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Wu X, Stabile LP, Burns TF. The Emerging Role of Immune Checkpoint Blockade for the Treatment of Lung Cancer Brain Metastases. Clin Lung Cancer 2024:S1525-7304(24)00124-4. [PMID: 38991863 DOI: 10.1016/j.cllc.2024.06.004] [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: 12/03/2023] [Revised: 04/15/2024] [Accepted: 06/06/2024] [Indexed: 07/13/2024]
Abstract
Lung cancer has the highest incidence of brain metastases (BM) among solid organ cancers. Traditionally whole brain radiation therapy has been utilized for non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) BM treatment, although stereotactic radiosurgery has emerged as the superior treatment modality for most patients. Highly penetrant central nervous system (CNS) tyrosine kinase inhibitors have also shown significant CNS activity in patients harboring select oncogenic drivers. There is emerging evidence that patients without oncogene-driven tumors derive benefit from the use of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). The CNS activity of ICIs have not been well studied given exclusion of patients with active BM from landmark trials, due to concerns of inadequate CNS penetration and activity. However, studies have challenged the idea of an immune-privileged CNS, given the presence of functional lymphatic drainage within the CNS and destruction of the blood brain barrier by BM. An emerging understanding of the interactions between tumor and CNS immune cells in the BM tumor microenvironment also support a role for immunotherapy in BM treatment. In addition, posthoc analyses of major trials have shown improved intracranial response and survival benefit of regimens with ICIs over chemotherapy (CT) alone for patients with BM. Two prospective phase 2 trials evaluating pembrolizumab monotherapy and atezolizumab plus CT in patients with untreated NSCLC BM also demonstrated significant intracranial responses. This review describes the interplay between CNS immune cells and tumor cells, discusses current evidence for ICI CNS activity from retrospective and prospective studies, and speculates on future directions of investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiancheng Wu
- Department of Medicine, Division of Internal Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA
| | - Laura P Stabile
- Department of Pharmacology & Chemical Biology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA; UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, Pittsburgh, PA
| | - Timothy F Burns
- UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, Pittsburgh, PA; Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology-Oncology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA.
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2
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Schulz C, Proescholdt M, Schmidt NO, Steger F, Heudobler D. [Brain metastases]. Pneumologie 2024. [PMID: 38266745 DOI: 10.1055/a-2238-1840] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/26/2024]
Abstract
Cerebral metastases in patients with metastatic lung cancer are found in more than 30% of patients at baseline and manifest themselves in two out of three patients during disease evolution. For a long time, the cerebral manifestation of the disease was classified as prognostically unfavorable and hence such patients were regularly excluded from therapy studies. In the context of targeted molecular therapy strategies and established immuno-oncological systemic therapies, the blood-brain barrier no longer represents an insurmountable barrier. However, the treatment of brain metastases requires decision making in a multidisciplinary team within dedicated lung cancer and/or oncology centers. The differentiated treatment decision is based on the number, size and location of the brain metastases, neurology and general condition, comorbidities, potential life expectancy and the patient's wishes, but also tumor biology including molecular targets, extra-cranial tumor burden and availability of a CNS-effective therapy. Systemic therapies as well as neurosurgical and radiotherapeutic concepts are now often combined for optimized and prognosis-improving therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian Schulz
- Klinik und Poliklinik für Innere Medizin II, Universitätsklinikum Regensburg, Regensburg, Deutschland
| | - Martin Proescholdt
- Klinik und Poliklinik für Neurochirurgie, Universitätsklinikum Regensburg, Regensburg, Deutschland
| | - Nis-Ole Schmidt
- Klinik und Poliklinik für Neurochirurgie, Universitätsklinikum Regensburg, Regensburg, Deutschland
| | - Felix Steger
- Klinik und Poliklinik für Strahlentherapie, Universitätsklinikum Regensburg, Regensburg, Deutschland
| | - Daniel Heudobler
- Klinik und Poliklinik für Innere Medizin III, Universitätsklinikum Regensburg, Regensburg, Deutschland
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Mehkri Y, Windermere SA, Still MEH, Yan SC, Goutnik M, Melnick K, Doonan B, Ghiaseddin AP, Rahman M. The Safety and Efficacy of Concurrent Immune Checkpoint Blockade and Stereotactic Radiosurgery Therapy with Practitioner and Researcher Recommendations. World Neurosurg 2024; 181:e133-e153. [PMID: 37739175 DOI: 10.1016/j.wneu.2023.09.042] [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: 09/10/2023] [Accepted: 09/11/2023] [Indexed: 09/24/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have shown growing promise in the treatment of brain metastases, especially combined with stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS). The combination of ICIs with SRS has been studied for efficacy as well as increasing radiation necrosis risks. In this review, we compare clinical outcomes of radiation necrosis, intracranial control, and overall survival between patients with brain metastases treated with either SRS alone or SRS-ICI combination therapy. METHODS A literature search of PubMed, Scopus, Embase, Web of Science, and Cochrane was performed in May 2023 for articles comparing the safety and efficacy of SRS/ICI versus SRS-alone for treating brain metastases. RESULTS The search criteria identified 1961 articles, of which 48 met inclusion criteria. Combination therapy with SRS and ICI does not lead to significant increases in incidence of radiation necrosis either radiographically or symptomatically. Overall, no difference was found in intracranial control between SRS-alone and SRS-ICI combination therapy. Combination therapy is associated with increased median overall survival. Notably, some comparative studies observed decreased neurologic deaths, challenging presumptions that improved survival is due to greater systemic control. The literature supports SRS-ICI administration within 4 weeks of another for survival but remains inconclusive, requiring further study for other outcome measures. CONCLUSIONS Combination SRS-ICI therapy is associated with significant overall survival benefit for patients with brain metastases without significantly increasing radiation necrosis risks compared to SRS alone. Although intracranial control rates appear to be similar between the 2 groups, timing of treatment delivery may improve control rates and demands further study attention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yusuf Mehkri
- Lillian S. Wells Department of Neurosurgery, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
| | | | - Megan E H Still
- Lillian S. Wells Department of Neurosurgery, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
| | - Sandra C Yan
- Lillian S. Wells Department of Neurosurgery, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
| | - Michael Goutnik
- Lillian S. Wells Department of Neurosurgery, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
| | - Kaitlyn Melnick
- Lillian S. Wells Department of Neurosurgery, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
| | - Bently Doonan
- Lillian S. Wells Department of Neurosurgery, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
| | - Ashley P Ghiaseddin
- Lillian S. Wells Department of Neurosurgery, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
| | - Maryam Rahman
- Lillian S. Wells Department of Neurosurgery, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
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Ji X, Wang L, Tan Y, Shang Y, Huo R, Fang C, Li C, Zhang L. Radionecrosis mimicking pseudo‑progression in a patient with lung cancer and brain metastasis following the combination of anti‑PD‑1 therapy and stereotactic radiosurgery: A case report. Oncol Lett 2023; 26:361. [PMID: 37545620 PMCID: PMC10398635 DOI: 10.3892/ol.2023.13947] [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: 04/05/2023] [Accepted: 06/22/2023] [Indexed: 08/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Brain metastases (BMs) usually develop in patients with non-small cell lung cancer. In addition to systemic therapy, radiation therapy and surgery, anti-programmed cell death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) therapy is another promising clinical anticancer treatment modality. However, the optimal timing and drug-drug interactions of anti-PD-L1 therapy with other combined treatments remain to be elucidated. Treatment with anti-PD-L1 therapy is associated with an increased risk of radionecrosis (RN) regardless of tumor histology. The present study described a case of RN in a patient with lung adenocarcinoma and with BM who received anti-PD-L1 therapy. Before anti-PD-L1 treatment, the patient received whole brain radiotherapy. During durvalumab treatment, the intracranial metastases regressed. The progression of intracranial lesions 9 months later prompted a second-line of therapy with PD-L1 inhibitor durvalumab and stereotactic radiotherapy (SRT). Despite stereotactic irradiation, the lesions progressed further, leading to surgical resection. On examination, RN was detected, but there was no evidence of metastatic lung cancer. The aim of the present study was to present the longitudinal change in magnetic resonance imaging in RN following STR and anti-PD-L1 combined therapy. The atypical image of RN is conditionally important for making an accurate preoperative diagnosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaolin Ji
- Department of Neurosurgery, Clinical Medicine College, Affiliated Hospital of Hebei University, Hebei University, Baoding, Hebei 071000, P.R. China
| | - Luxuan Wang
- Department of Neurological Examination, Affiliated Hospital of Hebei University, Hebei University, Baoding, Hebei 071000, P.R. China
| | - Yanli Tan
- Department of Pathology, Affiliated Hospital of Hebei University, Hebei University, Baoding, Hebei 071000, P.R. China
| | - Yanhong Shang
- Department of Oncology, Affiliated Hospital of Hebei University, Hebei University, Baoding, Hebei 071000, P.R. China
| | - Ran Huo
- Department of Oncology, Affiliated Hospital of Hebei University, Hebei University, Baoding, Hebei 071000, P.R. China
| | - Chuan Fang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Clinical Medicine College, Affiliated Hospital of Hebei University, Hebei University, Baoding, Hebei 071000, P.R. China
- Postdoctoral Research Station of Neurosurgery, Affiliated Hospital of Hebei University, Hebei University, Baoding, Hebei 071000, P.R. China
| | - Chunhui Li
- Department of Neurosurgery, Clinical Medicine College, Affiliated Hospital of Hebei University, Hebei University, Baoding, Hebei 071000, P.R. China
| | - Lijian Zhang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Clinical Medicine College, Affiliated Hospital of Hebei University, Hebei University, Baoding, Hebei 071000, P.R. China
- Postdoctoral Research Station of Neurosurgery, Affiliated Hospital of Hebei University, Hebei University, Baoding, Hebei 071000, P.R. China
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Hintelmann K, Petersen C, Borgmann K. Radiotherapeutic Strategies to Overcome Resistance of Breast Cancer Brain Metastases by Considering Immunogenic Aspects of Cancer Stem Cells. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 15:211. [PMID: 36612206 PMCID: PMC9818478 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15010211] [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: 12/01/2022] [Revised: 12/23/2022] [Accepted: 12/27/2022] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Breast cancer is the most diagnosed cancer in women, and symptomatic brain metastases (BCBMs) occur in 15-20% of metastatic breast cancer cases. Despite technological advances in radiation therapy (RT), the prognosis of patients is limited. This has been attributed to radioresistant breast cancer stem cells (BCSCs), among other factors. The aim of this review article is to summarize the evidence of cancer-stem-cell-mediated radioresistance in brain metastases of breast cancer from radiobiologic and radiation oncologic perspectives to allow for the better interpretability of preclinical and clinical evidence and to facilitate its translation into new therapeutic strategies. To this end, the etiology of brain metastasis in breast cancer, its radiotherapeutic treatment options, resistance mechanisms in BCSCs, and effects of molecularly targeted therapies in combination with radiotherapy involving immune checkpoint inhibitors are described and classified. This is considered in the context of the central nervous system (CNS) as a particular metastatic niche involving the blood-brain barrier and the CNS immune system. The compilation of this existing knowledge serves to identify possible synergistic effects between systemic molecularly targeted therapies and ionizing radiation (IR) by considering both BCSCs' relevant resistance mechanisms and effects on normal tissue of the CNS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katharina Hintelmann
- Department of Radiotherapy and Radiation Oncology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, 20246 Hamburg, Germany
- Laboratory of Radiobiology and Experimental Radiooncology, Center of Oncology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, 20246 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Cordula Petersen
- Department of Radiotherapy and Radiation Oncology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, 20246 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Kerstin Borgmann
- Laboratory of Radiobiology and Experimental Radiooncology, Center of Oncology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, 20246 Hamburg, Germany
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Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW This review aims to cover current MRI techniques for assessing treatment response in brain tumors, with a focus on radio-induced lesions. RECENT FINDINGS Pseudoprogression and radionecrosis are common radiological entities after brain tumor irradiation and are difficult to distinguish from real progression, with major consequences on daily patient care. To date, shortcomings of conventional MRI have been largely recognized but morphological sequences are still used in official response assessment criteria. Several complementary advanced techniques have been proposed but none of them have been validated, hampering their clinical use. Among advanced MRI, brain perfusion measures increase diagnostic accuracy, especially when added with spectroscopy and susceptibility-weighted imaging. However, lack of reproducibility, because of several hard-to-control variables, is still a major limitation for their standardization in routine protocols. Amide Proton Transfer is an emerging molecular imaging technique that promises to offer new metrics by indirectly quantifying intracellular mobile proteins and peptide concentration. Preliminary studies suggest that this noncontrast sequence may add key biomarkers in tumor evaluation, especially in posttherapeutic settings. SUMMARY Benefits and pitfalls of conventional and advanced imaging on posttreatment assessment are discussed and the potential added value of APT in this clinicoradiological evolving scenario is introduced.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucia Nichelli
- Department of Neuroradiology, Sorbonne Université, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Groupe Hospitalier Pitié-Salpêtrière-Charles Foix
- Sorbonne Université, INSERM, CNRS, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Institut du Cerveau et de la Moelle épinière, boulevard de l’Hôpital, Paris
| | - Stefano Casagranda
- Department of Research & Innovation, Olea Medical, avenue des Sorbiers, La Ciotat, France
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