Isaac E Kim, Vivian Wong, Karie Runcie, Eric A Singer
{"title":"Second-Line Systemic Therapies in Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma: Current Insights and Future Directions.","authors":"Isaac E Kim, Vivian Wong, Karie Runcie, Eric A Singer","doi":"10.33696/cancerimmunol.7.107","DOIUrl":"10.33696/cancerimmunol.7.107","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Over the past few decades, the incidence of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) has rapidly increased with a considerable portion of patients presenting with metastatic disease (mRCC) and subsequent poor prognosis. Survival drops even further for those whose diseases progress on first-line therapy including immune-checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) and vascular endothelial growth factor receptor (VEGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs). In this review, we highlight the main second-line systemic therapies including TKIs, mTOR inhibitors, ICIs, and HIF-2α inhibitors along with their mechanisms of action and supporting clinical trials. We also highlight ongoing trials investigating novel second-line therapies such as the LITESPARK-011 trial contrasting belzutifan/lenvatinib with cabozantinib and the ENTRATA study examining glutaminase inhibitors including telaglenastat. The recent wave of key clinical trials has substantially increased the therapeutic options available to patients whose diseases have progressed on ICIs or VEGFR-TKIs. However, survival outcomes and the quality of life of mRCC patients on second-line treatments are still relatively limited, indicating a need for continued innovation and drug development in the field and continued trial recruitment at high-volume cancer centers.</p>","PeriodicalId":73633,"journal":{"name":"Journal of cancer immunology","volume":"7 2","pages":"81-94"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12258808/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144638793","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Targeting FAK to Potentiate Immune Checkpoint Therapy in Solid Tumors.","authors":"Karly A Stanley, Sheri L Holmen","doi":"10.33696/cancerimmunol.7.109","DOIUrl":"10.33696/cancerimmunol.7.109","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The advent of immune checkpoint inhibition revolutionized cancer care, yet many people will fail to respond due to innate or acquired resistance. Combination therapies with immune checkpoint inhibitors are being explored to enhance their efficacy and improve patient outcomes. Focal adhesion kinase (FAK), known for its roles in cell adhesion and migration, has emerged as a potential therapeutic target due to the identification of its additional functions in cancer progression, including its ability to establish a pro-tumorigenic, immunosuppressive microenvironment. FAK has the ability to create physical barriers for immune cell infiltration and drug delivery through its regulation of blood vessel formation and extracellular matrix in the tumor stroma. Additionally, FAK has been reported to function both within tumor and immune cells to inhibit immune cell recruitment, stimulation, and function. Taken together, FAK functions within cancer to dampen immune surveillance and promote immune escape. As a result, there is mounting interest in the use of FAK inhibitors in combination with immune checkpoint inhibition for the treatment of solid tumors, and this strategy is actively being explored in the pre-clinical and clinical setting. This article reviews the ways in which FAK alters the tumor microenvironment and the cells within it in order to assess the clinical potential of co-targeting FAK and immune checkpoints.</p>","PeriodicalId":73633,"journal":{"name":"Journal of cancer immunology","volume":"7 3","pages":"99-108"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12462869/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145187640","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Jake Drobner, Krishna Doppalapudi, B. Saraiya, V. Packiam, S. Ghodoussipour
{"title":"The Role of Tumor and Host Microbiome on Immunotherapy Response in Urologic Cancers","authors":"Jake Drobner, Krishna Doppalapudi, B. Saraiya, V. Packiam, S. Ghodoussipour","doi":"10.33696/cancerimmunol.6.078","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.33696/cancerimmunol.6.078","url":null,"abstract":"Introduction & Objective: The role of the microbiome in the development and treatment of genitourinary malignancies is just starting to be appreciated. Accumulating evidence suggests that the microbiome can modulate immunotherapy through signaling in the highly dynamic tumor microenvironment. Nevertheless, much is still unknown about the immuno-oncology-microbiome axis, especially in urologic oncology. The objective of this review is to synthesize our current understanding of the microbiome’s role in modulating and predicting immunotherapy response to genitourinary malignancies.\u0000\u0000Methods: A literature search for peer-reviewed publications about the microbiome and immunotherapy response in bladder, kidney, and prostate cancer was conducted. All research available in PubMed, Google Scholar, clinicaltrials.gov, and bioRxiv up to September 2023 was analyzed.\u0000\u0000Results: Significant differences in urinary microbiota composition have been found in patients with genitourinary cancers compared to healthy controls. Lactic acid-producing bacteria, such as Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus genera, may have value in augmenting BCG responsiveness to bladder cancer. BCG may also be a dynamic regulator of PD-L1. Thus, the combination of BCG and immune checkpoint inhibitors may be an effective strategy for bladder cancer management. In advanced renal cell carcinoma, studies show that recent antibiotic administration negatively impacts survival outcomes in patients undergoing immunotherapy, while administration of CBM588, a live bacterial product, is associated with improved progression-free survival. Specific bacterial taxa, such as Streptococcus salivarius, have been linked with response to pembrolizumab in metastatic castrate-resistant prostate cancer. Fecal microbiota transplant has been shown to overcome resistance and reduce toxicity to immunotherapy; it is currently being investigated for both kidney and prostate cancers.\u0000\u0000Conclusions: Although the exact mechanism is unclear, several studies identify a symbiotic relationship between microbiota-centered interventions and immunotherapy efficacy. It is possible to improve immunotherapy responsiveness in genitourinary malignancies using the microbiome, but further research with more standardized methodology is warranted.","PeriodicalId":73633,"journal":{"name":"Journal of cancer immunology","volume":"11 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140271459","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Trijit Reet Adhikary, Santu Paul, Anu Jayanthi Panicker, S. Dakua
{"title":"Role of a Training Simulator for Kidney Biopsy and Tumor Removal Procedures in Complex Positioning Scenarios: The Key Challenges","authors":"Trijit Reet Adhikary, Santu Paul, Anu Jayanthi Panicker, S. Dakua","doi":"10.33696/cancerimmunol.6.079","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.33696/cancerimmunol.6.079","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":73633,"journal":{"name":"Journal of cancer immunology","volume":"59 6","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140271645","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Effects of Tumor-derived Small Extracellular Vesicles on T cell Survival in Patients with Cancer; A Commentary.","authors":"Theresa L Whiteside","doi":"10.33696/cancerimmunol.6.097","DOIUrl":"10.33696/cancerimmunol.6.097","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":73633,"journal":{"name":"Journal of cancer immunology","volume":"6 4","pages":"162-168"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11616454/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142782019","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Combining EGFR and KRAS G12C Inhibitors for KRAS G12C Mutated Advanced Colorectal Cancer.","authors":"Hirotaka Miyashita, David S Hong","doi":"10.33696/cancerimmunol.6.086","DOIUrl":"10.33696/cancerimmunol.6.086","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>KRAS is a commonly mutated gene in advanced colorectal cancer (CRC). Recently, inhibitors of KRAS G12C were developed and have shown promising efficacy for KRAS G12C mutated non-small cell lung cancer. However, KRAS G12C inhibitor monotherapy has not demonstrated excellent efficacy for KRAS G12C mutated advanced CRC due to multiple resistance mechanisms, especially receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) signaling activation. To overcome this resistance mechanism, various combinations of epithelial growth factor receptor (EGFR) and KRAS G12C inhibitors, including panitumumab plus sotorasib, have been investigated in clinical trials. The combination of EGFR and KRAS G12C inhibitors for KRAS G12C mutated CRC demonstrated overall response rates ranging from 26% to 62.5% in seven clinical trials of phase I to III, whose data are available so far. The median progression-free survival in these trials ranged from 3.9 to 8.1 months. These efficacy data suggest that KRAS G12C inhibitor combination with EGFR inhibitors is more effective for KRAS G12C mutated advanced CRC than KRAS G12C inhibitor monotherapy. They also showed reasonable safety of the combination regimen. Based on these results, phase III clinical trials are being conducted to investigate EGFR and KRAS G12C inhibitor combinations as a first or second-line treatment for KRAS G12C mutated advanced CRC. Furthermore, other KRAS G12C inhibitors, KRAS G12D inhibitors, and pan-RAS inhibitors are being developed, which could make more patients with advanced CRC eligible for KRAS inhibition.</p>","PeriodicalId":73633,"journal":{"name":"Journal of cancer immunology","volume":"6 2","pages":"62-69"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11340593/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142037929","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Chethan Ramamurthy, Karen M Wheeler, Shaun Trecarten, Zaineb Hassouneh, Niannian Ji, Yifen Lee, Robert S Svatek, Neelam Mukherjee
{"title":"Perioperative Immune Checkpoint Blockade for Muscle-Invasive and Metastatic Bladder Cancer.","authors":"Chethan Ramamurthy, Karen M Wheeler, Shaun Trecarten, Zaineb Hassouneh, Niannian Ji, Yifen Lee, Robert S Svatek, Neelam Mukherjee","doi":"10.33696/cancerimmunol.6.081","DOIUrl":"10.33696/cancerimmunol.6.081","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Checkpoint inhibitors offer promise in treating muscle-invasive and metastatic bladder cancer, but the optimal timing of their administration-neoadjuvant or adjuvant-remains unclear. To determine the efficacy of combining checkpoint inhibition with standard cisplatin-based chemotherapy, we conducted a phase II trial of neoadjuvant anti-PD-1 (αPD-1) and anti-CTLA-4 (αCTLA-4), in combination with cisplatin-gemcitabine, for patients with muscle-invasive bladder cancer prior to radical cystectomy. In addition, a novel murine model of spontaneous metastatic bladder cancer was used to compare the efficacy of neoadjuvant versus adjuvant anti-PD-L1 (αPD-L1) treatment. The clinical trial was closed prematurely due to the industry's withdrawal of drug provision. Adverse events were observed in all patients; however, serious adverse events were not observed in any patient. A complete pathologic response was observed in 50% of the 4 patients enrolled. Response to treatment was significantly associated with elevated urinary T cells including CD8<sup>+</sup> and IFNγ<sup>+</sup> CD4<sup>+</sup> T cells, suggesting potential reinforcement of immune responses by neoadjuvant αPD-1 and αCTLA-4 against bladder tumor cells. These findings suggest that combining chemotherapy and immunotherapy in the neoadjuvant setting could be safe. However, the complete response rate of this four-drug regimen was modest and emphasizes the need for randomized controlled trials to properly assess immunotherapy efficacy in the neoadjuvant setting. In corresponding murine studies, the MB49-met model consistently displayed widespread metastasis, including tumor growth in the lungs, liver, and bowel mesentery, within 20 days of subcutaneous transplantation. Mice receiving surgery plus neoadjuvant αPD-L1 or adjuvant αPD-L1 exhibited improved survival compared to those receiving only αPD-L1. However, no significant difference in survival was observed between the neoadjuvant and adjuvant αPD-L1 cohorts. Furthermore, the timing of neoadjuvant therapy administration (early vs. late) did not significantly impact survival. This study highlights the potential of perioperative immunotherapy in the treatment of locally advanced and metastatic bladder cancer.</p>","PeriodicalId":73633,"journal":{"name":"Journal of cancer immunology","volume":"6 1","pages":"29-39"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11113005/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141089528","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Phosphopeptide Neoantigens as Emerging Targets in Cancer Immunotherapy.","authors":"Tyagi Apoorvi, Patskovsky Yury, Voloshyna Iryna, Krogsgaard Michelle","doi":"10.33696/cancerimmunol.6.094","DOIUrl":"10.33696/cancerimmunol.6.094","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Protein post-translational modifications play a vital role in various cellular events essential for maintaining cellular physiology and homeostasis. In cancer cells, aberrant post-translational modifications such as glycosylation, acetylation, and phosphorylation on proteins can result in the generation of antigenic peptide variants presented in complex with MHC molecules. These modified peptides add to the class of tumorspecific antigens and offer promising avenues for targeted anti- cancer therapies. In this review, we focus on the role of phosphorylated peptides (p-peptides) in cancer immunity. We discuss the mechanisms by which the phosphorylated moiety modifies the structural features and binding properties of p-peptides with MHC, compared to their non-phosphorylated counterparts. Additionally, we review recent work on how the HLA-B*07-specific p-peptide, pMLL<sub>747-755</sub>, interacts with its cognate TCR. Altogether, p-peptides are emerging as a novel class of tumor-specific antigens, expanding the range of targets in cancer immunotherapy.</p>","PeriodicalId":73633,"journal":{"name":"Journal of cancer immunology","volume":"6 4","pages":"135-147"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11661817/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142878791","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"A Paradoxical AKT: Exploring the Promise and Challenges of PI3K/AKT/mTOR Targeted Therapies.","authors":"Gennie L Parkman, Sheri L Holmen","doi":"10.33696/cancerimmunol.6.089","DOIUrl":"10.33696/cancerimmunol.6.089","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":73633,"journal":{"name":"Journal of cancer immunology","volume":"6 3","pages":"92-99"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11460539/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142395748","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Ricardo A León-Letelier, Yihui Chen, Riccardo Ballaro, Ehsan Irajizad, Kim-An Do, Anirban Maitra, Jianjun Zhang, C Max Schmidt, Johannes F Fahrmann
{"title":"A Blood-based Metabolite Signature for Personalized Risk Assessment of Pancreatic Cancer.","authors":"Ricardo A León-Letelier, Yihui Chen, Riccardo Ballaro, Ehsan Irajizad, Kim-An Do, Anirban Maitra, Jianjun Zhang, C Max Schmidt, Johannes F Fahrmann","doi":"10.33696/cancerimmunol.6.095","DOIUrl":"10.33696/cancerimmunol.6.095","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":73633,"journal":{"name":"Journal of cancer immunology","volume":"6 4","pages":"148-153"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11661815/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142878789","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}