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Chen X, Zhao W, Huang Y, Luo S, Tang X, Yi Q. Association of GATA3 expression in triple-positive breast cancer with overall survival and immune cell infiltration. Sci Rep 2024; 14:17795. [PMID: 39090342 PMCID: PMC11294334 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-68788-8] [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: 03/12/2024] [Accepted: 07/29/2024] [Indexed: 08/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Breast cancer remains a leading cause of cancer-related mortality among women, with triple-positive breast cancer (TPBC) being a particularly aggressive subtype. GATA binding protein 3 (GATA3) plays a crucial role in the luminal differentiation of breast epithelium and T-cell differentiation. However, the relationship between GATA3 and immune infiltration in TPBC remains unclear. This study collected and analyzed TPBC data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), METABRIC, and GSE123845 databases. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses, along with Kaplan-Meier survival analyses, were employed to assess the prognostic value of GATA3 and other clinical features. Subsequently, Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA) was conducted to explore the potential biological functions and regulatory mechanisms of GATA3 in TPBC. Additionally, ssGSEA analysis revealed the connection between GATA3 and immune infiltration. And the effects of neoadjuvant chemotherapy and immunotherapy on GATA3 expression were also explored. Finally, clinical samples were used to detect the relationship between GATA3 expression and tumor infiltrating lymphocyte (TIL) levels. Our results demonstrated that GATA3 was significantly overexpressed in TPBC tissues compared to normal tissues (P < 0.05). A positive correlation between GATA3 mRNA and protein levels was observed (R = 0.55, P < 0.05). Notably, high GATA3 expression was associated with poor overall survival (HR = 1.24, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.25-11.76, P < 0.05). GSEA indicated significant enrichment of immune-related gene sets in low GATA3 expression groups. Furthermore, pathologic complete response (pCR) patients exhibited significantly lower GATA3 expression compared to residual disease (RD) patients. Mutation analysis revealed higher PIK3CA and TP53 mutation rates in high GATA3 expression groups. Finally, clinical validation data showed that the degree of TILs was significantly higher in the low GATA3 expression group. In conclusion, this study suggests that high GATA3 expression may be associated with poor prognosis and may reduce immune infiltration in TPBC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiuwen Chen
- Department of Pathology and Department of Hematology, Taihe Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, Hubei, China
| | - Weilin Zhao
- Department of Pathology and Department of Hematology, Taihe Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, Hubei, China
| | - Yugang Huang
- Department of Pathology and Department of Hematology, Taihe Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, Hubei, China
| | - Senyuan Luo
- Department of Pathology and Department of Hematology, Taihe Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, Hubei, China
| | - Xianbin Tang
- Department of Pathology and Department of Hematology, Taihe Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, Hubei, China.
| | - Qiong Yi
- Department of Pathology and Department of Hematology, Taihe Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, Hubei, China.
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Wang E, Henderson M, Yalamanchili P, Cueto J, Islam Z, Dharmani C, Salas M. Potential biomarkers in breast cancer drug development: application of the biomarker qualification evidentiary framework. Biomark Med 2024; 18:265-277. [PMID: 38487948 PMCID: PMC11216506 DOI: 10.2217/bmm-2023-0048] [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: 01/30/2023] [Accepted: 02/26/2024] [Indexed: 06/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Breast cancer treatments have evolved rapidly, and clinically meaningful biomarkers have been used to guide therapy. These biomarkers hold utility within the drug development process to increase the efficiency and effectiveness. To this purpose, the US FDA developed an evidentiary framework. Literature searches conducted of literature published between 2016 and 2022 identified biomarkers in breast cancer. These biomarkers were reviewed for drug development utility through the biomarker qualification evidentiary framework. In the breast cancer setting, several promising biomarkers (ctDNA, Ki-67 and PIK3CA) were identified. There is a need for increased transparency regarding the requirements for qualification of specific biomarkers and increased awareness of the processes involved in biomarker qualification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric Wang
- Daiichi-Sankyo, Inc., Basking Ridge, NJ 07920, USA
| | | | - Priyanka Yalamanchili
- Daiichi-Sankyo, Inc., Basking Ridge, NJ 07920, USA
- Rutgers Institute for Pharmaceutical Industry Fellowships, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
| | | | | | | | - Maribel Salas
- Daiichi-Sankyo, Inc., Basking Ridge, NJ 07920, USA
- Center for Real-world Effectiveness & Safety of Therapeutics (CREST), University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
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3
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Dieci MV, Conte P, Bisagni G, Bartolini S, Frassoldati A, Generali D, Piacentini F, Griguolo G, Tagliafico E, Brasó Maristany F, Chic N, Paré L, Miglietta F, Vicini R, D’Amico R, Balduzzi S, Prat A, Guarneri V. Metastatic site patterns by intrinsic subtype and HER2DX in early HER2-positive breast cancer. J Natl Cancer Inst 2024; 116:69-80. [PMID: 37676829 PMCID: PMC10777675 DOI: 10.1093/jnci/djad179] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2023] [Revised: 07/13/2023] [Accepted: 08/30/2023] [Indexed: 09/09/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Even with contemporary treatment strategies, more than 10% of HER2-positive early stage breast cancer patients may experience distant metastasis as first event during follow-up. Tools for predicting unique patterns of metastatic spread are needed to plan personalized surveillance. We evaluated how molecular heterogeneity affects the pattern of distant relapse in HER2-positive breast cancer. METHODS A total of 677 HER2-positive stage I-III breast cancer patients from ShortHER trial, Cher-LOB trial, and 2 institutional cohorts were included. PAM50 molecular subtypes and research-based HER2DX scores were evaluated. The cumulative incidence of distant relapse as the first event (any site and site specific) was evaluated using competing risk analysis. Median follow-up was 8.4 years. Tests of statistical significance are 2-sided. RESULTS Stage III and high HER2DX risk score identified patients at the highest risk of distant relapse as first event (10-year incidence 24.5% and 19.7%, respectively). Intrinsic molecular subtypes were associated with specific patterns of metastatic spread: compared with other subtypes, HER2-enriched tumors were more prone to develop brain metastases (10-year incidence 3.8% vs 0.6%, P = .005), basal-like tumors were associated with an increased risk of lung metastases (10-year incidence 11.1% vs 2.6%, P = .001), and luminal tumors developed more frequently bone-only metastases (10-year incidence 5.1% vs 2.0%, P = .042). When added to stage or HER2DX risk score in competing risk regression models, intrinsic subtype maintained an independent association with site-specific metastases. CONCLUSIONS The integration of intrinsic molecular subtypes with stage or HER2DX risk score predicts site-specific metastatic risk in HER2-positive breast cancer, with potential implications for personalized surveillance and clinical trials aimed at preventing site-specific recurrence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Vittoria Dieci
- Department of Surgery, Oncology and Gastroenterology, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
- Oncology 2, Veneto Institute of Oncology Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS), Padova, Italy
| | | | - Giancarlo Bisagni
- Department of Oncology and Advanced Technologies, Oncology Unit, Azienda Unità Sanitaria Locale-Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS), Reggio Emilia, Italy
| | - Stefania Bartolini
- Nervous System Medical Oncology Department, IRCCS Istituto delle Scienze Neurologiche di Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Antonio Frassoldati
- Clinical Oncology, Department of Translational Medicine and for Romagna, S. Anna University Hospital, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Daniele Generali
- Department of Medicine, Surgery and Health Sciences, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy
- Multidisciplinary Unit of Breast Pathology and Translational Research, Cremona Hospital, Cremona, Italy
| | - Federico Piacentini
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences for Children and Adults, University Hospital of Modena, Modena, Italy
| | - Gaia Griguolo
- Department of Surgery, Oncology and Gastroenterology, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
- Oncology 2, Veneto Institute of Oncology Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS), Padova, Italy
| | - Enrico Tagliafico
- Center for Genome Research, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Diagnostic Hematology and Clinical Genomics Unit, Modena University Hospital, Modena, Italy
| | - Fara Brasó Maristany
- Translational Genomics and Targeted Therapies in Solid Tumors, August Pi i Sunyer Biomedical Research Institute, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Nuria Chic
- Translational Genomics and Targeted Therapies in Solid Tumors, August Pi i Sunyer Biomedical Research Institute, Barcelona, Spain
- Department of Medical Oncology, Hospital Clinic of Barcelona, Spain
| | | | - Federica Miglietta
- Department of Surgery, Oncology and Gastroenterology, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
- Oncology 2, Veneto Institute of Oncology Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS), Padova, Italy
| | - Roberto Vicini
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences for Children and Adults, University Hospital of Modena, Modena, Italy
| | - Roberto D’Amico
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences for Children and Adults, University Hospital of Modena, Modena, Italy
| | - Sara Balduzzi
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences for Children and Adults, University Hospital of Modena, Modena, Italy
| | - Aleix Prat
- Translational Genomics and Targeted Therapies in Solid Tumors, August Pi i Sunyer Biomedical Research Institute, Barcelona, Spain
- Department of Medical Oncology, Hospital Clinic of Barcelona, Spain
- Reveal Genomics, Barcelona, Spain
- Department of Medicine, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Valentina Guarneri
- Department of Surgery, Oncology and Gastroenterology, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
- Oncology 2, Veneto Institute of Oncology Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS), Padova, Italy
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Zagami P, Fernandez-Martinez A, Rashid NU, Hoadley KA, Spears PA, Curigliano G, Perou CM, Carey LA. Association of PIK3CA Mutation With Pathologic Complete Response and Outcome by Hormone Receptor Status and Intrinsic Subtype in Early-Stage ERBB2/HER2-Positive Breast Cancer. JAMA Netw Open 2023; 6:e2348814. [PMID: 38117494 PMCID: PMC10733807 DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.48814] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2023] [Accepted: 11/06/2023] [Indexed: 12/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Importance PIK3CA mutations may be associated with outcomes of patients with ERBB2/HER2-positive early breast cancer (EBC). Objectives To assess if PIK3CA mutations among patients with ERBB2/HER2-positive EBC are associated with treatment response and outcome, and if these associations vary by hormone receptor (HR) status or intrinsic molecular subtype (IMS). Design, Setting, and Participants This cohort study derived data on 184 patients from the phase 3 neoadjuvant Cancer and Leukemia Group B (CALGB) 40601 trial that enrolled patients with ERBB2/HER2-positive EBC in North America between January 1, 2008, and December 31, 2012. Participants received neoadjuvant paclitaxel with trastuzumab, lapatinib, or both. Statistical analysis was performed from March 23, 2022, to March 9, 2023. Exposures Gene expression profiling by RNA sequencing with Prediction Analysis of Microarray 50-determined IMS and PIK3CA mutations from whole-exome sequencing were obtained from pretreatment biopsies from 184 of 305 trial participants. Main Outcomes and Measures The primary end point was pathologic complete response (pCR) and the secondary end point of event-free survival (EFS). The association of PIK3CA mutations with pCR and EFS by HR status and IMS was estimated using logistic and Cox proportional hazards regression models. Results All 184 participants were women, with a median age of 49 years (range 24-75 years). A total of 121 participants (66%) had clinical stage II tumors; 32 (17%) had PIK3CA mutations, most frequently H1047R (38% [12 of 32]) and E545K (22% [7 of 32]). PIK3CA mutations were present in 20 of 102 cases of HR-positive EBC (20%) and 12 of 82 cases HR-negative EBC (15%) and varied by IMS (luminal B, 9 of 25 [36%]; luminal A, 2 of 21 [10%]; and ERBB2/HER2-enriched tumors, 19 of 102 [19%]). Pathologic complete response rates were lower in PIK3CA mutated than PIK3CA wild type in the overall population (34% [11 of 32] vs 49% [74 of 152]; P = .14) and were significantly different among those receiving trastuzumab (30% [7 of 23] vs 54% [63 of 117]; P = .045). At a median follow-up of 9 years, PIK3CA mutations were significantly associated with worse EFS in the overall cohort (hazard ratio, 2.58 [95% CI, 1.24-5.35]; P = .01), which persisted in a multivariable model including pCR, HR status, stage, and IMS (hazard ratio, 2.52 [95% CI, 1.16-5.47]; P = .02). The negative association of PIK3CA mutation was significant in HR-positive (hazard ratio, 3.60 [95% CI, 1.45-8.96]; P = .006) and luminal subtypes (hazard ratio, 4.84 [95% CI, 1.08-21.70]; P = .04), but not in nonluminal and HR-negative tumors. Conclusions and Relevance In ERBB2/HER2-positive EBC, PIK3CA mutations were associated with lower pCR rates and independently associated with worse long-term EFS. These findings appear to be associated with PIK3CA mutations in HR-positive and luminal EBC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paola Zagami
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
- Division of Medical Oncology, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Aranzazu Fernandez-Martinez
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
- Department of Genetics, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
| | - Naim U Rashid
- Department of Biostatistics, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
| | - Katherine A Hoadley
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
- Department of Genetics, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
| | - Patricia A Spears
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
| | - Giuseppe Curigliano
- Division of Medical Oncology, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
- Division of New Drugs and Early Drug Development, European Institute of Oncology IRCCS, Milan, Italy
| | - Charles M Perou
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
- Department of Genetics, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
| | - Lisa A Carey
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
- Division of Medical Oncology, Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill
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5
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Chen H, Hu X, Wang D, Wang Y, Yu Y, Yao H. Association of PIK3CA mutation with outcomes in HER2-positive breast cancer treated with anti-HER2 therapy: A meta-analysis and bioinformatic analysis of TCGA‑BRCA data. Transl Oncol 2023; 37:101738. [PMID: 37597296 PMCID: PMC10458974 DOI: 10.1016/j.tranon.2023.101738] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2023] [Revised: 06/09/2023] [Accepted: 07/11/2023] [Indexed: 08/21/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND This study aimed to comprehensively explore the clinical significance of PIK3CA mutation in human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-positive breast cancer treated with anti-HER2 therapy. METHODS We systematically searched PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane databases for eligible studies assessing the association between PIK3CA mutation and outcomes in patients with HER2-positive breast cancer receiving anti-HER2 therapy. The main outcomes included: (1) pathological complete response (pCR) or disease-free survival (DFS) for the neoadjuvant setting; (2) DFS or invasive DFS for the adjuvant setting; (3) objective response rate (ORR), progression-free survival (PFS), time-to-progression (TTP), or overall survival (OS) for the metastatic setting. The mutational landscape of HER2-positive breast cancer according to PIK3CA mutation status was examined based on TCGA breast cancer dataset. RESULTS Totally, 43 eligible studies, covering 11,099 patients with available data on PIK3CA mutation status, were identified. In the neoadjuvant setting, PIK3CA mutation was significantly associated with a lower pCR rate (OR=0.23, 95% CI 0.19-0.27, p<0.001). This association remained significant irrespective of the type of anti-HER2 therapy (single-agent or dual-agent) and hormone receptor status. There were no significant differences in DFS between PIK3CA mutated and wild-type patients in either the neoadjuvant or adjuvant settings. In the metastatic setting, PIK3CA mutation predicted worse ORR (OR=0.26, 95%CI 0.17-0.40, p<0.001), PFS (HR=1.28, 95%CI 1.03-1.59, p = 0.024) and TTP (HR=2.27, 95%CI 1.54-3.34, p<0.001). However, no significant association was observed between PIK3CA mutation status and OS. Distinct mutational landscapes were observed in HER2-positive breast cancer between individuals with PIK3CA mutations and those with wild-type PIK3CA. CONCLUSIONS PIK3CA mutation was significantly associated with a lower pCR rate in HER2-positive breast cancer treated with neoadjuvant anti-HER2 therapy. In the metastatic setting, PIK3CA mutation was predictive of worse ORR, PFS and TTP. These results suggest the potential for developing PI3K inhibitors as a therapeutic option for these patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haizhu Chen
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, Breast Tumor Centre, Department of Medical Oncology, Phase I Clinical Trial Centre, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510120, PR China
| | - Xingbin Hu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, Breast Tumor Centre, Department of Medical Oncology, Phase I Clinical Trial Centre, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510120, PR China
| | - Daquan Wang
- Department of Radiation Oncology, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou 510060, PR China
| | - Ying Wang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, Breast Tumor Centre, Department of Medical Oncology, Phase I Clinical Trial Centre, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510120, PR China
| | - Yunfang Yu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, Breast Tumor Centre, Department of Medical Oncology, Phase I Clinical Trial Centre, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510120, PR China; Faculty of Medicine, Macau University of Science and Technology, Taipa, Macao 999078, PR China.
| | - Herui Yao
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, Breast Tumor Centre, Department of Medical Oncology, Phase I Clinical Trial Centre, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510120, PR China.
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Zhou J, Xie T, Shan H, Cheng G. HLA-DQA1 expression is associated with prognosis and predictable with radiomics in breast cancer. Radiat Oncol 2023; 18:117. [PMID: 37434241 DOI: 10.1186/s13014-023-02314-4] [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: 11/11/2022] [Accepted: 07/05/2023] [Indexed: 07/13/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND High HLA-DQA1 expression is associated with a better prognosis in many cancers. However, the association between HLA-DQA1 expression and prognosis of breast cancer and the noninvasive assessment of HLA-DQA1 expression are still unclear. This study aimed to reveal the association and investigate the potential of radiomics to predict HLA-DQA1 expression in breast cancer. METHODS In this retrospective study, transcriptome sequencing data, medical imaging data, clinical and follow-up data were downloaded from the TCIA ( https://www.cancerimagingarchive.net/ ) and TCGA ( https://portal.gdc.cancer.gov/ ) databases. The clinical characteristic differences between the high HLA-DQA1 expression group (HHD group) and the low HLA-DQA1 expression group were explored. Gene set enrichment analysis, Kaplan‒Meier survival analysis and Cox regression were performed. Then, 107 dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging features were extracted, including size, shape and texture. Using recursive feature elimination and gradient boosting machine, a radiomics model was established to predict HLA-DQA1 expression. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves, precision-recall curves, calibration curves, and decision curves were used for model evaluation. RESULTS The HHD group had better survival outcomes. The differentially expressed genes in the HHD group were significantly enriched in oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) and estrogen response early and late signalling pathways. The radiomic score (RS) output from the model was associated with HLA-DQA1 expression. The area under the ROC curves (95% CI), accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of the radiomic model were 0.866 (0.775-0.956), 0.825, 0.939, 0.7, 0.775, and 0.913 in the training set and 0.780 (0.629-0.931), 0.659, 0.81, 0.5, 0.63, and 0.714 in the validation set, respectively, showing a good prediction effect. CONCLUSIONS High HLA-DQA1 expression is associated with a better prognosis in breast cancer. Quantitative radiomics as a noninvasive imaging biomarker has potential value for predicting HLA-DQA1 expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- JingYu Zhou
- Department of Radiology, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, LianHua Road, Shenzhen, 518000, Guangdong, China
| | - TingTing Xie
- Department of Radiology, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, LianHua Road, Shenzhen, 518000, Guangdong, China
| | - HuiMing Shan
- Department of Radiology, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, LianHua Road, Shenzhen, 518000, Guangdong, China
| | - GuanXun Cheng
- Department of Radiology, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, LianHua Road, Shenzhen, 518000, Guangdong, China.
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García-Torralba E, Navarro Manzano E, Luengo-Gil G, De la Morena Barrio P, Chaves Benito A, Pérez-Ramos M, Álvarez-Abril B, Ivars Rubio A, García-Garre E, Ayala de la Peña F, García-Martínez E. A new prognostic model including immune biomarkers, genomic proliferation tumor markers ( AURKA and MYBL2) and clinical-pathological features optimizes prognosis in neoadjuvant breast cancer patients. Front Oncol 2023; 13:1182725. [PMID: 37313470 PMCID: PMC10258327 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2023.1182725] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2023] [Accepted: 05/17/2023] [Indexed: 06/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Up to 30% of breast cancer (BC) patients treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NCT) will relapse. Our objective was to analyze the predictive capacity of several markers associated with immune response and cell proliferation combined with clinical parameters. Methods This was a single-center, retrospective cohort study of BC patients treated with NCT (2001-2010), in whom pretreatment biomarkers were analyzed: neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) in peripheral blood, CD3+ tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs), and gene expression of AURKA, MYBL2 and MKI67 using qRT-PCR. Results A total of 121 patients were included. Median followup was 12 years. In a univariate analysis, NLR, TILs, AURKA, and MYBL2 showed prognostic value for overall survival. In multivariate analyses, including hormone receptor, HER2 status, and response to NCT, NLR (HR 1.23, 95% CI 1.01-1.75), TILs (HR 0.84, 95% CI 0.73-0.93), AURKA (HR 1.05, 95% CI 1.00-1.11) and MYBL2 (HR 1.19, 95% CI 1.05-1.35) remained as independent predictor variables. Conclusion Consecutive addition of these biomarkers to a regression model progressively increased its discriminatory capacity for survival. Should independent cohort studies validate these findings, management of early BC patients may well be changed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Esmeralda García-Torralba
- Department of Haematology and Medical Oncology, University Hospital Morales Meseguer, Murcia, Spain
- Department of Medicine, Medical School, University of Murcia, Murcia, Spain
- Instituto Murciano de Investigación Biosanitaria (IMIB), Murcia, Spain
| | - Esther Navarro Manzano
- Department of Medicine, Medical School, University of Murcia, Murcia, Spain
- Instituto Murciano de Investigación Biosanitaria (IMIB), Murcia, Spain
| | - Gines Luengo-Gil
- Department of Haematology and Medical Oncology, University Hospital Morales Meseguer, Murcia, Spain
- Department of Medicine, Medical School, University of Murcia, Murcia, Spain
- Instituto Murciano de Investigación Biosanitaria (IMIB), Murcia, Spain
| | - Pilar De la Morena Barrio
- Department of Haematology and Medical Oncology, University Hospital Morales Meseguer, Murcia, Spain
- Department of Medicine, Medical School, University of Murcia, Murcia, Spain
- Instituto Murciano de Investigación Biosanitaria (IMIB), Murcia, Spain
| | | | - Miguel Pérez-Ramos
- Department of Pathology, University Hospital Morales Meseguer, Murcia, Spain
| | - Beatriz Álvarez-Abril
- Department of Haematology and Medical Oncology, University Hospital Morales Meseguer, Murcia, Spain
- Department of Medicine, Medical School, University of Murcia, Murcia, Spain
- Instituto Murciano de Investigación Biosanitaria (IMIB), Murcia, Spain
| | - Alejandra Ivars Rubio
- Department of Haematology and Medical Oncology, University Hospital Morales Meseguer, Murcia, Spain
- Department of Medicine, Medical School, University of Murcia, Murcia, Spain
- Instituto Murciano de Investigación Biosanitaria (IMIB), Murcia, Spain
| | - Elisa García-Garre
- Department of Haematology and Medical Oncology, University Hospital Morales Meseguer, Murcia, Spain
- Department of Medicine, Medical School, University of Murcia, Murcia, Spain
- Instituto Murciano de Investigación Biosanitaria (IMIB), Murcia, Spain
| | - Francisco Ayala de la Peña
- Department of Haematology and Medical Oncology, University Hospital Morales Meseguer, Murcia, Spain
- Department of Medicine, Medical School, University of Murcia, Murcia, Spain
- Instituto Murciano de Investigación Biosanitaria (IMIB), Murcia, Spain
| | - Elena García-Martínez
- Department of Haematology and Medical Oncology, University Hospital Morales Meseguer, Murcia, Spain
- Department of Medicine, Medical School, University of Murcia, Murcia, Spain
- Instituto Murciano de Investigación Biosanitaria (IMIB), Murcia, Spain
- Medical School, Catholic University of Murcia, Murcia, Spain
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Prognostic and Predictive Significance of Stromal Tumor-Infiltrating Lymphocytes (sTILs) in ER-Positive/HER2-Negative Postmenopausal Breast Cancer Patients. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14194844. [PMID: 36230767 PMCID: PMC9564297 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14194844] [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: 08/22/2022] [Revised: 09/23/2022] [Accepted: 09/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The clinical impact of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) is less known for breast cancer patients with the estrogen receptor-positive (ER+)/human epidermal growth factor receptor-negative (HER−) subtype. Here, we explored the prognostic and predictive value of TILs regarding distant recurrence-free interval (DRFI) and breast cancer-specific survival (BCSS) in 763 postmenopausal patients randomized to receive tamoxifen vs. no systemic treatment. TILs were assessed in whole section tumor samples stained with H&E and divided into low (<10%), intermediate (10−39%), or high (≥40%). High TILs were associated with poor prognostic variables and good prognoses for all patients, but not within the ER+/HER2− group. Within the ER+/HER2− group, high gene expression of CD19 and PD-L1 and high IMMUNE1 score indicated good prognosis in multivariable analysis while high CD8 and CD19 gene expression and high IMMUNE1 score were associated with less tamoxifen benefit. These results indicate that within the ER+/HER2− subtype there could be subsets of patients where expression of specific TIL markers might be used to reveal candidates for immune therapy interventions upon failure of the endocrine therapy.
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Irelli A, Parisi A, D’Orazio C, Sidoni T, Rotondaro S, Patruno L, Pavese F, Bafile A, Resta V, Pizzorno L, Ciuffetelli V, Dal Mas A, Calvisi G, Di Sibio A, Marzullo A, Zelli V, Compagnoni C, Tessitore A, Alesse E, Ficorella C, Cortellini A, Cannita K. Anthracycline-Free Neoadjuvant Treatment in Patients with HER2-Positive Breast Cancer: Real-Life Use of Pertuzumab, Trastuzumab and Taxanes Association with an Exploratory Analysis of PIK3CA Mutational Status. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:3003. [PMID: 35740668 PMCID: PMC9220864 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14123003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2022] [Revised: 06/15/2022] [Accepted: 06/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
HER2 is considered one of the most traditional prognostic and predictive biomarkers in breast cancer. Literature data confirmed that the addition of pertuzumab to a standard neoadjuvant chemotherapy backbone (either with or without anthracyclines), in patients with human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-positive early breast cancer (EBC), leads to a higher pathological complete response (pCR) rate, which is known to correlate with a better prognosis. In this retrospective analysis, 47 consecutive patients with HER2-positive EBC received sequential anthracyclines and taxanes plus trastuzumab (ATH) or pertuzumab, trastuzumab and docetaxel (THP). Despite the limited sample size, this monocentric experience highlights the efficacy (in terms of pCR) and safety of THP in the neoadjuvant setting of HER2-positive EBC as an anthracycline-free approach. Given the role of PIK3CA as a prognostic and therapeutic target in breast cancer, tumors were also analyzed to assess the PIK3CA mutational status. Thirty-eight out of forty-seven patients were evaluated, and PIK3CA variants were identified in 21% of tumor samples: overall, one mutation was detected in exon 4 (2.6%), two in exon 9 (5.3%) and four in exon 20 (10.5%). Of note, one sample showed concurrent mutations in exons 9 (codon 545) and 20 (codon 1047). Among patients reaching pCR (n = 13), 38.5% were PIK3CA mutants; on the other hand, among those lacking pCR (n = 25), just 12% showed PIK3CA variants. Regarding THP-treated mutant patients (n = 5), 80% reached pCR (three hormone-receptor-negative, one hormone-receptor-positive). Interestingly, the only patient not achieving pCR had a tumor with two co-occurring PIK3CA mutations. In conclusion, this study provides new evidence about the efficacy and good safety profile of THP, compared to the ATH regimen, as an anthracycline-free neoadjuvant treatment of HER2-positive EBC. Further studies on larger/multicentric cohorts are planned for more in-depth analysis to confirm our molecular and clinical results.
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Affiliation(s)
- Azzurra Irelli
- Medical Oncology Unit, Department of Oncology, AUSL 04 Teramo, 64100 Teramo, Italy;
| | - Alessandro Parisi
- Department of Life, Health and Environmental Sciences, University of L’Aquila, 67100 L’Aquila, Italy;
- Department of Oncology, Università Politecnica delle Marche, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Ospedali Riuniti di Ancona, 60126 Ancona, Italy
| | - Carla D’Orazio
- Medical Oncology, St. Salvatore Hospital, 67100 L’Aquila, Italy; (C.D.); (T.S.); (S.R.); (L.P.); (F.P.); (C.F.)
| | - Tina Sidoni
- Medical Oncology, St. Salvatore Hospital, 67100 L’Aquila, Italy; (C.D.); (T.S.); (S.R.); (L.P.); (F.P.); (C.F.)
| | - Silvia Rotondaro
- Medical Oncology, St. Salvatore Hospital, 67100 L’Aquila, Italy; (C.D.); (T.S.); (S.R.); (L.P.); (F.P.); (C.F.)
| | - Leonardo Patruno
- Medical Oncology, St. Salvatore Hospital, 67100 L’Aquila, Italy; (C.D.); (T.S.); (S.R.); (L.P.); (F.P.); (C.F.)
| | - Francesco Pavese
- Medical Oncology, St. Salvatore Hospital, 67100 L’Aquila, Italy; (C.D.); (T.S.); (S.R.); (L.P.); (F.P.); (C.F.)
| | - Alberto Bafile
- Breast Unit, St. Salvatore Hospital, 67100 L’Aquila, Italy; (A.B.); (V.R.); (L.P.)
| | - Valter Resta
- Breast Unit, St. Salvatore Hospital, 67100 L’Aquila, Italy; (A.B.); (V.R.); (L.P.)
| | - Laura Pizzorno
- Breast Unit, St. Salvatore Hospital, 67100 L’Aquila, Italy; (A.B.); (V.R.); (L.P.)
| | - Virginia Ciuffetelli
- Pathology Unit, St. Salvatore Hospital, 67100 L’Aquila, Italy; (V.C.); (A.D.M.); (G.C.)
| | - Antonella Dal Mas
- Pathology Unit, St. Salvatore Hospital, 67100 L’Aquila, Italy; (V.C.); (A.D.M.); (G.C.)
| | - Giuseppe Calvisi
- Pathology Unit, St. Salvatore Hospital, 67100 L’Aquila, Italy; (V.C.); (A.D.M.); (G.C.)
| | | | - Anna Marzullo
- Nuclear Medicine Unit, St. Salvatore Hospital, 67100 L’Aquila, Italy;
| | - Veronica Zelli
- Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences, University of L’Aquila, Via Vetoio, 67100 L’Aquila, Italy; (V.Z.); (C.C.); (A.T.); (E.A.)
| | - Chiara Compagnoni
- Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences, University of L’Aquila, Via Vetoio, 67100 L’Aquila, Italy; (V.Z.); (C.C.); (A.T.); (E.A.)
| | - Alessandra Tessitore
- Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences, University of L’Aquila, Via Vetoio, 67100 L’Aquila, Italy; (V.Z.); (C.C.); (A.T.); (E.A.)
| | - Edoardo Alesse
- Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences, University of L’Aquila, Via Vetoio, 67100 L’Aquila, Italy; (V.Z.); (C.C.); (A.T.); (E.A.)
| | - Corrado Ficorella
- Medical Oncology, St. Salvatore Hospital, 67100 L’Aquila, Italy; (C.D.); (T.S.); (S.R.); (L.P.); (F.P.); (C.F.)
| | - Alessio Cortellini
- Department of Surgery & Cancer, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital, Du Cane Road, London W12 0HS, UK;
| | - Katia Cannita
- Medical Oncology Unit, Department of Oncology, AUSL 04 Teramo, 64100 Teramo, Italy;
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10
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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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11
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Campone M, Bachelot T, Treilleux I, Pistilli B, Salleron J, Seegers V, Arnedos M, Loussouarn D, Wang Q, Vanlemmens L, Jimenez M, Rios M, Diéras V, Leroux A, Paintaud G, Rezai K, André F, Lion M, Merlin JL. A phase II randomised study of preoperative trastuzumab alone or combined with everolimus in patients with early HER2-positive breast cancer and predictive biomarkers (RADHER trial). Eur J Cancer 2021; 158:169-180. [PMID: 34678678 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejca.2021.09.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2021] [Revised: 09/06/2021] [Accepted: 09/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Resistance to trastuzumab in breast cancer is an ongoing challenge. Clinical and biological effects of co-targeting HER2 and mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) in patients with HER2-positive early operable breast cancer via the addition of everolimus to preoperative trastuzumab were evaluated in a phase II randomised study. METHODS Patients were randomised 1:1 to receive trastuzumab (4 mg/kg initial dose then 2 mg/kg weekly for 5 weeks) alone or combined with everolimus (10 mg/day for 6 weeks) and then underwent surgery. Tumours were assessed by clinical examination and echography at the baseline and on treatment. The primary end-point was the clinical response rate at 6 weeks. Pathological response and safety were also evaluated. Baseline and surgery tumour samples were assessed by immunohistochemistry and multiplex immunoanalysis for predictive downstream effectors of the PI3K/AKT/mTOR and MAP kinase (MAPK) pathways. RESULTS Eighty-two patients were enrolled, 41 per arm. The clinical response rates were 34.1% and 43.9% with trastuzumab alone and combined with everolimus, respectively. Pathological response rates were 43.6% and 47.5%, respectively. Addition of everolimus increased toxicity, notably mucositis (82.5% versus 5.0%) and rash (57.5% versus 10.0%), but grade III/IV events were rare. No correlation between response to treatments and baseline candidate biomarkers was identified, except for PIK3CA mutations which were found to predict trastuzumab resistance. Significant changes were seen in several MAPK pathway effectors after combination therapy. CONCLUSIONS The addition of everolimus did not improve the efficacy, but induced MAPK signalling. Combination therapy to overcome pathway cross-talk should be considered to maximise the effectiveness of trastuzumab in this setting. ClinicalTrial.gov Identifier NCT00674414.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mario Campone
- Department of Medical Oncology/ Cancer Research Center UMR-INSERM U892/CNRS 6299/ Bioinformatics Unit, Institut de Cancérologie de L'Ouest, Nantes, France
| | - Thomas Bachelot
- Department of Medical Oncology, Centre Léon Bérard, INSERM U1052, Lyon, France
| | - Isabelle Treilleux
- Department of Pathology and Biopathology, Centre Léon Bérard, Lyon, France
| | | | - Julia Salleron
- Methodology and Biostatistics Unit, Institut de Cancérologie de Lorraine, Vandoeuvre-Les-Nancy, France
| | - Valérie Seegers
- Oncology Data Factory and Analytics, Institut de Cancérologie de L'Ouest, Nantes, France
| | - Monica Arnedos
- Department of Medicine, Gustave Roussy, Villejuif, France
| | | | - Qing Wang
- Genomic Platform-Cancer Research Center of Lyon, Centre Léon Bérard, Lyon, France
| | | | | | - Maria Rios
- Department of Medical Oncology, Institut de Cancérologie de Lorraine, Vandoeuvre-les-Nancy, France
| | | | - Agnès Leroux
- Department of Biopathology, Institut de Cancérologie de Lorraine, Université de Lorraine, CNRS UMR 7039, CRAN, Vandoeuvre-Les-Nancy, France
| | - Gilles Paintaud
- François Rabelais University, CNRS, UMR 7292, Genetics, Immunotherapy, Chemistry and Cancer, Tours, France
| | - Keyvan Rezai
- Radio-Pharmacology Department, Institut Curie-Hôpital Rene Huguenin, Saint-Cloud, France
| | - Fabrice André
- Department of Medicine, Gustave Roussy, Villejuif, France
| | - Maëva Lion
- Department of Biopathology, Institut de Cancérologie de Lorraine, Université de Lorraine, CNRS UMR 7039, CRAN, Vandoeuvre-Les-Nancy, France
| | - Jean-Louis Merlin
- Department of Biopathology, Institut de Cancérologie de Lorraine, Université de Lorraine, CNRS UMR 7039, CRAN, Vandoeuvre-Les-Nancy, France.
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12
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Hu H, Zhu J, Zhong Y, Geng R, Ji Y, Guan Q, Hong C, Wei Y, Min N, Qi A, Zhang Y, Li X. PIK3CA mutation confers resistance to chemotherapy in triple-negative breast cancer by inhibiting apoptosis and activating the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway. ANNALS OF TRANSLATIONAL MEDICINE 2021; 9:410. [PMID: 33842631 PMCID: PMC8033310 DOI: 10.21037/atm-21-698] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Background Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is a malignant subtype of breast cancer, the main treatments for which are chemotherapy and surgery. PIK3CA is an oncogene that encodes the p110α subunit of class IA PI3K to regulate cell proliferation and apoptosis. Some reports have observed neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) to have poor pathological complete response (pCR) rates in TNBC with PIK3CA mutation. This study aimed to explore the mechanism of how mutant PIK3CA alters chemotherapeutic susceptibility in TNBC. Methods TNBC cell lines (MDA-MB-231 and MDA-MB-468) with PIK3CA gene mutations (E545K and H1047R regions) and overexpression were established by transfection. NOD/SCID mice were used for in vivo experiments. Epirubicin was used as the chemotherapeutic agent. Cell viability, cell cycle, apoptosis, and Transwell assays were conducted for phenotype analysis. Western blot, quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction, and immunohistochemistry were used to detect gene and protein expression levels. A clinical analysis of 50 patients with TNBC was also performed. Results Cell viability and Transwell assays showed that PIK3CA mutation promoted TNBC cell growth and conferred an enhanced migratory phenotype. Cell cycle and apoptosis assays showed that PIK3CA mutation moderately improved the proliferation ability of TNBC cells and remarkably inhibited their apoptosis. After epirubicin therapy, the proportion of early apoptotic cells decreased among cells with PIK3CA mutation. Further, xenograft tumors grew faster in NOD/SCID mice injected with mutated cell lines than in control group, suggesting that PIK3CA mutation caused chemotherapy resistance. Importantly, western blot and immunohistochemical analysis showed that cells and mouse tumors in the PIK3CA mutation groups exhibited different expression levels of apoptosis-related markers (Xiap, Bcl-2, and Caspase 3) and proteins associated with the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway (p110α, AKT, p-AKT, mTOR, p-mTOR, p-4E-BP1, p-p70S6K, and Pten). Moreover, prognostic analysis of 50 patients with TNBC indicated that PIK3CA mutation might be linked with relapse and death. Conclusions PIK3CA mutation confers resistance to chemotherapy in TNBC by inhibiting apoptosis and activating the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huayu Hu
- School of Medicine, Nankai University, Tianjin, China.,Department of General Surgery, Chinese People's Liberation Army General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Junyong Zhu
- Department of General Surgery, Chinese People's Liberation Army General Hospital, Beijing, China.,Medical School of Chinese PLA, Beijing, China
| | - Yuting Zhong
- Department of General Surgery, Chinese People's Liberation Army General Hospital, Beijing, China.,Medical School of Chinese PLA, Beijing, China
| | - Rui Geng
- Department of General Surgery, Chinese People's Liberation Army General Hospital, Beijing, China.,Medical School of Chinese PLA, Beijing, China
| | - Yashuang Ji
- School of Medicine, Nankai University, Tianjin, China.,Department of General Surgery, Chinese People's Liberation Army General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Qingyu Guan
- School of Medicine, Nankai University, Tianjin, China.,Department of General Surgery, Chinese People's Liberation Army General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Chenyan Hong
- School of Medicine, Nankai University, Tianjin, China.,Department of General Surgery, Chinese People's Liberation Army General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Yufan Wei
- School of Medicine, Nankai University, Tianjin, China.,Department of General Surgery, Chinese People's Liberation Army General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Ningning Min
- School of Medicine, Nankai University, Tianjin, China.,Department of General Surgery, Chinese People's Liberation Army General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Aiying Qi
- Department of General Surgery, Chinese People's Liberation Army General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Yanjun Zhang
- Department of General Surgery, Chinese People's Liberation Army General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Xiru Li
- Department of General Surgery, Chinese People's Liberation Army General Hospital, Beijing, China
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13
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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: 103] [Impact Index Per Article: 34.3] [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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