Liquid biopsy in non-small cell lung cancer: current status and future outlook—a narrative review

Lung cancer ranks first as the cause of cancer-associated deaths gobally. The American Cancer Society estimates for 228,820 new cases and 135,720 deaths from lung cancer in the United States for the year 2020. Targeted treatment options have rapidly emerged for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) within the past decade. Screening for molecular aberrations is mainly done by tissue biopsy. However, in some cases a biopsy is not possible, or patients do not consent to it. Hence, liquid biopsy remains the only option. Relevant data about the topic of liquid biopsy, with a special focus on NSCLC, was obtained via a PubMed search. We included mainly literature published from 2010 onwards, omitting older studies whenever possible. With this review of the literature, we give an overview of different liquid biopsy approaches, as well as their respective advantages and disadvantages. We have reviewed the assessment of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutation status in particular, and go into detail with current use of liquid biopsy in everyday clinical practice. Today, liquid biopsy is still infrequently used, depending on the treatment center, but popularity is steadily increasing. Various different approaches are already available, but costs and level of sensitivity significantly differ between techniques. By using liquid biopsy more widely in selected patients, complication rates can be reduced, and constant disease monitoring is made considerably easier

Role of Tumor-Associated Neutrophils in the Molecular Carcinogenesis of the Lung

Tumorigenesis is largely influenced by accompanying inflammation. Myeloid cells account for a significant proportion of pro-inflammatory cells within the tumor microenvironment. All steps of tumor formation and progression, such as the suppression of adaptive immune response, angio- and lymphangiogenesis, and the remodeling of the tumor stroma, are to some degree influenced by tumor-associated immune cells. Tumor-associated neutrophils (TANs), together with tumor-associated macrophages and myeloid-derived suppressor cells, count among tumor-associated myeloid cells. Still, the exact molecular mechanisms underlying the tumorigenic effects of TANs have not been investigated in detail. With this review of the literature, we aim to give an overview of the current data on TANs, with a special focus on lung cancer

Prediction of Postoperative Clinical Outcomes in Resected Stage I Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Focusing on the Preoperative Glasgow Prognostic Score

Background: The Glasgow Prognostic Score (GPS), which consists of albumin and C-reactive protein (CRP), may predict overall survival (OS) in cancer patients. The aim of this retrospective analysis was to evaluate the clinical impact of the preoperative GPS on patients with resected early stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Methods: 300 patients with curatively resected stage I NSCLC were followed-up for OS, recurrence-free survival (RFS), cancer-specific survival (CSS), and death from other causes. Results: 229 patients (76%) had a preoperative GPS of 0, and 71 (24%) a GPS ≥ 1. The three-year probabilities of RFS, OS, CSS, and death from other causes were 81%, 84%, 88%, and 96% in patients with GPS = 0, and 79%, 74%, 91%, and 82% in patients with a GPS ≥ 1, respectively. GPS ≥ 1 was significantly associated with a higher risk of death from other causes (p = 0.022), serving as an independent predictor of death from other causes (p = 0.034). Pathologically elevated CRP levels (CRP > 5 mg/L) were found in 91 patients (30%). The mean CRP level was 7.88 ± 15.80 mg/L (0.5–135.6 mg/L). Pre-treatment CRP level was significantly associated with coronary heart disease (p < 0.0001), histology (p = 0.013), tumor size (p = 0.018), tumor stage (p = 0.002), and vascular invasion (p = 0.017). Conclusion: The preoperative GPS predicts adverse survival outcomes in patients with resected stage I NSCLC

Targeting Signaling Pathways in Epithelial Ovarian Cancer

Ovarian carcinoma (OC) is the most lethal gynecological malignancy. Response to platinum-based chemotherapy is poor in some patients and, thus, current research is focusing on new therapy options. The various histological types of OC are characterized by distinctive molecular genetic alterations that are relevant for ovarian tumorigenesis. The understanding of these molecular pathways is essential for the development of novel therapeutic strategies. Purpose: We want to give an overview on the molecular genetic changes of the histopathological types of OC and their role as putative therapeutic targets. In Depth Review of Existing Data: In 2012, the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) inhibitor, bevacizumab, was approved for OC treatment. Bevacizumab has shown promising results as single agent and in combination with conventional chemotherapy, but its target is not distinctive when analyzed before treatment. At present, mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) inhibitors, poly-ADP-ribose polymerase (PARP) inhibitors and components of the EGFR pathway are in the focus of clinical research. Interestingly, some phytochemical substances show good synergistic effects when used in combination with chemotherapy. Conclusion: Ongoing studies of targeted agents in conjunction with chemotherapy will show whether there are alternative options to bevacizumab available for OC patients. Novel targets which can be assessed before therapy to predict efficacy are needed. The assessment of therapeutic targets is continuously improved by molecular pathological analyses on tumor tissue. A careful selection of patients for personalized treatment will help to reduce putative side effects and toxicity

Report on the Marine Imaging Workshop 2022

Imaging is increasingly used to capture information on the marine environment thanks to the improvements in imaging equipment, devices for carrying cameras and data storage in recent years. In that context, biologists, geologists, computer specialists and end-users must gather to discuss the methods and procedures for optimising the quality and quantity of data collected from images. The 4th Marine Imaging Workshop was organised from 3-6 October 2022 in Brest (France) in a hybrid mode. More than a hundred participants were welcomed in person and about 80 people attended the online sessions. The workshop was organised in a single plenary session of presentations followed by discussion sessions. These were based on dynamic polls and open questions that allowed recording of the imaging community’s current and future ideas. In addition, a whole day was dedicated to practical sessions on image analysis, data standardisation and communication tools. The format of this edition allowed the participation of a wider community, including lower-income countries, early career scientists, all working on laboratory, benthic and pelagic imaging.This article summarises the topics addressed during the workshop, particularly the outcomes of the discussion sessions for future reference and to make the workshop results available to the open public

Report on the Marine Imaging Workshop 2022

Imaging is increasingly used to capture information on the marine environment thanks to the improvements in imaging equipment, devices for carrying cameras and data storage in recent years. In that context, biologists, geologists, computer specialists and end-users must gather to discuss the methods and procedures for optimising the quality and quantity of data collected from images. The 4 th Marine Imaging Workshop was organised from 3-6 October 2022 in Brest (France) in a hybrid mode. More than a hundred participants were welcomed in person and about 80 people attended the online sessions. The workshop was organised in a single plenary session of presentations followed by discussion sessions. These were based on dynamic polls and open questions that allowed recording of the imaging community’s current and future ideas. In addition, a whole day was dedicated to practical sessions on image analysis, data standardisation and communication tools. The format of this edition allowed the participation of a wider community, including lower-income countries, early career scientists, all working on laboratory, benthic and pelagic imaging. This article summarises the topics addressed during the workshop, particularly the outcomes of the discussion sessions for future reference and to make the workshop results available to the open public