Emerging Strategies in Systemic Therapy for the Treatment of Melanoma

2018 ◽  
pp. 751-758 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paolo A. Ascierto ◽  
Keith Flaherty ◽  
Stephanie Goff
Keyword(s):  
Targeted Therapy ◽  
Targeted Therapies ◽  
De Novo ◽  
Checkpoint Inhibitors ◽  
Treatment Options ◽  
Acquired Resistance ◽  
Interleukin 2 ◽  
Advanced Melanoma ◽  
Adoptive Cell Transfer ◽  
Mek Inhibition

Recent years have seen major improvements in survival of patients with advanced melanoma with the advent of various novel systemic immunotherapies and targeted therapies. As our understanding of these agents and their various mechanisms of action improves, even more impressive outcomes are being achieved through use of various combination strategies, including the combining of different immunotherapies with one another as well as with other modalities. However, despite the improved outcomes that have been achieved in advanced melanoma, responses to treatment are heterogeneous and may not always be durable. Additional advances in therapy are required, and several emerging strategies are a focus of interest. These include the investigation of several new immunotherapy and/or targeted therapy combinations, such as checkpoint inhibitors (anti–PD-1/anti–CTLA-4) with other immunotherapies (e.g., indoleamine 2,3 dioxygenase [IDO] inhibitors, antilymphocyte activation 3 [anti–LAG-3], histone deacetylase [HDAC] inhibitors, Toll-like receptor 9 [TLR-9] agonists, antiglucocorticoid-induced tumor necrosis factor receptor [anti-GITR], pegylated interleukin-2 [IL-2]), combined targeted therapies (e.g., MEK and CDK4/6 coinhibition), and combined immunotherapy and targeted therapy (e.g., the triplet combination of BRAF/MEK inhibition with anti–PD-1s). The identification of novel therapeutic targets in the MAP kinase pathway also offers opportunities to improve outcomes by overcoming de novo and acquired resistance to BRAF/MEK inhibition (e.g., the development of ERK inhibitors). In addition, adoptive cell transfer, the infusion of large numbers of activated autologous lymphocytes, may have a potential role in patients whose disease has progressed after immunotherapy. Taken together, these new approaches offer further potential to increase systemic treatment options and improve long-term outcomes for patients with advanced melanoma.

Genomic testing and treatment landscape in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (aNSCLC) using real-world data from community oncology practices.

2019 ◽  
Vol 37 (15_suppl) ◽  
pp. 1585-1585 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hinco Jasper Gierman ◽  
Seth Goldfarb ◽  
Monica Labrador ◽  
Caroline M. Weipert ◽  
Bill Getty ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Targeted Therapy ◽  
Targeted Therapies ◽  
Checkpoint Inhibitors ◽  
Treatment Options ◽  
P Value ◽  
Genomic Testing ◽  
Tumor Type ◽  
Real World Data ◽  
Nccn Guidelines ◽  
Community Oncology

1585 Background: While aNSCLC is a leading cause of US cancer deaths, targeted therapies and immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICPi) have emerged as important new treatment options for these pts NCCN guidelines recommend testing of eight genes in aNSCLC patients at diagnosis. Targetable alterations (TA) in four genes, EGFR, ALK, ROS1, and BRAF, are associated with FDA-approved therapies. The labels for ICPis indicate that pts with TAs in EGFR and ALK are not candidates for first line treatment with ICPi. Methods: The Integra Connect database, which includes electronic medical record (EMR) and claims data on approximately 600,000 cancer patients, was queried across five community oncology practices (289 oncologists) to identify aNSCLC patients (stage 3B or 4) treated since January 2017. Manual review of charts was done to abstract tumor type/stage, drug regimens, and evidence of somatic genetic testing. A Wilcoxon rank sum test was used to test difference in time to results (TTR) for blood- vs tissue-based tests. Results: A total of 1,203 aNSCLC patients were identified. Testing rates varied from 54% for EGFR to 22% for all 4 genes (table). 163 patients had a TA in EGFR, ALK, ROS1 or BRAF, and 55% of these pts did not receive targeted therapy. 84 pts with TA’s in EGFR or ALK had no evidence of progression on targeted therapy, yet 31 (37%) received an ICPi; 24% had the TA test result prior to ICPi use and 13% received the TA result after starting ICPi. Median TTR for blood-based somatic tests was shorter than tissue-based tests (4 vs 14 days, p-value= 3.5-e07). Conclusions: Our analysis in the community oncology setting for aNSCLC pts finds evidence of underutilization of genomic testing, underutilization of targeted therapies, and ICPi use outside of label. Further research is needed to identify strategies to increase testing in aNSCLC pts to provide physicians with the information needed to make optimal treatment decisions. [Table: see text]

scholarly journals Hedgehog/GLI signaling in tumor immunity - new therapeutic opportunities and clinical implications

2019 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sandra Grund-Gröschke ◽  
Georg Stockmaier ◽  
Fritz Aberger
Keyword(s):  
Immune Response ◽  
De Novo ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Checkpoint Inhibitors ◽  
Inflammatory Diseases ◽  
Treatment Options ◽  
Acquired Resistance ◽  
Cell Formation ◽  
Cancer Hallmarks ◽  
Novel Treatments

AbstractUncontrolled activation of the Hedgehog/Glioma-associated oncogene (HH/GLI) pathway is a potent oncogenic driver signal promoting numerous cancer hallmarks such as proliferation, survival, angiogenesis, metastasis and metabolic rewiring. Several HH pathway inhibitors have already been approved for medical therapy of advanced and metastatic basal cell carcinoma and acute myeloid leukemia with partially impressive therapeutic activity. However, de novo and acquired resistance as well as severe side effects and unexplained lack of therapeutic efficacy are major challenges that urgently call for improved treatment options with more durable responses. The recent breakthroughs in cancer immunotherapy have changed our current understanding of targeted therapy and opened up promising therapeutic opportunities including combinations of selective cancer pathway and immune checkpoint inhibitors. Although HH/GLI signaling has been intensely studied with respect to the classical hallmarks of cancer, its role in the modulation of the anti-tumoral immune response has only become evident in recent studies. These have uncovered HH/GLI regulated immunosuppressive mechanisms such as enhanced regulatory T-cell formation and production of immunosuppressive cytokines. In light of these exciting novel data on oncogenic HH/GLI signaling in immune cross-talk and modulation, we summarize and connect in this review the existing knowledge from different HH-related cancers and chronic inflammatory diseases. This is to provide a basis for the investigation and evaluation of novel treatments combining immunotherapeutic strategies with approved as well as next-generation HH/GLI inhibitors. Further, we also critically discuss recent studies demonstrating a possible negative impact of current HH/GLI pathway inhibitors on the anti-tumoral immune response, which may explain some of the disappointing results of several oncological trials with anti-HH drugs.

scholarly journals New drug developments in metastatic gastric cancer

2018 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
pp. 175628481880807 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aaron C. Tan ◽  
David L. Chan ◽  
Wasek Faisal ◽  
Nick Pavlakis
Keyword(s):  
Gastric Cancer ◽  
Clinical Trials ◽  
Targeted Therapies ◽  
Immune Checkpoint ◽  
Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors ◽  
Checkpoint Inhibitors ◽  
Treatment Options ◽  
Predictive Biomarkers ◽  
Metastatic Gastric Cancer ◽  
New Era

Metastatic gastric cancer is associated with a poor prognosis and novel treatment options are desperately needed. The development of targeted therapies heralded a new era for the management of metastatic gastric cancer, however results from clinical trials of numerous targeted agents have been mixed. The advent of immune checkpoint inhibitors has yielded similar promise and results from early trials are encouraging. This review provides an overview of the systemic treatment options evaluated in metastatic gastric cancer, with a focus on recent evidence from clinical trials for targeted therapies and immune checkpoint inhibitors. The failure to identify appropriate predictive biomarkers has hampered the success of many targeted therapies in gastric cancer, and a deeper understanding of specific molecular subtypes and genomic alterations may allow for more precision in the application of novel therapies. Identifying appropriate biomarkers for patient selection is essential for future clinical trials, for the most effective use of novel agents and in combination approaches to account for growing complexity of treatment options.

scholarly journals Oxidative Stress-Related Mechanisms in Melanoma and in the Acquired Resistance to Targeted Therapies

Antioxidants ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (12) ◽  
pp. 1942
Author(s):  
Stefania Pizzimenti ◽  
Simone Ribero ◽  
Marie Angele Cucci ◽  
Margherita Grattarola ◽  
Chiara Monge ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Oxidative Stress ◽  
Targeted Therapies ◽  
Current Knowledge ◽  
Mapk Pathway ◽  
Acquired Resistance ◽  
Genetic Alterations ◽  
Advanced Melanoma ◽  
Braf Mutations ◽  
Downstream Signaling ◽  
Activating Mutations

Melanoma is a highly aggressive cancer with the poorest prognosis, representing the deadliest form of skin cancer. Activating mutations in BRAF are the most frequent genetic alterations, present in approximately 50% of all melanoma cases. The use of specific inhibitors towards mutant BRAF variants and MEK, a downstream signaling target of BRAF in the MAPK pathway, has significantly improved progression-free and overall survival in advanced melanoma patients carrying BRAF mutations. Nevertheless, despite these improvements, resistance still develops within the first year of therapy in around 50% of patients, which is a significant problem in managing BRAF-mutated advanced melanoma. Understanding these mechanisms is one of the mainstreams of the research on BRAFi/MEKi acquired resistance. Both genetic and epigenetic mechanisms have been described. Moreover, in recent years, oxidative stress has emerged as another major force involved in all the phases of melanoma development, from initiation to progression until the onsets of the metastatic phenotype and chemoresistance, and has thus become a target for therapy. In the present review, we discuss the current knowledge on oxidative stress and its signaling in melanoma, as well as the oxidative stress-related mechanisms in the acquired resistance to targeted therapies.

scholarly journals Overcoming Resistance to Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinomas

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lucas V. dos Santos ◽  
Carina M. Abrahão ◽  
William N. William
Keyword(s):  
Head And Neck ◽  
Squamous Cell ◽  
Immune Checkpoint ◽  
Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors ◽  
De Novo ◽  
Checkpoint Inhibitors ◽  
Acquired Resistance ◽  
Clinical Work ◽  
Squamous Cell Carcinomas ◽  
Clinical Activity

Preclinical data suggest that head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCC) may evade immune surveillance and induce immunosuppression. One mechanism of immune evasion involves the expression of programmed death ligand-1 (PD-L1) in tumor and immune cells, which is, to date, the only biomarker routinely used in clinical practice to select patients with advanced HNSCCs more likely to benefit from anti-PD-1 therapy. Nonetheless, PD-L1 expression alone incompletely captures the degree of sensitivity of HNSCCs to PD-1 inhibitors. Most patients exposed to anti-PD-1 antibodies do not respond to therapy, suggesting the existence of mechanisms of de novo resistance to immunotherapy. Furthermore, patients that initially respond to PD-1 inhibitors will eventually develop acquired resistance to immunotherapy through mechanisms that have not yet been completely elucidated. In this article, we will provide an overview of the immune landscape of HNSCCs. We will briefly describe the clinical activity of inhibitors of the PD-1/PD-L1 axis in this disease, as well as biomarkers of benefit from these agents that have been identified so far. We will review pre-clinical and clinical work in cancers in general, and in HNSCCs specifically, that have characterized the mechanisms of de novo and acquired resistance to immunotherapy. Lastly, we will provide insights into novel strategies under investigation to overcome resistance to immune checkpoint inhibitors.

Immunotherapy for advanced melanoma: current situation in Japan

2020 ◽  
Vol 51 (1) ◽  
pp. 3-9
Author(s):  
Junji Kato ◽  
Hisashi Uhara
Keyword(s):  
Uveal Melanoma ◽  
Immune Checkpoint ◽  
Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors ◽  
Checkpoint Inhibitors ◽  
Treatment Options ◽  
Advanced Melanoma ◽  
Current Evidence ◽  
Clinical Effects ◽  
Durable Response ◽  
Term Survival

Abstract Treatment with immune checkpoint inhibitors provides long-term survival for patients with advanced melanoma. Improvements in the overall survival of advanced melanoma patients have been achieved with anti-PD-1 monotherapy and anti-PD-1+ CTLA4 combination therapy, but there are still many issues to resolve. Acral, mucosal and uveal melanoma have been less responsive to immune checkpoint inhibitors than cutaneous melanoma. For patients who have achieved a good response, it is still not known how long the anti-PD-1 therapy should be administered. Moreover, there is limited treatment for patients who relapse during or after adjuvant anti-PD-1 therapy. Here, we review the current evidence regarding the clinical effects of immunotherapy for advanced melanoma. Moreover, we review previous studies of acral, mucosal and uveal melanoma, and we discuss the recent findings regarding durable response after the cessation of anti-PD-1 therapy, and treatment options for recurrence after adjuvant therapy.

A Career in Lung Cancer: Pushing Beyond Chemotherapy

2019 ◽  
pp. 583-589
Author(s):  
Pradnya Dinkar Patil ◽  
Frances Shepherd ◽  
David H. Johnson
Keyword(s):  
Lung Cancer ◽  
Targeted Therapies ◽  
Immune Checkpoint ◽  
Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors ◽  
Checkpoint Inhibitors ◽  
Acquired Resistance ◽  
Genetic Alterations ◽  
Disease Biology ◽  
Formidable Challenge ◽  
Treatment Paradigm

The landscape of treatments for non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) has evolved dramatically over the past 3 decades. A better understanding of the disease biology and identification of actionable genetic alterations heralded an era of targeted therapies that has led to unprecedented survival benefits in patients with oncogene-driven NSCLC. More recent breakthroughs in immunotherapy led to the development of immune checkpoint inhibitors that have changed the treatment paradigm for patients with advanced NSCLC because of their ability to produce durable responses, resulting in improved survival outcomes. Despite the unparalleled success of these agents, primary and acquired resistance to these therapies pose a formidable challenge. In this article, we provide an overview of the therapeutic advances in the treatment of NSCLC, mechanisms of resistance, and potential strategies to overcome resistance to targeted therapies and immune checkpoint inhibitors.

scholarly journals Predictors of Response to Targeted Therapy in Renal Cell Carcinoma

2012 ◽  
Vol 136 (5) ◽  
pp. 490-495 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laurie J. Eisengart ◽  
Gary R. MacVicar ◽  
Ximing J. Yang
Keyword(s):  
Renal Cell Carcinoma ◽  
Targeted Therapy ◽  
Cell Carcinoma ◽  
Targeted Therapies ◽  
Renal Cell ◽  
Mammalian Target Of Rapamycin ◽  
Interleukin 2 ◽  
High Dose ◽  
Predictors Of Response ◽  
Personalized Approach

Context.—The prognosis for patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma is poor, with an average 5-year survival of approximately 10%. Use of traditional cytokine therapy, specifically high-dose interleukin 2, is limited by significant toxicity. Better understanding of the molecular pathogenesis of renal cell carcinoma has led to the development of targeted therapies to inhibit specific cellular pathways leading to tumorigenesis. These drugs provide improved survival with a more favorable toxicity profile. There is ongoing investigation of markers that predict response of an individual patient to different targeted therapies. Objective.—To explain the molecular basis for vascular endothelial growth factor inhibitor (antiangiogenic) and mammalian target of rapamycin inhibitor therapies for renal cell carcinoma, summarize the clinical trials demonstrating the effectiveness of these drugs, and describe the biomarkers shown to correlate with outcome in patients treated with targeted therapy. Data Sources.—All included sources are from peer-reviewed journals in PubMed (US National Library of Medicine). Conclusion.—Emerging evidence shows promise that biomarkers will be useful for predicting an individual patient's response to targeted therapy, leading to a more personalized approach to treating renal cell carcinoma.

scholarly journals Targeted Therapies in Cancer: To Be or Not to Be, Selective

Biomedicines ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (11) ◽  
pp. 1591
Author(s):  
Skye Montoya ◽  
Deborah Soong ◽  
Nina Nguyen ◽  
Maurizio Affer ◽  
Sailasya P. Munamarty ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Targeted Therapies ◽  
Drug Exposure ◽  
Kinase Inhibitors ◽  
De Novo ◽  
Treatment Options ◽  
Sequential Therapy ◽  
Oncogenic Signaling ◽  
Multikinase Inhibitor ◽  
Cancer Types ◽  
Goal Understanding

Development of targeted therapies in recent years revealed several nonchemotherapeutic options for patients. Chief among targeted therapies is small molecule kinase inhibitors targeting key oncogenic signaling proteins. Through competitive and noncompetitive inhibition of these kinases, and therefore the pathways they activate, cancers can be slowed or completely eradicated, leading to partial or complete remissions for many cancer types. Unfortunately, for many patients, resistance to targeted therapies, such as kinase inhibitors, ultimately develops and can necessitate multiple lines of treatment. Drug resistance can either be de novo or acquired after months or years of drug exposure. Since resistance can be due to several unique mechanisms, there is no one-size-fits-all solution to this problem. However, combinations that target complimentary pathways or potential escape mechanisms appear to be more effective than sequential therapy. Combinations of single kinase inhibitors or alternately multikinase inhibitor drugs could be used to achieve this goal. Understanding how to efficiently target cancer cells and overcome resistance to prior lines of therapy became imperative to the success of cancer treatment. Due to the complexity of cancer, effective treatment options in the future will likely require mixing and matching these approaches in different cancer types and different disease stages.

scholarly journals Interleukin-2 in Renal Cell Carcinoma: A Has-Been or a Still-Viable Option?

2014 ◽  
Vol 1 (7) ◽  
pp. 74-83 ◽  
Author(s):  
Asim Amin ◽  
Richard L White
Keyword(s):  
Renal Cell Carcinoma ◽  
Immune System ◽  
Cell Carcinoma ◽  
Renal Cell ◽  
Checkpoint Inhibitors ◽  
Interleukin 2 ◽  
Tumor Burden ◽  
Adoptive Cell Transfer ◽  
Host Immune System ◽  
History Of

Modulation of the immune response plays an important role in the natural history of renal cell carcinoma.  Spontaneous regression of metastases has been well documented in a small percentage of patients after they undergo de-bulking nephrectomy without any additional systemic intervention.  The only logical explanation for these observations is “resetting” of the balance between tumor and the host immune system that, having been overwhelmed by the tumor burden, is able to function better after tumor de-bulking.  Attempts to modulate the activity of the immune system “on demand” have included the use of vaccines, cytokines/lymphokines, adoptive cell transfer, monoclonal antibodies and most recently manipulation of immune checkpoint inhibitors.  Here we review the data for infusional interleukin-2 in the management of advanced renal cell carcinoma and its role in current clinical practice.

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