scholarly journals Emerging Therapeutic Biomarkers in Endometrial Cancer

2013 ◽  
Vol 2013 ◽  
pp. 1-11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peixin Dong ◽  
Masanori Kaneuchi ◽  
Yosuke Konno ◽  
Hidemichi Watari ◽  
Satoko Sudo ◽  
...  

Although clinical trials of molecular therapies targeting critical biomarkers (mTOR, epidermal growth factor receptor/epidermal growth factor receptor 2, and vascular endothelial growth factor) in endometrial cancer show modest effects, there are still challenges that might remain regarding primary/acquired drug resistance and unexpected side effects on normal tissues. New studies that aim to target both genetic and epigenetic alterations (noncoding microRNA) underlying malignant properties of tumor cells and to specifically attack tumor cells using cell surface markers overexpressed in tumor tissue are emerging. More importantly, strategies that disrupt the cancer stem cell/epithelial-mesenchymal transition-dependent signals and reactivate antitumor immune responses would bring new hope for complete elimination of all cell compartments in endometrial cancer. We briefly review the current status of molecular therapies tested in clinical trials and mainly discuss the potential therapeutic candidates that are possibly used to develop more effective and specific therapies against endometrial cancer progression and metastasis.

2018 ◽  
Vol 129 (3) ◽  
pp. 805-814 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eric D. Young ◽  
Davis Ingram ◽  
William Metcalf-Doetsch ◽  
Dilshad Khan ◽  
Ghadah Al Sannaa ◽  
...  

OBJECTIVEWhile sporadic peripheral schwannomas (SPSs) are generally well treated with surgery, their biology is not well understood. Consequently, treatment options are limited. The aim of this study was to provide a comprehensive description of SPS. The authors describe clinicopathological features and treatment outcomes of patients harboring these tumors, and they assess expression of biomarkers using a clinically annotated tissue microarray. Together, these data give new insight into the biology and management of SPS.METHODSPatients presenting with a primary SPS between 1993 and 2011 (n = 291) were selected from an institutional registry to construct a clinical database. All patients underwent follow-up, and short- and long-term outcomes were assessed. Expression of relevant biomarkers was assessed using a new tissue microarray (n = 121).RESULTSSPSs were generally large (mean 5.5 cm) and frequently painful at presentation (55%). Most patients were treated with surgery (80%), the majority of whom experienced complete resolution (52%) or improvement (18%) of their symptoms. Tumors that were completely resected (85%) did not recur. Some patients experienced short-term (16%) and long-term (4%) complications postoperatively. Schwannomas expressed higher levels of platelet-derived growth factor receptor–β (2.1) than malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors (MPNSTs) (1.5, p = 0.004) and neurofibromas (1.33, p = 0.007). Expression of human epidermal growth factor receptor–2 was greater in SPSs (0.91) than in MPNSTs (0.33, p = 0.002) and neurofibromas (0.33, p = 0.026). Epidermal growth factor receptor was expressed in far fewer SPS cells (10%) than in MPNSTs (58%, p < 0.0001) or neurofibromas (37%, p = 0.007). SPSs more frequently expressed cytoplasmic survivin (66% of tumor cells) than normal nerve (46% of cells), but SPS expressed nuclear survivin in fewer tumor cells than in MPNSTs (24% and 50%, respectively; p = 0.018).CONCLUSIONSComplete resection is curative for SPS. Left untreated, however, these tumors can cause significant morbidity, and not all patients are candidates for resection. SPSs express a pattern of biomarkers consistent with the dysregulation of the tumor suppressor merlin observed in neurofibromatosis Type 2–associated schwannomas, suggesting a shared etiology. This SPS pattern is distinct from that of other tumors of the peripheral nerve sheath.


2011 ◽  
Vol 29 (2) ◽  
pp. 166-173 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bhuvanesh Dave ◽  
Ilenia Migliaccio ◽  
M. Carolina Gutierrez ◽  
Meng-Fen Wu ◽  
Gary C. Chamness ◽  
...  

Purpose Phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) loss or activating mutations of phosphoinositol-3 (PI3) kinase (PIK3CA) may be associated with trastuzumab resistance. Trastuzumab, the humanized human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) monoclonal antibody, and lapatinib, an epidermal growth factor receptor/HER2 tyrosine kinase inhibitor, are both established treatments for HER2-overexpressing breast cancers. Understanding of the cellular response to HER2-targeted therapies is needed to tailor treatments and to identify patients less likely to benefit. Methods We evaluated the effect of trastuzumab or lapatinib in three HER2-overexpressing cell lines. We confirmed the in vitro observations in two neoadjuvant clinical trials in patients with HER2 overexpression; 35 patients received trastuzumab as a single agent for the first 3 weeks, then docetaxel every 3 weeks for 12 weeks (trastuzumab regimen), whereas 49 patients received lapatinib as a single agent for 6 weeks, followed by trastuzumab/docetaxel for 12 weeks before primary surgery (lapatinib regimen). Apoptosis, Ki67, p-MAPK, p-AKT, and PTEN were assessed by immunohistochemistry. Genomic DNA was sequenced for PIK3CA mutations. Results Under low PTEN conditions, in vitro data indicate that lapatinib alone and in combination with trastuzumab was effective in decreasing p-MAPK and p-AKT levels, whereas trastuzumab was ineffective. In the clinical trials, we confirmed that low PTEN or activating mutation in PIK3CA conferred resistance to the trastuzumab regimen (P = .015), whereas low PTEN tumors were associated with a high pathologic complete response rate (P = .007). Conclusion Activation of PI3 kinase pathway is associated with trastuzumab resistance, whereas low PTEN predicted for response to lapatinib. These observations support clinical trials with the combination of both agents.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lei Wang ◽  
Xusha Zhou ◽  
Weixuan Zou ◽  
Yinglin Wu ◽  
Jing Zhao ◽  
...  

Abstract Background: Exosomes are small, cellular membrane-derived vesicles with a diameter of 50-150 nm. Exosomes are considered ideal drug delivery systems with a wide range of applications in various diseases, including cancer. However, nonspecific delivery of therapeutic agents by exosomes in vivo remains challenging. H uman epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) is an epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase, and its overexpression is usually associated with cell survival and tumor progression in various cancers. In this study, we aim to develop novel exosomes with dual HER2-targeting ability as a nanoparticle delivery vehicle to enhance antitumor efficacy in vivo . Results: Here, we report the generation of two kinds of exosomes carrying miRNAs designed to block HER2 synthesis and consequently kill tumor cells. 293-miR-HER2 exosomes package and deliver designed miRNAs to cells to block HER2 synthesis. These exosomes kill cancer cells dependent on HER2 for survival but do not affect cells that lack HER2 or that are engineered to express HER2 but are not dependent on it for survival. In contrast, 293-miR-XS-HER2 exosomes carry an additional peptide, which enables them to adhere to HER2 on the surface of cancer cells. Consequently, these exosomes preferentially enter and kill cells with surface expression of HER2. 293-miR-XS-HER2 exosomes are significantly more effective than the 293-miR-HER2 exosomes in shrinking HER2-positive tumors implanted in mice. Conclusions: Collectively, as novel antitumor drug delivery vehicles, HER2 dual-targeting exosomes exhibit increased target-specific delivery efficiency and can be further utilized to develop new nanoparticle-based targeted therapies.


PRILOZI ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 39 (2-3) ◽  
pp. 21-28
Author(s):  
Dafina Nikolova ◽  
Viktorija Chalovska ◽  
Magdalena Genadieva Ivanova ◽  
Emilija Nikolovska ◽  
Ance Volkanovska ◽  
...  

Abstract Introduction: Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) signaling plays an important role in various cancers, including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). We aimed to evaluate immunoexpression of EGFR in HCC and surrounding non-tumor liver tissue and to correlate it to multiple clinicopathologic data. Material and Methods: We analyzed 60 patients with HCC for multiple clinicopathologic characteristics and survival. Presence of the immunosignal and the percentage of positive tumor cells at the whole tumor tissue sample and adjacent cirrhotic liver tissue were semi-quantitatively determined. Results: Nineteen patients (31.67%) were female and 41 (68.33%) were male ranging in age from 31 to 85 years, median 61.88±10.51. Mean survival time for female patients was 8.86±1.76 months, for male 13.03±1.50 months and overall survival was 11.6051±1.19 months. The most patients had: T2 status (41.67%), no enlarged lymph nodes (90%), vascular invasion (63.33%) and well differentiated (43.33%) tumors. EGFR immunoexpression was determined in range from 0% to 100% in both tumor and non-tumor tissue with mean value of 39.58% in tumor and 86.86% in cirrhotic tissue (p<0.00). Higher percent of tumor EGFR positive cells were found in cases with higher T status, higher levels of AFP and poorly differentiated carcinoma, but not significantly. Lower percent of tumor EGFR positive cells were found in patients with vascular invasion and enlarged lymph nodes, but also not significantly. EGFR expression in tumor tissue significantly influenced survival of the patients (p<0.05). Conclusion: The study showed that expression of EGFR in lower percentage of tumor cells was associated to favorable prognosis, making it a potential prognostic marker and therapeutic target.


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