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Zhang QS, Hayes JP, Gondi V, Pollack SM. Immunotherapy and Radiotherapy Combinations for Sarcoma. Semin Radiat Oncol 2024; 34:229-242. [PMID: 38508787 DOI: 10.1016/j.semradonc.2023.12.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/22/2024]
Abstract
Sarcomas are a heterogeneous group of bone and soft tissue tumors. Survival outcomes for advanced (unresectable or metastatic) disease remain poor, so therapeutic improvements are needed. Radiotherapy plays an integral role in the neoadjuvant and adjuvant treatment of localized disease as well as in the treatment of metastatic disease. Combining radiotherapy with immunotherapy to potentiate immunotherapy has been used in a variety of cancers other than sarcoma, and there is opportunity to further investigate combining immunotherapy with radiotherapy to try to improve outcomes in sarcoma. In this review, we describe the diversity of the tumor immune microenvironments for sarcomas and describe the immunomodulatory effects of radiotherapy. We discuss studies on the timing of radiotherapy relative to immunotherapy and studies on the radiotherapy dose and fractionation regimen to be used in combination with immunotherapy. We describe the impact of radiotherapy on the tumor immune microenvironment. We review completed and ongoing clinical trials combining radiotherapy with immunotherapy for sarcoma and propose future directions for studies combining immunotherapy with radiotherapy in the treatment of sarcoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qian S Zhang
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL
| | - John P Hayes
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL
| | - Vinai Gondi
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL
| | - Seth M Pollack
- Division of Oncology, Department of Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL..
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2
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Szumera-Ciećkiewicz A, Bobak K, Spałek MJ, Sokół K, Wągrodzki M, Owczarek D, Kawecka M, Puton B, Koseła-Paterczyk H, Rutkowski P, Czarnecka AM. Predictive Biomarkers of Pathological Response to Neoadjuvant Chemoradiotherapy for Locally Advanced Soft Tissue Sarcomas. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:cancers15112960. [PMID: 37296922 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15112960] [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: 03/27/2023] [Revised: 05/14/2023] [Accepted: 05/25/2023] [Indexed: 06/12/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Marginally resectable and unresectable soft tissue sarcomas (STS) remain a therapy challenge due to the lack of highly active treatment. The aim of the study was to identify a biomarker to predict the pathological response (PR) to preplanned treatment of these STSs. METHODS In the phase II clinical trial (NCT03651375), locally advanced STS patients received preoperative treatment with a combination of doxorubicin-ifosfamide chemotherapy and 5 × 5 Gy radiotherapy. PR to the treatment was classified using the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer-Soft Tissue and Bone Sarcoma Group recommendations. We have chosen HIF-1α, CD163, CD68, CD34, CD105, and γH2AFX proteins, rendering different biological phenomena, for biomarker study. RESULTS Nineteen patients were enrolled and in four cases a good PR was reported. The high expression of HIF-1α before surgery showed a negative correlation with PR, which means a poor response to therapy. Furthermore, the samples after surgery had decreased expression of HIF-1α, which confirmed the correlation with PR. However, high expression of γH2AFX positively correlated with PR, which provides better PR. The high number of positive-staining TAMs and the high IMVD did not correlate with PR. CONCLUSIONS HIF1α and γH2AFX could be potential biomarkers for PR prediction after neoadjuvant treatment in STS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Szumera-Ciećkiewicz
- Department of Pathology, Maria Sklodowska-Curie National Research Institute of Oncology, 02781 Warsaw, Poland
- Diagnostic Hematology Department, Institute of Hematology and Transfusion Medicine, 00791 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Klaudia Bobak
- Department of Soft Tissue/Bone Sarcoma and Melanoma, Maria Sklodowska-Curie National Research Institute of Oncology, 02781 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Mateusz J Spałek
- Department of Soft Tissue/Bone Sarcoma and Melanoma, Maria Sklodowska-Curie National Research Institute of Oncology, 02781 Warsaw, Poland
- 1st Department of Radiotherapy, Maria Sklodowska-Curie National Research Institute of Oncology, 02781 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Kamil Sokół
- Department of Pathology, Maria Sklodowska-Curie National Research Institute of Oncology, 02781 Warsaw, Poland
- Diagnostic Hematology Department, Institute of Hematology and Transfusion Medicine, 00791 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Michał Wągrodzki
- Department of Pathology, Maria Sklodowska-Curie National Research Institute of Oncology, 02781 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Daria Owczarek
- Department of Pathology, Maria Sklodowska-Curie National Research Institute of Oncology, 02781 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Monika Kawecka
- Department of Pathology, Maria Sklodowska-Curie National Research Institute of Oncology, 02781 Warsaw, Poland
- Diagnostic Hematology Department, Institute of Hematology and Transfusion Medicine, 00791 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Beata Puton
- Department of Pathology, Maria Sklodowska-Curie National Research Institute of Oncology, 02781 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Hanna Koseła-Paterczyk
- Department of Soft Tissue/Bone Sarcoma and Melanoma, Maria Sklodowska-Curie National Research Institute of Oncology, 02781 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Piotr Rutkowski
- Department of Soft Tissue/Bone Sarcoma and Melanoma, Maria Sklodowska-Curie National Research Institute of Oncology, 02781 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Anna M Czarnecka
- Department of Soft Tissue/Bone Sarcoma and Melanoma, Maria Sklodowska-Curie National Research Institute of Oncology, 02781 Warsaw, Poland
- Department of Experimental Pharmacology, Mossakowski Medical Research Institute, Polish Academy of Sciences, 02106 Warsaw, Poland
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3
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Lacuna K, Bose S, Ingham M, Schwartz G. Therapeutic advances in leiomyosarcoma. Front Oncol 2023; 13:1149106. [PMID: 36969049 PMCID: PMC10031121 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2023.1149106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2023] [Accepted: 02/24/2023] [Indexed: 03/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Leiomyosarcoma is an aggressive mesenchymal malignancy and represents one of the most common subtypes of soft tissue sarcomas. It is characterized by significant disease heterogeneity with variable sites of origin and diverse genomic profiles. As a result, the treatment of advanced leiomyosarcoma is challenging. First-line therapy for metastatic and/or unresectable leiomyosarcoma includes anthracycline or gemcitabine based regimens, which provide a median progression-free survival time of about 5 months and overall survival time between 14-16 months. Effective later-line therapies are limited. Molecular profiling has enhanced our knowledge of the pathophysiology driving leiomyosarcoma, providing potential targets for treatment. In this review, we explore recent advances in our understanding of leiomyosarcoma tumor biology and implications for novel therapeutics. We describe the development of clinical trials based on such findings and discuss available published results. To date, the most promising approaches for advanced leiomyosarcoma include targeting DNA damage repair pathways and aberrant metabolism associated with oncogenesis, as well as novel chemotherapy combinations. This review highlights the recent progress made in the treatment of advanced leiomyosarcoma. Ongoing progress is contingent upon further development of clinical trials based on molecular findings, with careful consideration for clinical trial design, strong academic collaborations, and prospective correlative analyses.
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4
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Fausti V, De Vita A, Vanni S, Ghini V, Gurrieri L, Riva N, Casadei R, Maraldi M, Ercolani G, Cavaliere D, Pacilio CA, Pieri F, Foca F, Bongiovanni A, Ranallo N, Calpona S, Frassineti GL, Ibrahim T, Mercatali L. Systemic Inflammatory Indices in Second-Line Soft Tissue Sarcoma Patients: Focus on Lymphocyte/Monocyte Ratio and Trabectedin. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:cancers15041080. [PMID: 36831421 PMCID: PMC9954182 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15041080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2023] [Revised: 01/29/2023] [Accepted: 01/31/2023] [Indexed: 02/11/2023] Open
Abstract
A second-line standard of treatment has not yet been identified in patients with soft tissue sarcomas (STS), so identifying predictive markers could be a valuable tool. Recent studies have shown that the intratumoral and inflammatory systems significantly influence tumor aggressiveness. We aimed to investigate prognostic values of pre-therapy neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio (LMR), systemic inflammatory index (SII), progression-free survival (PFS), and overall survival (OS) of STS patients receiving second-line treatment. In this single-center retrospective analysis, ninety-nine patients with STS were enrolled. All patients received second-line treatment after progressing to anthracycline. PFS and OS curves were calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method of RNA sequencing, and CIBERSORT analysis was performed on six surgical specimens of liposarcoma patients. A high NLR, PLR, and SII were significantly associated with worse PFS (p = 0.019; p = 0.004; p = 0.006). Low LMR was significantly associated with worse OS (p = 0.006). Patients treated with Trabectedin showed a better PFS when the LMR was low, while patients treated with other regimens showed a worse PFS when the LMR was low (p = 0.0154). The intratumoral immune infiltrates analysis seems to show a correlation between intratumoral macrophages and LMR. PS ECOG. The metastatic onset and tumor burden showed prognostic significance for PFS (p = 0.004; p = 0.041; p = 0.0086). According to the histologies, PFS was: 5.7 mo in liposarcoma patients vs. 3.8 mo in leiomyosarcoma patients vs. 3.1 months in patients with other histologies (p = 0.053). Our results confirm the prognostic role of systemic inflammatory markers in patients with STS. Moreover, we demonstrated that LMR is a specific predictor of Trabectedin efficacy and could be useful in daily clinical practice. We also highlighted a possible correlation between LMR levels and the percentage of intratumoral macrophages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valentina Fausti
- Clinical and Experimental Oncology, Immunotherapy, Rare Cancers and Biological Resource Center, IRCCS Istituto Romagnolo per lo Studio dei Tumori (IRST) “Dino Amadori”, 47014 Meldola, Italy
| | - Alessandro De Vita
- Preclinic and Osteoncology Unit, Bioscience Laboratory, IRCCS Istituto Romagnolo per lo Studio dei Tumori (IRST) “Dino Amadori”, 47014 Meldola, Italy
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +39-0543-739239; Fax: +39-0543-739221
| | - Silvia Vanni
- Preclinic and Osteoncology Unit, Bioscience Laboratory, IRCCS Istituto Romagnolo per lo Studio dei Tumori (IRST) “Dino Amadori”, 47014 Meldola, Italy
| | - Virginia Ghini
- Clinical and Experimental Oncology, Immunotherapy, Rare Cancers and Biological Resource Center, IRCCS Istituto Romagnolo per lo Studio dei Tumori (IRST) “Dino Amadori”, 47014 Meldola, Italy
| | - Lorena Gurrieri
- Clinical and Experimental Oncology, Immunotherapy, Rare Cancers and Biological Resource Center, IRCCS Istituto Romagnolo per lo Studio dei Tumori (IRST) “Dino Amadori”, 47014 Meldola, Italy
| | - Nada Riva
- Clinical and Experimental Oncology, Immunotherapy, Rare Cancers and Biological Resource Center, IRCCS Istituto Romagnolo per lo Studio dei Tumori (IRST) “Dino Amadori”, 47014 Meldola, Italy
| | - Roberto Casadei
- Orthopedic Unit, “Morgagni-Pierantoni” Hospital, 47121 Forlì, Italy
| | - Marco Maraldi
- Orthopedic Unit, “Morgagni-Pierantoni” Hospital, 47121 Forlì, Italy
| | - Giorgio Ercolani
- General and Oncologic Surgery, “Morgagni-Pierantoni” Hospital, 47121 Forlì, Italy
| | - Davide Cavaliere
- General and Oncologic Surgery, “Morgagni-Pierantoni” Hospital, 47121 Forlì, Italy
| | | | - Federica Pieri
- Pathology Unit, “Morgagni-Pierantoni” Hospital, 47121 Forlì, Italy
| | - Flavia Foca
- Unit of Biostatistics and Clinical Trials, IRCCS Istituto Romagnolo per lo Studio dei Tumori (IRST) “Dino Amadori”, 47014 Meldola, Italy
| | - Alberto Bongiovanni
- Clinical and Experimental Oncology, Immunotherapy, Rare Cancers and Biological Resource Center, IRCCS Istituto Romagnolo per lo Studio dei Tumori (IRST) “Dino Amadori”, 47014 Meldola, Italy
| | - Nicoletta Ranallo
- Clinical and Experimental Oncology, Immunotherapy, Rare Cancers and Biological Resource Center, IRCCS Istituto Romagnolo per lo Studio dei Tumori (IRST) “Dino Amadori”, 47014 Meldola, Italy
| | - Sebastiano Calpona
- Clinical and Experimental Oncology, Immunotherapy, Rare Cancers and Biological Resource Center, IRCCS Istituto Romagnolo per lo Studio dei Tumori (IRST) “Dino Amadori”, 47014 Meldola, Italy
| | - Giovanni Luca Frassineti
- Department of Medical Oncology, IRCCS Istituto Romagnolo per lo Studio dei Tumori (IRST) “Dino Amadori”, 47014 Meldola, Italy
| | - Toni Ibrahim
- Osteoncologia, Sarcomi dell’osso e dei tessuti molli, e Terapie Innovative, IRCCS Istituto Ortopedico Rizzoli, 40136 Bologna, Italy
| | - Laura Mercatali
- Preclinic and Osteoncology Unit, Bioscience Laboratory, IRCCS Istituto Romagnolo per lo Studio dei Tumori (IRST) “Dino Amadori”, 47014 Meldola, Italy
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Umakoshi M, Nakamura A, Tsuchie H, Li Z, Kudo-Asabe Y, Miyabe K, Ito Y, Yoshida M, Nagasawa H, Okada K, Nanjo H, Maeda D, Miyakoshi N, Tanaka M, Goto A. Macrophage numbers in the marginal area of sarcomas predict clinical prognosis. Sci Rep 2023; 13:1290. [PMID: 36690825 PMCID: PMC9870999 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-28024-1] [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: 06/12/2022] [Accepted: 01/11/2023] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Even when treated comprehensively by surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy, soft-tissue sarcoma has an unfavorable outcome. Because soft-tissue sarcoma is rare, it is the subject of fewer clinicopathological studies, which are important for clarifying pathophysiology. Here, we examined tumor-associated macrophages in the intratumoral and marginal areas of sarcomas to increase our knowledge about the pathophysiology. Seventy-five sarcoma specimens (not limited to a single histological type), resected at our institution, were collected, and the number of CD68-, CD163-, and CD204-positive macrophages in the intratumoral and marginal areas was counted. We then performed statistical analysis to examine links between macrophage numbers, clinical factors, and outcomes. A high number of macrophages positive for all markers in both areas was associated with worse disease-free survival (DFS). Next, we divided cases according to the FNCLCC classification (Grade 1 and Grades 2/3). In the Grade 1 group, there was no significant association between macrophage number and DFS. However, in the Grade 2/3 group, high numbers of CD163- and CD204-positive macrophages in the marginal area were associated with poor DFS. By contrast, there was no significant difference between the groups with respect to high or low numbers of CD68-, CD163-, or CD204-positive macrophages in the intratumoral area. Multivariate analysis identified the number of CD163- and CD204-positive macrophages in the marginal area as an independent prognostic factor. Macrophage numbers in the marginal area of soft-tissue sarcoma may better reflect clinical behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michinobu Umakoshi
- Department of Cellular and Organ Pathology, Graduate School of Medicine, Akita University, 1-1-1 Hondo, Akita, 010-8543, Japan.
| | - Akiko Nakamura
- Department of Cellular and Organ Pathology, Graduate School of Medicine, Akita University, 1-1-1 Hondo, Akita, 010-8543, Japan
| | - Hiroyuki Tsuchie
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Akita University, Akita, Japan
| | - Zhuo Li
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Medical University, Xi'an, 710077, China
| | - Yukitsugu Kudo-Asabe
- Department of Cellular and Organ Pathology, Graduate School of Medicine, Akita University, 1-1-1 Hondo, Akita, 010-8543, Japan
| | - Ken Miyabe
- Department of Cellular and Organ Pathology, Graduate School of Medicine, Akita University, 1-1-1 Hondo, Akita, 010-8543, Japan
| | - Yukinobu Ito
- Department of Cellular and Organ Pathology, Graduate School of Medicine, Akita University, 1-1-1 Hondo, Akita, 010-8543, Japan
| | - Makoto Yoshida
- Department of Cellular and Organ Pathology, Graduate School of Medicine, Akita University, 1-1-1 Hondo, Akita, 010-8543, Japan
| | - Hiroyuki Nagasawa
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Akita University, Akita, Japan
| | - Kyoji Okada
- Department of Physical Therapy, Graduate School of Health Science, Akita University, Akita, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Nanjo
- Department of Pathology, Akita University Hospital, Akita, Japan
| | - Daichi Maeda
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Pathology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Japan
| | - Naohisa Miyakoshi
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Akita University, Akita, Japan
| | - Masamitsu Tanaka
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Biochemistry, Graduate School of Medicine, Akita University, Akita, Japan
| | - Akiteru Goto
- Department of Cellular and Organ Pathology, Graduate School of Medicine, Akita University, 1-1-1 Hondo, Akita, 010-8543, Japan
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6
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Nyström H, Jönsson M, Nilbert M, Carneiro A. Immune-cell infiltration in high-grade soft tissue sarcomas; prognostic implications of tumor-associated macrophages and B-cells. Acta Oncol 2023; 62:33-39. [PMID: 36786033 DOI: 10.1080/0284186x.2023.2172688] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/15/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Soft tissue sarcomas are rare, morphologically, and genetically heterogenous. Though the tumors display abundant tumor stroma with infiltrating immune cells, the prognostic impact of various immunologic markers in sarcoma remains poorly defined. We aimed to characterize the immune landscape of a treatment-naïve cohort of soft tissue sarcoma of the extremities and the trunk wall with correlations to metastasis-free survival. MATERIALS AND METHODS We surveyed immunohistochemical expression patterns for CD163, CD20, CD3, CD8, and FOXP3 in 134 adult high-grade leiomyosarcomas, liposarcomas, and synovial sarcomas. RESULTS Macrophages outnumbered tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes. High CD163 infiltration was identified in 49% of the tumors and was overrepresented (66%) in leiomyosarcoma compared to liposarcoma (46%) and synovial sarcoma (9%). Tumor-grade also correlated with CD163 positivity with high expression in 53% of the high-grade lesions and 28% in low-grade tumors. Infiltrating CD3, CD8 and FOXP3-positive T-cells were significantly more prevalent in leiomyosarcomas than in liposarcomas/synovial sarcomas. CD20+ B-cells were identified only in 14% of the STS. Correlation to established prognostic factors revealed a correlation between CD163+ macrophages and necrosis and predicted an increased risk of metastases. No correlation between CD20+ B-cells and known prognostic factors could be established, though CD20+ B-cells infiltration predicted improved overall survival. CONCLUSION We confirm that tumor-infiltrating macrophages outnumber tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes in soft tissue sarcoma and signify an increased risk of metastasis. CD20+ B-cells are scarce in STS and correlate to improved survival. To date, immunotherapeutic strategies directed against T-cells have shown limited effect in soft tissue sarcoma. Our observations suggest that immunomodulatory agents focusing on macrophages may be worthwhile for further investigations in this tumor type. Further studies exploring the prognostic and predictive significance of CD20+ B cells are warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Helena Nyström
- Institute of Clinical Sciences, Division of Oncology and Pathology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden.,Department of Hematology, Oncology and Radiation Physics, Skåne University Hospital, Lund, Sweden
| | - Mats Jönsson
- Institute of Clinical Sciences, Division of Oncology and Pathology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Mef Nilbert
- Institute of Clinical Sciences, Division of Oncology and Pathology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden.,Department of Hematology, Oncology and Radiation Physics, Skåne University Hospital, Lund, Sweden
| | - Ana Carneiro
- Institute of Clinical Sciences, Division of Oncology and Pathology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden.,Department of Hematology, Oncology and Radiation Physics, Skåne University Hospital, Lund, Sweden
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7
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Blay JY, Duffaud F, George S, Maki RG, Penel N. Regorafenib for the Treatment of Sarcoma. Curr Treat Options Oncol 2022; 23:1477-1502. [PMID: 36178573 DOI: 10.1007/s11864-022-00990-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/22/2022] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Abstract
OPINION STATEMENT Sarcomas are a rare group of tumors with many subtypes, conventionally classified into soft-tissue sarcomas and bone sarcomas. Chemotherapeutic regimens form the mainstay of systemic therapy but are not well defined beyond the first-line setting and clinical outcomes are variable. Tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs), with a broad inhibition profile which have been shown to target tumor angiogenesis, have an established role in the treatment of sarcomas without characteristic driver alterations. One such TKI, regorafenib, has been evaluated in sarcomas and clinical data are discussed in this review. An overview of regorafenib data from five phase 2 and one phase 1b clinical trials in over 10 sarcoma subtypes (both soft-tissue and bone) in adult and pediatric patients is reviewed. Regorafenib demonstrated clinical benefit in patients with non-adipocytic soft-tissue sarcomas, osteosarcoma and Ewing sarcoma who had progressed on prior therapy. Patients with otherwise limited treatment options may therefore benefit from regorafenib therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jean-Yves Blay
- Department of Medicine, Léon Bérard Center, Lyon, France.
| | - Florence Duffaud
- Medical Oncology Unit, La Timone University Hospital, Marseille, France.,Aix Marseille University (AMU), Marseille, France
| | - Suzanne George
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Robert G Maki
- Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Nicolas Penel
- Medical Oncology Department, Oscar Lambret Cancer Center and Lille University, Lille, France
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8
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A novel anti-CD47-targeted blockade promotes immune activation in human soft tissue sarcoma but does not potentiate anti-PD-1 blockade. J Cancer Res Clin Oncol 2022:10.1007/s00432-022-04292-8. [DOI: 10.1007/s00432-022-04292-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2022] [Accepted: 08/14/2022] [Indexed: 10/15/2022]
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9
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Bose S, Schwartz GK, Ingham M. Novel Therapeutics in the Treatment of Uterine Sarcoma. Am Soc Clin Oncol Educ Book 2022; 42:900-909. [PMID: 35714303 DOI: 10.1200/edbk_350541] [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]
Abstract
Uterine sarcomas reflect the diversity of sarcoma as a whole. The most common histologies include leiomyosarcoma, high- and low-grade endometrial stromal sarcoma, and adenosarcoma. These are clinically and biologically heterogeneous diseases that are challenging to treat in the advanced setting. Recent advances in our understanding of the cancer biology of uterine sarcomas has improved diagnostic evaluation and therapeutic management. Promising approaches for patients with advanced uterine leiomyosarcoma include targeting DNA damage repair pathways and depleting immunosuppressive macrophage populations. A subset of endometrial stromal sarcomas harbor potentially actionable alterations in the Wnt, cyclin D-CDK4/6-Rb, and MDM2-p53 pathways. There remains an urgent need to translate molecular findings into prospective clinical trials of novel agents for patients with these diseases; progress will depend on academic collaborations and enrollment of patients with uterine sarcoma in biomarker-driven basket studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sminu Bose
- Division of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Department of Medicine, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY
| | - Gary K Schwartz
- Division of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Department of Medicine, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY
| | - Matthew Ingham
- Division of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Department of Medicine, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY
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10
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Wagner MJ, Zhang Y, Cranmer LD, Loggers ET, Black G, McDonnell S, Maxwell S, Johnson R, Moore R, Hermida de Viveiros P, Aicher L, Smythe KS, He Q, Jones RL, Pollack SM. A Phase 1/2 Trial Combining Avelumab and Trabectedin for Advanced Liposarcoma and Leiomyosarcoma. Clin Cancer Res 2022; 28:2306-2312. [PMID: 35349638 DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.ccr-22-0240] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2022] [Revised: 03/15/2022] [Accepted: 03/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Leiomyosarcoma (LMS) and liposarcoma (LPS) frequently express PD-L1 but are generally resistant to PD-1/PD-L1 inhibition (ICI). Trabectedin is FDA-approved for LMS and LPS. This study aimed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of trabectedin with anti-PD-L1 antibody avelumab in patients with advanced LMS and LPS. PATIENTS AND METHODS A single-arm, open-label, Phase 1/2 study tested avelumab with trabectedin for advanced LMS and LPS. The phase I portion evaluated safety and feasibility of trabectedin (1, 1.2 and 1.5 mg/m2) with avelumab at standard dosing. Primary endpoint of the phase II portion was objective response rate (ORR) by RECIST 1.1. Correlative studies included T-cell receptor sequencing (TCRseq), multiplex immunohistochemistry, and tumor gene expression. RESULTS 33 patients were evaluable; 24 with LMS (6 uterine and 18 non-uterine) and 11 with LPS. In Phase 1, dose limiting toxicities (DLTs) were observed in 2 of 6 patients at both trabectedin 1.2 and 1.5 mg/m2. The recommended Phase 2 dose (RP2D) was 1.0 mg/m2 trabectedin and 800 mg avelumab. Of 23 patients evaluable at RP2D, three (13%) had partial response (PR), ten (43%) had stable disease (SD) as best response. 6-month PFS was 52%; median PFS was 8.3 months. Patients with PR had higher Simpson Clonality score on TCRseq from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) versus those with SD (0.182 vs 0.067, p = 0.02) or PD (0.182 vs 0.064, p = 0.01). CONCLUSIONS Although the trial did not meet the primary ORR endpoint, PFS compared favorably to prior studies of trabectedin warranting further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Yuzheng Zhang
- Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, United States
| | - Lee D Cranmer
- University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
| | | | - Graeme Black
- Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Sabrina McDonnell
- Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, Washington, United States
| | | | - Rylee Johnson
- Seattle Cancer Care Alliance, Seattle, United States
| | - Roxanne Moore
- University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
| | | | - Lauri Aicher
- Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, Washington, United States
| | - Kimberly S Smythe
- Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, Washington, United States
| | - Qianchuan He
- Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Robin L Jones
- Royal Marsden Hospital / Institute of Cancer Research, London, Chelsea, United Kingdom
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11
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Bertucci F, Niziers V, de Nonneville A, Finetti P, Mescam L, Mir O, Italiano A, Le Cesne A, Blay JY, Ceccarelli M, Bedognetti D, Birnbaum D, Mamessier E. Immunologic constant of rejection signature is prognostic in soft-tissue sarcoma and refines the CINSARC signature. J Immunother Cancer 2022; 10:jitc-2021-003687. [PMID: 35017155 PMCID: PMC8753443 DOI: 10.1136/jitc-2021-003687] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/01/2021] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Soft-tissue sarcomas (STSs) are heterogeneous and aggressive tumors, with high metastatic risk. The immunologic constant of rejection (ICR) 20-gene signature is a signature of cytotoxic immune response. We hypothesized that ICR might improve the prognostic assessment of early-stage STS. METHODS We retrospectively applied ICR to 1455 non-metastatic STS and searched for correlations between ICR classes and clinicopathological and biological variables, including metastasis-free survival (MFS). RESULTS Thirty-four per cent of tumors were classified as ICR1, 27% ICR2, 24% ICR3, and 15% ICR4. These classes were associated with patients' age, pathological type, and tumor depth, and an enrichment from ICR1 to ICR4 of quantitative/qualitative scores of immune response. ICR1 class was associated with a 59% increased risk of metastatic relapse when compared with ICR2-4 class. In multivariate analysis, ICR classification remained associated with MFS, as well as pathological type and Complexity Index in Sarcomas (CINSARC) classification, suggesting independent prognostic value. A prognostic clinicogenomic model, including the three variables, was built in a learning set (n=339) and validated in an independent set (n=339), showing greater prognostic precision than each variable alone or in doublet. Finally, connectivity mapping analysis identified drug classes potentially able to reverse the expression profile of poor-prognosis tumors, such as chemotherapy and targeted therapies. CONCLUSION ICR signature is independently associated with postoperative MFS in early-stage STS, independently from other prognostic features, including CINSARC. We built a robust prognostic clinicogenomic model integrating ICR, CINSARC, and pathological type, and suggested differential vulnerability of each prognostic group to different systemic therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francois Bertucci
- Laboratory of Predictive Oncology, Centre de Recherche en Cancérologie de Marseille (CRCM), Institut Paoli-Calmettes, Aix-Marseille Université, INSERM UMR1068, CNRS UMR725, Marseille, France .,Department of Medical Oncology, Institut Paoli-Calmettes, Marseille, France.,French Sarcoma Group, Lyon, France
| | - Vincent Niziers
- Laboratory of Predictive Oncology, Centre de Recherche en Cancérologie de Marseille (CRCM), Institut Paoli-Calmettes, Aix-Marseille Université, INSERM UMR1068, CNRS UMR725, Marseille, France.,Department of Surgery, Institut Paoli-Calmettes, Marseille, France
| | - Alexandre de Nonneville
- Laboratory of Predictive Oncology, Centre de Recherche en Cancérologie de Marseille (CRCM), Institut Paoli-Calmettes, Aix-Marseille Université, INSERM UMR1068, CNRS UMR725, Marseille, France.,Department of Medical Oncology, Institut Paoli-Calmettes, Marseille, France
| | - Pascal Finetti
- Laboratory of Predictive Oncology, Centre de Recherche en Cancérologie de Marseille (CRCM), Institut Paoli-Calmettes, Aix-Marseille Université, INSERM UMR1068, CNRS UMR725, Marseille, France
| | - Léna Mescam
- French Sarcoma Group, Lyon, France.,Department of Pathology, Institut Paoli-Calmettes, Marseille, France
| | - Olivier Mir
- French Sarcoma Group, Lyon, France.,Department of Medical Oncology, Gustave Roussy, Villejuif, France
| | - Antoine Italiano
- French Sarcoma Group, Lyon, France.,Department of Medical Oncology, Institut Bergonie, Bordeaux, France
| | - Axel Le Cesne
- French Sarcoma Group, Lyon, France.,Department of Medical Oncology, Gustave Roussy, Villejuif, France
| | - Jean-Yves Blay
- French Sarcoma Group, Lyon, France.,Department of Medical Oncology, Centre Leon Berard, Lyon, France
| | - Michele Ceccarelli
- DIETI, University of Naples Federico II Faculty of Engineering, Naples, Italy
| | - Davide Bedognetti
- Cancer Research, Sidra Medicine, Doha, Qatar.,Department of Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties, University of Genova, Genova, Italy
| | - Daniel Birnbaum
- Laboratory of Predictive Oncology, Centre de Recherche en Cancérologie de Marseille (CRCM), Institut Paoli-Calmettes, Aix-Marseille Université, INSERM UMR1068, CNRS UMR725, Marseille, France
| | - Emilie Mamessier
- Laboratory of Predictive Oncology, Centre de Recherche en Cancérologie de Marseille (CRCM), Institut Paoli-Calmettes, Aix-Marseille Université, INSERM UMR1068, CNRS UMR725, Marseille, France
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12
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Toulmonde M, Brahmi M, Giraud A, Chakiba C, Bessede A, Kind M, Toulza E, Pulido M, Albert S, Guégan JP, Cousin S, Mathoulin-Pélissier S, Perret R, Croce S, Blay JY, Ray-Coquard I, Floquet A, Italiano A. Trabectedin plus durvalumab in patients with advanced pretreated soft tissue sarcoma and ovarian carcinoma (TRAMUNE): an open-label, multicenter phase Ib study. Clin Cancer Res 2021; 28:1765-1772. [PMID: 34965951 DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.ccr-21-2258] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2021] [Revised: 09/12/2021] [Accepted: 12/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Trabectedin has shown pre-clinical synergy with immune-checkpoint inhibitors in pre-clinical models. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN TRAMUNE is a phase Ib study investigating trabectedin combined with durvalumab trough a dose-escalation phase and two expansion cohorts (soft tissue sarcoma and ovarian carcinoma). Trabectedin was given at three dose levels (1 mg/m2, 1.2 mg/m2 and 1.5 mg/m2) on day 1, in combination with durvalumab, 1120 mg on day 2, every 3 weeks. The primary endpoints were the recommended phase II dose (RP2D) of trabectedin combined with durvalumab and the objective response rate (ORR) as per RECIST 1.1. The secondary endpoints included safety, 6-month progression-free rate (PFR), progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival, and biomarker analyses. RESULTS 40 patients were included (dose escalation: n=9; STS cohort: n=16; ovarian cohort: n=15, 80% platinum resistant/refractory). The most frequent toxicities were grade 1-2 fatigue, nausea, neutropenia, and alanine/aspartate aminotransferase increase. One patient experienced a dose-limiting toxicity at dose level 2. Trabectedin at 1.2 mg/m2 was selected as the RP2D. In the STS cohort, 43% of patients experienced tumor shrinkage, the ORR was 7% (95% CI 0.2 - 33.9) and the 6-month PFR 28.6% (95% CI 8.4-58.1). In the ovarian carcinoma cohort, 43% of patients experienced tumor shrinkage, the ORR was 21.4% (95% CI 4.7 - 50.8) and the 6-month PFR 42.9% (95% CI 17.7 - 71.1). Baseline levels of PD-L1 expression and CD8-positive T-cell infiltrates were associated with PFS in ovarian carcinoma patients. CONCLUSIONS Combining trabectedin and durvalumab is manageable. Promising activity is observed in platinum-refractory ovarian carcinoma patients.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Sabrina Albert
- Clinical research and Epidemiology Unit, Institut Bergonié
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Jean-Yves Blay
- Medecine, Centre Leon Bérard, Univ Claude Bernard, Unicancer
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13
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Ozaniak A, Vachtenheim J, Lischke R, Bartunkova J, Strizova Z. Novel Insights into the Immunotherapy of Soft Tissue Sarcomas: Do We Need a Change of Perspective? Biomedicines 2021; 9:biomedicines9080935. [PMID: 34440139 PMCID: PMC8393686 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines9080935] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2021] [Revised: 07/19/2021] [Accepted: 07/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Soft tissue sarcomas (STSs) are rare mesenchymal tumors. With more than 80 histological subtypes of STSs, data regarding novel biomarkers of strong prognostic and therapeutic value are very limited. To date, the most important prognostic factor is the tumor grade, and approximately 50% of patients that are diagnosed with high-grade STSs die of metastatic disease within five years. Systemic chemotherapy represents the mainstay of metastatic STSs treatment for decades but induces response in only 15–35% of the patients, irrespective of the histological subtype. In the era of immunotherapy, deciphering the immune cell signatures within the STSs tumors may discriminate immunotherapy responders from non-responders and different immunotherapeutic approaches could be combined based on the predominant cell subpopulations infiltrating the STS tumors. Furthermore, understanding the immune diversity of the STS tumor microenvironment (TME) in different histological subtypes may provide a rationale for stratifying patients according to the TME immune parameters. In this review, we introduce the most important immune cell types infiltrating the STSs tumors and discuss different immunotherapies, as well as promising clinical trials, that would target these immune cells to enhance the antitumor immune responses and improve the prognosis of metastatic STSs patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrej Ozaniak
- Third Department of Surgery, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University and University Hospital Motol, 150 06 Prague, Czech Republic; (A.O.); (J.V.J.); (R.L.)
| | - Jiri Vachtenheim
- Third Department of Surgery, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University and University Hospital Motol, 150 06 Prague, Czech Republic; (A.O.); (J.V.J.); (R.L.)
| | - Robert Lischke
- Third Department of Surgery, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University and University Hospital Motol, 150 06 Prague, Czech Republic; (A.O.); (J.V.J.); (R.L.)
| | - Jirina Bartunkova
- Department of Immunology, Second Faculty of Medicine, Charles University and University Hospital Motol, 150 06 Prague, Czech Republic;
| | - Zuzana Strizova
- Department of Immunology, Second Faculty of Medicine, Charles University and University Hospital Motol, 150 06 Prague, Czech Republic;
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +420-604712471
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14
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De Wispelaere W, Annibali D, Tuyaerts S, Lambrechts D, Amant F. Resistance to Immune Checkpoint Blockade in Uterine Leiomyosarcoma: What Can We Learn from Other Cancer Types? Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13092040. [PMID: 33922556 PMCID: PMC8122870 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13092040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2021] [Revised: 04/19/2021] [Accepted: 04/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The onset of immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) therapy over the last decade has transformed the therapeutic landscape in oncology. ICB has shown unprecedented clinical activity and durable responses in a variety of difficult-to-treat cancers. However, despite these promising long-term responses, a majority of patients fail to respond to single-agent therapy, demonstrating primary or acquired resistance. Uterine leiomyosarcoma (uLMS) is a rare high-risk gynecological cancer with very limited treatment options. Despite research indicating a strong potential for ICB in uLMS, a clinical trial assessing the response to immunotherapy with single-agent nivolumab in advanced-stage uLMS showed no clinical benefit. Many mechanisms of resistance to ICB have been characterized in a variety of tumor types, and many more continue to be uncovered. However, the mechanisms of resistance to ICB in uLMS remain largely unexplored. By elucidating and targeting mechanisms of resistance, treatments can be tailored to improve clinical outcomes. Therefore, in this review we will explore what is known about the immunosuppressive microenvironment of uLMS, link these data to possible resistance mechanisms extrapolated from other cancer types, and discuss potential therapeutic strategies to overcome resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wout De Wispelaere
- Department of Oncology, KU Leuven (University of Leuven) and Leuven Cancer Institute (LKI), 3000 Leuven, Belgium; (W.D.W.); (D.A.); (S.T.)
| | - Daniela Annibali
- Department of Oncology, KU Leuven (University of Leuven) and Leuven Cancer Institute (LKI), 3000 Leuven, Belgium; (W.D.W.); (D.A.); (S.T.)
- Division of Oncogenomics, Antoni Van Leeuwenhoek—Netherlands Cancer Institute (AvL-NKI), 1066 CX Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Sandra Tuyaerts
- Department of Oncology, KU Leuven (University of Leuven) and Leuven Cancer Institute (LKI), 3000 Leuven, Belgium; (W.D.W.); (D.A.); (S.T.)
- Laboratory of Medical and Molecular Oncology (LMMO), Department of Medical Oncology, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel (UZ Brussel), 1090 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Diether Lambrechts
- Laboratory for Translational Genetics, Department of Human Genetics, KU Leuven (University of Leuven), 3000 Leuven, Belgium;
- VIB Center for Cancer Biology, Flemish Institute for Biotechnology (VIB), 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Frédéric Amant
- Department of Oncology, KU Leuven (University of Leuven) and Leuven Cancer Institute (LKI), 3000 Leuven, Belgium; (W.D.W.); (D.A.); (S.T.)
- Centre for Gynecologic Oncology Amsterdam (CGOA), Antoni Van Leeuwenhoek—Netherlands Cancer Institute, University Medical Center (UMC), 1066 CX Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Hospitals Leuven (UZ Leuven), 3000 Leuven, Belgium
- Correspondence:
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15
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Role of Tumor-Associated Macrophages in Sarcomas. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13051086. [PMID: 33802565 PMCID: PMC7961818 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13051086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2020] [Revised: 02/12/2021] [Accepted: 02/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Recent studies have shown the pro-tumoral role of tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) not only in major types of carcinomas but also in sarcomas. Several types of TAM-targeted drugs have been investigated under clinical trials, which may represent a novel therapeutic approach for bone and soft-tissue sarcomas. Abstract Sarcomas are complex tissues in which sarcoma cells maintain intricate interactions with their tumor microenvironment. Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) are a major component of tumor-infiltrating immune cells in the tumor microenvironment and have a dominant role as orchestrators of tumor-related inflammation. TAMs promote tumor growth and metastasis, stimulate angiogenesis, mediate immune suppression, and limit the antitumor activity of conventional chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Evidence suggests that the increased infiltration of TAMs and elevated expression of macrophage-related genes are associated with poor prognoses in most solid tumors, whereas evidence of this in sarcomas is limited. Based on these findings, TAM-targeted therapeutic strategies, such as inhibition of CSF-1/CSF-1R, CCL2/CCR2, and CD47/SIRPα, have been developed and are currently being evaluated in clinical trials. While most of the therapeutic challenges that target sarcoma cells have been unsuccessful and the prognosis of sarcomas has plateaued since the 1990s, several clinical trials of these strategies have yielded promising results and warrant further investigation to determine their translational benefit in sarcoma patients. This review summarizes the roles of TAMs in sarcomas and provides a rationale and update of TAM-targeted therapy as a novel treatment approach for sarcomas.
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16
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Siozopoulou V, Domen A, Zwaenepoel K, Van Beeck A, Smits E, Pauwels P, Marcq E. Immune Checkpoint Inhibitory Therapy in Sarcomas: Is There Light at the End of the Tunnel? Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:360. [PMID: 33478080 PMCID: PMC7835811 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13020360] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2020] [Revised: 01/12/2021] [Accepted: 01/18/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Soft tissue and bone sarcomas are a very heterogeneous group of tumors with many subtypes for which diagnosis and treatment remains a very challenging task. On top of that, the treatment choices are limited, and the prognosis of aggressive sarcomas remains poor. Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have drawn a lot of attention last years because of their promising response rates and their durable effects. ICIs are currently widely used in the daily routine practice for the treatment of a different malignancies, such as melanoma, Hodgkin lymphoma, and non-small cell lung carcinoma. Still, ICIs are not included in the standard treatment protocols of the different sarcoma types. However, a plethora of clinical trials investigates the clinical benefit of ICIs in sarcomas. There is clear need to develop predictive biomarkers to determine which sarcoma patients are most likely to benefit from immune checkpoint blockade. This review will focus on (i) the clinical trial results on the use of ICIs in different sarcoma types; and on (ii) possible biomarkers predictive for the effectiveness of these drugs in sarcomas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vasiliki Siozopoulou
- Department of Pathology, Antwerp University Hospital, 2650 Edegem, Belgium; (K.Z.); (P.P.)
- Center for Oncological Research (CORE), Integrated Personalized and Precision Oncology Network (IPPON), University of Antwerp, 2610 Wilrijk, Belgium; (A.D.); (E.S.); (E.M.)
| | - Andreas Domen
- Center for Oncological Research (CORE), Integrated Personalized and Precision Oncology Network (IPPON), University of Antwerp, 2610 Wilrijk, Belgium; (A.D.); (E.S.); (E.M.)
- Department of Oncology, Antwerp University Hospital, 2650 Edegem, Belgium
| | - Karen Zwaenepoel
- Department of Pathology, Antwerp University Hospital, 2650 Edegem, Belgium; (K.Z.); (P.P.)
- Center for Oncological Research (CORE), Integrated Personalized and Precision Oncology Network (IPPON), University of Antwerp, 2610 Wilrijk, Belgium; (A.D.); (E.S.); (E.M.)
| | - Annelies Van Beeck
- Department of Orthopedics, Antwerp University Hospital, 2650 Edegem, Belgium;
| | - Evelien Smits
- Center for Oncological Research (CORE), Integrated Personalized and Precision Oncology Network (IPPON), University of Antwerp, 2610 Wilrijk, Belgium; (A.D.); (E.S.); (E.M.)
- Center for Cell Therapy and Regenerative Medicine, Antwerp University Hospital, 2650 Edegem, Belgium
| | - Patrick Pauwels
- Department of Pathology, Antwerp University Hospital, 2650 Edegem, Belgium; (K.Z.); (P.P.)
- Center for Oncological Research (CORE), Integrated Personalized and Precision Oncology Network (IPPON), University of Antwerp, 2610 Wilrijk, Belgium; (A.D.); (E.S.); (E.M.)
| | - Elly Marcq
- Center for Oncological Research (CORE), Integrated Personalized and Precision Oncology Network (IPPON), University of Antwerp, 2610 Wilrijk, Belgium; (A.D.); (E.S.); (E.M.)
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17
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Li X, Wang G, Cai Z, Sun W. Immunotherapeutic strategies for sarcoma: current perspectives. Am J Transl Res 2020; 12:7693-7701. [PMID: 33437354 PMCID: PMC7791481] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2020] [Accepted: 10/24/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
There are more than 100 sarcoma subtypes, each of which is uncommon and challenging to diagnose. Most patients with locally advanced and unresectable sarcomas are still treated with cytotoxic chemotherapy and have low long-term survival. Therefore, novel therapeutic methods are needed to improve the prognosis of patients with sarcomas. Immunotherapy is increasingly recognized as have an essential role in the treatment of malignant tumors. Emerging strategies, such as immune checkpoint inhibitors, vaccines, and adoptive cell therapies have been investigated for the treatment of sarcomas. Advances in these immunotherapies have provided a better understanding of how immuno-oncology can be best applied to the treatment of sarcomas, including their potential as adjuvant therapies in combination strategies. In this review, we discuss the immune microenvironment and how it relates to immunoresponsiveness, focusing on the advances in immunotherapy (immune checkpoint inhibitors, vaccines and adoptive cell therapies), the use of which will hopefully lead to improved outcomes for patients with sarcomas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xueyao Li
- Department of Orthopaedics, Shanghai Bone Tumor Institute, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of MedicineShanghai 200080, China
- Puyang People’s Hospital, Xinxiang Medical UniversityXinxiang 453000, Henan, China
| | - Gangyang Wang
- Department of Orthopaedics, Shanghai Bone Tumor Institute, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of MedicineShanghai 200080, China
| | - Zhengdong Cai
- Department of Orthopaedics, Shanghai Bone Tumor Institute, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of MedicineShanghai 200080, China
| | - Wei Sun
- Department of Orthopaedics, Shanghai Bone Tumor Institute, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of MedicineShanghai 200080, China
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18
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Dancsok AR, Gao D, Lee AF, Steigen SE, Blay JY, Thomas DM, Maki RG, Nielsen TO, Demicco EG. Tumor-associated macrophages and macrophage-related immune checkpoint expression in sarcomas. Oncoimmunology 2020; 9:1747340. [PMID: 32313727 PMCID: PMC7153829 DOI: 10.1080/2162402x.2020.1747340] [Citation(s) in RCA: 95] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2019] [Revised: 01/09/2020] [Accepted: 02/11/2020] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Early trials for immune checkpoint inhibitors in sarcomas have delivered mixed results, and efforts to improve outcomes now look to combinatorial strategies with novel immunotherapeutics, including some that target macrophages. To enhance our understanding of the sarcoma immune landscape, we quantified and characterized tumor-associated macrophage infiltration and expression of the targetable macrophage-related immune checkpoint CD47/SIRPα across sarcoma types. We surveyed immunohistochemical expression of CD68, CD163, CD47, and SIRPα in tissue microarrays of 1242 sarcoma specimens (spanning 24 types). Non-translocation sarcomas, particularly undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma and dedifferentiated liposarcoma, had significantly higher counts of both CD68+ and CD163+ macrophages than translocation-associated sarcomas. Across nearly all sarcoma types, macrophages outnumbered tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes and CD163+ (M2-like) macrophages outnumbered CD68+ (M1-like) macrophages. These findings were supported by data from The Cancer Genome Atlas, which showed a correlation between increasing macrophage contributions to immune infiltration and several measures of DNA damage. CD47 expression was bimodal, with most cases showing either 0% or >90% tumor cell staining, and the highest CD47 scores were observed in chordoma, angiosarcoma, and pleomorphic liposarcoma. SIRPα scores correlated well with CD47 expression. Given the predominance of macrophage infiltrates over tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes, the bias toward M2-like (immunosuppressive) macrophage polarization, and the generally high scores for CD47 and SIRPα, macrophage-focused immunomodulatory agents, such as CD47 or IDO-1 inhibitors, may be particularly worthwhile to pursue in sarcoma patients, alone or in combination with lymphocyte-focused agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda R Dancsok
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute and University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Dongxia Gao
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute and University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Anna F Lee
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute and University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Sonja Eriksson Steigen
- Clinical Pathology and Institute of Medical Biology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University Hospital of Northern Norway, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Jean-Yves Blay
- Department of Medical Oncology, Centre Léon Bérard and University Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Lyon, France
| | - David M Thomas
- The Kinghorn Cancer Centre and Cancer Theme, Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Darlinghurst, Australia
| | - Robert G Maki
- Northwell Health Monter Cancer Center and Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Lake Success, NY, USA
| | - Torsten O Nielsen
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute and University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Elizabeth G Demicco
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Mount Sinai Hospital and Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
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19
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Tsagozis P, Augsten M, Zhang Y, Li T, Hesla A, Bergh J, Haglund F, Tobin NP, Ehnman M. An immunosuppressive macrophage profile attenuates the prognostic impact of CD20-positive B cells in human soft tissue sarcoma. Cancer Immunol Immunother 2019; 68:927-936. [PMID: 30879106 PMCID: PMC6529392 DOI: 10.1007/s00262-019-02322-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2018] [Accepted: 03/07/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Background Immune cells can regulate disease progression and response to treatment in multiple tumor types, but their activities in human soft tissue sarcoma are poorly characterized. Methods Marker-defined immune cell subsets were characterized from a tumor microenvironmental perspective in two independent cohorts of human soft tissue sarcoma by multiplex IHC, quantitative PCR and/or bioinformatics. Results B cell profiling revealed a prognostic role for CD20 protein (cohort 1, 33 patients) and MS4A1 gene expression (cohort 2, 265 patients). Multiplex IHC and gene correlation analysis supported a role in antigen presentation, immune cell differentiation and T cell activation. The prognostic role of MS4A1 expressing B cells was only observed in an IL10low, PTGS2low or CD163low tumor microenvironment according to the transcriptomic data. IL10 levels consistently correlated with the M2-like macrophage marker CD163, which also defined the majority of macrophages. A polarization of these cells toward a pro-tumoral phenotype was further supported by lack of correlation between CD163 and M1 markers like NOS2, as well as by low abundance of CD80 positive cells in tissue. Conclusions Analysis of CD20/MS4A1 expression in soft tissue sarcoma merits further attention as a promising candidate prognostic tool for survival, but not in patients with a pronounced immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment. Macrophages are ubiquitous and polarized toward a protumoral phenotype. This provides a rationale for further studies on B cell function and immunotherapy targeting M2-polarized macrophages. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1007/s00262-019-02322-y) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Panagiotis Tsagozis
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Surgery, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.,Section of Orthopaedics, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Martin Augsten
- Department of Oncology-Pathology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.,Amcure GmbH, Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen, Germany
| | - Yifan Zhang
- Department of Oncology-Pathology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Tian Li
- Department of Oncology-Pathology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Asle Hesla
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Surgery, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.,Section of Orthopaedics, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Jonas Bergh
- Department of Oncology-Pathology, Karolinska Institutet, Radiumhemmet, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Felix Haglund
- Department of Oncology-Pathology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Nicholas P Tobin
- Department of Oncology-Pathology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Monika Ehnman
- Department of Oncology-Pathology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
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20
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Katz D, Palmerini E, Pollack SM. More Than 50 Subtypes of Soft Tissue Sarcoma: Paving the Path for Histology-Driven Treatments. Am Soc Clin Oncol Educ Book 2018; 38:925-938. [PMID: 30231352 DOI: 10.1200/edbk_205423] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Sarcomas are a diverse group of cancers with mesenchymal origin. Although sarcomas comprise less than 1% of cancers, there are more than 50 different subtypes that are quite different from one another in terms of both their biology and clinical behavior. Historically, the need for adequate patient numbers in clinical trials has pushed sarcoma researchers to lump these very different malignancies together and treat the patients using a "one-size-fits-all" approach. However, with improvements in our scientific understanding, we are finally ready for a histology-tailored therapeutic approach to these complex diseases. In this review, we discuss key advances in our understanding of the biology underlying selected sarcoma subtypes and how targeting these subtypes is relevant therapeutically with respect to both molecularly targeted agents as well as immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniela Katz
- From the Institute of Oncology, Assaf Harofeh Medical Center, Zrifin, Beer Yaakov, Israel; Medical Oncology, Istituto Ortopedico Rizzoli, Department of Experimental, Diagnostic, and Specialty Medicine, Bologna University, Bologna, Italy; Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, University of Washington, Seattle, WA
| | - Emanuela Palmerini
- From the Institute of Oncology, Assaf Harofeh Medical Center, Zrifin, Beer Yaakov, Israel; Medical Oncology, Istituto Ortopedico Rizzoli, Department of Experimental, Diagnostic, and Specialty Medicine, Bologna University, Bologna, Italy; Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, University of Washington, Seattle, WA
| | - Seth M Pollack
- From the Institute of Oncology, Assaf Harofeh Medical Center, Zrifin, Beer Yaakov, Israel; Medical Oncology, Istituto Ortopedico Rizzoli, Department of Experimental, Diagnostic, and Specialty Medicine, Bologna University, Bologna, Italy; Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, University of Washington, Seattle, WA
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21
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Shiraishi D, Fujiwara Y, Horlad H, Saito Y, Iriki T, Tsuboki J, Cheng P, Nakagata N, Mizuta H, Bekki H, Nakashima Y, Oda Y, Takeya M, Komohara Y. CD163 Is Required for Protumoral Activation of Macrophages in Human and Murine Sarcoma. Cancer Res 2018; 78:3255-3266. [DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-17-2011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2017] [Revised: 11/30/2017] [Accepted: 03/28/2018] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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22
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Pollack SM, Ingham M, Spraker MB, Schwartz GK. Emerging Targeted and Immune-Based Therapies in Sarcoma. J Clin Oncol 2018; 36:125-135. [DOI: 10.1200/jco.2017.75.1610] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Soft tissue and bone sarcomas are malignancies of mesenchymal origin, and more than 50 subtypes are defined. For most sarcomas, locally advanced or unresectable disease is still treated with cytotoxic chemotherapy. Recently, our understanding of subtype-specific cancer biology has expanded, and it has revealed distinct molecular alterations responsible for tumor initiation and progression. These findings have motivated the development of targeted therapies that are being evaluated in subtype-specific or biomarker-driven clinical trials. Indeed, the spectrum of targeted drug development in sarcoma now spans many of the most active paradigms in cancer research and includes agents that target cancer-related vulnerabilities in receptor tyrosine kinases and intracellular signaling pathways, epigenetics, metabolism, nuclear-cytoplasmic transport, and many others. Our understanding of the sarcoma immune microenvironment and heterogeneous mechanisms of tumor immune evasion has also expanded. Although a subset of sarcomas appears inflamed and responsive to immune checkpoint blockade with programmed death 1 (PD-1) targeted agents, novel immunotherapies and combinations likely will be needed for most subtypes. A variety of approaches—including targeting immune checkpoints other than PD-1; modulating tumor-associated macrophage phenotype from tumor-promoting to tumor-suppressive status; using cellular-based therapies, such as chimeric antigen and high-affinity T-cell receptors to deepen the adaptive immune response; and reinvigorating older approaches, such as vaccines and oncolytic virus-based treatments—are being investigated. The goal of these new approaches is to harness subtype-specific insights into cancer and immune biology to bring more effective and less toxic treatments to the clinic for the benefit of patients with sarcoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seth M. Pollack
- Seth M. Pollack, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center; Seth M. Pollack and Matthew B. Spraker, University of Washington, Seattle, WA; and Matthew Ingham and Gary K. Schwartz, Columbia University School of Medicine, New York, NY
| | - Matthew Ingham
- Seth M. Pollack, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center; Seth M. Pollack and Matthew B. Spraker, University of Washington, Seattle, WA; and Matthew Ingham and Gary K. Schwartz, Columbia University School of Medicine, New York, NY
| | - Matthew B. Spraker
- Seth M. Pollack, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center; Seth M. Pollack and Matthew B. Spraker, University of Washington, Seattle, WA; and Matthew Ingham and Gary K. Schwartz, Columbia University School of Medicine, New York, NY
| | - Gary K. Schwartz
- Seth M. Pollack, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center; Seth M. Pollack and Matthew B. Spraker, University of Washington, Seattle, WA; and Matthew Ingham and Gary K. Schwartz, Columbia University School of Medicine, New York, NY
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23
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Veenstra R, Kostine M, Cleton-Jansen AM, de Miranda NF, Bovée JV. Immune checkpoint inhibitors in sarcomas: in quest of predictive biomarkers. J Transl Med 2018; 98:41-50. [PMID: 29155424 DOI: 10.1038/labinvest.2017.128] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2017] [Revised: 08/21/2017] [Accepted: 09/24/2017] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Sarcomas are a rare group of tumors of mesenchymal origin. Metastatic sarcomas are often difficult to treat and unresponsive to standard radio- and chemotherapy, resulting in a poor survival rate for patients. Novel treatments with immune checkpoint inhibitors have been proven to prolong survival of patients with a variety of cancers, including metastatic melanoma, lung, and renal cell carcinoma. Since immune checkpoint inhibitors could provide a novel treatment option for patients with sarcomas, clinical trials investigating their efficacy in these group of tumors are ongoing. However, the discrimination of patients that are the most likely to respond to these treatments is still an obstacle in the design of clinical trials. In this review, we provide a brief overview of the mechanisms of action of immune checkpoint inhibitors and discuss the proposed biomarkers of therapy response, such as lymphocytic infiltration, intratumoral PD-L1 expression, and mutational load in sarcomas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robin Veenstra
- Department of Pathology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Marie Kostine
- Department of Pathology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | | | - Noel Fcc de Miranda
- Department of Pathology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Judith Vmg Bovée
- Department of Pathology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
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24
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Pollack SM, He Q, Yearley JH, Emerson R, Vignali M, Zhang Y, Redman MW, Baker KK, Cooper S, Donahue B, Loggers ET, Cranmer LD, Spraker MB, Seo YD, Pillarisetty VG, Ricciotti RW, Hoch BL, McClanahan TK, Murphy E, Blumenschein WM, Townson SM, Benzeno S, Riddell SR, Jones RL. T-cell infiltration and clonality correlate with programmed cell death protein 1 and programmed death-ligand 1 expression in patients with soft tissue sarcomas. Cancer 2017; 123:3291-3304. [PMID: 28463396 PMCID: PMC5568958 DOI: 10.1002/cncr.30726] [Citation(s) in RCA: 179] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2016] [Revised: 03/01/2017] [Accepted: 03/16/2017] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Patients with metastatic sarcomas have poor outcomes and although the disease may be amenable to immunotherapies, information regarding the immunologic profiles of soft tissue sarcoma (STS) subtypes is limited. METHODS The authors identified patients with the common STS subtypes: leiomyosarcoma, undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma (UPS), synovial sarcoma (SS), well‐differentiated/dedifferentiated liposarcoma, and myxoid/round cell liposarcoma. Gene expression, immunohistochemistry for programmed cell death protein (PD‐1) and programmed death‐ligand 1 (PD‐L1), and T‐cell receptor Vβ gene sequencing were performed on formalin‐fixed, paraffin‐embedded tumors from 81 patients. Differences in liposarcoma subsets also were evaluated. RESULTS UPS and leiomyosarcoma had high expression levels of genes related to antigen presentation and T‐cell infiltration. UPS were found to have higher levels of PD‐L1 (P≤.001) and PD‐1 (P≤.05) on immunohistochemistry and had the highest T‐cell infiltration based on T‐cell receptor sequencing, significantly more than SS, which had the lowest (P≤.05). T‐cell infiltrates in UPS also were more oligoclonal compared with SS and liposarcoma (P≤.05). A model adjusted for STS histologic subtype found that for all sarcomas, T‐cell infiltration and clonality were highly correlated with PD‐1 and PD‐L1 expression levels (P≤.01). CONCLUSIONS In the current study, the authors provide the most detailed overview of the immune microenvironment in sarcoma subtypes to date. UPS, which is a more highly mutated STS subtype, provokes a substantial immune response, suggesting that it may be well suited to treatment with immune checkpoint inhibitors. The SS and liposarcoma subsets are less mutated but do express immunogenic self‐antigens, and therefore strategies to improve antigen presentation and T‐cell infiltration may allow for successful immunotherapy in patients with these diagnoses. Cancer 2017;123:3291‐304. © 2017 The Authors. Cancer published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of American Cancer Society. This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial License, which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited and is not used for commercial purposes. To the author's knowledge, the current study provides the most comprehensive characterization of the sarcoma tumor immune microenvironment to date through the use of gene expression analysis, immunohistochemistry, and T‐cell receptor sequencing. The results demonstrate that some sarcoma subtypes, such as synovial sarcoma, are immunologically quiet, whereas others, such as undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma, are highly inflammatory and could be susceptible to immune checkpoint inhibition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seth M Pollack
- Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, Washington.,Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington
| | - Qianchuan He
- Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, Washington.,Public Health Sciences Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, Washington
| | | | - Ryan Emerson
- Adaptive Biotechnologies Corporation, Seattle, Washington
| | | | - Yuzheng Zhang
- Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, Washington.,Public Health Sciences Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, Washington
| | - Mary W Redman
- Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, Washington
| | - Kelsey K Baker
- Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, Washington
| | - Sara Cooper
- Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, Washington
| | - Bailey Donahue
- Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, Washington
| | - Elizabeth T Loggers
- Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, Washington.,Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington
| | - Lee D Cranmer
- Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, Washington.,Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington
| | - Matthew B Spraker
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington
| | - Y David Seo
- Department of Surgery, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington
| | | | | | - Benjamin L Hoch
- Department of Pathology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington
| | | | | | | | | | - Sharon Benzeno
- Adaptive Biotechnologies Corporation, Seattle, Washington
| | - Stanley R Riddell
- Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, Washington.,Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington.,Institute for Advanced Study, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Robin L Jones
- Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, Washington.,Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington.,Royal Marsden Hospital and Institute of Cancer Research, London
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25
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Ben-Ami E, Barysauskas CM, Solomon S, Tahlil K, Malley R, Hohos M, Polson K, Loucks M, Severgnini M, Patel T, Cunningham A, Rodig SJ, Hodi FS, Morgan JA, Merriam P, Wagner AJ, Shapiro GI, George S. Immunotherapy with single agent nivolumab for advanced leiomyosarcoma of the uterus: Results of a phase 2 study. Cancer 2017; 123:3285-3290. [PMID: 28440953 DOI: 10.1002/cncr.30738] [Citation(s) in RCA: 150] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2016] [Revised: 02/10/2017] [Accepted: 03/22/2017] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Immunotherapy has changed the therapeutic landscape in oncology. Advanced uterine leiomyosarcoma (ULMS) remains an incurable disease in most cases, and despite new drug approvals, improvements in overall survival have been modest at best. The goal of this study was to evaluate programmed-death 1 (PD-1) inhibition with nivolumab in this patient population. METHODS This single-center phase 2 trial completed enrollment between May and October 2015. Patients received 3 mg/kg of intravenous nivolumab on day 1 of each 2-week cycle until disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. The primary endpoint was objective response rate. We assessed PD-1, PD-ligand 1 (PD-L1), and PD-L2 expression in archival tumor samples and variations in immune-phenotyping of circulating immune cells during treatment. RESULTS Twelve patients were enrolled in the first stage of the 2-stage design. A median of 5 (range, 2-6) 2-week cycles of nivolumab were administered. Of the 12 patients, none responded to treatment. The overall median progression-free survival was 1.8 months (95% confidence interval, 0.8-unknown). The study did not open the second stage due to lack of benefit as defined by the statistical plan. Archival samples were available for 83% of patients. PD-1 (>3% of cells), PD-L1, and PD-L2 (>5% and >10% of tumor cells, respectively) expression were observed in 20%, 20%, and 90% of samples, respectively. No significant differences were observed between pre- and posttreatment cell phenotypes. CONCLUSION Single-agent nivolumab did not demonstrate a benefit in this cohort of previously treated advanced ULMS patients. Further biomarker-driven approaches and studies evaluating combined immune checkpoint-modulators should be considered. Cancer 2017;123:3285-90. © 2017 American Cancer Society.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eytan Ben-Ami
- Center for Sarcoma and Bone Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Constance M Barysauskas
- Department of Biostatistics and Computational Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Sarah Solomon
- Center for Sarcoma and Bone Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Kadija Tahlil
- Center for Sarcoma and Bone Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Rita Malley
- Center for Sarcoma and Bone Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Melissa Hohos
- Center for Sarcoma and Bone Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Kathleen Polson
- Center for Sarcoma and Bone Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Margaret Loucks
- Center for Sarcoma and Bone Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Mariano Severgnini
- Center for Immuno-oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Tara Patel
- Center for Immuno-oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Amy Cunningham
- Center for Immuno-oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Scott J Rodig
- Center for Immuno-oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts.,Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - F Stephen Hodi
- Center for Immuno-oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts.,Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Jeffrey A Morgan
- Center for Sarcoma and Bone Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Priscilla Merriam
- Center for Sarcoma and Bone Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Andrew J Wagner
- Center for Sarcoma and Bone Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Geoffrey I Shapiro
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA.,Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Suzanne George
- Center for Sarcoma and Bone Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts
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26
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Nyström H, Jönsson M, Werner-Hartman L, Nilbert M, Carneiro A. Hypoxia-inducible factor 1α predicts recurrence in high-grade soft tissue sarcoma of extremities and trunk wall. J Clin Pathol 2017; 70:879-885. [DOI: 10.1136/jclinpath-2016-204149] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2016] [Revised: 12/21/2016] [Accepted: 03/19/2017] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
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27
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Lee A, Huang P, DeMatteo RP, Pollack SM. Immunotherapy for Soft Tissue Sarcoma: Tomorrow Is Only a Day Away. Am Soc Clin Oncol Educ Book 2017; 35:281-90. [PMID: 27249707 DOI: 10.1200/edbk_157439] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Despite the advances taking place for patients with many types of cancer, to date there has been little success in meeting the great need for novel treatments of advanced soft tissue sarcoma with effective immunologic therapies. Here, we review recent clinical and preclinical data that indicate immune responses against sarcomas occur spontaneously and can also be successfully provoked. Efforts to manipulate the sarcoma immune microenvironment have the potential to eradicate disease and may also sensitize tumors to other tumor-targeted immunotherapeutic approaches. Other approaches, including vaccines and genetic engineering of T cells, offer a promising opportunity to actively direct cytotoxic lymphocytes toward antigen-bearing sarcomas. Drawing parallels with recent advances made in other cancer types, we identify ways in which sarcomas can be included in the ongoing immunotherapy revolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alex Lee
- From the Department of Medical Oncology, Royal Marsden Hospital London, United Kingdom; Institute of Cancer Research, London, United Kingdom; Department of Surgery, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY; Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Division of Oncology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA
| | - Paul Huang
- From the Department of Medical Oncology, Royal Marsden Hospital London, United Kingdom; Institute of Cancer Research, London, United Kingdom; Department of Surgery, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY; Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Division of Oncology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA
| | - Ronald P DeMatteo
- From the Department of Medical Oncology, Royal Marsden Hospital London, United Kingdom; Institute of Cancer Research, London, United Kingdom; Department of Surgery, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY; Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Division of Oncology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA
| | - Seth M Pollack
- From the Department of Medical Oncology, Royal Marsden Hospital London, United Kingdom; Institute of Cancer Research, London, United Kingdom; Department of Surgery, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY; Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Division of Oncology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA
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Tran Janco JM, Lamichhane P, Karyampudi L, Knutson KL. Tumor-infiltrating dendritic cells in cancer pathogenesis. JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY (BALTIMORE, MD. : 1950) 2015; 194:2985-91. [PMID: 25795789 PMCID: PMC4369768 DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.1403134] [Citation(s) in RCA: 324] [Impact Index Per Article: 36.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Dendritic cells (DCs) play a pivotal role in the tumor microenvironment, which is known to affect disease progression in many human malignancies. Infiltration by mature, active DCs into the tumors confers an increase in immune activation and recruitment of disease-fighting immune effector cells and pathways. DCs are the preferential target of infiltrating T cells. However, tumor cells have means of suppressing DC function or of altering the tumor microenvironment in such a way that immune-suppressive DCs are recruited. Advances in understanding these changes have led to promising developments in cancer-therapeutic strategies targeting tumor-infiltrating DCs to subdue their immunosuppressive functions and enhance their immune-stimulatory capacity.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Purushottam Lamichhane
- Department of Immunology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55906; and Cancer Vaccines and Immune Therapies Program, Vaccine and Gene Therapy Institute, Port St. Lucie, FL 34987
| | - Lavakumar Karyampudi
- Cancer Vaccines and Immune Therapies Program, Vaccine and Gene Therapy Institute, Port St. Lucie, FL 34987
| | - Keith L Knutson
- Department of Immunology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55906; and Cancer Vaccines and Immune Therapies Program, Vaccine and Gene Therapy Institute, Port St. Lucie, FL 34987
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