RESUMO
The French phase 3 trial (OS 2006) testing zoledronic acid, an osteoclast inhibitor, with chemotherapy and surgery did not improve the outcome of patients with osteosarcoma (OS). To understand this unexpected result, the presence of infiltrating immune cells was investigated in 124 pre-therapeutic biopsies of patients enrolled in the trial. The percentage of CD68/CD163 tumor-infiltrating macrophages (TAMs), CD8+ lymphocytes, osteoclasts, and the PD1/PDL-1 checkpoint were assessed by immunohistochemistry. M1/M2 macrophage polarization was characterized by pSTAT1/CMAF staining. The expression of these biomarkers was correlated with clinical outcome. No statistical correlations were found with response to chemotherapy. High CD163 levels (>50% of cells per core; 43.8% of patients) were associated with CMAF nuclear expression and significantly correlated with better overall survival (p = 0.0025) and longer metastasis progression-free survival (MPFS, p = 0.0315) independently of metastatic status (p = 0.002). Only a trend was observed for patients with high CD68-positive cells (p = 0.0582). CD8+ staining was positive in >50% of cases with a median staining of 1%. Lower CD8+ levels were associated with metastatic disease at diagnosis and the presence of CD8-positive cells significantly correlated with improved overall survival in zoledronate-treated patients (p = 0.0415). PD1/PDL-1 staining was negative in >80% of cases and was not correlated with outcome. Finally, CD163-positive TAMs and CD8 positive cells are crucial prognostic biomarkers in OS, whereas PD1/PDL-1 checkpoint plays a minor role. For the first time, we described a correlation between CD8 positive cells and survival in zoledronate-treated patients. The immunohistochemical analysis of the microenvironment in biopsies may represent a novel tool for therapeutic stratification.
RESUMO
This report summarizes the results of the 3rd Joint ENCCA-WP7, EuroSarc, EEC, PROVABES, and EURAMOS European Bone Sarcoma Network Meeting, which was held at the Children's Cancer Research Institute in Vienna, Austria on September 24-25, 2015. The joint bone sarcoma network meetings bring together European bone sarcoma researchers to present and discuss current knowledge on bone sarcoma biology, genetics, immunology, as well as results from preclinical investigations and clinical trials, to generate novel hypotheses for collaborative biological and clinical investigations. The ultimate goal is to further improve therapy and outcome in patients with bone sarcomas.
RESUMO
Anaplastic large cell lymphomas are peripheral T-cell lymphomas that are characterized by a proliferation of large anaplastic blasts expressing CD30. In children, systemic anaplastic large cell lymphomas often present at advanced clinical stage and harbor translocations involving the anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) gene leading to the expression of chimeric anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK)-fusion proteins. Primary cutaneous anaplastic large cell lymphoma is regarded as an ALK-negative variant confined to the skin and is part of the spectrum of primary cutaneous CD30-positive T-cell lymphoproliferative disorders. Thirty-three of 487 pediatric patients registered within the Anaplastic Large Cell Lymphoma-99 trial (1999 to 2006) presented with a skin limited CD30-positive lympho-proliferative disorder. In 23 of the 33 patients, material for international histopathological review was available, and the cases were studied for histopathological, immunophenotypical and clinical features as well as for breaks within the ALK gene. Five of 23 cases and one additional case (identified after closure of the trial) expressed ALK-protein. Complete staging excluded any other organ involvement in all children. Expression of ALK proteins was demonstrated by immunohistochemistry in all cases and the presence of breaks of the ALK gene was genetically confirmed in 5 evaluable cases. The histopathological and clinical picture of these skin-restricted ALK-positive lymphomas was indistinguishable from that of cutaneous anaplastic large cell lymphoma. Five children presented with a single skin lesion that was completely resected in 4 and incompletely resected in one. Three of these patients received no further therapy, 2 additional local radiotherapy, and one chemotherapy. All children remain in complete remission with a median follow up of seven years (range 1-8 years). We present 6 pediatric cases of ALK-positive primary cutaneous anaplastic large cell lymphomas. After thorough exclusion of systemic involvement, therapy confined to local measures seems to be sufficient to induce cure.