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Trends in Biotechnology Nov 2022Cancer is a complex and uniquely personal disease. More than 1.7 million people in the United States are diagnosed with cancer every year. As the burden of cancer grows,... (Review)
Review
Cancer is a complex and uniquely personal disease. More than 1.7 million people in the United States are diagnosed with cancer every year. As the burden of cancer grows, so does the need for new, more effective therapeutics and for predictive tools to identify optimal, personalized treatment options for every patient. Cancer models that recapitulate various aspects of the disease are fundamental to making advances along the continuum of cancer treatment from benchside discoveries to bedside delivery. In this review, we use a thought experiment as a vehicle to arrive at four broad categories of cancer models and explore the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats for each category in advancing our understanding of the disease and improving treatment strategies.
Topics: Humans; Neoplasms; United States
PubMed: 35534320
DOI: 10.1016/j.tibtech.2022.04.003 -
Digestive Diseases (Basel, Switzerland) 2022Over the past decade, several artificial intelligence (AI) systems are developed to assist in endoscopic assessment of (pre-)cancerous lesions of the gastrointestinal... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Over the past decade, several artificial intelligence (AI) systems are developed to assist in endoscopic assessment of (pre-)cancerous lesions of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. In this review, we aimed to provide an overview of the possible indications of AI technology in upper GI endoscopy and hypothesize about potential challenges for its use in clinical practice.
SUMMARY
Application of AI in upper GI endoscopy has been investigated for several indications: (1) detection, characterization, and delineation of esophageal and gastric cancer (GC) and their premalignant conditions; (2) prediction of tumor invasion; and (3) detection of Helicobacter pylori. AI systems show promising results with an accuracy of up to 99% for the detection of superficial and advanced upper GI cancers. AI outperformed trainee and experienced endoscopists for the detection of esophageal lesions and atrophic gastritis. For GC, AI outperformed mid-level and trainee endoscopists but not expert endoscopists.
KEY MESSAGES
Application of artificial intelligence (AI) in upper gastrointestinal endoscopy may improve early diagnosis of esophageal and gastric cancer and may enable endoscopists to better identify patients eligible for endoscopic resection. The benefit of AI on the quality of upper endoscopy still needs to be demonstrated, while prospective trials are needed to confirm accuracy and feasibility during real-time daily endoscopy.
Topics: Artificial Intelligence; Endoscopy; Endoscopy, Gastrointestinal; Esophageal Neoplasms; Humans; Prospective Studies; Stomach Neoplasms
PubMed: 34348267
DOI: 10.1159/000518232 -
Hematology/oncology Clinics of North... Jun 2021At diagnosis, more than 70% of bladder cancers (BCs) are at the non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) stages, which are usually treated with transurethral resection... (Review)
Review
At diagnosis, more than 70% of bladder cancers (BCs) are at the non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) stages, which are usually treated with transurethral resection followed by intravesical instillation. For the remaining advanced cancers, systemic therapy is the standard of care, with addition of radical cystectomy in cases of locally advanced cancer. Because of the difference in treatment modalities, different models are needed to advance the care of NMIBC and advanced BC. This article gives a comprehensive review of both in vitro and in vivo BC models and compares the advantages and drawbacks of these preclinical systems in BC research.
Topics: Administration, Intravesical; Animals; Cell Line, Tumor; Cystectomy; Disease Models, Animal; Disease Progression; Humans; Neoplasm Invasiveness; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; Urinary Bladder Neoplasms
PubMed: 33958154
DOI: 10.1016/j.hoc.2021.02.007 -
Chinese Medical Journal Mar 2024Biliary tract cancers (BTC), a heterogeneous disease with poor prognosis, including gallbladder cancer (GBC), intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC), and extrahepatic... (Review)
Review
Biliary tract cancers (BTC), a heterogeneous disease with poor prognosis, including gallbladder cancer (GBC), intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC), and extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ECC). Although surgery is currently the primary regimen to treat BTC, most BTC patients are diagnosed at an advanced stage and miss the opportunity of surgical eradication. As a result, non-surgical therapy serves as the main intervention for advanced BTC. In recent years, immunotherapy has emerged as one of the most promising therapies in a number of solid cancers, and it includes immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) monotherapy or combined therapy, tumor vaccines, oncolytic virus immunotherapy, adoptive cell therapy (ACT), and cytokine therapy. However, these therapies have been practiced in limited clinical settings in patients with BTC. In this review, we focus on the discussion of latest advances of immunotherapy in BTC and update the progress of multiple current clinical trials with different immunotherapies.
Topics: Humans; Biliary Tract Neoplasms; Cholangiocarcinoma; Immunotherapy; Bile Duct Neoplasms; Bile Ducts, Intrahepatic
PubMed: 37646139
DOI: 10.1097/CM9.0000000000002759 -
American Society of Clinical Oncology... May 2023Thyroid cancer is the most common endocrine malignancy with almost one million people living with thyroid cancer in the United States. Although early-stage... (Review)
Review
Thyroid cancer is the most common endocrine malignancy with almost one million people living with thyroid cancer in the United States. Although early-stage well-differentiated thyroid cancers account for the majority of thyroid cancers on diagnosis and have excellent survival rates, the incidence of advanced-stage disease has increased over the past few years and confers poorer prognosis. Until recently, patients with advanced thyroid cancer had limited therapeutic options. However, the landscape of thyroid cancer treatment has dramatically changed in the past decade with the current availability of several novel effective therapeutic options, leading to significant advances and improved patient outcomes in the management of advanced disease. In this review, we summarize the current status of advanced thyroid cancer treatment options and discuss recent advances made in targeted therapies that have proven promising to clinically benefit patients with advanced thyroid cancer.
Topics: Humans; Thyroid Neoplasms; Adenocarcinoma
PubMed: 37186883
DOI: 10.1200/EDBK_389708 -
Genes Apr 2023Over the past decade, immunotherapy has emerged as one of the most promising approaches to cancer treatment. The use of immune checkpoint inhibitors has resulted in... (Review)
Review
Over the past decade, immunotherapy has emerged as one of the most promising approaches to cancer treatment. The use of immune checkpoint inhibitors has resulted in impressive and durable clinical responses in the treatment of various cancers. Additionally, immunotherapy utilizing chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-engineered T cells has produced robust responses in blood cancers, and T cell receptor (TCR)-engineered T cells are showing promising results in the treatment of solid cancers. Despite these noteworthy advancements in cancer immunotherapy, numerous challenges remain. Some patient populations are unresponsive to immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy, and CAR T cell therapy has yet to show efficacy against solid cancers. In this review, we first discuss the significant role that T cells play in the body's defense against cancer. We then delve into the mechanisms behind the current challenges facing immunotherapy, starting with T cell exhaustion due to immune checkpoint upregulation and changes in the transcriptional and epigenetic landscapes of dysfunctional T cells. We then discuss cancer-cell-intrinsic characteristics, including molecular alterations in cancer cells and the immunosuppressive nature of the tumor microenvironment (TME), which collectively facilitate tumor cell proliferation, survival, metastasis, and immune evasion. Finally, we examine recent advancements in cancer immunotherapy, with a specific emphasis on T-cell-based treatments.
Topics: Humans; T-Lymphocytes; Neoplasms; Immunotherapy; Immunotherapy, Adoptive; Tumor Microenvironment
PubMed: 37239368
DOI: 10.3390/genes14051008 -
European Respiratory Review : An... Sep 2020The field of bronchoscopy is advancing rapidly. Minimally invasive diagnostic approaches are replacing more aggressive surgical ones for the diagnosis and staging of... (Review)
Review
The field of bronchoscopy is advancing rapidly. Minimally invasive diagnostic approaches are replacing more aggressive surgical ones for the diagnosis and staging of lung cancer. Evolving diagnostic modalities allow early detection and serve as an adjunct to early treatment, ideally influencing patient outcomes. In this review, we will elaborate on recent bronchoscopic developments as well as some promising investigational tools and approaches in development. We aim to offer a concise overview of the significant advances in the field of advanced bronchoscopy and to put them into clinical context. We will also address potential complications and current diagnostic challenges associated with sampling central and peripheral lung lesions.
Topics: Bronchoscopy; Humans; Lung Neoplasms
PubMed: 32878972
DOI: 10.1183/16000617.0184-2019 -
International Journal of Molecular... Nov 2022Cancer of the hepatobiliary system can be divided into primary liver cancer and biliary tract cancer (BTC), which includes hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC),... (Review)
Review
Cancer of the hepatobiliary system can be divided into primary liver cancer and biliary tract cancer (BTC), which includes hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), cholangiocarcinoma (CCA), and gallbladder cancer (GBC). These aggressive cancers often present at an advanced stage or among patients with poorly preserved liver function. The primary treatment for HCC and BTC when diagnosed early is surgical resection, but given the high rate of recurrence and often advanced stage at diagnosis, many patients will require systemic therapy. Unfortunately, even with systemic therapy, long-term survival is poor. The immune system plays an important role in preventing cancer progression. The unique immune environment of the liver and subsequent alterations to the immune microenvironment by tumor cells to create a favorable microenvironment plays a key role in the progression of HCC and BTC. Due to the paucity of effective systemic therapies and distinctive immune environment of the liver, research and clinical trials are investigating the use of immunotherapy in HCC and BTC. This review will focus on current immunotherapies and emerging data for the treatment of HCC and BTC.
Topics: Humans; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular; Liver Neoplasms; Immunotherapy; Biliary Tract Neoplasms; Bile Duct Neoplasms; Bile Ducts, Intrahepatic; Tumor Microenvironment
PubMed: 36430440
DOI: 10.3390/ijms232213961 -
Theranostics 2020Since the discovery of circulating tumor cells in 1869, technological advances in the study of biomarkers from liquid biopsy have made it possible to diagnose disease in... (Review)
Review
Since the discovery of circulating tumor cells in 1869, technological advances in the study of biomarkers from liquid biopsy have made it possible to diagnose disease in a less invasive way. Although blood-based liquid biopsy has been used extensively for the detection of solid tumors and immune diseases, the potential of urine-based liquid biopsy has not been fully explored. Advancements in technologies for the harvesting and analysis of biomarkers are providing new opportunities for the characterization of other disease types. Liquid biopsy markers such as exfoliated bladder cancer cells, cell-free DNA (cfDNA), and exosomes have the potential to change the nature of disease management and care, as they allow a cost-effective and convenient mode of patient monitoring throughout treatment. In this review, we addressed the advancement of research in the field of disease detection for the key liquid biopsy markers such as cancer cells, cfDNA, and exosomes, with an emphasis on urine-based liquid biopsy. First, we highlighted key technologies that were widely available and used extensively for clinical urine sample analysis. Next, we presented recent technological developments in cell and genetic research, with implications for the detection of other types of diseases, besides cancer. We then concluded with some discussions on these areas, emphasizing the role of microfluidics and artificial intelligence in advancing point-of-care applications. We believe that the benefits of urine biopsy provide diagnostic development potential, which will pave opportunities for new ways to guide treatment selections and facilitate precision disease therapies.
Topics: Animals; Biomarkers, Tumor; Circulating Tumor DNA; Disease Models, Animal; Exosomes; Humans; Liquid Biopsy; Neoplasms; Neoplastic Cells, Circulating; Urinalysis; Urine
PubMed: 32685026
DOI: 10.7150/thno.44634 -
Theranostics 2023Protein neddylation is a post-translational modification, and its best recognized substrates are cullin family proteins, which are the core component of Cullin-RING... (Review)
Review
Protein neddylation is a post-translational modification, and its best recognized substrates are cullin family proteins, which are the core component of Cullin-RING ligases (CRLs). Given that most neddylation pathway proteins are overactivated in different cancers and fibrotic diseases, targeting neddylation becomes an emerging approach for the treatment of these diseases. To date, numerous neddylation inhibitors have been developed, of which MLN4924 has entered phase I/II/III clinical trials for cancer treatment, such as acute myeloid leukemia, melanoma, lymphoma and solid tumors. Here, we systematically describe the structures and biological functions of the critical enzymes in neddylation, highlight the medicinal chemistry advances in the development of neddylation inhibitors and propose the perspectives concerning targeting neddylation for cancer and fibrotic diseases.
Topics: Humans; Cullin Proteins; NEDD8 Protein; Neoplasms; Lymphoma; Protein Processing, Post-Translational
PubMed: 37771770
DOI: 10.7150/thno.78876