Role of catecholamine synthases in the maintenance of cancer stem-like cells in malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors.

Malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors (MPNSTs) are malignant tumors that are derived from Schwann cell lineage around peripheral nerves. As in many other cancer types, cancer stem cells (CSCs) have been identified in MPNSTs, and they are considered the cause of treatment resistance, recurrence, and metastasis. As an element defining the cancer stemness of MPNSTs, we previously reported a molecular mechanism by which exogenous adrenaline activates a core cancer stemness factor, YAP/TAZ, through ß2 adrenoceptor (ADRB2). In this study, we found that MPNST cells express catecholamine synthases and that these enzymes are essential for maintaining cancer stemness, such as the ability to self-renew and maintain an undifferentiated state. Through gene knockdown and inhibition of these enzymes, we confirmed that catecholamines are indeed synthesized in MPNST cells. The results confirmed that catecholamine synthase knockdown in MPNST cells reduces the activity of YAP/TAZ. These data suggest that a mechanism of YAP/TAZ activation by de novo synthesized adrenaline, as well as exogenous adrenaline, may exist in the maintenance of cancer stemness of MPNST cells. This mechanism not only helps to understand the pathology of MPNST, but could also contribute to the development of therapeutic strategies for MPNST.

Identification of ENO-1 positive extracellular vesicles as a circulating biomarker for monitoring of Ewing sarcoma.

The lack of circulating biomarkers for tumor monitoring is a major problem in Ewing sarcoma management. The development of methods for accurate tumor monitoring is required, considering the high recurrence rate of drug-resistant Ewing sarcoma. Here, we describe a sensitive analytical technique for tumor monitoring of Ewing sarcoma by detecting circulating extracellular vesicles secreted from Ewing sarcoma cells. Proteomic analysis of Ewing sarcoma cell-derived extracellular vesicles identified 564 proteins prominently observed in extracellular vesicles from three Ewing sarcoma cell lines. Among these, CD99, SLC1A5, and ENO-1 were identified on extracellular vesicles purified from sera of patients with Ewing sarcoma before treatment but not on extracellular vesicles from those after treatment and healthy individuals. Notably, not only Ewing sarcoma-derived extracellular vesicles but also Ewing sarcoma cells demonstrated proteomic expression of CD99 and ENO-1 on their surface membranes. ENO-1+CD63+ extracellular vesicle detection was reduced after tumor resection while both CD99+CD63+ and ENO-1+CD63+ extracellular vesicles were detected in serum from Ewing sarcoma-bearing mice. Finally, the accuracy of liquid biopsy targeting these candidates was assessed using extracellular vesicles from the sera of patients with Ewing sarcoma. Elevated ENO-1+CD81+ extracellular vesicles in the serum of patients before treatments distinguished patients with Ewing sarcoma from healthy individuals with an area under the curve value of 0.92 (P < 0.001) and reflected the tumor burden in patients with Ewing sarcoma during multidisciplinary treatments. Collectively, circulating ENO-1+CD81+ extracellular vesicle detection could represent a novel tool for tumor monitoring of Ewing sarcoma.

High-quality expert annotations enhance artificial intelligence model accuracy for osteosarcoma X-ray diagnosis.

Primary malignant bone tumors, such as osteosarcoma, significantly affect the pediatric and young adult populations, necessitating early diagnosis for effective treatment. This study developed a high-performance artificial intelligence (AI) model to detect osteosarcoma from X-ray images using highly accurate annotated data to improve diagnostic accuracy at initial consultations. Traditional models trained on unannotated data have shown limited success, with sensitivities of approximately 60%-70%. In contrast, our model used a data-centric approach with annotations from an experienced oncologist, achieving a sensitivity of 95.52%, specificity of 96.21%, and an area under the curve of 0.989. The model was trained using 468 X-ray images from 31 osteosarcoma cases and 378 normal knee images with a strategy to maximize diversity in the training and validation sets. It was evaluated using an independent dataset of 268 osteosarcoma and 554 normal knee images to ensure generalizability. By applying the U-net architecture and advanced image processing techniques such as renormalization and affine transformations, our AI model outperforms existing models, reducing missed diagnoses and enhancing patient outcomes by facilitating earlier treatment. This study highlights the importance of high-quality training data and advocates a shift towards data-centric AI development in medical imaging. These insights can be extended to other rare cancers and diseases, underscoring the potential of AI in transforming diagnostic processes in oncology. The integration of this AI model into clinical workflows could support physicians in early osteosarcoma detection, thereby improving diagnostic accuracy and patient care.

PRRX1-TOP2A interaction is a malignancy-promoting factor in human malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumours.

BACKGROUND: Paired related-homeobox 1 (PRRX1) is a transcription factor in the regulation of developmental morphogenetic processes. There is growing evidence that PRRX1 is highly expressed in certain cancers and is critically involved in human survival prognosis. However, the molecular mechanism of PRRX1 in cancer malignancy remains to be elucidated. METHODS: PRRX1 expression in human Malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumours (MPNSTs) samples was detected immunohistochemically to evaluate survival prognosis. MPNST models with PRRX1 gene knockdown or overexpression were constructed in vitro and the phenotype of MPNST cells was evaluated. Bioinformatics analysis combined with co-immunoprecipitation, mass spectrometry, RNA-seq and structural prediction were used to identify proteins interacting with PRRX1. RESULTS: High expression of PRRX1 was associated with a poor prognosis for MPNST. PRRX1 knockdown suppressed the tumorigenic potential. PRRX1 overexpressed in MPNSTs directly interacts with topoisomerase 2 A (TOP2A) to cooperatively promote epithelial-mesenchymal transition and increase expression of tumour malignancy-related gene sets including mTORC1, KRAS and SRC signalling pathways. Etoposide, a TOP2A inhibitor used in the treatment of MPNST, may exhibit one of its anticancer effects by inhibiting the PRRX1-TOP2A interaction. CONCLUSION: Targeting the PRRX1-TOP2A interaction in malignant tumours with high PRRX1 expression might provide a novel tumour-selective therapeutic strategy.

p53-Armed Oncolytic Virotherapy Improves Radiosensitivity in Soft-Tissue Sarcoma by Suppressing BCL-xL Expression.

Soft-tissue sarcoma (STS) is a heterogeneous group of rare tumors originating predominantly from the embryonic mesoderm. Despite the development of combined modalities including radiotherapy, STSs are often refractory to antitumor modalities, and novel strategies that improve the prognosis of STS patients are needed. We previously demonstrated the therapeutic potential of two telomerase-specific replication-competent oncolytic adenoviruses, OBP-301 and tumor suppressor p53-armed OBP-702, in human STS cells. Here, we demonstrate in vitro and in vivo antitumor effects of OBP-702 in combination with ionizing radiation against human STS cells (HT1080, NMS-2, SYO-1). OBP-702 synergistically promoted the antitumor effect of ionizing radiation in the STS cells by suppressing the expression of B-cell lymphoma-X large (BCL-xL) and enhancing ionizing radiation-induced apoptosis. The in vivo experiments demonstrated that this combination therapy significantly suppressed STS tumors' growth. Our results suggest that OBP-702 is a promising antitumor reagent for promoting the radiosensitivity of STS tumors.

Advances in treatment of alveolar soft part sarcoma: an updated review.

Alveolar soft part sarcoma is a rare neoplasm of uncertain histogenesis that belongs to a newly defined category of ultra-rare sarcomas. The neoplasm is characterized by a specific chromosomal translocation, der (17) t(X; 17)(p11.2;q25), that results in ASPSCR1-TFE3 gene fusion. The natural history of alveolar soft part sarcoma describes indolent behaviour with slow progression in deep soft tissues of the extremities, trunk and head/neck in adolescents and young adults. A high rate of detection of distant metastasis at presentation has been reported, and the most common metastatic sites in decreasing order of frequency are the lung, bone and brain. Complete surgical resection remains the standard treatment strategy, whereas radiotherapy is indicated for patients with inadequate surgical margins or unresectable tumours. Although alveolar soft part sarcoma is refractory to conventional doxorubicin-based chemotherapy, monotherapy or combination therapy using tyrosine kinase inhibitors and immune checkpoint inhibitors have provided antitumor activity and emerged as new treatment strategies. This article provides an overview of the current understanding of this ultra-rare sarcoma and recent advancements in treatments according to the clinical stage of alveolar soft part sarcoma.

Soft-tissue sarcoma in adolescents and young adults.

Soft-tissue sarcoma is a rare cancer that accounts for approximately 1% of all malignant tumors. Although they occur in various age groups, soft-tissue sarcomas account for 8% of all malignant tumors developing in adolescents and young adults, suggesting that they are not rare in this age group. This study aimed to evaluate the clinical and pathological characteristics of soft-tissue sarcoma in adolescents and young adults. According to the Bone and Soft-Tissue Tumor Registry in Japan, myxoid liposarcoma is the most common type of soft-tissue sarcoma found in adolescents and young adults; alveolar soft part sarcoma, extraskeletal Ewing sarcoma, epithelioid sarcoma, clear cell sarcoma and synovial sarcoma occur predominantly in this age group among soft-tissue sarcomas. The analysis based on this registry demonstrated that age was not a prognostic factor for poor survival of soft-tissue sarcoma, although the prognosis in adolescents and young adults was better than that in older patients in the US and Scandinavia. Adolescent and young adult patients with soft-tissue sarcoma have age-specific problems, and a multidisciplinary approach to physical, psychological, and social issues is necessary to improve the management of these young patients both during and after treatment.

Alveolar soft part sarcoma: progress toward improvement in survival? A population-based study.

BACKGROUND: Alveolar soft part sarcoma (ASPS) is a rare histological subtype of soft-tissue sarcoma, which remains refractory to conventional cytotoxic chemotherapy. We aimed to characterize ASPS and investigate whether the oncological outcome has improved over the past decade. METHODS: One hundred and twenty patients with newly diagnosed ASPS from 2006 to 2017, identified from the Bone and Soft-Tissue Tumor Registry in Japan, were analyzed retrospectively. RESULTS: The study cohort comprised 34 (28%) patients with localized ASPS and 86 (72%) with metastatic disease at presentation. The 5-year disease-specific survival (DSS) was 68% for all patients and 86% and 62% for localized and metastatic disease, respectively (p = 0.019). Metastasis at presentation was the only adverse prognostic factor for DSS (hazard ratio [HR]: 7.65; p = 0.048). Patients who were > 25 years (80%; p = 0.023), had deep-seated tumors (75%; p = 0.002), and tumors > 5 cm (5-10 cm, 81%; > 10 cm, 81%; p < 0.001) were more likely to have metastases at presentation. In patients with localized ASPS, adjuvant chemotherapy or radiotherapy did not affect survival, and 13 patients (45%) developed distant metastases in the lung (n = 12, 92%) and brain (n = 2, 15%). In patients with metastatic ASPS (lung, n = 85 [99%]; bone, n = 12 [14%]; and brain n = 9 [11%]), surgery for the primary or metastatic site did not affect survival. Prolonged survival was seen in patients who received pazopanib treatment (p = 0.045), but not in those who received doxorubicin-based cytotoxic chemotherapy. Overall, improved DSS for metastatic ASPS has been observed since 2012 (5-year DSS, from 58 to 65%) when pazopanib was approved for advanced diseases, although without a statistically significant difference (p = 0.117). CONCLUSION: The national study confirmed a unique feature of ASPS with frequent metastasis to the lung and brain but an indolent clinical course. An overall trend toward prolonged survival after the introduction of targeted therapy encourages continuous efforts to develop novel therapeutic options for this therapeutically resistant soft-tissue sarcoma.

Standardization of evaluation method and prognostic significance of histological response to preoperative chemotherapy in high-grade non-round cell soft tissue sarcomas.

BACKGROUND: Preoperative chemotherapy is widely applied to high-grade localized soft tissue sarcomas (STSs); however, the prognostic significance of histological response to chemotherapy remains controversial. This study aimed to standardize evaluation method of histological response to chemotherapy with high agreement score among pathologists, and to establish a cut-off value closely related to prognosis. METHODS: Using data and specimens from the patients who had registered in the Japan Clinical Oncology Group study, JCOG0304, a phase II trial evaluating the efficacy of perioperative chemotherapy with doxorubicin (DOX) and ifosfamide (IFO), we evaluated histological response to preoperative chemotherapy at the central review board. RESULTS: A total of 64 patients were eligible for this study. The percentage of viable tumor area ranged from 0.1% to 97.0%, with median value of 35.7%. Regarding concordance proportion between pathologists, the weighted kappa coefficient (κ) score in all patients was 0.71, indicating that the established evaluation method achieved substantial agreement score. When the cut-off value of the percentage of the residual tumor area was set as 25%, the p-value for the difference in overall survival showed the minimum value. Hazard ratio of the non-responder with percentage of the residual tumor < 25%, to the responder was 4.029 (95% confidence interval 0.893-18.188, p = 0.070). CONCLUSION: The standardized evaluation method of pathological response to preoperative chemotherapy showed a substantial agreement in the weighted κ score. The evaluation method established here was useful for estimating of the prognosis in STS patients who were administered perioperative chemotherapy with DOX and IFO. TRIAL REGISTRATION: UMIN Clinical Trials Registry C000000096. Registered 30 August, 2005 (retrospectively registered).

A randomized phase III trial of denosumab before curettage for giant cell tumor of bone. JCOG1610.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of JCOG1610 (randomized controlled phase III trial) was to confirm the superiority of preoperative denosumab to curettage with adjuvant local therapy for patients with giant cell tumor of bone without possible post-operative large bone defect. METHODS: The primary endpoint was relapse-free survival and the total sample size was set at 106 patients. Patient accrual began in October 2017. However, the accrual was terminated in December 2020 due to a recommendation from the Data and Safety Monitoring Committee because of poor patient accrual. Now, we report the descriptive results obtained in this study. RESULTS: A total of 18 patients had been registered from 13 Japanese institutions at the time of termination on December 2020. Eleven patients were assigned to Arm A (curettage and adjuvant local therapy) and 7 to Arm B (preoperative denosumab, curettage and adjuvant local therapy). Median follow-up period was 1.6 (range: 0.5-2.8) years. Protocol treatment was completed in all but one patient in Arm A who had a pathological fracture before surgery. All patients in Arm B were treated with five courses of preoperative denosumab. Relapse-free survival proportions in Arm A and B were 90.0% (95% confidence interval: 47.3-98.5) and 100% (100-100) at 1 year, and 60.0% (19.0-85.5) and 62.5% (14.2-89.3) at 2 years, respectively [hazard ratio (95% confidence interval): 1.51 (0.24-9.41)]. CONCLUSION: In terms of relapse-free survival, the superiority of preoperative denosumab was not observed in patients with giant cell tumor of bone without possible post-operative large bone defect.

Japanese Orthopaedic Association (JOA) clinical practice guidelines on the management of soft tissue tumors 2020 - Secondary publication.

BACKGROUND: These clinical practice guidelines are intended to provide recommendations based on the best evidence obtained to date on key issues in clinical practice to improve the prognosis, diagnostic and therapeutic processes for patients with soft tissue tumors. METHODS: The Guidelines Development Committee and Systematic Review Committee were composed of a multidisciplinary team of specialists who play an important role in soft tissue tumor care. Clinical questions (CQs) were determined by choosing key decision-making points based on Algorithms for the diagnosis and treatment of soft tissue tumors. The guidelines were developed according to the "Medical Information Network Distribution Service (Minds) Handbook for Clinical Practice Guideline Development 2014" and "Minds Manual for Clinical Practice Guideline Development 2017." Recommendation strength was rated on two levels and the strength of evidence was rated on four levels. The recommendations were decided based on agreement by 70% or more voters. RESULTS: Twenty-two CQs were chosen by the Guidelines Development Committee. The Systematic Review Committee reviewed the evidence concerning each CQ, a clinical value judgment was added by experts, and the text of each recommendation was determined. CONCLUSION: We established 22 CQs and recommendations for key decision-making points in the diagnosis and treatment of soft tissue tumors according to the Minds Clinical Practice Guideline development methods. We hope that these guidelines will assist the decision-making of all medical staff engaged in the treatment and diagnosis of soft tissue tumors, and eventually lead to improved soft tissue tumor care in the country.

Telomerase-specific oncolytic immunotherapy for promoting efficacy of PD-1 blockade in osteosarcoma.

Immune checkpoint inhibitors including anti-programmed cell death 1 (PD-1) antibody have recently improved clinical outcome in certain cancer patients; however, osteosarcoma (OS) patients are refractory to PD-1 blockade. Oncolytic virotherapy has emerged as novel immunogenic therapy to augment antitumor immune response. We developed a telomerase-specific replication-competent oncolytic adenovirus OBP-502 that induces lytic cell death via binding to integrins. In this study, we assessed the combined effect of PD-1 blockade and OBP-502 in OS cells. The expression of coxsackie and adenovirus receptor (CAR), integrins αvß3 and αvß5, and programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1) was analyzed in two murine OS cells (K7M2, NHOS). The cytopathic activity of OBP-502 in both cells was analyzed using the XTT assay. OBP-502-induced immunogenic cell death was assessed by analyzing the level of extracellular ATP and high-mobility group box protein B1 (HMGB1). Subcutaneous tumor models for K7M2 and NHOS cells were used to evaluate the antitumor effect and number of tumor-infiltrating CD8+ cells in combination therapy. K7M2 and NHOS cells showed high expression of integrins αvß3 and αvß5, but not CAR. OBP-502 significantly suppressed the viability of both cells, in which PD-L1 expression and the release of ATP and HMGB1 were significantly increased. Intratumoral injection of OBP-502 significantly augmented the efficacy of PD-1 blockade on subcutaneous K2M2 and NHOS tumor models via enhancement of tumor-infiltrating CD8+ T cells. Our results suggest that telomerase-specific oncolytic virotherapy is a promising antitumor strategy to promote the efficacy of PD-1 blockade in OS.

Immunotherapy for sarcomas.

Sarcomas are a heterogeneous group of malignancies of mesenchymal origin; their molecular and genomic mechanisms differ with regard to histology. These characteristics lead to the presentation of varied immunological profiles based on the tumor microenvironment. Various immunotherapies are considered for the treatment of sarcoma. These treatments are performed either in isolation or in combination with other methods such as cytotoxic chemotherapy or the use of molecular target agents. Among these, two recently emerging immunotherapies include T-cell receptor gene therapy and immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy, which are expected to be effective for many types of sarcoma. A sarcoma with a disease-specific translocation and a limited number of mutations, such as synovial sarcoma, expresses high levels of self-antigens, like the New York esophageal squamous cell carcinoma 1, which has been targeted in T-cell receptor gene therapy. On the other hand, sarcomas with a greater number of mutations, such as undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcomas, myxofibrosarcoma and dedifferentiated liposarcomas, can be good candidates for immune checkpoint inhibitors. Among immune checkpoint inhibitor therapies, programmed cell death-1 blockade (nivolumab and pembrolizumab) and cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated antigen 4 blockade (ipilimumab) have been investigated most often in sarcoma. Although the sole use of immune checkpoint inhibitors provides limited efficacy, combined immunotherapy with immune checkpoint inhibitors or molecular target agents, especially antiangiogenic agents, has shown moderate results against some types of sarcoma, such as the alveolar soft part sarcoma. Several clinical trials utilizing immunotherapy, including T-cell receptor gene therapy and immune checkpoint inhibitors, in sarcomas are under progress. By clarifying the tumor microenvironment and biomarker-predictive capacity of immunotherapy in sarcomas, better clinical trials can be designed; this could lead to improved outcomes for immunotherapy in sarcoma.

The neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio as a novel independent prognostic factor for multiple metastatic lung tumors from various sarcomas.

PURPOSE: Sarcomas are among the most refractory malignant tumors and often recur as pulmonary metastasis. Although the presence of a high neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) has been associated with the prognosis of several malignancies, the relationship between the NLR and sarcoma with pulmonary metastasis is unclear. We investigated the impact of the NLR in patients who underwent surgical resection for metastatic lung tumors from various sarcomas. METHODS: The subjects of this retrospective study were 158 patients with metastatic lung tumors from various sarcomas, who underwent initial pulmonary metastasectomy between 2006 and 2015. We examined the clinicopathological variables, including the NLR and the characteristics of surgical procedures. Survival was estimated by the Kaplan-Meier method and prognostic factors were evaluated by multivariate analysis. RESULTS: Multivariate analysis revealed significantly better survival of the group with an NLR < 2.26 immediately before the most recent pulmonary metastasectomy, in addition to such factors as the largest resected lesion being < 22 mm, a disease-free interval of > 2 years, and 3 or more pulmonary metastasectomies. CONCLUSION: The NLR immediately before the most recent pulmonary metastasectomy is a novel independent prognostic factor, which may be helpful when considering repeated pulmonary metastasectomy.

Phase II trial of pazopanib in patients with metastatic or unresectable chemoresistant sarcomas: A Japanese Musculoskeletal Oncology Group study.

Alveolar soft part sarcoma (ASPS), epithelioid sarcoma (ES), and clear cell sarcoma (CCS) are known to be chemoresistant tumors. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of pazopanib on these chemoresistant tumors. This study is designed as a single-arm, multicenter, investigator-initiated phase II trial. Patient enrollment was undertaken between July 2016 and August 2018 at 10 hospitals participating in the Japanese Musculoskeletal Oncology Group. The primary end-point is the CBR (CBR, including complete or partial response and stable disease) at 12 weeks after treatment with pazopanib according to RECIST. Eight patients were enrolled within the period. The histological subtypes were 5 ASPS, 2 ES, and 1 CCS. The median follow-up period was 22.2 (range, 4.9-24.9) months. All patients initially received pazopanib 800 mg once daily. The CBRs were 87.5% (7 of 8) and 75.0% (6 of 8) according to RECIST and Choi criteria at 12 weeks after pazopanib treatment, respectively. The CBRs at 12 weeks according to RECIST were 80.0%, 100.0%, and 100.0% in ASPS, ES, and CCS, respectively. Partial response was observed in 1 ASPS according to RECIST and 3 ASPS and 1 ES according to Choi criteria at 12 weeks after pazopanib treatment. This study documented antitumor activity of pazopanib, especially in ASPS. These results support the frontline use of pazopanib for ASPS. Prospective data collection is desired using both RECIST and Choi criteria for these rare chemoresistant tumors.

Risk factors of local recurrence after surgery in extraabdominal desmoid-type fibromatosis: A multicenter study in Japan.

This study was undertaken to clarify the risk factors, including the mutation status of CTNNB1, for the local recurrence after surgery of the rare disease desmoid-type fibromatosis. It was designed as a multiinstitutional joint research project with 7 major centers in Japan participating. The committee members of 7 major medical centers specializing in bone and soft tissue tumors formed this study group to develop clinical care guidelines. Of 196 cases with specimens and medical records collected from the 7 institutions, 88 surgically treated ones were analyzed regarding clinicopathologic prognostic factors including CTNNB1 mutation status. Excluding R2 cases (n = 3), 5-year local recurrence-free survival (LRFS) was 52.9%. No case had received pre- or postoperative radiotherapy. Univariate analysis revealed that extremity location (P < .001) and larger size (8 cm or more, P = .036) were significant adverse risk factors for LRFS. Multivariate analysis indicated that extremity location (P < .001) was a significantly adverse factor in addition to recurrent tumor (P = .041), S45F mutation (P = .028), and R1 surgical margin (P = .039). Preoperative drug treatment, including nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs, did not reduce the incidence of local recurrence (P = .199). This is the first study to analyze the factors correlating with outcomes of surgical treatment, including CTNNB1 mutation status, in a relatively large number of cases from an Asian country. Tumor location was found to be the most influential prognostic factor for local recurrence, similar to the results from Europe and North America. The development of more sensitive method(s) for determination of CTNNB1 mutation is a priority for future study.

Metformin induces CD11b+-cell-mediated growth inhibition of an osteosarcoma: implications for metabolic reprogramming of myeloid cells and anti-tumor effects.

CD11b+ myeloid subpopulations, including myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) and tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs), play crucial roles in the suppression of T-cell-mediated anti-tumor immunity. Regulation of these cell types is a primary goal for achieving efficient cancer immunotherapy. We found that metformin (Met) induces CD11b+-cell-mediated growth inhibition of a K7M2neo osteosarcoma independent of T cells, as growth inhibition of K7M2neo was still observed in wild-type (WT) mice depleted of T cells by antibodies and in SCID; this contrasted with the effect of Met on Meth A fibrosarcoma, which was entirely T-cell-dependent. Moreover, the inhibitory effect seen in SCID was abrogated by anti-CD11b antibody injection. PMN-MDSCs were significantly reduced in both spleens and tumors following Met treatment. In TAMs, production of IL-12 and TNF-α, but not IL-10, became apparent, and elevation of MHC class II with reduction of CD206 was observed, indicating a shift from an M2- to M1-like phenotype via Met administration. Metabolically, Met treatment decreased basal respiration and the oxygen consumption rate (OCR)/extracellular acidification rate (ECAR) ratio of CD11b+ cells in tumors, but not in the spleen. In addition, decreased reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and proton leakage in MDSCs and TAMs were consistently observed in tumors. Uptake of both 2-deoxy-2-d-glucose (2-NBDG) and BODIPY® decreased in MDSCs, but only BODIPY® incorporation was decreased in TAMs. Overall, our results suggest that Met redirects the metabolism of CD11b+ cells to lower oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) while elevating glycolysis, thereby pushing the microenvironment to a state that inhibits the growth of certain tumors.

Definitive radiation therapy in patients with unresectable desmoid tumors: a systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Desmoid tumors are rare soft tissue tumors. Wide local excision has been the standard surgical treatment for desmoid tumors. However, this procedure results in high local recurrence rates, so non-surgical treatments should be considered. The aim of this systematic review was to evaluate the effect of radiation therapy on patients with desmoid tumors, especially those with unresectable disease. METHODS: We evaluated studies published between 1 January 1990 and 31 August 2017 and cited in PubMed and Ichushi (in Japanese). All studies evaluating the effect of radiation therapy on desmoid tumors were included. Data regarding radiation dose, recurrence and adverse events were recorded. RESULTS: Among 218 identified studies, only 6 were finally included in this review. Local control was achieved in 253 of 317 patients with unresectable or unresected tumors who underwent definitive radiation therapy (the crude rate of local control was 79.8%). Toxicity was evaluated in patients who underwent definitive radiation therapy or surgery plus radiation therapy. One of the most common acute complications was skin toxicity. Frequent late complications of radiation therapy included fibrosis/contracture/joint stiffness, skin disorders, lymphedema and pain. Six patients developed secondary malignancies in the radiation field. CONCLUSIONS: In patients treated unsuccessfully with surgery, watchful waiting and pharmacotherapy, radiation therapy may be an option as salvage therapy because of the high rate of local control. Because desmoid tumors frequently develop in young individuals, children and young patients who receive radiation therapy for the treatment of desmoid tumors should be followed up on a long-term basis with periodic monitoring for late radiation toxicities.

What Are the Results of Resection of Localized Dedifferentiated Liposarcomas in the Extremities?

BACKGROUND: Dedifferentiated liposarcoma (DDLPS) is a rare malignancy that transitions from an atypical lipomatous tumor to a sarcoma with a variable morphologic appearance. The behavior of this tumor in the retroperitoneum is aggressive, but the behavior of DDLPS in the extremities is less well-defined because it is rare. Few reports have assessed the imaging features and clinical outcomes of primary DDLPS in the extremities. QUESTIONS/PURPOSES: In patients with primary DDLPS of the extremity, we asked the following questions: (1) How frequently do additional primary malignancies occur in patients with DDLPS? (2) What is the rate of overall survival, metastases, and local recurrence in DDLPS? (3) What factors are associated with metastasis-free survival and local recurrence in DDLPS? METHODS: We defined DDLPS as a biphasic neoplasm that transitions from an atypical lipomatous tumor (ALT) to a sarcoma of variable morphologic appearance and histologic grades. We retrospectively evaluated the medical records of patients with DDLPS of the extremities who underwent surgery in our institution between 2003 and 2017. During that time, 16 patients were treated for this diagnosis; one was excluded from this study because the patient did not have an MRI, leaving 15 patients (nine men, six women; their median [range] age was 67 years [42 to 87]) for evaluation. All had a minimum of 2 years follow-up (median [range] 54 months [25 to 136]); 14 of 15 have been seen in the last 5 years (one patient, who was doing well at the time, was lost after 9 years of follow-up). In 11 patients, MRI demonstrated two components: an ALT component with high intensity on both T1-weighed and T2-weighted sequences and a dedifferentiated component low-to-intermediate intensity on T1-weighed and heterogeneous hyperintensity on T2-weighted sequence. Nine patients were evaluated using 2-deoxy-2-18F-fluoro-D-glucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) combined with CT (PET/CT). PET/CT showed a biphasic pattern with a close relationship to MRI findings. The dedifferentiated component presented with high FDG uptake (median [range] maximum standardized uptake value 5.1 [1.9 to 22.6]), while the atypical lipomatous tumor component showed almost no FDG uptake. In all patients, immunohistochemical studies of p16 and cyclin-dependent kinase-4 (CDK4) were investigated. Positive staining for both p16 and CDK4 were seen in 13 of 15 patients.We retrospectively evaluated the electronic medical records of all patients in our institution for the presence of additional primary malignancies, local recurrence-free survival, metastasis-free survival, and overall survival. The survival rate was estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method. The Wilcoxon exact test was used to determine the prognostic importance of the following survival variables: age, sex, maximum tumor size, radiotherapy, and surgical margin. RESULTS: Seven additional primary malignancies developed in five of 15 patients (two lung cancers, two sarcomas, one renal cell cancer, one uterine cancer, and one non-Hodgkin lymphoma). The 3- and 5-year metastasis-free survival rates were 86% (95% CI 0.67 to 1.00) and 75% (95% CI 0.49 to 1.00), respectively. With the numbers available, we found no factors associated with metastasis-free survival. The 3- and 5-year overall survival rates were 100% (95% CI 1.00 to 1.00) and 88% (95% CI 0.65 to 1.00), respectively. Three of 15 patients had local recurrence. The 3- and 5-year local recurrence-free survival rates were 86% (95% CI 0.67 to 1.00) and 75% (95% CI 0.49 to 1.00), respectively. Large (> 15 cm) tumors were more likely to have a local recurrence (p = 0.04). CONCLUSIONS: In this small series, we found that the extremities are a favorable site for DDLPS compared with the retroperitoneum, although we did not directly compare the two sites. This rare tumor has a relatively high likelihood of being associated with other malignancies. We believe patients should be assessed and monitored carefully for this possibility. In the future, larger studies are needed to better define predictors of local recurrence, although the tumor's size may be associated with a greater propensity for local recurrence. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level II, prognostic study.

Osteosarcoma in patients over 50 years of age: Multi-institutional retrospective analysis of 104 patients.

BACKGROUND: Primary osteosarcoma in elderly patients are rare malignant tumors. Its optimal treatment has not yet been determined. METHODS: This retrospective study included 104 patients aged >50 years with resectable, non-metastatic osteosarcoma treated by the members of the Bone and Soft Tissue Tumor Study Group of the Japan Clinical Oncology Group. The effects of adjuvant chemotherapy were estimated by comparing outcomes in patients who received surgery plus chemotherapy with those who underwent surgery alone. RESULTS: Median age at presentation was 59 years. Neoadjuvant and adjuvant chemotherapy was administered to 83 (79.8%) patients. Patients who underwent surgery plus chemotherapy and those who underwent surgery alone had 5-year overall survival (OS) rates of 68.6% and 71.7%, respectively (p = 0.780), and 5-year relapse free survival (RFS) rates of 48.2% and 43.6%, respectively (p = 0.64). Univariate analysis showed that resection with wide margins was significantly correlated with better prognosis. CONCLUSIONS: The addition of chemotherapy to surgery did not improve OS or RFS in patients aged >50 years with resectable, non-metastatic osteosarcoma. Surgery with wide margins was only significantly prognostic of improved survival. The effect of chemotherapy in elderly osteosarcoma patients was unclear.