Norm- and hypo-fractionated radiotherapy is capable of activating human dendritic cells

Metal-based immunogenic cell death inducers for cancer immunotherapy

Immunogenic cell death (ICD) has attracted enormous attention over the past decade due to its unique characteristics in cancer cell death and its role in activating innate and adaptive immune responses against tumours. Many efforts have been dedicated to screening, identifying and discovering ICD inducers, resulting in the validation of several based on metal complexes. In this review, we provide a comprehensive summary of current metal-based ICD inducers, their molecular mechanisms for triggering ICD initiation and subsequent protective antitumour immune responses, along with considerations for validating ICD both in vitro and in vivo. We also aim to offer insights into the future development of metal complexes with enhanced ICD-inducing properties and their applications in potentiating antitumour immunity.

High-dose radiation-induced immunogenic cell death of bladder cancer cells leads to dendritic cell activation

Radiotherapy is a commonly used method in the treatment of bladder cancers (BC). Radiation-induced immunogenic cell death (ICD) is related to the immune response against cancers and their prognoses. Even though dendritic cells (DC) act as powerful antigen-presenting cells in the body, their precise role in this ICD process remains unclear. Accordingly, an in vitro study was undertaken to ascertain whether high-dose radiation-induced ICD of BC cells could regulate the immune response of DC. The results indicated that high-dose radiation treatments of BC cells significantly increased their levels of apoptosis, blocked their cell cycle in the G2/M phase, increased their expression of ICD-related proteins, and upregulated their secretion of CCL5 and CCL21 which control the directed migration of DC. It was also noted that expression of CD80, CD86, CCR5, and CCR7 on DC was upregulated in the medium containing the irradiated cells. In conclusion, the present findings illustrate that high-dose radiation can induce the occurrence of ICD within BC cells, concomitantly resulting in the activation of DC. Such findings could be of great significance in increasing the understanding how radiotherapy of BC may work to bring about reductions in cell activity and how these processes in turn lead to immunoregulation of the function of DC.

The Effects of Gynecological Tumor Irradiation on the Immune System

Radiobiology has evolved from a mechanistic model based on DNA damage and response factors into a more complex model that includes effects on the immune system and the tumor microenvironment (TME). Irradiation has an immunomodulatory effect that can manifest as increased anti-tumor immunity or immunosuppression. Irradiation promotes an inflammatory microenvironment through the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines and endothelial damage, which recruit immune system cells to the irradiated area. Radiation-induced immunogenic cell death (ICD), characterized by the release of damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs) and tumor antigens, triggers an anti-tumor immune response of both innate and adaptive immunity. Anti-tumor immunity can manifest at a distance from the irradiated area, a phenomenon known as the abscopal effect (AE), which involves dendritic cells and CD8+ T cells. Irradiation also produces an immunosuppressive effect mediated by tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) and regulatory T lymphocytes (Tregs), which counterbalances the immunostimulatory effect. In this work, we review the mechanisms involved in the radiation-induced immune response, which support the combined treatment of RT and immunotherapy, focusing, where possible, on gynecologic cancer.

The efficacy and safety of neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy combined with immunotherapy for locally advanced rectal cancer patients: a systematic review

Background

Several studies have explored the effectiveness of PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors combined with neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (nCRT) in the treatment of locally advanced rectal cancer(LARC), particularly in microsatellite stable(MSS) or mismatch repair proficient(pMMR) LARC patients. We undertook a single-arm systematic review to comprehensively evaluate the advantages and potential risks associated with the use of PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors in conjunction with nCRT for patients diagnosed with locally advanced rectal cancer.

Methods

The PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, ClinicalTrials.gov, ASCO and ESMO were searched for related studies. The main outcomes were pathologic complete response (pCR), major pathological response (MPR), anal preservation, and adverse effects (AEs).

Results

Fourteen articles including 533 locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC) patients were analyzed. The pooled pCR, MPR, and anal preservation rates were 36%, 66% and 86%. Grade ≥3 adverse events occurred in 20%. Subgroup analysis showed that; dMMR/MSI-H had a pooled pCR (100%) and MPR (100%), pMMR/MSS had a pooled pCR (38%) and MPR (60%); the short-course radiotherapy and long-course radiotherapy had pooled pCR rates of 51% and 30%, respectively. The rates of pCR for the concurrent and sequential immuno-chemoradiotherapy subgroups at 30% and 40%, mirroring pCR rates for the PD-L1 and PD-1 inhibitor subgroups were 32% and 40%, respectively.

Conclusion

In cases of locally advanced rectal cancer, PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors combined with neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy have shown promising response rates and acceptable toxicity profiles. PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors combined with neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy hence has a positive outcome even in MSS LARC patients.

Systematic Review Registration

https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/#myprospero, identifier CRD42023465380.

Combination treatment with anti-HER2 therapeutic antibody RC48, PD-1 inhibitor, radiotherapy, and granulocyte macrophage-colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF) in patient with metastatic gastric cancer: a case report

HER2 overexpression/amplification is a prevalent driver in various types of cancer, including gastric cancer (GC). Limited options are available for patients with HER2-positive metastatic gastric cancer, particularly those who do not respond to the standard therapy of HER2 antibody trastuzumab combined with chemotherapy. Previous research suggests that combining a PD-1 inhibitor with radiotherapy and granulocyte macrophage-colony stimulating factor (PRaG regimen) may enhance the antitumor effects in patients with chemotherapy-resistant metastatic solid tumors. In this case study, we presented a potential treatment strategy of a patient having HER2-positive and PD-L1-negative gastric adenocarcinoma. The patient showed rapid tumor progression even after surgery and multiple trastuzumab plus chemotherapy treatments. To address this, we employed a novel anti-HER2 antibody called RC48 in combination with PRaG regimen therapy (PRaG3.0). The patient demonstrated a positive response after two treatment cycles and achieved a progression-free survival time of 6.5 months. This case highlights the potential of four-combination therapies for treating refractory, multiorgan, HER2-positive, PD-L1-negative metastatic gastric cancer. Additionally, varying radiation doses in targeting dual foci is critical to enhance tumor immunotherapy.

Combining spatially fractionated radiation therapy (SFRT) and immunotherapy opens new rays of hope for enhancing therapeutic ratio

Spatially Fractionated Radiation Therapy (SFRT) is a form of radiotherapy that delivers a single large dose of radiation within the target volume in a heterogeneous pattern with regions of peak dosage and regions of under dosage. SFRT types can be defined by how the heterogeneous pattern of radiation is obtained. Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have been approved for various malignant tumors and are widely used to treat patients with metastatic cancer. The efficacy of ICI monotherapy is limited due to the "cold" tumor microenvironment. Fractionated radiotherapy can achieve higher doses per fraction to the target tumor, and induce immune activation (immodulate tumor immunogenicity and microenvironment). Therefore, coupling ICI therapy and fractionated radiation therapy could significantly improve the outcome of metastatic cancer. This review focuses on both preclinical and clinical studies that use a combination of radiotherapy and ICI therapy in cancer.

Peptide-based vaccine for cancer therapies

Different strategies based on peptides are available for cancer treatment, in particular to counter-act the progression of tumor growth and disease relapse. In the last decade, in the context of therapeutic strategies against cancer, peptide-based vaccines have been evaluated in different tumor models. The peptides selected for cancer vaccine development can be classified in two main type: tumor-associated antigens (TAAs) and tumor-specific antigens (TSAs), which are captured, internalized, processed and presented by antigen-presenting cells (APCs) to cell-mediated immunity. Peptides loaded onto MHC class I are recognized by a specific TCR of CD8+ T cells, which are activated to exert their cytotoxic activity against tumor cells presenting the same peptide-MHC-I complex. This process is defined as active immunotherapy as the host's immune system is either de novo activated or restimulated to mount an effective, tumor-specific immune reaction that may ultimately lead to tu-mor regression. However, while the preclinical data have frequently shown encouraging results, therapeutic cancer vaccines clinical trials, including those based on peptides have not provided satisfactory data to date. The limited efficacy of peptide-based cancer vaccines is the consequence of several factors, including the identification of specific target tumor antigens, the limited immunogenicity of peptides and the highly immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME). An effective cancer vaccine can be developed only by addressing all such different aspects. The present review describes the state of the art for each of such factors.

Combination of CAR‑T cell therapy and radiotherapy: Opportunities and challenges in solid tumors (Review)

Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapy has emerged as a new and breakthrough cancer immunotherapy. Although CAR-T cell therapy has made significant progress clinically in patients with refractory or drug-resistant hematological malignancies, there are numerous challenges in its application to solid tumor therapy, including antigen escape, severe toxic reactions, abnormal vascularization, tumor hypoxia, insufficient infiltration of CAR-T cells and immunosuppression. As a conventional mode of anti-tumor therapy, radiotherapy has shown promising effects in combination with CAR-T cell therapy by enhancing the specific immunity of endogenous target antigens, which promoted the infiltration and expansion of CAR-T cells and improved the hypoxic tumor microenvironment. This review focuses on the obstacles to the application of CAR-T technology in solid tumor therapy, the potential opportunities and challenges of combined radiotherapy and CAR-T cell therapy, and the review of recent literature to evaluate the best combination for the treatment of solid tumors.

PD-1 inhibitor combined with radiotherapy and GM-CSF in MSS/pMMR metastatic colon cancer: a case report

Patients with chemo-refractory metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) have poor prognoses. The application of programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1)/programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1) inhibitors encouragingly improved the survival of mCRC patients with microsatellite instability-high (MSI-H)/mismatch repair-deficient (dMMR). Unfortunately, it was ineffective for mCRC with microsatellite-stable (MSS)/proficient mismatch repair (pMMR), which accounted for 95% of mCRC. Radiotherapy can promote local control by directly killing tumor cells and inducing positive immune activities, which might help synergistically with immunotherapy. We present the report of an advanced MSS/pMMR mCRC patient who had progressive disease (PD) after first-line chemotherapy, palliative surgery and second-line chemotherapy combined with targeted therapy. Then the patient received the therapy of PD-1 inhibitor combined with radiotherapy and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF). According to Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors version 1.1 (RECIST1.1), the patient showed a complete response (CR) after triple-combined therapy with progression-free survival (PFS) for more than 2 years so far. The patient had no other significant adverse reactions except for fatigue (Grade 1). The triple-combination therapy provided a promising strategy for metastatic chemo-refractory MSS/pMMR mCRC patients.

The implications from the interplay of neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy and the immune microenvironment in rectal cancer

Neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (nCRT) is recommended for the treatment of locally advanced rectal cancer. Even though the combination of nCRT and immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) has received much attention, the specific combination modes and dose fractions in radiotherapy (RT) are still indistinct. This review focuses on the immunological mechanism involved in nCRT, the clinical efficacy, the immunological effect of different combined strategies, concurrent or sequential nCRT plus ICIs, long-course RT and short-course RT. This review discusses the impact of nCRT on tumor immunity and summarizes the availability of different dose fractions in RT and distinct combined strategies, aiming at providing clues for optimal neoadjuvant therapy options that maximize efficacy and minimize side effects.

A ‘Hybrid’ Radiotherapy Regimen Designed for Immunomodulation: Combining High-Dose Radiotherapy with Low-Dose Radiotherapy

Simple Summary

Radiotherapy is an important cancer treatment. Aside from its direct killing effect, it also affects anti-tumor immunity. However, radiotherapy’s immune effect is not clear; it depends on the dose and fraction, cancer type, combined immunotherapy, and many other factors. Studies have focused on the optimal radiotherapy regimen to stimulate anti-tumor immunity, but conflicts exist, especially regarding the best radiation dose and fractions. Interestingly, high-dose radiotherapy and low-dose radiotherapy have complementary effects on stimulating anti-tumor immunity. Preclinical studies supporting this finding have accumulated, but gaps between theory and clinical practice still exist. This review summarizes the evidence supporting the use of this ‘hybrid’ radiotherapy approach to effectively stimulate anti-tumor immunity, explains the immune mechanisms of this combination, raises questions that must be addressed in clinical practice, and provides ideas for designing individualized treatment to increase efficiency in stimulating anti-tumor immunity using high-dose plus low-dose radiotherapy.

Abstract

Radiotherapy (RT) affects anti-tumor immunity. However, the exact impact of RT on anti-tumor immune response differs among cancer types, RT dose and fractions, patients’ innate immunity, and many other factors. There are conflicting findings on the optimal radiation dose and fractions to stimulate effective anti-tumor immunity. High-dose radiotherapy (HDRT) acts in the same way as a double-edged sword in stimulating anti-tumor immunity, while low-dose radiotherapy (LDRT) seems to play a vital role in modulating the tumor immune microenvironment. Recent preclinical data suggest that a ‘hybrid’ radiotherapy regimen, which refers to combining HDRT with LDRT, can reap the advantages of both. Clinical data have also indicated a promising potential. However, there are still questions to be addressed in order to put this novel combination therapy into clinical practice. For example, the selection of treatment site, treatment volume, the sequencing of high-dose radiotherapy and low-dose radiotherapy, combined immunotherapy, and so on. This review summarizes the current evidence supporting the use of HDRT + LDRT, explains possible immune biology mechanisms of this ‘hybrid’ radiotherapy, raises questions to be considered when working out individualized treatment plans, and lists possible avenues to increase efficiency in stimulating anti-tumor immunity using high-dose plus low-dose radiotherapy.

The Research Progress of PD-1/PD-L1 Inhibitors Enhancing Radiotherapy Efficacy

Approximately 60%–70% of patients with malignant tumours require radiotherapy. The clinical application of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), such as anti-PD-1/PD-L1, has revolutionized cancer treatment and greatly improved the outcome of a variety of cancers by boosting host immunity.However, radiotherapy is a double-edged sword for PD-1/PD-L immunotherapy. Research on how to improve radiotherapy efficacy using PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitor is gaining momentum. Various studies have reported the survival benefits of the combined application of radiotherapy and PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitor. To fully exerts the immune activation effect of radiotherapy, while avoiding the immunosuppressive effect of radiotherapy as much as possible, the dose selection, segmentation mode, treatment timing and the number of treatment sites of radiotherapy play a role. Therefore, we aim to review the effect of radiotherapy combined with anti-PD-1/PD-L1 on the immune system and its optimization.

Kickstarting Immunity in Cold Tumours: Localised Tumour Therapy Combinations With Immune Checkpoint Blockade

Cancer patients with low or absent pre-existing anti-tumour immunity ("cold" tumours) respond poorly to treatment with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICPI). In order to render these patients susceptible to ICPI, initiation of de novo tumour-targeted immune responses is required. This involves triggering of inflammatory signalling, innate immune activation including recruitment and stimulation of dendritic cells (DCs), and ultimately priming of tumour-specific T cells. The ability of tumour localised therapies to trigger these pathways and act as in situ tumour vaccines is being increasingly explored, with the aspiration of developing combination strategies with ICPI that could generate long-lasting responses. In this effort, it is crucial to consider how therapy-induced changes in the tumour microenvironment (TME) act both as immune stimulants but also, in some cases, exacerbate immune resistance mechanisms. Increasingly refined immune monitoring in pre-clinical studies and analysis of on-treatment biopsies from clinical trials have provided insight into therapy-induced biomarkers of response, as well as actionable targets for optimal synergy between localised therapies and ICB. Here, we review studies on the immunomodulatory effects of novel and experimental localised therapies, as well as the re-evaluation of established therapies, such as radiotherapy, as immune adjuvants with a focus on ICPI combinations.

Type I Interferon Response in Radiation-Induced Anti-Tumor Immunity

The anti-tumor activity of interferons (IFNs) was first appreciated about half a century ago, and IFN-α2 was the first cancer immunotherapy approved by the US Food and Drug Administration. Radiation therapy (RT), one of the pillars of cancer treatment, directly causes DNA damage, which can lead to senescence and cell death in tumor cells. In recent years, however, RT-induced immunomodulatory effects have been recognized to play an indispensable role in achieving the optimum therapeutic effect of RT. Increasing evidence indicates that RT enhances adaptive anti-tumor immunity by augmenting the innate immune sensing of tumors in a type I IFN-dependent matter. This review briefly introduces the role of type I interferon in cancer and the available evidence on the overall effects of RT on tumor immunity mediated via type I IFN. Recent advances in deciphering the molecular mechanisms underlying the induction of type I IFNs triggered by RT, their clinical implications, and therapeutic opportunities will be highlighted.

In Vitro Examinations of Cell Death Induction and the Immune Phenotype of Cancer Cells Following Radiative-Based Hyperthermia with 915 MHz in Combination with Radiotherapy

Multimodal tumor treatment settings consisting of radiotherapy and immunomodulating agents such as immune checkpoint inhibitors are more and more commonly applied in clinics. In this context, the immune phenotype of tumor cells has a major influence on the anti-tumor immune response as well as the composition of the tumor microenvironment. A promising approach to further boost anti-tumor immune responses is to add hyperthermia (HT), i.e., heating the tumor tissue between 39 °C to 45 °C for 60 min. One key technique is the use of radiative hyperthermia systems. However, knowledge is limited as to how the frequency of the used radiative systems affects the immune phenotype of the treated tumor cells. By using our self-designed in vitro hyperthermia system, we compared cell death induction and expression of immune checkpoint molecules (ICM) on the tumor cell surface of murine B16 melanoma and human MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7 breast cancer cells following HT treatment with clinically relevant microwaves at 915 MHz or 2.45 GHz alone, radiotherapy (RT; 2 × 5 Gy or 5 × 2 Gy) alone or in combination (RHT). At 44 °C, HT alone was the dominant cell death inductor with inactivation rates of around 70% for B16, 45% for MDA-MB-231 and 35% for MCF-7 at 915 MHz and 80%, 60% and 50% at 2.45 GHz, respectively. Additional RT resulted in 5–15% higher levels of dead cells. The expression of ICM on tumor cells showed time-, treatment-, cell line- and frequency-dependent effects and was highest for RHT. Computer simulations of an exemplary spherical cell revealed frequency-dependent local energy absorption. The frequency of hyperthermia systems is a newly identified parameter that could also affect the immune phenotype of tumor cells and consequently the immunogenicity of tumors.

Optimizing the Treatment Schedule of Radiotherapy Combined With Anti-PD-1/PD-L1 Immunotherapy in Metastatic Cancers

Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) targeting programmed cell death protein-1 (PD-1), and programmed cell death ligand-1 (PD-L1) have been approved for a variety of malignant tumors and are widely used to treat patients with metastatic disease. However, the efficacy of PD-1 inhibitors is limited due to tumor heterogeneity, high tumor burden, and "cold" tumor microenvironment. Radiotherapy can improve the anti-tumor effects of PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors in various ways. As a new radiotherapy method, stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) or hypofractionated radiotherapy (HFRT) provides higher doses per fraction to the target lesions, thus achieving immune activation effects and overcoming tumor resistance to anti-PD-1/PD-L1 treatment, which significantly improves the local and distant control of tumors. However, for different metastatic situations, radiotherapy plays different roles in the combination therapy. In oligometastatic status, radiotherapy can be used as a local radical treatment aiming to eliminate cancers in cooperation with systemic PD-1 inhibitors. In other circumstances, like bulky metastasis or multiple metastatic tumors, radiotherapy can be used as adjuvant to systemic immunotherapy. This review focuses on the underlying mechanisms and optimization strategies for the combination of radiotherapy and anti-PD-1/PD-L1 therapy in metastatic disease.

The Protein Secretome Is Altered in Rectal Cancer Tissue Compared to Normal Rectal Tissue, and Alterations in the Secretome Induce Enhanced Innate Immune Responses

Simple Summary

Rectal cancer occurs in the lower part of the bowel, and approximately half of all rectal cancer patients receive chemoradiotherapy before surgery. In ~22% of cases the tumour is eradicated, but the reasons for different response rates between patients are largely unknown. Inflammation and the immune system are important players in the response to cancer treatment, but we do not fully understand the role they play in this clinical setting. We examined the levels of 54 inflammatory markers in normal (non-cancerous) rectal tissue and rectal cancer tissue, and we found that rectal cancer tissue was more inflammatory, and the levels of inflammatory markers correlated with obesity status. We found that irradiating rectal cancer tissue enhanced the ability of immune cells to induce an anti-tumour immune response.

Abstract

Locally advanced rectal cancer is treated with neoadjuvant-chemoradiotherapy; however, only ~22% of patients achieve a complete response, and resistance mechanisms are poorly understood. The role of inflammation and immune cell biology in this setting is under-investigated. In this study, we profiled the inflammatory protein secretome of normal (non-cancer) (n = 8) and malignant rectal tissue (n = 12) pre- and post-radiation in human ex vivo explant models and examined the influence of these untreated and treated secretomes on dendritic cell biology (n = 8 for cancer and normal). These resultant profiles were correlated with patient clinical characteristics. Nineteen factors were secreted at significantly higher levels from the rectal cancer secretome when compared to the normal rectal secretome; Flt-1, P1GF, IFN-γ, IL-6, IL-10, CCL20, CCL26, CCL22, CCL3, CCL4, CCL17, GM-CSF, IL-12/IL-23p40, IL-17A, IL-1α, IL-17A/F, IL-1RA, TSLP and CXCL10 (p < 0.05). Radiation was found to have differential effects on normal rectal tissue and rectal cancer tissue with increased IL-15 and CCL22 secretion following radiation from normal rectal tissue explants (p < 0.05), while no significant alterations were observed in the irradiated rectal cancer tissue. Interestingly, however, the irradiated rectal cancer secretome induced the most potent effect on dendritic cell maturation via upregulation of CD80 and PD-L1. Patient’s visceral fat area correlated with secreted factors including CCL20, suggesting that obesity status may alter the tumour microenvironment (TME). These results suggest that radiation does not have a negative effect on the ability of the rectal cancer TME to induce an immune response. Understanding these responses may unveil potential therapeutic targets to enhance radiation response and mitigate normal tissue injury. Tumour irradiation in this cohort enhances innate immune responses, which may be harnessed to improve patient treatment outcome.

Role of nano-sensitizers in radiation therapy of metastatic tumors

Cancer metastasis remains the major cause of global cancer deaths. Radiation therapy remains one of the golden standards for cancer treatment. Nanomedicine based strategies have been designed and developed in order to improve the clinical outcomes of cancer therapy and diagnosis at molecular levels. Over the years, several researchers have shown their interest in using radiosensitizers made of high Z elements. Metal-based nanosystems also play a dual role by enhancing the synergistic effect of cell killing via various biological immune responses. This review summarizes the role of Nano-sensitizers in boosting radiation (ionizing/non-ionizing radiations) induced biological responses in treatment of metastatic cancer models.

A review of radiation induced abscopal effect: combining radiotherapy and immunotherapy to treat the untreated distant metastatic tumours

Background:

Radiotherapy is an effective and significant mode of definitive cancer treatment with well-established local tumour control success, especially in the treatment of localised tumours. Although, for metastatic disease, the role of radiotherapy has generally been limited to palliation of symptoms. In the treatment of metastatic diseases settings, the radiation therapy technique has always been confronted with the challenge of the simultaneous treatment of all of the various distant metastatic tumour sites, however, some recent evidence suggests that radiotherapy can potentially induce anticancer immune responses whose effectors potentially migrate to distant metastatic tumours to provoke their regression in cancer patients. Thus, unirradiated distant metastatic tumour sites can exhibit a delayed therapeutic response termed the abscopal effect.

Materials and methods:

This paper reports on a review of the abscopal effect, including its biological mechanism, the effect of radiation dose and fractionation regime and the timing of immunotherapy administration on radiotherapy-induced abscopal effect, the enhancement of radiotherapy-induced abscopal effects with immunotherapy, the effect of the location of the irradiated tumour and the radiotherapy of multiple tumour sites on the likelihood and effectiveness of inducing abscopal responses in the preclinical and clinical settings and also reports on some evidence of clinical observations in patients.

Conclusions:

Although abscopal effects of radiotherapy are still relatively rare in patients, it has gained a lot of interest due to recent development and use of immunotherapy strategies incorporating combinations of targeted immunomodulators and immune checkpoint blockade with radiation therapy. The enhancement of cancer immunotherapy could potentially enable the translation of the concept of abscopal effect into the clinics as a new strategy to induce therapeutically effective anti-tumour immune responses in cancer patients. The combination of radiotherapy and immunotherapy has the potential to expand the role of radiotherapy from a purely local tumour control treatment to play a significant role in advanced and metastatic tumour control and this could likely lead to a paradigm shift in the treatment of patients with metastatic cancer.

Priming of Anti-tumor Immune Mechanisms by Radiotherapy Is Augmented by Inhibition of Heat Shock Protein 90

Radiotherapy is an essential part of multi-modal cancer therapy. Nevertheless, for certain cancer entities such as colorectal cancer (CRC) the indications of radiotherapy are limited due to anatomical peculiarities and high radiosensitivity of the surrounding normal tissue. The development of molecularly targeted, combined modality approaches may help to overcome these limitations. Preferably, such strategies should not only enhance radiation-induced tumor cell killing and the abrogation of tumor cell clonogenicity, but should also support the stimulation of anti-tumor immune mechanisms – a phenomenon which moved into the center of interest of preclinical and clinical research in radiation oncology within the last decade. The present study focuses on inhibition of heat shock protein 90 (HSP90) whose combination with radiotherapy has previously been reported to exhibit convincing therapeutic synergism in different preclinical cancer models. By employing in vitro and in vivo analyses, we examined if this therapeutic synergism also applies to the priming of anti-tumor immune mechanisms in model systems of CRC. Our results indicate that the combination of HSP90 inhibitor treatment and ionizing irradiation induced apoptosis in colorectal cancer cells with accelerated transit into secondary necrosis in a hyperactive Kras-dependent manner. During secondary necrosis, dying cancer cells released different classes of damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs) that stimulated migration and recruitment of monocytic cells in vitro and in vivo. Additionally, these dying cancer cell-derived DAMPs enforced the differentiation of a monocyte-derived antigen presenting cell (APC) phenotype which potently triggered the priming of allogeneic T cell responses in vitro. In summary, HSP90 inhibition – apart from its radiosensitizing potential – obviously enables and supports the initial steps of anti-tumor immune priming upon radiotherapy and thus represents a promising partner for combined modality approaches. The therapeutic performance of such strategies requires further in-depth analyses, especially for but not only limited to CRC.

Single High-Dose Radiation Enhances Dendritic Cell Homing and T Cell Priming by Promoting Reactive Oxygen Species-Induced Cytoskeletal Reorganization

PURPOSE

Radiation therapy (RT) affects tumor-infiltrating immune cells, cooperatively driving tumor growth inhibition. However, there is still no absolute consensus on whether the homing ability of dendritic cells (DCs) is affected by direct x-ray irradiation. Most importantly, the underlying mechanisms are poorly understood.

METHODS AND MATERIALS

Using noninvasive imaging, we systematically examined the dose effect of RT on the in vivo homing and distribution of bone marrow-derived DCs and elucidated the detailed mechanisms underlying these events. After exposure to 2, 5, 10, 15, and 20 Gy, DCs were analyzed for maturation, in vivo homing ability, and T cell priming.

RESULTS

At ranges of 2 to 20 Gy, irradiation did not cause direct cellular apoptosis or necrosis, but it induced mitochondrial damage in DCs independent of dose. In addition, upregulation of CD40, CD80, CD86, CXCR4, and CCR7 were detected on irradiated DCs. Secretion of IL-1β and IL-12p70 remained unchanged, whereas decreased secretion of IL-6 and promotion of tumor necrosis factor α secretion were observed. In particular, the homing ability of both the local residual and blood circulating DCs to lymphoid tissues was significantly higher in groups that received ≥5 Gy radiation than in the group that received 2 Gy. Furthermore, improved homing ability was associated with rearrangement of the cytoskeleton, which was regulated by reactive oxygen species accumulation through the RhoA/ROCK1 signaling pathway. Finally, more robust T cell activation was observed in mice inoculated with 20 Gy-treated DCs than in those inoculated with 2 Gy-irradiated DCs, and T cell activation also correlated with reactive oxygen species production.

CONCLUSIONS

An RT dose ≥5 Gy has distinct advantages over 2 Gy in facilitating DC homing to lymph nodes and cross-priming T cells.

Deciphering the Intricate Roles of Radiation Therapy and Complement Activation in Cancer

The complement system consists of a collection of serum proteins that act as the main frontline effector arm of the innate immune system. Activation of complement can occur through 3 individual induction pathways: the classical, mannose-binding lectin, and alternative pathways. Activation results in opsonization, recruitment of effector cells through potent immune mediators known as anaphylatoxins, and cell lysis via the formation of the membrane attack complex. Stringent regulation of complement is required to protect against inappropriate activation of the complement cascade. Complement activation within the tumor microenvironment does not increase antitumoral action; instead, it enhances tumor growth and disease progression. Radiation therapy (RT) is a staple in the treatment of malignancies and controls tumor growth through direct DNA damage and the influx of immune cells, reshaping the makeup of the tumor microenvironment. The relationship between RT and complement activity in the tumor microenvironment is uncertain at best. The following review will focus on the complex interaction of complement activation and the immune-modulating effects of RT and the overall effect on tumor progression. The clinical implications of complement activation in cancer and the use of therapeutics and potential biomarkers will also be covered.

The future of radiation-induced abscopal response: beyond conventional radiotherapy approaches

Advances in the immunological pharmaceuticals, such as checkpoint inhibitors and agonists, have positive implications for the future of the radiotherapy abscopal response. A once rare phenomenon, whereby distant nonirradiated tumor sites regressed after radiotherapy alone, may become more common when combined with the immune modulating agents. Radiotherapy can increase neoantigen expression, increased tumor PD-L1 expression, increase MHC class I expression, reverse exhausted CD8 T cells and increase tumor-infiltrating tumors within the tumor microenvironment. These changes in the tumor and the tumor microenvironment after radiotherapy could potentiate responses to anti-CTL-4, anti-PD-L1/PD-1 and other immunotherapy agents. Thus, advances in checkpoint inhibitors have increased interest in re-evaluation of the role of conventional radiotherapy approaches on the immune system. We reviewed newer nonconventional approaches such as SBRT-PATHY, GRID, FLASH, carbon ion and proton therapy and their role in eliciting immune responses. We believe that combining these novel radiation methods may enhance the outcome with the newly US FDA approved immune modulating agents.

Consensus guidelines for the definition, detection and interpretation of immunogenic cell death

Cells succumbing to stress via regulated cell death (RCD) can initiate an adaptive immune response associated with immunological memory, provided they display sufficient antigenicity and adjuvanticity. Moreover, multiple intracellular and microenvironmental features determine the propensity of RCD to drive adaptive immunity. Here, we provide an updated operational definition of immunogenic cell death (ICD), discuss the key factors that dictate the ability of dying cells to drive an adaptive immune response, summarize experimental assays that are currently available for the assessment of ICD in vitro and in vivo, and formulate guidelines for their interpretation.

Synergistic effect of cisplatin chemotherapy combined with fractionated radiotherapy regimen in HPV-positive and HPV-negative experimental pharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma

HPV infection renders oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinomas more radiosensitive, which results in a favorable prognosis for HPV-positive patients treated with radiation alone or with concurrent platinum-based chemotherapy. The degree of radiosensitivity in fractionated regimens has not yet been fully explored; therefore, in this study, the radiosensitivity of HPV-negative tumors (FaDu) was compared to that of HPV-positive tumors (2A3) subjected to concurrent cisplatin chemotherapy and fractionated versus isoeffective single-dose tumor irradiation in immunodeficient mice. HPV-positive tumors were approximately 5 times more radiosensitive than HPV-negative tumors, irrespective of the irradiation regimen. In both tumor models, concurrent cisplatin chemotherapy and the fractionated regimen induced significant tumor radiosensitization, with a 3- to 4-fold increase in the tumor growth delay compared to that of single-dose irradiation. Furthermore, the degree of radiosensitization induced by cisplatin chemotherapy concurrent with the fractionated irradiation regimen was much higher in HPV-positive tumors, where a synergistic antitumor effect was observed. Specifically, after combined therapy, a 26% higher survival rate was observed in mice with HPV-positive tumors than in mice with HPV-negative tumors. These data suggest that HPV-positive tumors are more radiosensitive to fractionated regimen than to single-dose irradiation with concurrent cisplatin chemotherapy acting synergistically to irradiation.

Immune biological rationales for the design of combined radio- and immunotherapies

Cancer immunotherapies are promising treatments for many forms of cancer. Nevertheless, the response rates to, e.g., immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI), are still in low double-digit percentage. This calls for further therapy optimization that should take into account combination of immunotherapies with classical tumor therapies such as radiotherapy. By designing multimodal approaches, immune modulatory properties of certain radiation schemes, additional immune modulation by immunotherapy with ICI and hyperthermia, as well as patient stratification based on genetic and immune constitutions have to be considered. In this context, both the tumor and its microenvironment including cells of the innate and adaptive immune system have to be viewed in synopsis. Knowledge of immune activation and immune suppression by radiation is the basis for well-elaborated addition of certain immunotherapies. In this review, the focus is set on additional immune stimulation by hyperthermia and restoration of an immune response by ICI. The impact of radiation dose and fractionation on immune modulation in multimodal settings has to be considered, as the dynamics of the immune response and the timing between radiotherapy and immunotherapy. Another big challenge is the patient stratification that should be based on matrices of biomarkers, taking into account genetics, proteomics, radiomics, and “immunomics”. One key aim is to turn immunological “cold” tumors into “hot” tumors, and to eliminate barriers of immune-suppressed or immune-excluded tumors. Comprehensive knowledge of immune alterations induced by radiation and immunotherapy when being applied together should be utilized for patient-adapted treatment planning and testing of innovative tumor therapies within clinical trials.

The Radiation-Induced Bystander Effect (RIBE) and its Connections with the Hallmarks of Cancer

Radiation therapy is one of the pillars of cancer treatment, with approximately one half of all cancer patients receiving it as part of their standard of care. Emerging evidence indicates that the biological effects of radiation are not limited to targeted cells. The radiation-induced bystander effect (RIBE) refers to the plethora of biological phenomena occurring in nonirradiated cells as a result of signal transmission from an irradiated cell. Experimental evidence has linked RIBE to numerous hallmarks of cancer including resisting cell death, tumor immune evasion, genomic instability, deregulated cellular energetics, tumor-promoting inflammation and sustained proliferative signaling as well as enhanced radioresistance, thus highlighting the potential role of RIBE events in patient treatment response. The mechanisms underlying RIBE events in vivo are poorly understood. However, elucidating the molecular mechanisms involved in their manifestation may reveal novel therapeutic targets to improve radiation response in cancer patients.

A translational concept of immuno-radiobiology

BACKGROUND

Traditional concepts of radiobiology model the direct radiation-induced cellular cytotoxicity but are not focused on late and sustained effects of radiation. Recent experimental data show the close involvement of immunological processes.

METHODS

Based on systematic PubMed searches, experimental data on immunological radiation effects are summarized and analyzed in a non-quantitative descriptive manner to provide a translational perspective on the immuno-modulatory impact of radiation in cancer.

RESULTS

Novel experimental findings document that sustained radiation effects are ultimately mediated through systemic factors such as cytotoxic CD8+ T cells and involve a local immuno-stimulation. Increased tumor infiltration of CD8+ T cell is a prerequisite for long-term radiation effects. CD8+ T cell depletion induces radio-resistance in experimental tumors. The proposed sequence of events involves radiation-damaged cells that release HMGB1, which activates macrophages via TLR4 to a local immuno-stimulation via TNF, which contributes to maturation of DCs. The mature DCs migrate to lymph nodes where they trigger effective CD8+ T cell responses. Radiation effects are boosted, when the physiological self-terminating negative feedback of immune reactions is antagonised via blocking of TGF-β or via checkpoint inhibition with involvement of CD8+ T cells as common denominator.

CONCLUSION

The concept of immuno-radiobiology emphasizes the necessity for a functional integrity of APCs and T cells for the long-term effects of radiotherapy. Local irradiation at higher doses induces tumor infiltration of CD8+ T cells, which can be boosted by immunotherapy. More systematic research is warranted to better understand the immunological effects of escalating radiation doses.

Immunotherapy-based combinations: an update

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

The advent of immunotherapy significantly improved clinical outcomes in cancer patients, although immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) still lack of efficacy in a consistent proportion of treated patients. The purpose of this article is to review the most innovative and clinically promising ICB-based combinations designed to improve the efficacy of cancer immunotherapy.

RECENT FINDINGS

First-line combinatorial treatment with ipilimumab and nivolumab has recently shown to be superior to the standard of care in a subset of metastatic nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and renal cell carcinoma (RCC). The combination of programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1)/PD-L1 blockade with antiangiogenics has demonstrated a consistent clinical efficacy, especially for the combination of bevacizumab and atezolizumab as first-line therapy in metastatic RCC. The sequential combination of definitive chemoradiotherapy followed by durvalumab maintenance in advanced, unresectable NSCLC became the new standard of care, while the addition of pembrolizumab to first-line chemotherapy in metastatic NSCLC significantly improves overall survival. Despite promising results for the combination of ICBs with v-raf murine sarcoma viral oncogene homolog B/MAPK/ERK kinase inhibitors or epidermal growth factor receptor inhibitors, especially in melanoma and NSCLC, safety concerns slowed down the development of such strategies.

SUMMARY

Immunotherapy-based combinations are becoming the standard of care for cancer treatment, in particularly for advanced melanoma, NSCLC and RCC.

Rationale for combination of radiation therapy and immune checkpoint blockers to improve cancer treatment

Radiation therapy for cancer is considered to be immunosuppressive. However, the cellular response after radiation therapy may stimulate or suppress an immune response. The effect may vary with the tumor type and occasionally tumor regressions have been observed outside the irradiated volume, both in animal studies and in the clinic. A renewed interest in the role of immunity for the observed effect of radiation came with the current recognized role of immune checkpoint blockers (ICBs) for control of selected cancer types. We therefore here review preclinical studies and clinical reports on the interaction of ICBs and radiation as a basis for further clinical trials. Some tumor types where the combination of these modalities seems especially promising are also proposed.

Potential Role of CXCR4 Targeting in the Context of Radiotherapy and Immunotherapy of Cancer

Cancer immunotherapy has been established as standard of care in different tumor entities. After the first reports on synergistic effects with radiotherapy and the induction of abscopal effects-tumor shrinkage outside the irradiated volume attributed to immunological effects of radiotherapy-several treatment combinations have been evaluated. Different immunotherapy strategies (e.g., immune checkpoint inhibition, vaccination, cytokine based therapies) have been combined with local tumor irradiation in preclinical models. Clinical trials are ongoing in different cancer entities with a broad range of immunotherapeutics and radiation schedules. SDF-1 (CXCL12)/CXCR4 signaling has been described to play a major role in tumor biology, especially in hypoxia adaptation, metastasis and migration. Local tumor irradiation is a known inducer of SDF-1 expression and release. CXCR4 also plays a major role in immunological processes. CXCR4 antagonists have been approved for the use of hematopoietic stem cell mobilization from the bone marrow. In addition, several groups reported an influence of the SDF-1/CXCR4 axis on intratumoral immune cell subsets and anti-tumor immune response. The aim of this review is to merge the knowledge on the role of SDF-1/CXCR4 in tumor biology, radiotherapy and immunotherapy of cancer and in combinatorial approaches.

Radiation, Immune Checkpoint Blockade and the Abscopal Effect: A Critical Review on Timing, Dose and Fractionation

The combination of radiation and immunotherapy is currently an exciting avenue of pre-clinical and clinical investigation. The synergy between these two treatment modalities has the potential to expand the role of radiation from a purely local therapy, to a role in advanced and metastatic disease. Tumor regression outside of the irradiated field, known as the abscopal effect, is a recognized phenomenon mediated by lymphocytes and enhanced by checkpoint blockade. In this review, we summarize the known mechanistic data behind the immunostimulatory effects of radiation and how this is enhanced by immunotherapy. We also provide pre-clinical data supporting specific radiation timing and optimal dose/fractionation for induction of a robust anti-tumor immune response with or without checkpoint blockade. Importantly, these data are placed in a larger context of understanding T-cell exhaustion and the impact of immunotherapy on this phenotype. We also include relevant pre-clinical studies done in non-tumor systems. We discuss the published clinical trials and briefly summarize salient case reports evaluating the abscopal effect. Much of the data discussed here remains at the preliminary stage, and a number of interesting avenues of research remain under investigation.

Stereotactic Body Radiotherapy: Does It Have a Role in Management of Hepatocellular Carcinoma?

Stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) is a form of radiotherapy that delivers high doses of irradiation with high precision in a small number of fractions. However, it has not frequently been performed for the liver due to the risk of radiation-induced liver toxicity. Furthermore, liver SBRT is cumbersome because it requires accurate patient repositioning, target localization, control of breathing-related motion, and confers a toxicity risk to the small bowel. Recently, with the advancement of modern technologies including intensity-modulated RT and image-guided RT, SBRT has been shown to significantly improve local control and survival outcomes for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), specifically those unfit for other local therapies. While it can be used as a stand-alone treatment for those patients, it can also be applied either as an alternative or as an adjunct to other HCC therapies (e.g., transarterial chemoembolization, and radiofrequency ablation). SBRT might be an effective and safe bridging therapy for patients awaiting liver transplantation. Furthermore, in recent studies, SBRT has been shown to have a potential role as an immunostimulator, supporting the novel combination strategy of immunoradiotherapy for HCC. In this review, the role of SBRT with some technical issues is discussed. In addition, future implications of SBRT as an immunostimulator are considered.

Alterations of MicroRNA Expression in the Liver, Heart, and Testis of Mice Upon Exposure to Repeated Low-Dose Radiation

MicroRNAs (miRs), which regulate target gene expression at the post-transcriptional level, play a crucial role in inducing biological effects upon high-dose ionizing radiation. Yet, the miR expression profiles in response to repeated low-dose radiation (LDR) in vivo have not been elucidated. This study investigated the response profiles of 11 miRs with functions involved in metabolism, DNA damage and repair, inflammation, and fibrosis in mouse liver, heart, and testis upon repeated LDR exposure for 4 months. The expression profiles were evaluated using stem-loop quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction immediately and at 2 months after LDR exposure. The expression profiles varied significantly at both time points. At the organ level, the heart was the most affected, followed by the liver and testis, in which significant miR upregulation related to DNA damage response was found. Metabolism-related miRs decreased in the liver and increased in the testis. The current results showed immediate and long-lasting alterations in the miR expression profiles in response to repeated LDR in different organs.

Combining radiation therapy and cancer immune therapies: From preclinical findings to clinical applications

Besides its direct cytotoxic effect on the tumor cells, radiation therapy is also able to elicit an immune-mediated systemic anti-tumor response, resulting in tumor regression in irradiated sites but also within distant out of field secondary lesions and providing a long-term anti-tumor response. It is now clear that associating ionizing radiation with immune therapies can enhance radio-induced anti-tumor immune responses. Over the last decade, such a combination aroused considerable interest among the scientific community, with many preclinical models and clinical trials, using many types of immune therapies and radiation regimens. In this article, we summarize the main mechanisms underlying radio-induced anti-tumor responses. We will then present an extended overview of the recent preclinical and clinical research built on this background of combined radiation and immune therapy, shedding light on what we know so far about such a promising strategy.

Exploring the rationale for combining ionizing radiation and immune checkpoint blockade in head and neck cancer

BACKGROUND

The ability of radiation to enhance antitumor immunity under specific experimental conditions is well established. Here, we explore preclinical data and the rationale for combining different radiation doses and fractions with immune checkpoint blockade immunotherapy.

METHODS

We conducted a review of the literature.

RESULTS

The ability of high-dose or hypofractionated radiation to enhance antitumor immunity resulting in additive or synergistic tumor control when combined with checkpoint blockade is well studied. Whether low-dose daily fractionated radiation does the same is less well studied and available data suggests it may be immunosuppressive.

CONCLUSION

Although daily fractionated radiation is well established as the standard of care for the treatment of patients with head and neck cancer, how this radiation schema alters antitumor immunity needs further study. If the radiation doses and fractions alter antitumor immunity differently can have profound implications in the rational design of clinical trials investigating whether radiation can enhance response rates to immune checkpoint blockade.

Immunomodulation by ionizing radiation-impact for design of radio-immunotherapies and for treatment of inflammatory diseases

Ionizing radiation is often regarded as an element of danger. But, danger responses on the cellular and molecular level are often beneficial with regard to the induction of anti-tumor immunity and for amelioration of inflammation. We outline how in dependence of radiation dose and fraction, radiation itself-and especially in combination with immune modulators-impacts on the innate and adaptive immune system. Focus is set on radiation-induced changes of the tumor cell phenotype and the cellular microenvironment including immunogenic cancer cell death. Mechanisms how anti-tumor immune responses are triggered by radiotherapy in combination with hyperthermia, inhibition of apoptosis, the adjuvant AnnexinA5, or vaccination with high hydrostatic pressure-killed autologous tumor cells are discussed. Building on this, feasible multimodal radio-immunotherapy concepts are reviewed including overcoming immune suppression by immune checkpoint inhibitors and by targeting TGF-β. Since radiation-induced tissue damage, inflammation, and anti-tumor immune responses are interconnected, the impact of lower doses of radiation on amelioration of inflammation is outlined. Closely meshed immune monitoring concepts based on the liquid biopsy blood are suggested for prognosis and prediction of cancer and non-cancer inflammatory diseases. Finally, challenges and visions for the design of cancer radio-immunotherapies and for treatment of benign inflammatory diseases are given.

Linear Energy Transfer Modulates Radiation-Induced NF-kappa B Activation and Expression of its Downstream Target Genes

Nuclear factor kappaB (NF-κB) is a central transcription factor in the immune system and modulates cell survival in response to radiotherapy. Activation of NF-κB was shown to be an early step in the cellular response to ultraviolet A (UVA) and ionizing radiation exposure in human cells. NF-κB activation by the genotoxic stress-dependent sub-pathway after exposure to different radiation qualities had been evaluated to a very limited extent. In addition, the resulting gene expression profile, which shapes the cellular and tissue response, is unknown. Therefore, in this study the activation of NF-κB after exposure to low- and high-linear energy transfer (LET) radiation and the expression of its target genes were analyzed in human embryonic kidney (HEK) cells. The activation of NF-κB via canonical and genotoxic stress-induced pathways was visualized by the cell line HEK-pNF-κB-d2EGFP/Neo L2 carrying the destabilized enhanced green fluorescent protein (d2EGFP) as reporter. The NF-κB-dependent d2EGFP expression after irradiation with X rays and heavy ions was evaluated by flow cytometry. Because of differences in the extent of NF-κB activation after irradiation with X rays (significant NF-κB activation for doses >4 Gy) and heavy ions (significant NF-κB activation at doses as low as 1 Gy), it was expected that radiation quality (LET) played an important role in the cellular radiation response. In addition, the relative biological effectiveness (RBE) of NF-κB activation and reduction of cellular survival were compared for heavy ions having a broad LET range (∼0.3-9,674 keV/μm). Furthermore, the effect of LET on NF-κB target gene expression was analyzed by real-time reverse transcriptase quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR). The maximal RBE for NF-κB activation and cell killing occurred at an LET value of 80 and 175 keV/μm, respectively. There was a dose-dependent increase in expression of NF-κB target genes NF-κB1A and CXCL8. A qPCR array of 84 NF-κB target genes revealed that TNF and a set of CXCL genes (CXCL1, CXCL2, CXCL8, CXCL10), CCL2, VCAM1, CD83, NF-κB1, NF-κB2 and NF-κBIA were strongly upregulated after exposure to X rays and neon ions (LET 92 keV/μm). After heavy-ion irradiations, it was noted that the expression of NF-κB target genes such as chemokines and CD83 was highest at an LET value that coincided with the LET resulting in maximal NF-κB activation, whereas expression of the NF-κB inhibitory gene NFKBIA was induced transiently by all radiation qualities investigated. Taken together, these findings clearly demonstrate that NF-κB activation and NF-κB-dependent gene expression by heavy ions are highest in the LET range of ∼50-200 keV/μm. The upregulated chemokines and cytokines (CXCL1, CXCL2, CXCL10, CXCL8/IL-8 and TNF) could be important for cell-cell communication among hit as well as nonhit cells (bystander effect).

Selecting patients for hyperthermia combined with preoperative chemoradiotherapy for locally advanced rectal cancer

BACKGROUND

This study investigated the role of hyperthermia combined with preoperative concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) for locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC) according to hypoxic marker expression.

METHODS

One hundred and nine LARC patients with tissue blocks available for immunohistochemical assessment of carbonic anhydrase 9 (CA9) expression were reviewed. CA9 expression was considered positive when the staining percentage of tumor cells was >25% (n = 31). Pelvic radiotherapy with a total dose of 39.6-45 Gy was delivered concurrently with fluorouracil-based chemotherapy. Hyperthermia was administered to 52 patients twice a week during CCRT. Treatment response and outcomes were compared between hyperthermochemoradiotherapy (HCRT) and CCRT groups.

RESULTS

In patients with positive CA9 expression, the rates of downstaging (p = 0.060) and pathologic complete response (p = 0.064) tended to be higher in the HCRT group than in the CCRT group. Distant metastasis-free survival (p = 0.029) and cancer-specific survival (p = 0.020) were significantly worse in tumors with both positive CA9 expression and poor tumor response. Negative CA9 expression, presence of major tumor response, and the use of hyperthermia were significant favorable prognostic factors for cancer-specific survival after the first recurrence in multivariate analysis.

CONCLUSIONS

Hyperthermia might selectively enhance the preoperative treatment response in LARC with positive CA9 expression and offset the negative effect of hypoxia on prognosis. Pretreatment evaluation of hypoxia could aid in the selection of patients who might benefit from hyperthermia.

Cancer Cell Death-Inducing Radiotherapy: Impact on Local Tumour Control, Tumour Cell Proliferation and Induction of Systemic Anti-tumour Immunity

Radiotherapy (RT) predominantly is aimed to induce DNA damage in tumour cells that results in reduction of their clonogenicity and finally in tumour cell death. Adaptation of RT with higher single doses has become necessary and led to a more detailed view on what kind of tumour cell death is induced and which immunological consequences result from it. RT is capable of rendering tumour cells immunogenic by modifying the tumour cell phenotype and the microenvironment. Danger signals are released as well as the senescence-associated secretory phenotype. This results in maturation of dendritic cells and priming of cytotoxic T cells as well as in activation of natural killer cells. However, RT on the other hand can also result in immune suppressive events including apoptosis induction and foster tumour cell proliferation. That's why RT is nowadays increasingly combined with selected immunotherapies.

Intercellular Communication of Tumor Cells and Immune Cells after Exposure to Different Ionizing Radiation Qualities

Ionizing radiation can affect the immune system in many ways. Depending on the situation, the whole body or parts of the body can be acutely or chronically exposed to different radiation qualities. In tumor radiotherapy, a fractionated exposure of the tumor (and surrounding tissues) is applied to kill the tumor cells. Currently, mostly photons, and also electrons, neutrons, protons, and heavier particles such as carbon ions, are used in radiotherapy. Tumor elimination can be supported by an effective immune response. In recent years, much progress has been achieved in the understanding of basic interactions between the irradiated tumor and the immune system. Here, direct and indirect effects of radiation on immune cells have to be considered. Lymphocytes for example are known to be highly radiosensitive. One important factor in indirect interactions is the radiation-induced bystander effect which can be initiated in unexposed cells by expression of cytokines of the irradiated cells and by direct exchange of molecules via gap junctions. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge about the indirect effects observed after exposure to different radiation qualities. The different immune cell populations important for the tumor immune response are natural killer cells, dendritic cells, and CD8+ cytotoxic T-cells. In vitro and in vivo studies have revealed the modulation of their functions due to ionizing radiation exposure of tumor cells. After radiation exposure, cytokines are produced by exposed tumor and immune cells and a modulated expression profile has also been observed in bystander immune cells. Release of damage-associated molecular patterns by irradiated tumor cells is another factor in immune activation. In conclusion, both immune-activating and -suppressing effects can occur. Enhancing or inhibiting these effects, respectively, could contribute to modified tumor cell killing after radiotherapy.

Modulating Both Tumor Cell Death and Innate Immunity Is Essential for Improving Radiation Therapy Effectiveness

Radiation therapy is one of the cornerstones of cancer treatment. In tumor cells, exposure to ionizing radiation (IR) provokes DNA damages that trigger various forms of cell death such as apoptosis, necrosis, autophagic cell death, and mitotic catastrophe. IR can also induce cellular senescence that could serve as an additional antitumor barrier in a context-dependent manner. Moreover, accumulating evidence has demonstrated that IR interacts profoundly with tumor-infiltrating immune cells, which cooperatively drive treatment outcomes. Recent preclinical and clinical successes due to the combination of radiation therapy and immune checkpoint blockade have underscored the need for a better understanding of the interplay between radiation therapy and the immune system. In this review, we will present an overview of cell death modalities induced by IR, summarize the immunogenic properties of irradiated cancer cells, and discuss the biological consequences of IR on innate immune cell functions, with a particular attention on dendritic cells, macrophages, and NK cells. Finally, we will discuss their potential applications in cancer treatment.

Gene and miRNA expression profiles of mouse Lewis lung carcinoma LLC1 cells following single or fractionated dose irradiation

In clinical practice ionizing radiation (IR) is primarily applied to cancer treatment in the form of fractionated dose (FD) irradiation. Despite this fact, a substantially higher amount of current knowledge in the field of radiobiology comes from in vitro studies based on the cellular response to single dose (SD) irradiation. In addition, intrinsic and acquired resistance to IR remains an issue in clinical practice, leading to radiotherapy treatment failure. Numerous previous studies suggest that an improved understanding of the molecular processes involved in the radiation-induced DNA damage response to FD irradiation could improve the effectiveness of radiotherapy. Therefore, the present study examined the differential expression of genes and microRNA (miRNA) in murine Lewis lung cancer (LLC)1 cells exposed to SD or FD irradiation. The results of the present study indicated that the gene and miRNA expression profiles of LLC1 cells exposed to irradiation were dose delivery type-dependent. Data analysis also revealed that mRNAs may be regulated by miRNAs in a radiation-dependent manner, suggesting that these mRNAs and miRNAs are the potential targets in the cellular response to SD or FD irradiation. However, LLC1 tumors after FD irradiation exhibited no significant changes in the expression of selected genes and miRNAs observed in the irradiated cells in vitro, suggesting that experimental in vitro conditions, particularly the tumor microenvironment, should be considered in detail to promote the development of efficient radiotherapy approaches. Nevertheless, the present study highlights the primary signaling pathways involved in the response of murine cancer cells to irradiation. Data presented in the present study can be applied to improve the outcome and development of radiotherapy in preclinical animal model settings.

Barriers to Radiation-Induced In Situ Tumor Vaccination

The immunostimulatory properties of radiation therapy (RT) have recently generated widespread interest due to preclinical and clinical evidence that tumor-localized RT can sometimes induce antitumor immune responses mediating regression of non-irradiated metastases (abscopal effect). The ability of RT to activate antitumor T cells explains the synergy of RT with immune checkpoint inhibitors, which has been well documented in mouse tumor models and is supported by observations of more frequent abscopal responses in patients refractory to immunotherapy who receive RT during immunotherapy. However, abscopal responses following RT remain relatively rare in the clinic, and antitumor immune responses are not effectively induced by RT against poorly immunogenic mouse tumors. This suggests that in order to improve the pro-immunogenic effects of RT, it is necessary to identify and overcome the barriers that pre-exist and/or are induced by RT in the tumor microenvironment. On the one hand, RT induces an immunogenic death of cancer cells associated with release of powerful danger signals that are essential to recruit and activate dendritic cells (DCs) and initiate antitumor immune responses. On the other hand, RT can promote the generation of immunosuppressive mediators that hinder DCs activation and impair the function of effector T cells. In this review, we discuss current evidence that several inhibitory pathways are induced and modulated in irradiated tumors. In particular, we will focus on factors that regulate and limit radiation-induced immunogenicity and emphasize current research on actionable targets that could increase the effectiveness of radiation-induced in situ tumor vaccination.

Rationale and evidence to combine radiation therapy and immunotherapy for cancer treatment

Cancer immunotherapy exploits the immune system's ability to differentiate between tumor target cells and host cells. Except for limited success against a few tumor types, most immunotherapies have not achieved the desired clinical efficacy until recently. The field of cancer immunotherapy has flourished with a variety of new agents for clinical use, and remarkable progress has been made in the design of effective immunotherapeutic regimens. Furthermore, the therapeutic outcome of these novel agents is enhanced when combined with conventional cancer treatment modalities including radiotherapy (RT). An increasing number of studies have demonstrated the abscopal effect, an immunologic response occurring in cancer sites distant from irradiated areas. The present work reviews studies on the combination between RT and immunotherapy to induce synergistic and abscopal effects involved in cancer immunomodulation. Further insight into the complex interactions between the immune system and cancer cells in the tumor microenvironment, and their modulation by RT, may reveal the abscopal effect as a clinically relevant and reproducible event leading to improved cancer outcome.