University of Padova, Padova, Italy.
- Medical Oncology 2, Veneto Institute of Oncology IOV-IRCCS, Padova, Italy
| | - Valentina Guarneri
- Department of Surgery, Oncology and Gastroenterology, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
- Medical Oncology 2, Veneto Institute of Oncology IOV-IRCCS, Padova, Italy
| | - Anna Tosi
- Department of Surgery, Oncology and Gastroenterology, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - Giancarlo Bisagni
- Department of Oncology and Advanced Technologies, Oncology Unit, Azienda USL-IRCCS, Reggio Emilia, Italy
| | - Antonino Musolino
- Medical Oncology and Breast Unit, University Hospital of Parma, Parma, Italy
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - Simon Spazzapan
- Department of Medical Oncology, Centro di Riferimento Oncologico di Aviano (CRO) IRCCS, Aviano, Italy
| | - Gabriella Moretti
- Department of Oncology and Advanced Technologies, Oncology Unit, Azienda USL-IRCCS, Reggio Emilia, Italy
| | - Grazia Maria Vernaci
- Department of Surgery, Oncology and Gastroenterology, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
- Medical Oncology 2, Veneto Institute of Oncology IOV-IRCCS, Padova, Italy
| | - Gaia Griguolo
- Department of Surgery, Oncology and Gastroenterology, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
- Medical Oncology 2, Veneto Institute of Oncology IOV-IRCCS, Padova, Italy
| | - Tommaso Giarratano
- Medical Oncology 2, Veneto Institute of Oncology IOV-IRCCS, Padova, Italy
| | - Loredana Urso
- Department of Surgery, Oncology and Gastroenterology, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - Francesca Schiavi
- UOSD Hereditary Tumors, Veneto Institute of Oncology IOV-IRCCS, Padova, Italy
| | - Claudia Pinato
- UOSD Hereditary Tumors, Veneto Institute of Oncology IOV-IRCCS, Padova, Italy
| | - Giovanna Magni
- Clinical Research Unit, Veneto Institute of Oncology IOV-IRCCS, Padova, Italy
| | - Marcello Lo Mele
- Department of Pathology, Azienda Ospedale Università Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - Gian Luca De Salvo
- Clinical Research Unit, Veneto Institute of Oncology IOV-IRCCS, Padova, Italy
| | - Antonio Rosato
- Department of Surgery, Oncology and Gastroenterology, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
- Immunology and Molecular Oncology Diagnostics, Veneto Institute of Oncology IOV-IRCCS, Padova, Italy
| | - Pierfranco Conte
- Department of Surgery, Oncology and Gastroenterology, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
- Medical Oncology 2, Veneto Institute of Oncology IOV-IRCCS, Padova, Italy
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Corti C, Giachetti PPMB, Eggermont AMM, Delaloge S, Curigliano G. Therapeutic vaccines for breast cancer: Has the time finally come? Eur J Cancer 2022; 160:150-174. [PMID: 34823982 PMCID: PMC8608270 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejca.2021.10.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2021] [Revised: 10/19/2021] [Accepted: 10/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
The ability to exploit the immune system as a weapon against cancer has revolutionised the treatment of cancer patients, especially through immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). However, ICIs demonstrated a modest benefit in treating breast cancer (BC), with the exception of certain subsets of triple-negative BCs. An immune-suppressive tumour microenvironment (TME), typically present in BC, is an important factor in the poor response to immunotherapy. After almost two decades of poor clinical trial results, cancer vaccines (CVs), an active immunotherapy, have come back in the spotlight because of some technological advancements, ultimately boosted by coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. In particular, neoantigens are emerging as the preferred targets for CVs, with gene-based and viral vector-based platforms in development. Moreover, lipid nanoparticles proved to be immunogenic and efficient delivery vehicles. Past clinical trials investigating CVs focused especially on the metastatic disease, where the TME is more likely compromised by inhibitory mechanisms. In this sense, favouring the use of CVs as monotherapy in premalignant or in the adjuvant setting and establishing combination treatments (i.e. CV plus ICI) in late-stage disease are promising strategies. This review provides a full overview of the past and current breast cancer vaccine landscape.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiara Corti
- Division of Early Drug Development for Innovative Therapies, European Institute of Oncology, IRCCS, Milan, Italy; Department of Oncology and Haematology (DIPO), University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Pier P M B Giachetti
- Division of Early Drug Development for Innovative Therapies, European Institute of Oncology, IRCCS, Milan, Italy; Department of Oncology and Haematology (DIPO), University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Alexander M M Eggermont
- Princess Máxima Center, Utrecht, the Netherlands; Department of Cancer Medicine, Institut Gustave Roussy, Villejuif, France
| | - Suzette Delaloge
- Department of Cancer Medicine, Institut Gustave Roussy, Villejuif, France
| | - Giuseppe Curigliano
- Division of Early Drug Development for Innovative Therapies, European Institute of Oncology, IRCCS, Milan, Italy; Department of Oncology and Haematology (DIPO), University of Milan, Milan, Italy.
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Feng J, Li J, Huang X, Yi J, Wu H, Zou X, Zhong W, Wang X. Nomogram to Predict Tumor-Infiltrating Lymphocytes in Breast Cancer Patients. Front Mol Biosci 2021; 8:761163. [PMID: 34901155 PMCID: PMC8662984 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2021.761163] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2021] [Accepted: 10/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) play important roles in the prediction of prognosis and neoadjuvant therapy (NAT) efficacy in breast cancer (BRCA) patients, in this study, we identified clinicopathological factors related to BRCA TILs, then to construct and validate nomogram to predict high density of TILs. Methods: A total of 826 patients diagnosed with BRCA in Sun Yat-Sen University cancer center were enrolled in nomogram cohort. TILs were assessed using hematoxylin-eosin (H&E) staining by two pathologists. Complete clinical data were collected for analysis. Then the enrolled patients were split into a training set and validation set at a ratio of 8:2. and the backward multivariate binary logistic regression model was used to establish nomogram for predicting BRCA TILs, which were further evaluated and validated using the C-index, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves and calibration curves. Then another independent NAT cohort of 106 patients was established for verifying this nomogram in NAT efficacy prediction. Results: TILs were significantly correlated with body mass index (BMI), tumor differentiation, ER, PR, HER2 expression, Ki67, blood biochemical indicators including total bilirubin (TBIL), indirect bilirubin (IBIL), total protein (TP), Globulin (GLOB), inorganic phosphorus (IP), calcium (Ca). In which ER expression level [OR = 0.987, 95%CI (0.982-0.992), p < 0.001], IP [OR = 4.462, 95%CI (1.171∼17.289), p = 0.029], IBIL [OR = 0.906, 95%CI (0.845-0.966), p = 0.004] and TP [OR = 1.053, 95%CI (1.010-1.098, p = 0.016)] were independent predictors of TILs. Then nomogram was established, for which calibration curves (C-index = 0.759) and ROC curve (AUC = 0.759, 95%CI 0.717-0.801) in training sets, calibration curves (C-index = 0.708) and ROC curve (AUC = 0.708, 95%CI 0.617-0.800) in validation sets demonstrated great evaluation efficiency. Besides, independent NAT cohort verified this nomogram can distinguish patients with greater NAT efficacy (p = 0.041). Conclusion: The finds of clinicopathological factors associated with TILs could help clinicians to understand the tumor immunity of BRCA and improve treatment system for patients, and the established nomogram with high evaluation efficiency may be used as a complement tool for distinguishing patients with better NAT efficacy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jikun Feng
- Department of Breast Oncology, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, The State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jianxia Li
- Department of Medical Oncology, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Colorectal and Pelvic Floor Diseases, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xinjian Huang
- Department of Breast Oncology, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, The State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jiarong Yi
- Department of Breast Oncology, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, The State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Haoming Wu
- Department of Breast Oncology, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, The State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xuxiazi Zou
- Department of Breast Oncology, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, The State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Wenjing Zhong
- Department of Breast Oncology, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, The State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xi Wang
- Department of Breast Oncology, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, The State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou, China
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50
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Corti C, Nicolò E, Curigliano G. Novel immune targets for the treatment of triple-negative breast cancer. Expert Opin Ther Targets 2021; 25:815-834. [PMID: 34763593 DOI: 10.1080/14728222.2021.2006187] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION To overcome mechanisms of primary and secondary resistance to the anti-tumor immune response, novel targets such as ICOS, LAG3, and TIM3 are currently being explored at preclinical and early-phase clinical levels. AREAS COVERED This article examines the landscape of the immune therapeutics investigated in early-phase clinical trials for TNBC. Preclinical rationale is provided for each immune target, predominant expression, and function. Clinical implications and preliminary available trial results are discussed and finally, we reflect on aspects of future expectations and challenges in this field. EXPERT OPINION Several immune strategies have been investigated in TNBC, including co-inhibitory molecules beyond PD1-PD-L1 axis, co-stimulatory checkpoints, cancer vaccines, adoptive cell transfer, combination therapies, as well as different routes of administration. Most of approaches showed signs of anti-cancer activity and a good safety profile in early-phase clinical trials. Since IO provided benefit only to a small subgroup of TNBC patients so far, identifying predictive biomarkers is a priority to refine patient-selection. Data from ongoing clinical trials, with the gradually improving interpretation of the breast tumor immune environment, will hopefully refine the role of new immune targets for the treatment of TNBC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiara Corti
- Division of New Drugs and Early Drug Development for Innovative Therapies, European Institute of Oncology, Irccs, Milan, Italy.,Department of Oncology and Hematology (DIPO), University of Milano, Milano, Italy
| | - Eleonora Nicolò
- Division of New Drugs and Early Drug Development for Innovative Therapies, European Institute of Oncology, Irccs, Milan, Italy.,Department of Oncology and Hematology (DIPO), University of Milano, Milano, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Curigliano
- Division of New Drugs and Early Drug Development for Innovative Therapies, European Institute of Oncology, Irccs, Milan, Italy.,Department of Oncology and Hematology (DIPO), University of Milano, Milano, Italy
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