Clinical study of nimotuzumab combined with concurrent radiochemotherapy for treatment of locally advanced cervical cancer

Changes in T lymphocyte subsets in peripheral blood of patients with middle-advanced cervical cancer before and after nimotuzumab combined with concurrent chemoradiotherapy

The current study sought to investigate the effect of nimotuzumab combined with concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT + Nim) on T lymphocyte subsets in middle-advanced CC. Firstly, patients with middle-advanced CC were administered CCRT or CCRT + Nim. Next, levels of T lymphocytes in peripheral blood of CC patients pre- or post-treatment and healthy females were determined by flow cytometry. The short-term efficacy was evaluated, and overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) of patients were recorded. In addition, the correlation of T lymphocyte subsets post-treatment with OS/PFS was assessed with Pearson analysis. CC patients exhibited decreased total T cells/T helper cells/CD4⁺/CD8⁺ ratio and increased T suppressor cells/Tregs in peripheral blood. Meanwhile, CCRT and CCRT + Nim improved T lymphocyte subset imbalance, with CCRT + Nim exhibiting better efficacy. CCRT + Nim exhibited better short-term efficacy and higher PFS than CCRT, with no evident difference in OS. The levels of total T cells/T helper cells/T suppressor cells/Tregs were not significantly-correlated with OS/PFS, and the CD4⁺/CD8⁺ ratio was correlated with PFS but not OS. Collectively, CCRT + nimotuzumab ameliorate the imbalance of T lymphocyte subsets in peripheral blood of middle-advanced CC patients, and the CD4⁺/CD8⁺ ratio after therapy is correlated with PFS.IMPACT STATEMENTWhat is already known on this subject? The utilisation of Nimotuzumab targeting epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) combined with concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) as an efficient treatment for middle-advanced cervical cancer (CC) has garnered the attention of numerous researchers over the years. T cells represent a major immune cell type in the tumour microenvironment and serve as the basis for maintaining cellular immune functions.What do the results of this study add? Our findings revealed that nimotuzumab combined with CCRT improves the abnormality of T lymphocyte subsets in peripheral blood of patients with middle-advanced CC, such that the CD4⁺/CD8⁺ ratio after treatment was significantly correlated with progression-free survival (PFS).What are the implications of these findings for clinical practice and/or further research? CCRT of CC may have a short-term negative impact on the peripheral T-cell immune micro-environment, and the combination of nimotuzumab, cisplatin-based chemotherapy, and radiotherapy enhances the frequency of Tregs in peripheral blood. Our findings illustrated that nimotuzumab combined with CCRT can improve the imbalance of T lymphocyte subsets in peripheral blood of patients with middle-advanced CC. A better understanding of the mechanisms of these therapies will optimise the selection of patients most likely to benefit from treatment, serving as a reference for further research on the relationship between EGFR-specific T cells and clinical benefit in patients treated with nimotuzumab in combination with CCRT.

Efficacy and safety of nimotuzumab combined with chemoradiotherapy in the treatment of locally advanced cervical cancer

Background

Platinum-based concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) is the primary treatment for locally advanced cervical cancer (LACC). Improving the efficacy of LACC treatment is the focus of clinical research, and nimotuzumab combined with CCRT is a new research direction. This retrospective study aimed to investigate the efficacy and safety of nimotuzumab combined with CCRT compared with CCRT alone for treating LACC.

Methods

Data from LACC patients treated at The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University from March 2017 to December 2019 were collected, and patients were assigned to either a nimotuzumab plus chemoradiotherapy (N + CCRT) group or a CCRT group. Baseline data were also collected. Patients were followed up every 3 to 6 months by imaging examination or telephone. The primary endpoints were overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS), and the secondary endpoints were complete response rate (CRR), objective response rate (ORR), and incidence of adverse events (AEs).

Results

A total of 120 patients (65 in the N + CCRT group and 55 in the CCRT group) were enrolled, which baseline data were no statistical difference between the two groups (P>0.05). In the N + CCRT group, the 1-, 2-, and 3-year cumulative survival rates were 98.46%, 95.38%, and 90.50%, respectively, and the 1-, 2-, and 3-year cumulative PFS rates were 89.23%, 83.08%, and 79.73%, respectively. The CRR was 86.15% (56/65), and the ORR was 92.31% (60/65). In the CCRT group, the 1-, 2-, and 3-year cumulative survival rates were 94.55%, 87.27%, and 78.18%, respectively, and the 1-, 2-, and 3-year cumulative PFS rates were 81.82%, 69.09%, and 59.69%, respectively. The CRR was 70.91% (39/55), and the ORR was 87.27% (48/55). The CRR (86.15% vs. 70.91%, P=0.040) and 3-year cumulative PFS rates (79.73% vs. 59.69%, P=0.039) were significantly higher in the N + CCRT group than in the CCRT group. The incidences of various AEs were from 5.45% to 95.38%, without significant difference in AEs between the two groups (P>0.05).

Conclusions

Nimotuzumab combined with CCRT enhanced the PFS and CRR of LACC patients and was well tolerated. The results can provide reference for clinical treatment of LACC.

Nimotuzumab combined with chemoradiotherapy for the treatment of cervical cancer: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

Objectives

To assess the clinical efficacy and toxicity of nimotuzumab in combination with chemoradiotherapy or chemoradiotherapy alone in the treatment of cervical cancer.

Methods

The PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, China Biomedical Medicine, Wanfang, and VIP databases were systematically searched for relevant literature. Ultimately, six randomised controlled trials (n=393) were included in our meta-analysis.

Results

A total of 393 patients were included, of which 197 were in the nimotuzumab combined with chemoradiotherapy group and 196 were in the chemoradiotherapy group. The results of our meta-analysis showed that the complete remission rate (risk ratio [RR] = 1.34, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.08-1.65, P = 0.007), objective response rate (RR = 1.30, 95% CI: 1.16-1.44, P < 0.05), and three-year survival rate (RR = 1.27, 95% CI: 1.06-1.51, P = 0.008) in the nimotuzumab combined with chemoradiotherapy group were significantly improved compared with the chemoradiotherapy group. This difference was not statistically significant when comparing the incidence of adverse reactions (such as leukocytopenia, gastrointestinal reaction, radiocystitis, and radioproctitis) between the two groups.

Conclusions

Nimotuzumab in combination with chemoradiotherapy has some advantages over chemoradiotherapy alone in the treatment of cervical cancer and does not increase toxicity. Therefore, nimotuzumab has the potential to be an effective treatment for cervical cancer; however, further evidence from large-scale randomised controlled trials is needed.

An Exploratory Study of Neoadjuvant Cetuximab Followed by Cetuximab and Chemoradiotherapy in Women With Newly Diagnosed Locally Advanced Cervical Cancer

OBJECTIVES

This study explored the feasibility of cetuximab with chemoradiation in women with cervical carcinoma and evaluated fluorine-18 fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography/computed tomography (18F-FDG-PET/CT) to assess early response to cetuximab (NCT00292955).

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Eligible patients with International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) stage IB-IVB invasive carcinoma of the uterine cervix were treated on 1 of 3 dose levels (DL). DL1 consisted of neoadjuvant cetuximab, then concurrent radiotherapy with cetuximab 250 mg/m2/cisplatin 40 mg/m2, followed by weekly cetuximab. DL2 consisted of radiotherapy with cetuximab 200 mg/m2 and cisplatin 30 mg/m2. DL3 consisted of radiotherapy with cetuximab 250 mg/m2 and cisplatin 30 mg/m2. Patients underwent 18F-FDG-PET/CT before treatment, after neoadjuvant cetuximab, and at the end of treatment.

RESULTS

Of the 21 patients enrolled, 9, 3, and 9 were treated in DL1, DL2, and DL3, respectively. DL1 required dose reductions due to gastrointestinal toxicities. DL2 and 3 were tolerated with 1 dose-limiting toxicity (grade 4 renal failure) at DL3. Following 3 weekly treatments of neoadjuvant cetuximab in DL1, 7 patients had maximum standardized uptake value changes on 18F-FDG-PET/CT consistent with response to cetuximab. Of the 12 patients with locally advanced disease, eleven evaluable patients had no evidence of disease on 18F-FDG-PET/CT at treatment end. Five-year progression-free survival and overall survival rates for all patients were 57.5% and 58.5%, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Cetuximab with cisplatin 30 mg/m2 and radiotherapy was tolerated. 18F-FDG-PET/CT demonstrated early evidence of response to neoadjuvant cetuximab. With advances in precision oncology and the recent approval of pembrolizumab in metastatic cervical cancer, dual-target inhibition with an epidermal growth factor receptor inhibitor may be a promising treatment in the future.

The potential applications of T cell receptor (TCR)-like antibody in cervical cancer immunotherapy

Cervical cancer is ranked as the fourth most common cancer in women worldwide. Monoclonal antibody has created a new dimension in the immunotherapy of many diseases, including cervical cancer. The antibody's ability to target various aspects of cervical cancer (oncoviruses, oncoproteins, and signaling pathways) delivers a promising future for efficient immunotherapy. Besides, technologies such as hybridoma and phage display provide a fundamental platform for monoclonal antibody generation and create the opportunity to generate novel antibody classes including, T cell receptor (TCR)-like antibody. In this review, the current immunotherapy strategies for cervical cancer are presented. We have also proposed a novel concept of T cell receptor (TCR)-like antibody and its potential applications for enhancing cervical cancer therapeutics. Finally, the possible challenges in TCR-like antibody application for cervical cancer therapeutics have been addressed, and strategies to overcome the challenges have been highlighted to maximize the therapeutic benefits.

Nimotuzumab Combined With Irradiation Enhances the Inhibition to the HPV16 E6-Promoted Growth of Cervical Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Human papillomavirus (HPV) 16 E6 has been proved to increase the radiosensitivity and lead to the EGFR overexpression in cervical cancer cells. In this study, to investigate the inhibition of nimotuzumab-mediated EGFR blockade combined with radiotherapy, we established a C33A cervical squamous cell line overexpressed HPV16-E6 and a nude mouse model bearing these cell lines. The CCK-8 assay was used to detect the effects of various treatments on the proliferation of C33A cells. Flow cytometry was used to detect the rates of apoptosis and cell cycle arrest. Gene transcription and protein expression were detected by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and western blot, respectively. Immunohistochemical staining was used to evaluate protein expression in tumor tissue. We revealed that E6-overexpressing C33A cells grew faster and were more sensitive to radiotherapy than control cells in vitro and in vivo. The expression levels of EGFR, as well as those of downstream signaling molecules AKT and ERK 1/2, were significantly upregulated in C33A cells that overexpressed E6. We observed that nimotuzumab combined with radiotherapy could enhance the inhibition of C33A cell growth induced by E6, both in vitro and in vivo. We also observed enhanced effect after combination on G2/M cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in E6-overexpressing C33A cells. Furthermore, the combined therapy of nimotuzumab and radiation remarkably reduced the protein expression levels of EGFR, AKT, ERK 1/2 in vitro, and in vivo. In conclusion, HPV16 E6 expression is positively correlated with levels of EGFR, AKT, and ERK 1/2 protein expression. The combined treatment with nimotuzumab and radiotherapy to enhance radiosensitivity in E6-positive cervical squamous cell carcinoma was related to enhanced G2/M cell cycle arrest and caspase-related apoptosis.

Efficacy and safety of carbon-ion radiotherapy for the malignant melanoma: A systematic review

Malignant melanomas (MMs) were the fifth most common cancer in men and the sixth most common cancer in women in 2018, respectively. These are characterized by high metastatic rates and poor prognoses. We systematically reviewed safety and efficacy of carbon-ion radiotherapy (CIRT) for treating MMs. Eleven studies were eligible for review, and the data showed that MM patients showed better local control with low recurrence and mild toxicities after CIRT. Survival rates were slightly higher in patients with cutaneous or uveal MMs than in those with mucosal MMs. CIRT in combination with chemotherapy produced higher progression-free survival rates than CIRT only. In younger patients, higher rates of distant metastases of gynecological MMs were observed. The data indicated that CIRT is effective and safe for treating MMs; however, a combination with systemic therapy is recommended to ensure the best possible prognosis for MMs.