Targeted Modalities for Individualized Cancer Treatment: Radiotherapy, Chemotherapy, Immunotherapy and Rationales for Their Combination

A special issue of Cancers (ISSN 2072-6694).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 July 2022) | Viewed by 10404

Special Issue Editors

Department of Radiobiology and Radiohygiene, National Public Health Institute, Budapest, Anna u. 5, 1221 Budapest, Hungary
Interests: Radiation Carcinogenesis; Low Dose Effects; Normal Tissue Responses
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The high inter-individual variability in the genetic characteristics of tumor cells as well as differences in micro-environmental and systemic responses to tumors highlight the need for patient-tailored, individualized therapeutic approaches. Combined treatment modalities should maximize the efficiency of the local and systemic cure of the tumor along with minimizing long-term therapy-related toxicities. This can be achieved by the better targeting of the tumor. There are large gaps in our understanding of how radio- and chemotherapy influence the tumor microenvironment, lead to systemic effects, and interact with the immune system.

In this Special Issue, we invite contributions in the form of original articles, case reports, and reviews addressing the following objectives:  

  • Basic mechanisms of how radiotherapy and chemotherapy influence the tumor microenvironment and lead to systemic effects and interactions with the immune system;
  • Studies in the form of experimental investigations or clinical studies on combined radio-chemotherapy and immunotherapy approaches with improved tumor targeting;
  • Studies (experimental or clinical) presenting promising systemic biomarkers of prognosis or therapy response.

Dr. Géza Sáfrány
Dr. Katalin Lumniczky
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Cancers is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • Cancer
  • Radiotherapy
  • Chemotherapy
  • Immunotherapy
  • Tumor Targeting
  • Individualized Cancer Treatment
  • Systemic Biomarkers
  • Antitumor Immune Response

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

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10 pages, 1203 KiB  
Article
A Combination of Sorafenib, an Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor, TACE and Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy versus Sorafenib and TACE in Advanced Hepatocellular Carcinoma Accompanied by Portal Vein Tumor Thrombus
by Zeyu Zhang, Chan Li, Weijun Liao, Yun Huang and Zhiming Wang
Cancers 2022, 14(15), 3619; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/cancers14153619 - 25 Jul 2022
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 1635
Abstract
Background: This study compared the effectiveness of the combined administration of sorafenib, an immune checkpoint inhibitor, transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE), and stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) (SITS group) vs. sorafenib combined with TACE (ST group) in treating and downstaging advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) [...] Read more.
Background: This study compared the effectiveness of the combined administration of sorafenib, an immune checkpoint inhibitor, transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE), and stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) (SITS group) vs. sorafenib combined with TACE (ST group) in treating and downstaging advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with portal vein tumor thrombus (PVTT). Methods: The present study included patients with advanced HCC and PVTT treated with one of the above combination therapies. The downstaging rate, objective response rate (ORR), progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), disease control rate (DCR), and adverse events (AEs) were assessed. Results: Sixty-two patients were analyzed. The ORR was elevated in the SITS group compared with the ST group (p = 0.036), but no differences were found in DCR (p = 0.067). The survival analysis revealed higher PFS (p = 0.015) and OS (p = 0.013) in the SITS group, with median PFS and OS times of 10.4 and 13.8 months, respectively. Ten patients displayed successful downstaging and underwent surgery in the SITS group, vs. none in the ST group. The prognosis was better in surgically treated patients compared with the non-surgery subgroup, based on PFS (p < 0.001) and OS (p = 0.003). Despite a markedly higher rate of AEs in the SITS group (p = 0.020), including two severe AEs, the SITS combination therapy had an acceptable safety profile. Conclusion: The SITS combination therapy yields higher PFS and OS than the combined administration of sorafenib and TACE in patients with advanced HCC and PVTT, especially as a downstaging strategy before surgery. Full article
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24 pages, 3140 KiB  
Article
Prostate Cancer Survivors Present Long-Term, Residual Systemic Immune Alterations
by Katalin Balázs, Zsuzsa S. Kocsis, Péter Ágoston, Kliton Jorgo, László Gesztesi, Gyöngyi Farkas, Gábor Székely, Zoltán Takácsi-Nagy, Csaba Polgár, Géza Sáfrány, Zsolt Jurányi and Katalin Lumniczky
Cancers 2022, 14(13), 3058; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/cancers14133058 - 22 Jun 2022
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Abstract
Background: The development of cancer and anti-tumor therapies can lead to systemic immune alterations but little is known about how long immune dysfunction persists in cancer survivors. Methods: We followed changes in the cellular immune parameters of prostate cancer patients with good prognostic [...] Read more.
Background: The development of cancer and anti-tumor therapies can lead to systemic immune alterations but little is known about how long immune dysfunction persists in cancer survivors. Methods: We followed changes in the cellular immune parameters of prostate cancer patients with good prognostic criteria treated with low dose rate brachytherapy before and up to 3 years after the initiation of therapy. Results: Patients before therapy had a reduced CD4+ T cell pool and increased regulatory T cell fraction and these alterations persisted or got amplified during the 36-month follow-up. A significant decrease in the total NK cell number and a redistribution of the circulating NK cells in favor of a less functional anergic subpopulation was seen in patients before therapy but tumor regression led to the regeneration of the NK cell pool and functional integrity. The fraction of lymphoid DCs was increased in patients both before therapy and throughout the whole follow-up. Increased PDGF-AA, BB, CCL5 and CXCL5 levels were measured in patients before treatment but protein levels rapidly normalized. Conclusions: while NK cell dysfunction recovered, long-term, residual alterations persisted in the adaptive and partly in the innate immune system. Full article
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Review

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20 pages, 1043 KiB  
Review
Recent Advances in Treatment Options for Childhood Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia
by Marta Malczewska, Kamil Kośmider, Kinga Bednarz, Katarzyna Ostapińska, Monika Lejman and Joanna Zawitkowska
Cancers 2022, 14(8), 2021; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/cancers14082021 - 16 Apr 2022
Cited by 24 | Viewed by 6331
Abstract
Acute lymphoblastic leukemia is the most common blood cancer in pediatric patients. There has been enormous progress in ALL treatment in recent years, which is reflected by the increase in the 5-year OS from 57% in the 1970s to up to 96% in [...] Read more.
Acute lymphoblastic leukemia is the most common blood cancer in pediatric patients. There has been enormous progress in ALL treatment in recent years, which is reflected by the increase in the 5-year OS from 57% in the 1970s to up to 96% in the most recent studies. ALL treatment is based primarily on conventional methods, which include chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Their main weakness is severe toxicity, which prompts dose reduction, decreases the effectiveness of the treatment, and, in some cases, can lead to death. Currently, numerous modifications in treatment regimens are applied in order to limit toxicities emerging from conventional approaches and improve outcomes. Hematological treatment of pediatric patients is reaching for more novel treatment options, such as targeted treatment, CAR-T-cells therapy, and immunotherapy. These methods are currently used in conjunction with chemotherapy. Nevertheless, the swift progress in their development and increasing efficacity can lead to applying those novel therapies as standalone therapeutic options for pediatric ALL. Full article
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