Minimal Residual Disease in Gastric Cancer: Evidence of an Independent Prognostic Relevance of Urokinase Receptor Expression by Disseminated Tumor Cells in the Bone Marrow

2002 ◽  
Vol 20 (8) ◽  
pp. 2005-2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Markus Maria Heiss ◽  
Erich H. Simon ◽  
Bianca C.M. Beyer ◽  
Klaus Uwe Gruetzner ◽  
Anwar Tarabichi ◽  
...  

PURPOSE: To study the invasion-related molecule urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptor (u-PAR) expressed by disseminated tumor cells as a biologic predictor of poor survival in a large prospective series of patients with gastric cancer. PATIENTS AND METHODS: In 156 gastric cancer patients (prospective series), disseminated tumor cells in the bone marrow and the u-PAR expressed by these tumor cells were determined by cytokeratin (CK) 18 immunocytochemistry and u-PAR/CK18 double immunocytochemistry. RESULTS: In contrast to the mere detection of disseminated tumor cells at primary surgery, the additional evidence of u-PAR on these cells correlated significantly with pathologic T stage (P = .0474) and the expression of u-PAR (P = .0093) and plasminogen-activator inhibitor 1 (P = .0145) in the primary tumor (immunohistochemistry, χ2). Kaplan-Meier analysis revealed no association with prognosis for the mere detection of disseminated tumor cells. In contrast, a significant association was seen between detection of u-PAR on these cells and shorter disease-free (P < .0001) and overall survival (P < .0001). Multivariate analysis revealed that u-PAR on disseminated tumor cells at the time of primary surgery is an independent prognostic factor for disease-free (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.72 to 3.21; P = .024) and overall survival (P = .0049; relative risk, 2.89; 95% CI, 1.92 to 4.30). CONCLUSION: This is the first large study to show that u-PAR, detected on disseminated tumor cells in the bone marrow, is an independent prognostic parameter in gastric cancer, in contrast to the mere detection of minimal residual disease (MRD). u-PAR may be a promising marker to define a critical subpopulation of disseminated tumor cells and a target to eliminate MRD. Molecular phenotyping of MRD is critical for defining its individual clinical relevance.

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephanie L. Rellick ◽  
Gangqing Hu ◽  
Debra Piktel ◽  
Karen H. Martin ◽  
Werner J. Geldenhuys ◽  
...  

AbstractB-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is characterized by accumulation of immature hematopoietic cells in the bone marrow, a well-established sanctuary site for leukemic cell survival during treatment. While standard of care treatment results in remission in most patients, a small population of patients will relapse, due to the presence of minimal residual disease (MRD) consisting of dormant, chemotherapy-resistant tumor cells. To interrogate this clinically relevant population of treatment refractory cells, we developed an in vitro cell model in which human ALL cells are grown in co-culture with human derived bone marrow stromal cells or osteoblasts. Within this co-culture, tumor cells are found in suspension, lightly attached to the top of the adherent cells, or buried under the adherent cells in a population that is phase dim (PD) by light microscopy. PD cells are dormant and chemotherapy-resistant, consistent with the population of cells that underlies MRD. In the current study, we characterized the transcriptional signature of PD cells by RNA-Seq, and these data were compared to a published expression data set derived from human MRD B-cell ALL patients. Our comparative analyses revealed that the PD cell population is markedly similar to the MRD expression patterns from the primary cells isolated from patients. We further identified genes and key signaling pathways that are common between the PD tumor cells from co-culture and patient derived MRD cells as potential therapeutic targets for future studies.


Biomolecules ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 130
Author(s):  
Jordi Badia-Ramentol ◽  
Jenniffer Linares ◽  
Andrea Gómez-Llonin ◽  
Alexandre Calon

Progression from localized to metastatic disease requires cancer cells spreading to distant organs through the bloodstream. Only a small proportion of these circulating tumor cells (CTCs) survives dissemination due to anoikis, shear forces and elimination by the immune system. However, all metastases originate from CTCs capable of surviving and extravasating into distant tissue to re-initiate a tumor. Metastasis initiation is not always immediate as disseminated tumor cells (DTCs) may enter a non-dividing state of cell dormancy. Cancer dormancy is a reversible condition that can be maintained for many years without being clinically detectable. Subsequently, late disease relapses are thought to be due to cancer cells ultimately escaping from dormant state. Cancer dormancy is usually associated with minimal residual disease (MRD), where DTCs persist after intended curative therapy. Thus, MRD is commonly regarded as an indicator of poor prognosis in all cancers. In this review, we examine the current understanding of MRD and immunity during cancer progression to metastasis and discuss clinical perspectives for oncology.


Blood ◽  
2004 ◽  
Vol 104 (11) ◽  
pp. 4626-4626
Author(s):  
Yuankai Shi ◽  
Sheng Yang ◽  
Xiaohong Han ◽  
Peng Liu ◽  
Xiaohui He ◽  
...  

Abstract Purpose: High-dose chemotherapy (HDC) supported by APBSCT has been shown to be superior to standard therapy in NHL. However, many patients relapse due to minimal residual disease (MRD) in vivo or in the graft. Rituximab has the potential to clear both blood and bone marrow of malignant CD20+ cells, prompting this multicenter trial of in vivo purging with rituximab and HDC with APBSCT in China. Methods: Cyclophosphamide 4g/m2 was used as the mobilization regimen, CY/TBI, BEAM or CBV could be used as HDC at the discretion of the institution. Four infusions of rituximab (375 mg/m2) were given: one day before mobilization, one day before harvesting, one day before transplantation and on day 8 after transplantation. BCL-2/Ig-H translocation was measured as a marker of minimal residual disease in blood or bone marrow before mobilization and during transplantation using real-time quantitative PCR. Results: Thirty-one patients from 12 centers with histologically proven CD20+ NHL (28 aggressive, 3 indolent NHL) were enrolled. Twenty-four patients were previously untreated, and 7 patients had relapsed disease. Median yields of CD34+ cells and mononuclear cells were 5.9×106/kg and 4.4×108 /kg respectively. Median time to recovery of WBC >1.5×109/L, ANC >0.5×109/L and platelets >20×109/L after APBSCT was 10 days in each case. Median time to platelet recovery >50×109/L was 13 days. Generally, this therapeutic strategy was well tolerated with few side effects attribute to rituximab. All patients achieved a complete remission after APBSCT. At a median-follow-up of 12 months, overall survival and progression-free survival (PFS) are 87% and 73% respectively for all patients. In patients with aggressive NHL, overall survival and PFS are 85% and 73% respectively and in indolent NHL are 100% and 67% respectively. PFS and overall survival were slightly higher in previously untreated compared with relapsed patients (88% vs. 83% for PFS, 73% vs. 69% for overall survival). One of five 5 patients who were initially found to be PCR-positive and achieved PCR-negative status subsequently experienced progression accompanied by a return to PCR positivity. The remaining four patients are still in complete remission and are PCR negative. Conclusion: These results suggest that the regimen of rituximab combined with HDCT and APBSCT is effective and well tolerated for the treatment of patients with NHL.


2014 ◽  
Vol 2014 ◽  
pp. 1-7 ◽  
Author(s):  
Larissa Bubnovskaya ◽  
Antonina Kovelskaya ◽  
Lilya Gumenyuk ◽  
Irina Ganusevich ◽  
Lesya Mamontova ◽  
...  

Aim.The evaluation of the clinical relevance of disseminated tumor cells (DTCs) in bone marrow (BM) of patients with gastric cancer (GC) and their association with primary tumor hypoxia.Patients and Methods.89 resected specimens were used. DTCs were detected using immunocytochemistry, the level of tumor hypoxia using NMR spectroscopy, CD68, CD34, VEGF, and VEGFR-1 (Flt-1) expression using immunohistochemistry, and MMP-2 and MMP-9 activity using zymography.Results.DTCs were detected in 51.4% of GC patients with M0. There was significant correlation between frequency of DTCs in BM and level of tumor hypoxia (P<0.024). DTCs presence was accompanied with Flt-1 positivity of BM. The correlation between DTCs and tumor VEGF expression in patients with M0was shown (P<0.0248). Activity of MMP-2 and MMP-9 in BM was linked with DTCs in patients with M0(P<0.05). Overall survival (OS) of patients with M0and DTCs was shorter than that of patients without DTCs (patients in both groups were operated only) (P=0.0497).Conclusion.Appearance of DTCs correlates with hypoxia level in primary tumors. Detection of DTCs in GC patients may be relevant indicator for adjuvant chemotherapy using.


2015 ◽  
Vol 2015 ◽  
pp. 1-8
Author(s):  
Dmitry Osinsky ◽  
Antonina Kovelskaya ◽  
Larissa Bubnovskaya ◽  
Irina Ganusevich ◽  
Lilya Gumenyuk ◽  
...  

Aim. The analysis of the association of CXCR4 expression in gastric cancer (GC) and bone marrow (BM) with clinical characteristics. Patients and Methods. 65 patients with GC were investigated. Immunohistochemistry, immunocytochemistry, NMR-spectroscopy, and zymography were used. Results. CXCR4 was expressed in 78.5% of GC specimens and correlated with tumor hypoxia (P<0.05), VEGF expression (P<0.01), and gelatinases activity (P<0.05). CXCR4-positive cells in GC were detected in 80% of patients with disseminated tumor cells (DTCs). Overall survival (OS) of patients with CXCR4-positive tumors was poorer than that of patients with CXCR4-negative tumors (P=0.037). The CXCR4-positive cells in BM were found in 46% of all patients and in 56% of patients with DTCs. CXCR4 expression in BM was not associated with OS. Risk of unfavourable outcome is increased in patients with CXCR4-positive tumors (P<0.05). CXCR4 expression in BM was positively associated with DTCs, especially in patients with M0 category. Risk of unfavourable outcome is increased in patients with M0 category and with both CXCR4-positive BM and DTCs (P=0.03). Conclusions. CXCR4 expression in tumor was positively correlated with hypoxia level and VEGF expression in tumor as well as OS. CXCR4 expression in BM is associated with DTCs.


1996 ◽  
Vol 14 (6) ◽  
pp. 1810-1817 ◽  
Author(s):  
K W Jauch ◽  
M M Heiss ◽  
U Gruetzner ◽  
I Funke ◽  
K Pantel ◽  
...  

BACKGROUND Monoclonal antibodies (mabs) against components of the cytoskeleton such as cytokeratins allow single disseminated epithelial carcinoma cells to be detected in the bone marrow. The aim of this study was to examine the prognostic relevance of these cells in patients with gastric cancer and to evaluate by multivariate analysis their predictive value compared with conventional risk factors. PATIENTS AND METHODS A total of 1 x 10(6) cells from bone marrow aspirates were screened immunoctochemically for the presence and absolute number of disseminated tumor cells using mab CK2 to cytokeratin component no. 18. Patients were monitored prospectively for 30.6 +/- 15.2 months. RESULTS Between one and 122 CK2-positive cells per 1 million mononuclear bone marrow cells were present in 95 of 180 patients (53%). A similar prevalence of 51% was found in curatively operated patients (55 of 109). Comparison with conventional prognostic risk factors showed a correlation of cell dissemination with pathohistologic tumor (pT) stage (P = .07) and Bormann classification (P = .022). Tumor-cell content in the bone marrow predicted disease-free and overall survival in curatively resected patients (P = .007 and P = .049, respectively). Multivariate analysis, which included established risk factors, showed that extent of tumor-cell dissemination was an independent prognostic parameter for disease-free survival in T1/2 tumors (P = .014; relative risk [RR], 1.84; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.35 to 2.52), in intestinal type carcinomas according to Laurén (P = .008; RR, 1.62; 95% CI, 1.23 to 2.12), and in patients without lymph node involvement (P = .004; RR, 2.43; 95% CI, 1.22 to 4.82). CONCLUSION Presence of disseminated tumor cells in bone marrow is indicative of systemic disease even in early-stage gastric cancer. The extent of tumor-cell presence in bone marrow correlates with prognosis in curatively resected patients. Therefore, a positive bone marrow finding may be a selection criteria for adjuvant treatment because of minimal residual tumor load.


2003 ◽  
Vol 21 (20) ◽  
pp. 3853-3858 ◽  
Author(s):  
Irene Y. Cheung ◽  
M. Serena Lo Piccolo ◽  
Brian H. Kushner ◽  
Nai-Kong V. Cheung

Purpose: A promising treatment strategy for stage 4 neuroblastoma patients is the repeated application of anti-GD2 immunotherapy after activating myeloid effectors with granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF). To use early marrow response as a prognostic marker is particularly relevant for patients not likely to benefit from this therapy. Patients and Methods: Eighty-six stage 4 neuroblastoma patients older than 1 year at diagnosis were classified in four clinical groups on protocol entry: complete remission or very good partial remission (n = 33), primary refractory (n = 33), secondary refractory (n = 10), and progressive disease (n = 10). Bone marrow samples collected before and following treatment were assayed for GD2 synthase mRNA by real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction. Response and survival analyses were performed on posttreatment samples before the third cycle at 1.8 months from protocol entry. Results: GD2 synthase mRNA was evident in pretreatment marrow samples of the four clinical groups (42%, 52%, 60%, and 80% of samples, respectively), with median transcript level of 10.0, 16.6, 26.5, and 87.2, respectively. This marker became negative following antibody plus GM-CSF in 77% of complete remission or very good partial remission, 45% of primary refractory, 25% of secondary refractory, and 0% of progressive disease group. Progression-free survival was statistically different between responder and nonresponder groups (P < .0001). Among patients with minimal residual disease, molecular responders had a significantly lower risk of disease progression at a median follow-up of 29.8 months (P = .0001). Conclusion: GD2 synthase mRNA is a sensitive response marker of neuroblastoma in the bone marrow. It is particularly useful for minimal residual disease evaluation and may potentially be useful as an early predictor of resistance to antibody plus GM-CSF immunotherapy.


Blood ◽  
2008 ◽  
Vol 111 (6) ◽  
pp. 2984-2990 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stella M. Davies ◽  
Michael J. Borowitz ◽  
Gary L. Rosner ◽  
Kristin Ritz ◽  
Meenakshi Devidas ◽  
...  

Abstract Minimal residual disease (MRD) as a marker of antileukemic drug efficacy is being used to assess risk status and, in some cases, to adjust the intensity of therapy. Within known prognostic categories, the determinants of MRD are not known. We measured MRD by flow cytometry at day 8 (in blood) and at day 28 (in bone marrow) of induction therapy in more than 1000 children enrolled in Pediatric Oncology Group therapy protocols 9904, 9905, and 9906. We classified patients as “best risk” if they had cleared MRD by day 8 of therapy and as “worst risk” if they had MRD remaining in bone marrow at day 28, and tested whether MRD was related to polymorphisms in 16 loci in genes hypothesized to influence response to therapy in acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). After adjusting for known prognostic features such as presence of the TEL-AML1 rearrangement, National Cancer Institute (NCI) risk status, ploidy, and race, the G allele of a common polymorphism in chemokine receptor 5 (CCR5) was associated with more favorable MRD status than the A allele (P = .009, logistic regression), when comparing “best” and “worst” risk groups. These data are consistent with growing evidence that both acquired and host genetics influence response to cancer therapy.


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