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Tumour-infiltrating regulatory T cell density before neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy for rectal cancer does not predict treatment response.

ABSTRACT: Neoadjuvant (preoperative) chemoradiotherapy (CRT) decreases the risk of rectal cancer recurrence and reduces tumour volume prior to surgery. However, response to CRT varies considerably between individuals and factors associated with response are poorly understood. Foxp3+ regulatory T cells (Tregs) inhibit anti-tumour immunity and may limit any response to chemotherapy and radiotherapy. We have previously reported that a low density of Tregs in the tumour stroma following neoadjuvant CRT for rectal cancer is associated with improved tumour regression. Here we have examined the association between Treg density in pre-treatment diagnostic biopsy specimens and treatment response, in this same patient cohort. We aimed to determine whether pre-treatment tumour-infiltrating Treg density predicts subsequent response to neoadjuvant CRT. Foxp3+, CD8+ and CD3+ cell densities in biopsy samples from 106 patients were assessed by standard immunohistochemistry (IHC) and evaluated for their association with tumour regression grade and survival. We found no association between the density of any T cell subset pre-treatment and clinical outcome, indicating that tumour-infiltrating Treg density does not predict response to neoadjuvant CRT in rectal cancer. Taken together with the findings of the previous study, these data suggest that in the context of neoadjuvant CRT for rectal cancer, the impact of chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy on anti-tumour immunity may be more important than the state of the pre-existing local immune response.

SUBMITTER: McCoy MJ

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5386723 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Tumour-infiltrating regulatory T cell density before neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy for rectal cancer does not predict treatment response.

McCoy Melanie J MJ Hemmings Chris C Anyaegbu Chidozie C CC Austin Stephanie J SJ Lee-Pullen Tracey F TF Miller Timothy J TJ Bulsara Max K MK Zeps Nikolajs N Nowak Anna K AK Lake Richard A RA Platell Cameron F CF

Oncotarget 20170301 12

Neoadjuvant (preoperative) chemoradiotherapy (CRT) decreases the risk of rectal cancer recurrence and reduces tumour volume prior to surgery. However, response to CRT varies considerably between individuals and factors associated with response are poorly understood. Foxp3+ regulatory T cells (Tregs) inhibit anti-tumour immunity and may limit any response to chemotherapy and radiotherapy. We have previously reported that a low density of Tregs in the tumour stroma following neoadjuvant CRT for re ...[more]

PMID: 28177891

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Project description:Background: Neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (NCRT) is the treatment of choice in advanced rectal cancer, even though there are many patients who will not benefit from it. There are still no effective methods for predicting which patients will respond or not. The present study aimed to define the genomic profile of rectal tumors and to identify alterations that are predictive of response in order to optimize therapeutic strategies. Methods: Forty-eight candidates for NCRT were recruited and their pretherapy biopsies analyzed by array Comparative Genomic Hybridization (aCGH). Pathologic response was evaluated by tumor regression grade (TRG).Results: Both Smoothing and Hidden Markov Model (HMM) approaches identified similar alterations, with a prevalence of DNA gains. Non responsive patients had a different alteration profile from responsive ones, with a higher number of genome changes mainly located on 2q21, 7q21, 7q36, 13q12, 13q32-34, 16p13, 17p12 chromosomal regions. Conclusion: This exploratory study suggests that an in depth characterization of chromosomal alterations by aCGH would provide useful predictive information about response to NCRT and help to optimize therapy in rectal cancer patients. 48 samples included in the study were analyzed on whole genome BAC arrays with the aim to characterize genomic alterations and correlate them with the tumor response to therapy. The case series was composed by 15%,81% and 4% of uT2, uT3 and uT4 tumors, respectively. At the diagnosis 56% of patients had uN0 tumors and 44% uN+. 30%,13%, 23% and 34% of patients reached/mantained respectively ypT0, ypT1, ypT2 and ypT3. With regard to response to NCRT, according to TRG criteria proposed by Dworak, two group were defined: non responders (TRG0-2= 56%) and responders (TRG3-4=44%). Clinical and pathological parameters: uT: pre-therapy stage determined by ultrasounds techniques uN: pre-therapy lymph node status determined by ultrasounds techniques ypT: pathologic stage after a neoadjuvant treatment ypN: pathologic lymph node status after a neoadjuvant treatment

Project description:Importance: Neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (CRT) is the standard of care for advanced rectal cancer. Yet, predicting response to CRT remains an unmet clinical challenge. Objective: To investigate the transcriptomic determinants to predict response to neoadjuvant CRT and survival in patients with advanced rectal cancer. Design: A single-center, retrospective, cohort study. Setting: A comprehensive cancer center. Participants: Pre-treatment biopsies from 298 patients with rectal cancer, who were later treated with neoadjuvant CRT between 2004 and 2020, were analyzed by RNA sequencing. Main measures and outcomes: Transcriptional subtyping was performed by consensus molecular subtype (CMS) classification. Immune cell infiltration was assessed using MCP-counter scores and single-sample gene set enrichment analysis (ssGSEA). Patients with surgical specimens of tumor regression grade (TRG) 3-4 or who were managed by the watch-and-wait approach for more than 3 years were defined as good responders. Results: Patients classified as CMS1 (6.4%) had a significantly higher rate of good responders; albeit survival was comparable among the four subtypes. Good responders exhibited an enrichment in various immune-related pathways (IFNg and a responses, allograft rejection, IL6 STAT3 signaling during acute phase response, and inflammation), as determined by ssGSEA. MCP-counter scores for cytotoxic lymphocytes were significantly higher for good responders than non-responders (p = 0.0003), and significantly higher for responders than non-responders in GSE109057 (p = 0.0137), GSE87211 (p = 0.0092), and GSE45404 (p = 0.0327) datasets. Cytotoxic lymphocyte MCP-counter score was thus considered an independent predictor of response to CRT, as determined in the multivariable Cox analysis (OR 3.810 [95% CI 1.820-7.970]; p = 0.0004). Multivariable Cox analysis, including post-operative pathological factors, revealed cytotoxic lymphocyte MCP-counter score to be independently associated with recurrence-free survival (HR 0.382 [95% CI 0.158-0.923]; p = 0.0325) and overall survival (HR 0.157 [95% CI 0.030-0.827]; p = 0.0290). ssGSEA showed significantly higher levels of four subpopulations of cytotoxic cells (effector memory CD8 T, natural killer T, natural killer, and activated CD8 T cells) among good responders than non-responders. Conclusions and Relevance: Cytotoxic lymphocyte score, as computed by RNA sequencing, could be a useful marker for predicting response to CRT and survival among patients with rectal cancer.

Project description:IntroductionIn locally advanced rectal cancer, longer delay to surgery after neoadjuvant radiotherapy increases the likelihood of histopathological tumour response. Chronomodulated radiotherapy in rectal cancer has recently been reported as a factor increasing tumour response to neoadjuvant treatment in patients having earlier surgery, with patients receiving a larger proportion of afternoon treatments showing improved response. This paper aims to replicate this work by exploring the impact of these two temporal factors, independently and in combination, on histopathological tumour response in rectal cancer patients.MethodsA retrospective review of all patients with rectal adenocarcinoma who received long course (≥24 fractions) neoadjuvant radiotherapy with or without chemotherapy at a tertiary referral centre was conducted. Delay to surgery and radiotherapy treatment time were correlated to clinicopathologic characteristics with a particular focus on tumour regression grade. A review of the literature and meta-analysis were also conducted to ascertain the impact of time to surgery from preoperative radiotherapy on tumour regression.ResultsFrom a cohort of 367 patients, 197 patients met the inclusion criteria. Complete pathologic response (AJCC regression grade 0) was seen in 46 (23%) patients with a further 44 patients (22%) having at most small groups of residual cells (AJCC regression grade 1). Median time to surgery was 63 days, and no statistically significant difference was seen in tumour regression between patients having early or late surgery. There was a non-significant trend towards a larger proportion of morning treatments in patients with grade 0 or 1 regression (p = 0.077). There was no difference in tumour regression when composite groups of the two temporal variables were analysed. Visualisation of data from 39 reviewed papers (describing 27379 patients) demonstrated a plateau of response to neoadjuvant radiotherapy after approximately 60 days, and a meta-analysis found improved complete pathologic response in patients having later surgery.ConclusionsThere was no observed benefit of chronomodulated radiotherapy in our cohort of rectal cancer patients. Review of the literature and meta-analysis confirms the benefit of delayed surgery, with a plateau in complete response rates at approximately 60-days between completion of radiotherapy and surgery. In our cohort, time to surgery for the majority of our patients lay along this plateau and this may be a more dominant factor in determining response to neoadjuvant therapy, obscuring any effects of chronomodulation on tumour response. We would recommend surgery be performed between 8 and 11 weeks after completion of neoadjuvant radiotherapy in patients with locally advanced rectal cancer.

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Tumour-infiltrating regulatory T cell density before neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy for rectal cancer does not predict treatment response.

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Tumour-infiltrating regulatory T cell density before neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy for rectal cancer does not predict treatment response.

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