Immune Events Elicited by Hormone Therapy
Sorrentino et al., Page 1571
The value of neoadjuvant hormone therapy (NHT) before radical prostatectomy, for the treatment of early-stage prostate cancer, is not clear. Here, Sorrentino and colleagues found that NHT boosted IL-7 and IFNγ-inducible protein (IP)-10/CXCL10 expression in the prostate and promoted cytotoxic-effector T cell influx. However, NHT also induced thymus and activation-regulated chemokine (TARC)/CCL17 production in the prostate and draining lymph nodes and increased their Foxp3+CD25+CD127- T regulatory cell content. The concomitant recruitment of cytotoxic-effector and regulatory cells left their intratumoral balance unchanged and did not improve disease-free survival. These findings may help guide treatment decision-making in prostate cancer.
CCR Focus: Progress in Multiple Myeloma
Bates et al., Page 1224
The last decade has seen exciting progress in multiple myeloma research, leading to changes in treatment paradigms for the disease. In this issue of CCR Focus, guest editor Kenneth Anderson discusses some of the recent advances in myeloma research and also addresses challenges in translating this progress into better patient care. Topics covered include the underlying molecular biology of multiple myeloma; premalignant forms of the disease and potential prevention strategies; complexities in selecting upfront therapies; myeloma drugs in the pipeline and suggestions for combination therapies; improving the personalization of treatment; and progress in treating bone-related complications.
Chondroitinase-Mediated Enhancement of Oncolytic Virus Spread
Dmitrieva et al., Page 1362
Chondroitin sulfate proteoglycans are a family of extracellular matrix glycoproteins highly upregulated in gliomas. These proteins form large complexes that facilitate tumor growth while limiting the local diffusion of therapeutic agents. In this issue, Dmitrieva and colleagues found that digestion of chondroitin sulfate by bacterial chondroitinase enhanced distribution and spread of oncolytic viruses within the tumor. Furthermore, they showed that an oncolytic virus armed with bacterial chondroitinase had enhanced spread and therapeutic efficacy against gliomas, without increasing tumor invasion or migration. This approach against the tumor microenvironment shows promise as a therapeutic strategy for glioma.
Genomic Profiling of Ovarian Clear Cell Carcinomas
Tan et al., Page 1521
Ovarian clear cell carcinomas (OCCC) are a drug-resistant and aggressive type of epithelial ovarian cancer. In this issue, Tan and colleagues revealed that OCCCs are heterogeneous at the genomic level by performing highresolution microarray-based comparative genomic hybridisation. Unsupervised hierarchical clustering analysis identified two distinct clusters of OCCCs with distinct clinical outcomes, independent of their histologic features. Multivariate analysis showed that suboptimal debulking surgery and genomic cluster were independent predictors of progression-free survival. These findings provide evidence that OCCCs are genomically heterogeneous despite having similar histologic features and that this genomic heterogeneity is clinically significant.