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González-Montero J, Rojas CI, Burotto M. Predictors of response to immunotherapy in colorectal cancer. Oncologist 2024; 29:824-832. [PMID: 38920285 PMCID: PMC11449076 DOI: 10.1093/oncolo/oyae152] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2024] [Accepted: 05/24/2024] [Indexed: 06/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a major cause of cancer-related deaths globally. While treatment advancements have improved survival rates, primarily through targeted therapies based on KRAS, NRAS, and BRAF mutations, personalized treatment strategies for CRC remain limited. Immunotherapy, mainly immune checkpoint blockade, has shown efficacy in various cancers but is effective in only a small subset of patients with CRC with deficient mismatch repair (dMMR) proteins or high microsatellite instability (MSI). Recent research has challenged the notion that CRC is immunologically inert, revealing subsets with high immunogenicity and diverse lymphocytic infiltration. Identifying precise biomarkers beyond dMMR and MSI is crucial to expanding immunotherapy benefits. Hence, exploration has extended to various biomarker sources, such as the tumor microenvironment, genomic markers, and gut microbiota. Recent studies have introduced a novel classification system, consensus molecular subtypes, that aids in identifying patients with CRC with an immunogenic profile. These findings underscore the necessity of moving beyond single biomarkers and toward a comprehensive understanding of the immunological landscape in CRC, facilitating the development of more effective, personalized therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jaime González-Montero
- Bradford Hill Clinical Research Center, Santiago 8420383, Chile
- Basic and Clinical Oncology Department, University of Chile, Santiago 838045, Chile
| | - Carlos I Rojas
- Bradford Hill Clinical Research Center, Santiago 8420383, Chile
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2
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Silva V, Matos C. Recent updates in the therapeutic uses of Pembrolizumab: a brief narrative review. Clin Transl Oncol 2024; 26:2431-2443. [PMID: 38658461 DOI: 10.1007/s12094-024-03491-8] [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: 02/01/2024] [Accepted: 04/01/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Treatment of cancer has been improved with the discovery of biological drugs that act as immune checkpoint inhibitors. In 2017, FDA designated pembrolizumab, an immune checkpoint inhibitor employed in immunotherapy, as the first tissue-agnostic cancer treatment. OBJECTIVES To review pembrolizumab's use in oncology, gather and examine the latest discoveries regarding the effectiveness of pembrolizumab in cancer treatment. METHODOLOGY A literature review was conducted through PubMed(Medline) from January 2015 to December 2023 using "pembrolizumab", "cancer" and "treatment" as search terms. RESULTS Pembrolizumab demonstrated effectiveness as primary treatment for metastatic nonsmall cell lung cancer, unresectable esophageal cancer, head and neck squamous cell carcinoma and alternative treatment for notable triple-negative breast cancer, biliary, colorectal, endometrial, renal cell, cervical carcinoma, and high microsatellite instability or mismatch repair deficiencies tumors. Pediatric applications include treatment for refractory Hodgkin lymphoma. CONCLUSION Evolving research on pembrolizumab allows a deeper clinical understanding, despite challenges as variable patient responses. Pembrolizumab has emerged as a pivotal breakthrough in cancer treatment, improving patient outcomes and safety.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vítor Silva
- Centro Hospitalar e Universitário de Coimbra, EPE, 3004-561, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Cristiano Matos
- QLV Research Consulting, 3030-199, Coimbra, Portugal.
- Polytechnic Institute of Coimbra, ESTESC-Coimbra Health School Pharmacy, 3046-854, Coimbra, Portugal.
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Ioffe D, McSweeny M, Hall MJ. Precision Medicine in the Era of Genetic Testing: Microsatellite Instability Evolved. Clin Colon Rectal Surg 2024; 37:157-171. [PMID: 38617845 PMCID: PMC11007599 DOI: 10.1055/s-0043-1770385] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/16/2024]
Abstract
The recognized importance of microsatellite instability (MSI) in cancer has evolved considerably in the past 30 years. From its beginnings as a molecular predictor for Lynch syndrome, MSI first transitioned to a universal screening test in all colorectal and endometrial cancers, substantially increasing the identification of patients with Lynch syndrome among cancer patients. More recently, MSI has been shown to be a powerful biomarker of response to immune checkpoint blockade therapy across a diversity of tumor types, and in 2017 was granted Food and Drug Administration approval as the first tumor histology-agnostic biomarker for a cancer therapy. Focusing on colorectal cancer specifically, immune checkpoint blockade therapy has been shown to be highly effective in the treatment of both MSI-high (MSI-H) colon and rectal cancer, with data increasingly suggesting an early role for immune checkpoint blockade therapy in MSI-H colorectal tumors in the neoadjuvant setting, with the potential to avoid more toxic and morbid approaches using traditional chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and surgery. The success of MSI as an immune checkpoint blockade target has inspired ongoing vigorous research to identify new similar targets for immune checkpoint blockade therapy that may help to one day expand the reach of this revolutionary cancer therapy to a wider swath of patients and indications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dina Ioffe
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Fox Chase Cancer Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Michelle McSweeny
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Fox Chase Cancer Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Michael J. Hall
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Fox Chase Cancer Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
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Strauss JD, Pursell ZF. Replication DNA polymerases, genome instability and cancer therapies. NAR Cancer 2023; 5:zcad033. [PMID: 37388540 PMCID: PMC10304742 DOI: 10.1093/narcan/zcad033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2023] [Revised: 05/24/2023] [Accepted: 06/25/2023] [Indexed: 07/01/2023] Open
Abstract
It has been over a decade since the initial identification of exonuclease domain mutations in the genes encoding the catalytic subunits of replication DNA polymerases ϵ and δ (POLE and POLD1) in tumors from highly mutated endometrial and colorectal cancers. Interest in studying POLE and POLD1 has increased significantly since then. Prior to those landmark cancer genome sequencing studies, it was well documented that mutations in replication DNA polymerases that reduced their DNA synthesis accuracy, their exonuclease activity or their interactions with other factors could lead to increased mutagenesis, DNA damage and even tumorigenesis in mice. There are several recent, well-written reviews of replication DNA polymerases. The aim of this review is to gather and review in some detail recent studies of DNA polymerases ϵ and δ as they pertain to genome instability, cancer and potential therapeutic treatments. The focus here is primarily on recent informative studies on the significance of mutations in genes encoding their catalytic subunits (POLE and POLD1), mutational signatures, mutations in associated genes, model organisms, and the utility of chemotherapy and immune checkpoint inhibition in polymerase mutant tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juliet D Strauss
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, 70118 LA, USA
| | - Zachary F Pursell
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, 70118 LA, USA
- Tulane Cancer Center, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, 70118 LA, USA
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Durando ML, Menghani SV, Baumann JL, Robles DG, Day TA, Vaziri C, Scott AJ. Four-Year Disease-Free Remission in a Patient With POLE Mutation-Associated Colorectal Cancer Treated Using Anti-PD-1 Therapy. J Natl Compr Canc Netw 2022; 20:218-223. [PMID: 35276675 DOI: 10.6004/jnccn.2021.7115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2021] [Accepted: 11/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
The stability of the human genome depends upon a delicate balance between replication by high- and low-fidelity DNA polymerases. Aberrant replication by error-prone polymerases or loss of function of high-fidelity polymerases predisposes to genetic instability and, in turn, cancer. DNA polymerase epsilon (Pol ε) is a high-fidelity, processive polymerase that is responsible for the majority of leading strand synthesis, and mutations in Pol ε have been increasingly associated with various human malignancies. The clinical significance of Pol ε mutations, including how and whether they should influence management decisions, remains poorly understood. In this report, we describe a 24-year-old man with an aggressive stage IV high-grade, poorly differentiated colon carcinoma who experienced a dramatic response to single-agent checkpoint inhibitor immunotherapy after rapidly progressing on standard chemotherapy. His response was complete and durable and has been maintained for more than 48 months. Genetic testing revealed a P286R mutation in the endonuclease domain of POLE and an elevated tumor mutational burden of 126 mutations per megabase, both of which have been previously associated with response to immunotherapy. Interestingly, tumor staining for PD-L1 was negative. This case study highlights the importance of genetic profiling of both early and late-stage cancers, the clinical significance of POLE mutations, and how the interplay between genetic instability and immune-checkpoint blockade can impact clinical decision-making.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael L Durando
- 1Banner-University Medical Center Tucson, Tucson, Arizona.,2Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine.,3University of Arizona Cancer Center
| | | | - Jessica L Baumann
- 5Department of Pathology, University of Arizona College of Medicine-Tucson, Tucson, Arizona.,6Now with Roche Tissue Diagnostics, Tucson, Arizona
| | - Danny G Robles
- 1Banner-University Medical Center Tucson, Tucson, Arizona.,7Department of Surgery, University of Arizona College of Medicine-Tucson, Tucson, Arizona
| | - Tovah A Day
- 8Department of Biology, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts; and
| | - Cyrus Vaziri
- 9Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Aaron J Scott
- 1Banner-University Medical Center Tucson, Tucson, Arizona.,2Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine.,3University of Arizona Cancer Center
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Oh CR, Kim JE, Hong YS, Kim SY, Ahn JB, Baek JY, Lee MA, Kang MJ, Cho SH, Beom SH, Kim TW. Phase II study of durvalumab monotherapy in patients with previously treated microsatellite instability-high/mismatch repair-deficient or POLE-mutated metastatic or unresectable colorectal cancer. Int J Cancer 2022; 150:2038-2045. [PMID: 35179785 DOI: 10.1002/ijc.33966] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2021] [Revised: 01/16/2022] [Accepted: 01/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
The aim of this study is to evaluate the clinical efficacy of durvalumab in patients with microsatellite instability-high/mismatch repair-deficient (MSI-H/dMMR) or polymerase epsilon (POLE)-mutated metastatic or unresectable colorectal cancer (mCRC) who had disease progression after standard chemotherapy. This prospective, open-label, multicenter, phase II study enrolled patients with mCRC harboring MSI-H/dMMR or POLE mutations treated with at least one prior line of therapy. The participants received durvalumab (1500 mg) every 4 weeks intravenously. The primary endpoint was the objective response rate (ORR). Of the 33 patients, 30 had MSI-H/dMMR and 3 had POLE-mutated microsatellite stable (MSS) CRC. With a median follow-up duration of 11.2 months (95% confidence interval [CI]: 7.3-15.0), the ORR was 42.4% (95% CI: 25.5-60.8). Among three patients with POLE-mutated CRC, one patient who had an exonuclease domain mutation (EDM) achieved an objective response, but the others with mutations in the non-exonuclease domain had progressive disease. Overall, the median duration of response was not reached and 85.7% of the responses were ongoing at data cutoff. The progression-free survival rate of 12 months was 58.2% (95% CI: 39.0-73.1) and the 12-month overall survival rate was 68.3% (95% CI: 48.8-81.7). Grade 3 treatment-related adverse events (TRAEs) occurred in 36.4% of the patients and were manageable. In conclusion, durvalumab showed promising clinical activity with encouraging response rates and satisfactory survival outcomes in mCRC patients with MSI-H/dMMR or POLE EDM. In patients with POLE-mutated mCRC, clinical response to durvalumab may be restricted to those with EDM. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chung Ryul Oh
- Department of Oncology, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.,Department of Internal Medicine, Chung-Ang University Hospital, Chung-Ang University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Jeong Eun Kim
- Department of Oncology, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Yong Sang Hong
- Department of Oncology, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Sun Young Kim
- Department of Oncology, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Joong Bae Ahn
- Division of Medical Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Yonsei Cancer Center, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Ji Yeon Baek
- Center for Colorectal Cancer, Research Institute and Hospital, National Cancer Center, Goyang, Republic of Korea
| | - Myung-Ah Lee
- Department of Oncology, Seoul St Mary's Hospital, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Myoung Joo Kang
- Division of Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Inje University College of Medicine, Haeundae Paik Hospital, Busan, Republic of Korea
| | - Sang Hee Cho
- Department of Hematology-Oncology, Chonnam National University Hospital, Hwasun, Republic of Korea
| | - Seung-Hoon Beom
- Division of Medical Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Yonsei Cancer Center, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Tae Won Kim
- Department of Oncology, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
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Current Treatment Landscape for Third- or Later-Line Therapy in Metastatic Colorectal Cancer. CURRENT COLORECTAL CANCER REPORTS 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s11888-021-00469-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
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