{"title":"Surgery versus radiotherapy for older patients (aged≥65 years) with stage I-II laryngeal cancer: an investigational study from the SEER database.","authors":"Wangyan Zhong, Xueying Jin, Ting Li, Jiwei Mao, Hang Yuan, Jiangfeng Feng","doi":"10.1080/14737140.2025.2458159","DOIUrl":"10.1080/14737140.2025.2458159","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Currently, the choice between radiotherapy and surgery for treating older patients with early laryngeal cancer remains unclear. The aim of this retrospective study is to investigate the therapeutic patterns and survival outcomes for a cohort of older patients with early laryngeal cancer who received radiation therapy (RT) or surgery.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Clinical records of 1833 patients aged 65+ with stage I/II laryngeal cancer from the SEER registry (2010-2015) were assessed. Of these, 1319 underwent RT and 514 had surgery alone. Kaplan-Meier analysis assessed overall survival (OS) and cancer-specific survival (CSS), with Log-rank tests for comparison.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The 5-year OS and CSS rates were 61.1% and 80.6%, respectively. Univariate analysis showed age, gender, T stage, histology, and treatment as prognostic factors for OS and CSS. Multivariate analysis linked age, T stage, and treatment to OS, and gender, histology, T stage, and treatment to CSS. Surgery improved OS and CSS for most early-stage patients, except those with grade III cancer.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Among early-stage laryngeal cancer patients aged 65 years or older reported in the SEER database, those treated with surgery experienced longer OS and CSS compared to those treated with RT, except for patients with grade III.</p>","PeriodicalId":12099,"journal":{"name":"Expert Review of Anticancer Therapy","volume":" ","pages":"1-7"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-01-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143022671","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Persisting challenges in the development of predictive biomarkers for immuno-oncology therapies for renal cell carcinoma.","authors":"Renpei Kato, Wataru Obara","doi":"10.1080/14737140.2025.2457373","DOIUrl":"10.1080/14737140.2025.2457373","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Immuno-oncology (IO) therapies have become integral to renal cell carcinoma (RCC) management, RCC remains a complex malignancy with diverse clinical behaviors and a heterogeneous tumor microenvironment, highlighting the need for predictive biomarkers to optimize therapy.</p><p><strong>Areas covered: </strong>This review synthesizes recent findings from clinical trials, translational studies, and molecular analyses to provide an updated perspective on biomarker research for IO therapies in RCC. A literature search was conducted using PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science for articles published between January 2010 and November 2024.</p><p><strong>Expert opinion: </strong>IO combination therapies have demonstrated significant improvements in progressionfree survival and overall survival compared with sunitinib. However, treatment outcomes vary according to the IMDC risk groups, metastatic sites, and histological subtypes, such as sarcomatoid differentiation. Advances in molecular biology have elucidated the roles of genetic alterations and immune phenotypes in modulating IO efficacy. Emerging biomarkers, including tertiary lymphoid structures, human endogenous retroviruses, and the gut microbiome, show promise but require further validation. Addressing challenges such as intratumoral heterogeneity and dynamic immune responses will be key to identifying actionable biomarkers. Continued integration of clinical and molecular insights is essential for improving patient selection and outcomes in RCC treated with IO therapies.</p>","PeriodicalId":12099,"journal":{"name":"Expert Review of Anticancer Therapy","volume":" ","pages":"1-7"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-01-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143002791","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Luca Filippi, Luca Urso, Rolando Maria D'Angelillo, Laura Evangelista
{"title":"Girentuximab imaging in renal cancer: diamond in the rough or just ZIRCON?","authors":"Luca Filippi, Luca Urso, Rolando Maria D'Angelillo, Laura Evangelista","doi":"10.1080/14737140.2025.2454483","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/14737140.2025.2454483","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Small renal masses (SRM), especially those under 7 cm pose significant diagnostic challenges when using conventional imaging (CT/MRI). PET/CT with [<sup>89</sup>Zr]Zr-girentuximab offers a promising alternative in this setting by enabling molecular-level imaging. The ZIRCON trial, a phase 3 multicenter study, evaluated the diagnostic accuracy of [<sup>89</sup>Zr]Zr-girentuximab PET/CT in detecting clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) in SRM. A total of 300 patients with indeterminate renal masses received a single intravenous dose of [<sup>89</sup>Zr]Zr-girentuximab, followed by PET/CT imaging 5 days post-injection. Generally, sensitivity and specificity for ccRCC detection were 85.5% and 87.0%, respectively. However, smaller masses (maximum diameter: ≤4 cm) demonstrated strong diagnostic performance, with mean sensitivity and specificity of 85% and 89.5%, respectively. PET positivity was observed exclusively in malignant lesions. Nevertheless, both benign and malignant non-ccRCC tumors are 'cold' at [<sup>89</sup>Zr]Zr-girentuximab, thus differential diagnosis remains an unresolved issue. Despite its strengths, the trial highlights limitations: restricted imaging scope to the abdomen, lack of a cost-effectiveness analysis, concerns over radiation exposure given zirconium-89's 78.4-h half-life, and the daily scheduling of the examination. Only further studies and time will reveal whether the ZIRCON trial's findings will shine like a diamond or remain akin to zircon - brilliant but constrained in value.</p>","PeriodicalId":12099,"journal":{"name":"Expert Review of Anticancer Therapy","volume":" ","pages":"1-5"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-01-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143002775","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Reevaluating the promise: is primary tumor surgery really the key to survival or just a misinterpretation in de novo stage IV breast cancer?","authors":"Gianluca Franceschini","doi":"10.1080/14737140.2025.2454998","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/14737140.2025.2454998","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":12099,"journal":{"name":"Expert Review of Anticancer Therapy","volume":" ","pages":"1-2"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-01-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143002793","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Anticancer properties of histone deacetylase inhibitors - what is their potential?","authors":"Kajetan Kiełbowski, Agata Szwedkowicz, Paulina Plewa, Estera Bakinowska, Rafał Becht, Andrzej Pawlik","doi":"10.1080/14737140.2025.2452338","DOIUrl":"10.1080/14737140.2025.2452338","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Histone modifications are crucial epigenetic mechanisms for regulating gene expression. Histone acetyltransferases and deacetylases (HDACs) catalyze histone acetylation, a process that mediates transcription. Over recent decades, studies have demonstrated that targeting histone acetylation can be effective in cancer treatment, leading to the development and approval of several HDAC inhibitors.</p><p><strong>Areas covered: </strong>A comprehensive literature review was conducted using the PubMed database to identify studies evaluating the anticancer efficacy of approved and novel HDAC inhibitors.</p><p><strong>Expert opinion: </strong>Accumulating evidence highlights the promising benefits of combining HDAC inhibitors with other anticancer agents. Additionally, HDAC-targeting therapeutics could enhance the sensitivity of cancer cells to chemotherapeutics or targeted tyrosine kinase inhibitors, thereby improving overall treatment outcomes. Future clinical studies must focus on optimizing combination therapies to ensure efficacy while maintaining manageable safety profiles.</p>","PeriodicalId":12099,"journal":{"name":"Expert Review of Anticancer Therapy","volume":" ","pages":"1-16"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-01-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142947078","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Response: reevaluating the promise: is primary tumor surgery really the key to survival or just a misinterpretation in de novo stage IV breast cancer?","authors":"Dong Chen, Yue Wang, Yuancan Pan, Boran Zhang, Wentao Yao, Yu Peng, Ganlin Zhang, Xiaomin Wang","doi":"10.1080/14737140.2025.2455002","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/14737140.2025.2455002","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":12099,"journal":{"name":"Expert Review of Anticancer Therapy","volume":" ","pages":"1-2"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-01-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143002796","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Anadil Javaid, Tobias Peres, Javier Pozas, Jennifer Thomas, James Larkin
{"title":"Current and emerging treatment options for BRAFV600-mutant melanoma.","authors":"Anadil Javaid, Tobias Peres, Javier Pozas, Jennifer Thomas, James Larkin","doi":"10.1080/14737140.2025.2451722","DOIUrl":"10.1080/14737140.2025.2451722","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>BRAF mutations are the most common driver mutation in cutaneous melanoma, present in 40% of cases. Rationally designed BRAF targeted therapy (TT) has been developed in response to this, and alongside immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI), forms the backbone of systemic therapy options for BRAF-mutant melanoma. Various therapeutic approaches have been studied in the neoadjuvant, adjuvant and advanced settings, and there is a wealth of information to guide clinicians managing these patients. Despite this, certain challenges remain.</p><p><strong>Areas covered: </strong>We reviewed the available literature regarding BRAF mutation types and resistance mechanisms, neoadjuvant and adjuvant approaches for patients with early-stage disease, management of advanced disease, including patients with brain metastases, as well as identified areas of further research.</p><p><strong>Expert opinion: </strong>Although there is a significant amount of literature to guide the management of BRAF-mutant melanoma, several questions remain. Thus far, the management of stage III BRAF-mutant patients following neoadjuvant ICI, treatment de-escalation in long-term TT responders in the advanced setting and the management of symptomatic brain metastases remain areas of debate. Further work on predictive and prognostic biomarkers for patients with BRAF-mutant melanoma patients will assist in clinical decision-making.</p>","PeriodicalId":12099,"journal":{"name":"Expert Review of Anticancer Therapy","volume":" ","pages":"55-69"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142947079","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Taha Koray Sahin, Deniz Can Guven, Mert Durukan, Onur Baş, Yunus Kaygusuz, Zafer Arik, Omer Dizdar, Mustafa Erman, Suayib Yalcin, Sercan Aksoy
{"title":"The association between HALP score and survival in patients treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors.","authors":"Taha Koray Sahin, Deniz Can Guven, Mert Durukan, Onur Baş, Yunus Kaygusuz, Zafer Arik, Omer Dizdar, Mustafa Erman, Suayib Yalcin, Sercan Aksoy","doi":"10.1080/14737140.2025.2451079","DOIUrl":"10.1080/14737140.2025.2451079","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>The hemoglobin, albumin, lymphocyte, and platelet (HALP) score could be a prognostic biomarker in patients with cancer as a reflector of nutritional and inflammatory status, although the data is limited in patients treated with immune-checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). Therefore, we sought to investigate the relationship between HALP score and survival in ICI-treated patients.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We included adult patients with advanced cancer treated with ICIs between June 2016 and January 2024. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was employed to identify the optimal HALP score cutoff point for survival prediction. The Kaplan-Meier method was utilized to create survival curves, and Cox regression was employed for multivariate analysis.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>A total of 456 patients were included. The median age was 62 years, and 64.7% were male. The optimal HALP cutoff value for survival prediction was 22.8 in ROC analyses (AUC: 0.624, 95% CI: 0.570-0.679, <i>p</i> < 0.001). Multivariate analysis revealed that patients with low HALP scores had significantly shorter OS (HR: 1.394, 95% CI: 1.077-1.805, <i>p</i> = 0.012) and PFS (HR: 1.388, 95% CI: 1.129-1.706, <i>p</i> = 0.002).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Our study results pointed out the possible use of the HALP score as a prognostic marker in ICI-treated patients. If validated in prospective cohorts, the HALP score could enhance prognosis prediction in ICI-treated patients.</p>","PeriodicalId":12099,"journal":{"name":"Expert Review of Anticancer Therapy","volume":" ","pages":"81-89"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142947082","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Optimising CAR T therapy for the treatment of solid tumors.","authors":"Norhan Mobark, Caroline Malai Hull, John Maher","doi":"10.1080/14737140.2024.2421194","DOIUrl":"10.1080/14737140.2024.2421194","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Adoptive immunotherapy using chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-engineered T cells has proven transformative in the management of B cell and plasma cel derived malignancies. However, solid tumors have largely proven to be resistant to this therapeutic modality. Challenges include the paucity of safe target antigens, heterogeneity of target expression within the tumor, difficulty in delivery of CAR T cells to the site of disease, poor penetration within solid tumor deposits and inability to circumvent the array of immunosuppressive and biophysical barriers imposed by the solid tumor microenvironment.</p><p><strong>Areas covered: </strong>Literature was reviewed on the PubMed database, excluding occasional papers which were not available as open access publications or through other means.</p><p><strong>Expert opinion: </strong>Here, we have surveyed the large body of technological advances that have been made in the quest to bridge the gap toward successful deployment of CAR T cells for the treatment of solid tumors. These encompass the development of more sophisticated targeting strategies to engage solid tumor cells safely and comprehensively, improved drug delivery solutions, design of novel CAR architectures that achieve improved functional persistence and which resist physical, chemical and biological hurdles present in tumor deposits. Prospects for combination therapies that incorporate CAR T cells are also considered.</p>","PeriodicalId":12099,"journal":{"name":"Expert Review of Anticancer Therapy","volume":" ","pages":"9-25"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142497649","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Laura Depauw, Amanda Townsend, Christos Karapetis, Amitesh Roy, Alan Wigg, Niall C Tebbutt, John Chen, Mark Brooke-Smith, Timothy Price
{"title":"Role of locoregional therapy including liver transplantation in liver-only metastatic colorectal cancer: a review paper.","authors":"Laura Depauw, Amanda Townsend, Christos Karapetis, Amitesh Roy, Alan Wigg, Niall C Tebbutt, John Chen, Mark Brooke-Smith, Timothy Price","doi":"10.1080/14737140.2024.2447360","DOIUrl":"10.1080/14737140.2024.2447360","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Resection of primary tumor and liver metastases is the gold standard for colorectal cancer with liver-only metastases (CRLM). Although treatment options have expanded to enable conversion of unresectable to resectable CRLM, about 40% of patients will have definitively unresectable disease. Major advances in surgical techniques, immunosuppressive protocols and patient selection criteria for liver transplantation have resulted in improved outcomes.</p><p><strong>Areas covered: </strong>A literature search has been conducted in Pubmed for articles published between 2014 and 2024. This review paper comments on current liver-directed treatment options for CRLM: resection, percutaneous ablation, conversion-chemotherapy, TACE, SIRT, and SABR. We explore evidence for liver transplantation in patients with unresectable CRLM, comment on possible limitations for implementation in clinical practice and give an overview of the current guidelines on liver transplantation in the USA, Europe, the United Kingdom, and Australia/New Zealand.</p><p><strong>Expert opinion: </strong>The recent randomized TRANSMET trial, investigating liver transplantation versus chemotherapy in unresectable CRLM, shows promising 5-year OS reaching similar values as for other accepted liver transplantation indications. Further investigations with RCTs to investigate reproducibility and feasibility in clinical practice are needed. Before liver transplantation can be implemented as a standard treatment option, reorganizations at federal, regional and hospital levels would be required.</p>","PeriodicalId":12099,"journal":{"name":"Expert Review of Anticancer Therapy","volume":" ","pages":"41-53"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142881600","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}