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Shigematsu H, Fukui K, Kanou A, Fujimoto M, Suzuki K, Ikejiri H, Amioka A, Hiraoka E, Sasada S, Emi A, Arihiro K, Okada M. A nomogram to predict the pathological complete response in patients with breast cancer based on the TILs-US score. Jpn J Clin Oncol 2024:hyae076. [PMID: 38864243 DOI: 10.1093/jjco/hyae076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2024] [Accepted: 05/29/2024] [Indexed: 06/13/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes-ultrasonography score is a calculation system for predicting lymphocyte-predominant breast cancers in surgical specimens. A nomogram based on the tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes-ultrasonography score was developed to predict the pathological complete response in breast cancer treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy. METHODS A retrospective evaluation was conducted on 118 patients with breast cancer treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy at Hiroshima University Hospital. Tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes-ultrasonography scores ≥4 were classified as high. A nomogram was developed using a stepwise logistic regression model for pathological complete response (ypT0 ypN0), based on the smallest Akaike information criterion. The predictive ability and clinical usefulness of the nomogram were also evaluated. RESULTS Among 118 patients, 34 (28.8%) achieved a pathological complete response, and 52 (44.1%) exhibited high tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes-ultrasonography. In multivariate logistic regression analysis, high tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes-ultrasonography (odds ratio, 6.01; P < 0.001), clinical complete response (odds ratio, 4.83; P = 0.004) and hormone receptor (odds ratio, 3.48; P = 0.038) were independent predictors of pathological complete response. A nomogram based on tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes-ultrasonography score, clinical complete response, hormone receptor and clinical N status was developed. The nomogram showed an area under the curve of 0.831 and a bias-corrected area under the curve of 0.809. The calibration plot showed a good fit between the expected and actual pathological complete response values. Decision curve analysis also showed the clinical utility of the nomogram for predicting pathological complete responses. CONCLUSIONS A nomogram based on the tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes-ultrasonography score exhibited a favorable predictive ability for pathological complete response in patients with breast cancer, which can be useful in predicting the residual disease status after neoadjuvant chemotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hideo Shigematsu
- Department of Surgical Oncology, Research Institute for Radiation Biology and Medicine, Hiroshima University, 1-2-3-Kasumi, Minami-ku, Hiroshima, 734-8551, Japan
| | - Kayo Fukui
- Division of Laboratory Medicine, Hiroshima University Hospital, 1-2-3-Kasumi, Minami-ku, Hiroshima, 734-8551, Japan
| | - Akiko Kanou
- Division of Laboratory Medicine, Hiroshima University Hospital, 1-2-3-Kasumi, Minami-ku, Hiroshima, 734-8551, Japan
| | - Mutsumi Fujimoto
- Department of Surgical Oncology, Research Institute for Radiation Biology and Medicine, Hiroshima University, 1-2-3-Kasumi, Minami-ku, Hiroshima, 734-8551, Japan
| | - Kanako Suzuki
- Department of Surgical Oncology, Research Institute for Radiation Biology and Medicine, Hiroshima University, 1-2-3-Kasumi, Minami-ku, Hiroshima, 734-8551, Japan
| | - Haruka Ikejiri
- Department of Surgical Oncology, Research Institute for Radiation Biology and Medicine, Hiroshima University, 1-2-3-Kasumi, Minami-ku, Hiroshima, 734-8551, Japan
| | - Ai Amioka
- Department of Surgical Oncology, Research Institute for Radiation Biology and Medicine, Hiroshima University, 1-2-3-Kasumi, Minami-ku, Hiroshima, 734-8551, Japan
| | - Emiko Hiraoka
- Department of Surgical Oncology, Research Institute for Radiation Biology and Medicine, Hiroshima University, 1-2-3-Kasumi, Minami-ku, Hiroshima, 734-8551, Japan
| | - Shinsuke Sasada
- Department of Surgical Oncology, Research Institute for Radiation Biology and Medicine, Hiroshima University, 1-2-3-Kasumi, Minami-ku, Hiroshima, 734-8551, Japan
| | - Akiko Emi
- Department of Breast Surgery, Hiroshima City North Medical Center, Asa Citizens Hospital, 1-2-1-Kameyamaminami Asakita-ku, Hiroshima, 731-0293, Japan
| | - Koji Arihiro
- Department of Anatomical Pathology, Hiroshima University Hospital, 1-2-3-Kasumi, Minami-ku, Hiroshima, 734-8551, Japan
| | - Morihito Okada
- Department of Surgical Oncology, Research Institute for Radiation Biology and Medicine, Hiroshima University, 1-2-3-Kasumi, Minami-ku, Hiroshima, 734-8551, Japan
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Çetin K, Kökten Ş, Sarıkamış B, Yıldırım S, Gökçe ON, Barışık NÖ, Kılıç Ü. The association of PD-L1 expression and CD8-positive T cell infiltration rate with the pathological complete response after neoadjuvant treatment in HER2-positive breast cancer. Breast Cancer Res Treat 2024; 205:17-27. [PMID: 38273215 PMCID: PMC11062965 DOI: 10.1007/s10549-023-07242-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2023] [Accepted: 12/26/2023] [Indexed: 01/27/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE Achieving a pathological complete response (pCR) after neoadjuvant therapy in HER2-positive breast cancer patients is the most significant prognostic indicator, suggesting a low risk of recurrence and a survival advantage. This study aims to investigate clinicopathological parameters that can predict the response to neoadjuvant treatment in HER2 + breast cancers and to explore the roles of tumour-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs), CD8 + T lymphocytes and PD-L1 expression. METHODS This single-centre retrospective study was conducted with 85 HER2-positive breast cancer patients who underwent surgery after receiving neoadjuvant therapy between January 2017 and January 2020. Paraffin blocks from these patients were selected for immunohistochemical studies. RESULTS A complete pathological response to neoadjuvant treatment was determined in 39 (45.9%) patients. High Ki-67 index (> 30%), moderate to high TIL infiltration, PD-L1 positivity and high CD8 cell count (≥ 25) were significantly associated with pCR in univariate analyses (p: 0.023, 0.025, 0.017 and 0.003, respectively). Multivariate regression analysis identified high Ki-67 index (> 30%) and CD8 cell infiltration as independent predictors for pCR in HER2-positive breast cancer. CONCLUSIONS High Ki-67 index, and high CD8 cell count are strong predictors for pCR in HER2-positive breast cancer. Tumours with high Ki-67 index, high TILs and CD8 infiltration may represent a subgroup where standard therapies are adequate. Conversely, those with low TILs and CD8 infiltration may identify a subgroup where use of novel strategies, including those that increase CD8 infiltration could be applied.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kenan Çetin
- Department of General Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University, Çanakkale, Turkey.
| | - Şermin Kökten
- Department of Pathology, University of Health Sciences, Kartal Dr. Lutfi Kırdar Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Bahar Sarıkamış
- Department of Medical Biology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Health Sciences, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Sedat Yıldırım
- Department of Medical Oncology, University of Health Sciences, Kartal Dr. Lutfi Kırdar Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Oruç Numan Gökçe
- Department of General Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University, Çanakkale, Turkey
| | - Nagehan Özdemir Barışık
- Department of Pathology, University of Health Sciences, Kartal Dr. Lutfi Kırdar Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Ülkan Kılıç
- Department of Medical Biology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Health Sciences, Istanbul, Turkey
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3
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Jahangir CA, Page DB, Broeckx G, Gonzalez CA, Burke C, Murphy C, Reis-Filho JS, Ly A, Harms PW, Gupta RR, Vieth M, Hida AI, Kahila M, Kos Z, van Diest PJ, Verbandt S, Thagaard J, Khiroya R, Abduljabbar K, Acosta Haab G, Acs B, Adams S, Almeida JS, Alvarado-Cabrero I, Azmoudeh-Ardalan F, Badve S, Baharun NB, Bellolio ER, Bheemaraju V, Blenman KR, Botinelly Mendonça Fujimoto L, Burgues O, Chardas A, Cheang MCU, Ciompi F, Cooper LA, Coosemans A, Corredor G, Dantas Portela FL, Deman F, Demaria S, Dudgeon SN, Elghazawy M, Fernandez-Martín C, Fineberg S, Fox SB, Giltnane JM, Gnjatic S, Gonzalez-Ericsson PI, Grigoriadis A, Halama N, Hanna MG, Harbhajanka A, Hart SN, Hartman J, Hewitt S, Horlings HM, Husain Z, Irshad S, Janssen EA, Kataoka TR, Kawaguchi K, Khramtsov AI, Kiraz U, Kirtani P, Kodach LL, Korski K, Akturk G, Scott E, Kovács A, Laenkholm AV, Lang-Schwarz C, Larsimont D, Lennerz JK, Lerousseau M, Li X, Madabhushi A, Maley SK, Manur Narasimhamurthy V, Marks DK, McDonald ES, Mehrotra R, Michiels S, Kharidehal D, Minhas FUAA, Mittal S, Moore DA, Mushtaq S, Nighat H, Papathomas T, Penault-Llorca F, Perera RD, Pinard CJ, Pinto-Cardenas JC, Pruneri G, Pusztai L, Rajpoot NM, Rapoport BL, Rau TT, Ribeiro JM, Rimm D, Vincent-Salomon A, Saltz J, Sayed S, Hytopoulos E, Mahon S, Siziopikou KP, Sotiriou C, Stenzinger A, Sughayer MA, Sur D, Symmans F, Tanaka S, Taxter T, Tejpar S, Teuwen J, Thompson EA, Tramm T, Tran WT, van der Laak J, Verghese GE, Viale G, Wahab N, Walter T, Waumans Y, Wen HY, Yang W, Yuan Y, Bartlett J, Loibl S, Denkert C, Savas P, Loi S, Specht Stovgaard E, Salgado R, Gallagher WM, Rahman A. Image-based multiplex immune profiling of cancer tissues: translational implications. A report of the International Immuno-oncology Biomarker Working Group on Breast Cancer. J Pathol 2024; 262:271-288. [PMID: 38230434 DOI: 10.1002/path.6238] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2023] [Accepted: 11/17/2023] [Indexed: 01/18/2024]
Abstract
Recent advances in the field of immuno-oncology have brought transformative changes in the management of cancer patients. The immune profile of tumours has been found to have key value in predicting disease prognosis and treatment response in various cancers. Multiplex immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence have emerged as potent tools for the simultaneous detection of multiple protein biomarkers in a single tissue section, thereby expanding opportunities for molecular and immune profiling while preserving tissue samples. By establishing the phenotype of individual tumour cells when distributed within a mixed cell population, the identification of clinically relevant biomarkers with high-throughput multiplex immunophenotyping of tumour samples has great potential to guide appropriate treatment choices. Moreover, the emergence of novel multi-marker imaging approaches can now provide unprecedented insights into the tumour microenvironment, including the potential interplay between various cell types. However, there are significant challenges to widespread integration of these technologies in daily research and clinical practice. This review addresses the challenges and potential solutions within a structured framework of action from a regulatory and clinical trial perspective. New developments within the field of immunophenotyping using multiplexed tissue imaging platforms and associated digital pathology are also described, with a specific focus on translational implications across different subtypes of cancer. © 2024 The Authors. The Journal of Pathology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of The Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chowdhury Arif Jahangir
- UCD School of Biomolecular and Biomedical Science, UCD Conway Institute, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - David B Page
- Earle A Chiles Research Institute, Providence Cancer Institute, Portland, OR, USA
| | - Glenn Broeckx
- Department of Pathology PA2, GZA-ZNA Hospitals, Antwerp, Belgium
- Centre for Oncological Research (CORE), MIPPRO, Faculty of Medicine, Antwerp University, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Claudia A Gonzalez
- UCD School of Biomolecular and Biomedical Science, UCD Conway Institute, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Caoimbhe Burke
- UCD School of Biomolecular and Biomedical Science, UCD Conway Institute, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Clodagh Murphy
- UCD School of Biomolecular and Biomedical Science, UCD Conway Institute, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Jorge S Reis-Filho
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Amy Ly
- Department of Pathology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Paul W Harms
- Departments of Pathology and Dermatology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Rajarsi R Gupta
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA
| | - Michael Vieth
- Institute of Pathology, Klinikum Bayreuth GmbH, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nuremberg, Bayreuth, Germany
| | - Akira I Hida
- Department of Pathology, Matsuyama Shimin Hospital, Matsuyama, Japan
| | - Mohamed Kahila
- Department of Pathology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Zuzana Kos
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of British Columbia, BC Cancer, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Paul J van Diest
- Department of Pathology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
- Johns Hopkins Oncology Center, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Sara Verbandt
- Digestive Oncology, Department of Oncology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Jeppe Thagaard
- Technical University of Denmark, Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
- Visiopharm A/S, Hørsholm, Denmark
| | - Reena Khiroya
- Department of Cellular Pathology, University College Hospital, London, UK
| | - Khalid Abduljabbar
- Centre for Evolution and Cancer, The Institute of Cancer Research, London, UK
| | | | - Balazs Acs
- Department of Oncology and Pathology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Clinical Pathology and Cancer Diagnostics, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Sylvia Adams
- Perlmutter Cancer Center, NYU Langone Health, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Medicine, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, Manhattan, NY, USA
| | - Jonas S Almeida
- Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics (DCEG), National Cancer Institute (NCI), Rockville, MD, USA
| | | | | | - Sunil Badve
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Emory University Winship Cancer Institute, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | | | - Enrique R Bellolio
- Departamento de Anatomía Patológica, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de La Frontera, Temuco, Chile
| | | | - Kim Rm Blenman
- Department of Internal Medicine Section of Medical Oncology and Yale Cancer Center, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
- Department of Computer Science, Yale School of Engineering and Applied Science, New Haven, CT, USA
| | | | - Octavio Burgues
- Pathology Department, Hospital Cliníco Universitario de Valencia/Incliva, Valencia, Spain
| | - Alexandros Chardas
- Department of Pathobiology & Population Sciences, The Royal Veterinary College, London, UK
| | - Maggie Chon U Cheang
- Head of Integrative Genomics Analysis in Clinical Trials, ICR-CTSU, Division of Clinical Studies, The Institute of Cancer Research, London, UK
| | - Francesco Ciompi
- Department of Pathology, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Lee Ad Cooper
- Department of Pathology, Northwestern Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - An Coosemans
- Department of Oncology, Laboratory of Tumor Immunology and Immunotherapy, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Germán Corredor
- Biomedical Engineering Department, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | | | - Frederik Deman
- Department of Pathology PA2, GZA-ZNA Hospitals, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Sandra Demaria
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Pathology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Sarah N Dudgeon
- Computational Biology and Bioinformatics, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Mahmoud Elghazawy
- University of Surrey, Guildford, UK
- Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Claudio Fernandez-Martín
- Instituto Universitario de Investigación en Tecnología Centrada en el Ser Humano, HUMAN-tech, Universitat Politècnica de València, Valencia, Spain
| | - Susan Fineberg
- Montefiore Medical Center and the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Stephen B Fox
- Pathology, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre and Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | | | - Sacha Gnjatic
- Department of Oncological Sciences, Medicine Hem/Onc, and Pathology, Tisch Cancer Institute - Precision Immunology Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | | | - Anita Grigoriadis
- Cancer Bioinformatics, Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine, School of Cancer & Pharmaceutical Sciences, King's College London, London, UK
- The Breast Cancer Now Research Unit, Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine, School of Cancer and Pharmaceutical Sciences, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Niels Halama
- Department of Translational Immunotherapy, German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg, Germany
| | | | | | - Steven N Hart
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
| | - Johan Hartman
- Department of Clinical Pathology and Cancer Diagnostics, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Oncology-Pathology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Stephen Hewitt
- Laboratory of Pathology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Hugo M Horlings
- Division of Pathology, Netherlands Cancer Institute (NKI), Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | | | - Sheeba Irshad
- King's College London & Guys & St Thomas NHS Trust, London, UK
| | - Emiel Am Janssen
- Department of Pathology, Stavanger University Hospital, Stavanger, Norway
- Department of Chemistry, Bioscience and Environmental Technology, University of Stavanger, Stavanger, Norway
| | | | - Kosuke Kawaguchi
- Department of Breast Surgery, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Andrey I Khramtsov
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Umay Kiraz
- Department of Pathology, Stavanger University Hospital, Stavanger, Norway
- Department of Chemistry, Bioscience and Environmental Technology, University of Stavanger, Stavanger, Norway
| | - Pawan Kirtani
- Histopathology, Aakash Healthcare Super Speciality Hospital, New Delhi, India
| | - Liudmila L Kodach
- Department of Pathology, Netherlands Cancer Institute - Antoni van Leeuwenhoek Hospital, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Konstanty Korski
- Data, Analytics and Imaging, Product Development, F. Hoffmann-La Roche AG, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Guray Akturk
- Translational Molecular Biomarkers, Merck & Co., Inc., Kenilworth, NJ, USA
| | - Ely Scott
- Translational Medicine, Bristol Myers Squibb, Princeton, NJ, USA
| | - Anikó Kovács
- Department of Clinical Pathology, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden
- Institute of Biomedicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Anne-Vibeke Laenkholm
- Department of Surgical Pathology, Zealand University Hospital, Roskilde, Denmark
- Department of Surgical Pathology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Corinna Lang-Schwarz
- Institute of Pathology, Klinikum Bayreuth GmbH, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nuremberg, Bayreuth, Germany
| | - Denis Larsimont
- Institut Jules Bordet, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Jochen K Lennerz
- Center for Integrated Diagnostics, Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Marvin Lerousseau
- Centre for Computational Biology (CBIO), Mines Paris, PSL University, Paris, France
- Institut Curie, PSL University, Paris, France
- INSERM U900, Paris, France
| | - Xiaoxian Li
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Anant Madabhushi
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Biomedical Informatics, Pathology, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Sai K Maley
- NRG Oncology/NSABP Foundation, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | | | - Douglas K Marks
- Perlmutter Cancer Center, NYU Langone Health, New York, NY, USA
| | - Elizabeth S McDonald
- Breast Cancer Translational Research Group, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Ravi Mehrotra
- Indian Cancer Genomic Atlas, Pune, India
- Centre for Health, Innovation and Policy Foundation, Noida, India
| | - Stefan Michiels
- Office of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Gustave Roussy, Oncostat U1018, Inserm, University Paris-Saclay, Ligue Contre le Cancer labeled Team, Villejuif, France
| | - Durga Kharidehal
- Department of Pathology, Narayana Medical College and Hospital, Nellore, India
| | - Fayyaz Ul Amir Afsar Minhas
- Tissue Image Analytics Centre, Warwick Cancer Research Centre, PathLAKE Consortium, Department of Computer Science, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK
| | - Shachi Mittal
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - David A Moore
- CRUK Lung Cancer Centre of Excellence, UCL and Cellular Pathology Department, UCLH, London, UK
| | - Shamim Mushtaq
- Department of Biochemistry, Ziauddin University, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Hussain Nighat
- Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Raipur, India
| | - Thomas Papathomas
- Institute of Metabolism and Systems Research, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
- Department of Clinical Pathology, Drammen Sykehus, Vestre Viken HF, Drammen, Norway
| | - Frederique Penault-Llorca
- Service de Pathologie et Biopathologie, Centre Jean PERRIN, INSERM U1240 Imagerie Moléculaire et Stratégies Théranostiques (IMoST), Université Clermont Auvergne, Clermont-Ferrand, France
| | - Rashindrie D Perera
- School of Electrical, Mechanical and Infrastructure Engineering, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Division of Cancer Research, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Christopher J Pinard
- Radiogenomics Laboratory, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Clinical Studies, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Oncology, Lakeshore Animal Health Partners, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada
- Centre for Advancing Responsible and Ethical Artificial Intelligence (CARE-AI), University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada
| | | | - Giancarlo Pruneri
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
- Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Lajos Pusztai
- Yale Cancer Center, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
- Department of Medical Oncology, Yale School of Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | | | - Bernardo Leon Rapoport
- The Medical Oncology Centre of Rosebank, Johannesburg, South Africa
- Department of Immunology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Tilman T Rau
- Institute of Pathology, University Hospital Düsseldorf and Heinrich-Heine-University, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | | | - David Rimm
- Department of Pathology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
- Department of Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Anne Vincent-Salomon
- Department of Diagnostic and Theranostic Medicine, Institut Curie, University Paris-Sciences et Lettres, Paris, France
| | - Joel Saltz
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, Stony Brook Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Shahin Sayed
- Department of Pathology, Aga Khan University, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Evangelos Hytopoulos
- Department of Pathology, Aga Khan University, Nairobi, Kenya
- iRhythm Technologies Inc., San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Sarah Mahon
- Mater Misericordiae University Hospital, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Kalliopi P Siziopikou
- Department of Pathology, Section of Breast Pathology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Christos Sotiriou
- Breast Cancer Translational Research Laboratory J.-C. Heuson, Institut Jules Bordet, Hôpital Universitaire de Bruxelles (H.U.B), Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Brussels, Belgium
- Medical Oncology Department, Institut Jules Bordet, Hôpital Universitaire de Bruxelles (H.U.B), Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Brussels, Belgium
| | - Albrecht Stenzinger
- Institute of Pathology, University Hospital Heidelberg, Centers for Personalized Medicine (ZPM), Heidelberg, Germany
| | | | - Daniel Sur
- Department of Medical Oncology, University of Medicine and Pharmacy "Iuliu Hatieganu", Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Fraser Symmans
- University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | | | | | - Sabine Tejpar
- Digestive Oncology, Department of Oncology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Jonas Teuwen
- AI for Oncology Lab, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | | | - Trine Tramm
- Department of Pathology, Institute of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - William T Tran
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Toronto and Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Toronto, Canada
| | - Jeroen van der Laak
- Head of Integrative Genomics Analysis in Clinical Trials, ICR-CTSU, Division of Clinical Studies, The Institute of Cancer Research, London, UK
| | - Gregory E Verghese
- Cancer Bioinformatics, Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine, School of Cancer & Pharmaceutical Sciences, King's College London, London, UK
- The Breast Cancer Now Research Unit, Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine, School of Cancer and Pharmaceutical Sciences, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Giuseppe Viale
- Department of Pathology, European Institute of Oncology & University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Noorul Wahab
- Tissue Image Analytics Centre, Department of Computer Science, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK
| | - Thomas Walter
- Centre for Computational Biology (CBIO), Mines Paris, PSL University, Paris, France
- Institut Curie, PSL University, Paris, France
- INSERM U900, Paris, France
| | | | - Hannah Y Wen
- Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Wentao Yang
- Fudan Medical University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, PR China
| | - Yinyin Yuan
- Department of Translational Molecular Pathology, Division of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | | | - Sibylle Loibl
- Department of Medicine and Research, German Breast Group, Neu-Isenburg, Germany
| | - Carsten Denkert
- Institut für Pathologie, Philipps-Universität Marburg und Universitätsklinikum Marburg, Marburg, Germany
| | - Peter Savas
- Division of Cancer Research, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- The Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Medical Oncology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Sherene Loi
- Division of Cancer Research, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | | | - Roberto Salgado
- Department of Pathology PA2, GZA-ZNA Hospitals, Antwerp, Belgium
- Division of Cancer Research, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - William M Gallagher
- UCD School of Biomolecular and Biomedical Science, UCD Conway Institute, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Arman Rahman
- UCD School of Medicine, UCD Conway Institute, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
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Gondry O, Caveliers V, Xavier C, Raes L, Vanhoeij M, Verfaillie G, Fontaine C, Glorieus K, De Grève J, Joris S, Luyten I, Zwaenepoel K, Vandenbroucke F, Waelput W, Thyparambil S, Vaneycken I, Cousaert J, Bourgeois S, Devoogdt N, Goethals L, Everaert H, De Geeter F, Lahoutte T, Keyaerts M. Phase II Trial Assessing the Repeatability and Tumor Uptake of [ 68Ga]Ga-HER2 Single-Domain Antibody PET/CT in Patients with Breast Carcinoma. J Nucl Med 2024; 65:178-184. [PMID: 38302159 PMCID: PMC10858381 DOI: 10.2967/jnumed.123.266254] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2023] [Revised: 11/03/2023] [Indexed: 02/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) status is used for decision-making in breast carcinoma treatment. The status is obtained through immunohistochemistry or in situ hybridization. These two methods have the disadvantage of necessitating tissue sampling, which is prone to error due to tumor heterogeneity or interobserver variability. Whole-body imaging might be a solution to map HER2 expression throughout the body. Methods: Twenty patients with locally advanced or metastatic breast carcinoma (5 HER2-positive and 15 HER2-negative patients) were included in this phase II trial to assess the repeatability of uptake quantification and the extended safety of the [68Ga]Ga-NOTA-anti-HER2 single-domain antibody (sdAb). The tracer was injected, followed by a PET/CT scan at 90 min. Within 8 d, the procedure was repeated. Blood samples were taken for antidrug antibody (ADA) assessment and liquid biopsies. On available tissues, immunohistochemistry, in situ hybridization, and mass spectrometry were performed to determine the correlation of HER2 status with uptake values measured on PET. If relevant preexisting [18F]FDG PET/CT images were available (performed as standard of care), a comparison was made. Results: With a repeatability coefficient of 21.8%, this imaging technique was repeatable. No clear correlation between PET/CT uptake values and pathology could be established, as even patients with low levels of HER2 expression showed moderate to high uptake. Comparison with [18F]FDG PET/CT in 16 patients demonstrated that in 7 patients, [68Ga]Ga-NOTA-anti-HER2 shows interlesional heterogeneity within the same patient, and [18F]FDG uptake did not show the same heterogeneous uptake in all patients. In some patients, the extent of disease was clearer with the [68Ga]Ga-NOTA-anti-HER2-sdAb. Sixteen adverse events were reported but all without a clear relationship to the tracer. Three patients with preexisting ADAs did not show adverse reactions. No new ADAs developed. Conclusion: [68Ga]Ga-NOTA-anti-HER2-sdAb PET/CT imaging shows similar repeatability to [18F]FDG. It is safe for clinical use. There is tracer uptake in cancer lesions, even in patients previously determined to be HER2-low or -negative. The tracer shows potential in the assessment of interlesional heterogeneity of HER2 expression. In a subset of patients, [68Ga]Ga-NOTA-anti-HER2-sdAb uptake was seen in lesions with no or low [18F]FDG uptake. These findings support further clinical development of [68Ga]Ga-NOTA-anti-HER2-sdAb as a PET/CT tracer in breast cancer patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Odrade Gondry
- Department of Medical Imaging, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium;
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Vicky Caveliers
- Department of Medical Imaging, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Catarina Xavier
- Department of Medical Imaging, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Laurens Raes
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Marian Vanhoeij
- Department of Surgical Oncology, Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Guy Verfaillie
- Department of Surgical Oncology, Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Christel Fontaine
- Department of Medical Oncology, Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Katrien Glorieus
- Department of Surgical Oncology, Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Jacques De Grève
- Department of Medical Oncology, Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Sofie Joris
- Department of Medical Oncology, Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Ine Luyten
- Department of Medical Oncology, Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Karen Zwaenepoel
- Centre for Oncological Research, University of Antwerp, Wilrijk, Belgium
| | | | - Wim Waelput
- Department of Pathology, Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
- Experimental Pathology, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | | | - Ilse Vaneycken
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Julie Cousaert
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Sophie Bourgeois
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Nick Devoogdt
- Department of Medical Imaging, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Lode Goethals
- Department of Radiology, Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Hendrik Everaert
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Frank De Geeter
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Algemeen Ziekenhuis Sint-Jan Brugge Oostende, Bruges, Belgium
| | - Tony Lahoutte
- Department of Medical Imaging, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Marleen Keyaerts
- Department of Medical Imaging, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium;
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
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5
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Kotsifaki A, Alevizopoulos N, Dimopoulou V, Armakolas A. Unveiling the Immune Microenvironment's Role in Breast Cancer: A Glimpse into Promising Frontiers. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:15332. [PMID: 37895012 PMCID: PMC10607694 DOI: 10.3390/ijms242015332] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2023] [Revised: 10/13/2023] [Accepted: 10/16/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Breast cancer (BC), one of the most widespread and devastating diseases affecting women worldwide, presents a significant public health challenge. This review explores the emerging frontiers of research focused on deciphering the intricate interplay between BC cells and the immune microenvironment. Understanding the role of the immune system in BC is critical as it holds promise for novel therapeutic approaches and precision medicine strategies. This review delves into the current literature regarding the immune microenvironment's contribution to BC initiation, progression, and metastasis. It examines the complex mechanisms by which BC cells interact with various immune cell populations, including tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) and tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs). Furthermore, this review highlights the impact of immune-related factors, such as cytokines and immune checkpoint molecules. Additionally, this comprehensive analysis sheds light on the potential biomarkers associated with the immune response in BC, enabling early diagnosis and prognostic assessment. The therapeutic implications of targeting the immune microenvironment are also explored, encompassing immunotherapeutic strategies and combination therapies to enhance treatment efficacy. The significance of this review lies in its potential to pave the way for novel therapeutic interventions, providing clinicians and researchers with essential knowledge to design targeted and personalized treatment regimens for BC patients.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Athanasios Armakolas
- Physiology Laboratory, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece; (A.K.); (N.A.); (V.D.)
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6
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Steenbruggen TG, Wolf DM, Campbell MJ, Sanders J, Cornelissen S, Thijssen B, Salgado RA, Yau C, O-Grady N, Basu A, Bhaskaran R, Mittempergher L, Hirst GL, Coppe JP, Kok M, Sonke GS, van 't Veer LJ, Horlings HM. B-cells and regulatory T-cells in the microenvironment of HER2+ breast cancer are associated with decreased survival: a real-world analysis of women with HER2+ metastatic breast cancer. Breast Cancer Res 2023; 25:117. [PMID: 37794508 PMCID: PMC10552219 DOI: 10.1186/s13058-023-01717-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2022] [Accepted: 09/21/2023] [Indexed: 10/06/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Despite major improvements in treatment of HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer (MBC), only few patients achieve complete remission and remain progression free for a prolonged time. The tumor immune microenvironment plays an important role in the response to treatment in HER2-positive breast cancer and could contain valuable prognostic information. Detailed information on the cancer-immune cell interactions in HER2-positive MBC is however still lacking. By characterizing the tumor immune microenvironment in patients with HER2-positive MBC, we aimed to get a better understanding why overall survival (OS) differs so widely and which alternative treatment approaches may improve outcome. METHODS We included all patients with HER2-positive MBC who were treated with trastuzumab-based palliative therapy in the Netherlands Cancer Institute between 2000 and 2014 and for whom pre-treatment tissue from the primary tumor or from metastases was available. Infiltrating immune cells and their spatial relationships to one another and to tumor cells were characterized by immunohistochemistry and multiplex immunofluorescence. We also evaluated immune signatures and other key pathways using next-generation RNA-sequencing data. With nine years median follow-up from initial diagnosis of MBC, we investigated the association between tumor and immune characteristics and outcome. RESULTS A total of 124 patients with 147 samples were included and evaluated. The different technologies showed high correlations between each other. T-cells were less prevalent in metastases compared to primary tumors, whereas B-cells and regulatory T-cells (Tregs) were comparable between primary tumors and metastases. Stromal tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes in general were not associated with OS. The infiltration of B-cells and Tregs in the primary tumor was associated with unfavorable OS. Four signatures classifying the extracellular matrix of primary tumors showed differential survival in the population as a whole. CONCLUSIONS In a real-world cohort of 124 patients with HER2-positive MBC, B-cells, and Tregs in primary tumors are associated with unfavorable survival. With this paper, we provide a comprehensive insight in the tumor immune microenvironment that could guide further research into development of novel immunomodulatory strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tessa G Steenbruggen
- Department of Medical Oncology, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, 1066 CX, Amsterdam, North Holland, The Netherlands.
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, 94115, USA.
| | - Denise M Wolf
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, 94115, USA
| | - Michael J Campbell
- Department of Surgery, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, 94115, USA
| | - Joyce Sanders
- Department of Pathology, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, 1066 CX, Amsterdam, North Holland, The Netherlands
| | - Sten Cornelissen
- Core Facility Molecular Pathology and Biobanking, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, 1066 CX, Amsterdam, North Holland, The Netherlands
| | - Bram Thijssen
- Department of Molecular Carcinogenesis, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, 1066 CX, Amsterdam, North Holland, The Netherlands
| | - Roberto A Salgado
- Department of Pathology, GZA-ZNA Hospitals, 2020, Antwerp, Belgium
- Division of Research, Peter Mac Callum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, VIC, 3000, Australia
| | - Christina Yau
- Department of Surgery, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, 94115, USA
| | - Nick O-Grady
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, 94115, USA
| | - Amrita Basu
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, 94115, USA
| | - Rajith Bhaskaran
- Research and Development, Agendia N.V, 1043 NT, Amsterdam, North Holland, The Netherlands
| | - Lorenza Mittempergher
- Research and Development, Agendia N.V, 1043 NT, Amsterdam, North Holland, The Netherlands
| | - Gillian L Hirst
- Department of Surgery, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, 94115, USA
| | - Jean-Philippe Coppe
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, 94115, USA
| | - Marleen Kok
- Department of Medical Oncology, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, 1066 CX, Amsterdam, North Holland, The Netherlands
- Division of Tumor Biology and Immunology, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, 1066 CX, Amsterdam, North Holland, The Netherlands
| | - Gabe S Sonke
- Department of Medical Oncology, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, 1066 CX, Amsterdam, North Holland, The Netherlands
- Department of Clinical Oncology, University of Amsterdam, 1012 WX, Amsterdam, North Holland, The Netherlands
| | - Laura J van 't Veer
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, 94115, USA
| | - Hugo M Horlings
- Department of Pathology, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, 1066 CX, Amsterdam, North Holland, The Netherlands
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7
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Wang V, Liu Z, Martinek J, Zhou J, Boruchov H, Ray K, Palucka K, Chuang J. Computational immune synapse analysis reveals T-cell interactions in distinct tumor microenvironments. RESEARCH SQUARE 2023:rs.3.rs-2968528. [PMID: 37398220 PMCID: PMC10312981 DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-2968528/v1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/04/2023]
Abstract
The tumor microenvironment (TME) and the cellular interactions within it can be critical to tumor progression and treatment response. Although technologies to generate multiplex images of the TME are advancing, the many ways in which TME imaging data can be mined to elucidate cellular interactions are only beginning to be realized. Here, we present a novel approach for multipronged computational immune synapse analysis (CISA) that reveals T-cell synaptic interactions from multiplex images. CISA enables automated discovery and quantification of immune synapse interactions based on the localization of proteins on cell membranes. We first demonstrate the ability of CISA to detect T-cell:APC (antigen presenting cell) synaptic interactions in two independent human melanoma imaging mass cytometry (IMC) tissue microarray datasets. We then generate melanoma histocytometry whole slide images and verify that CISA can detect similar interactions across data modalities. Interestingly, CISA histoctyometry analysis also reveals that T-cell:macrophage synapse formation is associated with T-cell proliferation. We next show the generality of CISA by extending it to breast cancer IMC images, finding that CISA quantifications of T-cell:B-cell synapses are predictive of improved patient survival. Our work demonstrates the biological and clinical significance of spatially resolving cell-cell synaptic interactions in the TME and provides a robust method to do so across imaging modalities and cancer types.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Zichao Liu
- 1The Jackson Laboratory for Genomic Medicine
| | | | - Jie Zhou
- The Jackson Laboratory for Genomic Medicine
| | | | - Kelly Ray
- The Jackson Laboratory for Genomic Medicine
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8
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Li M, Quintana A, Alberts E, Hung MS, Boulat V, Ripoll MM, Grigoriadis A. B Cells in Breast Cancer Pathology. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:1517. [PMID: 36900307 PMCID: PMC10000926 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15051517] [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: 12/22/2022] [Revised: 02/13/2023] [Accepted: 02/20/2023] [Indexed: 03/06/2023] Open
Abstract
B cells have recently become a focus in breast cancer pathology due to their influence on tumour regression, prognosis, and response to treatment, besides their contribution to antigen presentation, immunoglobulin production, and regulation of adaptive responses. As our understanding of diverse B cell subsets in eliciting both pro- and anti-inflammatory responses in breast cancer patients increases, it has become pertinent to address the molecular and clinical relevance of these immune cell populations within the tumour microenvironment (TME). At the primary tumour site, B cells are either found spatially dispersed or aggregated in so-called tertiary lymphoid structures (TLS). In axillary lymph nodes (LNs), B cell populations, amongst a plethora of activities, undergo germinal centre reactions to ensure humoral immunity. With the recent approval for the addition of immunotherapeutic drugs as a treatment option in the early and metastatic settings for triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) patients, B cell populations or TLS may resemble valuable biomarkers for immunotherapy responses in certain breast cancer subgroups. New technologies such as spatially defined sequencing techniques, multiplex imaging, and digital technologies have further deciphered the diversity of B cells and the morphological structures in which they appear in the tumour and LNs. Thus, in this review, we comprehensively summarise the current knowledge of B cells in breast cancer. In addition, we provide a user-friendly single-cell RNA-sequencing platform, called "B singLe cEll rna-Seq browSer" (BLESS) platform, with a focus on the B cells in breast cancer patients to interrogate the latest publicly available single-cell RNA-sequencing data collected from diverse breast cancer studies. Finally, we explore their clinical relevance as biomarkers or molecular targets for future interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengyuan Li
- Cancer Bioinformatics, School of Cancer & Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine, King’s College London, London SE1 9RT, UK
- School of Cancer & Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine, King’s College London, London SE1 9RT, UK
| | | | - Elena Alberts
- Cancer Bioinformatics, School of Cancer & Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine, King’s College London, London SE1 9RT, UK
- School of Cancer & Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine, King’s College London, London SE1 9RT, UK
- Immunity and Cancer Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London NW1 1AT, UK
| | - Miu Shing Hung
- Cancer Bioinformatics, School of Cancer & Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine, King’s College London, London SE1 9RT, UK
- School of Cancer & Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine, King’s College London, London SE1 9RT, UK
| | - Victoire Boulat
- Cancer Bioinformatics, School of Cancer & Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine, King’s College London, London SE1 9RT, UK
- School of Cancer & Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine, King’s College London, London SE1 9RT, UK
- Immunity and Cancer Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London NW1 1AT, UK
| | - Mercè Martí Ripoll
- Immunology Unit, Department of Cell Biology, Physiology and Immunology, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Barcelona, Spain
- Biosensing and Bioanalysis Group, Institute of Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Anita Grigoriadis
- Cancer Bioinformatics, School of Cancer & Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine, King’s College London, London SE1 9RT, UK
- School of Cancer & Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine, King’s College London, London SE1 9RT, UK
- Breast Cancer Now Unit, School of Cancer & Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine, King’s College London, London SE1 9RT, UK
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9
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Tumor-Infiltrating Lymphocytes and Immune Response in HER2-Positive Breast Cancer. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14246034. [PMID: 36551522 PMCID: PMC9776701 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14246034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2022] [Revised: 11/24/2022] [Accepted: 12/02/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-positive (HER2-positive) breast cancer accounts for 15 to 25% of breast cancer cases. Although therapies based on the use of monoclonal anti-HER2 antibodies present clinical benefit for a subtype of patients with HER2-positive breast cancer, more than 50% of them are unresponsive to targeted therapies or they eventually relapse. In recent years, reactivation of the adaptive immune system in patients with solid tumors has emerged as a therapeutic option with great potential for clinical benefit. Since the approval of the first treatment directed against HER2 as a therapeutic target, the range of clinical options has expanded greatly, and, in this sense, cellular immunotherapy with T cells relies on the cytotoxicity generated by these cells, which ultimately leads to antitumor activity. Lymphocytic infiltration of tumors encompasses a heterogeneous population of immune cells within the tumor microenvironment that exhibits distinct patterns of immune activation and exhaustion. The prevalence and prognostic value of tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte (TIL) counts are associated with a favorable prognosis in HER2-positive breast cancers. This review discusses emerging findings that contribute to a better understanding of the role of immune infiltrates in HER2-positive breast cancer. In addition, it summarizes the most recent results in HER2-positive breast cancer immunotherapy and anticipates which therapeutic strategies could be applied in the immediate future.
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10
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Wang S, Chen L, Liu W. Matrix stiffness-dependent STEAP3 coordinated with PD-L2 identify tumor responding to sorafenib treatment in hepatocellular carcinoma. Cancer Cell Int 2022; 22:318. [PMID: 36229881 PMCID: PMC9563531 DOI: 10.1186/s12935-022-02634-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2022] [Accepted: 06/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Ferroptosis have been implicated in tumorigenesis, tumor progression, and chemo- and immuno-therapy in cirrhotic hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), indicating its association with matrix stiffness and clinical benefit of targeting drugs or immune checkpoint inhibitor. Here, we postulated that increased matrix stiffness reduces ferroptosis and impairs tumor immunity by regulating the expression of ferroptosis- and immune-related genes in HCC, which might be a robust predictor of therapeutic efficacy. METHODS Using publicly available tissue microarray datasets, liver cancer rat model, and clinical specimen, ferroptosis-related differential genes in HCV-infected cirrhotic HCC and its mechanical heterogeneous pattern of expression were screened and identified. Further investigation on the underlying mechanism of matrix stiffness-regulated ferroptosis and the expression of immune mediator were performed. Finally, threshold analysis of HCC cases with sorafenib treatment revealed the value of clinical applications of these potential predictors. RESULTS STEAP3 was identified as the ferroptosis-related differential genes in HCV-infected cirrhotic HCC. Stiffer matrix decreased STEAP3 in the invasive front area of HCC and the liver cirrhotic tissue. Contrarily, softer matrix induced STEAP3 in the central area of HCC and the normal liver tissue. Immunological correlation of STEAP3 in cirrhotic HCC showed that STEAP3-mediated immune infiltration of CD4+ T and CD8+ T cells, macrophages, neutrophils, and dendritic cells and HCC prognosis, predicting to regulate immune infiltration. Overexpression of STEAP3 induced ferroptosis and inhibited the expression of immune mediator of PD-L2 on a stiff matrix. Especially, the ferroptosis- and immune-related gene predictive biomarker (FIGPB), including STEAP3 and PD-L2, predicts better clinical benefit of sorafenib in HCC patients. CONCLUSIONS This finding identifies matrix stiffness impairs ferroptosis and anti-tumor immunity by mediating STEAP3 and PD-L2. More importantly, coordinated with PD-L2, matrix stiffness-dependent STEAP3 could be applied as the independent predictors to favorable sorafenib response, and thus targeting it could be a potential diagnosis and treatment strategy for HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shunxi Wang
- Key Laboratory of Biorheological Science and Technology, Ministry of Education, Bioengineering College, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 400044, China
| | - Long Chen
- Key Laboratory of Biorheological Science and Technology, Ministry of Education, Bioengineering College, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 400044, China
| | - Wanqian Liu
- Key Laboratory of Biorheological Science and Technology, Ministry of Education, Bioengineering College, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 400044, China. .,Bioengineering Institute of Chongqing University, 174 Shazheng Street, Chongqing, 400000, China.
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11
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Massa D, Tosi A, Rosato A, Guarneri V, Dieci MV. Multiplexed In Situ Spatial Protein Profiling in the Pursuit of Precision Immuno-Oncology for Patients with Breast Cancer. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:4885. [PMID: 36230808 PMCID: PMC9562913 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14194885] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2022] [Revised: 09/29/2022] [Accepted: 10/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have revolutionized the treatment of many solid tumors. In breast cancer (BC), immunotherapy is currently approved in combination with chemotherapy, albeit only in triple-negative breast cancer. Unfortunately, most patients only derive limited benefit from ICIs, progressing either upfront or after an initial response. Therapeutics must engage with a heterogeneous network of complex stromal-cancer interactions that can fail at imposing cancer immune control in multiple domains, such as in the genomic, epigenomic, transcriptomic, proteomic, and metabolomic domains. To overcome these types of heterogeneous resistance phenotypes, several combinatorial strategies are underway. Still, they can be predicted to be effective only in the subgroups of patients in which those specific resistance mechanisms are effectively in place. As single biomarker predictive performances are necessarily suboptimal at capturing the complexity of this articulate network, precision immune-oncology calls for multi-omics tumor microenvironment profiling in order to identify unique predictive patterns and to proactively tailor combinatorial treatments. Multiplexed single-cell spatially resolved tissue analysis, through precise epitope colocalization, allows one to infer cellular functional states in view of their spatial organization. In this review, we discuss-through the lens of the cancer-immunity cycle-selected, established, and emerging markers that may be evaluated in multiplexed spatial protein panels to help identify prognostic and predictive patterns in BC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Davide Massa
- Department of Surgery, Oncology and Gastroenterology, University of Padova, 35128 Padova, Italy
- Division of Oncology 2, Istituto Oncologico Veneto IRCCS, 35128 Padova, Italy
| | - Anna Tosi
- Immunology and Molecular Oncology Diagnostics, Istituto Oncologico Veneto IRCCS, 35128 Padova, Italy
| | - Antonio Rosato
- Department of Surgery, Oncology and Gastroenterology, University of Padova, 35128 Padova, Italy
- Immunology and Molecular Oncology Diagnostics, Istituto Oncologico Veneto IRCCS, 35128 Padova, Italy
| | - Valentina Guarneri
- Department of Surgery, Oncology and Gastroenterology, University of Padova, 35128 Padova, Italy
- Division of Oncology 2, Istituto Oncologico Veneto IRCCS, 35128 Padova, Italy
| | - Maria Vittoria Dieci
- Department of Surgery, Oncology and Gastroenterology, University of Padova, 35128 Padova, Italy
- Division of Oncology 2, Istituto Oncologico Veneto IRCCS, 35128 Padova, Italy
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12
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Yin W, Wang Y, Wu Z, Ye Y, Zhou L, Xu S, Lin Y, Du Y, Yan T, Yang F, Zhang J, Liu Q, Lu J. Neoadjuvant Trastuzumab and Pyrotinib for Locally Advanced HER2-Positive Breast Cancer (NeoATP): Primary Analysis of a Phase II Study. Clin Cancer Res 2022; 28:3677-3685. [PMID: 35713517 DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.ccr-22-0446] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2022] [Revised: 04/08/2022] [Accepted: 06/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Despite accumulating evidence on dual blockade of human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) for locally advanced HER2-positive breast cancer, no robust evidence supports the addition of pyrotinib to trastuzumab in the neoadjuvant setting. The NeoATP trial aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of pyrotinib with neoadjuvant trastuzumab and chemotherapy. METHODS The phase II NeoATP trial included female patients with histologically confirmed stage IIA-IIIC and HER2-positive primary invasive breast cancer. Eligible patients received pyrotinib and trastuzumab with weekly paclitaxel-cisplatin neoadjuvant chemotherapy for four cycles. The primary endpoint was pathological complete response (pCR; ypT0 ypN0) rate. Key secondary endpoints included locoregional pCR (ypT0/is ypN0) rate, biomarker analysis and safety. RESULTS Among 53 enrolled patients (median age, 47 years; 73.58% stage III), 52 completed the study treatment and surgery. Overall, 37 patients (69.81%) achieved pCR. For women with hormone receptor negative and positive tumors, the pCR rates were 85.71% and 59.38% (P = 0.041), while the corresponding rates were 69.23% and 70.00% respectively for those with and without PIK3CA mutation (P = 0.958). The most frequently reported grade 3 to 4 adverse events were diarrhea (45.28%), leukopenia (39.62%) and neutropenia (32.08%). No deaths occurred, and no left ventricular ejection fraction <50% or >10 points drop from baseline to before surgery was reported. CONCLUSIONS The addition of pyrotinib to trastuzumab plus chemotherapy is an efficacious and safe regimen for patients with HER2-positive locally advanced breast cancer in the neoadjuvant setting. The randomized controlled clinical trial is warranted to validate our results.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenjin Yin
- Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yaohui Wang
- Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Ziping Wu
- Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yumei Ye
- Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Liheng Zhou
- Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Shuguang Xu
- Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yanping Lin
- Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, Shanghai, China
| | - Yueyao Du
- Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Tingting Yan
- Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Fan Yang
- Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jie Zhang
- Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Qiang Liu
- Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai, P.R. China, Shanghai, China
| | - Jinsong Lu
- Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai, China
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13
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Fassler DJ, Torre-Healy LA, Gupta R, Hamilton AM, Kobayashi S, Van Alsten SC, Zhang Y, Kurc T, Moffitt RA, Troester MA, Hoadley KA, Saltz J. Spatial Characterization of Tumor-Infiltrating Lymphocytes and Breast Cancer Progression. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:2148. [PMID: 35565277 PMCID: PMC9105398 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14092148] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2022] [Revised: 04/09/2022] [Accepted: 04/15/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) have been established as a robust prognostic biomarker in breast cancer, with emerging utility in predicting treatment response in the adjuvant and neoadjuvant settings. In this study, the role of TILs in predicting overall survival and progression-free interval was evaluated in two independent cohorts of breast cancer from the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA BRCA) and the Carolina Breast Cancer Study (UNC CBCS). We utilized machine learning and computer vision algorithms to characterize TIL infiltrates in digital whole-slide images (WSIs) of breast cancer stained with hematoxylin and eosin (H&E). Multiple parameters were used to characterize the global abundance and spatial features of TIL infiltrates. Univariate and multivariate analyses show that large aggregates of peritumoral and intratumoral TILs (forests) were associated with longer survival, whereas the absence of intratumoral TILs (deserts) is associated with increased risk of recurrence. Patients with two or more high-risk spatial features were associated with significantly shorter progression-free interval (PFI). This study demonstrates the practical utility of Pathomics in evaluating the clinical significance of the abundance and spatial patterns of distribution of TIL infiltrates as important biomarkers in breast cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danielle J. Fassler
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11790, USA; (D.J.F.); (L.A.T.-H.); (R.G.); (S.K.); (Y.Z.); (T.K.); (R.A.M.)
| | - Luke A. Torre-Healy
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11790, USA; (D.J.F.); (L.A.T.-H.); (R.G.); (S.K.); (Y.Z.); (T.K.); (R.A.M.)
| | - Rajarsi Gupta
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11790, USA; (D.J.F.); (L.A.T.-H.); (R.G.); (S.K.); (Y.Z.); (T.K.); (R.A.M.)
| | - Alina M. Hamilton
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; (A.M.H.); (S.C.V.A.); (M.A.T.)
| | - Soma Kobayashi
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11790, USA; (D.J.F.); (L.A.T.-H.); (R.G.); (S.K.); (Y.Z.); (T.K.); (R.A.M.)
| | - Sarah C. Van Alsten
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; (A.M.H.); (S.C.V.A.); (M.A.T.)
| | - Yuwei Zhang
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11790, USA; (D.J.F.); (L.A.T.-H.); (R.G.); (S.K.); (Y.Z.); (T.K.); (R.A.M.)
| | - Tahsin Kurc
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11790, USA; (D.J.F.); (L.A.T.-H.); (R.G.); (S.K.); (Y.Z.); (T.K.); (R.A.M.)
| | - Richard A. Moffitt
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11790, USA; (D.J.F.); (L.A.T.-H.); (R.G.); (S.K.); (Y.Z.); (T.K.); (R.A.M.)
| | - Melissa A. Troester
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; (A.M.H.); (S.C.V.A.); (M.A.T.)
| | - Katherine A. Hoadley
- Department of Genetics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA;
| | - Joel Saltz
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11790, USA; (D.J.F.); (L.A.T.-H.); (R.G.); (S.K.); (Y.Z.); (T.K.); (R.A.M.)
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14
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Dissecting Tumor-Immune Microenvironment in Breast Cancer at a Spatial and Multiplex Resolution. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14081999. [PMID: 35454904 PMCID: PMC9026731 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14081999] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2022] [Revised: 04/09/2022] [Accepted: 04/12/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The tumor immune microenvironment (TIME) is an important player in breast cancer pathophysiology. Surrogates for antitumor immune response have been explored as predictive biomarkers to immunotherapy, though with several limitations. Immunohistochemistry for programmed death ligand 1 suffers from analytical problems, immune signatures are devoid of spatial information and histopathological evaluation of tumor infiltrating lymphocytes exhibits interobserver variability. Towards improved understanding of the complex interactions in TIME, several emerging multiplex in situ methods are being developed and gaining much attention for protein detection. They enable the simultaneous evaluation of multiple targets in situ, detection of cell densities/subpopulations as well as estimations of functional states of immune infiltrate. Furthermore, they can characterize spatial organization of TIME—by cell-to-cell interaction analyses and the evaluation of distribution within different regions of interest and tissue compartments—while digital imaging and image analysis software allow for reproducibility of the various assays. In this review, we aim to provide an overview of the different multiplex in situ methods used in cancer research with special focus on breast cancer TIME at the neoadjuvant, adjuvant and metastatic setting. Spatial heterogeneity of TIME and importance of longitudinal evaluation of TIME changes under the pressure of therapy and metastatic progression are also addressed.
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15
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Clinical trial data and emerging strategies: HER2-positive breast cancer. Breast Cancer Res Treat 2022; 193:281-291. [PMID: 35397080 DOI: 10.1007/s10549-022-06575-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2021] [Accepted: 03/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
A deeper insight into tumor biology and HER2 signaling has led to the development of novel anti-HER2 drugs that have significantly improved the prognosis of patients with HER2-positive breast cancer. The breast cancer immune microenvironment has emerged as a potential prognostic factor. Moreover, the host immune system not only seems to play a critical role in the prognosis of HER2-positive breast cancer, but also seems to modulate treatment response to some HER2-targeted agents. Here, we review the latest evidence of the role of immunotherapy in HER2-positive breast cancer and present emerging strategies.
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16
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Pathological response and predictive role of tumour-infiltrating lymphocytes in HER2-positive early breast cancer treated with neoadjuvant pyrotinib plus trastuzumab and chemotherapy (Panphila): a multicentre phase 2 trial. Eur J Cancer 2022; 165:157-168. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ejca.2022.01.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2021] [Revised: 01/05/2022] [Accepted: 01/12/2022] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
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17
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Shang M, Chi Y, Zhang J, Chang J, Yang H, Yin S, Tan Q, Man X, Li H. The Therapeutic Effectiveness of Neoadjuvant Trastuzumab Plus Chemotherapy for HER2-Positive Breast Cancer Can Be Predicted by Tumor-Infiltrating Lymphocytes and PD-L1 Expression. Front Oncol 2022; 11:706606. [PMID: 35070953 PMCID: PMC8766296 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2021.706606] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2021] [Accepted: 12/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction Neoadjuvant trastuzumab plus chemotherapy may affect programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression and tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) in HER2-positive breast cancer. Discordant results were shown on the correlation between PD-L1 expression or TILs and the effectiveness of neoadjuvant therapy in HER2-positive breast cancer patients. This study aimed to clarify the predictive value of PD-L1 expression and TILs in neoadjuvant therapy in patients with HER2-positive breast cancer. Methods HER2-positive breast cancer cases receiving neoadjuvant treatment (NAT; n = 155) were retrospectively collected from July 2013 to November 2018. Histopathologic analysis of TILs was performed on hematoxylin and eosin (H&E)-stained sections from pre- and post-NAT specimens. The TIL score as a categorical variable can be divided into high (≥30%) and low (<30%) categories. The expression of PD-L1 was detected by immunohistochemistry, and the percentage of positive membranous staining (at least 1%) in tumor cells (PD-L1+TC) and TILs (PD-L1+TILs) was scored. Results In our study, 87 patients received neoadjuvant chemotherapy alone and 68 received neoadjuvant trastuzumab plus chemotherapy. Multivariate logistic regression analysis confirmed that lymph node metastasis, high TILs, and PD-L1+TILs in pre-neoadjuvant therapy specimens were independent predictors of pathological complete response (pCR) in neoadjuvant therapy (p < 0.05, for all). Among all patients, TILs were increased in breast cancer tissues post-neoadjuvant therapy (p < 0.001). Consistent results were found in the subgroup analysis of the trastuzumab plus chemotherapy group and the chemotherapy alone group (p < 0.05, for both). In 116 non-pCR patients, PD-L1+TC was decreased in breast cancer tissues post-neoadjuvant therapy (p = 0.0219). Consistent results were found in 43 non-pCR patients who received neoadjuvant trastuzumab plus chemotherapy (p = 0.0437). However, in 73 non-pCR patients who received neoadjuvant chemotherapy, there was no significant difference in PD-L1+TC expression in pre- and post-neoadjuvant therapy specimens (p = 0.1465). On the other hand, in the general population, the neoadjuvant trastuzumab plus chemotherapy group, and the neoadjuvant chemotherapy group, PD-L1+TILs decreased after treatment (p < 0.05, for both). Conclusion Higher TIL counts and PD-L1+TILs in pre-neoadjuvant therapy specimens and lymph node metastasis are independent predictors of pCR in patients with HER2-positive breast cancer treated with neoadjuvant therapy. TIL counts, PD-L1+TC, and PD-L1+TILs changed before and after neoadjuvant trastuzumab plus chemotherapy for HER2-positive breast cancer, which may suggest that, in HER2-positive breast cancer, neoadjuvant trastuzumab plus chemotherapy may stimulate the antitumor immune effect of the host, thereby preventing tumor immune escape.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mao Shang
- Department of Breast Medical Oncology, Shandong Cancer Hospital and Institute, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, China.,Department of Oncology, Jinan Central Hospital, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, China
| | - Yajing Chi
- Department of Breast Medical Oncology, Shandong Cancer Hospital and Institute, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, China
| | - Jianbo Zhang
- Department of Pathology, Shandong Cancer Hospital and Institute, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, China
| | - Jin Chang
- Department of Radiation Oncology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Shandong First Medical University, Taian, China
| | - Hui Yang
- Department of Pathology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Shandong First Medical University, Taian, China
| | - Sha Yin
- Department of Breast Medical Oncology, Shandong Cancer Hospital and Institute, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, China
| | - Qiaorui Tan
- Department of Breast Medical Oncology, Shandong Cancer Hospital and Institute, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, China
| | - Xiaochu Man
- Department of Breast Medical Oncology, Shandong Cancer Hospital and Institute, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, China
| | - Huihui Li
- Department of Breast Medical Oncology, Shandong Cancer Hospital and Institute, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, China
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18
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Feng J, Li J, Huang X, Yi J, Wu H, Zou X, Zhong W, Wang X. Nomogram to Predict Tumor-Infiltrating Lymphocytes in Breast Cancer Patients. Front Mol Biosci 2021; 8:761163. [PMID: 34901155 PMCID: PMC8662984 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2021.761163] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2021] [Accepted: 10/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) play important roles in the prediction of prognosis and neoadjuvant therapy (NAT) efficacy in breast cancer (BRCA) patients, in this study, we identified clinicopathological factors related to BRCA TILs, then to construct and validate nomogram to predict high density of TILs. Methods: A total of 826 patients diagnosed with BRCA in Sun Yat-Sen University cancer center were enrolled in nomogram cohort. TILs were assessed using hematoxylin-eosin (H&E) staining by two pathologists. Complete clinical data were collected for analysis. Then the enrolled patients were split into a training set and validation set at a ratio of 8:2. and the backward multivariate binary logistic regression model was used to establish nomogram for predicting BRCA TILs, which were further evaluated and validated using the C-index, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves and calibration curves. Then another independent NAT cohort of 106 patients was established for verifying this nomogram in NAT efficacy prediction. Results: TILs were significantly correlated with body mass index (BMI), tumor differentiation, ER, PR, HER2 expression, Ki67, blood biochemical indicators including total bilirubin (TBIL), indirect bilirubin (IBIL), total protein (TP), Globulin (GLOB), inorganic phosphorus (IP), calcium (Ca). In which ER expression level [OR = 0.987, 95%CI (0.982–0.992), p < 0.001], IP [OR = 4.462, 95%CI (1.171∼17.289), p = 0.029], IBIL [OR = 0.906, 95%CI (0.845–0.966), p = 0.004] and TP [OR = 1.053, 95%CI (1.010–1.098, p = 0.016)] were independent predictors of TILs. Then nomogram was established, for which calibration curves (C-index = 0.759) and ROC curve (AUC = 0.759, 95%CI 0.717–0.801) in training sets, calibration curves (C-index = 0.708) and ROC curve (AUC = 0.708, 95%CI 0.617–0.800) in validation sets demonstrated great evaluation efficiency. Besides, independent NAT cohort verified this nomogram can distinguish patients with greater NAT efficacy (p = 0.041). Conclusion: The finds of clinicopathological factors associated with TILs could help clinicians to understand the tumor immunity of BRCA and improve treatment system for patients, and the established nomogram with high evaluation efficiency may be used as a complement tool for distinguishing patients with better NAT efficacy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jikun Feng
- Department of Breast Oncology, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, The State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jianxia Li
- Department of Medical Oncology, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Colorectal and Pelvic Floor Diseases, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xinjian Huang
- Department of Breast Oncology, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, The State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jiarong Yi
- Department of Breast Oncology, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, The State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Haoming Wu
- Department of Breast Oncology, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, The State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xuxiazi Zou
- Department of Breast Oncology, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, The State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Wenjing Zhong
- Department of Breast Oncology, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, The State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xi Wang
- Department of Breast Oncology, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, The State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou, China
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Zhao F, Huo X, Wang M, Liu Z, Zhao Y, Ren D, Xie Q, Liu Z, Li Z, Du F, Shen G, Zhao J. Comparing Biomarkers for Predicting Pathological Responses to Neoadjuvant Therapy in HER2-Positive Breast Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Front Oncol 2021; 11:731148. [PMID: 34778044 PMCID: PMC8581664 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2021.731148] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2021] [Accepted: 10/08/2021] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The predictive strength and accuracy of some biomarkers for the pathological complete response (pCR) to neoadjuvant therapy for HER2-positive breast cancer remain unclear. This study aimed to compare the accuracy of the HER2-enriched subtype and the presence of PIK3CA mutations, namely, TILs, HRs, and Ki-67, in predicting the pCR to HER2-positive breast cancer therapy. METHODS We screened studies that included pCR predicted by one of the following biomarkers: the HER2-enriched subtype and the presence of PIK3CA mutations, TILs, HRs, or Ki-67. We then calculated the pooled sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values (PPVs and NPVs, respectively), and positive and negative likelihood ratios (LRs). Summary receiver operating characteristic (SROC) curves and areas under the curve (AUCs) were used to estimate the diagnostic accuracy. RESULTS The pooled estimates of sensitivity and specificity for the HER2-enriched subtype and the presence of PIK3CA mutations, namely, TILs, HRs, and Ki-67, were 0.66 and 0.62, 0.85 and 0.27, 0.49 and 0.61, 0.54 and 0.64, and 0.68 and 0.51, respectively. The AUC of the HER2-enriched subtype was significantly higher (0.71) than those for the presence of TILs (0.59, p = 0.003), HRs (0.65, p = 0.003), and Ki-67 (0.62, p = 0.005). The AUC of the HER2-enriched subtype had a tendency to be higher than that of the presence of PIK3CA mutations (0.58, p = 0.220). Moreover, it had relatively high PPV (0.58) and LR+ (1.77), similar NPV (0.73), and low LR- (0.54) compared with the other four biomarkers. CONCLUSIONS The HER2-enriched subtype has a moderate breast cancer diagnostic accuracy, which is better than those of the presence of PIK3CA mutations, TILs, HRs, and Ki-67.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fuxing Zhao
- Breast Disease Diagnosis and Treatment Center of Affiliated Hospital of Qinghai University & Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Qinghai University, Xining, China
| | - Xingfa Huo
- Breast Disease Diagnosis and Treatment Center of Affiliated Hospital of Qinghai University & Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Qinghai University, Xining, China
| | - Miaozhou Wang
- Breast Disease Diagnosis and Treatment Center of Affiliated Hospital of Qinghai University & Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Qinghai University, Xining, China
| | - Zhen Liu
- Breast Disease Diagnosis and Treatment Center of Affiliated Hospital of Qinghai University & Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Qinghai University, Xining, China
| | - Yi Zhao
- Breast Disease Diagnosis and Treatment Center of Affiliated Hospital of Qinghai University & Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Qinghai University, Xining, China
| | - Dengfeng Ren
- Breast Disease Diagnosis and Treatment Center of Affiliated Hospital of Qinghai University & Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Qinghai University, Xining, China
| | - Qiqi Xie
- Breast Disease Diagnosis and Treatment Center of Affiliated Hospital of Qinghai University & Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Qinghai University, Xining, China
| | - Zhilin Liu
- Breast Disease Diagnosis and Treatment Center of Affiliated Hospital of Qinghai University & Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Qinghai University, Xining, China
| | - Zitao Li
- Breast Disease Diagnosis and Treatment Center of Affiliated Hospital of Qinghai University & Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Qinghai University, Xining, China
| | - Feng Du
- Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education), The VIPII Gastrointestinal Cancer Division of Medical Department, Peking University Cancer Hospital and Institute, Beijing, China
| | - Guoshuang Shen
- Breast Disease Diagnosis and Treatment Center of Affiliated Hospital of Qinghai University & Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Qinghai University, Xining, China
| | - Jiuda Zhao
- Breast Disease Diagnosis and Treatment Center of Affiliated Hospital of Qinghai University & Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Qinghai University, Xining, China
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Chic N, Brasó-Maristany F, Prat A. Biomarkers of immunotherapy response in breast cancer beyond PD-L1. Breast Cancer Res Treat 2021; 191:39-49. [PMID: 34676466 DOI: 10.1007/s10549-021-06421-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2021] [Accepted: 10/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Immune checkpoint inhibitors have modified the treatment algorithm in a variety of cancer types, including breast cancer. Nevertheless, optimal selection of ideal candidates to these drugs remains an unmet need. Although PD-L1 expression by immunohistochemistry seems to be the most promising biomarker to date, its predictive ability is far from ideal. Thus, the development of new predictive biomarkers is essential for a better selection of patients. Here, we discuss potential biomarkers beyond PD-L1 that could play an important role in precision cancer immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nuria Chic
- Translational Genomics and Targeted Therapies in Solid Tumors, August Pi i Sunyer Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain.,Department of Medical Oncology, Hospital Clínic of Barcelona, Carrer de Villarroel, 170, 08036, Barcelona, Spain.,SOLTI Cooperative Group, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Fara Brasó-Maristany
- Translational Genomics and Targeted Therapies in Solid Tumors, August Pi i Sunyer Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain.,Department of Medical Oncology, Hospital Clínic of Barcelona, Carrer de Villarroel, 170, 08036, Barcelona, Spain.,SOLTI Cooperative Group, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Aleix Prat
- Translational Genomics and Targeted Therapies in Solid Tumors, August Pi i Sunyer Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain. .,Department of Medical Oncology, Hospital Clínic of Barcelona, Carrer de Villarroel, 170, 08036, Barcelona, Spain. .,SOLTI Cooperative Group, Barcelona, Spain. .,Department of Medicine, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain. .,Institute of Oncology (IOB)-Quiron, Barcelona, Spain.
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21
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Dasman H, Harahap WA, Khambri D. Analysis Predictors of the Outcome of Adjuvant of Hormone Therapy on Estrogen Receptor-positive Breast Cancer in Indonesia. Open Access Maced J Med Sci 2021. [DOI: 10.3889/oamjms.2021.6683] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND: An existing study reported variation of the outcome of adjuvant hormone therapy on breast cancer.
AIM: This study aimed to examine predictors of the hormone therapy to the outcome of recurrence-free survival (RFS) of estrogen receptor-positive (ER+) breast cancer.
METHODS: In this cohort study, we followed up 219 eligible breast cancer patients with ER+ who had hormone therapy in 2017–2018. Age of patients, cancer stage, and various histopathology parameters were collected from the medical records, then we followed up with the patients within 2 years (2019–2020) to assess the RFS outcome. Bivariate analysis was conducted to assess the association between the clinicopathology parameters with RFS outcome. Multivariate analysis with logistic regression was also performed to see the dominant predictor. Mediation path analysis was also performed to determine the estimated effect of a predictor on the level of RFS and to see the visualization of the association of predictors with RFS.
RESULTS: Breast cancer RFS was 91.3% within 2 years of hormone therapy. The recurrent rate was only 8.7%, which most of them (68.4%) were local. There was no association of age, lymphovascular invasion (LVI), progesterone receptor (PR), and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) status with RFS. Based on the molecular subtype, the RFS was better in luminal A (p = 0.045), and also better gradually in the lower stage (p = 0.001). Multivariate analysis shows that the cancer stage was the dominant predictor of the RFS outcome (p = 0.001) with OR = 4.271 (Exp[B] = 1.937–9.417). Mediation analysis also found that there was a positively associated molecular subtype with RFS through cancer stage mediation (r = 16.7%, p = 0.006) but no statistically significant association of age, LVI, PR, and HER2 status (p > 0.005).
CONCLUSION: Cancer stage is the main predictor of RFS of hormone therapy outcome. Luminal A is most also likely to have a better outcome of RFS, especially mediated by the lower stage.
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Li L, Chen M, Zheng S, Li H, Chi W, Xiu B, Zhang Q, Hou J, Wang J, Wu J. Clinical and Genetic Predictive Models for the Prediction of Pathological Complete Response to Optimize the Effectiveness for Trastuzumab Based Chemotherapy. Front Oncol 2021; 11:592393. [PMID: 34336634 PMCID: PMC8319743 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2021.592393] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2020] [Accepted: 06/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Trastuzumab shows excellent benefits for HER2+ breast cancer patients, although 20% treated remain unresponsive. We conducted a retrospective cohort study to optimize neoadjuvant chemotherapy and trastuzumab treatment in HER2+ breast cancer patients. Methods Six hundred patients were analyzed to identify clinical characteristics of those not achieving a pathological complete response (pCR) to develop a clinical predictive model. Available RNA sequence data was also reviewed to develop a genetic model for pCR. Results The pCR rate was 39.8% and pCR was associated with superior disease free survival and overall survival. ER negativity and PR negativity, higher HER2 IHC scores, higher Ki-67, and trastuzumab use were associated with improved pCR. Weekly paclitaxel and carboplatin had the highest pCR rate (46.70%) and the anthracycline+taxanes regimen had the lowest rate (11.11%). Four published GEO datasets were analyzed and a 10-gene model and immune signature for pCR were developed. Non-pCR patients were ER+PR+ and had a lower immune signature and gene model score. Hormone receptor status and immune signatures were independent predictive factors of pCR. Conclusion Hormone receptor status and a 10-gene model could predict pCR independently and may be applied for patient selection and drug effectiveness optimization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lun Li
- Department of Breast Surgery, Shanghai Cancer Center, Fudan University, Shanghai, China and Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Min Chen
- Department of Breast Surgery, Shanghai Cancer Center, Fudan University, Shanghai, China and Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Shuyue Zheng
- Department of Breast Surgery, Shanghai Cancer Center, Fudan University, Shanghai, China and Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Hanlu Li
- Department of Breast Surgery, Shanghai Cancer Center, Fudan University, Shanghai, China and Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Weiru Chi
- Department of Breast Surgery, Shanghai Cancer Center, Fudan University, Shanghai, China and Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Bingqiu Xiu
- Department of Breast Surgery, Shanghai Cancer Center, Fudan University, Shanghai, China and Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Qi Zhang
- Department of Breast Surgery, Shanghai Cancer Center, Fudan University, Shanghai, China and Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jianjing Hou
- Department of Breast Surgery, Shanghai Cancer Center, Fudan University, Shanghai, China and Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jia Wang
- Department of Breast Surgery, Shanghai Cancer Center, Fudan University, Shanghai, China and Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jiong Wu
- Department of Breast Surgery, Shanghai Cancer Center, Fudan University, Shanghai, China and Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.,Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Shanghai, China
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Relationship of the standard uptake value of 18F-FDG-PET-CT with tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes in breast tumors measuring ≥ 1 cm. Sci Rep 2021; 11:12046. [PMID: 34103577 PMCID: PMC8187353 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-91404-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2021] [Accepted: 05/26/2021] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Evidence suggests that tumor cells and tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) compete for glucose in the tumor microenvironment and that tumor metabolic parameters correlate with localized immune markers in several solid tumors. We investigated the relationship of the standardized uptake value (SUV) of 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography computed tomography (18F-FDG-PET-CT) with stromal TIL levels in breast cancer. We included 202 patients who underwent preoperative 18F-FDG-PET-CT and had a tumor measuring ≥ 1 cm. Maximum SUV (SUVmax) was determined using 18F-FDG-PET-CT. Multiple logistic regression was used to identify factors related to high TIL levels (≥ 40%). All tumors were treatment naïve. A significant and weak correlation existed between continuous SUVmax and continuous TIL levels (p = 0.002, R = 0.215). Tumors with high SUVmax (≥ 4) had higher mean TIL levels than those with low SUVmax (< 4). In multivariable analysis, continuous SUVmax was an independent factor associated with high TIL levels; each 1-unit increment in SUVmax corresponded to an odds ratio of 1.14 (95% confidence interval: 1.01–1.29) for high TIL levels. Our study implies that SUV is associated with TILs in breast cancer and provides clinical evidence that elevated glucose uptake by breast tumors can predict the immune system-activated tumor micromilieu.
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Dieci MV, Miglietta F, Guarneri V. Immune Infiltrates in Breast Cancer: Recent Updates and Clinical Implications. Cells 2021; 10:223. [PMID: 33498711 PMCID: PMC7911608 DOI: 10.3390/cells10020223] [Citation(s) in RCA: 99] [Impact Index Per Article: 33.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2020] [Revised: 01/13/2021] [Accepted: 01/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
In recent decades, the increasing interest in the field of immunotherapy has fostered an intense investigation of the breast cancer (BC) immune microenvironment. In this context, tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) have emerged as a clinically relevant and highly reproducible biomarker capable of affecting BC prognosis and response to treatment. Indeed, the evaluation of TILs on primary tumors proved to be strongly prognostic in triple-negative (TN) BC patients treated with either adjuvant or neoadjuvant chemotherapy, as well as in early TNBC patients not receiving any systemic treatment, thus gaining level-1b evidence in this setting. In addition, a strong relationship between TILs and pathologic complete response after neoadjuvant chemotherapy has been reported in all BC subtypes and the prognostic role of higher TILs in early HER2-positive breast cancer patients has also been demonstrated. The interest in BC immune infiltrates has been further fueled by the introduction of the first immune checkpoint inhibitors in the treatment armamentarium of advanced TNBC in patients with PD-L1-positive status by FDA-approved assays. However, despite these advances, a biomarker capable of reliably and exhaustively predicting immunotherapy benefit in BC is still lacking, highlighting the imperative need to further deepen this issue. Finally, more comprehensive evaluation of immune infiltrates integrating both the quantity and quality of tumor-infiltrating immune cells and incorporation of TILs in composite scores encompassing other clinically or biologically relevant biomarkers, as well as the adoption of software-based and/or machine learning platforms for a more comprehensive characterization of BC immune infiltrates, are emerging as promising strategies potentially capable of optimizing patient selection and stratification in the research field. In the present review, we summarize available evidence and recent updates on immune infiltrates in BC, focusing on current clinical applications, potential clinical implications and major unresolved issues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Vittoria Dieci
- Department of Surgery, Oncology and Gastroenterology (DISCOG), University of Padova, 35128 Padova, Italy; (F.M.); (V.G.)
- Medical Oncology 2, Istituto Oncologico Veneto IOV-IRCCS, 35128 Padova, Italy
| | - Federica Miglietta
- Department of Surgery, Oncology and Gastroenterology (DISCOG), University of Padova, 35128 Padova, Italy; (F.M.); (V.G.)
- Medical Oncology 2, Istituto Oncologico Veneto IOV-IRCCS, 35128 Padova, Italy
| | - Valentina Guarneri
- Department of Surgery, Oncology and Gastroenterology (DISCOG), University of Padova, 35128 Padova, Italy; (F.M.); (V.G.)
- Medical Oncology 2, Istituto Oncologico Veneto IOV-IRCCS, 35128 Padova, Italy
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Zhu J, Jiao D, Zhao Y, Guo X, Yang Y, Xiao H, Liu Z. Development of a predictive model utilizing the neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio to predict neoadjuvant chemotherapy efficacy in early breast cancer patients. Sci Rep 2021; 11:1350. [PMID: 33446717 PMCID: PMC7809019 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-80037-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2020] [Accepted: 12/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Neutrophils and lymphocytes are key regulators of breast cancer (BC) development and progression. Neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR) values have been found to offer clear prognostic utility when evaluating BC patients. In this study, we sought to determine whether BC patient baseline NLR values are correlated with pathological complete response (pCR) following neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NCT) treatment. In total, 346 BC patients underwent NCT at our hospital from January 1, 2014 to October 31, 2019, and data pertaining to these patients were retrospectively analyzed. Correlations between clinicopathological characteristics and pCR rates were assessed via multivariate logistic regression analyses. A predictive scoring model was used to gauge the likelihood of pCR based upon regression coefficient (β) values for each significant variable identified through these analyses. NLR cut-off values suitable for identifying patients likely to achieve pCR following NCT treatment were calculated using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. All patients in the present study were females with a median age of 48 years old (range 22–77). An optimal NLR cut-off value of 1.695 was identified and was associated with respective sensitivity and specificity values of 63.6% and 45.5%. We found that higher NLR values were significantly associated with younger age, premenopausal status, and non-pCR status. Logistic regression analyses indicated that NLR, tumor size, hormone receptor (HR) status, and Ki-67 expression were all independent predictors of pCR. The area under the curve (AUC) for the resultant predictive scoring model was 0.705, and this model was assessed via K-fold cross-validation (k = 10) and bootstrapping validation, yielding respective AUC values of 0.68 and 0.694. Moreover, the incorporation of NLR into this predictive model incrementally improved its overall prognostic value relative to that of a model not incorporating NLR (AUC = 0.674). BC patients with a lower baseline NLR are more likely to exhibit pCR following NCT treatment, indicating that NLR may be a valuable biomarker for BC patient prognostic evaluation and treatment planning. Overall, our results demonstrate that this NLR-based predictive model can efficiently predict NCT efficacy in early BC patients with a high degree of accuracy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiujun Zhu
- Department of Breast Cancer Center, Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Henan Cancer Hospital, No. 127, Dongming Road, Zhengzhou, China.
| | - Dechuang Jiao
- Department of Breast Cancer Center, Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Henan Cancer Hospital, No. 127, Dongming Road, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Yajie Zhao
- Department of Breast Cancer Center, Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Henan Cancer Hospital, No. 127, Dongming Road, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Xuhui Guo
- Department of Breast Cancer Center, Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Henan Cancer Hospital, No. 127, Dongming Road, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Yue Yang
- Department of Breast Cancer Center, Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Henan Cancer Hospital, No. 127, Dongming Road, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Hui Xiao
- Department of Breast Cancer Center, Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Henan Cancer Hospital, No. 127, Dongming Road, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Zhenzhen Liu
- Department of Breast Cancer Center, Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Henan Cancer Hospital, No. 127, Dongming Road, Zhengzhou, China.
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Sanchez K, Kim I, Chun B, Pucilowska J, Redmond WL, Urba WJ, Martel M, Wu Y, Campbell M, Sun Z, Grunkemeier G, Chang SC, Bernard B, Page DB. Multiplex immunofluorescence to measure dynamic changes in tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes and PD-L1 in early-stage breast cancer. Breast Cancer Res 2021; 23:2. [PMID: 33413574 PMCID: PMC7788790 DOI: 10.1186/s13058-020-01378-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2020] [Accepted: 12/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The H&E stromal tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte (sTIL) score and programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) SP142 immunohistochemistry assay are prognostic and predictive in early-stage breast cancer, but are operator-dependent and may have insufficient precision to characterize dynamic changes in sTILs/PD-L1 in the context of clinical research. We illustrate how multiplex immunofluorescence (mIF) combined with statistical modeling can be used to precisely estimate dynamic changes in sTIL score, PD-L1 expression, and other immune variables from a single paraffin-embedded slide, thus enabling comprehensive characterization of activity of novel immunotherapy agents. METHODS Serial tissue was obtained from a recent clinical trial evaluating loco-regional cytokine delivery as a strategy to promote immune cell infiltration and activation in breast tumors. Pre-treatment biopsies and post-treatment tumor resections were analyzed by mIF (PerkinElmer Vectra) using an antibody panel that characterized tumor cells (cytokeratin-positive), immune cells (CD3, CD8, CD163, FoxP3), and PD-L1 expression. mIF estimates of sTIL score and PD-L1 expression were compared to the H&E/SP142 clinical assays. Hierarchical linear modeling was utilized to compare pre- and post-treatment immune cell expression, account for correlation of time-dependent measurement, variation across high-powered magnification views within each subject, and variation between subjects. Simulation methods (Monte Carlo, bootstrapping) were used to evaluate the impact of model and tissue sample size on statistical power. RESULTS mIF estimates of sTIL and PD-L1 expression were strongly correlated with their respective clinical assays (p < .001). Hierarchical linear modeling resulted in more precise estimates of treatment-related increases in sTIL, PD-L1, and other metrics such as CD8+ tumor nest infiltration. Statistical precision was dependent on adequate tissue sampling, with at least 15 high-powered fields recommended per specimen. Compared to conventional t-testing of means, hierarchical linear modeling was associated with substantial reductions in enrollment size required (n = 25➔n = 13) to detect the observed increases in sTIL/PD-L1. CONCLUSION mIF is useful for quantifying treatment-related dynamic changes in sTILs/PD-L1 and is concordant with clinical assays, but with greater precision. Hierarchical linear modeling can mitigate the effects of intratumoral heterogeneity on immune cell count estimations, allowing for more efficient detection of treatment-related pharmocodynamic effects in the context of clinical trials. TRIAL REGISTRATION NCT02950259 .
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Affiliation(s)
- Katherine Sanchez
- Earle A. Chiles Research Institute, 4805 N.E. Glisan St., North Tower, Suite 2N87, Portland, OR, 97213, USA
- Providence Cancer Institute, Portland, OR, USA
| | - Isaac Kim
- Earle A. Chiles Research Institute, 4805 N.E. Glisan St., North Tower, Suite 2N87, Portland, OR, 97213, USA
- Providence Cancer Institute, Portland, OR, USA
| | - Brie Chun
- Earle A. Chiles Research Institute, 4805 N.E. Glisan St., North Tower, Suite 2N87, Portland, OR, 97213, USA
- Providence Cancer Institute, Portland, OR, USA
| | - Joanna Pucilowska
- Earle A. Chiles Research Institute, 4805 N.E. Glisan St., North Tower, Suite 2N87, Portland, OR, 97213, USA
- Providence Cancer Institute, Portland, OR, USA
| | - William L Redmond
- Earle A. Chiles Research Institute, 4805 N.E. Glisan St., North Tower, Suite 2N87, Portland, OR, 97213, USA
- Providence Cancer Institute, Portland, OR, USA
| | - Walter J Urba
- Earle A. Chiles Research Institute, 4805 N.E. Glisan St., North Tower, Suite 2N87, Portland, OR, 97213, USA
- Providence Cancer Institute, Portland, OR, USA
| | - Maritza Martel
- Department of Pathology, Providence Portland Medical Center, Portland, OR, USA
| | - Yaping Wu
- Earle A. Chiles Research Institute, 4805 N.E. Glisan St., North Tower, Suite 2N87, Portland, OR, 97213, USA
- Providence Cancer Institute, Portland, OR, USA
| | - Mary Campbell
- Department of Pathology, Providence Portland Medical Center, Portland, OR, USA
| | - Zhaoyu Sun
- Earle A. Chiles Research Institute, 4805 N.E. Glisan St., North Tower, Suite 2N87, Portland, OR, 97213, USA
| | - Gary Grunkemeier
- Medical Data Research Center, Providence Health & Services, Portland, OR, USA
| | - Shu Ching Chang
- Medical Data Research Center, Providence Health & Services, Portland, OR, USA
| | - Brady Bernard
- Earle A. Chiles Research Institute, 4805 N.E. Glisan St., North Tower, Suite 2N87, Portland, OR, 97213, USA
- Providence Cancer Institute, Portland, OR, USA
| | - David B Page
- Earle A. Chiles Research Institute, 4805 N.E. Glisan St., North Tower, Suite 2N87, Portland, OR, 97213, USA.
- Providence Cancer Institute, Portland, OR, USA.
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Sajjadi E, Venetis K, Scatena C, Fusco N. Biomarkers for precision immunotherapy in the metastatic setting: hope or reality? Ecancermedicalscience 2020; 14:1150. [PMID: 33574895 PMCID: PMC7864694 DOI: 10.3332/ecancer.2020.1150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Precision immunotherapy is a crucial approach to improve the efficacy of anti-cancer treatments, particularly in the metastatic setting. In this respect, accurate patient selection takes advantage of the multidimensional integration of patients' clinical information and tumour-specific biomarkers status. Among these biomarkers, programmed death-ligand 1, tumour-infiltrating lymphocytes, microsatellite instability, mismatch repair and tumour mutational burden have been widely investigated. However, novel tumour-specific biomarkers and testing methods will further improve patients' outcomes. Here, we discuss the currently available strategies for the implementation of a precision immunotherapy approach in the clinical management of metastatic solid tumours and highlight future perspectives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elham Sajjadi
- Divison of Pathology, European Institute of Oncology (IEO) IRCCS, University of Milan, Via Giuseppe Ripamonti 435, 20141 Milan, Italy
- Department of Oncology and Hemato-Oncology, University of Milan, Via Festa del Perdono 7, 20122 Milan, Italy
| | - Konstantinos Venetis
- Divison of Pathology, European Institute of Oncology (IEO) IRCCS, University of Milan, Via Giuseppe Ripamonti 435, 20141 Milan, Italy
- Department of Oncology and Hemato-Oncology, University of Milan, Via Festa del Perdono 7, 20122 Milan, Italy
| | - Cristian Scatena
- Division of Pathology, Department of Translational Research and New Technologies in Medicine and Surgery, University of Pisa, Via Roma 57, 56126 Pisa, Italy
| | - Nicola Fusco
- Divison of Pathology, European Institute of Oncology (IEO) IRCCS, University of Milan, Via Giuseppe Ripamonti 435, 20141 Milan, Italy
- Department of Oncology and Hemato-Oncology, University of Milan, Via Festa del Perdono 7, 20122 Milan, Italy
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28
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Zhao J, Meisel J, Guo Y, Nahta R, Hsieh KL, Peng L, Wei Z, O'Regan R, Li X. Evaluation of PD-L1, tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes, and CD8+ and FOXP3+ immune cells in HER2-positive breast cancer treated with neoadjuvant therapies. Breast Cancer Res Treat 2020; 183:599-606. [PMID: 32715443 DOI: 10.1007/s10549-020-05819-8] [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: 03/05/2020] [Accepted: 07/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The tumor immune microenvironment plays a critical role in the prognosis and outcome of breast cancers. This study examined the role of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs), CD8+, FOXP3+ lymphocytes, PD-L1 expression, and other clinicopathological parameters in HER2+ breast cancer and correlate with tumor response to neoadjuvant therapy. METHODS We included 173 HER2+ patients treated with neoadjuvant HER2-targeted chemotherapy regimens from 2010 to 2016. 67 cases had biopsy blocks to evaluate TIL, CD8, FOXP3, and PD-L1 immunohistochemistry staining. Tumors were classified as pCR vs non-pCR group. Clinicopathological parameters, TIL, CD8+ and FOXP3+ cell count, and PD-L1 expression were correlated with pCR rate. RESULTS Univariate analyses showed that pCR rate was significantly correlated with low PR, low ER, high Ki-67, high FOXP3, HER2 IHC3+ , high HER2 ratio and copy number. By multivariate analysis, Ki-67 was the only variable significantly correlated with pCR. PD-L1 expression was detected in 9.2% cases. TIL hotspot has a non-significant correlation with pCR rate (p = 0.096). CONCLUSIONS High Ki-67 is a strong predictor for pCR in HER2+ breast cancer. TIL and FOXP3 T cells may play a role in tumor response in HER2+ cancer. PD-L1 is expressed in a subset of HER2+ breast cancer, supporting a role of immunotherapy in treating a subset of HER2+ breast cancers. The role of PD-L1, TIL, and other markers of immunogenicity as predictors of response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy in HER2+ breast cancer should be further evaluated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Zhao
- Department of Pathology, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Jane Meisel
- Department of Hematology and Oncology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Yi Guo
- Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Rita Nahta
- Department of Pharmacology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Kung Lin Hsieh
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Emory University, 1364 Clifton Road, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
| | - Limin Peng
- Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Zhimin Wei
- Department of Pathology, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Ruth O'Regan
- Department of Medicine, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Xiaoxian Li
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Emory University, 1364 Clifton Road, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA.
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Levels of different subtypes of tumour-infiltrating lymphocytes correlate with each other, with matched circulating lymphocytes, and with survival in breast cancer. Breast Cancer Res Treat 2020; 183:49-59. [PMID: 32577938 PMCID: PMC7376517 DOI: 10.1007/s10549-020-05757-5] [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: 01/31/2020] [Accepted: 06/16/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Purpose Breast cancer tumour-infiltrating lymphocytes associate with clinico-pathological factors, including survival, although the literature includes many conflicting findings. Our aim was to assess these associations for key lymphocyte subtypes and in different tumour compartments, to determine whether these provide differential correlations and could, therefore, explain published inconsistencies. Uniquely, we also examine whether infiltrating levels merely reflect systemic lymphocyte levels or whether local factors are predominant in recruitment. Methods Immunohistochemistry was used to detect tumour-infiltrating CD20+ (B), CD4+ (helper T), CD8+ (cytotoxic T) and FoxP3+ (regulatory T) cells in breast cancers from 62 patients, with quantification in tumour stroma, tumour cell nests, and tumour margins. Levels were analysed with respect to clinico-pathological characteristics and matched circulating levels (determined by flow-cytometry). Results CD4+ lymphocytes were the most prevalent subtype in tumour stroma and at tumour edge and CD8+ lymphocytes were most prevalent in tumour nests; FoxP3+ lymphocytes were rarest in all compartments. High grade or hormone receptor negative tumours generally had significantly increased lymphocytes, especially in tumour stroma. Only intra-tumoural levels of CD8+ lymphocytes correlated significantly with matched circulating levels (p < 0.03), suggesting that recruitment is mainly unrelated to systemic activity. High levels of stromal CD4+ and CD20+ cells associated with improved survival in hormone receptor negative cases (p < 0.04), while tumour nest CD8+ and FoxP3+ cells associated with poor survival in hormone receptor positives (p < 0.005). Conclusions Lymphocyte subtype and location define differential impacts on tumour biology, therefore, roles of tumour-infiltrating lymphocytes will only be unravelled through thorough analyses that take this into account. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1007/s10549-020-05757-5) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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30
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Majorini MT, Cancila V, Rigoni A, Botti L, Dugo M, Triulzi T, De Cecco L, Fontanella E, Jachetti E, Tagliabue E, Chiodoni C, Tripodo C, Colombo MP, Lecis D. Infiltrating Mast Cell-Mediated Stimulation of Estrogen Receptor Activity in Breast Cancer Cells Promotes the Luminal Phenotype. Cancer Res 2020; 80:2311-2324. [PMID: 32179512 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-19-3596] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2019] [Revised: 02/04/2020] [Accepted: 03/11/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Tumor growth and development is determined by both cancer cell-autonomous and microenvironmental mechanisms, including the contribution of infiltrating immune cells. Because the role of mast cells (MC) in this process is poorly characterized and even controversial, we investigated their part in breast cancer. Crossing C57BL/6 MMTV-PyMT mice, which spontaneously develop mammary carcinomas, with MC-deficient C57BL/6-KitW-sh/W-sh (Wsh) mice, showed that MCs promote tumor growth and prevent the development of basal CK5-positive areas in favor of a luminal gene program. When cocultured with breast cancer cells in vitro, MCs hindered activation of cMET, a master regulator of the basal program, and simultaneously promoted expression and activation of estrogen receptor (ESR1/ER) and its target genes (PGR, KRT8/CK8, BCL2), which are all luminal markers. Moreover, MCs reduced ERBB2/HER2 levels, whose inhibition further increased ESR1 expression. In vivo and in silico analysis of patients with breast cancer revealed a direct correlation between MC density and ESR1 expression. In mice engrafted with HER2-positive breast cancer tumors, coinjection of MCs increased tumor engraftment and outgrowth, supporting the link between MCs and increased risk of relapse in patients with breast cancer. Together, our findings support the notion that MCs influence the phenotype of breast cancer cells by stimulating a luminal phenotype and ultimately modifying the outcome of the disease. SIGNIFICANCE: Mast cells impact breast cancer outcome by directly affecting the phenotype of tumor cells through stimulation of the estrogen receptor pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Teresa Majorini
- Molecular Immunology Unit, Department of Research, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Valeria Cancila
- Tumor Immunology Unit, Department of Health Sciences, Human Pathology Section, University of Palermo School of Medicine, Palermo, Italy
| | - Alice Rigoni
- Molecular Immunology Unit, Department of Research, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Laura Botti
- Molecular Immunology Unit, Department of Research, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Matteo Dugo
- Platform of Integrated Biology, Department of Applied Research and Technology Development, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Tiziana Triulzi
- Molecular Targeting Unit, Department of Research, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Loris De Cecco
- Platform of Integrated Biology, Department of Applied Research and Technology Development, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Enrico Fontanella
- Molecular Immunology Unit, Department of Research, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Elena Jachetti
- Molecular Immunology Unit, Department of Research, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Elda Tagliabue
- Molecular Targeting Unit, Department of Research, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Claudia Chiodoni
- Molecular Immunology Unit, Department of Research, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Claudio Tripodo
- Tumor Immunology Unit, Department of Health Sciences, Human Pathology Section, University of Palermo School of Medicine, Palermo, Italy
| | - Mario P Colombo
- Molecular Immunology Unit, Department of Research, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy.
| | - Daniele Lecis
- Molecular Immunology Unit, Department of Research, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy.
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