1
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Gu X, Wei S, Lv X. Circulating tumor cells: from new biological insights to clinical practice. Signal Transduct Target Ther 2024; 9:226. [PMID: 39218931 PMCID: PMC11366768 DOI: 10.1038/s41392-024-01938-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2023] [Revised: 05/31/2024] [Accepted: 07/29/2024] [Indexed: 09/04/2024] Open
Abstract
The primary reason for high mortality rates among cancer patients is metastasis, where tumor cells migrate through the bloodstream from the original site to other parts of the body. Recent advancements in technology have significantly enhanced our comprehension of the mechanisms behind the bloodborne spread of circulating tumor cells (CTCs). One critical process, DNA methylation, regulates gene expression and chromosome stability, thus maintaining dynamic equilibrium in the body. Global hypomethylation and locus-specific hypermethylation are examples of changes in DNA methylation patterns that are pivotal to carcinogenesis. This comprehensive review first provides an overview of the various processes that contribute to the formation of CTCs, including epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), immune surveillance, and colonization. We then conduct an in-depth analysis of how modifications in DNA methylation within CTCs impact each of these critical stages during CTC dissemination. Furthermore, we explored potential clinical implications of changes in DNA methylation in CTCs for patients with cancer. By understanding these epigenetic modifications, we can gain insights into the metastatic process and identify new biomarkers for early detection, prognosis, and targeted therapies. This review aims to bridge the gap between basic research and clinical application, highlighting the significance of DNA methylation in the context of cancer metastasis and offering new avenues for improving patient outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuyu Gu
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
| | - Shiyou Wei
- Department of Anesthesiology, Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xin Lv
- Department of Anesthesiology, Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, China.
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2
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Nowosh V, Braun AC, Ruano APC, Chinén LTD, de Oliveira Massoco C. Pilot study to evaluate isolation by size of circulating tumour cells in canine oral melanoma. Vet Comp Oncol 2024. [PMID: 38837514 DOI: 10.1111/vco.12982] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2024] [Revised: 04/21/2024] [Accepted: 05/06/2024] [Indexed: 06/07/2024]
Abstract
Liquid biopsy for circulating tumour cell (CTC) detection is generally unexplored in veterinary medicine. Dogs with highly aggressive and heterogeneous tumours, such as oral malignant melanoma (OMM), could benefit from studies involving size-based isolation methods for CTCs, as they do not depend on specific antibodies. This pilot study aimed to detect CTCs from canine OMM using Isolation by Size of Epithelial Tumor Cells (ISET), a microfiltration methodology, followed by immunocytochemistry (ICC) with Melan-A, PNL2, and S100 antibodies. Ten canine patients diagnosed by histopathology and confirmed as OMM by immunohistochemistry were enrolled, their prognostic data was assessed, and blood samples were collected for CTC analysis. Results have shown the detection of intact cells in 9/10 patients. ICC has shown 3/9 Melan-A-positive, 3/9 PNL2-positive, and 8/9 S100-positive patients, confirming the importance of opting for a multimarker assay. A significant number of negative-stained CTCs were found, suggesting their high heterogeneity in circulation. Microemboli stained with either PNL2 or S100 were found in a patient with a high isolated cell count and advanced clinical stage. Preliminary statistical analysis shows a significant difference in CTC count between patients with and without lymph node metastasis (p < .05), which may correlate with tumour metastatic potential. However, we recommend further studies with more extensive sampling to confirm this result. This pilot study is the first report of intact CTC detection in canine OMM and the first application of ISET in veterinary medicine, opening new possibilities for liquid biopsy studies in canine OMM and other tumours.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victor Nowosh
- Department of Pathology, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Alexcia Camila Braun
- Secretaria de Ciência, Tecnologia e Inovação do Complexo Econômico-Industrial da Saúde, Coordenação Geral de Pesquisa Clínica, Ministério da Saúde, Brasilia, Brazil
| | | | | | - Cristina de Oliveira Massoco
- Department of Pathology, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
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3
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Pícková M, Kahounová Z, Radaszkiewicz T, Procházková J, Fedr R, Nosková M, Radaszkiewicz KA, Ovesná P, Bryja V, Souček K. Orthotopic model for the analysis of melanoma circulating tumor cells. Sci Rep 2024; 14:7827. [PMID: 38570556 PMCID: PMC10991390 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-58236-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2024] [Accepted: 03/26/2024] [Indexed: 04/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Metastatic melanoma, a highly lethal form of skin cancer, presents significant clinical challenges due to limited therapeutic options and high metastatic capacity. Recent studies have demonstrated that cancer dissemination can occur earlier, before the diagnosis of the primary tumor. The progress in understanding the kinetics of cancer dissemination is limited by the lack of animal models that accurately mimic disease progression. We have established a xenograft model of human melanoma that spontaneously metastasizes to lymph nodes and lungs. This model allows precise monitoring of melanoma progression and is suitable for the quantitative and qualitative analysis of circulating tumor cells (CTCs). We have validated a flow cytometry-based protocol for CTCs enumeration and isolation. We could demonstrate that (i) CTCs were detectable in the bloodstream from the fourth week after tumor initiation, coinciding with the lymph node metastases appearance, (ii) excision of the primary tumor accelerated the formation of metastases in lymph nodes and lungs as early as one-week post-surgery, accompanied by the increased numbers of CTCs, and (iii) CTCs change their surface protein signature. In summary, we present a model of human melanoma that can be effectively utilized for future drug efficacy studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Markéta Pícková
- Department of Cytokinetics, Institute of Biophysics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Brno, Czech Republic
- International Clinical Research Center, St. Anne's University Hospital Brno, Brno, Czech Republic
- Department of Experimental Biology, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Zuzana Kahounová
- Department of Cytokinetics, Institute of Biophysics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Tomasz Radaszkiewicz
- Department of Experimental Biology, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Jiřina Procházková
- Department of Cytokinetics, Institute of Biophysics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Radek Fedr
- Department of Cytokinetics, Institute of Biophysics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Brno, Czech Republic
- International Clinical Research Center, St. Anne's University Hospital Brno, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Michaela Nosková
- Department of Experimental Biology, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
- Centre for Inflammation Research, University of Edinburgh Institute for Regeneration and Repair, Edinburgh, Scotland
| | | | - Petra Ovesná
- Institute of Biostatistics and Analyses, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Vítězslav Bryja
- Department of Cytokinetics, Institute of Biophysics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Brno, Czech Republic
- Department of Experimental Biology, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Karel Souček
- Department of Cytokinetics, Institute of Biophysics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Brno, Czech Republic.
- International Clinical Research Center, St. Anne's University Hospital Brno, Brno, Czech Republic.
- Department of Experimental Biology, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic.
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4
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Scaini MC, Catoni C, Poggiana C, Pigozzo J, Piccin L, Leone K, Scarabello I, Facchinetti A, Menin C, Elefanti L, Pellegrini S, Aleotti V, Vidotto R, Schiavi F, Fabozzi A, Chiarion-Sileni V, Rosato A. A multiparameter liquid biopsy approach allows to track melanoma dynamics and identify early treatment resistance. NPJ Precis Oncol 2024; 8:78. [PMID: 38548846 PMCID: PMC10978909 DOI: 10.1038/s41698-024-00567-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2023] [Accepted: 03/14/2024] [Indexed: 04/01/2024] Open
Abstract
Melanoma heterogeneity is a hurdle in metastatic disease management. Although the advent of targeted therapy has significantly improved patient outcomes, the occurrence of resistance makes monitoring of the tumor genetic landscape mandatory. Liquid biopsy could represent an important biomarker for the real-time tracing of disease evolution. Thus, we aimed to correlate liquid biopsy dynamics with treatment response and progression by devising a multiplatform approach applied to longitudinal melanoma patient monitoring. We conceived an approach that exploits Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) and droplet digital PCR, as well as the FDA-cleared platform CellSearch, to analyze circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) trend and circulating melanoma cell (CMC) count, together with their customized genetic and copy number variation analysis. The approach was applied to 17 stage IV melanoma patients treated with BRAF/MEK inhibitors, followed for up to 28 months. BRAF mutations were detected in the plasma of 82% of patients. Single nucleotide variants known or suspected to confer resistance were identified in 70% of patients. Moreover, the amount of ctDNA, both at baseline and during response, correlated with the type and duration of the response itself, and the CMC count was confirmed to be a prognostic biomarker. This work provides proof of principle of the power of this approach and paves the way for a validation study aimed at evaluating early ctDNA-guided treatment decisions in stage IV melanoma. The NGS-based molecular profile complemented the analysis of ctDNA trend and, together with CMC analysis, revealed to be useful in capturing tumor evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Chiara Scaini
- Immunology and Molecular Oncology Unit, Veneto Institute of Oncology - IOV IRCCS, Padua, Italy.
| | - Cristina Catoni
- Immunology and Molecular Oncology Unit, Veneto Institute of Oncology - IOV IRCCS, Padua, Italy
| | - Cristina Poggiana
- Immunology and Molecular Oncology Unit, Veneto Institute of Oncology - IOV IRCCS, Padua, Italy.
| | - Jacopo Pigozzo
- Medical Oncology 2, Veneto Institute of Oncology - IOV IRCCS, Padua, Italy
| | - Luisa Piccin
- Medical Oncology 2, Veneto Institute of Oncology - IOV IRCCS, Padua, Italy
| | - Kevin Leone
- Immunology and Molecular Oncology Unit, Veneto Institute of Oncology - IOV IRCCS, Padua, Italy
| | - Ilaria Scarabello
- Immunology and Molecular Oncology Unit, Veneto Institute of Oncology - IOV IRCCS, Padua, Italy
| | - Antonella Facchinetti
- Immunology and Molecular Oncology Unit, Veneto Institute of Oncology - IOV IRCCS, Padua, Italy
- Department of Surgery, Oncology and Gastroenterology (DiSCOG), Oncology Section, University of Padua, Padua, Italy
| | - Chiara Menin
- Immunology and Molecular Oncology Unit, Veneto Institute of Oncology - IOV IRCCS, Padua, Italy
| | - Lisa Elefanti
- Immunology and Molecular Oncology Unit, Veneto Institute of Oncology - IOV IRCCS, Padua, Italy
| | - Stefania Pellegrini
- Immunology and Molecular Oncology Unit, Veneto Institute of Oncology - IOV IRCCS, Padua, Italy
| | - Valentina Aleotti
- Immunology and Molecular Oncology Unit, Veneto Institute of Oncology - IOV IRCCS, Padua, Italy
| | - Riccardo Vidotto
- Immunology and Molecular Oncology Unit, Veneto Institute of Oncology - IOV IRCCS, Padua, Italy
| | - Francesca Schiavi
- Familial Cancer Clinic, Veneto Institute of Oncology - IOV IRCCS, Padua, Italy
| | - Alessio Fabozzi
- Oncology Unit 3, Veneto Institute of Oncology - IOV IRCCS, Padua, Italy
| | | | - Antonio Rosato
- Immunology and Molecular Oncology Unit, Veneto Institute of Oncology - IOV IRCCS, Padua, Italy
- Department of Surgery, Oncology and Gastroenterology (DiSCOG), Oncology Section, University of Padua, Padua, Italy
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5
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Kuang T, Zhang L, Qiu Z, Zhang Y, Wang W. Prognostic value of body composition on survival outcomes in melanoma patients receiving immunotherapy. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1261202. [PMID: 38077332 PMCID: PMC10704136 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1261202] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2023] [Accepted: 11/03/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Objective The influence of body composition on the effectiveness of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) in patients with melanoma is still uncertain in clinical practice. Therefore, the objective of this study was to examine the potential association between body composition and clinical outcomes in patients with melanoma undergoing ICIs treatment. Methods A systematic literature search was performed across several databases, including PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library and Google Scholar, to gather relevant studies. The primary outcomes of interest were overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS), assessed by hazard ratios (HR). Secondary outcomes, such as adverse events (AE), were evaluated using odds ratios (OR). Results This meta-analysis comprised ten articles involving a total of 1,283 patients. Systemic analysis of all collected evidence revealed that body composition, including low skeletal muscle index (SMI) (OS: HR = 1.66, 95% CI = 1.13-2.43, p = 0.010; PFS: HR = 1.28, 95% CI = 1.06-1.55, p = 0.009), high subcutaneous adipose tissue density (SMD) (OS: HR = 1.93, 95% CI = 1.09-3.44, p = 0.025; PFS: HR = 1.31, 95% CI = 1.06-1.63, p = 0.012), and sarcopenia (OS: HR = 1.25, 95% CI = 1.03-1.51, p = 0.022; PFS: HR = 1.25, 95% CI = 1.03-1.51, p = 0.022), were significantly associated with OS and PFS in melanoma patients treated with ICIs. However, these markers did not show a significant association with treatment-related adverse events. Interestingly, no significant correlation was found between visceral fat index (VFI) (OS: HR = 0.71, 95% CI = 0.29-1.76, p = 0.462; PFS: HR = 0.98, 95% CI = 0.93-1.02, p = 0.274) and OS or PFS in melanoma patients under ICIs treatment. Conclusion Body composition was found to be associated with decreased treatment response and lower long-term efficacy in patients with melanoma undergoing immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) therapy. However, it is important to note that body composition did not appear to contribute to increased incidence of adverse events in these patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tianrui Kuang
- Department of General Surgery, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
- Hubei KeyLaboratory of Digestive System Disease, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Lilong Zhang
- Department of General Surgery, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
- Hubei KeyLaboratory of Digestive System Disease, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Zhendong Qiu
- Department of General Surgery, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
- Hubei KeyLaboratory of Digestive System Disease, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Yanbing Zhang
- Department of General Surgery, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Weixing Wang
- Department of General Surgery, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
- Hubei KeyLaboratory of Digestive System Disease, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
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6
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Rapanotti MC, Cugini E, Campione E, Di Raimondo C, Costanza G, Rossi P, Ferlosio A, Bernardini S, Orlandi A, De Luca A, Bianchi L. Epithelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition Gene Signature in Circulating Melanoma Cells: Biological and Clinical Relevance. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:11792. [PMID: 37511550 PMCID: PMC10380315 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241411792] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2023] [Revised: 07/14/2023] [Accepted: 07/20/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
The most promising method for monitoring patients with minimal morbidity is the detection of circulating melanoma cells (CMCs). We have shown that CD45-CD146+ABCB5+ CMCs identify a rare primitive stem/mesenchymal CMCs population associated with disease progression. The epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) confers cancer cells a hybrid epithelial/mesenchymal phenotype promoting metastatization. Thus, we investigated the potential clinical value of the EMT gene signature of these primitive CMCs. A reliable quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) protocol was settled up using tumor cell lines RNA dilutions. Afterwards, immune-magnetically isolated CMCs from advanced melanoma patients, at onset and at the first checkpoint (following immune or targeted therapy), were tested for the level of EMT hallmarks and EMT transcription factor genes. Despite the small cohort of patients, we obtained promising results. Indeed, we observed a deep gene rewiring of the EMT investigated genes: in particular we found that the EMT gene signature of isolated CMCs correlated with patients' clinical outcomes. In conclusion, We established a reliable qRT-PCR protocol with high sensitivity and specificity to characterize the gene expression of isolated CMCs. To our knowledge, this is the first evidence demonstrating the impact of immune or targeted therapies on EMT hallmark gene expressions in CMCs from advanced melanoma patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Cristina Rapanotti
- Department of Anatomic Pathology, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Viale Oxford 81, 00133 Rome, Italy
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Viale Oxford 81, 00133 Rome, Italy
| | - Elisa Cugini
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Viale Oxford 81, 00133 Rome, Italy
| | - Elena Campione
- Dermatology Unit, Department of Systems Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Via Montpellier 1, 00133 Rome, Italy
| | - Cosimo Di Raimondo
- Dermatology Unit, Department of Systems Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Via Montpellier 1, 00133 Rome, Italy
| | - Gaetana Costanza
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Viale Oxford 81, 00133 Rome, Italy
| | - Piero Rossi
- Surgery Division, Department of Surgery Sciences, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Via Montpellier 1, 00133 Rome, Italy
| | - Amedeo Ferlosio
- Department of Anatomic Pathology, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Viale Oxford 81, 00133 Rome, Italy
| | - Sergio Bernardini
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Viale Oxford 81, 00133 Rome, Italy
| | - Augusto Orlandi
- Department of Anatomic Pathology, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Viale Oxford 81, 00133 Rome, Italy
| | - Anastasia De Luca
- Department of Biology, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Via della Ricerca Scientifica 1, 00133 Rome, Italy
| | - Luca Bianchi
- Dermatology Unit, Department of Systems Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Via Montpellier 1, 00133 Rome, Italy
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Lucci A, Addanki S, Chiang YJ, Meas S, Sarli VN, Upshaw JR, Manchem M, Patel SP, Wargo JA, Gershenwald JE, Ross MI. Presence of Circulating Tumor Cells Predates Imaging Detection of Relapse in Patients with Stage III Melanoma. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:3630. [PMID: 37509290 PMCID: PMC10377914 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15143630] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2023] [Revised: 07/07/2023] [Accepted: 07/11/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Stage III melanoma includes nodal metastasis or in-transit disease. Five-year survival rates vary between 32% and 93%. The identification of high-risk patients is important for clinical decision making. We demonstrated previously that ≥1 circulating tumor cells (CTCs) at baseline was associated with recurrence. In this study, we investigated how frequently CTCs were identified prior to radiologically detected recurrence. Stage III patients (n = 325) had imaging at baseline and q 3 months. Baseline and q 6-12 months blood draws (7.5 mL) were performed to identify CTCs up to 3.5 years from diagnosis. CTC assessment was performed using the immunomagnetic capture of CD146-positive cells and anti-MEL-PE. The presence of one or more CTCs was considered positive. We analyzed the cohort of patients with relapse confirmed by radiologic imaging. CTC collection dates were assessed to determine the lead time for CTC detection. CTC-negative patients were significantly less likely to relapse compared to patients positive for CTCs (p-value < 0.001). Within the 325-patient cohort, 143 patients (44%) had recurrence, with a median follow-up of 52 months from diagnosis. The cohort (n = 143) with positive imaging and CTC results revealed 76% of patients (108/143) had CTC+ results before the radiological identification of relapse. The median time between positive CTC and positive imaging was 9 months. CTCs were positive in >75% of patients prior to relapse at a median of 9 months before radiologic detection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anthony Lucci
- Departments of Breast Surgical Oncology and Surgical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Sridevi Addanki
- Departments of Breast Surgical Oncology and Surgical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Yi-Ju Chiang
- Department of Surgical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Salyna Meas
- Departments of Breast Surgical Oncology and Surgical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Vanessa N Sarli
- Departments of Breast Surgical Oncology and Surgical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Joshua R Upshaw
- Departments of Breast Surgical Oncology and Surgical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Mayank Manchem
- Departments of Breast Surgical Oncology and Surgical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Sapna P Patel
- Department of Melanoma Medical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Jennifer A Wargo
- Department of Surgical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Jeffrey E Gershenwald
- Department of Surgical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Merrick I Ross
- Department of Surgical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
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8
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Metastatic Melanoma: Liquid Biopsy as a New Precision Medicine Approach. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24044014. [PMID: 36835424 PMCID: PMC9962821 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24044014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2023] [Revised: 02/13/2023] [Accepted: 02/14/2023] [Indexed: 02/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Precision medicine has driven a major change in the treatment of many forms of cancer. The discovery that each patient is different and each tumor mass has its own characteristics has shifted the focus of basic and clinical research to the singular individual. Liquid biopsy (LB), in this sense, presents new scenarios in personalized medicine through the study of molecules, factors, and tumor biomarkers in blood such as circulating tumor cells (CTCs), circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA), exosomes and circulating tumor microRNAs (ct-miRNAs). Moreover, its easy application and complete absence of contraindications for the patient make this method applicable in a great many fields. Melanoma, given its highly heterogeneous characteristics, is a cancer form that could significantly benefit from the information linked to liquid biopsy, especially in the treatment management. In this review, we will focus our attention on the latest applications of liquid biopsy in metastatic melanoma and possible developments in the clinical setting.
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9
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Catoni C, Poggiana C, Facchinetti A, Pigozzo J, Piccin L, Chiarion-Sileni V, Rosato A, Minervini G, Scaini MC. Investigating the Retained Inhibitory Effect of Cobimetinib against p.P124L Mutated MEK1: A Combined Liquid Biopsy and in Silico Approach. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14174153. [PMID: 36077693 PMCID: PMC9454486 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14174153] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2022] [Revised: 08/22/2022] [Accepted: 08/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The systemic treatment of metastatic melanoma has radically changed, due to an improvement in the understanding of its genetic landscape and the advent of targeted therapy. However, the response to BRAF/MEK inhibitors is transitory, and big efforts were made to identify the mechanisms underlying the resistance. We exploited a combined approach, encompassing liquid biopsy analysis and molecular dynamics simulation, for tracking tumor evolution, and in parallel defining the best treatment option. The samples at different time points were collected from a BRAF-mutant melanoma patient who developed an early resistance to dabrafenib/trametinib. The analysis of the circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) identified the MEK1 p.P124L mutation that confers resistance to trametinib. With an in silico modeling, we identified cobimetinib as an alternative MEK inhibitor, and consequently suggested a therapy switch to vemurafenib/cobimetinib. The patient response was followed by ctDNA tracking and circulating melanoma cell (CMC) count. The cobimetinib administration led to an important reduction in the BRAF p.V600E and MEK1 p.P124L allele fractions and in the CMC number, features suggestive of a putative response. In summary, this study emphasizes the usefulness of a liquid biopsy-based approach combined with in silico simulation, to track real-time tumor evolution while assessing the best treatment option.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristina Catoni
- Immunology and Molecular Oncology Unit, Veneto Institute of Oncology, IOV-IRCCS, 35128 Padua, Italy
| | - Cristina Poggiana
- Immunology and Molecular Oncology Unit, Veneto Institute of Oncology, IOV-IRCCS, 35128 Padua, Italy
| | - Antonella Facchinetti
- Immunology and Molecular Oncology Unit, Veneto Institute of Oncology, IOV-IRCCS, 35128 Padua, Italy
- Department of Surgery, Oncology and Gastroenterology, Oncology and Immunology Section, University of Padua, 35128 Padua, Italy
| | - Jacopo Pigozzo
- Melanoma Oncology Unit, Veneto Institute of Oncology, IOV-IRCCS, 35128 Padova, Italy
| | - Luisa Piccin
- Melanoma Oncology Unit, Veneto Institute of Oncology, IOV-IRCCS, 35128 Padova, Italy
| | - Vanna Chiarion-Sileni
- Melanoma Oncology Unit, Veneto Institute of Oncology, IOV-IRCCS, 35128 Padova, Italy
| | - Antonio Rosato
- Immunology and Molecular Oncology Unit, Veneto Institute of Oncology, IOV-IRCCS, 35128 Padua, Italy
- Department of Surgery, Oncology and Gastroenterology, Oncology and Immunology Section, University of Padua, 35128 Padua, Italy
- Correspondence: (A.R.); (M.C.S.)
| | - Giovanni Minervini
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Padua, 35121 Padua, Italy
| | - Maria Chiara Scaini
- Immunology and Molecular Oncology Unit, Veneto Institute of Oncology, IOV-IRCCS, 35128 Padua, Italy
- Correspondence: (A.R.); (M.C.S.)
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10
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Kang YT, Mutukuri A, Hadlock T, Fairbairn H, Carle TR, Fouladdel S, Murlidhar V, Kramer A, De Silva Reguera M, Azizi E, Durham A, Mclean SA, Nagrath S. Isolation of circulating tumor cells to diagnose melanoma and evaluate the efficacy of surgical resection using melanoma-specific microsystem. ADVANCED NANOBIOMED RESEARCH 2022; 2:2100083. [PMID: 36591389 PMCID: PMC9797203 DOI: 10.1002/anbr.202100083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Melanoma is one of the most aggressive skin cancers due to its potential to metastasize widely in the body. The risk of metastasis is increased with later detection and increased thickness of the primary lesion, thus early identification and surgical removal is critical for higher survival rates for patients. However, even with appropriate treatment, some patients will develop recurrence which may be difficult to identify until advanced or causing symptoms. Recent advances in liquid biopsy have proposed less-invasive alternatives for cancer diagnosis and monitoring using minimal/zero invasion at sample collection, and circulating tumor cells(CTCs) have been considered a promising blood-based surrogate marker of primary tumors. However, previous CTC technologies relying on epithelial-cell adhesion molecules have limited to epithelial cells, thus hampering use of CTCs for non-epithelial cancers such as melanoma. Here, we used the Melanoma-specific OncoBean platform(MelanoBean) conjugated with melanoma specific antibodies(MCAM and MCSP). The device was used in comprehensive studies for diagnosing melanoma and evaluating surgery efficacy based on change in the number and characteristics of CTCs and CTC-clusters pre- and post-surgical treatment. Our study demonstrated that melanoma patients(n=45) at all stages(I-IV) have a noticeable number of MCTCs as well as MCTC-clusters compared to healthy donors(n=9)(P=0.0011), and surgical treatment leads to a significant decrease in the number of CTCs(P<0.0001). The CTCs recovered from the device underwent molecular profiling for melanoma-associated genes expression using multiplexed qRT-PCR, demonstrating the ability to monitor molecular signature through treatment. The presented MelanoBean and the comprehensive approach will empower prognostic value of CTCs in melanoma in much larger cohort studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yoon-Tae Kang
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Biointerface Institute, University of Michigan, 2800 Plymouth Road, NCRC B10-A184, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Anusha Mutukuri
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Biointerface Institute, University of Michigan, 2800 Plymouth Road, NCRC B10-A184, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Thomas Hadlock
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Biointerface Institute, University of Michigan, 2800 Plymouth Road, NCRC B10-A184, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Heather Fairbairn
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Biointerface Institute, University of Michigan, 2800 Plymouth Road, NCRC B10-A184, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Taylor R. Carle
- Michigan Medicine Otolaryngology Clinic, Taubman Center, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Shamileh Fouladdel
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Biointerface Institute, University of Michigan, 2800 Plymouth Road, NCRC B10-A184, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Vasudha Murlidhar
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Biointerface Institute, University of Michigan, 2800 Plymouth Road, NCRC B10-A184, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Aaron Kramer
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Biointerface Institute, University of Michigan, 2800 Plymouth Road, NCRC B10-A184, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Monica De Silva Reguera
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Biointerface Institute, University of Michigan, 2800 Plymouth Road, NCRC B10-A184, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Ebrahim Azizi
- Biointerfaces Institute (BI), Translational Oncology Program (TOP), Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, 2800 Plymouth Road, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Alison Durham
- Michigan Medicine Otolaryngology Clinic, Taubman Center, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Scott A. Mclean
- Michigan Medicine Otolaryngology Clinic, Taubman Center, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA,Corresponding authors ,
| | - Sunitha Nagrath
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Biointerface Institute, University of Michigan, 2800 Plymouth Road, NCRC B10-A184, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA,Roger Cancer Center, University of Michigan, 1500 E Medical Center Dr. Ann Arbor, 48109,Corresponding authors ,
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11
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Recent Developments of Circulating Tumor Cell Analysis for Monitoring Cutaneous Melanoma Patients. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14040859. [PMID: 35205608 PMCID: PMC8870206 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14040859] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2022] [Revised: 02/04/2022] [Accepted: 02/06/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) originating from cutaneous melanoma patients have been studied for several decades as surrogates for real-time clinical status and disease outcomes. Here, we will review clinical studies from the last 15 years that assessed CTCs and disease outcomes for melanoma patients. Assessment of multiple molecular melanoma-associated antigen (MAA) markers by quantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was the most common assay allowing for the improvement of assay sensitivity, to address tumor heterogeneity, and to predict patient outcomes. Multicenter studies demonstrate the utility of CTC assays reducing the bias observed in single-center trials. Recent development of CTC enrichment platforms has provided reproducible methods. CTC assessment enables both multiple mRNAs and DNAs genomic profiling. CTC provides specific important translational information on tumor progression, prediction of treatment response, and survival outcomes for cutaneous melanoma patients. Abstract Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) have been studied using multiple technical approaches for interrogating various cancers, as they allow for the real-time assessment of tumor progression, disease recurrence, treatment response, and tumor molecular profiling without the need for a tumor tissue biopsy. Here, we will review studies from the last 15 years on the assessment of CTCs in cutaneous melanoma patients in relation to different clinical outcomes. The focus will be on CTC detection in blood samples obtained from cutaneous melanoma patients of different clinical stages and treatments utilizing multiple platforms. Assessment of multiple molecular melanoma-associated antigen (MAA) markers by quantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was the most common assay allowing for the improvement of assay sensitivity, tumor heterogeneity, and to predict patient outcomes. Multicenter studies demonstrate the utility of CTC assays reducing the bias observed in single- center trials. The recent development of CTC enrichment platforms has provided reproducible methods. CTC assessment enables both multiple mRNAs and DNAs genomic aberration profiling. CTC provides specific important translational information on tumor progression, prediction of treatment response, and survival outcomes for cutaneous melanoma patients. The molecular studies on melanoma CTCs have provided and may set standards for other solid tumor CTC analyses.
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12
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Lin D, Shen L, Luo M, Zhang K, Li J, Yang Q, Zhu F, Zhou D, Zheng S, Chen Y, Zhou J. Circulating tumor cells: biology and clinical significance. Signal Transduct Target Ther 2021; 6:404. [PMID: 34803167 PMCID: PMC8606574 DOI: 10.1038/s41392-021-00817-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 311] [Impact Index Per Article: 103.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2021] [Revised: 10/06/2021] [Accepted: 10/27/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) are tumor cells that have sloughed off the primary tumor and extravasate into and circulate in the blood. Understanding of the metastatic cascade of CTCs has tremendous potential for the identification of targets against cancer metastasis. Detecting these very rare CTCs among the massive blood cells is challenging. However, emerging technologies for CTCs detection have profoundly contributed to deepening investigation into the biology of CTCs and have facilitated their clinical application. Current technologies for the detection of CTCs are summarized herein, together with their advantages and disadvantages. The detection of CTCs is usually dependent on molecular markers, with the epithelial cell adhesion molecule being the most widely used, although molecular markers vary between different types of cancer. Properties associated with epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition and stemness have been identified in CTCs, indicating their increased metastatic capacity. Only a small proportion of CTCs can survive and eventually initiate metastases, suggesting that an interaction and modulation between CTCs and the hostile blood microenvironment is essential for CTC metastasis. Single-cell sequencing of CTCs has been extensively investigated, and has enabled researchers to reveal the genome and transcriptome of CTCs. Herein, we also review the clinical applications of CTCs, especially for monitoring response to cancer treatment and in evaluating prognosis. Hence, CTCs have and will continue to contribute to providing significant insights into metastatic processes and will open new avenues for useful clinical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danfeng Lin
- Department of Breast Surgery, the Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
- Cancer Institute (Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Intervention, China National Ministry of Education), the Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
- Department of Breast Surgery, the First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Lesang Shen
- Department of Breast Surgery, the Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Meng Luo
- Department of Breast Surgery, the Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
- Cancer Institute (Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Intervention, China National Ministry of Education), the Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Kun Zhang
- Department of Breast Surgery, the Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jinfan Li
- Department of Pathology, the Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Qi Yang
- Department of Pathology, the Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Fangfang Zhu
- Department of Breast Surgery, the Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Dan Zhou
- Department of Surgery, Traditional Chinese Medical Hospital of Zhuji, Shaoxing, China
| | - Shu Zheng
- Department of Breast Surgery, the Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
- Cancer Institute (Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Intervention, China National Ministry of Education), the Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yiding Chen
- Department of Breast Surgery, the Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China.
- Cancer Institute (Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Intervention, China National Ministry of Education), the Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China.
| | - Jiaojiao Zhou
- Department of Breast Surgery, the Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China.
- Cancer Institute (Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Intervention, China National Ministry of Education), the Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China.
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13
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Schmidt M, Antke C, Mattes-György K, Hautzel H, Allelein S, Haase M, Dringenberg T, Schott M, Ehlers M. Radioiodine therapy reduces the frequency of circulating tumour cells in patients with differentiated thyroid cancer. Clin Endocrinol (Oxf) 2021; 94:1004-1011. [PMID: 33484159 DOI: 10.1111/cen.14419] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2020] [Revised: 01/08/2021] [Accepted: 01/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The aim of the study was the quantification of circulating tumour cells (CTCs) in differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) patients before and 6 weeks after radioiodine therapy (RIT). CONTEXT Circulating tumour cells (CTCs) were described more recently in cancer patients, mostly correlating with poor outcome and advanced metastases. DESIGN Peripheral blood for identification and quantification of CTC before RIT or/and 6 weeks after RIT was provided by 55 DTC patients that received RIT for remnant tissue ablation. PATIENTS 13 follicular thyroid cancer (FTC) patients, 31 papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) patients and 11 patients having the follicular variant PTC (FV-PTC) were included. MEASUREMENTS Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were isolated and EpCAM-positive CTCs were counted by immune fluorescent staining. RESULTS A CTC positivity of 31.8% before RIT could be observed. Six weeks after RIT, the CTC positivity was reduced to 13.6%. Paired data at both time points of blood sampling could be gathered for n = 33 DTC patients. These patients had significantly higher CTC numbers before RIT than 6 weeks afterwards (0.27 ± 0.47 vs 0.05 ± 0.15, P = .0215). Additionally, significantly reduced CTC numbers were also demonstrated in pre-RIT CTC-positive patients (0.88 ± 0.43 vs 0.05 ± 0.16, P = .0039). CONCLUSION Our results indicate a reducing effect on the number of CTCs by RIT. Therefore, CTC enumeration should be considered as efficient tool for treatment monitoring during RIT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mathias Schmidt
- Division for Specific Endocrinology, Medical Faculty, University of Duesseldorf, Duesseldorf, Germany
| | - Christina Antke
- Clinic for Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital Duesseldorf, Duesseldorf, Germany
| | | | - Hubertus Hautzel
- Clinic for Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Stephanie Allelein
- Division for Specific Endocrinology, Medical Faculty, University of Duesseldorf, Duesseldorf, Germany
| | - Matthias Haase
- Division for Specific Endocrinology, Medical Faculty, University of Duesseldorf, Duesseldorf, Germany
| | - Till Dringenberg
- Division for Specific Endocrinology, Medical Faculty, University of Duesseldorf, Duesseldorf, Germany
| | - Matthias Schott
- Division for Specific Endocrinology, Medical Faculty, University of Duesseldorf, Duesseldorf, Germany
| | - Margret Ehlers
- Division for Specific Endocrinology, Medical Faculty, University of Duesseldorf, Duesseldorf, Germany
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14
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Attwa MW, Darwish HW, Al-Shakliah NS, Kadi AA. A Validated LC-MS/MS Assay for the Simultaneous Quantification of the FDA-Approved Anticancer Mixture (Encorafenib and Binimetinib): Metabolic Stability Estimation. Molecules 2021; 26:2717. [PMID: 34063139 PMCID: PMC8125647 DOI: 10.3390/molecules26092717] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2021] [Revised: 04/23/2021] [Accepted: 04/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The concurrent use of oral encorafenib (Braftovi, ENF) and binimetinib (Mektovi, BNB) is a combination anticancer therapy approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) for patients with BRAFV600E/V600K mutations suffering from metastatic or unresectable melanoma. Metabolism is considered one of the main pathways of drug elimination from the body (responsible for elimination of about 75% of known drugs), it is important to understand and study drug metabolic stability. Metabolically unstable compounds are not good as they required repetitive dosages during therapy, while very stable drugs may result in increasing the risk of adverse drug reactions. Metabolic stability of compounds could be examined using in vitro or in silico experiments. First, in silico metabolic vulnerability for ENF and BNB was investigated using the StarDrop WhichP450 module to confirm the lability of the drugs under study to liver metabolism. Second, we established an LC-MS/MS method for the simultaneous quantification of ENF and BNB applied to metabolic stability assessment. Third, in silico toxicity assessment of ENF and BNB was performed using the StarDrop DEREK module. Chromatographic separation of ENF, BNB, and avitinib (an internal standard) was achieved using an isocratic mobile phase on a Hypersil BDS C18 column. The linear range for ENF and BNB in the human liver microsome (HLM) matrix was 5-500 ng/mL (R2 ≥ 0.999). The metabolic stabilities were calculated using intrinsic clearance and in vitro half-life. Furthermore, ENF and BNB did not significantly influence each other's metabolic stability or metabolic disposition when used concurrently. These results indicate that ENF and BNB will slowly bioaccumulate after multiple doses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohamed W. Attwa
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, P.O. Box 2457, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia; (M.W.A.); (N.S.A.-S.); (A.A.K.)
- Students’ University Hospital, The Pharmacy, Mansoura University, Mansoura 35516, Egypt
| | - Hany W. Darwish
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, P.O. Box 2457, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia; (M.W.A.); (N.S.A.-S.); (A.A.K.)
- Analytical Chemistry Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, Cairo University, Kasr El-Aini St., Cairo 11562, Egypt
| | - Nasser S. Al-Shakliah
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, P.O. Box 2457, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia; (M.W.A.); (N.S.A.-S.); (A.A.K.)
| | - Adnan A. Kadi
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, P.O. Box 2457, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia; (M.W.A.); (N.S.A.-S.); (A.A.K.)
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15
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White MG, Lee A, Vicente D, Hall C, Kim MP, Katz MHG, Lee JE, Ikoma N, Lucci A, Tzeng CWD. Measurement of Portal Vein Blood Circulating Tumor Cells is Safe and May Correlate With Outcomes in Resected Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma. Ann Surg Oncol 2021; 28:4615-4622. [PMID: 33415562 DOI: 10.1245/s10434-020-09518-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2020] [Accepted: 12/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND This study investigated the safety and feasibility of intraoperative portal vein blood (PVB) collection at the time of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) resection. Relationships of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) in PVB and peripheral blood (PB) with overall survival (OS) and recurrence-free survival were studied. METHODS Patients undergoing PDAC resection were offered enrollment in a prospective liquid biopsy protocol. The patients had PB drawn before incision and PVB drawn before tumor mobilization, then again immediately after resection. Using standard CellSearch protocols, CTCs were identified and compared with OS. RESULTS Of the 34 patients enrolled in this study, 23 (68%) underwent pancreaticoduodenectomy, 8 (23%) underwent distal pancreatectomy, and 3 (9%) underwent total pancreatectomy. Peripheral blood was available for 22 (65%) and PVB for 31 (91%) of the patients. No bleeding or thrombotic complications occurred with the PVB draws. The CTC counts per 7.5 mL of PVB collected before and after resection were highly correlated (R2 = 0.89). The study found CTCs in 11 (50%) of 22 PB samples and 22 (71%) of 31 PVB samples. The OS rate at 18 months was 92% for the patients with < 3 CTCs, 71% for the patients with ≥ 3 CTCs per 7.5 mL of PB (p = 0.30), 100% for the patients without PVB CTCs, and 70% for the patients with PVB CTCs (p < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS Collection of PVB during PDAC resection is safe. In this pilot study, PVB CTC counts but not PB CTC counts were significantly correlated with OS. This opens the door for future studies on selective omission of adjuvant chemotherapy for patients treated preoperatively and tailored surveillance intensity for patients without PVB CTCs at PDAC resection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael G White
- Department of Surgical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Andrew Lee
- Department of Surgical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA.,Department of Surgery, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Diego Vicente
- Department of Surgical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA.,Department of Surgery, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences and the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Carolyn Hall
- Department of Surgical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Michael P Kim
- Department of Surgical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Matthew H G Katz
- Department of Surgical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Jeffrey E Lee
- Department of Surgical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Naruhiko Ikoma
- Department of Surgical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Anthony Lucci
- Department of Surgical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Ching-Wei D Tzeng
- Department of Surgical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA.
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16
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Ahrens TD, Bang-Christensen SR, Jørgensen AM, Løppke C, Spliid CB, Sand NT, Clausen TM, Salanti A, Agerbæk MØ. The Role of Proteoglycans in Cancer Metastasis and Circulating Tumor Cell Analysis. Front Cell Dev Biol 2020; 8:749. [PMID: 32984308 PMCID: PMC7479181 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2020.00749] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2020] [Accepted: 07/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) are accessible by liquid biopsies via an easy blood draw. They represent not only the primary tumor site, but also potential metastatic lesions, and could thus be an attractive supplement for cancer diagnostics. However, the analysis of rare CTCs in billions of normal blood cells is still technically challenging and novel specific CTC markers are needed. The formation of metastasis is a complex process supported by numerous molecular alterations, and thus novel CTC markers might be found by focusing on this process. One example of this is specific changes in the cancer cell glycocalyx, which is a network on the cell surface composed of carbohydrate structures. Proteoglycans are important glycocalyx components and consist of a protein core and covalently attached long glycosaminoglycan chains. A few CTC assays have already utilized proteoglycans for both enrichment and analysis of CTCs. Nonetheless, the biological function of proteoglycans on clinical CTCs has not been studied in detail so far. Therefore, the present review describes proteoglycan functions during the metastatic cascade to highlight their importance to CTCs. We also outline current approaches for CTC assays based on targeting proteoglycans by their protein cores or their glycosaminoglycan chains. Lastly, we briefly discuss important technical aspects, which should be considered for studying proteoglycans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Theresa D. Ahrens
- Centre for Medical Parasitology at Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen and Department of Infectious Diseases, Copenhagen University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Sara R. Bang-Christensen
- Centre for Medical Parasitology at Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen and Department of Infectious Diseases, Copenhagen University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark
- VarCT Diagnostics, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | | | - Caroline Løppke
- Centre for Medical Parasitology at Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen and Department of Infectious Diseases, Copenhagen University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Charlotte B. Spliid
- Centre for Medical Parasitology at Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen and Department of Infectious Diseases, Copenhagen University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States
| | - Nicolai T. Sand
- Centre for Medical Parasitology at Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen and Department of Infectious Diseases, Copenhagen University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Thomas M. Clausen
- Centre for Medical Parasitology at Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen and Department of Infectious Diseases, Copenhagen University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States
| | - Ali Salanti
- Centre for Medical Parasitology at Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen and Department of Infectious Diseases, Copenhagen University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Mette Ø. Agerbæk
- Centre for Medical Parasitology at Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen and Department of Infectious Diseases, Copenhagen University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark
- VarCT Diagnostics, Copenhagen, Denmark
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17
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Lucci A, Hall CS, Patel SP, Narendran B, Bauldry JB, Royal RE, Karhade M, Upshaw JR, Wargo JA, Glitza IC, Wong MKK, Amaria RN, Tawbi HA, Diab A, Davies MA, Gershenwald JE, Lee JE, Hwu P, Ross MI. Circulating Tumor Cells and Early Relapse in Node-positive Melanoma. Clin Cancer Res 2020; 26:1886-1895. [PMID: 32015020 DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.ccr-19-2670] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2019] [Revised: 12/09/2019] [Accepted: 01/29/2020] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE There is a need for sensitive, reproducible biomarkers for patients with stage III melanoma to guide clinical decision making. Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) can be detected in patients with melanoma; however, there are limited data regarding their significance in stage III disease. The aim of this study was to determine whether CTCs are associated with early relapse in stage III melanoma. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN We prospectively assessed CTCs at first presentation in clinic (baseline) for 243 patients with stage III melanoma. CTCs were measured using the CellSearch System. Relapse-free survival (RFS) was compared between patients with one or more baseline CTC versus those with no CTCs. Log-rank test and Cox regression analysis were applied to establish associations of CTCs with RFS. RESULTS At least one baseline CTC was identified in 90 of 243 (37%) patients. Forty-five (19%), 67 (28%), 118 (49%), and 13 (5%) patients were stage IIIA, IIIB, IIIC, or IIID, respectively. CTC detection was not associated with substage, or primary tumor characteristics. Multivariable analysis demonstrated that the detection of ≥1 baseline CTC was significantly associated with decreased 6-month RFS [log-rank, P < 0.0001; HR, 3.62, 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.78-7.36; P < 0.0001] and 54-month RFS (log-rank, P = 0.01; HR, 1.69; 95% CI, 1.13-2.54; P = 0.01). CONCLUSIONS ≥1 CTC was independently associated with melanoma relapse, suggesting that CTC assessment may be useful to identify patients at risk for relapse who could derive benefit from adjuvant therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anthony Lucci
- Department of Breast Surgical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas.
| | - Carolyn S Hall
- Department of Breast Surgery-Research, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | - Sapna P Patel
- Department of Melanoma Medical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | - Boomadevi Narendran
- Department of Breast Surgical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | - Jessica B Bauldry
- Department of Breast Surgical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | - Richard E Royal
- Department of Surgical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | - Mandar Karhade
- Department of Breast Surgical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | - Joshua R Upshaw
- Department of Breast Surgical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | - Jennifer A Wargo
- Department of Surgical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | - Isabella C Glitza
- Department of Melanoma Medical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | - Michael K K Wong
- Department of Melanoma Medical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | - Rodabe N Amaria
- Department of Melanoma Medical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | - Hussein A Tawbi
- Department of Melanoma Medical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | - Adi Diab
- Department of Melanoma Medical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | - Michael A Davies
- Department of Melanoma Medical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | - Jeffrey E Gershenwald
- Department of Surgical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | - Jeffrey E Lee
- Department of Surgical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | - Patrick Hwu
- Department of Melanoma Medical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | - Merrick I Ross
- Department of Surgical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
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18
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Tucci M, D'Oronzo S, Mannavola F, Felici C, Lovero D, Cafforio P, Palmirotta R, Silvestris F. Dual-procedural separation of CTCs in cutaneous melanoma provides useful information for both molecular diagnosis and prognosis. Ther Adv Med Oncol 2020; 12:1758835920905415. [PMID: 32206092 PMCID: PMC7074504 DOI: 10.1177/1758835920905415] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2019] [Accepted: 01/15/2019] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) have recently emerged as a new dynamic soluble marker for several malignancies including cutaneous melanoma (CM) and are suitable for prognostic evaluations and treatment monitoring. However, to date many limitations still hamper the wide-scale application of CTCs in CM setting, including the lack of standardized methods as well as both low levels and heterogeneity of these cells. Methods: We developed a protocol for CTC detection in CM based on immune-magnetic sorting to deplete CD45-, CD31- or CD34-positive cells, followed by dielectrophoretic DEPArray separation according to cell morphology and immunophenotype. To this end, we explored the expression of melanoma stem cell antigens (CD271, ABCB5, and RANK) and the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition markers (N-Cad, -CD44, and -MCAM/CD146) on CTCs from 17 stage IV CM patients, and investigated their BRAF mutational status by droplet digital PCR. Results: The number of CTCs isolated from CM patients ranged from 2 to 91 cells (38 ± 6.4) with respect to healthy donors (p < 0.0002). To confirm the melanoma origin of isolated cells, we observed an 80% agreement between their BRAFV600 mutational status and matched primary tumors. The characterization of the immune phenotype of isolated cells revealed high interindividual and intraindividual heterogeneity that was found to correlate with the clinical outcome. Conclusions: The dual-step protocol of immune-magnetic sorting and subsequent dielectrophoretic DEPArray separation, turned out to be a suitable method to isolate viable CTCs from stage IV melanoma patients and enabled quantitative and qualitative analyses on these cells, which may deserve prospective evaluation for potential use in the clinical practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco Tucci
- DIMO, Department of Biomedical Sciences and Clinical Oncology, University of Bari 'Aldo Moro', P.za Giulio Cesare, 11, Bari, 70124, Italy
| | - Stella D'Oronzo
- DIMO, Department of Biomedical Sciences and Clinical Oncology, University of Bari 'Aldo Moro' Italy
| | - Francesco Mannavola
- DIMO, Department of Biomedical Sciences and Clinical Oncology, University of Bari 'Aldo Moro' Italy
| | - Claudia Felici
- DIMO, Department of Biomedical Sciences and Clinical Oncology, University of Bari 'Aldo Moro' Italy
| | - Domenica Lovero
- DIMO, Department of Biomedical Sciences and Clinical Oncology, University of Bari 'Aldo Moro' Italy
| | - Paola Cafforio
- DIMO, Department of Biomedical Sciences and Clinical Oncology, University of Bari 'Aldo Moro' Italy
| | - Raffaele Palmirotta
- DIMO, Department of Biomedical Sciences and Clinical Oncology, University of Bari 'Aldo Moro' Italy
| | - Franco Silvestris
- DIMO, Department of Biomedical Sciences and Clinical Oncology, University of Bari 'Aldo Moro' Italy
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19
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Chang CY, Park H, Malone DC, Wang CY, Wilson DL, Yeh YM, Van Boemmel-Wegmann S, Lo-Ciganic WH. Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors and Immune-Related Adverse Events in Patients With Advanced Melanoma: A Systematic Review and Network Meta-analysis. JAMA Netw Open 2020; 3:e201611. [PMID: 32211869 PMCID: PMC7097702 DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2020.1611] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2019] [Accepted: 02/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Importance Since 2011, immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have been effective treatment options for advanced melanoma. Little is known about how risks of immune-related adverse events (irAEs) vary by ICIs. Objective To compare the risk of irAEs across different treatment regimens for advanced melanoma using network meta-analysis. Data Sources PubMed/MEDLINE, Embase, Web of Science, and Scopus were searched for all randomized clinical trial (RCT) articles published from January 1, 2010, through June 30, 2019. Study Selection Studies included phases 2 and 3 RCTs in the treatment of advanced melanoma that compared ICIs (ipilimumab, nivolumab, and pembrolizumab) with chemotherapy drugs (eg, dacarbazine, carboplatin, and paclitaxel) or different ICI regimens. Data Extraction and Synthesis Different treatment regimens were compared using bayesian network meta-analysis with Markov chain Monte Carlo simulation with noninformative prior distribution and random-effects generalized linear models. Main Outcomes and Measures Primary outcomes were the cumulative incidence of any irAEs (regardless of severity) and severe irAEs (grades 3-5). Based on the pooled odds ratios (ORs) and 95% credible intervals (95% CrI), the probability of being associated with the lowest irAE risks was estimated for each treatment regimen. Results Nine RCTs with 8 different treatment regimens for advanced melanoma and involving a total of 5051 patients were included. Overall, the 3 ICI treatment regimens associated with the lowest risk of any or severe irAEs were pembrolizumab, 2 mg/kg, every 3 weeks; nivolumab, 3 mg/kg, every 2 weeks; and pembrolizumab, 10 mg/kg, every 3 weeks. Compared with ipilimumab, 10 mg/kg, every 3 weeks, only nivolumab, 3 mg/kg, every 2 weeks, was associated with a decreased risk for any irAEs (OR, 0.34; 95% CrI, 0.13-0.94). A decreased risk for severe irAEs was observed for ipilimumab, 3 mg/kg, every 3 weeks (OR, 0.35; 95% CrI, 0.14-0.74); pembrolizumab, 10 mg/kg, every 2 weeks (OR, 0.22; 95% CrI, 0.05-0.95) and 10 mg/kg every 3 weeks (OR, 0.20; 95% CrI, 0.06-0.68); and nivolumab, 3 mg/kg, every 2 weeks (OR, 0.20; 95% CrI, 0.07-0.48) compared with ipilimumab, 10 mg/kg, every 3 weeks. An increased risk for severe irAEs was associated with nivolumab, 1 mg/kg, every 3 weeks combined with ipilimumab, 3 mg/kg, every 3 weeks compared with other ICI regimens (ORs ranging from 4.09 [95% CrI, 1.73-10.99] to 7.40 [95% CrI, 1.12-49.29]) except ipilimumab, 10 mg/kg, every 3 weeks. Conclusions and Relevance These findings suggest that for patients with advanced melanoma at high risk of irAEs, pembrolizumab, 2 mg/kg, every 3 weeks, nivolumab, 3 mg/kg, every 2 weeks, and pembrolizumab, 10 mg/kg, every 3 weeks may be the preferred treatment regimens (with respect to irAE risks) among the ICI regimens reported, whereas ipilimumab, 10 mg/kg, every 3 weeks alone and nivolumab, 1 mg/kg, every 3 weeks combined with ipilimumab, 3 mg/kg, every 3 weeks should be used with caution. A network analysis may be valuable for clinical decision-making when evidence from head-to-head comparisons is lacking.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ching-Yuan Chang
- Department of Pharmaceutical Outcomes and Policy, University of Florida College of Pharmacy, Gainesville
- Center for Drug Evaluation and Safety, University of Florida College of Pharmacy, Gainesville
| | - Haesuk Park
- Department of Pharmaceutical Outcomes and Policy, University of Florida College of Pharmacy, Gainesville
- Center for Drug Evaluation and Safety, University of Florida College of Pharmacy, Gainesville
| | - Daniel C. Malone
- Department of Pharmacotherapy, The University of Utah College of Pharmacy, Salt Lake City
| | - Ching-Yu Wang
- Department of Pharmaceutical Outcomes and Policy, University of Florida College of Pharmacy, Gainesville
- Center for Drug Evaluation and Safety, University of Florida College of Pharmacy, Gainesville
| | - Debbie L. Wilson
- Department of Pharmaceutical Outcomes and Policy, University of Florida College of Pharmacy, Gainesville
| | - Yu-Min Yeh
- National Cheng-Kung University Hospital, Department of Internal Medicine, National Cheng Kung University College of Medicine, Tainan, Taiwan
| | - Sascha Van Boemmel-Wegmann
- Department of Pharmaceutical Outcomes and Policy, University of Florida College of Pharmacy, Gainesville
- Center for Drug Evaluation and Safety, University of Florida College of Pharmacy, Gainesville
| | - Wei-Hsuan Lo-Ciganic
- Department of Pharmaceutical Outcomes and Policy, University of Florida College of Pharmacy, Gainesville
- Center for Drug Evaluation and Safety, University of Florida College of Pharmacy, Gainesville
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20
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Po JW, Ma Y, Balakrishna B, Brungs D, Azimi F, de Souza P, Becker TM. Immunomagnetic isolation of circulating melanoma cells and detection of PD-L1 status. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0211866. [PMID: 30735560 PMCID: PMC6368301 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0211866] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2018] [Accepted: 01/23/2019] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Personalised medicine targeted to specific biomarkers such as BRAF and c-Kit has radically improved the success of melanoma therapy. More recently, further advances have been made using therapies targeting the immune response. In particular, therapies targeting the PD-1/PD-L1 or CTLA-4 axes alone or in combination have shown more sustained responses in 30–60% of patients. However, these therapies are associated with considerable toxicities and useful biomarkers to predict responders and non-responders are slow to emerge. Here we developed a reliable melanoma circulating tumor cell (CTC) detection method with PD-L1 evaluation on CTCs. A set of melanoma cell surface markers was tested as candidates for targeted melanoma CTC isolation and a melanoma specific immunostaining-based CTC identification protocol combined with PD-L1 detection was established. In vitro testing of the effect of exposure to blood cells on melanoma cell PD-L1 expression was undertaken. Immunomagnetic targeting isolated melanoma CTCs in up to 87.5% of stage IV melanoma patient blood samples and 3 8.6% of these had some PD-L1 expressing CTCs. Our in vitro data demonstrate PD-L1 induction on melanoma cells in the blood.This study established a robust, reliable method to isolate melanoma CTCs and detect expression of PD-L1 on these cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph W. Po
- Centre for Circulating Tumor Cell Diagnostics & Research at the Ingham Institute for Applied Medical Research, Liverpool NSW, Australia
- Western Sydney University, School of Medicine, NSW, Australia
| | - Yafeng Ma
- Centre for Circulating Tumor Cell Diagnostics & Research at the Ingham Institute for Applied Medical Research, Liverpool NSW, Australia
- University of New South Wales, South Western Sydney Medical School, Liverpool NSW, Australia
| | | | - Daniel Brungs
- Centre for Circulating Tumor Cell Diagnostics & Research at the Ingham Institute for Applied Medical Research, Liverpool NSW, Australia
- Illawarra Cancer Centre, Wollongong Hospital, Wollongong, Australia
| | | | - Paul de Souza
- Centre for Circulating Tumor Cell Diagnostics & Research at the Ingham Institute for Applied Medical Research, Liverpool NSW, Australia
- Western Sydney University, School of Medicine, NSW, Australia
- University of New South Wales, South Western Sydney Medical School, Liverpool NSW, Australia
- Liverpool Hospital, Liverpool NSW, Australia
| | - Therese M. Becker
- Centre for Circulating Tumor Cell Diagnostics & Research at the Ingham Institute for Applied Medical Research, Liverpool NSW, Australia
- Western Sydney University, School of Medicine, NSW, Australia
- University of New South Wales, South Western Sydney Medical School, Liverpool NSW, Australia
- * E-mail:
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