Highlights from the Literature
Cancer Immunol Res December 1 2017 5 (12) 1057-1057;
Homing receptor ligands on tumor-associated vasculature were found to vary with anatomical location and depend, in part, on intratumoral effectors. The required homing receptor/ligand interactions were identified that mediate effector CD8+ T cell entry into these tumors.
Androgen deprivation therapy (ADT), used to treat recurrent prostate cancer, can lead to overexpression of the androgen receptor. ADT combined with vaccination targeted against the androgen receptor led to improved responses in murine prostate cancer models.
Low-dose cyclophosphamide or gemcitabine treatments, in combination with natural killer T-cell activation therapy, modulated immune function and improved survival in a mouse model of metastatic breast cancer.
Several host factors can affect cancer metastasis. Batf3+ dendritic cells were shown in mouse models to produce the IL12 that stimulates NK cells to produce IFNγ, which helped to control cancer metastasis.
This study demonstrates the advantage of combining agonist anti-CD40 with CSF-1R blockade for maximal antitumor benefit and survival in a preclinical mouse model. The results provide rationale for the combination of two distinct immunotherapies to improve clinical outcome.
Classical Hodgkin lymphoma uses multiple strategies to evade the immune system. cHL cells promoted regulatory T-cell features in CD4+ T cells and invoked additional strategies, such as purinergic signaling, to suppress immune detection.
Immune checkpoint inhibitor–induced thyroid disorders were assessed in patients with a variety of cancers. Guidance is provided on monitoring and managing thyroid disorders induced by anti–PD-1 monotherapy or in combination with anti–CTLA-4.
The combination of cisplatin chemotherapy with anti–PD-1/PD-L1 immunotherapy is under investigation in clinical trials. Optimal doses of cisplatin were found to enhance the antitumor immune response, which was further improved by adding anti–PD-1/PD-L1 immunotherapy.
Transiently expressed chimeric antigen receptor T cells specific for c-Met, expressed in breast cancer, were injected into breast cancer tumors of six patients in a phase 0 clinical trial. Injections resulted in tumor necrosis and were well tolerated.