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Zhang J, Zhang M, Tian Q, Yang J. A novel model associated with tumor microenvironment on predicting prognosis and immunotherapy in triple negative breast cancer. Clin Exp Med 2023; 23:3867-3881. [PMID: 37219794 PMCID: PMC10618350 DOI: 10.1007/s10238-023-01090-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2023] [Accepted: 05/11/2023] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) is the most aggressive and malignant subtype in breast cancer. Immunotherapy is a currently promising and effective treatment for TNBC, while not all patients are responsive. Therefore, it is necessary to explore novel biomarkers to screen sensitive populations for immunotherapy. All mRNA expression profiles of TNBC from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database were clustered into two subgroups by analyzing tumor immune microenvironment (TIME) with single sample gene set enrichment analysis (ssGSEA). A risk score model was constructed based on differently expressed genes (DEGs) identified from two subgroups using Cox and Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selector Operation (LASSO) regression model. And it was validated by Kaplan-Meier analysis and Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) analysis in Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) and the Molecular Taxonomy of Breast Cancer International Consortium (METABRIC) databases. Multiplex immunofluorescence (mIF) and Immunohistochemical (IHC) staining were performed on clinical TNBC tissue samples. The relationship between risk score and immune checkpoint blockades (ICB) related signatures was further investigated, as well as the biological processes were performed by gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA). We obtained three DEGs positively related to prognosis and infiltrating immune cells in TNBC. Our risk score model could be an independent prognostic factor and the low risk group exhibited a prolonged overall survival (OS). Patients in low risk group were more likely to present a higher immune infiltration and stronger response to immunotherapy. GSEA revealed the model was associated with immune-related pathways. We constructed and validated a novel model based on three prognostic genes related to TIME in TNBC. The model contributed a robust signature that could predict the prognosis in TNBC, especially for the efficacy of immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan Zhang
- Cancer Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
- Precision Medicine Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
- Department of Medical Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, 277 Yanta Western Road, Xi'an, 710061, Shaanxi, China
| | - Mi Zhang
- Cancer Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
- Precision Medicine Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
- Department of Medical Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, 277 Yanta Western Road, Xi'an, 710061, Shaanxi, China
| | - Qi Tian
- Department of Medical Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, 277 Yanta Western Road, Xi'an, 710061, Shaanxi, China
| | - Jin Yang
- Cancer Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China.
- Precision Medicine Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China.
- Department of Medical Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, 277 Yanta Western Road, Xi'an, 710061, Shaanxi, China.
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2
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Gligorov J, Benderra MA, Barthere X, de Forceville L, Antoine EC, Cottu PH, Delaloge S, Pierga JY, Belkacemi Y, Houvenaegel G, Pujol P, Rivera S, Spielmann M, Penault-Llorca F, Namer M. Recommandations francophones pour la pratique clinique concernant la prise en charge des cancers du sein de Saint-Paul-de-Vence 2022-2023. Bull Cancer 2023; 110:10S1-10S43. [PMID: 38061827 DOI: 10.1016/s0007-4551(23)00473-3] [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: 12/18/2023]
Abstract
With more than 60,000 new cases of breast cancer in mainland France in 2023 and 8% of all cancer deaths, breast cancer is the leading cancer in women in terms of incidence and mortality. While the number of new cases has almost doubled in 30 years, the percentage of patients at all stages alive at 5 years (87%) and 10 years (76%) testifies to the major progress made in terms of screening, characterisation and treatment. However, this progress, rapid as it is, needs to be evaluated and integrated into an overall strategy, taking into account the characteristics of the disease (stage and biology), as well as those of the patients being treated. These are the objectives of the St Paul-de-Vence recommendations for clinical practice. We report here the summary of the votes, discussions and conclusions of the Saint-Paul-de-Vence 2022-2023 RPCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph Gligorov
- Institut universitaire de cancérologie AP-HP Sorbonne université, Paris, France.
| | | | - Xavier Barthere
- Institut universitaire de cancérologie AP-HP Sorbonne université, Paris, France
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3
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Venetis K, Sajjadi E, Ivanova M, Peccatori FA, Fusco N, Guerini-Rocco E. Characterization of the immune environment in pregnancy-associated breast cancer. Future Oncol 2023. [PMID: 37376974 DOI: 10.2217/fon-2022-1321] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Pregnancy-associated breast cancer (PrBC) is a rare and clinically challenging condition. Specific immune mechanisms and pathways are involved in maternal-fetal tolerance and tumor-host immunoediting. The comprehension of the molecular processes underpinning this immune synergy in PrBC is needed to improve patients' clinical management. Only a few studies focused on the immune biology of PrBC and attempted to identify bona fide biomarkers. Therefore, clinically actionable information remains extremely puzzling for these patients. In this review article, we discuss the current knowledge on the immune environment of PrBC, in comparison with pregnancy-unrelated breast cancer and in the context of maternal immune changes during pregnancy. A particular emphasis is given to the actual role of potential immune-related biomarkers for PrBC clinical management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Konstantinos Venetis
- Division of Pathology, IEO, European Institute of Oncology IRCCS, Milan, 20141, Italy
| | - Elham Sajjadi
- Division of Pathology, IEO, European Institute of Oncology IRCCS, Milan, 20141, Italy
- Department of Oncology & Hemato-Oncology, University of Milan, Milan, 20122, Italy
| | - Mariia Ivanova
- Division of Pathology, IEO, European Institute of Oncology IRCCS, Milan, 20141, Italy
| | - Fedro Alessandro Peccatori
- Fertility & Procreation Unit, Division of Gynecologic Oncology, IEO, European Institute of Oncology IRCCS, Milan, 20141, Italy
| | - Nicola Fusco
- Division of Pathology, IEO, European Institute of Oncology IRCCS, Milan, 20141, Italy
- Department of Oncology & Hemato-Oncology, University of Milan, Milan, 20122, Italy
| | - Elena Guerini-Rocco
- Division of Pathology, IEO, European Institute of Oncology IRCCS, Milan, 20141, Italy
- Department of Oncology & Hemato-Oncology, University of Milan, Milan, 20122, Italy
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4
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Zhou Y, Zhou J, Hao X, Shi H, Li X, Wang A, Hu Z, Yang Y, Jiang Z, Wang T. Efficacy relevance of PD-L1 expression on circulating tumor cells in metastatic breast cancer patients treated with anti-PD-1 immunotherapy. Breast Cancer Res Treat 2023:10.1007/s10549-023-06972-6. [PMID: 37227611 DOI: 10.1007/s10549-023-06972-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2023] [Accepted: 05/03/2023] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Breast cancer has become the leading cause of cancer mortality in women. Although immune checkpoint inhibitors targeting programmed death-1 (PD-1) are promising, it remains unclear whether PD-L1 expression on circulating tumor cells (CTCs) has predictive and prognostic values in predicting and stratifying metastatic breast cancer (MBC) patients who can benefit from anti-PD-1 immunotherapy. METHODS Twenty six MBC patients that received anti-PD-1 immunotherapy were enrolled in this study. The peptide-based Pep@MNPs method was used to isolate and enumerate CTCs from 2.0 ml of peripheral venous blood. The expression of PD-L1 on CTCs was evaluated by an established immunoscoring system categorizing into four classes (negative, low, medium, and high). RESULTS Our data showed that 92.3% (24/26) of patients had CTCs, 83.3% (20/26) of patients had PD-L1-positive CTCs, and 65.4% (17/26) of patients had PD-L1-high CTCs. We revealed that the clinical benefit rate (CBR) of patients with a cut-off value of ≥ 35% PD-L1-high CTCs (66.6%) was higher than the others (29.4%). We indicated that PD-L1 expression on CTCs from MBC patients treated with anti-PD-1 monotherapy was dynamic. We demonstrated that MBC patients with a cut-off value of ≥ 35% PD-L1-high CTCs had longer PFS (P = 0.033) and OS (P = 0.00058) compared with patients with a cut-off value of < 35% PD-L1-high CTCs. CONCLUSION Our findings suggested that PD-L1 expression on CTCs could predict the therapeutic response and clinical outcomes, providing a valuable predictive and prognostic biomarker for patients treated with anti-PD-1 immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Zhou
- Fujian Key Laboratory of Translational Research in Cancer and Neurodegenerative Diseases, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Brain Aging and Neurodegenerative Diseases, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China
- CAS Key Laboratory of Standardization and Measurement for Nanotechnology, CAS Key Laboratory for Biomedical Effects of Nanomaterials and Nanosafety, CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology of China, Beijing, China
| | - Jinmei Zhou
- Breast Cancer Department, The Fifth Medical Center of Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaopeng Hao
- Department of General Surgery, The Fifth Medical Center of Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Haoyuan Shi
- Fujian Key Laboratory of Translational Research in Cancer and Neurodegenerative Diseases, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Brain Aging and Neurodegenerative Diseases, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China
- CAS Key Laboratory of Standardization and Measurement for Nanotechnology, CAS Key Laboratory for Biomedical Effects of Nanomaterials and Nanosafety, CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology of China, Beijing, China
| | - Xuejie Li
- Fujian Key Laboratory of Translational Research in Cancer and Neurodegenerative Diseases, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Brain Aging and Neurodegenerative Diseases, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China
- CAS Key Laboratory of Standardization and Measurement for Nanotechnology, CAS Key Laboratory for Biomedical Effects of Nanomaterials and Nanosafety, CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology of China, Beijing, China
| | - Anqi Wang
- Fujian Key Laboratory of Translational Research in Cancer and Neurodegenerative Diseases, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Brain Aging and Neurodegenerative Diseases, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China
- CAS Key Laboratory of Standardization and Measurement for Nanotechnology, CAS Key Laboratory for Biomedical Effects of Nanomaterials and Nanosafety, CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology of China, Beijing, China
| | - Zhiyuan Hu
- Fujian Key Laboratory of Translational Research in Cancer and Neurodegenerative Diseases, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Brain Aging and Neurodegenerative Diseases, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China.
- CAS Key Laboratory of Standardization and Measurement for Nanotechnology, CAS Key Laboratory for Biomedical Effects of Nanomaterials and Nanosafety, CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology of China, Beijing, China.
- School of Nanoscience and Technology, Sino-Danish College, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
- School of Chemical Engineering and Pharmacy, Wuhan Institute of Technology, Wuhan, China.
| | - Yanlian Yang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Standardization and Measurement for Nanotechnology, CAS Key Laboratory for Biomedical Effects of Nanomaterials and Nanosafety, CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology of China, Beijing, China.
- School of Nanoscience and Technology, Sino-Danish College, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
| | - Zefei Jiang
- Breast Cancer Department, The Fifth Medical Center of Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China.
| | - Tao Wang
- Breast Cancer Department, The Fifth Medical Center of Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China.
- Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China.
- Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China.
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Valentini V, Silvestri V, Bucalo A, Conti G, Karimi M, Di Francesco L, Pomati G, Mezi S, Cerbelli B, Pignataro MG, Nicolussi A, Coppa A, D’Amati G, Giannini G, Ottini L. Molecular profiling of male breast cancer by multigene panel testing: Implications for precision oncology. Front Oncol 2023; 12:1092201. [PMID: 36686738 PMCID: PMC9854133 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.1092201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2022] [Accepted: 12/12/2022] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Compared with breast cancer (BC) in women, BC in men is a rare disease with genetic and molecular peculiarities. Therapeutic approaches for male BC (MBC) are currently extrapolated from the clinical management of female BC, although the disease does not exactly overlap in males and females. Data on specific molecular biomarkers in MBC are lacking, cutting out male patients from more appropriate therapeutic strategies. Growing evidence indicates that Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) multigene panel testing can be used for the detection of predictive molecular biomarkers, including Tumor Mutational Burden (TMB) and Microsatellite Instability (MSI). Methods In this study, NGS multigene gene panel sequencing, targeting 1.94 Mb of the genome at 523 cancer-relevant genes (TruSight Oncology 500, Illumina), was used to identify and characterize somatic variants, Copy Number Variations (CNVs), TMB and MSI, in 15 Formalin-Fixed Paraffin-Embedded (FFPE) male breast cancer samples. Results and discussion A total of 40 pathogenic variants were detected in 24 genes. All MBC cases harbored at least one pathogenic variant. PIK3CA was the most frequently mutated gene, with six (40.0%) MBCs harboring targetable PIK3CA alterations. CNVs analysis showed copy number gains in 22 genes. No copy number losses were found. Specifically, 13 (86.7%) MBCs showed gene copy number gains. MYC was the most frequently amplified gene with eight (53.3%) MBCs showing a median fold-changes value of 1.9 (range 1.8-3.8). A median TMB value of 4.3 (range 0.8-12.3) mut/Mb was observed, with two (13%) MBCs showing high-TMB. The median percentage of MSI was 2.4% (range 0-17.6%), with two (13%) MBCs showing high-MSI. Overall, these results indicate that NGS multigene panel sequencing can provide a comprehensive molecular tumor profiling in MBC. The identification of targetable molecular alterations in more than 70% of MBCs suggests that the NGS approach may allow for the selection of MBC patients eligible for precision/targeted therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Virginia Valentini
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | | | - Agostino Bucalo
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Giulia Conti
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Mina Karimi
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Linda Di Francesco
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Giulia Pomati
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Silvia Mezi
- Department of Radiological, Oncological and Pathological Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Bruna Cerbelli
- Department of Medical-Surgical Sciences and Biotechnologies Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Maria Gemma Pignataro
- Department of Radiological, Oncological and Pathological Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Arianna Nicolussi
- Department of Experimental Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Anna Coppa
- Department of Experimental Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Giulia D’Amati
- Department of Radiological, Oncological and Pathological Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Giannini
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy,Istituto Pasteur-Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti, Rome, Italy
| | - Laura Ottini
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy,*Correspondence: Laura Ottini,
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6
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Provenzano E, Shaaban AM. Pathology of neoadjuvant therapy and immunotherapy testing for breast cancer. Histopathology 2023; 82:170-188. [PMID: 36482270 DOI: 10.1111/his.14771] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2022] [Revised: 08/07/2022] [Accepted: 08/08/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) has become the standard of care for high-risk breast cancer, including triple-negative (TNBC) and HER2-positive disease. As a result, handling and reporting of breast specimens post-NACT is part of routine practice, and it is important for pathologists to recognise the changes in tumour cells, tumour-associated stroma and background breast tissue induced by NACT. Familiarity with characteristic stromal features enables identification of the pre-treatment tumour site and allows confident diagnosis of pathological complete response (pCR) which is important for decisions concerning adjuvant therapy. Neoadjuvant endocrine therapy (NAET) is used less frequently than NACT; however, the SARS-COVID-19 pandemic has changed practice, with increased use as bridging therapy if surgery is delayed. NAET also induces characteristic changes in the tumour and stroma. Changes in the tumour microenvironment following NACT and NAET are also described. Immunotherapy is approved for use in advanced TNBC, and there are several trials exploring its role in early TNBC in the neoadjuvant setting. The current biomarker to determine eligibility for treatment with immune checkpoint inhibitors is programmed death ligand-1 (PD-L1) immunohistochemistry; however, this is complicated by lack of standardisation with different drugs linked to tests using different antibodies with different scoring systems. The situation in the neoadjuvant setting is further complicated by improved pCR rates for PD-L1-positive tumours in both immune therapy and placebo arms. Alternative biomarkers are urgently needed to identify which patients will derive benefit from immunotherapy and key candidates are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena Provenzano
- Department of Histopathology, Cambridge University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and NIHR Cambridge Biomedical Research Centre, Cambridge, UK
| | - Abeer M Shaaban
- Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham and University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
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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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Xu Y, Zuo F, Wang H, Jing J, He X. The current landscape of predictive and prognostic biomarkers for immune checkpoint blockade in ovarian cancer. Front Immunol 2022; 13:1045957. [PMID: 36389711 PMCID: PMC9647049 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.1045957] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2022] [Accepted: 10/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) therapy has evoked a prominent shift in anticancer therapy. Durable clinical antitumor activity to ICB has been observed in patients with ovarian cancer (OC). However, only a subset of patients derive clinical benefit, and immune-related adverse events (irAEs) caused by ICB therapy can lead to permanent tissue damage and even fatal consequences. It is thus urgent to develop predictive biomarkers to optimize patient outcomes and minimize toxicity risk. Herein, we review current predictive and prognostic biomarkers for checkpoint immunotherapy in OC and highlight emerging biomarkers to guide treatment with ICB. The prevalent biomarkers, such as PD-L1 expression status, tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes, mutational burden, and immune gene signatures, are further discussed. We provide a state-of-the-art survey on prognostic and predictive biomarkers for checkpoint immunotherapy and offer valuable information for guiding precision immunotherapy
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Jing Jing
- *Correspondence: Jing Jing, ; Xiujing He,
| | - Xiujing He
- *Correspondence: Jing Jing, ; Xiujing He,
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Shenasa E, Stovgaard ES, Jensen MB, Asleh K, Riaz N, Gao D, Leung S, Ejlertsen B, Laenkholm AV, Nielsen TO. Neither Tumor-Infiltrating Lymphocytes nor Cytotoxic T Cells Predict Enhanced Benefit from Chemotherapy in the DBCG77B Phase III Clinical Trial. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14153808. [PMID: 35954471 PMCID: PMC9367267 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14153808] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2022] [Revised: 07/29/2022] [Accepted: 08/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Apart from the direct killing of cancer cells, cyclophosphamide-based chemotherapy has been shown to induce an antitumor immune response, and is being used in combination with immunotherapies in cancer care. We assessed the interaction of chemotherapy with immune biomarkers expressed on primary tumor tissue from a randomized phase III clinical trial, and confirmed that the presence of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes is linked to improved survival in premenopausal women with high-risk breast cancer, regardless of their treatment allocation. However, immune biomarkers including tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes do not predict extra benefit from cyclophosphamide chemotherapy. This finding applies across the major molecular subgroups, including non-luminal and basal breast cancers that tend to be more immunogenic, and are often considered the most suitable subsets for receiving immunotherapy. Abstract Recent studies have shown that immune infiltrates in the tumor microenvironment play a role in response to therapy, with some suggesting that patients with immunogenic tumors may receive increased benefit from chemotherapies. We evaluated this hypothesis in early breast cancer by testing the interaction between immune biomarkers and chemotherapy using materials from DBCG77B, a phase III clinical trial where high-risk premenopausal women were randomized to receive chemotherapy or no chemotherapy. Tissue microarrays were evaluated for tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) assessed morphologically on hematoxylin and eosin-stained slides, and by immunohistochemistry for CD8, FOXP3, LAG-3, PD-1 and PD-L1. Following REMARK reporting guidelines, data analyses were performed according to a prespecified statistical plan, using 10-year invasive disease-free survival as the endpoint. Differences in survival probabilities between biomarker groups were evaluated by Kaplan–Meier and Cox proportional hazard ratio analyses and prediction for treatment benefit by an interaction test. Our results showed that stromal TILs were associated with an improved prognosis (HR = 0.93; p-value = 0.03), consistent with previous studies. However, none of the immune biomarkers predicted benefit from chemotherapy in the full study set nor within major breast cancer subtypes. Our study indicates that primary tumors with higher immune infiltration do not derive extra benefit from cyclophosphamide-based cytotoxic chemotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elahe Shenasa
- Genetic Pathology Evaluation Centre, University of British Columbia, Vancouver V6H 3Z6, BC, Canada
| | | | - Maj-Britt Jensen
- Danish Breast Cancer Cooperative Group, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen University Hospital, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Karama Asleh
- Genetic Pathology Evaluation Centre, University of British Columbia, Vancouver V6H 3Z6, BC, Canada
| | - Nazia Riaz
- Genetic Pathology Evaluation Centre, University of British Columbia, Vancouver V6H 3Z6, BC, Canada
- Centre for Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research, Aga Khan University, Karachi 74800, Pakistan
| | - Dongxia Gao
- Genetic Pathology Evaluation Centre, University of British Columbia, Vancouver V6H 3Z6, BC, Canada
| | - Samuel Leung
- Genetic Pathology Evaluation Centre, University of British Columbia, Vancouver V6H 3Z6, BC, Canada
| | - Bent Ejlertsen
- Danish Breast Cancer Cooperative Group, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen University Hospital, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Anne-Vibeke Laenkholm
- Department of Surgical Pathology, Zealand University Hospital, 4000 Roskilde, Denmark
| | - Torsten O. Nielsen
- Genetic Pathology Evaluation Centre, University of British Columbia, Vancouver V6H 3Z6, BC, Canada
- Correspondence:
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