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Alexander AY, Dhawan S, Venteicher AS. Role of immunotherapy in treatment refractory chordomas: review of current evidence. Front Surg 2024; 11:1375567. [PMID: 38881706 PMCID: PMC11177759 DOI: 10.3389/fsurg.2024.1375567] [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: 01/24/2024] [Accepted: 05/14/2024] [Indexed: 06/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction Chordomas are aggressive tumors that are thought to arise from remnants of the embryological notochord. They can arise along the ventromedial aspect of the sacrum, mobile spine, and clivus-with most cases occurring in the sacrum or skull base. Despite surgery and radiation, chordomas often progress and become refractory to further treatment. The high recurrence rate of chordomas has created an urgent need to develop new systemic treatment options. Recent case reports and clinical trials have highlighted the use of immunotherapy for refractory chordomas. In this review, we summarize the results of these studies and discuss the potential role of immunotherapy for chordomas. Methods The PUBMED database was queried for studies mentioning both "Chordoma" and "Immunotherapy." All case series and case reports that involved administration of an immunotherapy for chordoma were included. Additional studies that were found during literature review were added. ClinicalTrials.Gov was queried for studies mentioning both "Chordoma" and "Immunotherapy." The final cohort consisted of all clinical trials that utilized immunotherapy for chordomas of any location. Results Eight case reports and series detailing the use of immunotherapy for treatment refractory chordoma were identified. Most patients received immunotherapy targeting the PD-1/PD-L1 interaction, and two patients received therapy targeting this interaction along with the tyrosine kinase inhibitor pazopanib. One patient received a vaccine derived from autologous tumor cells, and one patient received a viral vector that downregulated the effect of TGF-beta. One clinical trial utilized a brachyury vaccine in conjunction with standard of care radiotherapy. Conclusions Immunotherapy for chordoma is a promising area of investigation with increasing, but small, numbers of case series and clinical trials. Despite challenges in patient accrual, future directions in chordoma immunotherapy may lie in vaccine-based therapies and immune checkpoint inhibitors. Understanding chordoma heterogeneity and microenvironment will likely elucidate important chordoma features that will inform future clinical trial design.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Yohan Alexander
- Department of Neurosurgery and Center for Skull Base and Pituitary Surgery, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, United States
| | - Sanjay Dhawan
- Department of Neurosurgery and Center for Skull Base and Pituitary Surgery, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, United States
| | - Andrew S Venteicher
- Department of Neurosurgery and Center for Skull Base and Pituitary Surgery, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, United States
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Agosti E, Antonietti S, Zeppieri M, Ius T, Fiorindi A, Tel A, Robiony M, Panciani PP, Fontanella MM. Chordoma Genetic Aberrations and Targeted Therapies Panorama: A Systematic Literature Review. J Clin Med 2024; 13:2711. [PMID: 38731241 PMCID: PMC11084907 DOI: 10.3390/jcm13092711] [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: 03/07/2024] [Revised: 04/17/2024] [Accepted: 04/30/2024] [Indexed: 05/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Background: Chordomas pose a challenge in treatment due to their local invasiveness, high recurrence, and potential lethality. Despite being slow-growing and rarely metastasizing, these tumors often resist conventional chemotherapies (CTs) and radiotherapies (RTs), making surgical resection a crucial intervention. However, achieving radical resection for chordomas is seldom possible, presenting therapeutic challenges. The accurate diagnosis of these tumors is vital for their distinct prognoses, yet differentiation is hindered by overlapping radiological and histopathological features. Fortunately, recent molecular and genetic studies, including extracranial location analysis, offer valuable insights for precise diagnosis. This literature review delves into the genetic aberrations and molecular biology of chordomas, aiming to provide an overview of more successful therapeutic strategies. Methods: A systematic search was conducted across major medical databases (PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library) up to 28 January 2023. The search strategy utilized relevant Medical Subject Heading (MeSH) terms and keywords related to "chordomas", "molecular biology", "gene aberrations", and "target therapies". The studies included in this review consist of preclinical cell studies, case reports, case series, randomized controlled trials, non-randomized controlled trials, and cohort studies reporting on genetic and biological aberrations in chordomas. Results: Of the initial 297 articles identified, 40 articles were included in the article. Two tables highlighted clinical studies and ongoing clinical trials, encompassing 18 and 22 studies, respectively. The clinical studies involved 185 patients diagnosed with chordomas. The tumor sites were predominantly sacral (n = 8, 44.4%), followed by clivus (n = 7, 38.9%) and lumbar spine (n = 3, 16.7%). Primary treatments preceding targeted therapies included surgery (n = 10, 55.6%), RT (n = 9, 50.0%), and systemic treatments (n = 7, 38.9%). Various agents targeting specific molecular pathways were analyzed in the studies, such as imatinib (a tyrosine kinase inhibitor), erlotinib, and bevacizumab, which target EGFR/VEGFR. Common adverse events included fatigue (47.1%), skin reactions (32.4%), hypertension (23.5%), diarrhea (17.6%), and thyroid abnormalities (5.9%). Clinical outcomes were systematically assessed based on progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), and tumor response evaluated using RECIST or CHOI criteria. Notably, stable disease (SD) occurred in 58.1% of cases, and partial responses (PRs) were observed in 28.2% of patients, while 13.7% experienced disease progression (PD) despite targeted therapy. Among the 22 clinical trials included in the analysis, Phase II trials were the most prevalent (40.9%), followed by I-II trials (31.8%) and Phase I trials (27.3%). PD-1 inhibitors were the most frequently utilized, appearing in 50% of the trials, followed by PD-L1 inhibitors (36.4%), CTLA-4 inhibitors (22.7%), and mTOR inhibitors (13.6%). Conclusions: This systematic review provides an extensive overview of the state of targeted therapy for chordomas, highlighting their potential to stabilize the illness and enhance clinical outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edoardo Agosti
- Division of Neurosurgery, Department of Medical and Surgical Specialties, Radiological Sciences and Public Health, University of Brescia, Piazza Spedali Civili 1, 25123 Brescia, Italy; (E.A.)
| | - Sara Antonietti
- Division of Neurosurgery, Department of Medical and Surgical Specialties, Radiological Sciences and Public Health, University of Brescia, Piazza Spedali Civili 1, 25123 Brescia, Italy; (E.A.)
| | - Marco Zeppieri
- Department of Ophthalmology, University Hospital of Udine, p.le S. Maria della Misericordia 15, 33100 Udine, Italy
| | - Tamara Ius
- Neurosurgery Unit, Head-Neck and NeuroScience Department, University Hospital of Udine, p.le S. Maria della Misericordia 15, 33100 Udine, Italy
| | - Alessandro Fiorindi
- Division of Neurosurgery, Department of Medical and Surgical Specialties, Radiological Sciences and Public Health, University of Brescia, Piazza Spedali Civili 1, 25123 Brescia, Italy; (E.A.)
| | - Alessandro Tel
- Clinic of Maxillofacial Surgery, Head-Neck and NeuroScience Department, University Hospital of Udine, p.le S. Maria della Misericordia 15, 33100 Udine, Italy
| | - Massimo Robiony
- Clinic of Maxillofacial Surgery, Head-Neck and NeuroScience Department, University Hospital of Udine, p.le S. Maria della Misericordia 15, 33100 Udine, Italy
| | - Pier Paolo Panciani
- Division of Neurosurgery, Department of Medical and Surgical Specialties, Radiological Sciences and Public Health, University of Brescia, Piazza Spedali Civili 1, 25123 Brescia, Italy; (E.A.)
| | - Marco Maria Fontanella
- Division of Neurosurgery, Department of Medical and Surgical Specialties, Radiological Sciences and Public Health, University of Brescia, Piazza Spedali Civili 1, 25123 Brescia, Italy; (E.A.)
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Raj A, Petreaca RC, Mirzaei G. Multi-Omics Integration for Liver Cancer Using Regression Analysis. Curr Issues Mol Biol 2024; 46:3551-3562. [PMID: 38666952 PMCID: PMC11049490 DOI: 10.3390/cimb46040222] [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: 02/18/2024] [Revised: 04/11/2024] [Accepted: 04/16/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Genetic biomarkers have played a pivotal role in the classification, prognostication, and guidance of clinical cancer therapies. Large-scale and multi-dimensional analyses of entire cancer genomes, as exemplified by projects like The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), have yielded an extensive repository of data that holds the potential to unveil the underlying biology of these malignancies. Mutations stand out as the principal catalysts of cellular transformation. Nonetheless, other global genomic processes, such as alterations in gene expression and chromosomal re-arrangements, also play crucial roles in conferring cellular immortality. The incorporation of multi-omics data specific to cancer has demonstrated the capacity to enhance our comprehension of the molecular mechanisms underpinning carcinogenesis. This report elucidates how the integration of comprehensive data on methylation, gene expression, and copy number variations can effectively facilitate the unsupervised clustering of cancer samples. We have identified regressors that can effectively classify tumor and normal samples with an optimal integration of RNA sequencing, DNA methylation, and copy number variation while also achieving significant p-values. Further, these regressors were trained using linear and logistic regression with k-means clustering. For comparison, we employed autoencoder- and stacking-based omics integration and computed silhouette scores to evaluate the clusters. The proof of concept is illustrated using liver cancer data. Our analysis serves to underscore the feasibility of unsupervised cancer classification by considering genetic markers beyond mutations, thereby emphasizing the clinical relevance of additional global cellular parameters that contribute to the transformative process in cells. This work is clinically relevant because changes in gene expression and genomic re-arrangements have been shown to be signatures of cellular transformation across cancers, as well as in liver cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aditya Raj
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA;
| | - Ruben C. Petreaca
- Department of Molecular Genetics, The Ohio State University, Marion, OH 43302, USA;
- Cancer Biology Program, The Ohio State University James Comprehensive Cancer Center, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Golrokh Mirzaei
- Department of Computer Science and Engineering, The Ohio State University, Marion, OH 43302, USA
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Hoch CC, Knoedler L, Knoedler S, Bashiri Dezfouli A, Schmidl B, Trill A, Douglas JE, Adappa ND, Stögbauer F, Wollenberg B. Integrated Molecular and Histological Insights for Targeted Therapies in Mesenchymal Sinonasal Tract Tumors. Curr Oncol Rep 2024; 26:272-291. [PMID: 38376625 PMCID: PMC10920452 DOI: 10.1007/s11912-024-01506-9] [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] [Accepted: 02/07/2024] [Indexed: 02/21/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW This review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of mesenchymal sinonasal tract tumors (STTs), a distinct subset of STTs. Despite their rarity, mesenchymal STTs represent a unique clinical challenge, characterized by their rarity, often slow progression, and frequently subtle or overlooked symptoms. The complex anatomy of the sinonasal area, which includes critical structures such as the orbit, brain, and cranial nerves, further complicates surgical treatment options. This underscores an urgent need for more advanced and specialized therapeutic approaches. RECENT FINDINGS Advancements in molecular diagnostics, particularly in next-generation sequencing, have significantly enhanced our understanding of STTs. Consequently, the World Health Organization has updated its tumor classification to better reflect the distinct histological and molecular profiles of these tumors, as well as to categorize mesenchymal STTs with greater accuracy. The growing understanding of the molecular characteristics of mesenchymal STTs opens new possibilities for targeted therapeutic interventions, marking a significant shift in treatment paradigms. This review article concentrates on mesenchymal STTs, specifically addressing sinonasal tract angiofibroma, sinonasal glomangiopericytoma, biphenotypic sinonasal sarcoma, and skull base chordoma. These entities are marked by unique histopathological and molecular features, which challenge conventional treatment approaches and simultaneously open avenues for novel targeted therapies. Our discussion is geared towards delineating the molecular underpinnings of mesenchymal STTs, with the objective of enhancing therapeutic strategies and addressing the existing shortcomings in the management of these intricate tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cosima C Hoch
- Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, School of Medicine and Health, Technical University of Munich (TUM), Ismaningerstrasse 22, 81675, Munich, Germany
| | - Leonard Knoedler
- Department of Surgery, Division of Plastic Surgery, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
- Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Samuel Knoedler
- Institute of Regenerative Biology and Medicine, Helmholtz Zentrum Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Ali Bashiri Dezfouli
- Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, School of Medicine and Health, Technical University of Munich (TUM), Ismaningerstrasse 22, 81675, Munich, Germany
- Central Institute for Translational Cancer Research, Technical University of Munich (TranslaTUM), Department of Radiation Oncology, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Munich, Germany
| | - Benedikt Schmidl
- Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, School of Medicine and Health, Technical University of Munich (TUM), Ismaningerstrasse 22, 81675, Munich, Germany
| | - Anskar Trill
- Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, School of Medicine and Health, Technical University of Munich (TUM), Ismaningerstrasse 22, 81675, Munich, Germany
- Central Institute for Translational Cancer Research, Technical University of Munich (TranslaTUM), Department of Radiation Oncology, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Munich, Germany
| | - Jennifer E Douglas
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, University of Pennsylvania, Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Nithin D Adappa
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, University of Pennsylvania, Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Fabian Stögbauer
- Institute of Pathology, School of Medicine and Health, Technical University of Munich (TUM), Munich, Germany
| | - Barbara Wollenberg
- Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, School of Medicine and Health, Technical University of Munich (TUM), Ismaningerstrasse 22, 81675, Munich, Germany.
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van Oost S, Meijer DM, Ijsselsteijn ME, Roelands JP, van den Akker BEMW, van der Breggen R, Briaire-de Bruijn IH, van der Ploeg M, Wijers-Koster PM, Polak SB, Peul WC, van der Wal RJP, de Miranda NFCC, Bovee JVMG. Multimodal profiling of chordoma immunity reveals distinct immune contextures. J Immunother Cancer 2024; 12:e008138. [PMID: 38272563 PMCID: PMC10824073 DOI: 10.1136/jitc-2023-008138] [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] [Accepted: 01/02/2024] [Indexed: 01/27/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Chordomas are rare cancers from the axial skeleton which present a challenging clinical management with limited treatment options due to their anatomical location. In recent years, a few clinical trials demonstrated that chordomas can respond to immunotherapy. However, an in-depth portrayal of chordoma immunity and its association with clinical parameters is still lacking. METHODS We present a comprehensive characterization of immunological features of 76 chordomas through application of a multimodal approach. Transcriptomic profiling of 20 chordomas was performed to inform on the activity of immune-related genes through the immunologic constant of rejection (ICR) signature. Multidimensional immunophenotyping through imaging mass cytometry was applied to provide insights in the different immune contextures of 32 chordomas. T cell infiltration was further evaluated in all 76 patients by means of multispectral immunofluorescence and then associated with clinical parameters through univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazard models as well as Kaplan-Meier estimates. Moreover, distinct expression patterns of human leukocyte antigen (HLA) class I were assessed by immunohistochemical staining in all 76 patients. Finally, clonal enrichment of the T cell receptor (TCR) was sought through profiling of the variable region of TCRB locus of 24 patients. RESULTS Chordomas generally presented an immune "hot" microenvironment in comparison to other sarcomas, as indicated by the ICR transcriptional signature. We identified two distinct groups of chordomas based on T cell infiltration which were independent from clinical parameters. The highly infiltrated group was further characterized by high dendritic cell infiltration and the presence of multicellular immune aggregates in tumors, whereas low T cell infiltration was associated with lower overall cell densities of immune and stromal cells. Interestingly, patients with higher T cell infiltration displayed a more pronounced clonal enrichment of the TCR repertoire compared with those with low T cell counts. Furthermore, we observed that the majority of chordomas maintained HLA class I expression. CONCLUSION Our findings shed light on the natural immunity against chordomas through the identification of distinct immune contextures. Understanding their immune landscape could guide the development and application of immunotherapies in a tailored manner, ultimately leading to an improved clinical outcome for patients with chordoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siddh van Oost
- Department of Pathology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands
- Leiden Center for Computational Oncology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Debora M Meijer
- Department of Pathology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands
- Leiden Center for Computational Oncology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands
| | | | - Jessica P Roelands
- Department of Pathology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands
| | | | | | | | - Manon van der Ploeg
- Department of Pathology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands
| | | | - Samuel B Polak
- University Neurosurgical Center Holland, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Zuid-Holland, Netherlands
| | - Wilco C Peul
- University Neurosurgical Center Holland, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Zuid-Holland, Netherlands
| | - Robert J P van der Wal
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Noel F C C de Miranda
- Department of Pathology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands
- Leiden Center for Computational Oncology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Judith V M G Bovee
- Department of Pathology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands
- Leiden Center for Computational Oncology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands
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Chen S, Ulloa R, Soffer J, Alcazar-Felix RJ, Snyderman CH, Gardner PA, Patel VA, Polster SP. Chordoma: A Comprehensive Systematic Review of Clinical Trials. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:5800. [PMID: 38136345 PMCID: PMC10741859 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15245800] [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: 11/16/2023] [Accepted: 12/06/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
This systematic review aims to characterize ongoing clinical trials and therapeutic treatment options for chordoma, a rare notochordal remnant tumor that primarily affects the cranial base, mobile spine, and sacrum. While radical surgical resection remains the cornerstone for chordoma management, unique technical challenges posed by its proximity to critical neurovascular structures confer a tendency towards disease recurrence which often requires additional treatment modalities. In an attempt to better understand the current treatment landscape, a systematic review was designed to identify clinical trials directed at chordoma. A total of 108 chordoma trials were identified from four clinical trial databases; fifty-one trials were included in the final analysis, of which only 14 were designated as completed (27.5%). Aggregate data suggests most chordoma interventions are repurposed from other neoplasms that share common molecular pathways, with a recent emphasis on combination therapeutics within and across drug classes. Naturally, the publication and dissemination of clinical trial results remain a concern (n = 4, 28.6%), highlighting the need for enhanced reporting and transparency measures. Active clinical trial efforts are quite promising, with a renewed focus on novel biotherapeutic targets and deciphering the natural history, as well as survivorship of this complex disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sonja Chen
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA; (S.C.); (R.J.A.-F.)
| | - Ruben Ulloa
- Department of Otolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgery, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA;
| | - Justin Soffer
- Department of Otolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgery, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN 38104, USA;
| | | | - Carl H. Snyderman
- Department of Otolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgery, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA 15219, USA;
| | - Paul A. Gardner
- Center for Cranial Base Surgery, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA 15219, USA;
| | - Vijay A. Patel
- Department of Otolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgery, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA;
- Division of Pediatric Otolaryngology, Rady Children’s Hospital—San Diego, San Diego, CA 92123, USA
| | - Sean P. Polster
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA; (S.C.); (R.J.A.-F.)
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