Irreversible Electroporation: An Emerging Immunomodulatory Therapy on Solid Tumors

Irreversible electroporation (IRE), a novel non-thermal ablation technique, is utilized to ablate unresectable solid tumors and demonstrates favorable safety and efficacy in the clinic. IRE applies electric pulses to alter the cell transmembrane voltage and causes nanometer-sized membrane defects or pores in the cells, which leads to loss of cell homeostasis and ultimately results in cell death. The major drawbacks of IRE are incomplete ablation and susceptibility to recurrence, which limit its clinical application. Recent studies have shown that IRE promotes the massive release of intracellular concealed tumor antigens that become an “in-situ tumor vaccine,” inducing a potential antitumor immune response to kill residual tumor cells after ablation and inhibiting local recurrence and distant metastasis. Therefore, IRE can be regarded as a potential immunomodulatory therapy, and combined with immunotherapy, it can exhibit synergistic treatment effects on malignant tumors, which provides broad application prospects for tumor treatment. This work reviewed the current status of the clinical efficacy of IRE in tumor treatment, summarized the characteristics of local and systemic immune responses induced by IRE in tumor-bearing organisms, and analyzed the specific mechanisms of the IRE-induced immune response. Moreover, we reviewed the current research progress of IRE combined with immunotherapy in the treatment of solid tumors. Based on the findings, we present deficiencies of current preclinical studies of animal models and analyze possible reasons and solutions. We also propose possible demands for clinical research. This review aimed to provide theoretical and practical guidance for the combination of IRE with immunotherapy in the treatment of malignant tumors.

Construction of biomimetic-responsive nanocarriers and their applications in tumor targeting

Backgroud: At present, the tumor is still the leading cause of death. Biomimetic nanocarriers for precision cancer therapy are attracting increasing attention. Nanocarriers with a good biocompatible surface could reduce the recognition and elimination of nanoparticles as foreign substances by the immune system, offer specific targeting, and improve the efficacy of precision medicine for tumors, thereby providing outstanding prospects for application in cancer therapy. In particular, cell membrane biomimetic camouflaged nanocarriers have become a research hotspot because of their excellent biocompatibility, prolonged circulation in the blood, and tumor targeting. Objective: To summarize the biological targeting mechanisms of different cell membrane-encapsulated nanocarriers in cancer therapy. In this article, the characteristics, application, and stage of progress of bionic encapsulated nanocarriers for different cell membranes are discussed, as are the field’s developmental prospects. Method: The findings on the characteristics of bionic encapsulated nanocarriers for different cell membranes and tumor treatment have been analyzed and summarized. Results: Biomimetic nanosystems based on various natural cell and hybrid cell membranes have been shown to efficiently control targeted drug delivery systems. They can reduce immune system clearance, prolong blood circulation time, and improve drug loading and targeting, thereby enhancing the diagnosis and treatment of tumors and reducing the spread of CTCs. Conclusion: ：With advances in the development of biomimetic nanocarrier DDSs, novel ideas for tumor treatment and drug delivery have been developed. However, there are still some problems in biomimetic nanosystems. Therefore, it needs to be optimized through further research, from the laboratory to the clinic for the benefit of a wide range of patients.

Zwitterionic choline phosphate conjugated folate-poly(ethylene glycol) : A general decoration of erythrocyte membranes-coated nanoparticles for enhanced tumor-targeting drug delivery

Erythrocyte membranes nanosystem has become one of the important research directions of disease treatment, especially for tumor treatment, which can enhance the long circulation time of anti-cancer drugs in vivo,...

Advances in targeting programmed cell death 1/programmed cell death-ligand 1 therapy for hematological malignancies

Programmed cell death 1 (PD-1) and programmed cell death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) are important immune checkpoints, and their interactions can mediate immune suppression in the tumor microenvironment. Targeting PD-1 and PD-L1 are immune checkpoint inhibitors that bind to PD-1 and PD-L1, respectively, to block the signal pathway between the two and increase the immune response. They are widely used in tumor treatment and have good efficacies for malignant melanoma, renal cell carcinoma, and non-small cell lung cancer, among others. In addition, for hematological malignancies, studies targeting PD-1 and PD-L1 have achieved gratifying results. This article briefly reviews the mechanisms of action and clinical and hematological malignancy applications of targeting PD-1 and PD-L1. Keywords: PD-1, PD-L1, mechanism of action, hematological malignancy

Subungual Glomus Tumor: A Review of 15 Cases Treated with Partial Nail Plate Excision Technique

Background: Although there are various surgical methods for subungual glomus tumor treatment, there is no consensus on the optimal surgical approach. Methods: We analyzed the outcomes of 15 patients treated with partial nail plate excision technique. The medial or lateral section of the nail plate was excised longitudinally based on the tumor location. After incision of the nail bed and tumor removal, the matrix was repaired carefully. Results: In this study, 15 people, including 11 men and four women, were studied. The mean onset of symptoms until diagnosis was 88 months. In the postoperative evaluation, the mean follow-up was 20 months. Two patients had recurrent tumors, and one had postoperative nail deformity. Conclusion: Meticulous nail bed repair and complete tumor excision are key treatment points needed to prevent nail deformity and recurrence.

Exercise and Childhood Cancer—A Historical Review

Childhood cancer survivors are at risk of developing important adverse effects, many of which persist for years after the end of treatment. The implementation of interventions aiming at attenuating tumor/treatment-associated adverse effects is therefore a major issue in pediatric oncology, and there is growing evidence that physical exercise could help in this regard. The present review aims to summarize the main milestones achieved in pediatric exercise oncology. For this purpose, we conducted a systematic review of relevant studies written in English in the electronic database PubMed (from inception to 14 August 2021). This review traces the field of pediatric exercise oncology throughout recent history based on three fundamental pillars: (i) exercise during childhood cancer treatment; (ii) exercise during/after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation; and (iii) exercise after childhood cancer treatment. Accumulating evidence––although still preliminary in many cases––supports the safety and potential benefits of regular exercise (with no major contraindications in general) in the childhood cancer continuum, even during the most aggressive phases of treatment. Exercise can indeed represent an effective coadjuvant therapy for attenuating cancer-related adverse effects.