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Vasella M, Gousopoulos E, Guidi M, Storti G, Song SY, Grieb G, Pauli C, Lindenblatt N, Giovanoli P, Kim BS. Targeted therapies and checkpoint inhibitors in sarcoma. QJM 2022; 115:793-805. [PMID: 33486519 DOI: 10.1093/qjmed/hcab014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2021] [Accepted: 01/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Sarcomas are defined as a group of mesenchymal malignancies with over 100 heterogeneous subtypes. As a rare and difficult to diagnose entity, micrometastasis is already present at the time of diagnosis in many cases. Current treatment practice of sarcomas consists mainly of surgery, (neo)adjuvant chemo- and/or radiotherapy. Although the past decade has shown that particular genetic abnormalities can promote the development of sarcomas, such as translocations, gain-of-function mutations, amplifications or tumor suppressor gene losses, these insights have not led to established alternative treatment strategies so far. Novel therapeutic concepts with immunotherapy at its forefront have experienced some remarkable success in different solid tumors while their impact in sarcoma remains limited. In this review, the most common immunotherapy strategies in sarcomas, such as immune checkpoint inhibitors, targeted therapy and cytokine therapy are concisely discussed. The programmed cell death (PD)-1/PD-1L axis and apoptosis-inducing cytokines, such as TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL), have not yielded the same success like in other solid tumors. However, in certain sarcoma subtypes, e.g. liposarcoma or undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma, encouraging results in some cases when employing immune checkpoint inhibitors in combination with other treatment options were found. Moreover, newer strategies such as the targeted therapy against the ancient cytokine macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) may represent an interesting approach worth investigation in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Vasella
- From the Department of Plastic Surgery and Hand Surgery, University Hospital Zurich, Raemistrasse 100, 8091 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - E Gousopoulos
- From the Department of Plastic Surgery and Hand Surgery, University Hospital Zurich, Raemistrasse 100, 8091 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - M Guidi
- From the Department of Plastic Surgery and Hand Surgery, University Hospital Zurich, Raemistrasse 100, 8091 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - G Storti
- Department of Surgical Sciences, Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, University of Rome-'Tor Vergata', Via Montepellier, 1, 00133 Rome, Italy
| | - S Y Song
- Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Yonsei University College of Medicine, 50-1 Yonsei-Ro, Seodaemun-Gu, Seoul, Korea
| | - G Grieb
- Department of Plastic Surgery and Hand Surgery, Gemeinschaftskrankenhaus Havelhoehe, Kladower Damm 221, 14089 Berlin, Germany
- Department of Plastic Surgery, Hand Surgery and Burn Center, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, Pauwelsstrasse 30, 52074 Aachen, Germany
| | - C Pauli
- Institute of Pathology and Molecular Pathology, University Hospital Zurich, Raemistrasse 100, 8091 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - N Lindenblatt
- From the Department of Plastic Surgery and Hand Surgery, University Hospital Zurich, Raemistrasse 100, 8091 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - P Giovanoli
- From the Department of Plastic Surgery and Hand Surgery, University Hospital Zurich, Raemistrasse 100, 8091 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - B-S Kim
- From the Department of Plastic Surgery and Hand Surgery, University Hospital Zurich, Raemistrasse 100, 8091 Zurich, Switzerland
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