Eribulin activity in soft tissue sarcoma monolayer and three-dimensional cell line models: could the combination with other drugs improve its antitumoral effect?

3D Models of Sarcomas: The Next-generation Tool for Personalized Medicine

Sarcoma is a complex and heterogeneous cancer that has been difficult to study in vitro. While two-dimensional (2D) cell cultures and mouse models have been the dominant research tools, three-dimensional (3D) culture systems such as organoids have emerged as promising alternatives. In this review, we discuss recent developments in sarcoma organoid culture, with a focus on their potential as tools for drug screening and biobanking. We also highlight the ways in which sarcoma organoids have been used to investigate the mechanisms of gene regulation, drug resistance, metastasis, and immune interactions. Sarcoma organoids have shown to retain characteristics of in vivo biology within an in vitro system, making them a more representative model for sarcoma research. Our review suggests that sarcoma organoids offer a potential path forward for translational research in this field and may provide a platform for developing personalized therapies for sarcoma patients.

Factors predictive of second-line chemotherapy in soft tissue sarcoma: An analysis of the National Genomic Profiling Database

Of the drugs used in second-line chemotherapy for soft tissue sarcoma (STS), trabectedin is effective for liposarcoma and leiomyosarcoma (L-sarcoma), eribulin for liposarcoma, and pazopanib for non-liposarcoma. The indications for these drugs in STS other than L-sarcoma have not been established. Here we explored the prognosis, mutation profiles, and drug-response factors in STS using real-world big data. Clinicogenomic data on 1761 patients with sarcoma who underwent FoundationOne CDx were obtained from a national database in Japan. Patients with TP53 and KDM2D mutations had a significantly shorter survival period of 253 (95% CI, 99-404) and 330 (95% CI, 20-552) days, respectively, than those without mutations. Non-supervised clustering based on mutation profiles generated 13 tumor clusters. The response rate (RR) to trabectedin was highest in an MDM2-amplification cluster (odds ratio [OR]: 2.2; p = 0.2). The RR was lowest for eribulin in an MDM2-amplification cluster (OR: 0.4; p = 0.03) and highest in a TERT-mutation cluster (OR: 3.0; p = 0.03). The RR was highest for pazopanib in a PIK3CA/PTEN-wild type cluster (OR: 2.1; p = 0.03). In particular, patients harboring mutations in genes regulating the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway had a lower RR than patients without mutations (OR: 0.3; p = 0.04). In STS, mutation profiles were more useful in predicting the drug response than histology. The present study demonstrated the potential of tailored therapy guided by mutation profiles established by comprehensive genomic profiling testing in optimizing second-line chemotherapy for STS. The findings of this study will hopefully contribute some valuable insights into enhancing STS treatment strategies and outcomes.

Preclinical Models of Visceral Sarcomas

Visceral sarcomas are a rare malignant subgroup of soft tissue sarcomas (STSs). STSs, accounting for 1% of all adult tumors, are derived from mesenchymal tissues and exhibit a wide heterogeneity. Their rarity and the high number of histotypes hinder the understanding of tumor development mechanisms and negatively influence clinical outcomes and treatment approaches. Although some STSs (~20%) have identifiable genetic markers, as specific mutations or translocations, most are characterized by complex genomic profiles. Thus, identification of new therapeutic targets and development of personalized therapies are urgent clinical needs. Although cell lines are useful for preclinical investigations, more reliable preclinical models are required to develop and test new potential therapies. Here, we provide an overview of the available in vitro and in vivo models of visceral sarcomas, whose gene signatures are still not well characterized, to highlight current challenges and provide insights for future studies.

Systemic Therapy in Advanced Pleomorphic Liposarcoma: a Comprehensive Review

OPINION STATEMENT

The therapeutic approach of pleomorphic liposarcoma (PLPS), a rare high-grade subgroup of soft tissue sarcoma, is commonly extrapolated from the management of other LPS subtypes. Only published retrospective data on PLPS currently serve as a guide for oncologists without clear recommendations or specific guidelines. In the advanced setting, specific systemic therapy such as eribulin and trabectedin showed promising activity in comparison to conventional therapy (doxorubicin- and gemcitabine-based protocols), which currently remains the current standard of care at initial stages of the disease. The better understanding of soft tissue sarcoma (STS) pathophysiology and disease course has led to the development of adapted clinical trial designs for rare STS histotypes with specific treatment approach.

Efficacy of Eribulin Plus Gemcitabine Combination in L-Sarcomas

Although the overall survival of advanced soft-tissue sarcoma (STS) patients has increased in recent years, the median progression-free survival is lower than 5 months, meaning that there is an unmet need in this population. Among second-line treatments for advanced STS, eribulin is an anti-microtubule agent that has been approved for liposarcoma. Here, we tested the combination of eribulin with gemcitabine in preclinical models of L-sarcoma. The effect in cell viability was measured by MTS and clonogenic assay. Cell cycle profiling was studied by flow cytometry, while apoptosis was measured by flow cytometry and Western blotting. The activity of eribulin plus gemcitabine was evaluated in in vivo patient-derived xenograft (PDX) models. In L-sarcoma cell lines, eribulin plus gemcitabine showed to be synergistic, increasing the number of hypodiploid events (increased subG1 population) and the accumulation of DNA damage. In in vivo PDX models of L-sarcomas, eribulin combined with gemcitabine was a viable scheme, delaying tumour growth after one cycle of treatment, being more effective in leiomyosarcoma. The combination of eribulin and gemcitabine was synergistic in L-sarcoma cultures and it showed to be active in in vivo studies. This combination deserves further exploration in the clinical context.

Efficacy of Eribulin in Soft Tissue Sarcomas

Soft tissue sarcomas are a highly heterogenous group of tumors with limited systemic therapy options. Eribulin, a synthetic analogue of halichondrin B, is a potent mitotic inhibitor. A phase 3 trial of previously treated advanced Liposarcoma and Leiomyosarcoma demonstrated superiority of eribulin to dacarbazine. Eribulin appears to be particularly effective for liposarcomas. It has also been shown to be a safe and effective treatment alternative to doxorubicin in patients where doxorubicin is contraindicated. From retrospective studies, eribulin has demonstrated efficacy in patients with angiosarcoma, pleomorphic sarcomas, synovial sarcomas, rhabdomyosarcomas, angiosarcomas, and myxofibrosarcomas. Future areas of development include liposomal eribulin, which may provide increased efficacy and lower toxicity, and delineation of biomarkers of response and resistance, allowing better selection of patients for treatment.