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Linares CA, Varghese A, Ghose A, Shinde SD, Adeleke S, Sanchez E, Sheriff M, Chargari C, Rassy E, Boussios S. Hallmarks of the Tumour Microenvironment of Gliomas and Its Interaction with Emerging Immunotherapy Modalities. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:13215. [PMID: 37686020 PMCID: PMC10487469 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241713215] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2023] [Revised: 08/18/2023] [Accepted: 08/21/2023] [Indexed: 09/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Gliomas are aggressive, primary central nervous system tumours arising from glial cells. Glioblastomas are the most malignant. They are known for their poor prognosis or median overall survival. The current standard of care is overwhelmed by the heterogeneous, immunosuppressive tumour microenvironment promoting immune evasion and tumour proliferation. The advent of immunotherapy with its various modalities-immune checkpoint inhibitors, cancer vaccines, oncolytic viruses and chimeric antigen receptor T cells and NK cells-has shown promise. Clinical trials incorporating combination immunotherapies have overcome the microenvironment resistance and yielded promising survival and prognostic benefits. Rolling these new therapies out in the real-world scenario in a low-cost, high-throughput manner is the unmet need of the hour. These will have practice-changing implications to the glioma treatment landscape. Here, we review the immunobiological hallmarks of the TME of gliomas, how the TME evades immunotherapies and the work that is being conducted to overcome this interplay.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian A. Linares
- Guy’s Cancer Centre, Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, London SE1 9RT, UK; (C.A.L.); (S.A.)
| | - Anjana Varghese
- Kent Oncology Centre, Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust, Hermitage Lane, Maidstone, Kent ME16 9QQ, UK;
| | - Aruni Ghose
- Department of Medical Oncology, Medway NHS Foundation Trust, Gillingham ME7 5NY, UK; (A.G.); (E.S.); (M.S.)
- Barts Cancer Centre, Barts Health NHS Trust, London EC1A 7BE, UK
- Mount Vernon Cancer Centre, East and North Hertfordshire NHS Trust, Northwood HA6 2RN, UK
- Immuno-Oncology Clinical Network, UK
| | - Sayali D. Shinde
- Centre for Tumour Biology, Barts Cancer Institute, Cancer Research UK Barts Centre, Queen Mary University of London, London EC1M 6BQ, UK;
| | - Sola Adeleke
- Guy’s Cancer Centre, Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, London SE1 9RT, UK; (C.A.L.); (S.A.)
- Faculty of Life Sciences & Medicine, School of Cancer & Pharmaceutical Sciences, King’s College London, Strand, London WC2R 2LS, UK
| | - Elisabet Sanchez
- Department of Medical Oncology, Medway NHS Foundation Trust, Gillingham ME7 5NY, UK; (A.G.); (E.S.); (M.S.)
| | - Matin Sheriff
- Department of Medical Oncology, Medway NHS Foundation Trust, Gillingham ME7 5NY, UK; (A.G.); (E.S.); (M.S.)
| | - Cyrus Chargari
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Pitié-Salpêtrière University Hospital, 75013 Paris, France;
| | - Elie Rassy
- Department of Medical Oncology, Institut Gustave Roussy, 94805 Villejuif, France;
| | - Stergios Boussios
- Department of Medical Oncology, Medway NHS Foundation Trust, Gillingham ME7 5NY, UK; (A.G.); (E.S.); (M.S.)
- Faculty of Life Sciences & Medicine, School of Cancer & Pharmaceutical Sciences, King’s College London, Strand, London WC2R 2LS, UK
- Kent and Medway Medical School, University of Kent, Canterbury CT2 7LX, UK
- AELIA Organization, 9th Km Thessaloniki–Thermi, 57001 Thessaloniki, Greece
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Fares J, Davis ZB, Rechberger JS, Toll SA, Schwartz JD, Daniels DJ, Miller JS, Khatua S. Advances in NK cell therapy for brain tumors. NPJ Precis Oncol 2023; 7:17. [PMID: 36792722 PMCID: PMC9932101 DOI: 10.1038/s41698-023-00356-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2022] [Accepted: 01/31/2023] [Indexed: 02/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Despite advances in treatment regimens that comprise surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation, outcome of many brain tumors remains dismal, more so when they recur. The proximity of brain tumors to delicate neural structures often precludes complete surgical resection. Toxicity and long-term side effects of systemic therapy remain a concern. Novel therapies are warranted. The field of NK cell-based cancer therapy has grown exponentially and currently constitutes a major area of immunotherapy innovation. This provides a new avenue for the treatment of cancerous lesions in the brain. In this review, we explore the mechanisms by which the brain tumor microenvironment suppresses NK cell mediated tumor control, and the methods being used to create NK cell products that subvert immune suppression. We discuss the pre-clinical studies evaluating NK cell-based immunotherapies that target several neuro-malignancies and highlight advances in molecular imaging of NK cells that allow monitoring of NK cell-based therapeutics. We review current and ongoing NK cell based clinical trials in neuro-oncology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jawad Fares
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA
- Northwestern Medicine Malnati Brain Tumor Institute, Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA
| | - Zachary B Davis
- Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology, Oncology and Transplantation, Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, 55454, USA
| | - Julian S Rechberger
- Department of Neurologic Surgery, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, 55905, USA
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, Mayo Clinic Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Rochester, MN, 55905, USA
| | - Stephanie A Toll
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Hematology/Oncology, Children's Hospital of Michigan, Detroit, MI, 48201, USA
| | - Jonathan D Schwartz
- Department of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, Section of Neuro-Oncology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, 55905, USA
| | - David J Daniels
- Department of Neurologic Surgery, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, 55905, USA
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, Mayo Clinic Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Rochester, MN, 55905, USA
| | - Jeffrey S Miller
- Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology, Oncology and Transplantation, Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, 55454, USA.
| | - Soumen Khatua
- Department of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, Section of Neuro-Oncology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, 55905, USA.
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Andersen BM, Faust Akl C, Wheeler MA, Chiocca EA, Reardon DA, Quintana FJ. Glial and myeloid heterogeneity in the brain tumour microenvironment. Nat Rev Cancer 2021; 21:786-802. [PMID: 34584243 PMCID: PMC8616823 DOI: 10.1038/s41568-021-00397-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 80] [Impact Index Per Article: 26.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/03/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Brain cancers carry bleak prognoses, with therapeutic advances helping only a minority of patients over the past decade. The brain tumour microenvironment (TME) is highly immunosuppressive and differs from that of other malignancies as a result of the glial, neural and immune cell populations that constitute it. Until recently, the study of the brain TME was limited by the lack of methods to de-convolute this complex system at the single-cell level. However, novel technical approaches have begun to reveal the immunosuppressive and tumour-promoting properties of distinct glial and myeloid cell populations in the TME, identifying new therapeutic opportunities. Here, we discuss the immune modulatory functions of microglia, monocyte-derived macrophages and astrocytes in brain metastases and glioma, highlighting their disease-associated heterogeneity and drawing from the insights gained by studying these malignancies and other neurological disorders. Lastly, we consider potential approaches for the therapeutic modulation of the brain TME.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian M Andersen
- Ann Romney Center for Neurologic Diseases, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Center for Neuro-Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Camilo Faust Akl
- Ann Romney Center for Neurologic Diseases, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Michael A Wheeler
- Ann Romney Center for Neurologic Diseases, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - E Antonio Chiocca
- Department of Neurosurgery, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - David A Reardon
- Center for Neuro-Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Francisco J Quintana
- Ann Romney Center for Neurologic Diseases, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA.
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The Interplay between Glioblastoma and Its Microenvironment. Cells 2021; 10:cells10092257. [PMID: 34571905 PMCID: PMC8469987 DOI: 10.3390/cells10092257] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2021] [Revised: 08/26/2021] [Accepted: 08/27/2021] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
GBM is the most common primary brain tumor in adults, and the aggressive nature of this tumor contributes to its extremely poor prognosis. Over the years, the heterogeneous and adaptive nature of GBM has been highlighted as a major contributor to the poor efficacy of many treatments including various immunotherapies. The major challenge lies in understanding and manipulating the complex interplay among the different components within the tumor microenvironment (TME). This interplay varies not only by the type of cells interacting but also by their spatial distribution with the TME. This review highlights the various immune and non-immune components of the tumor microenvironment and their consequences f the efficacy of immunotherapies. Understanding the independent and interdependent aspects of the various sub-populations encapsulated by the immune and non-immune components will allow for more targeted therapies. Meanwhile, understanding how the TME creates and responds to different environmental pressures such as hypoxia may allow for other multimodal approaches in the treatment of GBM. Ultimately, a better understanding of the GBM TME will aid in the development and advancement of more effective treatments and in improving patient outcomes.
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Influence of scalp block on oncological outcomes of high-grade glioma in adult patients with and without isocitrate dehydrogenase-1 mutation. Sci Rep 2021; 11:16489. [PMID: 34389754 PMCID: PMC8363618 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-95851-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2021] [Accepted: 07/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
High-grade gliomas are notorious for a high recurrence rate even after curative resection surgery. Studies regarding the influence of scalp block on high-grade gliomas have been inconclusive, possibly because the condition's most important genetic mutation profile, namely the isocitrate dehydrogenase 1 (IDH1) mutation, had not been analyzed. Therefore, we conducted a single-center study including patients with high-grade glioma who underwent tumor resection between January 2014 and December 2019. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis revealed that scalp block was associated with longer progression-free survival (PFS; 15.17 vs. 10.77 months, p = 0.0018), as was the IDH1 mutation (37.37 vs. 10.90 months, p = 0.0149). Multivariate Cox regression analysis revealed that scalp block (hazard ratio: 0.436, 95% confidence interval: 0.236-0.807, p = 0.0082), gross total resection (hazard ratio: 0.405, 95% confidence interval: 0.227-0.721, p = 0.0021), and IDH1 mutation (hazard ratio: 0.304, 95% confidence interval: 0.118-0.784, p = 0.0138) were associated with better PFS. Our results demonstrate that application of scalp block, regardless of IDH1 profile, is an independent factor associated with longer PFS for patients with high-grade glioma.
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Ahmed N, Gandhi D, Melhem ER, Frenkel V. MRI Guided Focused Ultrasound-Mediated Delivery of Therapeutic Cells to the Brain: A Review of the State-of-the-Art Methodology and Future Applications. Front Neurol 2021; 12:669449. [PMID: 34220679 PMCID: PMC8248790 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2021.669449] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2021] [Accepted: 05/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Stem cell and immune cell therapies are being investigated as a potential therapeutic modality for CNS disorders, performing functions such as targeted drug or growth factor delivery, tumor cell destruction, or inflammatory regulation. Despite promising preclinical studies, delivery routes for maximizing cell engraftment, such as stereotactic or intrathecal injection, are invasive and carry risks of hemorrhage and infection. Recent developments in MRI-guided focused ultrasound (MRgFUS) technology have significant implications for treating focal CNS pathologies including neurodegenerative, vascular and malignant processes. MRgFUS is currently employed in the clinic for treating essential tremor and Parkinson's Disease by producing precise, incisionless, transcranial lesions. This non-invasive technology can also be modified for non-destructive applications to safely and transiently open the blood-brain barrier (BBB) to deliver a range of therapeutics, including cells. This review is meant to familiarize the neuro-interventionalist with this topic and discusses the use of MRgFUS for facilitating cellular delivery to the brain. A detailed and comprehensive description is provided on routes of cell administration, imaging strategies for targeting and tracking cellular delivery and engraftment, biophysical mechanisms of BBB enhanced permeability, supportive proof-of-concept studies, and potential for clinical translation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nabid Ahmed
- Department of Diagnostic Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, and Department of Neuroradiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Dheeraj Gandhi
- Department of Diagnostic Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, and Department of Neuroradiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Elias R Melhem
- Department of Diagnostic Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, and Department of Neuroradiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Victor Frenkel
- Department of Diagnostic Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, and Department of Neuroradiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
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Fares J, Ulasov I, Timashev P, Lesniak MS. Emerging principles of brain immunology and immune checkpoint blockade in brain metastases. Brain 2021; 144:1046-1066. [PMID: 33893488 PMCID: PMC8105040 DOI: 10.1093/brain/awab012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2020] [Revised: 11/02/2020] [Accepted: 11/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Brain metastases are the most common type of brain tumours, harbouring an immune microenvironment that can in principle be targeted via immunotherapy. Elucidating some of the immunological intricacies of brain metastases has opened a therapeutic window to explore the potential of immune checkpoint inhibitors in this globally lethal disease. Multiple lines of evidence suggest that tumour cells hijack the immune regulatory mechanisms in the brain for the benefit of their own survival and progression. Nonetheless, the role of the immune checkpoint in the complex interplays between cancers cells and T cells and in conferring resistance to therapy remains under investigation. Meanwhile, early phase trials with immune checkpoint inhibitors have reported clinical benefit in patients with brain metastases from melanoma and non-small cell lung cancer. In this review, we explore the workings of the immune system in the brain, the immunology of brain metastases, and the current status of immune checkpoint inhibitors in the treatment of brain metastases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jawad Fares
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Ilya Ulasov
- Group of Experimental Biotherapy and Diagnostics, Institute for Regenerative Medicine, World-Class Research Center “Digital Biodesign and Personalized Healthcare”, Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, Moscow 119991, Russia
| | - Peter Timashev
- Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, Moscow 119991, Russia
| | - Maciej S Lesniak
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
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Fares J, Kanojia D, Rashidi A, Ulasov I, Lesniak MS. Landscape of combination therapy trials in breast cancer brain metastasis. Int J Cancer 2020; 147:1939-1952. [PMID: 32086955 PMCID: PMC7423704 DOI: 10.1002/ijc.32937] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2019] [Revised: 02/05/2020] [Accepted: 02/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Combination therapy has become a cornerstone in cancer treatment to potentiate therapeutic effectiveness and overcome drug resistance and metastasis. In this work, we explore combination trials in breast cancer brain metastasis (BCBM), highlighting deficiencies in trial design and underlining promising combination strategies. On October 31, 2019, we examined ClinicalTrials.gov for interventional and therapeutic clinical trials involving combination therapy for BCBM, without limiting for date or location. Information on trial characteristics was collected. Combination therapies used in trials were analyzed and explored in line with evidence from the medical literature. Sixty-five combination therapy trials were selected (n = 65), constituting less than 0.7% of all breast cancer trials. Most trials (62%) combined ≥2 chemotherapeutic agents. Chemotherapy with radiation was main-stay in 23% of trials. Trastuzumab was mostly used in combination (31%), followed by lapatinib (20%) and capecitabine (15%). Common strategies involved combining tyrosine kinase inhibitors with thymidylate synthase inhibitors (6 trials), dual HER-dimerization inhibitors (3 trials), microtubule inhibitors and tyrosine kinase inhibitors (3 trials), and HER-dimerization inhibitors and tyrosine kinase inhibitors (3 trials). The combination of tucatinib and capecitabine yielded the highest objective response rate (83%) in early phase trials. The triple combination of trastuzumab, tucatinib and capecitabine lowered the risk of disease progression or death by 52% in patients with HER2-positive BCBM. Combining therapeutic agents based on biological mechanisms is necessary to increase the effectiveness of available anti-cancer regimens. Significant survival benefit has yet to be achieved in future combination therapy trials. Enhancing drug delivery through blood-brain barrier permeable agents may potentiate the overall therapeutic outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jawad Fares
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA
- High Impact Cancer Research program, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Deepak Kanojia
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Aida Rashidi
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Ilya Ulasov
- Group of Experimental Biotherapy and Diagnostic, Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, Moscow, Russia
| | - Maciej S. Lesniak
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA
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Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Molecular subtyping in medulloblastoma (MB) has diagnostic and prognostic values which impact therapy. This paper provides guidance for the clinician caring for pediatric and adult patients with medulloblastoma in the modern era. RECENT FINDINGS Medulloblastoma comprises four molecularly distinct subgroups: wingless activated (WNT), sonic hedgehog activated (SHH), group 3, and group 4. Risk stratification before and after the discovery of molecular subgroups aims at minimizing toxicity by reducing radiation and chemotherapy doses in low-risk patients while maintaining favorable overall survival (OS). The mainstay of newly diagnosed medulloblastoma treatment is surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy, except for children under 6 years of age, where high-dose chemotherapy with autologous stem cell rescue is used to avoid or delay radiotherapy, preventing neurocognitive sequelae. Management of recurrent/refractory medulloblastoma remains a challenge with immunotherapy and small-molecule inhibitors forming the backbone of novel strategies. Recent innovations in medulloblastoma research allow us to better understand pathogenesis and molecular characteristics resulting in advanced risk stratification models, new therapeutic approaches, and overall improved survival and quality of life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luca Szalontay
- Department of Pediatrics, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, 1275 York Ave., New York, NY, 10065, USA
| | - Yasmin Khakoo
- Department of Pediatrics, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, 1275 York Ave., New York, NY, 10065, USA. .,Department of Pediatrics, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, USA.
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Fares J, Fares MY, Khachfe HH, Salhab HA, Fares Y. Molecular principles of metastasis: a hallmark of cancer revisited. Signal Transduct Target Ther 2020; 5:28. [PMID: 32296047 PMCID: PMC7067809 DOI: 10.1038/s41392-020-0134-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 988] [Impact Index Per Article: 247.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2019] [Revised: 02/05/2020] [Accepted: 02/11/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Metastasis is the hallmark of cancer that is responsible for the greatest number of cancer-related deaths. Yet, it remains poorly understood. The continuous evolution of cancer biology research and the emergence of new paradigms in the study of metastasis have revealed some of the molecular underpinnings of this dissemination process. The invading tumor cell, on its way to the target site, interacts with other proteins and cells. Recognition of these interactions improved the understanding of some of the biological principles of the metastatic cell that govern its mobility and plasticity. Communication with the tumor microenvironment allows invading cancer cells to overcome stromal challenges, settle, and colonize. These characteristics of cancer cells are driven by genetic and epigenetic modifications within the tumor cell itself and its microenvironment. Establishing the biological mechanisms of the metastatic process is crucial in finding open therapeutic windows for successful interventions. In this review, the authors explore the recent advancements in the field of metastasis and highlight the latest insights that contribute to shaping this hallmark of cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jawad Fares
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA.
- High-Impact Cancer Research Program, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.
| | - Mohamad Y Fares
- Faculty of Medicine, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon
- Neuroscience Research Center, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Lebanese University, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Hussein H Khachfe
- Faculty of Medicine, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon
- Neuroscience Research Center, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Lebanese University, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Hamza A Salhab
- Faculty of Medicine, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon
- Neuroscience Research Center, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Lebanese University, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Youssef Fares
- Neuroscience Research Center, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Lebanese University, Beirut, Lebanon
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Fares MY, Salhab HA, Khachfe HH, Khachfe HM. Breast Cancer Epidemiology among Lebanese Women: An 11-Year Analysis. MEDICINA (KAUNAS, LITHUANIA) 2019; 55:E463. [PMID: 31405167 PMCID: PMC6723716 DOI: 10.3390/medicina55080463] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2019] [Revised: 07/20/2019] [Accepted: 08/08/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Background and Objectives: Breast cancer is the most prevalent cancer in women worldwide. Lebanon is a developing country in the Middle East with a prominent breast cancer incidence. The aim of our study was to explore the incidence rates of breast cancer in Lebanon from 2005 to 2015, and compare them to the rates of other countries. Materials and Methods: Breast cancer data for the years 2005-2015 was collected from the National Cancer Registry of Lebanon and stratified by gender and age group. Age-specific and age-standardized incidence rates were calculated and analyzed using joinpoint regression. Age-standardized incidence rates in the world population (ASR(w)) were obtained for other countries, from two online databases. Results: Breast cancer was found to be the most prevalent cancer in Lebanon, accounting for 20% of all cancer cases. The average ASR(w) was 96.5 per 100,000. Over the studied period, breast cancer ASR(w) in Lebanon showed a significantly increasing trend with an annual percent change (APC) of +4.6. Moreover, the APC of breast cancer age-specific rates significantly increased for the age groups 45-49 (p = 0.013), 50-54 (p < 0.001), 55-59 (p = 0.001), 60-64 (p = 0.002), 65-69 (p = 0.003), 70-74 (p < 0.001), and 75+ years (p < 0.001). Lebanon had the highest breast cancer ASR(w), when compared to other regional countries, and trailed only behind Denmark, when compared to selected countries from different parts of the world. Conclusions: Breast cancer incidence in Lebanon is among the highest in the world. Future studies should focus on exploring the genetic profile of the Lebanese population in an aim to extrapolate proper prevention guidelines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohamad Y Fares
- Faculty of Medicine, American University of Beirut, Beirut 1107, Lebanon.
- Neuroscience Research Center, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Lebanese University, Beirut 1102, Lebanon.
| | - Hamza A Salhab
- Faculty of Medicine, American University of Beirut, Beirut 1107, Lebanon
- Neuroscience Research Center, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Lebanese University, Beirut 1102, Lebanon
| | - Hussein H Khachfe
- Faculty of Medicine, American University of Beirut, Beirut 1107, Lebanon
- Neuroscience Research Center, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Lebanese University, Beirut 1102, Lebanon
| | - Hassan M Khachfe
- School of Arts and Sciences, and the Lebanese Institute for Biomedical Research and Application (LIBRA), Lebanese International University (LIU), Beirut 1105, Lebanon
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12
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Fares J, Kanojia D, Rashidi A, Ahmed AU, Balyasnikova IV, Lesniak MS. Diagnostic Clinical Trials in Breast Cancer Brain Metastases: Barriers and Innovations. Clin Breast Cancer 2019; 19:383-391. [PMID: 31262686 DOI: 10.1016/j.clbc.2019.05.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2019] [Revised: 05/08/2019] [Accepted: 05/27/2019] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Optimal treatment of breast cancer brain metastases (BCBM) is often hampered by limitations in diagnostic abilities. Developing innovative tools for BCBM diagnosis is vital for early detection and effective treatment. In this study we explored the advances in trial for the diagnosis of BCBM, with review of the literature. On May 8, 2019, we searched ClinicalTrials.gov for interventional and diagnostic clinical trials involving BCBM, without limiting for date or location. Information on trial characteristics, experimental interventions, results, and publications were collected and analyzed. In addition, a systematic review of the literature was conducted to explore published studies related to BCBM diagnosis. Only 9 diagnostic trials explored BCBM. Of these, 1 trial was withdrawn because of low accrual numbers. Three trials were completed; however, none had published results. Modalities in trial for BCBM diagnosis entailed magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), computed tomography (CT), positron emission tomography (PET), PET-CT, nanobodies, and circulating tumor cells (CTCs), along with a collection of novel tracers and imaging biomarkers. MRI continues to be the diagnostic modality of choice, whereas CT is best suited for acute settings. Advances in PET and PET-CT allow the collection of metabolic and functional information related to BCBM. CTC characterization can help reflect on the molecular foundations of BCBM, whereas cell-free DNA offers new genetic material for further exploration in trials. The integration of machine learning in BCBM diagnosis seems inevitable as we continue to aim for rapid and accurate detection and better patient outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jawad Fares
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL
| | - Deepak Kanojia
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL
| | - Aida Rashidi
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL
| | - Atique U Ahmed
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL
| | - Irina V Balyasnikova
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL
| | - Maciej S Lesniak
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL.
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