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European Review For Medical and... Jun 2018This is a review regarding different types of cancer treatments. We aimed at analyzing the tumor microenvironment and the recent trends for the therapeutic applications... (Review)
Review
This is a review regarding different types of cancer treatments. We aimed at analyzing the tumor microenvironment and the recent trends for the therapeutic applications and effectiveness for several kinds of cancers. Traditionally the cancer treatment was based on the neoplastic cells. Methods such as surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, and immunotherapy, which were targeted on the highly proliferating mutated tumor cells, have been investigated. The tumor microenvironment describes the non-cancerous cells in the tumor and has enabled to investigate the behavior and response of the cancer cells to a treatment process; it consists in a tissue that may have a predictive significance for tumor behavior and response to therapy. These include fibroblasts, immune cells and cells that comprise the blood vessels. It also includes the proteins produced by all of the cells present in the tumor that support the growth of the cancer cells. By monitoring changes in the tumor microenvironment using its molecular and cellular profiles as the tumor progresses will be vital for identifying cell or protein targets for the cancer prevention and its therapeutic purposes.
Topics: Antineoplastic Agents; Cell Communication; Humans; Immunotherapy; Neoplasm Metastasis; Neoplasms; Radiation, Ionizing; Tumor Microenvironment
PubMed: 29949179
DOI: 10.26355/eurrev_201806_15270 -
Gastroenterology Mar 2022Patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) are at increased risk of developing colorectal cancer (CRC), despite decreases in CRC incidence in recent years. Chronic... (Review)
Review
Patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) are at increased risk of developing colorectal cancer (CRC), despite decreases in CRC incidence in recent years. Chronic inflammation is the driver of neoplastic progression, resulting in dysplastic precursor lesions that may arise in multiple areas of the colon through a process of field cancerization. Colitis-associated CRC shares many molecular similarities with sporadic CRC, and preclinical investigations have demonstrated a potential role for the microbiome in concert with the host immune system in the development of colitis-associated colorectal cancer (CAC). Some unique molecular differences occur in CAC, but their role in the pathogenesis and behavior of inflammation-associated cancers remains to be elucidated. Nonconventional types of dysplasia have been increasingly recognized, but their natural history is not well defined, and they have not been incorporated into surveillance algorithms. The concept of cumulative inflammatory burden highlights the importance of considering histologic inflammation over time as an important risk factor for CAC. Dysplasia is arguably the most important risk factor for developing CAC, and advances have been made in the endoscopic detection and removal of precancerous lesions, thereby deferring or avoiding surgical resection. Some of the agents used to treat IBD are chemopreventive. It is hoped that by gaining better control of the underlying inflammation with newer medications and better endoscopic detection and management, a more sophisticated appreciation of clinicopathologic risk factors, and growing awareness of the genetic, immunologic, and environmental causes of colitis- associated neoplasia, that colitis-associated colorectal neoplasia will become even more predictable and manageable in the coming years.
Topics: Chemoprevention; Colectomy; Colitis, Ulcerative; Colorectal Neoplasms; Crohn Disease; Endoscopy, Gastrointestinal; Population Surveillance; Primary Prevention; Risk Factors
PubMed: 34757143
DOI: 10.1053/j.gastro.2021.10.035 -
Cancer Gene Therapy Jun 2017Cancer is one of the leading cause of death in the world with the prevalence of >10 million mortalities annually. Current cancer treatments include surgical... (Review)
Review
Cancer is one of the leading cause of death in the world with the prevalence of >10 million mortalities annually. Current cancer treatments include surgical intervention, radiation, and taking chemotherapeutic drugs, which often kill the healthy cells and result in toxicity in patients. Therefore, researchers are looking for ways to be able to eliminate just cancerous cells. Intra-tumor heterogeneity of cancerous cells is the main obstacle on the way of an effective cancer treatment. However, better comprehension of molecular basis of tumor and the advent of new diagnostic technologies can help to improve the treatment of various cancers. Therefore, study of epigenetic changes, gene expression of cancerous cells and employing methods that enable us to correct or minimize these changes is critically important. In this paper, we will review the recent advanced strategies being used in the field of cancer research.
Topics: Genetic Therapy; Humans; Nanoparticles; Neoplasms
PubMed: 28574057
DOI: 10.1038/cgt.2017.16 -
Journal of Cancer Research and Clinical... Jan 2023Predictive biomarkers are the mainstay of precision medicine. This review summarizes the advancements in tissue-based diagnostic biomarkers for gastric cancer, which is... (Review)
Review
Predictive biomarkers are the mainstay of precision medicine. This review summarizes the advancements in tissue-based diagnostic biomarkers for gastric cancer, which is considered the leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. A disease seen in the elderly, it is often diagnosed at an advanced stage, thereby limiting therapeutic options. In Western countries, neoadjuvant/perioperative (radio-)chemotherapy is administered, and adjuvant chemotherapy is administered in the East. The morpho-molecular classification of gastric cancer has opened novel avenues identifying Epstein-Barr-Virus (EBV)-positive, microsatellite instable, genomically stable and chromosomal instable gastric cancers. In chromosomal instable tumors, receptor tyrosine kinases (RKTs) (e.g., EGFR, FGFR2, HER2, and MET) are frequently overexpressed. Gastric cancers such as microsatellite instable and EBV-positive types often express immune checkpoint molecules, such as PD-L1 and VISTA. Genomically stable tumors show alterations in claudin 18.2. Next-generation sequencing is increasingly being used to search for druggable targets in advanced palliative settings. However, most tissue-based biomarkers of gastric cancer carry the risk of a sampling error due to intratumoral heterogeneity, and adequate tissue sampling is of paramount importance.
Topics: Humans; Aged; Stomach Neoplasms; Biomarkers; Microsatellite Instability; Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases; Biomarkers, Tumor; Epstein-Barr Virus Infections
PubMed: 36260159
DOI: 10.1007/s00432-022-04408-0 -
Lancet (London, England) Feb 2016The diagnosis and management of renal cell carcinoma have changed remarkably rapidly. Although the incidence of renal cell carcinoma has been increasing, survival has... (Review)
Review
The diagnosis and management of renal cell carcinoma have changed remarkably rapidly. Although the incidence of renal cell carcinoma has been increasing, survival has improved substantially. As incidental diagnosis of small indolent cancers has become more frequent, active surveillance, robot-assisted nephron-sparing surgical techniques, and minimally invasive procedures, such as thermal ablation, have gained popularity. Despite progression in cancer control and survival, locally advanced disease and distant metastases are still diagnosed in a notable proportion of patients. An integrated management strategy that includes surgical debulking and systemic treatment with well established targeted biological drugs has improved the care of patients. Nevertheless, uncertainties, controversies, and research questions remain. Further advances are expected from translational and clinical studies.
Topics: Aged; Diagnostic Imaging; Female; Humans; Kidney Neoplasms; Male; Middle Aged; Neoplasm Metastasis; Nephrectomy
PubMed: 26318520
DOI: 10.1016/S0140-6736(15)00046-X -
The Journal of Pathology Jul 2022Breast cancer affects one in seven women worldwide during their lifetime. Widespread mammographic screening programs and education campaigns allow for early detection of... (Review)
Review
Breast cancer affects one in seven women worldwide during their lifetime. Widespread mammographic screening programs and education campaigns allow for early detection of the disease, often during its asymptomatic phase. Current practice in treatment and recurrence monitoring is based primarily on pathological evaluations but can also encompass genomic evaluations, both of which focus on the primary tumor. Although breast cancer is one of the most studied cancers, patients still recur at a rate of up to 15% within the first 10 years post-surgery. Local recurrence was originally attributed to tumor cells contaminating histologically normal (HN) tissues beyond the surgical margin, but advances in technology have allowed for the identification of distinct aberrations that exist in the peri-tumoral tissues themselves. One leading theory to explain this phenomenon is the field cancerization theory. Under this hypothesis, tumors arise from a field of molecularly altered cells that create a permissive environment for malignant evolution, which can occur with or without morphological changes. The traditional histopathology paradigm dictates that molecular alterations are reflected in the tissue phenotype. However, the spectrum of inter-patient variability of normal breast tissue may obfuscate recognition of a cancerized field during routine diagnostics. In this review, we explore the concept of field cancerization focusing on HN peri-tumoral tissues: we present the pathological and molecular features of field cancerization within these tissues and discuss how the use of peri-tumoral tissues can affect research. Our observations suggest that pathological and molecular evaluations could be used synergistically to assess risk and guide the therapeutic management of patients. © 2022 The Authors. The Journal of Pathology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of The Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland.
Topics: Breast; Breast Neoplasms; Early Detection of Cancer; Female; Humans; United Kingdom
PubMed: 35362092
DOI: 10.1002/path.5902 -
International Journal of Molecular... Mar 2021Gastric cancer's bad incidence, prognosis, cellular and molecular heterogeneity amongst others make this disease a major health issue worldwide. Understanding this... (Review)
Review
Gastric cancer's bad incidence, prognosis, cellular and molecular heterogeneity amongst others make this disease a major health issue worldwide. Understanding this affliction is a priority for proper patients' management and for the development of efficient therapeutical strategies. This review gives an overview of major scientific advances, made during the past 5-years, to improve the comprehension of gastric adenocarcinoma. A focus was made on the different actors of gastric carcinogenesis, including, cancer stem cells, tumour microenvironment and microbiota. New and recent potential biomarkers were assessed as well as emerging therapeutical strategies involving cancer stem cells targeting as well as immunotherapy. Finally, recent experimental models to study this highly complex disease were discussed, highlighting the importance of gastric cancer understanding in the hard-fought struggle against cancer relapse, metastasis and bad prognosis.
Topics: Adenocarcinoma; Animals; Biomarkers; Biomarkers, Tumor; Carcinogenesis; Cell Line, Tumor; Helicobacter Infections; Helicobacter pylori; Humans; Immunotherapy; Liquid Biopsy; Mice; Neoplasm Metastasis; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; Neoplastic Stem Cells; Prognosis; Recurrence; Risk Factors; Stomach Neoplasms; Tumor Microenvironment
PubMed: 33810350
DOI: 10.3390/ijms22073418 -
Tumour Biology : the Journal of the... Sep 2016In the last several decades, the number of people dying from cancer-related deaths has not reduced significantly despite phenomenal advances in the technologies related... (Review)
Review
In the last several decades, the number of people dying from cancer-related deaths has not reduced significantly despite phenomenal advances in the technologies related to diagnosis and therapeutic modalities. The principal cause behind limitations in the curability of this disease is the reducing sensitivity of the cancer cells towards conventional anticancer therapeutic modalities, particularly in advance stages of the disease. Amongst several reasons, certain secretory factors released by the tumour cells into the microenvironment have been found to confer resistance towards chemo- and radiotherapy, besides promoting growth. Interleukin-6 (IL-6), one of the major cytokines in the tumour microenvironment, is an important factor which is found at high concentrations and known to be deregulated in cancer. Its overexpression has been reported in almost all types of tumours. The strong association between inflammation and cancer is reflected by the high IL-6 levels in the tumour microenvironment, where it promotes tumorigenesis by regulating all hallmarks of cancer and multiple signalling pathways, including apoptosis, survival, proliferation, angiogenesis, invasiveness and metastasis, and, most importantly, the metabolism. Moreover, IL-6 protects the cancer cells from therapy-induced DNA damage, oxidative stress and apoptosis by facilitating the repair and induction of countersignalling (antioxidant and anti-apoptotic/pro-survival) pathways. Therefore, blocking IL-6 or inhibiting its associated signalling independently or in combination with conventional anticancer therapies could be a potential therapeutic strategy for the treatment of cancers with IL-6-dominated signalling.
Topics: DNA Damage; Disease Progression; Drug Resistance, Neoplasm; Humans; Inflammation; Interleukin-6; Neoplasms; Oxidation-Reduction; Tumor Microenvironment
PubMed: 27260630
DOI: 10.1007/s13277-016-5098-7 -
Seminars in Cancer Biology Nov 2022Gastric cancer is a major source of global cancer mortality with limited treatment options and poor patient survival. As our molecular understanding of gastric cancer... (Review)
Review
Gastric cancer is a major source of global cancer mortality with limited treatment options and poor patient survival. As our molecular understanding of gastric cancer improves, we are now beginning to recognize that these cancers are a heterogeneous group of diseases with incredibly unique pathogeneses and active oncogenic pathways. It is this molecular diversity and oftentimes lack of common oncogenic driver mutations that bestow the poor treatment responses that oncologists often face when treating gastric cancer. In this review, we will examine the treatments for gastric cancer including up-to-date molecularly targeted therapies and immunotherapies. We will then review the molecular subtypes of gastric cancer to highlight the diversity seen in this disease. We will then shift our discussion to basic science and gastric cancer mouse models as tools to study gastric cancer molecular heterogeneity. Furthermore, we will elaborate on a molecular process termed paligenosis and the cyclical hit model as key events during gastric cancer initiation that impart nondividing mature differentiated cells the ability to re-enter the cell cycle and accumulate disparate genomic mutations during years of chronic inflammation and injury. As our basic science understanding of gastric cancer advances, so too must our translational and clinical efforts. We will end with a discussion regarding single-cell molecular analyses and cancer organoid technologies as future translational avenues to advance our understanding of gastric cancer heterogeneity and to design precision-based gastric cancer treatments. Elucidation of interpatient and intratumor heterogeneity is the only way to advance future cancer prevention, diagnoses and treatment.
Topics: Mice; Animals; Humans; Stomach Neoplasms; Molecular Targeted Therapy; Carcinogenesis; Precision Medicine; Mutation
PubMed: 34933124
DOI: 10.1016/j.semcancer.2021.12.004 -
Mayo Clinic Proceedings Mar 2016Squamous cell carcinoma arises from multiple anatomic subsites in the head and neck region. The risk factors for development of cancers of the oral cavity, oropharynx,... (Review)
Review
Squamous cell carcinoma arises from multiple anatomic subsites in the head and neck region. The risk factors for development of cancers of the oral cavity, oropharynx, hypopharynx, and larynx include tobacco exposure and alcohol dependence, and infection with oncogenic viruses is associated with cancers developing in the nasopharynx, palatine, and lingual tonsils of the oropharynx. The incidence of human papillomavirus-associated oropharyngeal cancer is increasing in developed countries, and by 2020, the annual incidence could surpass that of cervical cancer. The treatment for early-stage squamous cell cancers of the head and neck is generally single modality, either surgery or radiotherapy. The treatment for locally advanced head and neck cancers is multimodal, with either surgery followed by adjuvant radiation or chemoradiation as indicated by pathologic features or definitive chemoradiation. For recurrent disease that is not amenable to a salvage local or regional approach and for metastatic disease, chemotherapy with or without a biological agent is indicated. To date, molecular testing has not influenced treatment selection in head and neck cancer. This review will focus on the changing epidemiology, advances in diagnosis, and treatment options for squamous cell cancers of the head and neck, along with data on risk stratification specific to oropharyngeal cancer, and will highlight the direction of current trials.
Topics: Antineoplastic Agents; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell; Combined Modality Therapy; Head and Neck Neoplasms; Humans; Radiotherapy, Adjuvant; United States
PubMed: 26944243
DOI: 10.1016/j.mayocp.2015.12.017