scholarly journals A Foreword from the Editor-in-Chief

2019 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hongwei Chen
Keyword(s):  
Immune System ◽  
Early Diagnosis ◽  
Cancer Patients ◽  
Tumor Cells ◽  
Immune Cells ◽  
Cancer Biology ◽  
Cancer Metastasis ◽  
Molecular Signature ◽  
Oncology Research ◽  
New Findings

Cancer is a devastating disease that suffered so many lives and families throughout of the world, and is becoming an increasing burden to our society. Thanks to the advances in both basic cancer biology and clinical diagnostic/therapeutic treatments, cancer patients’ mortality has been significantly decreased in the past decades. Specifically, recent breakthrough in cancer immunology and immunotherapy has shed a bright light for cancer patients to guide them to fight the cancer via harnessing their own immune system, as some patients even with advanced diseases showed long-term remission and durable responses after immunotherapy. Although this new cancer treatment can only benefit a subset of cancer patients, it clearly suggests to us that patient’s immune cells have the capability to fight against cancer. It is just a matter of how to use them. As a peer-reviewed open journal, the Journal of Oncology Research is dedicated to publish most cutting edge research with a focus on how cancer invades our immune system and how to develop effective strategies to reverse this invasion. Journal of Oncology Research aims to discover innovative methods, theories and studies in Oncology by publishing original articles, case studies and comprehensive reviews. We hope that Journal of Oncology Research will become an important platform for our scientists to share their exciting results and for our readers to seek fertile and reliable source of information. We will look for research in the following topics, but not limited:Cancer immunology and immunotherapy: This topic will cover new basic molecular and cellular mechanisms of interactions between tumor cells and immune system; new therapeutic combinations to boost cancer immunotherapy; and new prognostic indicators.Tumor-derived exosomes: This topic will cover new findings in understanding how tumor-derived exosomes interact with immune system, tumor immunity, and tumor-associated fibroblasts.Metastasis: This topic will include new findings in investigating novel mechanisms of cancer metastasis including how tumor cells invade primary tissues, exit from circulation into distant organs, and promote niche formation in metastatic organs.Microbiome and cancer: This topic will cover the new investigations in understanding the role of microbiota in cancer progression and therapeutic outcomes.Cancer nanotechnology: This topic will include new findings in using nanotechnology for early diagnosis, developing novel nanomedicines for targeting and reprogramming suppressive immune cells, and generating immunogenic cell death in combination with cancer immunotherapy.Tumor markers and cancer early diagnosis: This topic will cover the identification of novel markers from liquid biopsy including blood-based assessment of tumor-derived and non-tumor derived exosomes to identify a molecular signature that can inform the disease status of cancer.

scholarly journals Immunometabolism Modulation in Therapy

Biomedicines ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (7) ◽  
pp. 798
Author(s):  
Ezequiel Monferrer ◽  
Sabina Sanegre ◽  
Isaac Vieco-Martí ◽  
Amparo López-Carrasco ◽  
Fernando Fariñas ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Immune Response ◽  
Immune System ◽  
Tumor Cells ◽  
Immune Cells ◽  
Therapeutic Intervention ◽  
Cancer Biology ◽  
Metabolic Regulation ◽  
Tumor Development ◽  
Molecular Bases

The study of cancer biology should be based around a comprehensive vision of the entire tumor ecosystem, considering the functional, bioenergetic and metabolic state of tumor cells and those of their microenvironment, and placing particular importance on immune system cells. Enhanced understanding of the molecular bases that give rise to alterations of pathways related to tumor development can open up new therapeutic intervention opportunities, such as metabolic regulation applied to immunotherapy. This review outlines the role of various oncometabolites and immunometabolites, such as TCA intermediates, in shaping pro/anti-inflammatory activity of immune cells such as MDSCs, T lymphocytes, TAMs and DCs in cancer. We also discuss the extraordinary plasticity of the immune response and its implication in immunotherapy efficacy, and highlight different therapeutic intervention possibilities based on controlling the balanced systems of specific metabolites with antagonistic functions.

scholarly journals Acoustic separation of circulating tumor cells

2015 ◽  
Vol 112 (16) ◽  
pp. 4970-4975 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peng Li ◽  
Zhangming Mao ◽  
Zhangli Peng ◽  
Lanlan Zhou ◽  
Yuchao Chen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cancer Patients ◽  
Tumor Cells ◽  
Circulating Tumor Cells ◽  
Peripheral Blood ◽  
Cancer Biology ◽  
Cancer Metastasis ◽  
Surface Acoustic Waves ◽  
Clinical Samples ◽  
Label Free ◽  
Blood Samples

Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) are important targets for cancer biology studies. To further elucidate the role of CTCs in cancer metastasis and prognosis, effective methods for isolating extremely rare tumor cells from peripheral blood must be developed. Acoustic-based methods, which are known to preserve the integrity, functionality, and viability of biological cells using label-free and contact-free sorting, have thus far not been successfully developed to isolate rare CTCs using clinical samples from cancer patients owing to technical constraints, insufficient throughput, and lack of long-term device stability. In this work, we demonstrate the development of an acoustic-based microfluidic device that is capable of high-throughput separation of CTCs from peripheral blood samples obtained from cancer patients. Our method uses tilted-angle standing surface acoustic waves. Parametric numerical simulations were performed to design optimum device geometry, tilt angle, and cell throughput that is more than 20 times higher than previously possible for such devices. We first validated the capability of this device by successfully separating low concentrations (∼100 cells/mL) of a variety of cancer cells from cell culture lines from WBCs with a recovery rate better than 83%. We then demonstrated the isolation of CTCs in blood samples obtained from patients with breast cancer. Our acoustic-based separation method thus offers the potential to serve as an invaluable supplemental tool in cancer research, diagnostics, drug efficacy assessment, and therapeutics owing to its excellent biocompatibility, simple design, and label-free automated operation while offering the capability to isolate rare CTCs in a viable state.

scholarly journals Circulating Tumor Cells in Early and Advanced Breast Cancer; Biology and Prognostic Value

2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (5) ◽  
pp. 1671 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna Fabisiewicz ◽  
Malgorzata Szostakowska-Rodzos ◽  
Anna J. Zaczek ◽  
Ewa A. Grzybowska
Keyword(s):  
Breast Cancer ◽  
Tumor Cells ◽  
Circulating Tumor Cells ◽  
Cancer Biology ◽  
Cancer Metastasis ◽  
Metastatic Breast ◽  
Breast Cancer Metastasis ◽  
Current Status ◽  
Molecular Profile ◽  
Breast Cancer Patients

Breast cancer metastasis is the leading cause of cancer deaths in women and is difficult to combat due to the long periods in which disseminated cells retain a potential to be re-activated and start the relapse. Assessing the number and molecular profile of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) in breast cancer patients, especially in early breast cancer, should help in identifying the possibility of relapse in time for therapeutic intervention to prevent or delay recurrence. While metastatic breast cancer is considered incurable, molecular analysis of CTCs still have a potential to define particular susceptibilities of the cells representing the current tumor burden, which may differ considerably from the cells of the primary tumor, and offer more tailored therapy to the patients. In this review we inspect the routes to metastasis and how they can be linked to specific features of CTCs, how CTC analysis may be used in therapy, and what is the current status of the research and efforts to include CTC analysis in clinical practice.

Application of Nanocomposites in Cancer Immunotherapy

Nano LIFE ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 07 (03n04) ◽  
pp. 1750008
Author(s):  
Wenhan Liu ◽  
Zejun Wang ◽  
Yao Luo ◽  
Nan Chen
Keyword(s):  
Immune System ◽  
Cancer Therapy ◽  
Cancer Treatment ◽  
Cancer Immunotherapy ◽  
Cancer Patients ◽  
Tumor Cells ◽  
Tumor Immunity ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Clinical Advances ◽  
Review Current

Despite the clinical advances in oncology, cancer is still the major cause of death worldwide. Recent research demonstrates that the immune system plays a critical role in preventing tumor occurrence and development. The focus on cancer treatment has been shifted from directly targeting the tumor cells to motivating the immune system to achieve this goal. However, the activity of immune system is often suppressed in cancer patients. To boost the anti-tumor immunity against cancers, various nanocomposites have been developed to enhance the efficacy of immunostimulatory agents. Here, we review current advances in nanomaterial-mediated immunotherapy for the treatment of cancer, with an emphasis on applications of nanocomposites as immunoadjuvants in cancer therapy.

scholarly journals Recognition of tumor cells by Dectin-1 orchestrates innate immune cells for anti-tumor responses

eLife ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 3 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shiho Chiba ◽  
Hiroaki Ikushima ◽  
Hiroshi Ueki ◽  
Hideyuki Yanai ◽  
Yoshitaka Kimura ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Immune System ◽  
Nk Cells ◽  
Tumor Cells ◽  
Immune Cells ◽  
Innate Immune ◽  
Tumoricidal Activity ◽  
Effector Cells ◽  
Therapeutic Implications ◽  
Tumor Killing

The eradication of tumor cells requires communication to and signaling by cells of the immune system. Natural killer (NK) cells are essential tumor-killing effector cells of the innate immune system; however, little is known about whether or how other immune cells recognize tumor cells to assist NK cells. Here, we show that the innate immune receptor Dectin-1 expressed on dendritic cells and macrophages is critical to NK-mediated killing of tumor cells that express N-glycan structures at high levels. Receptor recognition of these tumor cells causes the activation of the IRF5 transcription factor and downstream gene induction for the full-blown tumoricidal activity of NK cells. Consistent with this, we show exacerbated in vivo tumor growth in mice genetically deficient in either Dectin-1 or IRF5. The critical contribution of Dectin-1 in the recognition of and signaling by tumor cells may offer new insight into the anti-tumor immune system with therapeutic implications.

scholarly journals Features of immune status in patients with metastatic and glial brain tumors at the preparatory stage of radiotherapy

2020 ◽  
Vol 28 (4) ◽  
pp. 353-363
Author(s):  
A. A. Gryazov ◽  
M. I. Lisyany ◽  
A. B. Gryazov
Keyword(s):  
Innate Immunity ◽  
Radiation Therapy ◽  
Immune System ◽  
Brain Tumors ◽  
Cancer Patients ◽  
Immune Cells ◽  
Immune Status ◽  
Myeloperoxidase Activity ◽  
Metastatic Tumors ◽  
Significant Difference

Background. Studies carried out in recent decades have shown that immune cells are essential participants in the cancer process as well as cancerrelated inflammation. Focus has been increased on understanding the way how immune cells affect a tumor at different stages of the disease: early neoplastic transformation, clinically detected tumors, metastatic spread, and at surgery and radiotherapy stages. Purpose – assessing the status of the immune system in patients with brain tumors before radiation therapy and radiosurgery and comparing the features of immunity in metastatic and glial brain tumors. Materials and methods. The study presents the immunogram findings of 61 patients. Out of those: 18 patients with primary glial tumors and 23 patients with secondary metastatic tumors to the brain. The outcomes of 20 conditionally healthy non-cancer patients are presented as a control group. The age of patients is 24–75. All patients were histologically diagnosed with the tumor. Surgery was performed 1.0–3.0 years before the examination. Assessment of the immune system in patients with brain tumors was performed taking into account the cellular, humoral and phagocytic component of innate immunity. When assessing cellular immunity, the relative and absolute count of major lymphocyte subpopulations, such as CD3+ – general T-lymphocytes, CD4+ – T-lymphocytes-helpers, CD8+ – cytotoxic lymphocytes, CD16+ – natural killer lymphocytes, CD19+-B-lymphocytes, were calculated. Determining the humoral parameters included an assessment of quantitative values of IgG, IgM and IgA. Quantitative assessment of the phagocytic component of innate immunity included phagocytic activity of neutrophils (i. e. NBT test (Nitroblue Tetrazolium test), inducing (Zymosanum) and spontaneous neutrophil myeloperoxidase activity). Results. When comparing the immune parameters of the number of T- and B-subpopulations of lymphocytes in patients with primary malignant brain tumors and secondary metastatic tumors, no statistically significant difference has been detected between these params. Glioblastomas show higher levels of СD4+- and CD8+-lymphocytes in comparison with other tumour groups as well as higher levels of IgG and IgA than in other tumors, while IgM concentration is almost at the same level in three groups of patients. There is a tendency for reducing IgG and IgM level in the blood of patients with metastatic tumors. Both groups of cancer patients under study show inhibition of myeloperoxidase activity of neutrophils in the setting of maintaining the function of NBT cell activity. Conclusions. According to the findings obtained via studying immunological indicators of brain tumors, both metastatic and primary malignant glial ones, there are partial changes in various immune system components such as cellular, humoral and phagocytic activity. However, no statistically significant difference was detected between immune status indicators, that substantiates the need for further study of this issue. At the stage of preparation for radiation therapy, no significant changes in the immune system of the patients with brain tumors, that would make such treatment impossible and be consiered as one of contraindications, are observed.

scholarly journals TFF1andTFF3mRNAs Are Higher in Blood from Breast Cancer Patients with Metastatic Disease than Those without

2018 ◽  
Vol 2018 ◽  
pp. 1-8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marwa H. Elnagdy ◽  
Omar Farouk ◽  
Amal K. Seleem ◽  
Hoda A. Nada
Keyword(s):  
Breast Cancer ◽  
Metastatic Breast Cancer ◽  
Cancer Patients ◽  
Tumor Cells ◽  
Cancer Metastasis ◽  
Lung Metastases ◽  
Metastatic Breast ◽  
Breast Cancer Patients ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
High Level

Introduction. Breast cancer metastasis occurs when tumor cells dissociate from the primary tumor and migrate to distant organs through the peripheral bloodstream or lymphatic drainage. Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) originate from primary sites or metastases and circulate in the patients’ bloodstream. Molecular assays for the detection and molecular characterization of CTCs can serve as a liquid biopsy and can represent an alternative to invasive biopsies as a source of tumor tissue in the metastatic patients.Patients and Methods. We analyzed the presence of CTCs in the peripheral blood of 50 breast cancer patients by quantitative real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) to detecttrefoil factor family(TFF)1and3genes.Results. We found significant difference in the level of bothTFF1andTFF3mRNA in the blood of nonmetastatic versus metastatic breast cancer patients (p=0.001 and p= 0.038, respectively).TFF1mRNA was detected at higher levels in 34.6% of metastatic breast cancer patients as compared to 0% of nonmetastatic (p= 0.002). As regardsTFF3mRNA, it was detected at higher levels in 46.2% of metastatic breast cancer patients as compared to 4% of nonmetastatic (p= 0.026). Moreover, we found that the high level of bothTFF1andTFF3mRNA was related to estrogen status of the patients. The detection of high level ofTFF1mRNA in CTCs was associated with bone metastases (77.8%), while that ofTFF3was related to lymph node involvement (75%) and lung metastases (68.8%).Conclusion. The combined measurement of bothTFF1andTFF3mRNA level for differentiation of metastatic from nonmetastatic breast cancer gave 57.69% sensitivity and 83.3% specificity.

scholarly journals The Vicious Cross-Talk between Tumor Cells with an EMT Phenotype and Cells of the Immune System

Cells ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (5) ◽  
pp. 460 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elisabetta Romeo ◽  
Carmelo Antonio Caserta ◽  
Cristiano Rumio ◽  
Fabrizio Marcucci
Keyword(s):  
Immune System ◽  
Tumor Cells ◽  
Cross Talk ◽  
Immune Cells ◽  
Epithelial Mesenchymal Transition ◽  
Large Body ◽  
Adaptive Immune System ◽  
Migration And Invasion ◽  
Mesenchymal Transition ◽  
Immune Exclusion

Carcinoma cells that undergo an epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and display a predominantly mesenchymal phenotype (hereafter EMT tumor cells) are associated with immune exclusion and immune deviation in the tumor microenvironment (TME). A large body of evidence has shown that EMT tumor cells and immune cells can reciprocally influence each other, with EMT cells promoting immune exclusion and deviation and immune cells promoting, under certain circumstances, the induction of EMT in tumor cells. This cross-talk between EMT tumor cells and immune cells can occur both between EMT tumor cells and cells of either the native or adaptive immune system. In this article, we review this evidence and the functional consequences of it. We also discuss some recent evidence showing that tumor cells and cells of the immune system respond to similar stimuli, activate the expression of partially overlapping gene sets, and acquire, at least in part, identical functionalities such as migration and invasion. The possible significance of these symmetrical changes in the cross-talk between EMT tumor cells and immune cells is addressed. Eventually, we also discuss possible therapeutic opportunities that may derive from disrupting this cross-talk.

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