1
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Valenza C, Trapani D, Loibl S, Chia SKL, Burstein HJ, Curigliano G. Optimizing Postneoadjuvant Treatment in Patients With Early Breast Cancer Achieving Pathologic Complete Response. J Clin Oncol 2024; 42:2372-2376. [PMID: 38569132 DOI: 10.1200/jco.23.01935] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2023] [Revised: 12/03/2023] [Accepted: 01/22/2024] [Indexed: 04/05/2024] Open
Abstract
pCR should be integrated with other prognostic factors to optimize postneoadjuvant treatments in BC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carmine Valenza
- Division of New Drugs and Early Drug Development for Innovative Therapies, European Institute of Oncology, IRCCS, Milan, Italy
- Department of Oncology and Hemato-Oncology, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Dario Trapani
- Division of New Drugs and Early Drug Development for Innovative Therapies, European Institute of Oncology, IRCCS, Milan, Italy
- Department of Oncology and Hemato-Oncology, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Sibylle Loibl
- Center for Hematology and Oncology Bethanien, Frankfurt, Germany
| | | | - Harold J Burstein
- Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA
- Breast Oncology Program, Dana-Farber Brigham Cancer Center, Boston, MA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
| | - Giuseppe Curigliano
- Division of New Drugs and Early Drug Development for Innovative Therapies, European Institute of Oncology, IRCCS, Milan, Italy
- Department of Oncology and Hemato-Oncology, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
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2
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Moraru L, Mitranovici MI, Moraru R, Voidazan S, Munteanu M, Georgescu R, Costachescu D, Turdean SG. Combining Molecular and Traditional Prognostic Factors: A Holistic Approach to Breast Cancer Prognostication. Diagnostics (Basel) 2024; 14:1449. [PMID: 39001339 PMCID: PMC11241232 DOI: 10.3390/diagnostics14131449] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2024] [Revised: 06/20/2024] [Accepted: 07/05/2024] [Indexed: 07/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Breast cancer is a heterogeneous disease with various morphologies and molecular features, and it is the second leading cause of cancer death in women in developed countries. According to the literature, we currently lack both prognostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets. The most important prognostic factors are disease stage and Nottingham grade. We conducted a retrospective analysis involving 273 patients with BC who underwent neoadjuvant therapy before proceeding to curative surgical treatment between 1 January 2014 and 31 December 2023. Pathological procedures were conducted at the Department of Pathology, Emergency County Hospital of Targu Mureș, Romania. A statistical analysis was performed. Regarding the relationship between Nottingham grade and Ki67, grade I was associated with a Ki67 of less than 14. The relationship between tumor grade and luminal was similar (p = 0.0001): Grade I was associated with luminal A. Regarding TNM stage, it was statistically significantly correlated with TILs (p = 0.01) and RCB (p = 0.0001). Stages III and IV were associated with a high RCB and poor prognosis. Regarding the prognostic value, Nottingham grade 3 and TNM stages III and IV were correlated with low overall survival and disease-free survival, with poor prognosis, and, among the molecular variables, RCB played the most important prognostic role.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liviu Moraru
- Department of Anatomy, "George Emil Palade" University of Medicine, Pharmacy, Sciences and Technology, 540142 Targu Mures, Romania
| | - Melinda Ildiko Mitranovici
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Emergency County Hospital Hunedoara, 14 Victoriei Street, 331057 Hunedoara, Romania
| | - Raluca Moraru
- Faculty of Medicine, "George Emil Palade" University of Medicine, Pharmacy, Sciences and Technology, 540142 Targu Mures, Romania
| | - Septimiu Voidazan
- Department of Epidemiology, "George Emil Palade" University of Medicine, Pharmacy, Sciences and Technology, 540142 Targu Mures, Romania
| | - Mihai Munteanu
- Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Technical University, George Baritiu Street, 400394 Cluj Napoca, Romania
| | - Rares Georgescu
- Department of Surgery, "George Emil Palade" University of Medicine, Pharmacy, Sciences and Technology, 540142 Targu Mures, Romania
| | - Dan Costachescu
- Department of Orthopedisc-Traumatology, Urology, Radiology and Medical Imaging, University of Medicine and Pharmacy Victor Babes, Square Eftimie Murgu, 300041 Timisoara, Romania
| | - Sabin Gligore Turdean
- Department of Pathology, County Clinical Hospital of Targu Mures, 540072 Targu Mures, Romania
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3
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Tsutsumi E, Macy AM, LoBello J, Hastings KT, Kim S. Tumor immune microenvironment permissive to metastatic progression of ING4-deficient breast cancer. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0304194. [PMID: 38968186 PMCID: PMC11226078 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0304194] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2024] [Accepted: 06/20/2024] [Indexed: 07/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Deficiencies in the ING4 tumor suppressor are associated with advanced stage tumors and poor patient survival in cancer. ING4 was shown to inhibit NF-kB in several cancers. As NF-kB is a key mediator of immune response, the ING4/NF-kB axis is likely to manifest in tumor-immune modulation but has not been investigated. To characterize the tumor immune microenvironment associated with ING4-deficient tumors, three approaches were employed in this study: First, tissue microarrays composed of 246 primary breast tumors including 97 ING4-deficient tumors were evaluated for the presence of selective immune markers, CD68, CD4, CD8, and PD-1, using immunohistochemical staining. Second, an immune-competent mouse model of ING4-deficient breast cancer was devised utilizing CRISPR-mediated deletion of Ing4 in a Tp53 deletion-derived mammary tumor cell line; mammary tumors were evaluated for immune markers using flow cytometry. Lastly, the METABRIC gene expression dataset was evaluated for patient survival related to the immune markers associated with Ing4-deleted tumors. The results showed that CD68, CD4, CD8, or PD-1, was not significantly associated with ING4-deficient breast tumors, indicating no enrichment of macrophages, T cells, or exhausted T cell types. In mice, Ing4-deleted mammary tumors had a growth rate comparable to Ing4-intact tumors but showed increased tumor penetrance and metastasis. Immune marker analyses of Ing4-deleted tumors revealed a significant increase in tumor-associated macrophages (Gr-1loCD11b+F4/80+) and a decrease in granzyme B-positive (GzmB+) CD4+ T cells, indicating a suppressive and/or less tumoricidal immune microenvironment. The METABRIC data analyses showed that low expression of GZMB was significantly associated with poor patient survival, as was ING4-low expression, in the basal subtype of breast cancer. Patients with GZMB-low/ING4-low tumors had the worst survival outcomes (HR = 2.80, 95% CI 1.36-5.75, p = 0.0004), supportive of the idea that the GZMB-low immune environment contributes to ING4-deficient tumor progression. Collectively, the study results demonstrate that ING4-deficient tumors harbor a microenvironment that contributes to immune evasion and metastasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily Tsutsumi
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Arizona College of Medicine-Phoenix, Phoenix, Arizona, United States of America
- Cancer and Cell Biology Division, Translational Genomic Research Institute, Phoenix, Arizona, United States of America
| | - Anne M. Macy
- Department of Dermatology, University of Arizona College of Medicine-Phoenix, Phoenix, Arizona, United States of America
- Phoenix Veterans Affairs Health Care System, Phoenix, Arizona, United States of America
| | - Janine LoBello
- Cancer Genomics Division, Translational Genomics Research Institute, Phoenix, Arizona, United States of America
| | - Karen T. Hastings
- Department of Dermatology, University of Arizona College of Medicine-Phoenix, Phoenix, Arizona, United States of America
- Phoenix Veterans Affairs Health Care System, Phoenix, Arizona, United States of America
| | - Suwon Kim
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Arizona College of Medicine-Phoenix, Phoenix, Arizona, United States of America
- Cancer and Cell Biology Division, Translational Genomic Research Institute, Phoenix, Arizona, United States of America
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4
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Gerashchenko T, Frolova A, Patysheva M, Fedorov A, Stakheyeva M, Denisov E, Cherdyntseva N. Breast Cancer Immune Landscape: Interplay Between Systemic and Local Immunity. Adv Biol (Weinh) 2024; 8:e2400140. [PMID: 38727796 DOI: 10.1002/adbi.202400140] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2024] [Revised: 04/16/2024] [Indexed: 07/13/2024]
Abstract
Breast cancer (BC) is one of the most common malignancies in women worldwide. Numerous studies in immuno-oncology and successful trials of immunotherapy have demonstrated the causal role of the immune system in cancer pathogenesis. The interaction between the tumor and the immune system is known to have a dual nature. Despite cytotoxic lymphocyte activity against transformed cells, a tumor can escape immune surveillance and leverage chronic inflammation to maintain its own development. Research on antitumor immunity primarily focuses on the role of the tumor microenvironment, whereas the systemic immune response beyond the tumor site is described less thoroughly. Here, a comprehensive review of the formation of the immune profile in breast cancer patients is offered. The interplay between systemic and local immune reactions as self-sustaining mechanism of tumor progression is described and the functional activity of the main cell populations related to innate and adaptive immunity is discussed. Additionally, the interaction between different functional levels of the immune system and their contribution to the development of the pro- or anti-tumor immune response in BC is highlighted. The presented data can potentially inform the development of new immunotherapy strategies in the treatment of patients with BC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tatiana Gerashchenko
- Laboratory of Cancer Progression Biology, Cancer Research Institute, Tomsk National Research Medical Center, Russian Academy of Sciences, Kooperativny Str. 5, Tomsk, 634009, Russia
| | - Anastasia Frolova
- Laboratory of Molecular Oncology and Immunology, Cancer Research Institute, Tomsk National Researc, Medical Center, Russian Academy of Sciences, Kooperativny Str. 5, Tomsk, 634009, Russia
- Tomsk State University, 36 Lenin Ave., Tomsk, 634050, Russia
| | - Marina Patysheva
- Laboratory of Cancer Progression Biology, Cancer Research Institute, Tomsk National Research Medical Center, Russian Academy of Sciences, Kooperativny Str. 5, Tomsk, 634009, Russia
| | - Anton Fedorov
- Laboratory of Cancer Progression Biology, Cancer Research Institute, Tomsk National Research Medical Center, Russian Academy of Sciences, Kooperativny Str. 5, Tomsk, 634009, Russia
| | - Marina Stakheyeva
- Laboratory of Molecular Oncology and Immunology, Cancer Research Institute, Tomsk National Researc, Medical Center, Russian Academy of Sciences, Kooperativny Str. 5, Tomsk, 634009, Russia
| | - Evgeny Denisov
- Laboratory of Cancer Progression Biology, Cancer Research Institute, Tomsk National Research Medical Center, Russian Academy of Sciences, Kooperativny Str. 5, Tomsk, 634009, Russia
| | - Nadezda Cherdyntseva
- Laboratory of Molecular Oncology and Immunology, Cancer Research Institute, Tomsk National Researc, Medical Center, Russian Academy of Sciences, Kooperativny Str. 5, Tomsk, 634009, Russia
- Tomsk State University, 36 Lenin Ave., Tomsk, 634050, Russia
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5
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Velazquez-Caldelas TE, Zamora-Fuentes JM, Hernandez-Lemus E. Coordinated inflammation and immune response transcriptional regulation in breast cancer molecular subtypes. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1357726. [PMID: 38983850 PMCID: PMC11231215 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1357726] [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: 12/18/2023] [Accepted: 06/03/2024] [Indexed: 07/11/2024] Open
Abstract
Breast cancer, characterized by its complexity and diversity, presents significant challenges in understanding its underlying biology. In this study, we employed gene co-expression network analysis to investigate the gene composition and functional patterns in breast cancer subtypes and normal breast tissue. Our objective was to elucidate the detailed immunological features distinguishing these tumors at the transcriptional level and to explore their implications for diagnosis and treatment. The analysis identified nine distinct gene module clusters, each representing unique transcriptional signatures within breast cancer subtypes and normal tissue. Interestingly, while some clusters exhibited high similarity in gene composition between normal tissue and certain subtypes, others showed lower similarity and shared traits. These clusters provided insights into the immune responses within breast cancer subtypes, revealing diverse immunological functions, including innate and adaptive immune responses. Our findings contribute to a deeper understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying breast cancer subtypes and highlight their unique characteristics. The immunological signatures identified in this study hold potential implications for diagnostic and therapeutic strategies. Additionally, the network-based approach introduced herein presents a valuable framework for understanding the complexities of other diseases and elucidating their underlying biology.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Enrique Hernandez-Lemus
- Computational Genomics Division, National Institute of Genomic Medicine, Mexico City, Mexico
- Center for Complexity Sciences, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico
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Walker C, Talawalla T, Toth R, Ambekar A, Rea K, Chamian O, Fan F, Berezowska S, Rottenberg S, Madabhushi A, Maillard M, Barisoni L, Horlings HM, Janowczyk A. PatchSorter: a high throughput deep learning digital pathology tool for object labeling. NPJ Digit Med 2024; 7:164. [PMID: 38902336 PMCID: PMC11190251 DOI: 10.1038/s41746-024-01150-4] [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: 07/24/2023] [Accepted: 05/31/2024] [Indexed: 06/22/2024] Open
Abstract
The discovery of patterns associated with diagnosis, prognosis, and therapy response in digital pathology images often requires intractable labeling of large quantities of histological objects. Here we release an open-source labeling tool, PatchSorter, which integrates deep learning with an intuitive web interface. Using >100,000 objects, we demonstrate a >7x improvement in labels per second over unaided labeling, with minimal impact on labeling accuracy, thus enabling high-throughput labeling of large datasets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cédric Walker
- Institute of Animal Pathology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Graduate School for Cellular and Biomedical Sciences, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Tasneem Talawalla
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Robert Toth
- Toth Technology LLC, Toth Technology LLC, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
| | - Akhil Ambekar
- Department of Pathology, Division of AI & Computational Pathology, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
- AI Health, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Kien Rea
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Oswin Chamian
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Fan Fan
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Sabina Berezowska
- Institute of Pathology, Lausanne University Hospital, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Sven Rottenberg
- Institute of Animal Pathology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Bern Center for Precision Medicine, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Anant Madabhushi
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Emory University and Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
- Atlanta Veterans Medical Center, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Marie Maillard
- Institute of Pathology, Lausanne University Hospital, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Laura Barisoni
- Department of Pathology, Division of AI & Computational Pathology, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
- Department of Medicine, Division of Nephrology, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Hugo Mark Horlings
- Department of Pathology, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Andrew Janowczyk
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Emory University and Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA.
- Department of Oncology, Division of Precision Oncology, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland.
- Department of Diagnostics, Division of Clinical Pathology, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland.
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7
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Li X, Eastham J, Giltnane JM, Zou W, Zijlstra A, Tabatsky E, Banchereau R, Chang CW, Nabet BY, Patil NS, Molinero L, Chui S, Harryman M, Lau S, Rangell L, Waumans Y, Kockx M, Orlova D, Koeppen H. Automated tumor immunophenotyping predicts clinical benefit from anti-PD-L1 immunotherapy. J Pathol 2024; 263:190-202. [PMID: 38525811 DOI: 10.1002/path.6274] [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: 07/01/2023] [Revised: 12/22/2023] [Accepted: 02/14/2024] [Indexed: 03/26/2024]
Abstract
Cancer immunotherapy has transformed the clinical approach to patients with malignancies, as profound benefits can be seen in a subset of patients. To identify this subset, biomarker analyses increasingly focus on phenotypic and functional evaluation of the tumor microenvironment to determine if density, spatial distribution, and cellular composition of immune cell infiltrates can provide prognostic and/or predictive information. Attempts have been made to develop standardized methods to evaluate immune infiltrates in the routine assessment of certain tumor types; however, broad adoption of this approach in clinical decision-making is still missing. We developed approaches to categorize solid tumors into 'desert', 'excluded', and 'inflamed' types according to the spatial distribution of CD8+ immune effector cells to determine the prognostic and/or predictive implications of such labels. To overcome the limitations of this subjective approach, we incrementally developed four automated analysis pipelines of increasing granularity and complexity for density and pattern assessment of immune effector cells. We show that categorization based on 'manual' observation is predictive for clinical benefit from anti-programmed death ligand 1 therapy in two large cohorts of patients with non-small cell lung cancer or triple-negative breast cancer. For the automated analysis we demonstrate that a combined approach outperforms individual pipelines and successfully relates spatial features to pathologist-based readouts and the patient's response to therapy. Our findings suggest that tumor immunophenotype generated by automated analysis pipelines should be evaluated further as potential predictive biomarkers for cancer immunotherapy. © 2024 The Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao Li
- Genentech, South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | | | | | - Wei Zou
- Genentech, South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Shari Lau
- Genentech, South San Francisco, CA, USA
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8
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Garcia-Torralba E, Pérez Ramos M, Ivars Rubio A, Navarro Manzano E, Blaya Boluda N, Lloret Gil M, Aller A, de la Morena Barrio P, García Garre E, Martínez Díaz F, García Molina F, Chaves Benito A, García-Martínez E, Ayala de la Peña F. Deconstructing neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR) in early breast cancer: lack of prognostic utility and biological correlates across tumor subtypes. Breast Cancer Res Treat 2024; 205:475-485. [PMID: 38453782 PMCID: PMC11101577 DOI: 10.1007/s10549-024-07286-x] [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: 10/30/2023] [Accepted: 02/07/2024] [Indexed: 03/09/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE The prognostic utility and biological correlates of neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR), a potential biomarker of the balance between immune response and the inflammatory status, are still uncertain in breast cancer (BC). METHODS We analysed a cohort of 959 women with early breast cancer, mostly treated with neoadjuvant or adjuvant chemotherapy. Clinical and pathological data, survival, NLR (continuous and categorical) and stromal tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (sTIL) were evaluated. RESULTS NLR was only weakly associated with Ki67, while no association was found for grade, histology, immunohistochemical subtype or stage. Lymphocyte infiltration of the tumor did not correlate with NLR (Rho: 0.05, p = 0.30). These results were similar in the whole group and across the different BC subtypes, with no differences in triple negative BC. Relapse free interval (RFI), breast cancer specific survival (BCSS) and overall survival (OS) changed according to pre-treatment NLR neither in the univariate nor in the multivariate Cox models (RFI: HR 0.948, p = 0.61; BCSS: HR 0.920, p = 0.57; OS: HR 0.96, p = 0.59). CONCLUSION These results question the utility of NLR as a prognostic biomarker in early breast cancer and suggest the lack of correlation of NLR with tumor microenvironment immune response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Esmeralda Garcia-Torralba
- Department of Medical Oncology, Hospital Universitario Morales Meseguer, Murcia, 30008, Spain
- Department of Medicine, Medical School, University of Murcia, Murcia, 30001, Spain
- Instituto Murciano de Investigación Biosanitaria, IMIB, Murcia, 30120, Spain
| | - Miguel Pérez Ramos
- Department of Pathology, Hospital Universitario Morales Meseguer, Murcia, 30008, Spain
| | - Alejandra Ivars Rubio
- Department of Medical Oncology, Hospital Universitario Morales Meseguer, Murcia, 30008, Spain
- Department of Medicine, Medical School, University of Murcia, Murcia, 30001, Spain
- Instituto Murciano de Investigación Biosanitaria, IMIB, Murcia, 30120, Spain
| | - Esther Navarro Manzano
- Department of Medical Oncology, Hospital Universitario Morales Meseguer, Murcia, 30008, Spain
- Instituto Murciano de Investigación Biosanitaria, IMIB, Murcia, 30120, Spain
- Centro Regional de Hemodonación, Murcia, 30003, Spain
| | - Noel Blaya Boluda
- Department of Medical Oncology, Hospital Universitario Morales Meseguer, Murcia, 30008, Spain
- Department of Medicine, Medical School, University of Murcia, Murcia, 30001, Spain
- Instituto Murciano de Investigación Biosanitaria, IMIB, Murcia, 30120, Spain
| | - Miguel Lloret Gil
- Department of Medicine, Medical School, University of Murcia, Murcia, 30001, Spain
| | - Alberto Aller
- Department of Medicine, Medical School, University of Murcia, Murcia, 30001, Spain
| | - Pilar de la Morena Barrio
- Department of Medical Oncology, Hospital Universitario Morales Meseguer, Murcia, 30008, Spain
- Instituto Murciano de Investigación Biosanitaria, IMIB, Murcia, 30120, Spain
| | - Elisa García Garre
- Department of Medical Oncology, Hospital Universitario Morales Meseguer, Murcia, 30008, Spain
- Instituto Murciano de Investigación Biosanitaria, IMIB, Murcia, 30120, Spain
| | - Francisco Martínez Díaz
- Instituto Murciano de Investigación Biosanitaria, IMIB, Murcia, 30120, Spain
- Department of Pathology, Hospital Universitario Reina Sofía, Murcia, 30003, Spain
- Department of Pathology, Medical School, University of Murcia, Murcia, 30001, Spain
| | - Francisco García Molina
- Department of Pathology, Hospital Universitario Reina Sofía, Murcia, 30003, Spain
- Department of Pathology, Medical School, University of Murcia, Murcia, 30001, Spain
| | - Asunción Chaves Benito
- Department of Pathology, Hospital Universitario Morales Meseguer, Murcia, 30008, Spain
- Department of Pathology, Medical School, University of Murcia, Murcia, 30001, Spain
| | - Elena García-Martínez
- Department of Medical Oncology, Hospital Universitario Morales Meseguer, Murcia, 30008, Spain
- Instituto Murciano de Investigación Biosanitaria, IMIB, Murcia, 30120, Spain
- Medical School, Universidad Católica San Antonio, Murcia, 30107, Spain
| | - Francisco Ayala de la Peña
- Department of Medical Oncology, School of Medicine, Hospital Universitario Morales Meseguer, University of Murcia, Avda. Marqués de los Vélez, s/n, Murcia, 30008, Spain.
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9
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Rayson VC, Harris MA, Savas P, Hun ML, Virassamy B, Salgado R, Loi S. The anti-cancer immune response in breast cancer: current and emerging biomarkers and treatments. Trends Cancer 2024; 10:490-506. [PMID: 38521654 DOI: 10.1016/j.trecan.2024.02.008] [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: 08/25/2023] [Revised: 02/25/2024] [Accepted: 02/27/2024] [Indexed: 03/25/2024]
Abstract
Triple-negative breast cancers (TNBCs) exhibit heightened T cell infiltration, contributing to an enhanced response to immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) compared with other subtypes. An immune-rich immune microenvironment correlates with improved prognosis in early and advanced TNBC. Combination chemotherapy and ICB is now the standard of care in early- and late-stage TNBC. Although programmed death ligand-1 (PD-L1) positivity predicts ICB response in advanced stages, its role in early-stage disease remains uncertain. Despite neoadjuvant ICB becoming common in early-stage TNBC, the necessity of adjuvant ICB after surgery remains unclear. Understanding the molecular basis of the immune response in breast cancer is vital for precise biomarkers for ICB and effective combination therapy strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victoria C Rayson
- Department of Medical Oncology, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Michael A Harris
- The Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Medical Oncology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; Division of Cancer Research, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Peter Savas
- Department of Medical Oncology, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; The Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Medical Oncology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; Division of Cancer Research, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Michael L Hun
- The Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Medical Oncology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; Division of Cancer Research, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Balaji Virassamy
- Division of Cancer Research, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Roberto Salgado
- Division of Cancer Research, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; Department of Pathology, GZA-ZNA Hospitals, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Sherene Loi
- Department of Medical Oncology, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; The Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Medical Oncology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; Division of Cancer Research, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
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10
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Fiorin A, López Pablo C, Lejeune M, Hamza Siraj A, Della Mea V. Enhancing AI Research for Breast Cancer: A Comprehensive Review of Tumor-Infiltrating Lymphocyte Datasets. JOURNAL OF IMAGING INFORMATICS IN MEDICINE 2024:10.1007/s10278-024-01043-8. [PMID: 38806950 DOI: 10.1007/s10278-024-01043-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2023] [Revised: 01/19/2024] [Accepted: 02/07/2024] [Indexed: 05/30/2024]
Abstract
The field of immunology is fundamental to our understanding of the intricate dynamics of the tumor microenvironment. In particular, tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte (TIL) assessment emerges as essential aspect in breast cancer cases. To gain comprehensive insights, the quantification of TILs through computer-assisted pathology (CAP) tools has become a prominent approach, employing advanced artificial intelligence models based on deep learning techniques. The successful recognition of TILs requires the models to be trained, a process that demands access to annotated datasets. Unfortunately, this task is hampered not only by the scarcity of such datasets, but also by the time-consuming nature of the annotation phase required to create them. Our review endeavors to examine publicly accessible datasets pertaining to the TIL domain and thereby become a valuable resource for the TIL community. The overall aim of the present review is thus to make it easier to train and validate current and upcoming CAP tools for TIL assessment by inspecting and evaluating existing publicly available online datasets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessio Fiorin
- Oncological Pathology and Bioinformatics Research Group, Institut d'Investigació Sanitària Pere Virgili (IISPV), C/Esplanetes no 14, 43500, Tortosa, Spain.
- Department of Pathology, Hospital de Tortosa Verge de la Cinta (HTVC), Institut Català de la Salut (ICS), C/Esplanetes no 14, 43500, Tortosa, Spain.
- Department of Computer Engineering and Mathematics, Universitat Rovira i Virgili (URV), Tarragona, Spain.
| | - Carlos López Pablo
- Oncological Pathology and Bioinformatics Research Group, Institut d'Investigació Sanitària Pere Virgili (IISPV), C/Esplanetes no 14, 43500, Tortosa, Spain.
- Department of Pathology, Hospital de Tortosa Verge de la Cinta (HTVC), Institut Català de la Salut (ICS), C/Esplanetes no 14, 43500, Tortosa, Spain.
- Department of Computer Engineering and Mathematics, Universitat Rovira i Virgili (URV), Tarragona, Spain.
| | - Marylène Lejeune
- Oncological Pathology and Bioinformatics Research Group, Institut d'Investigació Sanitària Pere Virgili (IISPV), C/Esplanetes no 14, 43500, Tortosa, Spain
- Department of Pathology, Hospital de Tortosa Verge de la Cinta (HTVC), Institut Català de la Salut (ICS), C/Esplanetes no 14, 43500, Tortosa, Spain
- Department of Computer Engineering and Mathematics, Universitat Rovira i Virgili (URV), Tarragona, Spain
| | - Ameer Hamza Siraj
- Department of Mathematics, Computer Science and Physics, University of Udine, Udine, Italy
| | - Vincenzo Della Mea
- Department of Mathematics, Computer Science and Physics, University of Udine, Udine, Italy
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Gonçalves IV, Pinheiro-Rosa N, Torres L, Oliveira MDA, Rapozo Guimarães G, Leite CDS, Ortega JM, Lopes MTP, Faria AMC, Martins MLB, Felicori LF. Dynamic changes in B cell subpopulations in response to triple-negative breast cancer development. Sci Rep 2024; 14:11576. [PMID: 38773133 PMCID: PMC11109097 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-60243-y] [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: 09/26/2023] [Accepted: 04/19/2024] [Indexed: 05/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Despite presenting a worse prognosis and being associated with highly aggressive tumors, triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is characterized by the higher frequency of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes, which have been implicated in better overall survival and response to therapy. Though recent studies have reported the capacity of B lymphocytes to recognize overly-expressed normal proteins, and tumor-associated antigens, how tumor development potentially modifies B cell response is yet to be elucidated. Our findings reveal distinct effects of 4T1 and E0771 murine tumor development on B cells in secondary lymphoid organs. Notably, we observe a significant expansion of total B cells and plasma cells in the tumor-draining lymph nodes (tDLNs) as early as 7 days after tumor challenge in both murine models, whereas changes in the spleen are less pronounced. Surprisingly, within the tumor microenvironment (TME) of both models, we detect distinct B cell subpopulations, but tumor development does not appear to cause major alterations in their frequency over time. Furthermore, our investigation into B cell regulatory phenotypes highlights that the B10 Breg phenotype remains unaffected in the evaluated tissues. Most importantly, we identified an increase in CD19 + LAG-3 + cells in tDLNs of both murine models. Interestingly, although CD19 + LAG-3 + cells represent a minor subset of total B cells (< 3%) in all evaluated tissues, most of these cells exhibit elevated expression of IgD, suggesting that LAG-3 may serve as an activation marker for B cells. Corroborating with these findings, we detected distinct cell cycle and proliferation genes alongside LAG-3 analyzing scRNA-Seq data from a cohort of TNBC patients. More importantly, our study suggests that the presence of LAG-3 B cells in breast tumors could be associated with a good prognosis, as patients with higher levels of LAG-3 B cell transcripts had a longer progression-free interval (PFI). This novel insight could pave the way for targeted therapies that harness the unique properties of LAG-3 + B cells, potentially offering new avenues for improving patient outcomes in TNBC. Further research is warranted to unravel the mechanistic pathways of these cells and to validate their prognostic value in larger, diverse patient cohorts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Igor Visconte Gonçalves
- Department of Biochemistry and Immunology, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Av. Pres. Antônio Carlos, 6627 - Pampulha, Belo Horizonte, MG, 31270-901, Brazil
| | - Natália Pinheiro-Rosa
- NYU Grossman School of Medicine, NYU Langone Health, New York University, 550 1st Ave, New York, NY, 10016, USA
| | - Lícia Torres
- Department of Biochemistry and Immunology, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Av. Pres. Antônio Carlos, 6627 - Pampulha, Belo Horizonte, MG, 31270-901, Brazil
| | - Mariana de Almeida Oliveira
- Department of Biochemistry and Immunology, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Av. Pres. Antônio Carlos, 6627 - Pampulha, Belo Horizonte, MG, 31270-901, Brazil
| | - Gabriela Rapozo Guimarães
- Instituto Nacional de Câncer, Ministério da Saúde, Coordenação de Pesquisa, Laboratório de Bioinformática e Biologia Computacional - Rua André Cavalcanti, 37, 1 Andar, Centro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 20231050, Brasil
| | - Christiana da Silva Leite
- Department of Biochemistry and Immunology, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Av. Pres. Antônio Carlos, 6627 - Pampulha, Belo Horizonte, MG, 31270-901, Brazil
| | - José Miguel Ortega
- Department of Biochemistry and Immunology, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Av. Pres. Antônio Carlos, 6627 - Pampulha, Belo Horizonte, MG, 31270-901, Brazil
| | - Miriam Teresa Paz Lopes
- Department of Pharmacology, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Av. Pres. Antônio Carlos, 6627 - Pampulha, Belo Horizonte, MG, 31270-901, Brazil
| | - Ana Maria Caetano Faria
- Department of Biochemistry and Immunology, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Av. Pres. Antônio Carlos, 6627 - Pampulha, Belo Horizonte, MG, 31270-901, Brazil
| | - Mariana Lima Boroni Martins
- Instituto Nacional de Câncer, Ministério da Saúde, Coordenação de Pesquisa, Laboratório de Bioinformática e Biologia Computacional - Rua André Cavalcanti, 37, 1 Andar, Centro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 20231050, Brasil
| | - Liza Figueiredo Felicori
- Department of Biochemistry and Immunology, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Av. Pres. Antônio Carlos, 6627 - Pampulha, Belo Horizonte, MG, 31270-901, Brazil.
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12
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Xu L, Saunders K, Huang SP, Knutsdottir H, Martinez-Algarin K, Terrazas I, Chen K, McArthur HM, Maués J, Hodgdon C, Reddy SM, Roussos Torres ET, Xu L, Chan IS. A comprehensive single-cell breast tumor atlas defines epithelial and immune heterogeneity and interactions predicting anti-PD-1 therapy response. Cell Rep Med 2024; 5:101511. [PMID: 38614094 PMCID: PMC11148512 DOI: 10.1016/j.xcrm.2024.101511] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2023] [Revised: 02/20/2024] [Accepted: 03/20/2024] [Indexed: 04/15/2024]
Abstract
We present an integrated single-cell RNA sequencing atlas of the primary breast tumor microenvironment (TME) containing 236,363 cells from 119 biopsy samples across eight datasets. In this study, we leverage this resource for multiple analyses of immune and cancer epithelial cell heterogeneity. We define natural killer (NK) cell heterogeneity through six subsets in the breast TME. Because NK cell heterogeneity correlates with epithelial cell heterogeneity, we characterize epithelial cells at the level of single-gene expression, molecular subtype, and 10 categories reflecting intratumoral transcriptional heterogeneity. We develop InteractPrint, which considers how cancer epithelial cell heterogeneity influences cancer-immune interactions. We use T cell InteractPrint to predict response to immune checkpoint inhibition (ICI) in two breast cancer clinical trials testing neoadjuvant anti-PD-1 therapy. T cell InteractPrint was predictive of response in both trials versus PD-L1 (AUC = 0.82, 0.83 vs. 0.50, 0.72). This resource enables additional high-resolution investigations of the breast TME.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lily Xu
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Hematology and Oncology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA; Harold C. Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Kaitlyn Saunders
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Hematology and Oncology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA; Harold C. Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Shao-Po Huang
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Hematology and Oncology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA; Harold C. Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Hildur Knutsdottir
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University Whiting School of Engineering, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Kenneth Martinez-Algarin
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Hematology and Oncology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA; Harold C. Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Isabella Terrazas
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Hematology and Oncology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA; Harold C. Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Kenian Chen
- Quantitative Biomedical Research Center, Department of Population and Data Sciences, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Heather M McArthur
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Hematology and Oncology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA; Harold C. Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | | | | | - Sangeetha M Reddy
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Hematology and Oncology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA; Harold C. Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Evanthia T Roussos Torres
- Division of Medical Oncology, Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Lin Xu
- Quantitative Biomedical Research Center, Department of Population and Data Sciences, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Isaac S Chan
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Hematology and Oncology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA; Harold C. Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA; Hamon Center for Regenerative Science and Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA; Department of Molecular Biology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA.
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13
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Ciarka A, Kunc M, Popęda M, Łacko A, Radecka B, Braun M, Pikiel J, Litwiniuk M, Pogoda K, Iżycka-Świeszewska E, Zeller A, Niemira M, Pęksa R, Biernat W, Senkus E. High tumour-infiltrating lymphocytes correlate with distinct gene expression profile and favourable survival in single hormone receptor-positive breast cancer. Contemp Oncol (Pozn) 2024; 28:75-83. [PMID: 38800535 PMCID: PMC11117162 DOI: 10.5114/wo.2024.139375] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2024] [Accepted: 04/07/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction This study aimed to evaluate the impact of tumour-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) on the expression of immune-related genes and prognosis in single hormone receptor-positive breast cancer. Material and methods: Tumour-infiltrating lymphocytes were analysed according to the guidelines of the International TILs Working Group in a cohort of 206 patients with single hormone receptor-positive breast cancer. Of these, 44.7% were classified as ER+/PgR-/HER2-, 18.4% as ER+/PgR-/HER2+, 26.2% as ER-/PgR+/HER2-, and 10.7% as ER-/PgR+/HER2+. Moreover, in 52 samples the analysis of gene expression profiling was performed using nCounter technology. Results Most cases (74.3%) showed at least 1% of stromal TILs, with a median of 4%, mean of 16.3%, and interquartile range of 0-20%. ER-/PgR+ tumours displayed significantly higher TILs density than ER+/PgR- cases (p < 0.001, Wilcoxon test), regardless of HER2 status. The abundance of TILs was positively associated with ER-/PgR+ phenotype, higher Ki-67, and higher grade, but not with age, tumour size, or regional and distant metastases at diagnosis. Additionally, in ER+/PgR- subgroup higher TILs were associated with HER2-positive status. Stromal TILs > 5% were associated with better survival in the whole group, but this effect was less prominent in ER-/PgR+ patients. We identified 50 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between single hormone receptor-positive breast tumours with high and low TILs, including 39 up-regulated and 11 down-regulated genes in the high TILs group. Conclusions The up-regulated expression of immune-related genes was consistent also among separately analysed single hormone receptor-positive groups (ER+/PgR- and ER-/PgR+).
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Affiliation(s)
- Aleksandra Ciarka
- Department of Pathology, Medical University of Gdańsk, Gdańsk, Poland
| | - Michał Kunc
- Department of Pathology, Medical University of Gdańsk, Gdańsk, Poland
| | - Marta Popęda
- Department of Pathology, Medical University of Gdańsk, Gdańsk, Poland
| | - Aleksandra Łacko
- Department of Oncology, Wrocław Medical University, Wrocław, Poland
- Department of Oncology, Breast Unit, Lower Silesian Oncology Centre, Wroclaw, Poland
| | - Barbara Radecka
- Department of Oncology, Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Opole, Opole, Poland
- Department of Clinical Oncology, Tadeusz Koszarowski Cancer Centre in Opole, Opole, Poland
| | - Marcin Braun
- Department of Pathology, Chair of Oncology, Medical University of Łódź, Łódź, Poland
| | - Joanna Pikiel
- Department of Oncology, Morski Hospital, Gdynia, Poland
| | - Maria Litwiniuk
- Department of Clinical Oncology, Greater Poland Cancer Centre, Poznań, Poland
| | - Katarzyna Pogoda
- Department of Breast Cancer and Reconstructive Surgery, Maria Sklodowska Curie National Research Institute of Oncology, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Ewa Iżycka-Świeszewska
- Department of Pathology and Neuropathology, Medical University of Gdańsk, Gdańsk, Poland
| | - Anna Zeller
- Laboratory of Translational Oncology, Intercollegiate Faculty of Biotechnology, Medical University of Gdańsk, Gdańsk, Poland
| | - Magdalena Niemira
- Laboratory of Translational Oncology, Intercollegiate Faculty of Biotechnology, Medical University of Gdańsk, Gdańsk, Poland
| | - Rafał Pęksa
- Department of Pathology, Medical University of Gdańsk, Gdańsk, Poland
| | - Wojciech Biernat
- Department of Pathology, Medical University of Gdańsk, Gdańsk, Poland
| | - Elżbieta Senkus
- Department of Oncology and Radiotherapy, Medical University of Gdańsk, Gdańsk, Poland
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14
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Wood SJ, Gao Y, Lee JH, Chen J, Wang Q, Meisel JL, Li X. High tumor infiltrating lymphocytes are significantly associated with pathological complete response in triple negative breast cancer treated with neoadjuvant KEYNOTE-522 chemoimmunotherapy. Breast Cancer Res Treat 2024; 205:193-199. [PMID: 38286889 DOI: 10.1007/s10549-023-07233-2] [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: 06/26/2023] [Accepted: 12/14/2023] [Indexed: 01/31/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION For patients with locally advanced triple negative breast cancer (TNBC), the standard of care is to administer the KEYNOTE-522 (K522) regimen, including chemotherapy and immunotherapy (pembrolizumab) given in the neoadjuvant setting. Pathological complete response (pCR) is more likely in patients who receive the K522 regimen than in patients who receive standard chemotherapy. Studies have shown that pCR is a strong predictor of long-term disease-free survival. However, factors predicting pCR to K522 are not well understood and require further study in real-world populations. METHODS We evaluated 76 patients who were treated with the K522 regimen at our institution. Twenty-nine pre-treatment biopsy slides were available for pathology review. Nuclear grade, Nottingham histologic grade, Ki-67, lymphovascular invasion, and tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL) were evaluated in these 29 cases. For the cases that did not have available slides for review from pre-treatment biopsies, these variables were retrieved from available pathology reports. In addition, clinical staging, race, and BMI at the time of biopsy were retrieved from all 76 patients' charts. Binary logistic regression models were used to correlate these variables with pCR. RESULTS At the current time, 64 of 76 patients have undergone surgery at our institution following completion of K522 and 31 (48.4%) of these achieved pCR. In univariate analysis, only TIL was significantly associated with pCR (p = 0.014) and this finding was also confirmed in multivariate analysis, whereas other variables including age, race, nuclear grade, Nottingham grade, Ki-67, lymphovascular invasion, BMI, pre-treatment tumor size, and lymph node status were not associated with pCR (p > 0.1). CONCLUSION Our real-world data demonstrates high TIL is significantly associated with pCR rate in the K522 regimen and may potentially serve as a biomarker to select optimal treatment. The pCR rate of 48.4% in our study is lower than that reported in K522, potentially due to the smaller size of our study; however, this may also indicate differences between real-world data and clinical trial results. Larger studies are warranted to further investigate the role of immune cells in TNBC response to K522 and other treatment regimens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah J Wood
- Department of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Yuan Gao
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Ji-Hoon Lee
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
- The Parker H. Petit Institute of Bioengineering and Bioscience, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Jessica Chen
- Emory College of Arts and Sciences, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Qun Wang
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Jane L Meisel
- Department of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA.
| | - Xiaoxian Li
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA.
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15
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Li X, Zhu Y, Yi J, Deng Y, Lei B, Ren H. Adoptive cell immunotherapy for breast cancer: harnessing the power of immune cells. J Leukoc Biol 2024; 115:866-881. [PMID: 37949484 DOI: 10.1093/jleuko/qiad144] [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: 08/15/2023] [Revised: 10/25/2023] [Accepted: 10/26/2023] [Indexed: 11/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Breast cancer is the most prevalent malignant neoplasm worldwide, necessitating the development of novel therapeutic strategies owing to the limitations posed by conventional treatment modalities. Immunotherapy is an innovative approach that has demonstrated significant efficacy in modulating a patient's innate immune system to combat tumor cells. In the era of precision medicine, adoptive immunotherapy for breast cancer has garnered widespread attention as an emerging treatment strategy, primarily encompassing cellular therapies such as tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte therapy, chimeric antigen receptor T/natural killer/M cell therapy, T cell receptor gene-engineered T cell therapy, lymphokine-activated killer cell therapy, cytokine-induced killer cell therapy, natural killer cell therapy, and γδ T cell therapy, among others. This treatment paradigm is based on the principles of immune memory and antigen specificity, involving the collection, processing, and expansion of the patient's immune cells, followed by their reintroduction into the patient's body to activate the immune system and prevent tumor recurrence and metastasis. Currently, multiple clinical trials are assessing the feasibility, effectiveness, and safety of adoptive immunotherapy in breast cancer. However, this therapeutic approach faces challenges associated with tumor heterogeneity, immune evasion, and treatment safety. This review comprehensively summarizes the latest advancements in adoptive immunotherapy for breast cancer and discusses future research directions and prospects, offering valuable guidance and insights into breast cancer immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xue Li
- Department of Breast Surgery, Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital, 150 Haping Road, Harbin 150076, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Yunan Zhu
- Department of Breast Surgery, Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital, 150 Haping Road, Harbin 150076, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Jinfeng Yi
- Department of Pathology, Harbin Medical University, 157 Baojian Road, Harbin 150081, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Yuhan Deng
- Department of Breast Surgery, Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital, 150 Haping Road, Harbin 150076, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Bo Lei
- Department of Breast Surgery, Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital, 150 Haping Road, Harbin 150076, Heilongjiang, China
| | - He Ren
- Department of Breast Surgery, Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital, 150 Haping Road, Harbin 150076, Heilongjiang, China
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16
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Yoneyama M, Zormpas-Petridis K, Robinson R, Sobhani F, Provenzano E, Steel H, Lightowlers S, Towns C, Castillo SP, Anbalagan S, Lund T, Wennerberg E, Melcher A, Coles CE, Roxanis I, Yuan Y, Somaiah N. Longitudinal Assessment of Tumor-Infiltrating Lymphocytes in Primary Breast Cancer Following Neoadjuvant Radiation Therapy. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 2024:S0360-3016(24)00566-2. [PMID: 38677525 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijrobp.2024.04.065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2023] [Revised: 04/16/2024] [Accepted: 04/21/2024] [Indexed: 04/29/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE Tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) have prognostic significance in several cancers, including breast cancer. Despite interest in combining radiation therapy with immunotherapy, little is known about the effect of radiation therapy itself on the tumor-immune microenvironment, including TILs. Here, we interrogated longitudinal dynamics of TILs and systemic lymphocytes in patient samples taken before, during, and after neoadjuvant radiation therapy (NART) from PRADA and Neo-RT breast clinical trials. METHODS AND MATERIALS We manually scored stromal TILs (sTILs) from longitudinal tumor samples using standardized guidelines as well as deep learning-based scores at cell-level (cTIL) and cell- and tissue-level combination analyses (SuperTIL). In parallel, we interrogated absolute lymphocyte counts from routine blood tests at corresponding time points during treatment. Exploratory analyses studied the relationship between TILs and pathologic complete response (pCR) and long-term outcomes. RESULTS Patients receiving NART experienced a significant and uniform decrease in sTILs that did not recover at the time of surgery (P < .0001). This lymphodepletive effect was also mirrored in peripheral blood. Our SuperTIL deep learning score showed good concordance with manual sTILs and importantly performed comparably to manual scores in predicting pCR from diagnostic biopsies. The analysis suggested an association between baseline sTILs and pCR, as well as sTILs at surgery and relapse, in patients receiving NART. CONCLUSIONS This study provides novel insights into TIL dynamics in the context of NART in breast cancer and demonstrates the potential for artificial intelligence to assist routine pathology. We have identified trends that warrant further interrogation and have a bearing on future radioimmunotherapy trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miki Yoneyama
- Division of Radiotherapy and Imaging, The Institute of Cancer Research, London, United Kingdom
| | - Konstantinos Zormpas-Petridis
- Division of Radiotherapy and Imaging, The Institute of Cancer Research, London, United Kingdom; Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Ruth Robinson
- Division of Radiotherapy and Imaging, The Institute of Cancer Research, London, United Kingdom; The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom
| | - Faranak Sobhani
- Division of Molecular Pathology, The Institute of Cancer Research, London, United Kingdom
| | - Elena Provenzano
- Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Harriet Steel
- Division of Radiotherapy and Imaging, The Institute of Cancer Research, London, United Kingdom
| | - Sara Lightowlers
- Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Cambridge, United Kingdom; Department of Oncology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Catherine Towns
- Department of Oncology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Simon P Castillo
- Division of Molecular Pathology, The Institute of Cancer Research, London, United Kingdom
| | - Selvakumar Anbalagan
- Division of Radiotherapy and Imaging, The Institute of Cancer Research, London, United Kingdom
| | - Tom Lund
- Integrated Pathology Unit, The Institute of Cancer Research and The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom
| | - Erik Wennerberg
- Division of Radiotherapy and Imaging, The Institute of Cancer Research, London, United Kingdom
| | - Alan Melcher
- Division of Radiotherapy and Imaging, The Institute of Cancer Research, London, United Kingdom
| | - Charlotte E Coles
- Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Cambridge, United Kingdom; Department of Oncology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Ioannis Roxanis
- The Breast Cancer Now Toby Robins Research Centre, The Institute of Cancer Research, London, United Kingdom
| | - Yinyin Yuan
- Division of Molecular Pathology, The Institute of Cancer Research, London, United Kingdom.
| | - Navita Somaiah
- Division of Radiotherapy and Imaging, The Institute of Cancer Research, London, United Kingdom; The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom.
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17
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Sun XY, Wang CQ, Mao Y, Zhang ZQ, Cui J, Dong XN, Wang HB. Prognostic value and distribution pattern of tumor infiltrating lymphocytes and their subsets in distant metastases of advanced breast cancer. Clin Breast Cancer 2024; 24:e167-e176. [PMID: 38212189 DOI: 10.1016/j.clbc.2023.12.011] [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: 08/26/2023] [Revised: 11/09/2023] [Accepted: 12/29/2023] [Indexed: 01/13/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND There are significant correlations between the levels of tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) and the prognosis of primary breast cancer. While little is known about immunological mechanisms in the distant metastasis of advanced breast cancer. PATIENTS AND METHODS A total of 106 patients with advanced metastatic breast cancer were enrolled in this study between 2016 and 2022. Hematoxylin and eosin staining and immunohistochemistry were used to assess the densities of stromal TILs (sTILs), intratumoral TILs (iTILs) and invasive marginal TILs (imTILs) and CD4+, CD8+, CD20+, FOXP3+ TILs in the primary tumor and metastasis (bone, lung, liver, and distant lymph node) of advanced breast cancer. RESULTS Higher levels of sTILs at metastatic sites were associated with better progression-free survival (PFS), postmetastasis survival (PMS) and overall survival (OS) (p = .026, .001 and .005, respectively). The levels of iTILs were significantly lower than those of sTILs and imTILs in both primary tumor (p< .001, both) and metastasis (p< .001, both). The level of CD4+ T cells was higher than those of CD8+ T cells and CD20+ B cells in both primary tumor (p < .001) and metastasis (p < .001). The levels of sTILs (p=0. 001) and imTILs (p< .001) in the primary tumor were generally higher than those in the metastasis. CONCLUSION The levels of TILs and their subsets can predict the survival and prognosis of patients with advanced breast cancer. The distributions of TILs and their subsets are similar between the primary tumor and metastasis. The metastases have a lower degree of lymphocytes infiltration than its corresponding primary tumor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin-Yi Sun
- Department of Breast Surgery, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, Shandong, PR China
| | - Cheng-Qin Wang
- Department of Pathology, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, Shandong, PR China
| | - Yan Mao
- Department of Breast Surgery, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, Shandong, PR China
| | - Zhen-Qi Zhang
- Department of Pathology, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, Shandong, PR China
| | - Jian Cui
- Department of Breast Surgery, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, Shandong, PR China
| | - Xian-Ning Dong
- Department of Pathology, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, Shandong, PR China
| | - Hai-Bo Wang
- Department of Breast Surgery, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, Shandong, PR China.
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Lynce F, Mainor C, Donahue RN, Geng X, Jones G, Schlam I, Wang H, Toney NJ, Jochems C, Schlom J, Zeck J, Gallagher C, Nanda R, Graham D, Stringer-Reasor EM, Denduluri N, Collins J, Chitalia A, Tiwari S, Nunes R, Kaltman R, Khoury K, Gatti-Mays M, Tarantino P, Tolaney SM, Swain SM, Pohlmann P, Parsons HA, Isaacs C. Adjuvant nivolumab, capecitabine or the combination in patients with residual triple-negative breast cancer: the OXEL randomized phase II study. Nat Commun 2024; 15:2691. [PMID: 38538574 PMCID: PMC10973408 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-46961-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2023] [Accepted: 03/15/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Chemotherapy and immune checkpoint inhibitors have a role in the post-neoadjuvant setting in patients with triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). However, the effects of nivolumab, a checkpoint inhibitor, capecitabine, or the combination in changing peripheral immunoscore (PIS) remains unclear. This open-label randomized phase II OXEL study (NCT03487666) aimed to assess the immunologic effects of nivolumab, capecitabine, or the combination in terms of the change in PIS (primary endpoint). Secondary endpoints included the presence of ctDNA, toxicity, clinical outcomes at 2-years and association of ctDNA and PIS with clinical outcomes. Forty-five women with TNBC and residual invasive disease after standard neoadjuvant chemotherapy were randomized to nivolumab, capecitabine, or the combination. Here we show that a combination of nivolumab plus capecitabine leads to a greater increase in PIS from baseline to week 6 (91%) compared with nivolumab (47%) or capecitabine (53%) alone (log-rank p = 0.08), meeting the pre-specified primary endpoint. In addition, the presence of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) is associated with disease recurrence, with no new safety signals in the combination arm. Our results provide efficacy and safety data on this combination in TNBC and support further development of PIS and ctDNA analyses to identify patients at high risk of recurrence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Filipa Lynce
- Division of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA.
- Breast Oncology Program, Dana-Farber Brigham Cancer Center, Boston, MA, USA.
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
| | - Candace Mainor
- MedStar Georgetown University Hospital, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Renee N Donahue
- Center for Immuno-Oncology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Xue Geng
- Georgetown University, Washington, DC, USA
| | | | - Ilana Schlam
- MedStar Washington Hospital Center, Washington, DC, USA
- Tufts Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | - Nicole J Toney
- Center for Immuno-Oncology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Caroline Jochems
- Center for Immuno-Oncology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Jeffrey Schlom
- Center for Immuno-Oncology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Jay Zeck
- MedStar Georgetown University Hospital, Washington, DC, USA
| | | | | | - Deena Graham
- Hackensack University Medical Center, Hackensack, NJ, USA
| | | | | | - Julie Collins
- MedStar Georgetown University Hospital, Washington, DC, USA
- AstraZeneca, Arlington, VA, USA
| | - Ami Chitalia
- MedStar Washington Hospital Center, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Shruti Tiwari
- MedStar Washington Hospital Center, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Raquel Nunes
- Johns Hopkins Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center, Baltimore, MD, USA
- AstraZeneca, Arlington, VA, USA
| | | | - Katia Khoury
- University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | | | - Paolo Tarantino
- Division of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Sara M Tolaney
- Division of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
- Breast Oncology Program, Dana-Farber Brigham Cancer Center, Boston, MA, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | - Paula Pohlmann
- MedStar Georgetown University Hospital, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Heather A Parsons
- Division of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
- Breast Oncology Program, Dana-Farber Brigham Cancer Center, Boston, MA, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
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Noske A, Steiger K, Ballke S, Kiechle M, Oettler D, Roth W, Weichert W. Comparison of assessment of programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) status in triple-negative breast cancer biopsies and surgical specimens. J Clin Pathol 2024; 77:239-245. [PMID: 36669878 PMCID: PMC10958329 DOI: 10.1136/jcp-2022-208637] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2022] [Accepted: 01/01/2023] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
AIMS Programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) status in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is important for immune checkpoint inhibitor therapies but may vary between different immunohistochemical assays, scorings and the type of specimen used for analysis. METHODS We compared the analytical concordance of three clinically relevant PD-L1 assays (VENTANA SP142, VENTANA SP263 and DAKO 22C3 pharmDx) assessing immune cell score (IC), tumour proportion score and combined positive score (CPS) in preoperative biopsies and resection specimens of primary TNBC. PD-L1 expression was scored on virtual whole slide images and compared with expression data from corresponding surgical specimens. RESULTS The mean PD-L1 positivity in TNBC biopsies defined as IC ≥1% and CPS ≥1 ranged between 11% and 61% with the lowest positivity for SP142 and highest for SP263. The corresponding surgical specimens showed overall higher positivity rates (53%-75%). When comparing biopsies with surgical specimens, the agreement for PD-L1 positivity with SP263 and 22C3 at IC score ≥1% and CPS ≥1 was fair (kappa 0.47-0.52) and poor for SP142 (kappa 0.15-0.19). Using CPS ≥10 cut-off, the agreement for SP263 was excellent (kappa 0.751) but poor for 22C3 (kappa 0.261). Spearman correlation coefficients ranged between 0.489 and 0.75 indicating a generally moderate to strong correlation between biopsies and surgical specimens for all assays and scores. CONCLUSIONS We demonstrate high accordance between biopsies and surgical specimens for SP263 and 22C3 scoring but less for SP142. Generally, biopsies are suitable for PD-L1 testing in TNBC but the appropriate assay, scoring and cut-off must be considered.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aurelia Noske
- Institute of Pathology, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Katja Steiger
- Institute of Pathology, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Simone Ballke
- Institute of Pathology, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Marion Kiechle
- Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Dirk Oettler
- Medical affairs, MSD Sharp & Dohme GmbH, Haar, Germany
| | - Wilfried Roth
- Institute of Pathology, Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz, Germany
| | - Wilko Weichert
- Institute of Pathology, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
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20
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Gatalica Z, Kuzmova N, Rose I, Ulamec M, Peric-Balja M, Skenderi F, Vranic S. The assessment of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes in invasive apocrine carcinoma of the breast in relation to the HER2 status. BIOMOLECULES & BIOMEDICINE 2024; 24:256-261. [PMID: 37782562 PMCID: PMC10950344 DOI: 10.17305/bb.2023.9868] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2023] [Revised: 09/27/2023] [Accepted: 10/02/2023] [Indexed: 10/04/2023]
Abstract
In the current study, we assessed the prevalence and molecular features of HER2-low phenotype in the apocrine carcinomas of the breast (ApoCa) and its relationship with tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs). A cohort of 64 well-characterized therapy-naïve ApoCa was used. The TIL distribution was assessed using the hematoxylin and eosin whole slide/scanned images following the international TILs working group recommendations. Next-generation sequencing (NGS) was performed in a subset of HER2-low ApoCa. All patients were women, with a mean age of 62 years. Forty-three carcinomas were pure apocrine carcinoma (PAC; ER-/AR+), and the remaining 21 were classified as apocrine-like carcinomas (ALCs; ER+/-, AR+/-). HER2/neu was positive (score 3+ by IHC and/or amplified by FISH) in 20/43 (47%) PAC and 4/21 (19%) ALC. The prevalence of HER2-low expression (scores 1+ or 2+ without HER2 amplification) in ApoCa was 39% without significant differences between PAC and ALC (P = 0.14); however, the HER2-low phenotype was more prevalent in triple-negative PAC than in ALC (P < 0.001). Levels of TILs were low (≤10%) in 74% of ApoCa (median 5%, range 0%-50%). TIL levels were significantly higher in ALC than in PAC (P = 0.02). HER2 status had no impact on TIL distribution (P = 0.45). The genomic profile of HER2-low ApoCa was similar to other subtypes of ApoCa. ApoCa has predominantly low TIL, particularly PAC. The prevalence of the HER2-low phenotype in ApoCa is high, which should have therapeutic and clinical implications given the recently approved therapies with antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) for HER2-low breast cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zoran Gatalica
- Reference Medicine, Phoenix, Arizona, USA
- The University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma, USA
| | | | - Inga Rose
- Reference Medicine, Phoenix, Arizona, USA
| | - Monika Ulamec
- Ljudevit Jurak Clinical Department of Pathology and Cytology, Sestre Milosrdnice University Hospital Center, Zagreb, Croatia
- Department of Pathology and Scientific Group for Research on Epigenetic Biomarkers, University of Zagreb School of Medicine, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Melita Peric-Balja
- Oncological Pathology Department, Ljudevit Jurak Clinical Department of Pathology and Cytology, Sestre Milosrdnice University Hospital Center, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Faruk Skenderi
- Department of Pathology, Sarajevo School of Science and Technology, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
| | - Semir Vranic
- College of Medicine, QU Health, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar
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21
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Baez-Navarro X, van den Ende NS, Nguyen AH, Sinke R, Westenend P, van Brakel JB, Stobbe C, Westerga J, van Deurzen CHM. HER2-low and tumor infiltrating lymphocytes in triple-negative breast cancer: Are they connected? Breast Cancer Res 2024; 26:41. [PMID: 38468323 PMCID: PMC10926638 DOI: 10.1186/s13058-024-01783-z] [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: 11/24/2023] [Accepted: 02/11/2024] [Indexed: 03/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Most patients with triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) are not candidates for targeted therapy, leaving chemotherapy as the primary treatment option. Recently, immunotherapy has demonstrated promising results in TNBC, due to its immunogenicity. In addition, a novel antibody-drug conjugate, namely, trastuzumab-deruxtecan, has shown effectiveness in TNBC patients with low-HER2 expression (HER2-low). These novel treatment options raise the question about the potential association between the density of stromal tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (sTILs) and the level of HER2 expression. We aimed to evaluate the association between the level of HER2 expression (HER2-low versus HER2-0) and density of sTILs in TNBC patients, and how they impact the response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC). This was a retrospective multicenter study including all TNBC patients diagnosed between 2018 and 2022. Central pathology review included sTILs percentages and level of HER2 expression. Tumors were reclassified as either HER2-0 (HER2 IHC 0) or HER2-low (IHC 1 + or 2 + with negative reflex test). Various clinicopathologic characteristics, including sTILs density, and response to NAC were compared between HER2-0 and HER2-low cases. In total, 753 TNBC patients were included in this study, of which 292 patients received NAC. Interobserver agreement between the original pathology report and central review was moderate (77% had the same IHC status after reclassification in either HER2-0 or HER2-low; k = 0.45). HER2-low TNBC represented about one third (36%) of the tumors. No significant difference in sTILs density or complete pathologic response rate was found between HER2-0 and HER2-low cases (p = 0.476 and p = 0.339, respectively). The density of sTILs (≥ 10% sTILs vs. < 10%) was independently associated with achieving a pCR (p = 0.011). In conclusion, no significant association was found between HER2-low status and density of sTILs nor response to NAC. Nonetheless, sTILs could be an independent biomarker for predicting NAC response in TNBC patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ximena Baez-Navarro
- Department of Pathology, Erasmus University Medical Center, 3015 GD, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
| | - Nadine S van den Ende
- Department of Pathology, Erasmus University Medical Center, 3015 GD, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Anh H Nguyen
- Department of Pathology, Erasmus University Medical Center, 3015 GD, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Pathology, HMC, The Hague, The Netherlands
| | - Renata Sinke
- Department of Pathology, Pathan B.V., Franciscus Gasthuis & Vlietland, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Pieter Westenend
- Laboratory of Pathology, PAL Dordrecht, Dordrecht, The Netherlands
| | | | - Claudia Stobbe
- Department of Pathology, Pathan B.V., Franciscus Gasthuis & Vlietland, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Johan Westerga
- Department of Pathology, Pathan B.V., Franciscus Gasthuis & Vlietland, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
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22
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Chan R, Aphivatanasiri C, Poon IK, Tsang JY, Ni Y, Lacambra M, Li J, Lee C, Tse GM. Spatial Distribution and Densities of CD103+ and FoxP3+ Tumor Infiltrating Lymphocytes by Digital Analysis for Outcome Prediction in Breast Cancer. Oncologist 2024; 29:e299-e308. [PMID: 37491001 PMCID: PMC10911924 DOI: 10.1093/oncolo/oyad199] [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: 12/31/2022] [Accepted: 05/23/2023] [Indexed: 07/27/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The evaluation of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) for breast cancer prognosis is now established. However, the clinical value for their spatial distributions of specific immune subsets, namely CD103+ tissue-resident memory T cells FoxP3+ regulatory T ells, have not been thoroughly examined. METHOD Representative whole sections of breast cancers were subjected to CD103 and FoxP3 double staining. Their density, ratio, and spatial features were analyzed in tumor area and tumor-stromal interface. Their associations with clinicopathological parameters and patient's prognosis were analyzed. RESULTS CD103 TILs were closer to tumor nests than FoxP3 TILs in the tumor-stromal interface. Their densities were associated with high-grade disease, TNBC, and stromal TILs. High stromal FoxP3 (sFoxP3) TILs and close proximity of sCD103 TILs to tumor were independently associated with better survival at multivariate analysis. Subgroup analysis showed the high FoxP3 TILs density associated better survival was seen in HER2-OE and TNBC subtypes while the proximity of CD103 TILs to tumor nests associated better survival was seen in luminal cancers. CONCLUSION The prognostic impact of CD103 and FoxP3 TILs in breast cancer depends on their spatial localization. High sFoxP3 TIL density and the lower distance of CD103 TILs from the tumor nests had independent favorable prognostic values.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ronald Chan
- Department of Anatomical and Cellular Pathology, State Key Laboratory of Translational Oncology, Prince of Wales Hospital, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Ngan Shing Street, Shatin, NT, Hong Kong
| | | | - Ivan K Poon
- Department of Anatomical and Cellular Pathology, State Key Laboratory of Translational Oncology, Prince of Wales Hospital, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Ngan Shing Street, Shatin, NT, Hong Kong
| | - Julia Y Tsang
- Department of Anatomical and Cellular Pathology, State Key Laboratory of Translational Oncology, Prince of Wales Hospital, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Ngan Shing Street, Shatin, NT, Hong Kong
| | - Yunbi Ni
- Department of Anatomical and Cellular Pathology, State Key Laboratory of Translational Oncology, Prince of Wales Hospital, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Ngan Shing Street, Shatin, NT, Hong Kong
| | - Maribel Lacambra
- Department of Anatomical and Cellular Pathology, State Key Laboratory of Translational Oncology, Prince of Wales Hospital, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Ngan Shing Street, Shatin, NT, Hong Kong
| | - Joshua Li
- Department of Anatomical and Cellular Pathology, State Key Laboratory of Translational Oncology, Prince of Wales Hospital, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Ngan Shing Street, Shatin, NT, Hong Kong
| | - Conrad Lee
- Department of Anatomical and Cellular Pathology, State Key Laboratory of Translational Oncology, Prince of Wales Hospital, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Ngan Shing Street, Shatin, NT, Hong Kong
| | - Gary M Tse
- Department of Anatomical and Cellular Pathology, State Key Laboratory of Translational Oncology, Prince of Wales Hospital, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Ngan Shing Street, Shatin, NT, Hong Kong
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23
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Cho U, Im S, Park HS. Exploring histological predictive biomarkers for immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy response in non-small cell lung cancer. J Pathol Transl Med 2024; 58:49-58. [PMID: 38389279 PMCID: PMC10948248 DOI: 10.4132/jptm.2024.01.31] [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: 12/11/2023] [Revised: 01/16/2024] [Accepted: 01/29/2024] [Indexed: 02/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Treatment challenges persist in advanced lung cancer despite the development of therapies beyond the traditional platinum-based chemotherapy. The early 2000s marked a shift to tyrosine kinase inhibitors targeting epidermal growth factor receptor, ushering in personalized genetic-based treatment. A further significant advance was the development of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), especially for non-small cell lung cancer. These target programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) and cytotoxic T lymphocyte antigen 4, which enhanced the immune response against tumor cells. However, not all patients respond, and immune-related toxicities arise. This review emphasizes identifying biomarkers for ICI response prediction. While PD-L1 is a widely used, validated biomarker, its predictive accuracy is imperfect. Investigating tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes, tertiary lymphoid structure, and emerging biomarkers such as high endothelial venule, Human leukocyte antigen class I, T-cell immunoreceptors with Ig and ITIM domains, and lymphocyte activation gene-3 counts is promising. Understanding and exploring additional predictive biomarkers for ICI response are crucial for enhancing patient stratification and overall care in lung cancer treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Uiju Cho
- Department of Pathology, St. Vincent’s Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Suwon, Korea
| | - Soyoung Im
- Department of Pathology, St. Vincent’s Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Suwon, Korea
| | - Hyung Soon Park
- Division of Medical Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, St. Vincent’s Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Suwon, Korea
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Sánchez D, Cesarman-Maus G, Romero L, Sánchez-Verin R, Vail D, Guadarrama M, Pelayo R, Sarmiento-Silva RE, Lizano M. The NDV-MLS as an Immunotherapeutic Strategy for Breast Cancer: Proof of Concept in Female Companion Dogs with Spontaneous Mammary Cancer. Viruses 2024; 16:372. [PMID: 38543739 PMCID: PMC10974497 DOI: 10.3390/v16030372] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2024] [Revised: 02/13/2024] [Accepted: 02/25/2024] [Indexed: 05/23/2024] Open
Abstract
The absence of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes negatively impacts the response to chemotherapy and prognosis in all subtypes of breast cancer. Therapies that stimulate a proinflammatory environment may help improve the response to standard treatments and also to immunotherapies such as checkpoint inhibitors. Newcastle disease virus (NDV) shows oncolytic activity, as well as immune modulating potential, in the treatment of breast cancer in vitro and in vivo; however, its potential to enhance tumor-infiltrating immune cells in breast cancer has yet to be evaluated. Since spontaneous canine mammary tumors represent a translational model of human breast cancer, we conducted this proof-of-concept study, which could provide a rationale for further investigating NDV-MLS as immunotherapy for mammary cancer. Six female companion dogs with spontaneous mammary cancer received a single intravenous and intratumoral injection of oncolytic NDV-MLS. Immune cell infiltrates were evaluated by histology and immunohistochemistry in the stromal, intratumoral, and peritumoral compartments on day 6 after viral administration. Increasing numbers of immune cells were documented post-viral treatment, mainly in the peritumoral compartment, where plasma cells and CD3+ and CD3-/CD79- lymphocytes predominated. Viral administration was well tolerated, with no significant adverse events. These findings support additional research on the use of NDV-MLS immunotherapy for mammary cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diana Sánchez
- Unidad de Investigación Biomédica en Cáncer, Instituto Nacional de Cancerología, Mexico City 14080, Mexico
- Departamento de Medicina Genómica y Toxicología Ambiental, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City 04510, Mexico
- NorthStar VETS, Veterinary Emergency Trauma & Specialty Centers, Robbinsville, NJ 08691, USA
| | - Gabriela Cesarman-Maus
- Departamento de Hematología, Instituto Nacional de Cancerología, Mexico City 14080, Mexico;
| | - Laura Romero
- Departamento de Patología, Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City 04510, Mexico; (L.R.); (M.G.)
| | | | - David Vail
- Department of Medical Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI 53706, USA;
| | - Marina Guadarrama
- Departamento de Patología, Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City 04510, Mexico; (L.R.); (M.G.)
| | - Rosana Pelayo
- Unidad de Educación e Investigación, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, Mexico City 06720, Mexico;
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica de Oriente, CIBIOR, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, Puebla 06720, Mexico
| | - Rosa Elena Sarmiento-Silva
- Departamento de Microbiología e Inmunología, Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City 04510, Mexico;
| | - Marcela Lizano
- Unidad de Investigación Biomédica en Cáncer, Instituto Nacional de Cancerología, Mexico City 14080, Mexico
- Departamento de Medicina Genómica y Toxicología Ambiental, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City 04510, Mexico
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25
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Piergentili R, Marinelli E, Cucinella G, Lopez A, Napoletano G, Gullo G, Zaami S. miR-125 in Breast Cancer Etiopathogenesis: An Emerging Role as a Biomarker in Differential Diagnosis, Regenerative Medicine, and the Challenges of Personalized Medicine. Noncoding RNA 2024; 10:16. [PMID: 38525735 PMCID: PMC10961778 DOI: 10.3390/ncrna10020016] [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: 12/15/2023] [Revised: 02/10/2024] [Accepted: 02/19/2024] [Indexed: 03/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Breast Cancer (BC) is one of the most common cancer types worldwide, and it is characterized by a complex etiopathogenesis, resulting in an equally complex classification of subtypes. MicroRNA (miRNA or miR) are small non-coding RNA molecules that have an essential role in gene expression and are significantly linked to tumor development and angiogenesis in different types of cancer. Recently, complex interactions among coding and non-coding RNA have been elucidated, further shedding light on the complexity of the roles these molecules fulfill in cancer formation. In this context, knowledge about the role of miR in BC has significantly improved, highlighting the deregulation of these molecules as additional factors influencing BC occurrence, development and classification. A considerable number of papers has been published over the past few years regarding the role of miR-125 in human pathology in general and in several types of cancer formation in particular. Interestingly, miR-125 family members have been recently linked to BC formation as well, and complex interactions (competing endogenous RNA networks, or ceRNET) between this molecule and target mRNA have been described. In this review, we summarize the state-of-the-art about research on this topic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberto Piergentili
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Pathology, Italian National Research Council (CNR-IBPM), 00185 Rome, Italy;
| | - Enrico Marinelli
- Department of Medico-Surgical Sciences and Biotechnologies, “Sapienza” University of Rome, 04100 Latina, Italy;
| | - Gaspare Cucinella
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Villa Sofia Cervello Hospital, University of Palermo, 90146 Palermo, Italy; (G.C.); (A.L.); (G.G.)
| | - Alessandra Lopez
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Villa Sofia Cervello Hospital, University of Palermo, 90146 Palermo, Italy; (G.C.); (A.L.); (G.G.)
| | - Gabriele Napoletano
- Department of Anatomical, Histological, Forensic and Orthopedic Sciences, Section of Forensic Medicine, “Sapienza” University of Rome, 00161 Rome, Italy;
| | - Giuseppe Gullo
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Villa Sofia Cervello Hospital, University of Palermo, 90146 Palermo, Italy; (G.C.); (A.L.); (G.G.)
| | - Simona Zaami
- Department of Anatomical, Histological, Forensic and Orthopedic Sciences, Section of Forensic Medicine, “Sapienza” University of Rome, 00161 Rome, Italy;
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26
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Begg LR, Orriols AM, Zannikou M, Yeh C, Vadlamani P, Kanojia D, Bolin R, Dunne SF, Balakrishnan S, Camarda R, Roth D, Zielinski-Mozny NA, Yau C, Vassilopoulos A, Huang TH, Kim KYA, Horiuchi D. S100A8/A9 predicts response to PIM kinase and PD-1/PD-L1 inhibition in triple-negative breast cancer mouse models. COMMUNICATIONS MEDICINE 2024; 4:22. [PMID: 38378783 PMCID: PMC10879183 DOI: 10.1038/s43856-024-00444-8] [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: 05/23/2023] [Accepted: 01/29/2024] [Indexed: 02/22/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Understanding why some triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) patients respond poorly to existing therapies while others respond well remains a challenge. This study aims to understand the potential underlying mechanisms distinguishing early-stage TNBC tumors that respond to clinical intervention from non-responders, as well as to identify clinically viable therapeutic strategies, specifically for TNBC patients who may not benefit from existing therapies. METHODS We conducted retrospective bioinformatics analysis of historical gene expression datasets to identify a group of genes whose expression levels in early-stage tumors predict poor clinical outcomes in TNBC. In vitro small-molecule screening, genetic manipulation, and drug treatment in syngeneic mouse models of TNBC were utilized to investigate potential therapeutic strategies and elucidate mechanisms of drug action. RESULTS Our bioinformatics analysis reveals a robust association between increased expression of immunosuppressive cytokine S100A8/A9 in early-stage tumors and subsequent disease progression in TNBC. A targeted small-molecule screen identifies PIM kinase inhibitors as capable of decreasing S100A8/A9 expression in multiple cell types, including TNBC and immunosuppressive myeloid cells. Combining PIM inhibition and immune checkpoint blockade induces significant antitumor responses, especially in otherwise resistant S100A8/A9-high PD-1/PD-L1-positive tumors. Notably, serum S100A8/A9 levels mirror those of tumor S100A8/A9 in a syngeneic mouse model of TNBC. CONCLUSIONS Our data propose S100A8/A9 as a potential predictive and pharmacodynamic biomarker in clinical trials evaluating combination therapy targeting PIM and immune checkpoints in TNBC. This work encourages the development of S100A8/A9-based liquid biopsy tests for treatment guidance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren R Begg
- Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Adrienne M Orriols
- Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA
- University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Markella Zannikou
- Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Chen Yeh
- Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA
- Biostatistics Collaboration Center, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA
- Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, USA
| | | | - Deepak Kanojia
- Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA
- Mythic Therapeutics, Waltham, MA, USA
| | - Rosemary Bolin
- Center for Comparative Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA
- Pennington Biomedical Research Center, Baton Rouge, LA, USA
| | - Sara F Dunne
- High Throughput Analysis Laboratory, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
| | - Sanjeev Balakrishnan
- University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Pulze.ai, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Roman Camarda
- University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Novo Ventures US, Inc., San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Diane Roth
- Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Nicolette A Zielinski-Mozny
- Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA
- Center for Comparative Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Christina Yau
- University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Athanassios Vassilopoulos
- Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA
- Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA
- AbbVie, Inc., North Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Tzu-Hsuan Huang
- Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Kwang-Youn A Kim
- Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA
- Biostatistics Collaboration Center, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Dai Horiuchi
- Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA.
- Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA.
- Center for Human Immunobiology, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA.
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Ntostoglou K, Theodorou SDP, Proctor T, Nikas IP, Awounvo S, Sepsa A, Georgoulias V, Ryu HS, Pateras IS, Kittas C. Distinct profiles of proliferating CD8+/TCF1+ T cells and CD163+/PD-L1+ macrophages predict risk of relapse differently among treatment-naïve breast cancer subtypes. Cancer Immunol Immunother 2024; 73:46. [PMID: 38349444 PMCID: PMC10864422 DOI: 10.1007/s00262-024-03630-8] [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: 08/10/2023] [Accepted: 01/07/2024] [Indexed: 02/15/2024]
Abstract
Immunophenotypic analysis of breast cancer microenvironment is gaining attraction as a clinical tool improving breast cancer patient stratification. The aim of this study is to evaluate proliferating CD8 + including CD8 + TCF1 + Τ cells along with PD-L1 expressing tissue-associated macrophages among different breast cancer subtypes. A well-characterized cohort of 791 treatment-naïve breast cancer patients was included. The analysis demonstrated a distinct expression pattern among breast cancer subtypes characterized by increased CD8 + , CD163 + and CD163 + PD-L1 + cells along with high PD-L1 status and decreased fraction of CD8 + Ki67 + T cells in triple negative (TNBC) and HER2 + compared to luminal tumors. Kaplan-Meier and Cox univariate survival analysis revealed that breast cancer patients with high CD8 + , CD8 + Ki67 + , CD8 + TCF1 + cells, PD-L1 score and CD163 + PD-L1 + cells are likely to have a prolonged relapse free survival, while patients with high CD163 + cells have a worse prognosis. A differential impact of high CD8 + , CD8 + Ki67 + , CD8 + TCF1 + T cells, CD163 + PD-L1 + macrophages and PD-L1 status on prognosis was identified among the various breast cancer subtypes since only TNBC patients experience an improved prognosis compared to patients with luminal A tumors. Conversely, high infiltration by CD163 + cells is associated with worse prognosis only in patients with luminal A but not in TNBC tumors. Multivariate Cox regression analysis in TNBC patients revealed that increased CD8 + [hazard ratio (HR) = 0.542; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.309-0.950; p = 0.032), CD8 + TCF1 + (HR = 0.280; 95% CI 0.101-0.779; p = 0.015), CD163 + PD-L1 + (HR: 0.312; 95% CI 0.112-0.870; p = 0.026) cells along with PD-L1 status employing two different scoring methods (HR: 0.362; 95% CI 0.162-0.812; p = 0.014 and HR: 0.395; 95% CI 0.176-0.884; p = 0.024) were independently linked with a lower relapse rate. Multivariate analysis in Luminal type A patients revealed that increased CD163 + was independently associated with a higher relapse rate (HR = 2.360; 95% CI 1.077-5.170; p = 0.032). This study demonstrates that the evaluation of the functional status of CD8 + T cells in combination with the analysis of immunosuppressive elements could provide clinically relevant information in different breast cancer subtypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Konstantinos Ntostoglou
- Department of Histopathology, Biomedicine Group of Health Company, 15626, Athens, Greece
- Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11527, Goudi, Athens, Greece
| | - Sofia D P Theodorou
- Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11527, Goudi, Athens, Greece
| | - Tanja Proctor
- Institute of Medical Biometry, University of Heidelberg, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Ilias P Nikas
- Medical School, University of Cyprus, 2029, Nicosia, Cyprus
| | - Sinclair Awounvo
- Institute of Medical Biometry, University of Heidelberg, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Athanasia Sepsa
- Department of Anatomic Pathology, Metropolitan Hospital, 9 Ethnarchou Makariou & 1 E. Venizelou Street, Neo Faliro, 18547, Piraeus, Greece
| | | | - Han Suk Ryu
- Department of Pathology, College of Medicine, Seoul National University Hospital, 03080, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Ioannis S Pateras
- 2nd Department of Pathology, Medical School, "Attikon" University Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 124 62, Athens, Greece.
| | - Christos Kittas
- Department of Histopathology, Biomedicine Group of Health Company, 15626, Athens, Greece
- Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11527, Goudi, Athens, Greece
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28
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Jääskeläinen MM, Tumelius R, Hämäläinen K, Rilla K, Oikari S, Rönkä A, Selander T, Mannermaa A, Tiainen S, Auvinen P. High Numbers of CD163+ Tumor-Associated Macrophages Predict Poor Prognosis in HER2+ Breast Cancer. Cancers (Basel) 2024; 16:634. [PMID: 38339385 PMCID: PMC10854814 DOI: 10.3390/cancers16030634] [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: 12/28/2023] [Revised: 01/22/2024] [Accepted: 01/30/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) are associated with a poor outcome in breast cancer (BC), but their prognostic value in different BC subtypes has remained somewhat unclear. Here, we investigated the prognostic value of M2-like TAMs (CD163+) and all TAMs (CD68+) in a patient cohort of 278 non-metastatic BC patients, half of whom were HER2+ (n = 139). The survival endpoints investigated were overall survival (OS), breast cancer-specific survival (BCSS) and disease-free survival (DFS). In the whole patient cohort (n = 278), a high CD163+ TAM count and a high CD68+ TAM count were associated with a worse outcome (p ≤ 0.023). In HER2+ BC, a high CD163+ TAM count was an independent factor for a poor prognosis across all the investigated survival endpoints (p < 0.001). The prognostic effect was evident in both the HER2+/hormone receptor-positive (p < 0.001) and HER2+/hormone receptor-negative (p ≤ 0.012) subgroups and regardless of the provision of adjuvant trastuzumab (p ≤ 0.002). In HER2-negative BC, the CD163+ TAM count was not significantly associated with survival. These results suggest that a high CD163+ TAM count predicts an inferior outcome, especially in HER2+ BC patients, and as adjuvant trastuzumab did not overcome the poor prognostic effect, combination treatments including therapies targeting the macrophage function could represent an effective therapeutic approach in HER2+ BC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Minna M. Jääskeläinen
- Cancer Center, Kuopio University Hospital, Wellbeing Services County of North Savo, 70029 Kuopio, Finland
- Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Eastern Finland, 70211 Kuopio, Finland
| | - Ritva Tumelius
- Kuopio Center for Gene and Cell Therapy, 70210 Kuopio, Finland
| | - Kirsi Hämäläinen
- Institute of Clinical Medicine, Clinical Pathology and Forensic Medicine, University of Eastern Finland, 70211 Kuopio, Finland
- Imaging Center, Clinical Pathology, Kuopio University Hospital, Wellbeing Services County of North Savo, 70029 Kuopio, Finland
- Biocenter Kuopio and Cancer Center of Eastern Finland, University of Eastern Finland, 70211 Kuopio, Finland
| | - Kirsi Rilla
- Institute of Biomedicine, University of Eastern Finland, 70211 Kuopio, Finland
| | - Sanna Oikari
- Institute of Biomedicine, University of Eastern Finland, 70211 Kuopio, Finland
| | - Aino Rönkä
- Cancer Center, Kuopio University Hospital, Wellbeing Services County of North Savo, 70029 Kuopio, Finland
- Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Eastern Finland, 70211 Kuopio, Finland
| | - Tuomas Selander
- Science Services Center, Kuopio University Hospital, Wellbeing Services County of North Savo, 70029 Kuopio, Finland
| | - Arto Mannermaa
- Institute of Clinical Medicine, Clinical Pathology and Forensic Medicine, University of Eastern Finland, 70211 Kuopio, Finland
- Biobank of Eastern Finland, Kuopio University Hospital, Wellbeing Services County of North Savo, 700029 Kuopio, Finland
| | - Satu Tiainen
- Cancer Center, Kuopio University Hospital, Wellbeing Services County of North Savo, 70029 Kuopio, Finland
- Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Eastern Finland, 70211 Kuopio, Finland
| | - Päivi Auvinen
- Cancer Center, Kuopio University Hospital, Wellbeing Services County of North Savo, 70029 Kuopio, Finland
- Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Eastern Finland, 70211 Kuopio, Finland
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29
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Dimitrakopoulos FI, Goussia A, Koliou GA, Dadouli K, Batistatou A, Kourea HP, Bobos M, Arapantoni-Dadioti P, Tzaida O, Koletsa T, Chrisafi S, Sotiropoulou M, Papoudou-Bai A, Nicolaou I, Charchanti A, Mauri D, Aravantinos G, Binas I, Res E, Psyrri A, Pectasides D, Bafaloukos D, Koumarianou A, Bompolaki I, Rigakos G, Karanikiotis C, Koutras A, Zagouri F, Gogas H, Fountzilas G. Ten-year clinical outcome, toxicity and compliance of dose-dense sequential adjuvant administration of cyclophosphamide & epirubicin followed by docetaxel in patients with early breast cancer: A hellenic cooperative oncology group observational study (HE 10/10) with concurrent investigation of significance of tumor infiltrating lymphocytes. Breast 2024; 73:103668. [PMID: 38176305 PMCID: PMC10791571 DOI: 10.1016/j.breast.2023.103668] [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: 10/26/2023] [Revised: 12/18/2023] [Accepted: 12/21/2023] [Indexed: 01/06/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Dose-dense sequential (dds) chemotherapy has changed the clinical outcome of patients with early breast cancer (BC). To investigate the impact of dose intensity (DI) in the adjuvant setting of BC, this observational trial (HE 10/10) was conducted assessing the long-term survival outcome, safety and toxicity of a currently widely used chemotherapeutic regimen. In addition, the prognostic significance of tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) and infiltrating CD8+ lymphocytes were also evaluated in the same cohort. PATIENTS AND METHODS Totally, 1054 patients were prospectively enrolled in the current study with 1024 patients being eligible, while adequate tissue was available for 596 of them. TILs, CD8+ lymphocytes in intratumoral areas in contact with malignant cells (iCD8), CD8+ lymphocytes in tumor stroma (sCD8) as well as the total number of CD8+ lymphocytes within the tumor area (total CD8) were assessed by immunohistochemistry. RESULTS Within a median follow-up of 125.18 months, a total of 200 disease-free survival (DFS) events (19.5%) were reported. Importantly, the 10-year DFS and OS rates were 78.4% (95% CI 75.0-81.5) and 81.7% (95% CI 79.0-84.1), respectively. Interestingly, higher CD8+ T cells as well as TILs in the tumor microenvironment were associated with an improved long-term survival outcome. CONCLUSIONS In conclusion, this study confirms the significance of dds adjuvant chemotherapeutic regimen in terms of long-term survival outcome, safety and toxicity as well as the prognostic significance of TILs and infiltrating CD8+ lymphocytes in BC patients with early-stage disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Foteinos-Ioannis Dimitrakopoulos
- Division of Oncology, University Hospital of Patras "Panagia the Help", University of Patras, Patras, Greece; Molecular Oncology Laboratory, Department of Medicine, University of Patras, Patras, Greece.
| | - Anna Goussia
- Department of Pathology, Ioannina University Hospital, Ioannina, Greece; Department of Pathology, German Oncology Center, Limassol, Cyprus
| | | | - Katerina Dadouli
- Laboratory of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Thessaly, Larissa, Greece
| | - Anna Batistatou
- Department of Pathology, Ioannina University Hospital, Ioannina, Greece
| | - Helen P Kourea
- Department of Pathology, University Hospital of Patras, Rion, Greece
| | - Mattheos Bobos
- Laboratory of Molecular Oncology, Hellenic Foundation for Cancer Research/Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece; Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Health Sciences, International Hellenic University, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | | | - Olympia Tzaida
- Department of Pathology, Metaxas Cancer Hospital, Piraeus, Greece
| | - Triantafyllia Koletsa
- Department of Pathology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Sofia Chrisafi
- Laboratory of Molecular Oncology, Hellenic Foundation for Cancer Research/Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | | | | | - Irene Nicolaou
- Department of Histopathology, Agii Anargiri Hospital, Athens, Greece
| | - Antonia Charchanti
- Department of Anatomy-Histology-Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Ioannina, Ioannina, Greece
| | - Davide Mauri
- Department of Medical Oncology, Medical School, University of Ioannina, Ioannina, Greece
| | - Gerasimos Aravantinos
- Second Department of Medical Oncology, Agii Anargiri Cancer Hospital, Athens, Greece
| | - Ioannis Binas
- Second Department of Medical Oncology, Metropolitan Hospital, Piraeus, Greece
| | - Eleni Res
- Third Department of Medical Oncology, Agii Anargiri Cancer Hospital, Athens, Greece
| | - Amanda Psyrri
- Section of Medical Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Attikon University Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens School of Medicine, Athens, Greece
| | - Dimitrios Pectasides
- Oncology Section, Second Department of Internal Medicine, Hippokratio Hospital, Athens, Greece
| | | | - Anna Koumarianou
- Hematology-Oncology Unit, Fourth Department of Internal Medicine, Attikon University Hospital, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece
| | | | - Georgios Rigakos
- Third Department of Medical Oncology, Hygeia Hospital, Athens, Greece
| | | | - Angelos Koutras
- Division of Oncology, University Hospital of Patras "Panagia the Help", University of Patras, Patras, Greece
| | - Flora Zagouri
- Department of Clinical Therapeutics, Alexandra Hospital, National Andistrian U Kapodniversity of Athens School of Medicine, Athens, Greece
| | - Helen Gogas
- First Department of Medicine, Laiko General Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens School of Medicine, Athens, Greece
| | - George Fountzilas
- Laboratory of Molecular Oncology, Hellenic Foundation for Cancer Research/Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece; Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece; Department of Medical Oncology, German Oncology Center, Limassol, Cyprus
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30
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Quail DF, Park M, Welm AL, Ekiz HA. Breast Cancer Immunity: It is TIME for the Next Chapter. Cold Spring Harb Perspect Med 2024; 14:a041324. [PMID: 37188526 PMCID: PMC10835621 DOI: 10.1101/cshperspect.a041324] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
Our ability to interrogate the tumor immune microenvironment (TIME) at an ever-increasing granularity has uncovered critical determinants of disease progression. Not only do we now have a better understanding of the immune response in breast cancer, but it is becoming possible to leverage key mechanisms to effectively combat this disease. Almost every component of the immune system plays a role in enabling or inhibiting breast tumor growth. Building on early seminal work showing the involvement of T cells and macrophages in controlling breast cancer progression and metastasis, single-cell genomics and spatial proteomics approaches have recently expanded our view of the TIME. In this article, we provide a detailed description of the immune response against breast cancer and examine its heterogeneity in disease subtypes. We discuss preclinical models that enable dissecting the mechanisms responsible for tumor clearance or immune evasion and draw parallels and distinctions between human disease and murine counterparts. Last, as the cancer immunology field is moving toward the analysis of the TIME at the cellular and spatial levels, we highlight key studies that revealed previously unappreciated complexity in breast cancer using these technologies. Taken together, this article summarizes what is known in breast cancer immunology through the lens of translational research and identifies future directions to improve clinical outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniela F Quail
- Rosalind and Morris Goodman Cancer Institute, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec H3A 1A3, Canada
- Department of Physiology, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec H3G 1Y6, Canada
| | - Morag Park
- Rosalind and Morris Goodman Cancer Institute, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec H3A 1A3, Canada
- Departments of Biochemistry, Oncology, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec H3G 1Y6, Canada
| | - Alana L Welm
- Department of Oncological Sciences, Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah 84112, USA
| | - H Atakan Ekiz
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Izmir Institute of Technology, Gulbahce, 35430 Urla, Izmir, Turkey
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31
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Li X, Zhang Y, Zhu C, Xu W, Hu X, Martínez DAS, Romero JLA, Yan M, Dai Y, Wang H. Circulating blood biomarkers correlated with the prognosis of advanced triple negative breast cancer. BMC Womens Health 2024; 24:38. [PMID: 38218823 PMCID: PMC10787989 DOI: 10.1186/s12905-023-02871-6] [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: 10/16/2023] [Accepted: 12/26/2023] [Indexed: 01/15/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) can improve survivals of metastatic triple negative breast cancer (mTNBC); however, we still seek circulating blood biomarkers to predict the efficacy of ICIs. MATERIALS AND METHODS In this study, we analyzed the data of ICIs treated mTNBC collected in Anhui Medical University affiliated hospitals from 2018 to 2023. The counts of lymphocytes, monocytes, platelets, and ratio indexes (NLR, MLR, PLR) in peripheral blood were investigated via the Kaplan-Meier curves and the Cox proportional-hazards model. RESULTS The total of 50 mTNBC patients were treated with ICIs. High level of peripheral lymphocytes and low level of NLR and MLR at baseline and post the first cycle of ICIs play the predictable role of immunotherapies. Lymphocytes counts (HR = 0.280; 95% CI: 0.095-0.823; p = 0.021) and NLR (HR = 1.150; 95% CI: 1.052-1.257; p = 0.002) are significantly correlated with overall survival. High NLR also increases the risk of disease progression (HR = 2.189; 95% CI:1.085-4.414; p = 0.029). When NLR at baseline ≥ 2.75, the hazard of death (HR = 2.575; 95% CI:1.217-5.447; p = 0.013) and disease progression (HR = 2.189; 95% CI: 1.085-4.414; p = 0.029) significantly rise. HER-2 expression and anti-tumor therapy lines are statistically correlated with survivals. CONCLUSIONS Before the initiation of ICIs, enriched peripheral lymphocytes and poor neutrophils and NLR contribute to the prediction of survivals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xingyu Li
- Department of Medical Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Jixi Road 218, Hefei, 230022, China
| | - Yanyan Zhang
- Department of Medical Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Jixi Road 218, Hefei, 230022, China
| | - Cheng Zhu
- Department of Medical Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Jixi Road 218, Hefei, 230022, China
| | - Wentao Xu
- Department of Medical Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Jixi Road 218, Hefei, 230022, China
| | - Xiaolei Hu
- Breast Center, Department of General Surgery, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, China
| | | | - José Luis Alonso Romero
- Department of Medical Oncology, Clinical University Hospital Virgen Arrixaca, Murcia, 30120, Spain
| | - Ming Yan
- Department of Medical Oncology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230022, China
| | - Ying Dai
- Department of Medical Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Jixi Road 218, Hefei, 230022, China.
| | - Hua Wang
- Department of Medical Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Jixi Road 218, Hefei, 230022, China.
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Donati B, Reggiani F, Torricelli F, Santandrea G, Rossi T, Bisagni A, Gasparini E, Neri A, Cortesi L, Ferrari G, Bisagni G, Ragazzi M, Ciarrocchi A. Spatial Distribution of Immune Cells Drives Resistance to Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer. Cancer Immunol Res 2024; 12:120-134. [PMID: 37856875 DOI: 10.1158/2326-6066.cir-23-0076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2023] [Revised: 06/22/2023] [Accepted: 10/19/2023] [Indexed: 10/21/2023]
Abstract
Neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) alone or combined with target therapies represents the standard of care for localized triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). However, only a fraction of patients have a response, necessitating better understanding of the complex elements in the TNBC ecosystem that establish continuous and multidimensional interactions. Resolving such complexity requires new spatially-defined approaches. Here, we used spatial transcriptomics to investigate the multidimensional organization of TNBC at diagnosis and explore the contribution of each cell component to response to NAC. Starting from a consecutive retrospective series of TNBC cases, we designed a case-control study including 24 patients with TNBC of which 12 experienced a pathologic complete response (pCR) and 12 no-response or progression (pNR) after NAC. Over 200 regions of interest (ROI) were profiled. Our computational approaches described a model that recapitulates clinical response to therapy. The data were validated in an independent cohort of patients. Differences in the transcriptional program were detected in the tumor, stroma, and immune infiltrate comparing patients with a pCR with those with pNR. In pCR, spatial contamination between the tumor mass and the infiltrating lymphocytes was observed, sustained by a massive activation of IFN-signaling. Conversely, pNR lesions displayed increased pro-angiogenetic signaling and oxygen-based metabolism. Only modest differences were observed in the stroma, revealing a topology-based functional heterogeneity of the immune infiltrate. Thus, spatial transcriptomics provides fundamental information on the multidimensionality of TNBC and allows an effective prediction of tumor behavior. These results open new perspectives for the improvement and personalization of therapeutic approaches to TNBCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benedetta Donati
- Laboratory of Translational Research, Azienda Unità Sanitaria Locale-IRCCS di Reggio Emilia, Reggio Emilia, Italy
| | - Francesca Reggiani
- Laboratory of Translational Research, Azienda Unità Sanitaria Locale-IRCCS di Reggio Emilia, Reggio Emilia, Italy
| | - Federica Torricelli
- Laboratory of Translational Research, Azienda Unità Sanitaria Locale-IRCCS di Reggio Emilia, Reggio Emilia, Italy
| | - Giacomo Santandrea
- Pathology Unit, Azienda Unità Sanitaria Locale-IRCCS di Reggio Emilia, Reggio Emilia, Italy
| | - Teresa Rossi
- Laboratory of Translational Research, Azienda Unità Sanitaria Locale-IRCCS di Reggio Emilia, Reggio Emilia, Italy
| | - Alessandra Bisagni
- Pathology Unit, Azienda Unità Sanitaria Locale-IRCCS di Reggio Emilia, Reggio Emilia, Italy
| | - Elisa Gasparini
- Oncology Unit, Azienda Unità Sanitaria Locale-IRCCS di Reggio Emilia, Reggio Emilia, Italy
| | - Antonino Neri
- Scientific Directorate, Azienda Unità Sanitaria Locale-IRCCS di Reggio Emilia, Reggio Emilia, Italy
| | - Laura Cortesi
- Department of Oncology and Hematology, Azienda Ospedaliera Policlinico di Modena, Modena, Italy
| | - Guglielmo Ferrari
- Breast Surgery Unit, Azienda Unità Sanitaria Locale-IRCCS di Reggio Emilia, Reggio Emilia, Italy
| | - Giancarlo Bisagni
- Oncology Unit, Azienda Unità Sanitaria Locale-IRCCS di Reggio Emilia, Reggio Emilia, Italy
| | - Moira Ragazzi
- Pathology Unit, Azienda Unità Sanitaria Locale-IRCCS di Reggio Emilia, Reggio Emilia, Italy
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences for Children and Adults, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
| | - Alessia Ciarrocchi
- Laboratory of Translational Research, Azienda Unità Sanitaria Locale-IRCCS di Reggio Emilia, Reggio Emilia, Italy
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Kina E, Laverdure JP, Durette C, Lanoix J, Courcelles M, Zhao Q, Apavaloaei A, Larouche JD, Hardy MP, Vincent K, Gendron P, Hesnard L, Thériault C, Ruiz Cuevas MV, Ehx G, Thibault P, Perreault C. Breast cancer immunopeptidomes contain numerous shared tumor antigens. J Clin Invest 2024; 134:e166740. [PMID: 37906288 PMCID: PMC10760959 DOI: 10.1172/jci166740] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2022] [Accepted: 10/23/2023] [Indexed: 11/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Hormone receptor-positive breast cancer (HR+) is immunologically cold and has not benefited from advances in immunotherapy. In contrast, subsets of triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) display high leukocytic infiltration and respond to checkpoint blockade. CD8+ T cells, the main effectors of anticancer responses, recognize MHC I-associated peptides (MAPs). Our work aimed to characterize the repertoire of MAPs presented by HR+ and TNBC tumors. Using mass spectrometry, we identified 57,094 unique MAPs in 26 primary breast cancer samples. MAP source genes highly overlapped between both subtypes. We identified 25 tumor-specific antigens (TSAs) mainly deriving from aberrantly expressed regions. TSAs were most frequently identified in TNBC samples and were more shared among The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database TNBC than HR+ samples. In the TNBC cohort, the predicted number of TSAs positively correlated with leukocytic infiltration and overall survival, supporting their immunogenicity in vivo. We detected 49 tumor-associated antigens (TAAs), some of which derived from cancer-associated fibroblasts. Functional expansion of specific T cell assays confirmed the in vitro immunogenicity of several TSAs and TAAs. Our study identified attractive targets for cancer immunotherapy in both breast cancer subtypes. The higher prevalence of TSAs in TNBC tumors provides a rationale for their responsiveness to checkpoint blockade.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eralda Kina
- Institute for Research in Immunology and Cancer (IRIC), and
- Department of Medicine, University of Montreal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | | | | | - Joël Lanoix
- Institute for Research in Immunology and Cancer (IRIC), and
| | | | - Qingchuan Zhao
- Institute for Research in Immunology and Cancer (IRIC), and
- Department of Medicine, University of Montreal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Anca Apavaloaei
- Institute for Research in Immunology and Cancer (IRIC), and
- Department of Medicine, University of Montreal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Jean-David Larouche
- Institute for Research in Immunology and Cancer (IRIC), and
- Department of Medicine, University of Montreal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | | | | | | | - Leslie Hesnard
- Institute for Research in Immunology and Cancer (IRIC), and
| | | | - Maria Virginia Ruiz Cuevas
- Institute for Research in Immunology and Cancer (IRIC), and
- Department of Medicine, University of Montreal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Grégory Ehx
- Laboratory of Hematology, GIGA-I3, University of Liege and CHU of Liège, Liege, Belgium
| | - Pierre Thibault
- Institute for Research in Immunology and Cancer (IRIC), and
- Department of Chemistry, University of Montreal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Claude Perreault
- Institute for Research in Immunology and Cancer (IRIC), and
- Department of Medicine, University of Montreal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
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Chen C, Lu C, Viswanathan V, Maveal B, Maheshwari B, Willis J, Madabhushi A. Identifying primary tumor site of origin for liver metastases via a combination of handcrafted and deep learning features. J Pathol Clin Res 2024; 10:e344. [PMID: 37822044 PMCID: PMC10766034 DOI: 10.1002/cjp2.344] [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: 02/01/2023] [Revised: 08/14/2023] [Accepted: 08/28/2023] [Indexed: 10/13/2023]
Abstract
Liver is one of the most common sites for metastases, which can occur on account of primary tumors from multiple sites of origin. Identifying the primary site of origin (PSO) of a metastasis can help in guiding therapeutic options for liver metastases. In this pilot study, we hypothesized that computer extracted handcrafted (HC) histomorphometric features can be utilized to identify the PSO of liver metastases. Cellular features, including tumor nuclei morphological and graph features as well as cytoplasm texture features, were extracted by computer algorithms from 175 slides (114 patients). The study comprised three experiments: (1) comparing and (2) fusing a machine learning (ML) model trained with HC pathomic features and deep learning (DL)-based classifiers to predict site of origin; (3) identifying the section of the primary tumor from which metastases were derived. For experiment 1, we divided the cohort into training sets composed of primary and matched liver metastases [60 patients, 121 whole slide images (WSIs)], and a hold-out validation set (54 patients, 54 WSIs) composed solely of liver metastases of known site of origin. Using the extracted HC features of the training set, a combination of supervised machine classifiers and unsupervised clustering was applied to identify the PSO. A random forest classifier achieved areas under the curve (AUCs) of 0.83, 0.64, 0.82, and 0.64 in classifying the metastatic tumor from colon, esophagus, breast, and pancreas on the validation set. The top features related to nuclear and peri-nuclear shape and textural attributes. We also trained a DL network to serve as a direct comparison to our method. The DL model achieved AUCs for colon: 0.94, esophagus: 0.66, breast: 0.79, and pancreas: 0.67 in identifying PSO. A decision fusion-based strategy was deployed to fuse the trained ML and DL classifiers and achieved slightly better results than ML or DL classifier alone (colon: 0.93, esophagus: 0.68, breast: 0.81, and pancreas: 0.69). For the third experiment, WSI-level attention maps were also generated using a trained DL network to generate a composite feature similarity heat map between paired primaries and their associated metastases. Our experiments revealed that epithelium-rich and moderately differentiated tumor regions of primary tumors were quantitatively similar to paired metastatic tumors. Our findings suggest that a combination of HC and DL features could potentially help identify the PSO for liver metastases while at the same time also potentially identify the spatial sites of origin for the metastases within primary tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chuheng Chen
- Department of Biomedical EngineeringCase Western Reserve UniversityClevelandOHUSA
| | - Cheng Lu
- Department of Biomedical EngineeringCase Western Reserve UniversityClevelandOHUSA
| | - Vidya Viswanathan
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical EngineeringGeorgia Institute of Technology and Emory UniversityAtlantaGAUSA
| | - Brandon Maveal
- Department of PathologyUniversity Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center and Case Western Reserve UniversityClevelandOHUSA
| | - Bhunesh Maheshwari
- Department of PathologyUniversity Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center and Case Western Reserve UniversityClevelandOHUSA
| | - Joseph Willis
- Department of Biomedical EngineeringCase Western Reserve UniversityClevelandOHUSA
- Department of PathologyUniversity Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center and Case Western Reserve UniversityClevelandOHUSA
| | - Anant Madabhushi
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical EngineeringGeorgia Institute of Technology and Emory UniversityAtlantaGAUSA
- Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Biomedical Informatics (BMI) and PathologyGeorgia Institute of Technology and Emory UniversityAtlantaGAUSA
- Atlanta Veterans Administration Medical CenterAtlantaGAUSA
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An HJ, Yang JW, Kim MH, Song DH. PD-L1 and PD-1 Expression in Early Stage Uterine Endometrioid Carcinoma. In Vivo 2024; 38:246-252. [PMID: 38148043 PMCID: PMC10756439 DOI: 10.21873/invivo.13431] [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: 09/11/2023] [Revised: 10/04/2023] [Accepted: 10/31/2023] [Indexed: 12/28/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND/AIM Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) and tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) for cancer treatment in clinical oncology have revolutionized patient care. However, no gold standard exists for the criteria of analytical validity of TILs of different types of cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS Clinicopathological data from 60 patients with endometrioid carcinoma (EC) who had undergone surgical treatment at the Gyeongsang National University Hospital between January 2002 and December 2009, were investigated. The programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1)/programmed cell death ligand 1 (PDL1) expression levels were characterized by immunohistochemical staining patterns, and the interpretations derived from machine learning morphometric analysis (Genie) and the pathologists' assessments were compared. In solid tumors, pathologists assessed the proportion of positive cells in each core of the tissue microarray. For Genie, the proportion of positive cells in the entire core and the number of positive cells per 1 mm2 were used. RESULTS Both the pathologists and Genie identified the same trend in association with tumor size, with significant differences (p=0.026, p=0.033). Genie expression showed a significant association with PD1 expression, and pathologists identified a significant association with PDL1 expression in immune cells. CONCLUSION The PD1 expression levels identified in immune cells of EC specimens were similar between the pathologists and Genie, suggesting that there is little resistance to the introduction of morphometric analysis. To our knowledge, this is the first study to introduce and validate machine learning as an integrated method for predicting prognosis and treatment based on PD1 expression in EC tumor microenvironments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hyo Jung An
- Department of Pathology, Gyeongsang National University Changwon Hospital, Changwon, Republic of Korea
- lnstitute of Medical Sciences, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju, Republic of Korea
- Department of Pathology, Gyeongsang National University School of Medicine, Jinju, Republic of Korea
| | - Jung Wook Yang
- lnstitute of Medical Sciences, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju, Republic of Korea
- Department of Pathology, Gyeongsang National University School of Medicine, Jinju, Republic of Korea
- Department of Pathology, Gyeongsang National University Hospital, Jinju, Republic of Korea
| | - Min Hye Kim
- Department of Pathology, Gyeongsang National University Hospital, Jinju, Republic of Korea
| | - Dae Hyun Song
- Department of Pathology, Gyeongsang National University Changwon Hospital, Changwon, Republic of Korea;
- lnstitute of Medical Sciences, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju, Republic of Korea
- Department of Pathology, Gyeongsang National University School of Medicine, Jinju, Republic of Korea
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Lynce F, Mainor C, Donahue RN, Geng X, Jones G, Schlam I, Wang H, Toney NJ, Jochems C, Schlom J, Zeck J, Gallagher C, Nanda R, Graham D, Stringer-Reasor EM, Denduluri N, Collins J, Chitalia A, Tiwari S, Nunes R, Kaltman R, Khoury K, Gatti-Mays M, Tarantino P, Tolaney SM, Swain SM, Pohlmann P, Parsons HA, Isaacs C. Adjuvant nivolumab, capecitabine or the combination in patients with residual triple-negative breast cancer: the OXEL randomized phase II study. MEDRXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR HEALTH SCIENCES 2023:2023.12.04.23297559. [PMID: 38105958 PMCID: PMC10723519 DOI: 10.1101/2023.12.04.23297559] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2023]
Abstract
Chemotherapy and immune checkpoint inhibitors have a role in the post-neoadjuvant setting in patients with triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). However, the effects of nivolumab, a checkpoint inhibitor, capecitabine, or the combination in changing peripheral immunoscore (PIS) remains unclear. This open-label randomized phase II OXEL study (NCT03487666) aimed to assess the immunologic effects of nivolumab, capecitabine, or the combination in terms of the change in PIS (primary endpoint). Secondary endpoints include the presence of ctDNA, toxicity, clinical outcomes at 2-years and association of ctDNA and PIS with clinical outcomes. Forty-five women with TNBC and residual invasive disease after standard neoadjuvant chemotherapy were randomized to nivolumab, capecitabine, or the combination. Here we show that a combination of nivolumab plus capecitabine leads to a greater increase in PIS from baseline to week 6 (91%) compared with nivolumab (47%) or capecitabine (53%) alone (log-rank p = 0.08), meeting the pre-specified primary endpoint. In addition, the presence of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) was associated with disease recurrence, with no new safety signals in the combination arm. Our results provide efficacy and safety data on this combination in TNBC and support further development of PIS and ctDNA analyses to identify patients at high risk of recurrence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Filipa Lynce
- Division of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
- Breast Oncology Program, Dana-Farber Brigham Cancer Center, Boston, MA, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Candace Mainor
- MedStar Georgetown University Hospital, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Renee N. Donahue
- Center for Immuno-Oncology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Xue Geng
- Georgetown University, Washington, DC
| | - Greg Jones
- NeoGenomics, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
| | - Ilana Schlam
- MedStar Washington Hospital Center, Washington, DC, USA
- Tufts Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | - Nicole J. Toney
- Center for Immuno-Oncology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Caroline Jochems
- Center for Immuno-Oncology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Jeffrey Schlom
- Center for Immuno-Oncology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Jay Zeck
- MedStar Georgetown University Hospital, Washington, DC, USA
| | | | | | - Deena Graham
- Hackensack University Medical Center, Hackensack, NJ, USA
| | | | | | - Julie Collins
- MedStar Georgetown University Hospital, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Ami Chitalia
- MedStar Washington Hospital Center, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Shruti Tiwari
- MedStar Washington Hospital Center, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Raquel Nunes
- Johns Hopkins Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | | | - Katia Khoury
- University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | | | - Paolo Tarantino
- Division of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Sara M. Tolaney
- Division of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
- Breast Oncology Program, Dana-Farber Brigham Cancer Center, Boston, MA, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | - Paula Pohlmann
- MedStar Georgetown University Hospital, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Heather A. Parsons
- Division of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
- Breast Oncology Program, Dana-Farber Brigham Cancer Center, Boston, MA, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
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Reznitsky FM, Jensen JD, Knoop A, Jensen MB, Laenkholm AV. Evaluation of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes, PD-L1, and PIK3CA mutations and association with prognosis in HER2-positive early stage breast cancer. Acta Oncol 2023; 62:1913-1920. [PMID: 37961947 DOI: 10.1080/0284186x.2023.2279685] [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: 08/19/2023] [Accepted: 10/31/2023] [Indexed: 11/15/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) have predictive and prognostic potential in HER2-positive breast cancer (HER2+ BC). Programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) is an immune checkpoint protein, with important roles in the tumor microenvironment, possibly in both tumor and immune cells (ICs), providing rationale for targeting with immune-checkpoint therapy. PIK3CA mutations are oncogenic, activating mutations, which are also of relevance in breast cancer. Herein, we investigate the frequency of TILs, PD-L1 and PIK3CA mutations, and whether these factors influence outcome, in early HER2+ BC. MATERIALS AND METHODS Stromal TILs (sTILs) and PD-L1 expressions were assessed using full tumor-sections and TMA, respectively, from 236 patients with HER2+ BC. TILs were assessed, according to a standardized method, as continuous measurement and according to three predefined categories: low (0-10%), intermediate (11-59%), and high (60-100%). PD-L1 immunohistochemistry (Ventana SP263) was evaluated and positivity defined as ≥1% expression in tumor and ICs. PIK3CA mutations (exons 9 and 20) were determined by pyrosequencing. RESULTS Fourteen percent of patients had high sTILs and 25% had a PIK3CA mutation. PD-L1 expression was more frequent in ICs (68%) than tumor cells (24%). Patients with low sTILs had a significantly worse overall survival (multivariate: HR 2.80; 95% CI 1.36-5.78; p = .02). DISCUSSION Patients with low sTILs had a significantly poorer survival, despite adequate treatment with adjuvant therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frances M Reznitsky
- Department of Surgical Pathology, Zealand University Hospital, Roskilde, Denmark
- Department of Pathology, Herlev and Gentofte Hospital, Herlev, Denmark
| | | | - Ann Knoop
- Department of Oncology, Copenhagen University Hospital, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Maj-Britt Jensen
- Danish Breast Cancer Group, Copenhagen University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark
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Corredor G, Bharadwaj S, Pathak T, Viswanathan VS, Toro P, Madabhushi A. A Review of AI-Based Radiomics and Computational Pathology Approaches in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer: Current Applications and Perspectives. Clin Breast Cancer 2023; 23:800-812. [PMID: 37380569 PMCID: PMC10733554 DOI: 10.1016/j.clbc.2023.06.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2023] [Revised: 05/30/2023] [Accepted: 06/15/2023] [Indexed: 06/30/2023]
Abstract
Breast cancer is one of the most common and deadly cancers worldwide. Approximately, 20% of all breast cancers are characterized as triple negative (TNBC). TNBC typically is associated with a poorer prognosis relative to other breast cancer subtypes. Due to its aggressiveness and lack of response to hormonal therapy, conventional cytotoxic chemotherapy is the usual treatment; however, this treatment is not always effective, and an important percentage of patients develop recurrence. More recently, immunotherapy has started to be used on some populations with TNBC showing promising results. Unfortunately, immunotherapy is only applicable to a minority of patients and responses in metastatic TNBC have overall been modest in comparison to other cancer types. This situation evidences the need for developing effective biomarkers that help to stratify and personalize patient management. Thanks to recent advances in artificial intelligence (AI), there has been an increasing interest in its use for medical applications aiming at supporting clinical decision making. Several works have used AI in combination with diagnostic medical imaging, more specifically radiology and digitized histopathological tissue samples, aiming to extract disease-specific information that is difficult to quantify by the human eye. These works have demonstrated that analysis of such images in the context of TNBC has great potential for (1) risk-stratifying patients to identify those patients who are more likely to experience disease recurrence or die from the disease and (2) predicting pathologic complete response. In this manuscript, we present an overview on AI and its integration with radiology and histopathological images for developing prognostic and predictive approaches for TNBC. We present state of the art approaches in the literature and discuss the opportunities and challenges with developing AI algorithms regarding further development and clinical deployment, including identifying those patients who may benefit from certain treatments (e.g., adjuvant chemotherapy) from those who may not and thereby should be directed toward other therapies, discovering potential differences between populations, and identifying disease subtypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Germán Corredor
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Emory University and Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA; Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center, Cleveland, OH
| | - Satvika Bharadwaj
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Emory University and Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA
| | - Tilak Pathak
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Emory University and Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA
| | - Vidya Sankar Viswanathan
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Emory University and Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA
| | | | - Anant Madabhushi
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Emory University and Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA; Atlanta VA Medical Center, Atlanta, GA.
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Lu Y, Chen QM, An L. Semi-reference based cell type deconvolution with application to human metastatic cancers. NAR Genom Bioinform 2023; 5:lqad109. [PMID: 38143958 PMCID: PMC10748484 DOI: 10.1093/nargab/lqad109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2023] [Revised: 11/01/2023] [Accepted: 12/13/2023] [Indexed: 12/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Bulk RNA-seq experiments, commonly used to discern gene expression changes across conditions, often neglect critical cell type-specific information due to their focus on average transcript abundance. Recognizing cell type contribution is crucial to understanding phenotype and disease variations. The advent of single-cell RNA sequencing has allowed detailed examination of cellular heterogeneity; however, the cost and analytic caveat prohibits such sequencing for a large number of samples. We introduce a novel deconvolution approach, SECRET, that employs cell type-specific gene expression profiles from single-cell RNA-seq to accurately estimate cell type proportions from bulk RNA-seq data. Notably, SECRET can adapt to scenarios where the cell type present in the bulk data is unrepresented in the reference, thereby offering increased flexibility in reference selection. SECRET has demonstrated superior accuracy compared to existing methods using synthetic data and has identified unknown tissue-specific cell types in real human metastatic cancers. Its versatility makes it broadly applicable across various human cancer studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yingying Lu
- Interdisciplinary Program in Statistics and Data Science, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
| | - Qin M Chen
- College of Pharmacy, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
- Cancer Biology Program, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
| | - Lingling An
- Interdisciplinary Program in Statistics and Data Science, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
- Department of Biosystems Engineering, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
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Jiang W, Wu R, Yang T, Yu S, Xing W. Profiling regulatory T lymphocytes within the tumor microenvironment of breast cancer via radiomics. Cancer Med 2023; 12:21861-21872. [PMID: 38083903 PMCID: PMC10757114 DOI: 10.1002/cam4.6757] [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: 06/18/2023] [Revised: 10/13/2023] [Accepted: 11/16/2023] [Indexed: 12/31/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To generate an image-driven biomarker (Rad_score) to predict tumor-infiltrating regulatory T lymphocytes (Treg) in breast cancer (BC). METHODS Overall, 928 BC patients were enrolled from the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) for survival analysis; MRI (n = 71 and n = 30 in the training and validation sets, respectively) from the Cancer Imaging Archive (TCIA) were retrieved and subjected to repeat least absolute shrinkage and selection operator for feature reduction. The radiomic scores (rad_score) for Treg infiltration estimation were calculated via support vector machine (SVM) and logistic regression (LR) algorithms, and validated on the remaining patients. RESULTS Landmark analysis indicated Treg infiltration was a risk factor for BC patients in the first 5 years and after 10 years of diagnosis (p = 0.007 and 0.018, respectively). Altogether, 108 radiomic features were extracted from MRI images, 4 of which remained for model construction. Areas under curves (AUCs) of the SVM model were 0.744 (95% CI 0.622-0.867) and 0.733 (95% CI 0.535-0.931) for training and validation sets, respectively, while for the LR model, AUCs were 0.771 (95% CI 0.657-0.885) and 0.724 (95% CI 0.522-0.926). The calibration curves indicated good agreement between prediction and true value (p > 0.05), and DCA shows the high clinical utility of the radiomic model. Rad_score was significantly correlated with immune inhibitory genes like CTLA4 and PDCD1. CONCLUSIONS High Treg infiltration is a risk factor for patients with BC. The Rad_score formulated on radiomic features is a novel tool to predict Treg abundance in the tumor microenvironment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenying Jiang
- Department of RadiologyThe Third Affiliated Hospital of Soochow UniversityChangzhouChina
- Department of Breast SurgeryThe Third Affiliated Hospital of Soochow UniversityChangzhouChina
| | - Ruoxi Wu
- Department of RadiologyThe Third Affiliated Hospital of Soochow UniversityChangzhouChina
| | - Tao Yang
- Department of Breast SurgeryGansu Provincial Maternity and Child Care HospitalLanzhouChina
| | - Shengnan Yu
- Department of RadiologyThe Third Affiliated Hospital of Soochow UniversityChangzhouChina
| | - Wei Xing
- Department of RadiologyThe Third Affiliated Hospital of Soochow UniversityChangzhouChina
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Wong RSJ, Ong RJM, Lim JSJ. Immune checkpoint inhibitors in breast cancer: development, mechanisms of resistance and potential management strategies. CANCER DRUG RESISTANCE (ALHAMBRA, CALIF.) 2023; 6:768-787. [PMID: 38263984 PMCID: PMC10804393 DOI: 10.20517/cdr.2023.58] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2023] [Revised: 10/14/2023] [Accepted: 10/31/2023] [Indexed: 01/25/2024]
Abstract
The use of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) has increased exponentially in the past decade, although its progress specifically for breast cancer has been modest. The first U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval for ICI in breast cancer came in 2019, eight years after the first-ever approval of an ICI. At present, current indications for ICIs are relevant only to a subset of patients with triple-negative breast cancer, or those displaying high microsatellite instability or deficiency in the mismatch repair protein pathway. With an increasing understanding of the limitations of using ICIs, which stem from breast cancer being innately poorly immunogenic, as well as the presence of various intrinsic and acquired resistance pathways, ongoing trials are evaluating different combination therapies to overcome these barriers. In this review, we aim to describe the development timeline of ICIs and resistance mechanisms limiting their utility, and summarise the available approaches and ongoing trials relevant to overcoming each resistance mechanism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel SJ Wong
- Department of Haematology-Oncology, National University Cancer Institute, National University Hospital, Singapore 119228, Singapore
- Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore 119228, Singapore
| | - Rebecca JM Ong
- Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore 119228, Singapore
| | - Joline SJ Lim
- Department of Haematology-Oncology, National University Cancer Institute, National University Hospital, Singapore 119228, Singapore
- Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore 119228, Singapore
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Pescia C, Guerini-Rocco E, Viale G, Fusco N. Advances in Early Breast Cancer Risk Profiling: From Histopathology to Molecular Technologies. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:5430. [PMID: 38001690 PMCID: PMC10670146 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15225430] [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: 10/15/2023] [Revised: 11/05/2023] [Accepted: 11/14/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Early breast cancer (BC) is the definition applied to breast-confined tumors with or without limited involvement of locoregional lymph nodes. While risk stratification is essential for guiding clinical decisions, it can be a complex endeavor in these patients due to the absence of comprehensive guidelines. Histopathological analysis and biomarker assessment play a pivotal role in defining patient outcomes. Traditional histological criteria such as tumor size, lymph node involvement, histological type and grade, lymphovascular invasion, and immune cell infiltration are significant prognostic indicators. In addition to the hormone receptor, HER2, and-in specific scenarios-BRCA1/2 testing, molecular subtyping through gene expression profiling provides valuable insights to tailor clinical decision-making. The emergence of "omics" technologies, applicable to both tissue and liquid biopsy samples, has broadened our arsenal for evaluating the risk of early BC. However, a pressing need remains for standardized methodologies and integrated pathological models that encompass multiple analytical dimensions. In this study, we provide a detailed examination of the existing strategies for early BC risk stratification, intending to serve as a practical guide for histopathologists and molecular pathologists.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlo Pescia
- Division of Pathology, European Institute of Oncology IRCCS, 20141 Milan, Italy; (C.P.); (E.G.-R.); (G.V.)
- School of Pathology, University of Milan, 20141 Milan, Italy
| | - Elena Guerini-Rocco
- Division of Pathology, European Institute of Oncology IRCCS, 20141 Milan, Italy; (C.P.); (E.G.-R.); (G.V.)
- Department of Oncology and Hemato-Oncology, University of Milan, 20141 Milan, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Viale
- Division of Pathology, European Institute of Oncology IRCCS, 20141 Milan, Italy; (C.P.); (E.G.-R.); (G.V.)
| | - Nicola Fusco
- Division of Pathology, European Institute of Oncology IRCCS, 20141 Milan, Italy; (C.P.); (E.G.-R.); (G.V.)
- Department of Oncology and Hemato-Oncology, University of Milan, 20141 Milan, Italy
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Sanuki F, Mikami Y, Nishimura H, Fujita Y, Monobe Y, Nomura T, Taira N, Moriya T. Immunohistological analysis of B7-H4, IDO1, and PD-L1 expression and tumor immune microenvironment based on triple-negative breast cancer subtypes. Breast Cancer 2023; 30:1041-1053. [PMID: 37642903 DOI: 10.1007/s12282-023-01498-7] [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: 05/20/2023] [Accepted: 08/16/2023] [Indexed: 08/31/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND B7 homolog 4 (B7-H4) and indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO1) are factors involved in the inhibition of antitumor activity and are new therapeutic targets for immune checkpoint therapy. Our study aimed to simultaneously investigate the interrelationship among B7-H4, IDO1 and programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), including tumor immune microenvironment (TIME) and TNBC subtypes. METHODS Immunostaining for PD-L1, B7-H4, and IDO1 was performed on whole-slide sections of 119 cases of TNBC. The TIME was evaluated based on stromal tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (sTILs; %), pattern classification of TILs, tumor-stroma ratio (TSR), and tertiary lymphoid structure (TLS). TNBC subtypes were also determined by immunohistochemistry analysis of cytokeratin 5/6 and androgen receptor (AR) expression. RESULTS B7-H4 expression was significantly higher in cases with a combined positive score cutoff of 5 for PD-L1 (clone 28-8; p = 0.021), inflamed TIL pattern (p = 0.007), and TLS ≥ 4 (p = 0.006). B7-H4 expression was higher in case of CK5/6 ≥ 10 (p = 0.035). The H-scores of AR and B7-H4 were inversely correlated (ρ = - 0.509, p < 0.001). B7-H4 and IDO1 expression levels were inversely correlated in cases with AR < 10 (ρ = - 0.354, p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS These results suggest that considering the TIL pattern and TLS and identifying the expression of PD-L1 and the basal-like type are useful for estimating B7-H4 expression. In addition, luminal androgen receptor (LAR)-type is frequently deficient in B7-H4 expression. In non-LAR types, B7-H4 and IDO1 expression are exclusive.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fumiaki Sanuki
- Department of Pathology, Kawasaki Medical School, 577 Matsushima, Kurashiki, 701-0192, Japan
| | - Yuka Mikami
- Department of Pathology, Kawasaki Medical School, 577 Matsushima, Kurashiki, 701-0192, Japan
| | - Hirotake Nishimura
- Department of Pathology, Kawasaki Medical School, 577 Matsushima, Kurashiki, 701-0192, Japan
| | - Yoshinori Fujita
- Department of Pathology, Kawasaki Medical School, 577 Matsushima, Kurashiki, 701-0192, Japan
| | - Yasumasa Monobe
- Department of Pathology, Kawasaki Medical School General Medical Center, Okayama, Japan
| | - Tsunehisa Nomura
- Department of Breast and Thyroid Surgery, Kawasaki Medical School, Kurashiki, Japan
| | - Naruto Taira
- Department of Breast and Thyroid Surgery, Kawasaki Medical School, Kurashiki, Japan
| | - Takuya Moriya
- Department of Pathology, Kawasaki Medical School, 577 Matsushima, Kurashiki, 701-0192, Japan.
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44
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Makhlouf S, Wahab N, Toss M, Ibrahim A, Lashen AG, Atallah NM, Ghannam S, Jahanifar M, Lu W, Graham S, Mongan NP, Bilal M, Bhalerao A, Snead D, Minhas F, Raza SEA, Rajpoot N, Rakha E. Evaluation of tumour infiltrating lymphocytes in luminal breast cancer using artificial intelligence. Br J Cancer 2023; 129:1747-1758. [PMID: 37777578 PMCID: PMC10667537 DOI: 10.1038/s41416-023-02451-3] [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: 02/26/2023] [Revised: 09/08/2023] [Accepted: 09/20/2023] [Indexed: 10/02/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Tumour infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) are a prognostic parameter in triple-negative and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-positive breast cancer (BC). However, their role in luminal (oestrogen receptor positive and HER2 negative (ER + /HER2-)) BC remains unclear. In this study, we used artificial intelligence (AI) to assess the prognostic significance of TILs in a large well-characterised cohort of luminal BC. METHODS Supervised deep learning model analysis of Haematoxylin and Eosin (H&E)-stained whole slide images (WSI) was applied to a cohort of 2231 luminal early-stage BC patients with long-term follow-up. Stromal TILs (sTILs) and intratumoural TILs (tTILs) were quantified and their spatial distribution within tumour tissue, as well as the proportion of stroma involved by sTILs were assessed. The association of TILs with clinicopathological parameters and patient outcome was determined. RESULTS A strong positive linear correlation was observed between sTILs and tTILs. High sTILs and tTILs counts, as well as their proximity to stromal and tumour cells (co-occurrence) were associated with poor clinical outcomes and unfavourable clinicopathological parameters including high tumour grade, lymph node metastasis, large tumour size, and young age. AI-based assessment of the proportion of stroma composed of sTILs (as assessed visually in routine practice) was not predictive of patient outcome. tTILs was an independent predictor of worse patient outcome in multivariate Cox Regression analysis. CONCLUSION AI-based detection of TILs counts, and their spatial distribution provides prognostic value in luminal early-stage BC patients. The utilisation of AI algorithms could provide a comprehensive assessment of TILs as a morphological variable in WSIs beyond eyeballing assessment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shorouk Makhlouf
- Academic Unit for Translational Medical Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
- Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Assiut University, Assiut, Egypt
| | - Noorul Wahab
- Tissue Image Analytics Centre, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK
| | - Michael Toss
- Academic Unit for Translational Medical Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
- Department of Histopathology, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, Sheffield, UK
| | - Asmaa Ibrahim
- Academic Unit for Translational Medical Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
- Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Suez Canal University, Ismailia, Egypt
| | - Ayat G Lashen
- Academic Unit for Translational Medical Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
- Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Menoufia University, Menoufia, Egypt
| | - Nehal M Atallah
- Academic Unit for Translational Medical Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
- Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Menoufia University, Menoufia, Egypt
| | - Suzan Ghannam
- Academic Unit for Translational Medical Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
- Department of Histology and cell biology, Faculty of Medicine, Suez Canal University, Ismailia, Egypt
| | | | - Wenqi Lu
- Tissue Image Analytics Centre, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK
| | - Simon Graham
- Tissue Image Analytics Centre, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK
| | - Nigel P Mongan
- Biodiscovery Institute, School of Veterinary Medicine and Sciences, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
- Department of Pharmacology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, 10065, USA
| | - Mohsin Bilal
- Tissue Image Analytics Centre, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK
| | - Abhir Bhalerao
- Tissue Image Analytics Centre, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK
| | - David Snead
- University Hospital Coventry and Warwickshire, Coventry, UK
| | - Fayyaz Minhas
- Tissue Image Analytics Centre, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK
| | | | - Nasir Rajpoot
- Tissue Image Analytics Centre, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK.
| | - Emad Rakha
- Academic Unit for Translational Medical Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK.
- Department of Histopathology, Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, Nottingham, UK.
- Department of Pathology, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar.
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Rosa ML, Reinert T, Pauletto MM, Sartori G, Graudenz M, Barrios CH. Implications of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes in early-stage triple-negative breast cancer: clinical oncologist perspectives. TRANSLATIONAL BREAST CANCER RESEARCH : A JOURNAL FOCUSING ON TRANSLATIONAL RESEARCH IN BREAST CANCER 2023; 5:4. [PMID: 38751669 PMCID: PMC11093080 DOI: 10.21037/tbcr-23-43] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2023] [Accepted: 10/09/2023] [Indexed: 05/18/2024]
Abstract
Breast cancer (BC) is the most common neoplasm in women worldwide and one of the leading causes of female death. The triple-negative subtype, characterized by the absence of hormone receptor (HR) and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2), tends to occur in younger patients, be more aggressive and less differentiated. Furthermore, this subtype is considered the most immunogenic and associated with higher levels of tumor cell infiltration, mainly lymphocytes. Tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) play a crucial role in the interaction of the host's immune system and cancer cells. The microenvironment is critical in tumor development and progression. Assessment of infiltrating lymphocytes can provide valuable information about the immune response and, given the lack of biomarkers to guide treatment decisions and predict outcomes in triple-negative tumors and can be considered as a potential biomarker. Some evidence suggests that higher levels of these lymphocytes are associated with better responses to systemic treatment, longer progression-free survival and overall survival (OS). However, treatment escalation or de-escalation strategies for triple-negative BC (TNBC) currently do not consider the presence or density of TILs for therapeutic decisions. TILs appear to be useful predictive and prognostic indicators. Further clinical studies are needed to confirm these relationships and integrate TILs as a biomarker consistently into clinical practice. This article summarizes key concepts relating to the role of the immune infiltrate in BC, along with the current status and future prospects regarding TILs as a predictive and prognostic biomarker.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mahira Lopes Rosa
- Postgraduate Program in Medical Sciences, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, Brazil
- Oncoclínicas, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Tomas Reinert
- Oncoclínicas, Porto Alegre, Brazil
- Grupo Brasileiro de Estudos em Câncer de Mama (GBECAM), Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | | | - Guilherme Sartori
- Postgraduate Program in Medical Sciences, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, Brazil
- Centro de Pesquisa da Serra Gaúcha (CEPESG), Caxias do Sul, Brazil
| | - Marcia Graudenz
- Postgraduate Program in Medical Sciences, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, Brazil
- Department of Pathology, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Carlos Henrique Barrios
- Oncoclínicas, Porto Alegre, Brazil
- Latin American Cooperative Oncology Group (LACOG), Porto Alegre, Brazil
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Kotsifaki A, Alevizopoulos N, Dimopoulou V, Armakolas A. Unveiling the Immune Microenvironment's Role in Breast Cancer: A Glimpse into Promising Frontiers. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:15332. [PMID: 37895012 PMCID: PMC10607694 DOI: 10.3390/ijms242015332] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2023] [Revised: 10/13/2023] [Accepted: 10/16/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Breast cancer (BC), one of the most widespread and devastating diseases affecting women worldwide, presents a significant public health challenge. This review explores the emerging frontiers of research focused on deciphering the intricate interplay between BC cells and the immune microenvironment. Understanding the role of the immune system in BC is critical as it holds promise for novel therapeutic approaches and precision medicine strategies. This review delves into the current literature regarding the immune microenvironment's contribution to BC initiation, progression, and metastasis. It examines the complex mechanisms by which BC cells interact with various immune cell populations, including tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) and tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs). Furthermore, this review highlights the impact of immune-related factors, such as cytokines and immune checkpoint molecules. Additionally, this comprehensive analysis sheds light on the potential biomarkers associated with the immune response in BC, enabling early diagnosis and prognostic assessment. The therapeutic implications of targeting the immune microenvironment are also explored, encompassing immunotherapeutic strategies and combination therapies to enhance treatment efficacy. The significance of this review lies in its potential to pave the way for novel therapeutic interventions, providing clinicians and researchers with essential knowledge to design targeted and personalized treatment regimens for BC patients.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Athanasios Armakolas
- Physiology Laboratory, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece; (A.K.); (N.A.); (V.D.)
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Wu R, Oshi M, Asaoka M, Yan L, Benesch MG, Khoury T, Nagahashi M, Miyoshi Y, Endo I, Ishikawa T, Takabe K. Intratumoral Tumor Infiltrating Lymphocytes (TILs) are Associated With Cell Proliferation and Better Survival But Not Always With Chemotherapy Response in Breast Cancer. Ann Surg 2023; 278:587-597. [PMID: 37318852 PMCID: PMC10481934 DOI: 10.1097/sla.0000000000005954] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To investigate the clinical relevance of intratumoral tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) in breast cancer as measured by computational deconvolution of bulk tumor transcriptomes. SUMMARY BACKGROUND DATA Commonly assessed TILs, located in tumor stroma without direct contact with cancer cells (stromal TILs), correlate with breast cancer treatment response and survival. The clinical relevance of intratumoral TILs has been less studied partly due to their rarity; however, they may have nonnegligible effects given their direct contact with cancer cells. METHODS In all, 5870 breast cancer patients from TCGA, METABRIC, GSE96058, GSE25066, GSE163882, GSE123845, and GSE20271 cohorts were analyzed and validated. RESULTS The intratumoral TIL score was established by the sum of all types of lymphocytes using the xCell algorithm. This score was the highest in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) and the lowest in the ER-positive/HER2-negative subtype. It correlated with cytolytic activity and infiltrations of dendritic cells, macrophages, and monocytes, and uniformly enriched immune-related gene sets regardless of subtype. Intratumoral TIL-high tumors correlated with higher mutation rates and significant cell proliferation on biological, pathological, and molecular analyses only in the ER-positive/HER2-negative subtype. It was significantly associated with pathological complete response after anthracycline- and taxane-based neoadjuvant chemotherapy in about half of the cohorts, regardless of the subtype. Intratumoral TIL-high tumors correlated with better overall survival in HER2-positive and TNBC subtypes consistently in 3 cohorts. CONCLUSIONS Intratumoral TILs estimated by transcriptome computation were associated with increased immune response and cell proliferation in ER-positive/HER2-negative and better survival in HER2-positive and TNBC subtypes, but not always with pathological complete response after neoadjuvant chemotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rongrong Wu
- Department of Surgical Oncology, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Buffalo, NY
- Department of Breast Surgery and Oncology, Tokyo Medical University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Masanori Oshi
- Department of Surgical Oncology, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Buffalo, NY
- Department of Gastroenterological Surgery, Yokohama City University Graduate School of Medicine, Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Mariko Asaoka
- Department of Breast Surgery and Oncology, Tokyo Medical University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Li Yan
- Department of Biostatistics & Bioinformatics, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Buffalo, NY
| | - Matthew G.K. Benesch
- Department of Surgical Oncology, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Buffalo, NY
| | - Thaer Khoury
- Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Buffalo, NY
| | - Masayuki Nagahashi
- Division of Breast and Endocrine Surgery, Department of Surgery, Hyogo Medical University School of Medicine, Nishinomiya, Hyogo, Japan
| | - Yasuo Miyoshi
- Division of Breast and Endocrine Surgery, Department of Surgery, Hyogo Medical University School of Medicine, Nishinomiya, Hyogo, Japan
| | - Itaru Endo
- Department of Gastroenterological Surgery, Yokohama City University Graduate School of Medicine, Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Takashi Ishikawa
- Department of Breast Surgery and Oncology, Tokyo Medical University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Kazuaki Takabe
- Department of Surgical Oncology, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Buffalo, NY
- Department of Breast Surgery and Oncology, Tokyo Medical University, Tokyo, Japan
- Department of Gastroenterological Surgery, Yokohama City University Graduate School of Medicine, Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan
- Department of Surgery, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, State University of New York, Buffalo, NY
- Department of Surgery, Niigata University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Niigata, Japan
- Department of Breast Surgery, Fukushima Medical University, Fukushima, Japan
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Machiels M, Oulkadi R, Tramm T, Stecklein SR, Somaiah N, De Caluwé A, Klein J, Tran WT, Salgado R. Individualising radiation therapy decisions in breast cancer patients based on tumour infiltrating lymphocytes and genomic biomarkers. Breast 2023; 71:13-21. [PMID: 37437386 PMCID: PMC10512095 DOI: 10.1016/j.breast.2023.06.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2023] [Revised: 06/12/2023] [Accepted: 06/27/2023] [Indexed: 07/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Radiation therapy (RT) has long been fundamental for the curative treatment of breast cancer. While substantial progress has been made in the anatomical and technological precision of RT delivery, and some approaches to de-escalate or omit RT based on clinicopathologic features have been successful, there remain substantial opportunities to refine individualised RT based on tumour biology. A major area of clinical and research interest is to ascertain the individualised risk of loco-regional recurrence to direct treatment decisions regarding escalation and de-escalation of RT. Patient-tailored treatment with RT is considerably lagging behind compared with the massive progress made in the field of personalised medicine that currently mainly applies to decisions on the use of systemic therapy or targeted agents. Herein we review select literature surrounding the use of tumour genomic biomarkers and biomarkers of the immune system, including tumour infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs), within the management of breast cancer, specifically as they relate to progress in moving toward analytically validated and clinically tested biomarkers utilized in RT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melanie Machiels
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Iridium Netwerk, University of Antwerp, Health & Sciences, Antwerp, Belgium.
| | - Redouane Oulkadi
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Iridium Netwerk, University of Antwerp, Health & Sciences, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Trine Tramm
- Department of Pathology, Aarhus University Hospital, Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Shane R Stecklein
- Departments of Radiation Oncology, Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, And Cancer Biology, The University of Kansas Medical Center, KS, USA
| | - Navita Somaiah
- Division of Radiotherapy and Imaging, The Institute of Cancer Research, Breast Unit, The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, UK
| | - Alex De Caluwé
- Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Hôpitaux Universitaires de Bruxelles (H.U.B), Institut Jules Bordet, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Jonathan Klein
- State University of New York (SUNY) Downstate Health Sciences University and Maimonides Medical Center, NY, United States
| | - William T Tran
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Toronto & Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Toronto, Canada
| | - Roberto Salgado
- Division of Research, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, Australia; Department of Pathology, GZA - ZNA Hospitals, Antwerp, Belgium
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Begg LR, Orriols AM, Zannikou M, Yeh C, Vadlamani P, Kanojia D, Bolin R, Dunne SF, Balakrishnan S, Camarda R, Roth D, Zielinski-Mozny NA, Yau C, Vassilopoulos A, Huang TH, Kim KYA, Horiuchi D. S100A8/A9 predicts triple-negative breast cancer response to PIM kinase and PD-1/PD-L1 inhibition. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.09.21.558870. [PMID: 37790346 PMCID: PMC10542194 DOI: 10.1101/2023.09.21.558870] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/05/2023]
Abstract
It remains elusive why some triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) patients respond poorly to existing therapies while others respond well. Our retrospective analysis of historical gene expression datasets reveals that increased expression of immunosuppressive cytokine S100A8/A9 in early-stage tumors is robustly associated with subsequent disease progression in TNBC. Although it has recently gained recognition as a potential anticancer target, S100A8/A9 has not been integrated into clinical study designs evaluating molecularly targeted therapies. Our small molecule screen has identified PIM kinase inhibitors as capable of decreasing S100A8/A9 expression in multiple cell types, including TNBC and immunosuppressive myeloid cells. Furthermore, combining PIM inhibition and immune checkpoint blockade induces significant antitumor responses, especially in otherwise resistant S100A8/A9-high PD-1/PD-L1-positive tumors. Importantly, serum S100A8/A9 levels mirror those of tumor S100A8/A9 in a syngeneic mouse model of TNBC. Thus, our data suggest that S100A8/A9 could be a predictive and pharmacodynamic biomarker in clinical trials evaluating combination therapy targeting PIM and immune checkpoints in TNBC and encourage the development of S100A8/A9-based liquid biopsy tests.
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50
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Ma J, Chan JJ, Toh CH, Yap YS. Emerging systemic therapy options beyond CDK4/6 inhibitors for hormone receptor-positive HER2-negative advanced breast cancer. NPJ Breast Cancer 2023; 9:74. [PMID: 37684290 PMCID: PMC10491615 DOI: 10.1038/s41523-023-00578-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2023] [Accepted: 08/21/2023] [Indexed: 09/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Endocrine therapy (ET) with cyclin-dependent kinase 4/6 inhibitor (CDK4/6i) is currently the standard first-line treatment for most patients with hormone receptor (HR) positive, human epidermal growth factor receptor (HER2) negative advanced breast cancer. However, resistance to ET and CDK4/6i inevitably ensues. The optimal post-progression treatment regimens and their sequencing continue to evolve in the rapidly changing treatment landscape. In this review, we summarize the mechanisms of resistance to ET and CDK4/6i, which can be broadly classified as alterations affecting cell cycle mediators and activation of alternative signaling pathways. Recent clinical trials have been directed at the targets and pathways implicated, including estrogen and androgen receptors, PI3K/AKT/mTOR and MAPK pathways, tyrosine kinase receptors such as FGFR and HER2, homologous recombination repair pathway, other components of the cell cycle and cell death. We describe the findings from these clinical trials using small molecule inhibitors, antibody-drug conjugates and immunotherapy, providing insights into how these novel strategies may circumvent treatment resistance, and discuss how some have not translated into clinical benefit. The challenges posed by tumor heterogeneity, adaptive rewiring of signaling pathways and dose-limiting toxicities underscore the need to elucidate the latest tumor biology in each patient, and develop treatments with improved therapeutic index in the era of precision medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun Ma
- Division of Medical Oncology, National Cancer Centre Singapore, 30 Hospital Boulevard, Singapore, 168583, Singapore
| | - Jack Junjie Chan
- Division of Medical Oncology, National Cancer Centre Singapore, 30 Hospital Boulevard, Singapore, 168583, Singapore
- Oncology Academic Clinical Programme, Duke-NUS Medical School, 8 College Road, Singapore, 169857, Singapore
| | - Ching Han Toh
- Division of Medical Oncology, National Cancer Centre Singapore, 30 Hospital Boulevard, Singapore, 168583, Singapore
| | - Yoon-Sim Yap
- Division of Medical Oncology, National Cancer Centre Singapore, 30 Hospital Boulevard, Singapore, 168583, Singapore.
- Oncology Academic Clinical Programme, Duke-NUS Medical School, 8 College Road, Singapore, 169857, Singapore.
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