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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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Ohtaki Y, Kawabata-Iwakawa R, Nobusawa S, Goto Y, Shimizu K, Yajima T, Nakazawa S, Kawatani N, Yoshida Y, Sano T, Shirabe K. Molecular and expressional characterization of tumor heterogeneity in pulmonary carcinosarcoma. Mol Carcinog 2022; 61:924-932. [PMID: 35848137 DOI: 10.1002/mc.23448] [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: 04/11/2022] [Revised: 07/01/2022] [Accepted: 07/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
The genetic concordance and heterogeneity of the two components of pulmonary carcinosarcoma (PCS), carcinoma, and sarcoma, have not been fully elucidated because of its rare occurrence. We performed targeted sequencing of the carcinoma and sarcoma components of four PCSs to identify genetic similarities and differences. Formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue samples were macroscopically or microscopically dissected. DNA was extracted from each component, and genetic alterations were analyzed separately. Moreover, we performed RNA-seq analysis on both components of one PCS to compare differences in gene expression profiles. The carcinoma part consisted of adenocarcinoma in two cases, squamous cell carcinoma in one, and adenosquamous carcinoma in the last. TP53 mutation was observed in three samples from the trunk, although it was detected only in the sarcoma part in one case. No specific driver gene mutation was observed; however, KRAS mutations were observed in one case in the trunk. RNA-seq analysis revealed that the rhabdomyosarcoma component expressed various genes related to muscle development, whereas the carcinoma component did not; and that gene expression overall was completely different between the two components. Our study revealed that the two different components of PCS shared common gene mutations in most cases. Although gene expression was different among components, if driver genes such as KRAS were detected in PCS, molecular targeted therapy could be beneficial even when the tumor contains a sarcoma component.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yoichi Ohtaki
- Division of General Thoracic Surgery, Integrative Center of General Surgery, Gunma University Hospital, Maebashi, Gunma, Japan.,Department of General Surgical Science, Gunma University Graduate School of Medicine, Maebashi, Gunma, Japan
| | - Reika Kawabata-Iwakawa
- Division of Integrated Oncology Research, Gunma University, Initiative for Advanced Research, Maebashi, Gunma, Japan
| | - Sumihito Nobusawa
- Department of Human Pathology, Gunma University Graduate School of Medicine, Maebashi, Gunma, Japan
| | - Yusuke Goto
- Department of Pathology, Gunma University Hospital, Gunma, Japan
| | - Kimihiro Shimizu
- Division of General Thoracic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Shinshu University School of Medicine, Matsumoto, Nagano, Japan
| | - Toshiki Yajima
- Division of General Thoracic Surgery, Integrative Center of General Surgery, Gunma University Hospital, Maebashi, Gunma, Japan.,Department of General Surgical Science, Gunma University Graduate School of Medicine, Maebashi, Gunma, Japan.,Department of Innovative Cancer Immunotherapy, Gunma University Graduate School of Medicine, Maebashi, Gunma, Japan
| | - Seshiru Nakazawa
- Division of General Thoracic Surgery, Integrative Center of General Surgery, Gunma University Hospital, Maebashi, Gunma, Japan.,Department of General Surgical Science, Gunma University Graduate School of Medicine, Maebashi, Gunma, Japan
| | - Natsuko Kawatani
- Division of General Thoracic Surgery, Integrative Center of General Surgery, Gunma University Hospital, Maebashi, Gunma, Japan.,Department of General Surgical Science, Gunma University Graduate School of Medicine, Maebashi, Gunma, Japan
| | - Yuka Yoshida
- Department of Pathology, Gunma University Hospital, Gunma, Japan
| | - Takaaki Sano
- Division of Diagnostic Pathology, Gunma University Graduate School of Medicine, Maebashi, Japan
| | - Ken Shirabe
- Department of General Surgical Science, Gunma University Graduate School of Medicine, Maebashi, Gunma, Japan
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Intra-tumor and Inter-tumor Heterogeneity in MET Exon 14 Skipping Mutations and Co-mutations in Pulmonary Pleomorphic Carcinomas. Clin Lung Cancer 2021; 23:e185-e195. [PMID: 34702670 DOI: 10.1016/j.cllc.2021.09.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2021] [Revised: 09/11/2021] [Accepted: 09/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND MET exon 14 skipping mutation is a driver mutation in lung cancer and is highly enriched in pulmonary pleomorphic carcinomas (PPCs). Whether there is intratumor or intertumor heterogeneity in MET exon 14 skipping status or in co-occurring genetic alterations in lung cancers driven by MET exon 14 skipping is unknown. METHODS We analyzed tumor specimens obtained from 23 PPC patients (10 autopsied and 13 surgically resected). MET exon 14 skipping was detected by RT-PCR. For patients with MET exon 14 skipping mutation, further analyses were performed. Genomic DNA (gDNA) was extracted from various histological components for each patient who underwent surgical resection (to assess intratumor heterogeneity). In autopsied patients, gDNA and total RNA were extracted from all metastatic lesions (to assess intertumor heterogeneity). RESULTS MET exon 14 skipping mutation was detected in 4 patients (4/23, 17.4%): two surgically resected and two autopsied patients. We found no intratumor or intertumor heterogeneity in MET exon 14 skipping mutation status in these patients. We observed intratumor and intertumor heterogeneity in the copy number variations and/or mutational status of cancer-related genes; some of these differences may have an impact on MET tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) efficacy. CONCLUSION In our exploratory analysis of four cases, we observed that MET exon 14 skipping mutations are distributed homogeneously throughout histological components and between metastatic lesions. Our results also suggest that there is marked intertumor and intratumor heterogeneity in co-occurring genetic alterations, and therapeutic implications of such heterogeneity should be evaluated in future studies.
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