The role of immunotherapy in microsatellites stable metastatic colorectal cancer: state of the art and future perspectives

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide, despite several advances has been achieved in last decades. Few prognostic and predictive biomarkers guide therapeutic choice in metastatic CRC (mCRC), among which DNA mismatch repair deficiency and/or microsatellite instability (dMMR/MSI) holds a crucial role. Tumors characterized by dMMR/MSI benefit from immune checkpoint inhibitors. However, most of the mCRC patients (around 95%) are microsatellite stable (MSS), thereby intrinsically resistant to immunotherapy. This represents a clear unmet need for more effective treatments in this population of patients. In this review, we aim to analyze immune-resistance mechanisms and therapeutic strategies to overcome them, such as combinations of immunotherapy and chemotherapy, radiotherapy or target therapies specifically in MSS mCRC. We also explored both available and potential biomarkers that may better select MSS mCRC patients for immunotherapy. Lastly, we provide a brief overview on future perspectives in this field, such as the gut microbiome and its potential role as immunomodulator

The prognostic value of the previous nephrectomy in pretreated metastatic renal cell carcinoma receiving immunotherapy: a sub-analysis of the Meet-URO 15 study

Nephrectomy is considered the backbone of managing patients with localized and selected metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC). The prognostic role of nephrectomy has been widely investigated with cytokines and targeted therapy, but it is still unclear in the immunotherapy era

Targeting the DNA Damage Response Pathway as a Novel Therapeutic Strategy in Colorectal Cancer

Major advances have been made in CRC treatment in recent years, especially in molecularly driven therapies and immunotherapy. Despite this, a large number of advanced colorectal cancer patients do not benefit from these treatments and their prognosis remains poor. The landscape of DNA damage response (DDR) alterations is emerging as a novel target for treatment in different cancer types. PARP inhibitors have been approved for the treatment of ovarian, breast, pancreatic, and prostate cancers carrying deleterious BRCA1/2 pathogenic variants or homologous recombination repair (HRR) deficiency (HRD). Recent research reported on the emerging role of HRD in CRC and showed that alterations in these genes, either germline or somatic, are carried by up to 15–20% of CRCs. However, the role of HRD is still widely unknown, and few data about their clinical impact are available, especially in CRC patients. In this review, we report preclinical and clinical data currently available on DDR inhibitors in CRC. We also emphasize the predictive role of DDR mutations in response to platinum-based chemotherapy and the potential clinical role of DDR inhibitors. More preclinical and clinical trials are required to better understand the impact of DDR alterations in CRC patients and the therapeutic opportunities with novel DDR inhibitors

Beyond the Prognostic Value of 2-[18F]FDG PET/CT in Prostate Cancer: A Case Series and Literature Review Focusing on the Diagnostic Value and Impact on Patient Management

The role of 2-deoxy-2-[18F]fluoro-D-glucose Positron Emission Tomography/Computed Tomography (FDG PET/CT) in the management of prostate cancer (PCa) patients is increasingly recognised. However, its clinical role is still controversial. Many published studies showed that FDG PET/CT might have a prognostic value in the metastatic castration-resistant phase of the disease, but its role in other settings of PCa and, more importantly, its impact on final clinical management remains to be further investigated. We describe a series of six representative clinical cases of PCa in different clinical settings, but all characterised by a measurable clinical impact of FDG PET/CT on the patients’ management. Starting from their clinical history, we report a concise narrative literature review on the advantages and limitations of FDG PET/CT beyond its prognostic value in PCa. What emerges is that in selected cases, this imaging technique may represent a useful tool in managing PCa patients. However, in the absence of dedicated studies to define the optimal clinical setting of its application, no standard recommendations on its use in PCa patients can be made

Apalutamide-induced lichenoid reaction in a patient with non-metastatic castrate-resistant prostate cancer

Introduction Apalutamide is an oral selective androgen receptor inhibitor, approved by the FDA for the treatment of patients with non-metastatic, castration-resistant prostate cancer (M0 CRPC) at high risk of developing metastases and for patients with metastatic castration-sensitive prostate (mHSPC) in association with androgen deprivation therapy (ADT). In the registration studies, skin reactions were reported among the most common side effects and as an adverse event of special interest. Case Report Apalutamide-induced rash includes a wide spectrum of different types of skin reactions, but few cases reports and case series have described this adverse event. Here, we report an M0 CRPC patient who experienced a rare skin adverse event, a lichenoid reaction. Management & Outcome After 4 months of therapy with apalutamide, the patient reported dorsal pricking and dry skin. Lichenoid reaction was confirmed histologically and its correlation to the drug was demonstrated after pursuing a multidisciplinary approach. Discussion To our knowledge, this is one of the first cases of Apalutamide-related lichenoid reaction and this clinical case showed the relevance of a multidisciplinary management when assessing drug-related adverse events. A broader knowledge of the spectrum of drug-related reactions would allow for a better diagnosis and therapy management by both physicians and patients

Combined response of advanced cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma and renal cell carcinoma to immunotherapy: a case report

: Immune checkpoint inhibitors have significantly improved the therapeutic scenario of many different advanced malignancies and could be an effective treatment strategy in synchronous or metachronous tumors. The authors describe the clinical case of a patient who experienced a long-lasting response of his metastatic renal cell carcinoma and an optimal response of his locally advanced cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma to immunotherapy. The systemic treatment was chosen based on a literature review of several clinical reports, since there was no prospective study on anti-PD-1 blockade activity in cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma when the patient started the treatment. This clinical case supports the growing evidence for immunotherapy as a valid treatment option across different types of advanced tumors

Streamlining the diagnostic pathway for Lynch syndrome in colorectal cancer patients: a 10-year experience in a single Italian Cancer Center

Background: Universal screening of colorectal cancer (CRC) patients for Lynch syndrome (LS) through MisMatch Repair (MMR) testing is recommended. BRAF V600E mutation and/or MLH1 promoter methylation (Reflex Testing, RefT)generally rule out LS in MLH1-deficient (dMLH1) patients. We estimated the impact of RefTon genetic counseling (GC) and on the diagnostic yield of genetic testing (GT). Methods: Overall, 3199 CRC patients were referred to our center between 2011 and 2021. Patients referred until January 2019 (n=2536) underwent universal MMR testing and were termed 'Cohort A'; among patients after February 2019 (n=663), 'Cohort B', RefT was also performed in dMLH1 patients. Results: Overall, 401/3199 patients (12.5%) were MMR-deficient (dMMR); 312 (77.8%) in cohort A and 89 (22.2%) inB; 346/401 were dMLH1 (86.3%), 262/312 (83.9%) in cohort A and 84/89 (94.3%) in B. In Cohort A, 91/312 (29.1%) dMMR patients were referred to GC, 69/91 (75.8%) were in the dMLH1 group; 57/69 (82.6%) dMLH1 patients underwent GT and 1/57 (1.7%) had LS. In Cohort B, 3/84 dMLH1 patients did not undergo BRAF testing. Three BRAF wt and not hypermethylated of the remaining 81 dMLH1 patients were referred to GC and GT, and one had LS. This diagnostic pathway reduced GC referrals by 96% (78/81) in Cohort B and increased the diagnostic yield of GT by about 20 times. Conclusion: Our findings support RefT in dMLH1 CRC patients within the LS diagnostic pathway, as it reduces the number of GC sessions needed and increases the diagnostic yield of GT

Reliability of patient-reported toxicities during adjuvant chemotherapy

Background: Patient-reported outcomes (PROs) are validated tools to assess the impact of efficacy and toxicities of cancer treatments on patients' health status. Because of the demonstrated little reliability of humans in reporting memories of painful experiences, this work explores the reliability of cancer patients in reporting chemotherapy-related toxicities. Aim: This study aims to evaluate the concordance between toxicities experienced by the patients during chemotherapy and toxicities reported to the doctor at the end of the cycles. Methods: Questionnaires concerning chemotherapy-related toxicities were administered on days 2, 5, 8, 11, 14, and 17 of each chemo cycle and at the end of the same cycle to patients undergoing adjuvant chemotherapy. The co-primary end-points were Lins's concordance cor-relation coefficient (CCC) and mean difference between real-time and retrospective toxicity as-sessments. Results: In total, 7182 toxicity assessments were collected from 1096 questionnaires. Concor-dance was observed between the retrospective evaluations and the toxicity assessments at early (day 2), peak (maximum toxicity), late (day 14 or 17), and mean real-time evaluations for each chemotherapy cycle (CCC for mean ranging from 0.52 to 0.77). No systematic discrepancy was found between real-time and retrospective evaluations, except for peak, which was system-atically underestimated retrospectively. Conclusions: Toxicities reported by the patients to the doctor at the end of each chemotherapy cycle reflect what they actually experienced without any substantial distortion. This result is very relevant both for the clinical implications in daily patients' management and in the light of the current growing impact on digital monitoring of PROs. 2023 Published by Elsevier Ltd

Correlation of the immune tumor microenvironment (I-TME) with gene expression profiles as prognostic and predictive factors in patients (pts) with metastatic renal carcinoma (mRCC) treated with immunotherapy (Meet-URO 18 I-TME study)

Background: Several studies suggested that response to immunotherapy may be influenced by many factors, including peripheral blood biomarkers, the composition of I-TME and different molecular expression pathways. In mRCC patients, immunotherapy has become part of clinical practice, but the identification of patients most likely to respond to checkpoint inhibitors is still an unmet clinical need. Moreover, there are no validated and clinically applicable gene expression panels as prognostic and/or predictive response biomarkers. To date, three major groups of immune-related gene expression were identified in mRCC: the angiogenesis pathway, the T-effector pathway and the mixed pathway (doi: 10.1038/s41598-020-58804-y). Each group of gene expression seems to be responsible for a different type of immune response in the I-TME. However, a significant association with treatment response to immunotherapy has not yet been demonstrated. Methods: The Meet-URO 18 is a multicentric retrospective translational study aimed at identifying distinctive molecular patterns of the I-TME with a prognostic and predictive role in mRCC (primary objective). Pretreated mRCC patients receiving ≥2nd line nivolumab have been divided according to clinical benefit in responders (PFS ≥ 12 months) versus non-responders (PFS ≤ 3 months). Secondary objectives include the correlation between primary tumor and metastases to identify a potential inter-tumor heterogeneity and the correlation with survival and response outcomes. Histological samples of primary tumors and/or metastases have been collected for the transcriptomic analyses together with clinical data of patients from medical records. The transcriptomic characterization of the I-TME of the primary tumor and/or metastases will be performed using the analytical platform "nCounter" of NanoString®, which analyzes the expression of 71 genes involved in angiogenesis, immunomodulation mediated by T-effector response, mechanisms of tumor invasion and mechanisms of calcium channel flows. The gene-panel include a group of 66 genes previously demonstrated to be related in the immune-response in mRCC (doi: 10.1038/s41598-020-58804-y) and 5 housekeeping genes (RPS13, PPIA, RPL27, RP2, B-ACT)