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Subbiah V, Kurzrock R. Precision oncology across the ages: Impact on children, adolescents, and young adults. Cancer Cell 2024; 42:1473-1479. [PMID: 39214098 DOI: 10.1016/j.ccell.2024.08.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2024] [Revised: 07/13/2024] [Accepted: 08/08/2024] [Indexed: 09/04/2024]
Abstract
Precision oncology endeavors to tailor therapies based on individual patient and tumor characteristics. This rapidly evolving field has transformed cancer treatment across all age groups. In this commentary, we review the application of precision oncology across different age groups, specifically in children, adolescents, and young adults, and emphasize that precision medicine is age and tissue agnostic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vivek Subbiah
- Early-Phase Drug Development, Sarah Cannon Research Institute, Nashville, TN, USA.
| | - Razelle Kurzrock
- Genomic Sciences and Precision Medicine Center, and Medical College of Wisconsin Cancer Center, Milwaukee, WI, USA; Chief Medical Officer, Equal Opportunity and Diversity Office, WIN Consortium, Paris, France; Medical Oncology, University of Nebraska, Omaha, NE, USA
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Cheung SYA, Hay JL, Lin YW, de Greef R, Bullock J. Pediatric oncology drug development and dosage optimization. Front Oncol 2024; 13:1235947. [PMID: 38348118 PMCID: PMC10860405 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2023.1235947] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2023] [Accepted: 12/29/2023] [Indexed: 02/15/2024] Open
Abstract
Oncology drug discovery and development has always been an area facing many challenges. Phase 1 oncology studies are typically small, open-label, sequential studies enrolling a small sample of adult patients (i.e., 3-6 patients/cohort) in dose escalation. Pediatric evaluations typically lag behind the adult development program. The pediatric starting dose is traditionally referenced on the recommended phase 2 dose in adults with the incorporation of body size scaling. The size of the study is also small and dependent upon the prevalence of the disease in the pediatric population. Similar to adult development, the dose is escalated or de-escalated until reaching the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) that also provides desired biological activities or efficacy. The escalation steps and identification of MTD are often rule-based and do not incorporate all the available information, such as pharmacokinetic (PK), pharmacodynamic (PD), tolerability and efficacy data. Therefore, it is doubtful if the MTD approach is optimal to determine the dosage. Hence, it is important to evaluate whether there is an optimal dosage below the MTD, especially considering the emerging complexity of combination therapies and the long-term tolerability and safety of the treatments. Identification of an optimal dosage is also vital not only for adult patients but for pediatric populations as well. Dosage-finding is much more challenging for pediatric populations due to the limited patient population and differences among the pediatric age range in terms of maturation and ontogeny that could impact PK. Many sponsors defer the pediatric strategy as they are often perplexed by the challenges presented by pediatric oncology drug development (model of action relevancy to pediatric population, budget, timeline and regulatory requirements). This leads to a limited number of approved drugs for pediatric oncology patients. This review article provides the current regulatory landscape, incentives and how they impact pediatric drug discovery and development. We also consider different pediatric cancers and potential clinical trial challenges/opportunities when designing pediatric clinical trials. An outline of how quantitative methods such as pharmacometrics/modelling & simulation can support the dosage-finding and justification is also included. Finally, we provide some reflections that we consider helpful to accelerate pediatric drug discovery and development.
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Cho S, Miller A, Mosha M, McNerney KO, Metts J. Clinical Trials on Cellular Therapy for Children and Adolescents With Cancer: A 15-Year Trend in the United States. Cureus 2023; 15:e47885. [PMID: 38021600 PMCID: PMC10681796 DOI: 10.7759/cureus.47885] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/28/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Cellular therapies are frequently studied in clinical trials for pediatric patients with malignant disease. Characteristics of ongoing and completed cellular therapy clinical trials in the U.S. involving children and adolescents have not previously been reported. METHODS We searched ClinicalTrials.gov for clinical trials involving cellular therapies enrolling patients under 18 years of age in the U.S. Trials were initially stratified into child-only (maximum age of eligibility <18 years), child/adolescent and young adult (AYA) (maximum age of eligibility ≤21 years), and child/adult (maximum age of eligibility >21 years). Descriptive characteristics and trends over time were analyzed. RESULTS We included 202 trials posted 2007-2022. Of the 202 trials, only three trials were child-only; thus, our subsequent analysis focused on comparing child/AYA (≤21 years) and child/adult trials (>21 years). One hundred sixty-nine (84%) enrolled both child and adult populations. The vast majority of trials were early phase (phase 1, 1/2, and 2, 198/202, 98%). Chimeric antigen receptor T cell therapies were most commonly studied (88/202, 44%), while natural-killer cell therapies were most common in child/AYA trials (42% vs. 16%). Most trials were single institution-only (130/202, 64%) and did not receive industry funding (163/202, 81%). Studies with industry funding were more likely to be multicenter (64% vs. 29%) and international (31% vs. 0.6%). Notably, no central nervous system tumor-specific trials had industry funding. There was no difference in therapy type based on funding source. Yearly new trial activations increased over the time period studied (p=0.01). CONCLUSION The frequency of cellular therapy trial activations enrolling child/AYA patients with cancer in the U.S. has increased over time. Most studies were phase 1 or 2, single institution-only, and not industry-supported. Future opportunities for cell therapy for pediatric cancer should include multi-institutional approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sukjoo Cho
- Department of Pediatrics, University of South Florida Morsani College of Medicine, Tampa, USA
- Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta and Emory University, Atlanta, USA
| | - Alexandra Miller
- Data Coordinating Center for Pediatric Multicenter Studies, Institute for Clinical and Translational Research, Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital, St. Petersburg, USA
| | - Maua Mosha
- Data Coordinating Center for Pediatric Multicenter Studies, Institute for Clinical and Translational Research, Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital, St. Petersburg, USA
| | - Kevin O McNerney
- Department of Pediatrics, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, USA
| | - Jonathan Metts
- Cancer and Blood Disorders Institute, Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital, St. Petersburg, USA
- Sarcoma Department, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, USA
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Valle-Simón P, Borobia AM, Pérez-Martínez A. Clinical research with targeted drugs in paediatric oncology. Drug Discov Today 2023; 28:103672. [PMID: 37330039 DOI: 10.1016/j.drudis.2023.103672] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2022] [Revised: 05/31/2023] [Accepted: 06/12/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
The development of targeted drugs in paediatric oncology has been notoriously slow, in part due to the peculiarities of this rare and highly heterogeneous population. To provide therapeutic breakthroughs for the highest risk subgroups of childhood cancer, innovative research solutions have been implemented in the last several years by different international collaborative groups and regulators. Here, we discuss and summarise some of these approaches, as well as challenges and unmet needs that are still being addressed. A wide range of topics were covered in this review including molecular diagnosis optimisation, innovative research methodologies, big data approaches, trial enrolment strategies, and improvements in regulation and preclinical research platforms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paula Valle-Simón
- Clinical Pharmacology Department, La Paz University Hospital, Idipaz, Paseo de la Castellana 261, 28046 Madrid, Spain.
| | - Alberto M Borobia
- Clinical Pharmacology Department, La Paz University Hospital, School of Medicine, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (UAM) IdiPAZ, Paseo de la Castellana 261, 28046 Madrid, Spain
| | - Antonio Pérez-Martínez
- Paediatric Haemato-Oncology Department, La Paz University Hospital, School of Medicine, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (UAM), IdiPAZ, Paseo de la Castellana 261, 28046 Madrid, Spain
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Cheng TL, Glauser TA, Reed A. The evolving model of pediatric research. Pediatr Res 2023:10.1038/s41390-023-02677-0. [PMID: 37400540 DOI: 10.1038/s41390-023-02677-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2023] [Accepted: 05/12/2023] [Indexed: 07/05/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Tina L Cheng
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA.
- Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA.
| | - Tracy A Glauser
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA
- Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Ann Reed
- Department of Pediatrics, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
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Suthapot P, Chiangjong W, Chaiyawat P, Choochuen P, Pruksakorn D, Sangkhathat S, Hongeng S, Anurathapan U, Chutipongtanate S. Genomics-Driven Precision Medicine in Pediatric Solid Tumors. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:cancers15051418. [PMID: 36900212 PMCID: PMC10000495 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15051418] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2023] [Revised: 02/10/2023] [Accepted: 02/15/2023] [Indexed: 03/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Over the past decades, several study programs have conducted genetic testing in cancer patients to identify potential genetic targets for the development of precision therapeutic strategies. These biomarker-driven trials have demonstrated improved clinical outcomes and progression-free survival rates in various types of cancers, especially for adult malignancies. However, similar progress in pediatric cancers has been slow due to their distinguished mutation profiles compared to adults and the low frequency of recurrent genomic alterations. Recently, increased efforts to develop precision medicine for childhood malignancies have led to the identification of genomic alterations and transcriptomic profiles of pediatric patients which presents promising opportunities to study rare and difficult-to-access neoplasms. This review summarizes the current state of known and potential genetic markers for pediatric solid tumors and provides perspectives on precise therapeutic strategies that warrant further investigations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Praewa Suthapot
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok 10400, Thailand
- Department of Biomedical Science and Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Medicine, Prince of Songkla University, Songkhla 90110, Thailand
- Center of Multidisciplinary Technology for Advanced Medicine (CMUTEAM), Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand
| | - Wararat Chiangjong
- Pediatric Translational Research Unit, Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok 10400, Thailand
| | - Parunya Chaiyawat
- Center of Multidisciplinary Technology for Advanced Medicine (CMUTEAM), Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand
- Musculoskeletal Science and Translational Research Center, Department of Orthopedics, Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand
| | - Pongsakorn Choochuen
- Department of Biomedical Science and Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Medicine, Prince of Songkla University, Songkhla 90110, Thailand
- Translational Medicine Research Center, Faculty of Medicine, Prince of Songkla University, Songkhla 90110, Thailand
| | - Dumnoensun Pruksakorn
- Center of Multidisciplinary Technology for Advanced Medicine (CMUTEAM), Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand
- Musculoskeletal Science and Translational Research Center, Department of Orthopedics, Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand
| | - Surasak Sangkhathat
- Department of Biomedical Science and Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Medicine, Prince of Songkla University, Songkhla 90110, Thailand
- Translational Medicine Research Center, Faculty of Medicine, Prince of Songkla University, Songkhla 90110, Thailand
- Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Prince of Songkla University, Songkhla 90110, Thailand
| | - Suradej Hongeng
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok 10400, Thailand
| | - Usanarat Anurathapan
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok 10400, Thailand
- Correspondence: (U.A.); or (S.C.)
| | - Somchai Chutipongtanate
- Division of Epidemiology, Department of Environmental and Public Health Sciences, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH 45267, USA
- Correspondence: (U.A.); or (S.C.)
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Oliviero E, Kourkopoulos G, Kimmelman J. Success rates for US and Canadian anticancer drug development efforts in pediatric oncology. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2022; 69:e29534. [PMID: 35739610 DOI: 10.1002/pbc.29534] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2021] [Revised: 11/08/2021] [Accepted: 11/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Approximately 5% of adult cancer interventions put into clinical testing attain regulatory approval. Little is known about corresponding rates for pediatric cancer. METHODS Our primary outcomes were the proportion of interventions graduating to the next trial phase, randomized trials, and/or clinical practice. We created a saturation sample of clinical trials by searching ClinicalTrials.gov for all pediatric anticancer trials in the United States or Canada. Trial characteristics were extracted automatically from ClinicalTrials.gov records, and cancer indication/drug class categorization, biomarker enrichment, and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval status at time of recruitment were double-extracted from each record. Regulatory approval status and labeling modifications for each intervention were determined by searching Drugs@FDA and the New Pediatric Labeling Information Database. RESULTS Five hundred eighty-nine pediatric trials launched between 1987 and 2019 were captured. The overall probability of graduation was 17.0%; 18.9% of interventions graduated from phase 1 to phase 2 trials, and 1.6% of interventions graduated from phase 2 to phase 3 trials. The proportion of interventions advancing from phase 1 to FDA approval was 3.6%, and 1.9% of interventions tested in phase 1 advanced to a randomized phase 2 trial. Only biomarker enrichment was significantly predictive of graduation from phase 1 to phase 2 trials (p = .011). CONCLUSION The proportion of interventions advancing from phase 1 testing to FDA approval was similar to estimates for adult oncology. Our findings highlight the challenges for current paradigms of pediatric anticancer drug development.
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Pedot G, Marques JG, Ambühl PP, Wachtel M, Kasper S, Ngo QA, Niggli FK, Schäfer BW. Inhibition of HDACs reduces Ewing sarcoma tumor growth through EWS-FLI1 protein destabilization. Neoplasia 2022; 27:100784. [PMID: 35366465 PMCID: PMC8971315 DOI: 10.1016/j.neo.2022.100784] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2021] [Revised: 02/26/2022] [Accepted: 03/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Oncogenic transcription factors lacking enzymatic activity or targetable binding pockets are typically considered "undruggable". An example is provided by the EWS-FLI1 oncoprotein, whose continuous expression and activity as transcription factor are critically required for Ewing sarcoma tumor formation, maintenance, and proliferation. Because neither upstream nor downstream targets have so far disabled its oncogenic potential, we performed a high-throughput drug screen (HTS), enriched for FDA-approved drugs, coupled to a Global Protein Stability (GPS) approach to identify novel compounds capable to destabilize EWS-FLI1 protein by enhancing its degradation through the ubiquitin-proteasome system. The protein stability screen revealed the dual histone deacetylase (HDAC) and phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K) inhibitor called fimepinostat (CUDC-907) as top candidate to modulate EWS-FLI1 stability. Fimepinostat strongly reduced EWS-FLI1 protein abundance, reduced viability of several Ewing sarcoma cell lines and PDX-derived primary cells and delayed tumor growth in a xenograft mouse model, whereas it did not significantly affect healthy cells. Mechanistically, we demonstrated that EWS-FLI1 protein levels were mainly regulated by fimepinostat's HDAC activity. Our study demonstrates that HTS combined to GPS is a reliable approach to identify drug candidates able to modulate stability of EWS-FLI1 and lays new ground for the development of novel therapeutic strategies aimed to reduce Ewing sarcoma tumor progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gloria Pedot
- Department of Oncology and Children's Research Center, University Children's Hospital, Steinwiesstrasse 32, 8032, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Joana Graça Marques
- Department of Oncology and Children's Research Center, University Children's Hospital, Steinwiesstrasse 32, 8032, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Philip P Ambühl
- Department of Oncology and Children's Research Center, University Children's Hospital, Steinwiesstrasse 32, 8032, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Marco Wachtel
- Department of Oncology and Children's Research Center, University Children's Hospital, Steinwiesstrasse 32, 8032, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Stephanie Kasper
- Department of Oncology and Children's Research Center, University Children's Hospital, Steinwiesstrasse 32, 8032, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Quy A Ngo
- Department of Oncology and Children's Research Center, University Children's Hospital, Steinwiesstrasse 32, 8032, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Felix K Niggli
- Department of Oncology and Children's Research Center, University Children's Hospital, Steinwiesstrasse 32, 8032, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Beat W Schäfer
- Department of Oncology and Children's Research Center, University Children's Hospital, Steinwiesstrasse 32, 8032, Zurich, Switzerland.
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Current status of precision medicine in pediatric oncology in Spain: a consensus report by the Spanish Society of Paediatric Haematology and Oncology (SEHOP). Clin Transl Oncol 2022; 24:809-815. [PMID: 35152364 DOI: 10.1007/s12094-021-02759-7] [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: 10/25/2021] [Accepted: 12/11/2021] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
The study analyzes the current status of personalized medicine in pediatric oncology in Spain. It gathers national data on the tumor molecular studies and genomic sequencing carried out at diagnosis and at relapse, the centers that perform these studies, the technology used and the interpretation and clinical applicability of the results. Current challenges and future directions to achieve a coordinated national personalized medicine strategy in pediatric oncology are also discussed. Next generation sequencing-based (NGS) gene panels are the technology used in the majority of centers and financial limitations are the main reason for not incorporating these studies into routine care. Nowadays, the application of precision medicine in pediatric oncology is a reality in a great number of Spanish centers. However, its implementation is uneven and lacks standardization of protocols; therefore, national coordination to overcome the inequalities is required. Collaborative work within the Personalized Medicine Group of SEHOP is an adequate framework for encouraging a step forward in the effort to move precision medicine into the national healthcare system.
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Sabnis HS, Shulman DS, Mizukawa B, Bouvier N, Zehir A, Fangusaro J, Fabrizio VA, Whitlow C, Winchester M, Agresta L, Turpin B, Wechsler DS, DuBois SG, Glade-Bender J, Castellino SM, Shukla N. Multicenter Analysis of Genomically Targeted Single Patient Use Requests for Pediatric Neoplasms. J Clin Oncol 2021; 39:3822-3828. [PMID: 34591650 PMCID: PMC9851705 DOI: 10.1200/jco.21.01213] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE The US Food and Drug Administration-expanded access program (EAP) uses a single patient use (SPU) mechanism to provide patient access to investigational agents in situations where no satisfactory or comparable therapy is available. Genomic profiling of de novo and relapsed or refractory childhood cancer has led to increased identification of new drug targets in the last decade. The aim of this study is to examine the SPU experience for genomically targeted therapies in patients with pediatric cancer. PATIENTS AND METHODS All genomically targeted therapeutic SPUs obtained over a 5-year period were evaluated at four large pediatric cancer programs. Data were collected on the type of neoplasm, agents requested, corresponding molecularly informed targets, and clinical outcomes. RESULTS A total of 45 SPUs in 44 patients were identified. Requests were predominantly made for CNS and solid tumors (84.4%) compared with hematologic malignancies (15.6%). Lack of an available clinical trial was the main reason for SPU initiation (64.4%). The median time from US Food and Drug Administration submission to approval was 3 days (range, 0-12 days) and from Institutional Review Board submission to approval was 5 days (range, 0-50 days). Objective tumor response was seen in 39.5% (15 of 38) of all evaluable SPUs. Disease progression was the primary reason for discontinuation of drug (66.7%) followed by toxicity (13.3%). CONCLUSION SPU requests remain an important mechanism for pediatric access to genomically targeted agents given the limited availability of targeted clinical trials for children with high-risk neoplasms. Furthermore, this subset of SPUs resulted in a substantial number of objective tumor responses. The development of a multi-institutional data registry of SPUs may enable systematic review of toxicity and clinical outcomes and provide evidence-based access to new drugs in rare pediatric cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Himalee S. Sabnis
- Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Atlanta, GA,Emory University School of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Atlanta, GA,Himalee S. Sabnis, MD, MSc, The Aflac Cancer & Blood Disorders Center, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Emory University, 426J Emory Children's Center, 2015 Uppergate Dr, Atlanta, GA 30322; e-mail:
| | - David S. Shulman
- Dana-Farber/Boston Children's Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
| | - Benjamin Mizukawa
- Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH,University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati OH
| | - Nancy Bouvier
- Department of Pediatrics, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY
| | - Ahmet Zehir
- Department of Pathology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY
| | - Jason Fangusaro
- Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Atlanta, GA,Emory University School of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Atlanta, GA
| | - Vanessa A. Fabrizio
- Department of Pediatrics, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY
| | - Chanta Whitlow
- Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Atlanta, GA
| | - Marilyn Winchester
- Department of Pediatrics, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY
| | - Laura Agresta
- Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH,University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati OH
| | - Brian Turpin
- Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH,University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati OH
| | - Daniel S. Wechsler
- Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Atlanta, GA,Emory University School of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Atlanta, GA
| | - Steven G. DuBois
- Dana-Farber/Boston Children's Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
| | - Julia Glade-Bender
- Department of Pediatrics, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY
| | - Sharon M. Castellino
- Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Atlanta, GA,Emory University School of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Atlanta, GA
| | - Neerav Shukla
- Department of Pediatrics, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY
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Kamihara J, Hamilton KV, Pollard JA, Clinton CM, Madden JA, Lin J, Imamovic A, Wall CB, Wassner AJ, Weil BR, Heeney MM, Vargas SO, Kaelin WG, Janeway KA, Perini RF, Zojwalla NJ, Voss SD, DuBois SG. Belzutifan, a Potent HIF2α Inhibitor, in the Pacak-Zhuang Syndrome. N Engl J Med 2021; 385:2059-2065. [PMID: 34818480 PMCID: PMC11245359 DOI: 10.1056/nejmoa2110051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
The integration of genomic testing into clinical care enables the use of individualized approaches to the management of rare diseases. We describe the use of belzutifan, a potent and selective small-molecule inhibitor of the protein hypoxia-inducible factor 2α (HIF2α), in a patient with polycythemia and multiple paragangliomas (the Pacak-Zhuang syndrome). The syndrome was caused in this patient by somatic mosaicism for an activating mutation in EPAS1. Treatment with belzutifan led to a rapid and sustained tumor response along with resolution of hypertension, headaches, and long-standing polycythemia. This case shows the application of a targeted therapy for the treatment of a patient with a rare tumor-predisposition syndrome. (Funded by the Morin Family Fund for Pediatric Cancer and Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation.).
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Affiliation(s)
- Junne Kamihara
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston MA
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston MA
| | - Kayla V. Hamilton
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston MA
| | - Jessica A. Pollard
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston MA
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston MA
| | - Catherine M. Clinton
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston MA
| | - Jill A. Madden
- The Manton Center for Orphan Disease Research and The Division of Genetics and Genomics, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA
| | - Jasmine Lin
- The Manton Center for Orphan Disease Research and The Division of Genetics and Genomics, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA
| | - Alma Imamovic
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston MA
| | - Catherine B. Wall
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston MA
| | - Ari J. Wassner
- Division of Endocrinology, Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
| | - Brent R. Weil
- Department of Surgery, Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
| | - Matthew M. Heeney
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston MA
| | - Sara O. Vargas
- Department of Pathology, Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
| | - William G. Kaelin
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston MA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Chevy Chase, MD
| | - Katherine A. Janeway
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston MA
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston MA
| | | | | | - Stephan D. Voss
- Department of Radiology, Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
| | - Steven G. DuBois
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston MA
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston MA
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Marwa B, Krueger J, Stephenson EA, Davidson S, Allan D, Knoppers B, Zawati M, Sullivan P, Shlien A, Malkin D, Fernandez CV, Villani A. Ethical and Analytic Challenges With Genomic Sequencing of Relapsed Hematologic Malignancies Following Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem-Cell Transplantation. JCO Precis Oncol 2021; 5:1339-1347. [DOI: 10.1200/po.20.00489] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The implementation of precision medicine and next-generation sequencing technologies in the field of oncology is a novel approach being more widely studied and used in cases of high-risk primary and recurrent malignancies. Leukemias are the second most common cause of cancer-related mortality in children and the sixth most in adults. Relapsed leukemia represents a major component of the population that may benefit from genomic sequencing. However, ethical and analytic challenges arise when considering sequencing of biologic samples obtained from patients with relapsed leukemia following allogeneic hematopoietic stem-cell transplantation. Blood from the recipient after transplantation would include donor-derived cells and thus, genomic sequencing of recipient blood will interrogate the donor germline in addition to the somatic genetic profile of the leukemia cells and the recipient germline. This is a situation for which the donor will not have typically provided consent and may be particularly problematic if actionable secondary or incidental findings related to the donor are uncovered. We present the challenges raised in this scenario and provide strategies to mitigate this risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bilal Marwa
- Division of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, IWK, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
| | - Joerg Krueger
- Division of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, The Hospital for Sick Children, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Elizabeth A. Stephenson
- Division of Pediatric Cardiology, Department of Pediatrics, The Hospital for Sick Children, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Scott Davidson
- Genetics and Genome Biology Program, The Hospital for Sick Children, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - David Allan
- Stem Cells, Canadian Blood Services, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Bartha Knoppers
- Centre of Genomics and Policy, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Ma'n Zawati
- Centre of Genomics and Policy, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | | | - Adam Shlien
- Genetics and Genome Biology Program, The Hospital for Sick Children, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - David Malkin
- Division of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, The Hospital for Sick Children, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Genetics and Genome Biology Program, The Hospital for Sick Children, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Conrad V. Fernandez
- Division of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, IWK, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
- The Department of Bioethics, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
| | - Anita Villani
- Division of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, The Hospital for Sick Children, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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13
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Giannikopoulos P, Parham DM. Rhabdomyosarcoma: How Advanced Molecular Methods Are Shaping the Diagnostic and Therapeutic Paradigm. Pediatr Dev Pathol 2021; 24:395-404. [PMID: 34107813 DOI: 10.1177/10935266211013621] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
For the past 40 years, progress in rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) has been focused on understanding its molecular basis and characterizing the mutations that drive its tumorigenesis and progression. Genetic predisposition to RMS has allowed discovery of key genetic pathways and driver mutations. Subclassification of RMS into embryonal (ERMS) and alveolar (ARMS) subtypes has shifted from histology to PAX-FOXO1 fusion status, and new driver mutations have been found in spindle cell RMS. Comprehensive molecular profiling leveraging genome-scale next-generation sequencing (NGS) indicates that the RAS/RAF/PI3K axis is mutated in the majority of ERMS and modulated by downstream effects of PAX-FOXO1 fusions in ARMS. Because of the continued poor outcome of high-risk RMS, a variety of molecular targets have been or are now being tested in current or recent therapy trials. New techniques such as single cell sequencing, spatial multi-omics, and CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing offer potential for further discovery, but a need for clinically annotated specimens persists.
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Affiliation(s)
- Petros Giannikopoulos
- Innovative Genomics Institute, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - David M Parham
- Children's Hospital Los Angeles, University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA, USA (retired)
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14
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Langenberg KPS, Looze EJ, Molenaar JJ. The Landscape of Pediatric Precision Oncology: Program Design, Actionable Alterations, and Clinical Trial Development. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:4324. [PMID: 34503139 PMCID: PMC8431194 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13174324] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2021] [Revised: 08/18/2021] [Accepted: 08/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Over the last years, various precision medicine programs have been developed for pediatric patients with high-risk, relapsed, or refractory malignancies, selecting patients for targeted treatment through comprehensive molecular profiling. In this review, we describe characteristics of these initiatives, demonstrating the feasibility and potential of molecular-driven precision medicine. Actionable events are identified in a significant subset of patients, although comparing results is complicated due to the lack of a standardized definition of actionable alterations and the different molecular profiling strategies used. The first biomarker-driven trials for childhood cancer have been initiated, but until now the effect of precision medicine on clinical outcome has only been reported for a small number of patients, demonstrating clinical benefit in some. Future perspectives include the incorporation of novel approaches such as liquid biopsies and immune monitoring as well as innovative collaborative trial design including combination strategies, and the development of agents specifically targeting aberrations in childhood malignancies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karin P. S. Langenberg
- Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Heidelberglaan 25, 3584 CS Utrecht, The Netherlands; (E.J.L.); (J.J.M.)
| | - Eleonora J. Looze
- Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Heidelberglaan 25, 3584 CS Utrecht, The Netherlands; (E.J.L.); (J.J.M.)
| | - Jan J. Molenaar
- Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Heidelberglaan 25, 3584 CS Utrecht, The Netherlands; (E.J.L.); (J.J.M.)
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Utrecht University, P.O. Box 80082, 3508 TB Utrecht, The Netherlands
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15
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Que Y, Wang J, Zhu J, Li N, Huang J, Lu S, Sun F, Zhang L, Zhen Z, Zhang L, Cai R, Guo H, Sun X, Zhang Y. Combination Therapy With Anti-PD-1 or PD-1 Antibody Alone in Asian Pediatric Patients With Relapsed or Refractory Cancer. Front Immunol 2021; 12:647733. [PMID: 34295326 PMCID: PMC8290852 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.647733] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2020] [Accepted: 06/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
There is limited experience of PD-1 antibody combined with other therapies in children. We aimed to explore the antitumor activity and safety of PD-1 antibody monotherapy or combination with other regimens in relapsed or refractory pediatric cancer. This is a retrospective-case study conducted in two Chinese expert centers. The primary objective of this study was to describe the overall response rate (ORR) and disease control rate (DCR). Secondary objectives included characterizing toxicities. Of the 22 pediatric patients with cancer who received PD-1 inhibitors, the median follow-up for all patients after the commencement of PD-1 therapy with or without other regimens was 12.3 months (0 - 43 months). PD-1 antibody monotherapy demonstrated antitumor activity in a population of pediatric patients with Hodgkin lymphoma (HL), with an objective response rate (ORR) and disease control rate (DCR) of 83.3% (3CR and 2PR) and 100%, respectively. However, no objective response was observed in patients with melanoma or Burkitt lymphoma evaluated in this study. We reviewed responses for patients with chemotherapy, decitabine or everolimus combination therapies with PD-1 antibodies, and found that PD-1 antibody combined with decitabine showed potential efficacy in pediatric patients with advanced embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma and lymphoepitheliomatoid-like carcinoma. There were no severe treatment-related adverse events (TRAEs) directly attributed to PD-1 antibody monotherapy in Asian pediatric patients with lower incidence of hematologic toxicity and nonhematologic toxicity. The Grade ≥3 TRAEs were attributed to the combination chemotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi Que
- Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou, China.,Department of Pediatric Oncology, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
| | - Juan Wang
- Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou, China.,Department of Pediatric Oncology, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jia Zhu
- Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou, China.,Department of Pediatric Oncology, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
| | - Na Li
- Department of Pediatrics, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Junting Huang
- Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou, China.,Department of Pediatric Oncology, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
| | - Suying Lu
- Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou, China.,Department of Pediatric Oncology, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
| | - Feifei Sun
- Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou, China.,Department of Pediatric Oncology, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
| | - Lian Zhang
- Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou, China.,Department of Pediatric Oncology, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zijun Zhen
- Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou, China.,Department of Pediatric Oncology, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
| | - Li Zhang
- Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou, China.,Department of Pediatric Oncology, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
| | - Ruiqing Cai
- Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou, China.,Department of Pediatric Oncology, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
| | - Haixia Guo
- Department of Pediatrics, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xiaofei Sun
- Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou, China.,Department of Pediatric Oncology, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yizhuo Zhang
- Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou, China.,Department of Pediatric Oncology, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
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16
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Blattner-Johnson M, Jones DTW, Pfaff E. Precision medicine in pediatric solid cancers. Semin Cancer Biol 2021; 84:214-227. [PMID: 34116162 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcancer.2021.06.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2021] [Revised: 06/03/2021] [Accepted: 06/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Despite huge advances in the diagnosis and treatment of pediatric cancers over the past several decades, it remains one of the leading causes of death during childhood in developed countries. The development of new targeted treatments for these diseases has been hampered by two major factors. First, the extremely heterogeneous nature of the types of tumors encountered in this age group, and their fundamental differences from common adult carcinomas, has made it hard to truly get a handle on the complexities of the underlying biology driving tumor growth. Second, a reluctance of the pharmaceutical industry to develop products or trials for this population due to the relatively small size of the 'market', and a too-easy mechanism of obtaining waivers for pediatric development of adult oncology drugs based on disease type rather than mechanism of action, led to significant difficulties in getting access to new drugs. Thankfully, the field has now started to change, both scientifically and from a regulatory perspective, in order to address some of these challenges. In this review, we will examine some of the recent insights into molecular features which make pediatric tumors so unique and how these might represent therapeutic targets; highlight ongoing international initiatives for providing comprehensive, personalized genomic profiling of childhood tumors in a clinically-relevant timeframe, and look briefly at where the field of pediatric precision oncology may be heading in future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mirjam Blattner-Johnson
- Hopp Children's Cancer Center Heidelberg (KiTZ), Heidelberg, Germany; Pediatric Glioma Research Group, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - David T W Jones
- Hopp Children's Cancer Center Heidelberg (KiTZ), Heidelberg, Germany; Pediatric Glioma Research Group, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany.
| | - Elke Pfaff
- Hopp Children's Cancer Center Heidelberg (KiTZ), Heidelberg, Germany; Pediatric Glioma Research Group, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany; Department of Pediatric Oncology, Hematology, Immunology and Pulmonology, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
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17
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Paul MR, Zage PE. Overview and recent advances in the targeting of medulloblastoma cancer stem cells. Expert Rev Anticancer Ther 2021; 21:957-974. [PMID: 34047251 DOI: 10.1080/14737140.2021.1932472] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Introduction: Medulloblastoma, an embryonal small round blue cell tumor primarily arising in the posterior fossa, is the most common malignancy of the central nervous system in children and requires intensive multi-modality therapy for cure. Overall 5-year survival is approximately 75% in children with primary disease, but outcomes for relapsed disease are very poor. Recent advances have identified molecular subgroups with excellent prognosis, with 5-year overall survival rates >90%, and subgroups with very poor prognosis with overall survival rates <50%. Molecular subtyping has allowed for more sophisticated risk stratification of patients, but new treatments for the highest risk patients have not yet improved outcomes. Targeting cancer stem cells may improve outcomes, and several candidate targets and novel drugs are under investigation.Areas covered: We discuss medulloblastoma epidemiology, biology, treatment modalities, risk stratification, and molecular subgroup analysis, links between subgroup and developmental biology, cancer stem cell biology in medulloblastoma including previously described cancer stem cell markers and proposed targeted treatments in the current literature.Expert opinion: The understanding of cancer stem cells in medulloblastoma will advance therapies targeting the most treatment-resistant cells within the tumor and therefore reduce the incidence of treatment refractory and relapsed disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Megan Rose Paul
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Hematology-Oncology, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA (M.R.P., P.E.Z.); Peckham Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders, Rady Children's Hospital-San Diego, San Diego, California, USA
| | - Peter E Zage
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Hematology-Oncology, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA (M.R.P., P.E.Z.); Peckham Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders, Rady Children's Hospital-San Diego, San Diego, California, USA
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18
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Preclinical In Vivo Modeling of Pediatric Sarcoma-Promises and Limitations. J Clin Med 2021; 10:jcm10081578. [PMID: 33918045 PMCID: PMC8069549 DOI: 10.3390/jcm10081578] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2021] [Revised: 04/05/2021] [Accepted: 04/06/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Pediatric sarcomas are an extremely heterogeneous group of genetically distinct diseases. Despite the increasing knowledge on their molecular makeup in recent years, true therapeutic advancements are largely lacking and prognosis often remains dim, particularly for relapsed and metastasized patients. Since this is largely due to the lack of suitable model systems as a prerequisite to develop and assess novel therapeutics, we here review the available approaches to model sarcoma in vivo. We focused on genetically engineered and patient-derived mouse models, compared strengths and weaknesses, and finally explored possibilities and limitations to utilize these models to advance both biological understanding as well as clinical diagnosis and therapy.
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19
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Identifying potential germline variants from sequencing hematopoietic malignancies. Blood 2021; 136:2498-2506. [PMID: 33236764 DOI: 10.1182/blood.2020006910] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2020] [Accepted: 08/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Next-generation sequencing (NGS) of bone marrow and peripheral blood increasingly guides clinical care in hematological malignancies. NGS data may help to identify single nucleotide variants, insertions/deletions, copy number variations, and translocations at a single time point, and repeated NGS testing allows tracking of dynamic changes in variants during the course of a patient's disease. Tumor cells used for NGS may contain germline, somatic, and clonal hematopoietic DNA alterations, and distinguishing the etiology of a variant may be challenging. We describe an approach using patient history, individual variant characteristics, and sequential NGS assays to identify potential germline variants. Our current criteria for identifying an individual likely to have a deleterious germline variant include a strong family history or multiple cancers in a single patient, diagnosis of a hematopoietic malignancy at a younger age than seen in the general population, variant allele frequency > 0.3 of a deleterious allele in a known germline predisposition gene, and variant persistence identified on clinical NGS panels, despite a change in disease state. Sequential molecular testing of hematopoietic specimens may provide insight into disease pathology, impact patient and family members' care, and potentially identify new cancer-predisposing risk alleles. Ideally, individuals should give consent at the time of NGS testing to receive information about potential germline variants and to allow future contact as research advances.
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20
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Juan Ribelles A, Gargallo P, Berlanga P, Segura V, Yáñez Y, Juan B, Salom M, Llavador M, Font de Mora J, Castel V, Cañete A. Next-Generation Sequencing Identifies Potential Actionable Targets in Paediatric Sarcomas. J Pers Med 2021; 11:jpm11040268. [PMID: 33916788 PMCID: PMC8067272 DOI: 10.3390/jpm11040268] [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: 02/19/2021] [Revised: 03/15/2021] [Accepted: 04/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Bone and soft-tissue sarcomas represent 13% of all paediatric malignancies. International contributions to introduce next-generation sequencing (NGS) approaches into clinical application are currently developing. We present the results from the Precision Medicine program for children with sarcomas at a reference centre. Results: Samples of 70 paediatric sarcomas were processed for histopathological analysis, reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and next-generation sequencing (NGS) with a consensus gene panel. Pathogenic alterations were reported and, if existing, targeted recommendations were translated to the clinic. Seventy paediatric patients with sarcomas from 10 centres were studied. Median age was 11.5 years (range 1–18). Twenty-two (31%) had at least one pathogenic alteration by NGS. Thirty pathogenic mutations in 18 different genes were detected amongst the 22 patients. The most frequent alterations were found in TP53, followed by FGFR4 and CTNNB1. Combining all biological studies, 18 actionable variants were detected and six patients received targeted treatment observing a disease control rate of 78%. Extrapolating the results to the whole cohort, 23% of the patients would obtain clinical benefit from this approach. Conclusions: Paediatric sarcomas have a different genomic landscape when compared to adult cohorts. Incorporating NGS targets into paediatric sarcomas’ therapy is feasible and allows personalized treatments with clinical benefit in the relapse setting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonio Juan Ribelles
- Paediatric Oncology and Hematology Unit, Hospital U I P La Fe, Av. Fernando Abril Martorell, 106, 46026 Valencia, Spain;
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +34-411532
| | - Pablo Gargallo
- Clinical and Translational Oncology Research Group, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria La Fe, 46026 Valencia, Spain; (P.G.); (V.S.); (Y.Y.); (J.F.d.M.); (V.C.)
| | - Pablo Berlanga
- Department of Child and Adolescent Cancer, Institute Gustave Roussy, 114 Rue Edouard Vaillant, 94805 Villejuif, France;
| | - Vanessa Segura
- Clinical and Translational Oncology Research Group, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria La Fe, 46026 Valencia, Spain; (P.G.); (V.S.); (Y.Y.); (J.F.d.M.); (V.C.)
| | - Yania Yáñez
- Clinical and Translational Oncology Research Group, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria La Fe, 46026 Valencia, Spain; (P.G.); (V.S.); (Y.Y.); (J.F.d.M.); (V.C.)
| | - Bárbara Juan
- Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Valencia, Av. Blasco Ibáñez 15, 46010 Valencia, Spain;
| | - Marta Salom
- Paediatric Orthopedic Surgery, Hospital U i P La Fe, 46026 Valencia, Spain;
| | | | - Jaime Font de Mora
- Clinical and Translational Oncology Research Group, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria La Fe, 46026 Valencia, Spain; (P.G.); (V.S.); (Y.Y.); (J.F.d.M.); (V.C.)
| | - Victoria Castel
- Clinical and Translational Oncology Research Group, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria La Fe, 46026 Valencia, Spain; (P.G.); (V.S.); (Y.Y.); (J.F.d.M.); (V.C.)
| | - Adela Cañete
- Paediatric Oncology and Hematology Unit, Hospital U I P La Fe, Av. Fernando Abril Martorell, 106, 46026 Valencia, Spain;
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21
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Olivas-Aguirre M, Torres-López L, Pottosin I, Dobrovinskaya O. Overcoming Glucocorticoid Resistance in Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia: Repurposed Drugs Can Improve the Protocol. Front Oncol 2021; 11:617937. [PMID: 33777761 PMCID: PMC7991804 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2021.617937] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2020] [Accepted: 02/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Glucocorticoids (GCs) are a central component of multi-drug treatment protocols against T and B acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), which are used intensively during the remission induction to rapidly eliminate the leukemic blasts. The primary response to GCs predicts the overall response to treatment and clinical outcome. In this review, we have critically analyzed the available data on the effects of GCs on sensitive and resistant leukemic cells, in order to reveal the mechanisms of GC resistance and how these mechanisms may determine a poor outcome in ALL. Apart of the GC resistance, associated with a decreased expression of receptors to GCs, there are several additional mechanisms, triggered by alterations of different signaling pathways, which cause the metabolic reprogramming, with an enhanced level of glycolysis and oxidative phosphorylation, apoptosis resistance, and multidrug resistance. Due to all this, the GC-resistant ALL show a poor sensitivity to conventional chemotherapeutic protocols. We propose pharmacological strategies that can trigger alternative intracellular pathways to revert or overcome GC resistance. Specifically, we focused our search on drugs, which are already approved for treatment of other diseases and demonstrated anti-ALL effects in experimental pre-clinical models. Among them are some “truly” re-purposed drugs, which have different targets in ALL as compared to other diseases: cannabidiol, which targets mitochondria and causes the mitochondrial permeability transition-driven necrosis, tamoxifen, which induces autophagy and cell death, and reverts GC resistance through the mechanisms independent of nuclear estrogen receptors (“off-target effects”), antibiotic tigecycline, which inhibits mitochondrial respiration, causing energy crisis and cell death, and some anthelmintic drugs. Additionally, we have listed compounds that show a classical mechanism of action in ALL but are not used still in treatment protocols: the BH3 mimetic venetoclax, which inhibits the anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2, the hypomethylating agent 5-azacytidine, which restores the expression of the pro-apoptotic BIM, and compounds targeting the PI3K-Akt-mTOR axis. Accordingly, these drugs may be considered for the inclusion into chemotherapeutic protocols for GC-resistant ALL treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miguel Olivas-Aguirre
- Laboratory of Immunobiology and Ionic Transport Regulation, University Center for Biomedical Research, University of Colima, Colima, Mexico
| | - Liliana Torres-López
- Laboratory of Immunobiology and Ionic Transport Regulation, University Center for Biomedical Research, University of Colima, Colima, Mexico
| | - Igor Pottosin
- Laboratory of Immunobiology and Ionic Transport Regulation, University Center for Biomedical Research, University of Colima, Colima, Mexico
| | - Oxana Dobrovinskaya
- Laboratory of Immunobiology and Ionic Transport Regulation, University Center for Biomedical Research, University of Colima, Colima, Mexico
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22
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Elmore LW, Greer SF, Daniels EC, Saxe CC, Melner MH, Krawiec GM, Cance WG, Phelps WC. Blueprint for cancer research: Critical gaps and opportunities. CA Cancer J Clin 2021; 71:107-139. [PMID: 33326126 DOI: 10.3322/caac.21652] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2020] [Revised: 10/15/2020] [Accepted: 10/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
We are experiencing a revolution in cancer. Advances in screening, targeted and immune therapies, big data, computational methodologies, and significant new knowledge of cancer biology are transforming the ways in which we prevent, detect, diagnose, treat, and survive cancer. These advances are enabling durable progress in the goal to achieve personalized cancer care. Despite these gains, more work is needed to develop better tools and strategies to limit cancer as a major health concern. One persistent gap is the inconsistent coordination among researchers and caregivers to implement evidence-based programs that rely on a fuller understanding of the molecular, cellular, and systems biology mechanisms underpinning different types of cancer. Here, the authors integrate conversations with over 90 leading cancer experts to highlight current challenges, encourage a robust and diverse national research portfolio, and capture timely opportunities to advance evidence-based approaches for all patients with cancer and for all communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lynne W Elmore
- Office of the Chief Medical and Scientific Officer, American Cancer Society, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Susanna F Greer
- Office of the Chief Medical and Scientific Officer, American Cancer Society, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Elvan C Daniels
- Office of the Chief Medical and Scientific Officer, American Cancer Society, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Charles C Saxe
- Office of the Chief Medical and Scientific Officer, American Cancer Society, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Michael H Melner
- Office of the Chief Medical and Scientific Officer, American Cancer Society, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Ginger M Krawiec
- Office of the Chief Medical and Scientific Officer, American Cancer Society, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - William G Cance
- Office of the Chief Medical and Scientific Officer, American Cancer Society, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - William C Phelps
- Office of the Chief Medical and Scientific Officer, American Cancer Society, Atlanta, Georgia
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23
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Jin Y, Lyu Q. Basic research in childhood cancer: Progress and future directions in China. Cancer Lett 2020; 495:156-164. [PMID: 32841714 DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2020.08.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2020] [Revised: 08/04/2020] [Accepted: 08/13/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Childhood cancer is a leading cause of death in children. Some childhood cancers have a particularly high mortality rate. Following the World Health Organization's emphasis on child health, most governments worldwide have taken measures to facilitate childhood cancer research. Thus, the scientific community is showing increasing interest in this area. Chinese government has prominence in building a system for the diagnosis and treatment of childhood cancer, thereby promoting the development of childhood cancer research. This review summarizes the research progress, challenges, and perspectives in childhood cancer, and the increasing contributions of National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) in the past decade (2008-2018).
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Affiliation(s)
- Yaqiong Jin
- Department of Health Sciences, National Natural Science Foundation of China, Beijing, 100085, China; Beijing Pediatric Research Institute, Beijing Children's Hospital, Capital Medical University, National Center for Children's Health, Beijing, 100045, China
| | - Qunyan Lyu
- Department of Health Sciences, National Natural Science Foundation of China, Beijing, 100085, China.
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24
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Kraft IL, Godley LA. Identifying potential germline variants from sequencing hematopoietic malignancies. HEMATOLOGY. AMERICAN SOCIETY OF HEMATOLOGY. EDUCATION PROGRAM 2020; 2020:219-227. [PMID: 33275754 PMCID: PMC7727528 DOI: 10.1182/hematology.2020006910] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
Next-generation sequencing (NGS) of bone marrow and peripheral blood increasingly guides clinical care in hematological malignancies. NGS data may help to identify single nucleotide variants, insertions/deletions, copy number variations, and translocations at a single time point, and repeated NGS testing allows tracking of dynamic changes in variants during the course of a patient's disease. Tumor cells used for NGS may contain germline, somatic, and clonal hematopoietic DNA alterations, and distinguishing the etiology of a variant may be challenging. We describe an approach using patient history, individual variant characteristics, and sequential NGS assays to identify potential germline variants. Our current criteria for identifying an individual likely to have a deleterious germline variant include a strong family history or multiple cancers in a single patient, diagnosis of a hematopoietic malignancy at a younger age than seen in the general population, variant allele frequency > 0.3 of a deleterious allele in a known germline predisposition gene, and variant persistence identified on clinical NGS panels, despite a change in disease state. Sequential molecular testing of hematopoietic specimens may provide insight into disease pathology, impact patient and family members' care, and potentially identify new cancer-predisposing risk alleles. Ideally, individuals should give consent at the time of NGS testing to receive information about potential germline variants and to allow future contact as research advances.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ira L. Kraft
- Section of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine and The University of Chicago Comprehensive Cancer Center and
| | - Lucy A. Godley
- Section of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine and The University of Chicago Comprehensive Cancer Center and
- Department of Human Genetics, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL
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25
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Dixon SB, Chow EJ, Hjorth L, Hudson MM, Kremer LCM, Morton LM, Nathan PC, Ness KK, Oeffinger KC, Armstrong GT. The Future of Childhood Cancer Survivorship: Challenges and Opportunities for Continued Progress. Pediatr Clin North Am 2020; 67:1237-1251. [PMID: 33131544 PMCID: PMC7773506 DOI: 10.1016/j.pcl.2020.07.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
As treatment evolves and the population who survive childhood cancer ages and increases in number, researchers must use novel approaches to prevent, identify and mitigate adverse effects of treatment. Future priorities include collaborative efforts to pool large cohort data to improve detection of late effects, identify late effects of novel therapies, and determine the contribution of genetic factors along with physiologic and accelerated aging among survivors. This knowledge should translate to individual risk prediction and prevention strategies. Finally, we must utilize health services research and implementation science to improve adoption of survivorship care recommendations outside of specialized pediatric oncology centers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie B Dixon
- Department of Oncology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, MS 735, 262 Danny Thomas Place, Memphis, TN 38105, USA.
| | - Eric J Chow
- Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, University of Washington, 1100 Fairview Avenue North, M4-C308, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - Lars Hjorth
- Department of Paediatrics, Skane University Hospital, Lund, Sweden; Clinical Sciences Lund, Lund University, Lund 221 85, Sweden
| | - Melissa M Hudson
- Division of Cancer Survivorship, Department of Oncology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, MS 735, 262 Danny Thomas Place, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Leontien C M Kremer
- Princess Maxima Center, Heidelberglaan 25, Utrecht 3584 CS, Netherlands; Emma Children's Hospital, Amsterdam UMC, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Lindsay M Morton
- Radiation Epidemiology Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, Department of Health and Human Services, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, 9609 Medical Center Drive, MSC 9778, Bethesda, MD 20892-9778, USA
| | - Paul C Nathan
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, The Hospital for Sick Children, 555 University Avenue, Room 9402 Black Wing, Toronto, ON M5G 1X8, Canada
| | - Kirsten K Ness
- Department of Epidemiology and Cancer Control, St. Jude. Children's Research Hospital, MS 735, 262 Danny Thomas Place, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Kevin C Oeffinger
- Duke Center for Onco-Primary Care, Duke Cancer Institute, 2424 Erwin Drive, Suite 601, Durham, NC 27705, USA
| | - Gregory T Armstrong
- Department of Epidemiology and Cancer Control, St. Jude. Children's Research Hospital, MS 735, 262 Danny Thomas Place, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
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26
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Hadjadj D, Deshmukh S, Jabado N. Entering the era of precision medicine in pediatric oncology. Nat Med 2020; 26:1684-1685. [DOI: 10.1038/s41591-020-1119-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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27
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Noguera R, Álvaro Naranjo T. Potential Molecular Players of the Tumor Microenvironment in Extracranial Pediatric Solid Tumors. Cancers (Basel) 2020; 12:cancers12102905. [PMID: 33050312 PMCID: PMC7600141 DOI: 10.3390/cancers12102905] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2020] [Accepted: 10/06/2020] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Rosa Noguera
- Department of Pathology, Medical School, University of Valencia–INCLIVA Biomedical Health Research Institute, 46010 Valencia, Spain;
- Low Prevalence Tumors, Center for Biomedical Research in Cancer Network (CIBERONC), Carlos III Health Institute, 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - Tomás Álvaro Naranjo
- Low Prevalence Tumors, Center for Biomedical Research in Cancer Network (CIBERONC), Carlos III Health Institute, 28029 Madrid, Spain
- Department of Pathology, Verge de la Cinta Hospital of Tortosa, Catalan Institute of Health, Institut d’Investigació Sanitària Pere Virgili (IISPV), 43500 Tortosa, Spain
- Department of Morphological Science, Medical School, Rovira i Virgili University, 43201 Reus, Spain
- Correspondence:
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28
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Pearson ADJ, Karres D, Reaman G, DuBois SG, Knox L, Scobie N, Vassal G. The RACE to accelerate drug development for children with cancer. THE LANCET. CHILD & ADOLESCENT HEALTH 2020; 4:714-716. [PMID: 32822672 DOI: 10.1016/s2352-4642(20)30247-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2020] [Accepted: 07/21/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Dominik Karres
- Paediatric Medicines Office, Scientific Evidence Generation Department, Human Medicines Division, European Medicines Agency, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | | | - Steven G DuBois
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | - Nicole Scobie
- Zoé4life, Sullens, Switzerland; Childhood Cancer International, Europe
| | - Gilles Vassal
- ACCELERATE, Europe; Gustave Roussy Cancer Centre, Villejuif, France
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29
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The Epigenetic Progenitor Origin of Cancer Reassessed: DNA Methylation Brings Balance to the Stem Force. EPIGENOMES 2020; 4:epigenomes4020008. [PMID: 34968242 PMCID: PMC8594692 DOI: 10.3390/epigenomes4020008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2020] [Revised: 05/21/2020] [Accepted: 05/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer initiation and progression toward malignant stages occur as the results of accumulating genetic alterations and epigenetic dysregulation. During the last decade, the development of next generation sequencing (NGS) technologies and the increasing pan-genomic knowledge have revolutionized how we consider the evolving epigenetic landscapes during homeostasis and tumor progression. DNA methylation represents the best studied mark and is considered as a common mechanism of epigenetic regulation in normal homeostasis and cancer. A remarkable amount of work has recently started clarifying the central role played by DNA methylation dynamics on the maintenance of cell identity and on cell fate decisions during the different steps of normal development and tumor evolution. Importantly, a growing number of studies show that DNA methylation is key in the maintenance of adult stemness and in orchestrating commitment in multiple ways. Perturbations of the normal DNA methylation patterns impair the homeostatic balance and can lead to tumor initiation. Therefore, DNA methylation represents an interesting therapeutic target to recover homeostasis in tumor stem cells.
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30
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Chow EJ, Ness KK, Armstrong GT, Bhakta N, Yeh JM, Bhatia S, Landier W, Constine LS, Hudson MM, Nathan PC. Current and coming challenges in the management of the survivorship population. Semin Oncol 2020; 47:23-39. [PMID: 32197774 PMCID: PMC7227387 DOI: 10.1053/j.seminoncol.2020.02.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2019] [Revised: 02/11/2020] [Accepted: 02/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
With the widespread adoption of multimodality treatment, 5-year survival of children diagnosed with cancer has improved dramatically in the past several decades from approximately 60% in 1970 to greater than 85% currently. As a result, there are an estimated nearly half a million long-term survivors of childhood cancer living in the United States today. However, survivors have, on average, significantly greater serious medical and psychosocial late effects compared with the general population. In this review, we will discuss the current epidemiology of childhood cancer survivorship, including new methods to estimate the burden of late effects and genetic susceptibility toward late effects. We will also review the development of surveillance guidelines for childhood cancer survivors and early toxicity signals from novel agents now being tested and used increasingly to treat pediatric and adult cancers. We conclude with an overview of current models of survivorship care and areas for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric J Chow
- Division of Clinical Research and Public Health Sciences, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, Washington; Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington.
| | - Kirsten K Ness
- Department of Epidemiology and Cancer Control, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee
| | - Gregory T Armstrong
- Department of Epidemiology and Cancer Control, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee
| | - Nickhill Bhakta
- Department of Global Pediatric Medicine, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee; Department of Oncology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee
| | - Jennifer M Yeh
- Division of General Pediatrics, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Smita Bhatia
- Institute for Cancer Outcomes and Survivorship, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama
| | - Wendy Landier
- Institute for Cancer Outcomes and Survivorship, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama
| | - Louis S Constine
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, New York
| | - Melissa M Hudson
- Department of Epidemiology and Cancer Control, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee; Department of Oncology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee
| | - Paul C Nathan
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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31
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Printz C. Precision medicine for pediatric cancers lags behind that for adult cancers. Cancer 2020; 126:239-240. [DOI: 10.1002/cncr.32685] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
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32
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Evans WE, Pui CH, Yang JJ. The Promise and the Reality of Genomics to Guide Precision Medicine in Pediatric Oncology: The Decade Ahead. Clin Pharmacol Ther 2020; 107:176-180. [PMID: 31563145 PMCID: PMC6925646 DOI: 10.1002/cpt.1660] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2019] [Accepted: 07/01/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Much has been written about the promise of "precision medicine," especially in oncology, where somatic mutations can influence the response of cancer cells to "targeted therapy." There have been successful examples of targeted therapy improving the outcome of some childhood cancers, such as the addition of an ABL class tyrosine kinase inhibitor to conventional chemotherapy substantially improving the cure rate for patients with BCR-ABL1 positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Although there are other mutations serving as putative targets in various childhood leukemias and solid tumors, effective targeted therapy has yet to be established for them in prospective clinical trials. There are also uncertainties about which "targeted therapy" to use when patients have multiple targetable genomic lesions in their cancer cells, given the paucity of data upon which to develop evidence-based guidelines for selecting and integrating targeted agents for individual patients. There are also multiple examples of inherited germline variants for which evidence-based guidelines have been developed by the Clinical Pharmacogenetics Implementation Consortium to guide the selection and dosing of medications in children with cancer. Clinical pharmacology is poised to play a critical role in both the discovery and development of new targeted anticancer agents and their evidence-based translation into better treatment for children with cancer. To embrace these challenges and opportunities of "precision medicine," clinical and basic pharmacologists must expand the depth of our science and the bandwidth of our translational capacity if we are to optimize precision medicine and advance the treatment of cancer in children and adults.
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Affiliation(s)
- William E Evans
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee, USA
- Hematological Malignancies Program, Comprehensive Cancer Center, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee, USA
| | - Ching-Hon Pui
- Hematological Malignancies Program, Comprehensive Cancer Center, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee, USA
- Department of Oncology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee, USA
| | - Jun J Yang
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee, USA
- Hematological Malignancies Program, Comprehensive Cancer Center, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee, USA
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33
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Jones DTW, Banito A, Grünewald TGP, Haber M, Jäger N, Kool M, Milde T, Molenaar JJ, Nabbi A, Pugh TJ, Schleiermacher G, Smith MA, Westermann F, Pfister SM. Molecular characteristics and therapeutic vulnerabilities across paediatric solid tumours. Nat Rev Cancer 2019; 19:420-438. [PMID: 31300807 DOI: 10.1038/s41568-019-0169-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 87] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/12/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
The spectrum of tumours arising in childhood is fundamentally different from that seen in adults, and they are known to be divergent from adult malignancies in terms of cellular origins, epidemiology, genetic complexity, driver mutations and underlying mutational processes. Despite the immense knowledge generated through sequencing efforts and functional characterization of identified (epi-)genetic alterations over the past decade, the clinical implications of this knowledge have so far been limited. Novel preclinical platforms such as the European Innovative Therapies for Children with Cancer-Paediatric Preclinical Proof-of-Concept Platform and the US-based Pediatric Preclinical Testing Consortium are being developed to try to change this by aiming to recapitulate the extensive heterogeneity of paediatric tumours and thereby, hopefully, improve the ability to predict clinical benefit. Numerous studies have also been established worldwide to provide patients with access to real-time molecular profiling and the possibility of more precise mechanism-of-action-based treatments. In addition to tumour-intrinsic findings and mechanisms, ongoing studies are investigating features such as the immune microenvironment of paediatric tumours in comparison with adult cancers - currently of very timely clinical relevance. However, there is an ongoing need for rigorous preclinical biomarker and target validation to feed into the next generation of molecularly stratified clinical trials. This Review aims to provide a comprehensive state-of-the-art overview of the molecular landscape of paediatric solid tumours, including their underlying genomic alterations and interactions with the microenvironment, complemented with our current understanding of potential therapeutic vulnerabilities and how these can be preclinically tested using more accurate predictive methods. Finally, we provide an outlook on the challenges and opportunities associated with translating this overwhelming scientific progress into real clinical benefit.
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Affiliation(s)
- David T W Jones
- Hopp Children's Cancer Center Heidelberg (KiTZ), Heidelberg, Germany
- Pediatric Glioma Research Group, German Cancer Consortium (DKTK) and German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Ana Banito
- Hopp Children's Cancer Center Heidelberg (KiTZ), Heidelberg, Germany
- Pediatric Soft Tissue Sarcoma Research Group, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Thomas G P Grünewald
- Max-Eder Research Group for Pediatric Sarcoma Biology, Institute of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner Site Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Michelle Haber
- Children's Cancer Institute, Lowy Cancer Research Centre, UNSW Australia, Randwick, NSW, Australia
- School of Women's & Children's Health, UNSW Australia, Randwick, NSW, Australia
| | - Natalie Jäger
- Hopp Children's Cancer Center Heidelberg (KiTZ), Heidelberg, Germany
- Division of Pediatric Neurooncology, German Cancer Consortium (DKTK) and German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Marcel Kool
- Hopp Children's Cancer Center Heidelberg (KiTZ), Heidelberg, Germany
- Division of Pediatric Neurooncology, German Cancer Consortium (DKTK) and German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Till Milde
- Hopp Children's Cancer Center Heidelberg (KiTZ), Heidelberg, Germany
- Clinical Cooperation Unit Pediatric Oncology, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) and German Consortium for Translational Cancer Research (DKTK), Heidelberg, Germany
- KiTZ Clinical Trial Unit (ZIPO), Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Jan J Molenaar
- Princess Maxima Center for Pediatric Cancer, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Arash Nabbi
- Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Trevor J Pugh
- Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Ontario Institute for Cancer Research, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Gudrun Schleiermacher
- SIREDO Oncology Center (Care, Innovation and Research for Children and AYA with Cancer), Institut Curie, Paris, France
- INSERM U830, Laboratoire de Génétique et Biologie des Cancers, Research Center, Institut Curie, Paris, France
| | - Malcolm A Smith
- Cancer Therapy Evaluation Program, National Cancer Institute, Rockville, MD, USA
| | - Frank Westermann
- Hopp Children's Cancer Center Heidelberg (KiTZ), Heidelberg, Germany
- Division of Neuroblastoma Genomics, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Stefan M Pfister
- Hopp Children's Cancer Center Heidelberg (KiTZ), Heidelberg, Germany.
- Division of Pediatric Neurooncology, German Cancer Consortium (DKTK) and German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany.
- KiTZ Clinical Trial Unit (ZIPO), Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany.
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34
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Sweet-Cordero EA, Biegel JA. The genomic landscape of pediatric cancers: Implications for diagnosis and treatment. Science 2019; 363:1170-1175. [PMID: 30872516 PMCID: PMC7757338 DOI: 10.1126/science.aaw3535] [Citation(s) in RCA: 127] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The past decade has witnessed a major increase in our understanding of the genetic underpinnings of childhood cancer. Genomic sequencing studies have highlighted key differences between pediatric and adult cancers. Whereas many adult cancers are characterized by a high number of somatic mutations, pediatric cancers typically have few somatic mutations but a higher prevalence of germline alterations in cancer predisposition genes. Also noteworthy is the remarkable heterogeneity in the types of genetic alterations that likely drive the growth of pediatric cancers, including copy number alterations, gene fusions, enhancer hijacking events, and chromoplexy. Because most studies have genetically profiled pediatric cancers only at diagnosis, the mechanisms underlying tumor progression, therapy resistance, and metastasis remain poorly understood. We discuss evidence that points to a need for more integrative approaches aimed at identifying driver events in pediatric cancers at both diagnosis and relapse. We also provide an overview of key aspects of germline predisposition for cancer in this age group.
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Affiliation(s)
- E Alejandro Sweet-Cordero
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Hematology and Oncology, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA.
| | - Jaclyn A Biegel
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Children's Hospital of Los Angeles, and Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90027, USA.
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