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Wang L, Huang Y, Sun X. Sintilimab combined with anlotinib as first-line treatment for advanced sarcomatoid carcinoma of head and neck: a case report and literature review. Front Oncol 2024; 14:1362160. [PMID: 38725630 PMCID: PMC11080619 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2024.1362160] [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: 12/27/2023] [Accepted: 04/10/2024] [Indexed: 05/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Sarcomatoid carcinoma (SC) is a rare, complex, aggressive tumor that spreads rapidly, is highly malignant, and has metastasized. Surgical resection is the primary treatment, and it usually occurs in the lungs and kidneys but rarely in the neck. Patients with advanced sarcomatoid carcinoma (SC) of the head and neck (HN) have a poor progonsis. In recent years, immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have been established as treatments for many solid tumors; however, the effectiveness of ICIs in treating SC of HN is still little recognized. We report a case study of a middle-aged woman with primary sarcomatoid carcinoma of the neck. She developed sarcomatoid carcinoma of the contralateral neck 7 months after the first surgical treatment. Subsequently, disease recurrence and metastasis occurred 8 months after the second surgery. The patient did not receive any treatment after both surgeries. The tumor showed high programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression, with a combined positive score (CPS): 95. The patient's response to treatment was assessed as partial remission (PR) after 2 cycles of anlotinib combined with sintilimab. The patient has survived for over 2 years and remains in PR status, despite experiencing grade 2 hypothyroidism as an adverse event during treatment. The case highlights the efficacy and safety of anlotinib and sintilimab as a first-line treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei Wang
- Graduate School of Clinical Medicine, Bengbu Medical University, Bengbu, Anhui, China
| | - Yingyu Huang
- Cancer Center, Department of Medical Oncology, Zhejiang Provincial People’s Hospital, Affiliated People’s Hospital, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
- Graduate School of Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Xin Sun
- Graduate School of Clinical Medicine, Bengbu Medical University, Bengbu, Anhui, China
- Cancer Center, Department of Medical Oncology, Zhejiang Provincial People’s Hospital, Affiliated People’s Hospital, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
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Wei Y, Wang L, Jin Z, Jia Q, Brcic L, Akaba T, Chu Q. Biological characteristics and clinical treatment of pulmonary sarcomatoid carcinoma: a narrative review. Transl Lung Cancer Res 2024; 13:635-653. [PMID: 38601447 PMCID: PMC11002509 DOI: 10.21037/tlcr-24-127] [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: 02/04/2024] [Accepted: 03/12/2024] [Indexed: 04/12/2024]
Abstract
Background and Objective Pulmonary sarcomatoid carcinoma (PSC) is a subset of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with highly malignant, aggressive, and heterogeneous features. Patients with this disease account for approximately 0.1-0.4% of lung cancer cases. The absence of comprehensive summaries on the basic biology and clinical treatments for PSC means there is limited systematic awareness and understanding of this rare disease. This paper provides an overview of the biological characteristics of PSC and systematically summarizes various treatment strategies available for patients with this disease. Methods For this narrative review, we have searched literature related to the basic biology and clinical treatment approaches of PSC by searching the PubMed database for articles published from July 16, 1990 to August 29, 2023. The following keywords were used: "pulmonary sarcomatoid carcinoma", "genetic mutations", "immune microenvironment", "hypoxia", "angiogenesis", "overall survival", "surgery", "radiotherapy", "chemotherapy", and "immune checkpoint inhibitors". Key Content and Findings Classical PSC comprises epithelial and sarcomatoid components, with most studies suggesting a common origin. PSC exhibits a higher tumor mutational burden (TMB) and mutation frequency than other types of NSCLC. The tumor microenvironment (TME) of PSC is characterized by hypoxia, hypermetabolism, elevated programmed cell death protein 1/programmed cell death-ligand 1 expression, and high immune cell infiltration. Treatment strategies for advanced PSC are mainly based on traditional NSCLC treatments, but PSC exhibits resistance to chemotherapy and radiotherapy. The advancement of genome sequencing has introduced targeted therapies as an option for mutation-positive PSC cases. Moreover, due to the characteristics of the immune microenvironment of PSC, many patients positively respond to immunotherapy, demonstrating its potential for the management of PSC. Conclusions Although several studies have examined and assessed the TME of PSC, these are limited in quantity and quality, presenting challenges for research into the clinical treatment strategies for PSC. With the emergence of new technologies and the advancement of clinical research, for example, savolitinib's clinical study for MET exon 14 skipping mutations positive PSC patients have shown promising outcomes, more in-depth studies on PSC are eagerly anticipated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuxuan Wei
- Department of Oncology, Tongji Hospital, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Lei Wang
- Department of Oncology, Tongji Hospital, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Zheng Jin
- Institute of Life Sciences, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
- Research Institute, GloriousMed Clinical Laboratory (Shanghai) Co., Ltd., Shanghai, China
| | - Qingzhu Jia
- Institute of Cancer, Xinqiao Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, China
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Immunotherapy, Xinqiao Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Luka Brcic
- Diagnostic and Research Institute of Pathology, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria
| | - Tomohiro Akaba
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, Tokyo Women’s Medical University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Qian Chu
- Department of Oncology, Tongji Hospital, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
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Hazama D, Nakahama K, Kodama H, Miyazaki A, Azuma K, Kawashima Y, Sato Y, Ito K, Shiraishi Y, Miura K, Takahama T, Oizumi S, Namba Y, Ikeda S, Yoshioka H, Tsuya A, Yasuda Y, Negi Y, Hara A, Toda M, Tachihara M. Effectiveness and Safety of Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors Alone or in Combination With Chemotherapy in Pulmonary Sarcomatoid Carcinoma. JTO Clin Res Rep 2024; 5:100613. [PMID: 38229769 PMCID: PMC10788284 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtocrr.2023.100613] [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: 06/02/2023] [Revised: 11/20/2023] [Accepted: 11/22/2023] [Indexed: 01/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction Pulmonary sarcomatoid carcinoma (PSC) is a rare subtype of lung cancer associated with poor prognosis and resistance to conventional chemotherapy. Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), alone or in combination with chemotherapy, were found to have clinical benefits in PSC in recent studies. Nevertheless, because these studies included a small number of patients owing to disease rarity, larger studies are needed to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of ICI-based therapy for PSC. Methods This multicenter retrospective study evaluated patients with ICI-naive advanced or metastatic PSC who were treated with ICI-based therapy at 25 hospitals in Japan. Results A total of 124 patients were evaluated. The overall response rate, median progression-free survival (PFS), and median overall survival (OS) were 59.0%, 10.5 months, and 32.8 months, respectively. The PFS and OS rates at 24 months were 35.3% and 51.5%, respectively. Programmed death-ligand 1 expression, concomitant chemotherapy, and the treatment line were not significantly associated with PFS or OS. Immune-related adverse events (irAEs) were observed in 70 patients (56.5%), including 30 (24.2%) with grade 3 to 5 events. Patients with mild irAEs (grades 1-2) had longer PFS and OS than did those with severe (grades 3-5) or no irAEs. In a multivariate analysis, any-grade irAEs and the absence of liver metastases were independently associated with PFS, whereas any-grade irAEs and Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status less than or equal to 1 were independently associated with OS. Conclusions ICI-based therapy was found to have promising effectiveness in patients with advanced or metastatic PSC, regardless of programmed death-ligand 1 expression, concomitant chemotherapy, or treatment line.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daisuke Hazama
- Division of Respiratory Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, Hyogo, Japan
| | - Kenji Nakahama
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, Osaka Metropolitan University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan
| | - Hiroaki Kodama
- Division of Thoracic Oncology, Shizuoka Cancer Center, Shizuoka, Japan
| | - Akito Miyazaki
- Department of Thoracic Oncology, National Hospital Organization Osaka Toneyama Medical Center, Osaka, Japan
| | - Koichi Azuma
- Division of Respirology, Neurology, and Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Kurume University School of Medicine, Fukuoka, Japan
| | - Yosuke Kawashima
- Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Sendai Kousei Hospital, Miyagi, Japan
| | - Yuki Sato
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, Kobe City Medical Center General Hospital, Hyogo, Japan
| | - Kentaro Ito
- Respiratory Center, Matsusaka Municipal Hospital, Mie, Japan
| | - Yoshimasa Shiraishi
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan
| | - Keita Miura
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, Juntendo University Graduate School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Takayuki Takahama
- Department of Medical Oncology, Kindai University Faculty of Medicine, Osaka, Japan
| | - Satoshi Oizumi
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, National Hospital Organization Hokkaido Cancer Center, Hokkaido, Japan
| | - Yoshinobu Namba
- Department of Respiratory Medicine and Medical Oncology, Takarazuka City Hospital, Hyogo, Japan
| | - Satoshi Ikeda
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, Kanagawa Cardiovascular and Respiratory Center, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Hiroshige Yoshioka
- Department of Thoracic Oncology, Kansai Medical University, Osaka, Japan
| | - Asuka Tsuya
- Department of Medical Oncology, Izumi City General Hospital, Osaka, Japan
| | - Yuichiro Yasuda
- Department of Thoracic Oncology, Hyogo Cancer Center, Hyogo, Japan
| | - Yoshiki Negi
- Department of Respiratory Medicine and Hematology, Hyogo Medical University, School of Medicine, Hyogo, Japan
| | - Ayako Hara
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, Itami City Hospital, Hyogo, Japan
| | - Michihito Toda
- Department of General Thoracic Surgery, Kansai Rosai Hospital, Hyogo, Japan
| | - Motoko Tachihara
- Division of Respiratory Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, Hyogo, Japan
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Fang R, Gong J, Liao Z. An advanced pulmonary sarcomatoid carcinoma patient harboring a BRAF V600E mutation responds to dabrafenib and trametinib: a case report and literature review. Front Oncol 2023; 13:1220745. [PMID: 37546400 PMCID: PMC10403232 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2023.1220745] [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: 05/11/2023] [Accepted: 06/28/2023] [Indexed: 08/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Background The pulmonary sarcomatoid carcinoma (PSC) is a rare and aggressive subtype of NSCLC with rapid progression and poor prognosis, and is resistant to conventional chemotherapy. Most PSC cases have potential targetable genomic alterations. Approximately 7% of PSC patients have BRAF mutations, and the efficacy of dabrafenib and trametinib in BRAFV600E mutated PSC is unclear. Case presentation Our report describes a patient with mutated BRAFV600E PSC who underwent surgery and adjuvant chemotherapy early but quickly relapsed. Both chemotherapy and immunotherapy were ineffective for him, combined dabrafenib and trametinib produced a 6-month progression-free survival, and a partial response was observed in the tumor response evaluation. As a result of financial pressure, he stopped taking the targeted drugs, and his disease rapidly progressed. Conclusion Dabrafenib combined with trametinib provides partial remission in patients with advanced PSC with BRAFV600E mutations, and large-scale NGS panels could offer more options for PSC treatment.
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Wang C, Yuan X, Xue J. Targeted therapy for rare lung cancers: Status, challenges, and prospects. Mol Ther 2023; 31:1960-1978. [PMID: 37179456 PMCID: PMC10362419 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymthe.2023.05.007] [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: 03/02/2023] [Revised: 04/29/2023] [Accepted: 05/10/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Lung cancer causes the most cancer-related deaths worldwide. In recent years, molecular and immunohistochemical techniques have rapidly developed, further inaugurating an era of personalized medicine for lung cancer. The rare subset of lung cancers accounts for approximately 10%, each displaying distinct clinical characteristics. Treatments for rare lung cancers are mainly based on evidence from common counterparts, which may lead to unsolid clinical benefits considering intertumoral heterogeneity. The increasing knowledge of molecular profiling of rare lung cancers has made targeting genetic alterations and immune checkpoints a powerful strategy. Additionally, cellular therapy has emerged as a promising way to target tumor cells. In this review, we first discuss the current status of targeted therapy and preclinical models for rare lung cancers, as well as provide mutational profiles by integrating the results of existing cohorts. Finally, we point out the challenges and future directions for developing targeted agents for rare lung cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chunsen Wang
- Division of Thoracic Tumor Multimodality Treatment, Cancer Center, the National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Xiang Yuan
- Division of Thoracic Tumor Multimodality Treatment, Cancer Center, the National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Jianxin Xue
- Division of Thoracic Tumor Multimodality Treatment, Cancer Center, the National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.
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