Outcome of patients with local recurrent gynecologic malignancies after resection combined with intraoperative electron radiation therapy (IOERT)

Background: Treatment of recurrent gynecologic cancer is a challenging issue. Aim of the study was to investigate clinical features and outcomes of patients with recurrent gynecologic malignancies who underwent resection including IOERT (intraoperative electron radiation therapy) with regard to clinical outcome and potential predictive factors or subgroups that benefit most from this radical treatment regime. Methods: A total of 36 patients with recurrent gynecologic malignancies (cervical (n = 18), endometrial (n = 12) or vulvar cancer (n = 6)) were retrospectively identified through hospital databases in accordance with institutional ethical policies. Patient characteristics and outcomes were assessed. Survival data was analyzed using the Kaplan-Meier-method and log-rank-test, categorical variables were analyzed with chi-square-method. Results: For the entire cohort 1-/2-/5-year Overall Survival (OS) was 65.3 %/36.2 %/21.7 %. Patients with endometrial, cervical, and vulvar carcinoma had a 1-/2-/5-year OS of 83.3 %/62.5 %/50 %, 44.5 %/25.4 %/6.4 %, and 83.3 %/16.7 %/16.7 %, respectively. Patients with endometrial carcinoma showed a significantly better OS (p = 0.038). 1-/2-/5-year Local Progression-free Survival (LPFS) for the entire cohort was 44.1 %/28 %/21 % with 76.2 %/61 %/40.6 % for endometrial, 17.2 %/0 %/0 % for cervical, and 40 %/20 %/20 % for vulvar cancer, respectively. Patients with endometrial cancer showed a significantly (p = 0.017) and older patients a trend (p = 0.059) for a better LPFS. 1-/2-/5-year Distant Progression-free Survival (DPFS) for the entire cohort was 53.1 %/46.5 %/38.7 % with 74.1 %/74.1 %/74.1 % for endometrial, 36.7 %/36.7 %/0 % for cervical, and 60 %/30 %/30 % for vulvar cancer, respectively. There was a significantly better DPFS for older patients (p = 0.015) and a trend for a better DPFS for patients with endometrial carcinoma (p = 0.075). Conclusion: The radical procedure of resection combined with IOERT seems to be a valid curative treatment option for patients with recurrent endometrial carcinoma with 5-year survival rates of 50 %. For patients with cervical or vulvar cancer this treatment should be considered a rather palliative one and must be weighted carefully against other treatment options like chemotherapy, targeted therapies or new highly conformal radiotherapy techniques

Neutrophil Granulocytes in Ovarian Cancer - Induction of Epithelial-To- Mesenchymal-Transition and Tumor Cell Migration

Background: Ovarian cancer (OvCa) is a highly aggressive malignoma with a tumor-promoting microenvironment. Infiltration of polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMN) is frequently seen, raising the question of their impact on tumor development. In that context, effects of PMN on human ovarian cancer cells were assessed. Methods: Human epithelial ovarian cancer cells were incubated with human PMN, lysate of PMN, or neutrophil elastase. Morphological alterations were observed by time-lapse video-microscopy, and the underlying molecular mechanism was analyzed by flow cytometry and Western blotting. Functional alternations were assessed by an in vitro wound healing assay. In parallel, a large cohort of n=334 primary OvCa tissue samples of various histological subtypes was histologically evaluated. Results: Co-cultivation of cancer cells with either PMN or PMN lysate causes a change of the polygonal epithelial phenotype of the cells towards a spindle shaped morphology, causing a cribriform cell growth. The PMN-induced alteration could be attributed to elastase, a major protease of PMN. Elastase-induced shape change was most likely due to the degradation of membranous E-cadherin, which results in loss of cell contacts and polarity. Moreover, in response to elastase, epithelial cytokeratins were downmodulated, in parallel with a nuclear translocation of β-catenin. These PMN-elastase induced alterations of cells are compatible with an epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of the cancer cells. Following EMT, the cells displayed a more migratory phenotype. In human biopsies, neutrophil infiltration was seen in 72% of the cases. PMN infiltrates were detected preferentially in areas with low E-cadherin expression. Conclusion: PMN in the microenvironment of OvCa can alter tumor cells towards a mesenchymal and migratory phenotype

Cellular Immune Responses and Immune Escape Mechanisms in Breast Cancer: Determinants of Immunotherapy

More recently, immunotherapy has emerged as a novel potentially effective therapeutic option also for solid malignancies such as breast cancer (BC). Relevant approaches, however, are determined by the 2 main elements of cancer immunoediting - the elimination of nascent transformed cells by immunosurveillance on the one hand and tumor immune escape on the other hand. Correspondingly, we here review the role of the various cellular immune players within the host-protective system and dissect the mechanisms of immune evasion leading to tumor progression. If the immune balance of disseminated BC cell dormancy (equilibrium phase) is lost, distant metastatic relapse may occur. The relevant cellular antitumor responses and translational immunotherapeutic options will also be discussed in terms of clinical benefit and future directions in BC management

Translational toxicology in setting occupational exposure limits for dusts and hazard classification – a critical evaluation of a recent approach to translate dust overload findings from rats to humans

Background We analyze the scientific basis and methodology used by the German MAK Commission in their recommendations for exposure limits and carcinogen classification of “granular biopersistent particles without known specific toxicity” (GBS). These recommendations are under review at the European Union level. We examine the scientific assumptions in an attempt to reproduce the results. MAK’s human equivalent concentrations (HECs) are based on a particle mass and on a volumetric model in which results from rat inhalation studies are translated to derive occupational exposure limits (OELs) and a carcinogen classification. Methods We followed the methods as proposed by the MAK Commission and Pauluhn 2011. We also examined key assumptions in the metrics, such as surface area of the human lung, deposition fractions of inhaled dusts, human clearance rates; and risk of lung cancer among workers, presumed to have some potential for lung overload, the physiological condition in rats associated with an increase in lung cancer risk. Results The MAK recommendations on exposure limits for GBS have numerous incorrect assumptions that adversely affect the final results. The procedures to derive the respirable occupational exposure limit (OEL) could not be reproduced, a finding raising considerable scientific uncertainty about the reliability of the recommendations. Moreover, the scientific basis of using the rat model is confounded by the fact that rats and humans show different cellular responses to inhaled particles as demonstrated by bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) studies in both species. Conclusion Classifying all GBS as carcinogenic to humans based on rat inhalation studies in which lung overload leads to chronic inflammation and cancer is inappropriate. Studies of workers, who have been exposed to relevant levels of dust, have not indicated an increase in lung cancer risk. Using the methods proposed by the MAK, we were unable to reproduce the OEL for GBS recommended by the Commission, but identified substantial errors in the models. Considerable shortcomings in the use of lung surface area, clearance rates, deposition fractions; as well as using the mass and volumetric metrics as opposed to the particle surface area metric limit the scientific reliability of the proposed GBS OEL and carcinogen classification.International Carbon Black Associatio