bims-netuvo 2023-03-19 papers

Issue of 2023‒03‒19
seven papers selected by
Maksym V. Kopanitsa
The Francis Crick Institute

Cancer Cell. 2023 Mar 13. pii: S1535-6108(23)00040-5. [Epub ahead of print]41(3): 573-580

Cancer hallmarks intersect with neuroscience in the tumor microenvironment.

The mechanisms underlying the multistep process of tumorigenesis can be distilled into a logical framework involving the acquisition of functional capabilities, the so-called hallmarks of cancer, which are collectively envisaged to be necessary for malignancy. These capabilities, embodied both in transformed cancer cells as well as in the heterotypic accessory cells that together constitute the tumor microenvironment (TME), are conveyed by certain abnormal characteristics of the cancerous phenotype. This perspective discusses the link between the nervous system and the induction of hallmark capabilities, revealing neurons and neuronal projections (axons) as hallmark-inducing constituents of the TME. We also discuss the autocrine and paracrine neuronal regulatory circuits aberrantly activated in cancer cells that may constitute a distinctive "enabling" characteristic contributing to the manifestation of hallmark functions and consequent cancer pathogenesis.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ccell.2023.02.012

Front Pharmacol. 2023 ;14 1148706

Editorial: Cancer neuroscience: Drug repurposing targeting the innervated niche.

Ming-Zhu Jin, Xing-Chun Gao, Wei-Lin Jin.

Keywords: cancer neuroscience; drug repurposing; innervated niche; nervous system; tumor microenevironment

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fphar.2023.1148706

Cancer Res Commun. 2022 Aug;2(8): 857-869

Brain Neural Progenitors are New Predictive Biomarkers for Breast Cancer Hormonotherapy.

Agnes Basseville, Chiara Cordier, Fadoua Ben Azzouz, Wilfried Gouraud, Hamza Lasla, Fabien Panloup, Mario Campone, Pascal Jézéquel.

Heterogeneity of the tumor microenvironment (TME) is one of the major causes of treatment resistance in breast cancer. Among TME components, nervous system role in clinical outcome has been underestimated. Identifying neuronal signatures associated with treatment response will help to characterize neuronal influence on tumor progression and identify new treatment targets. The search for hormonotherapy-predictive biomarkers was implemented by supervised machine learning (ML) analysis on merged transcriptomics datasets from public databases. ML-derived genes were investigated by pathway enrichment analysis, and potential gene signatures were curated by removing the variables that were not strictly nervous system specific. The predictive and prognostic abilities of the generated signatures were examined by Cox models, in the initial cohort and seven external cohorts. Generated signature performances were compared with 14 other published signatures, in both the initial and external cohorts. Underlying biological mechanisms were explored using deconvolution tools (CIBERSORTx and xCell). Our pipeline generated two nervous system-related signatures of 24 genes and 97 genes (NervSign24 and NervSign97). These signatures were prognostic and hormonotherapy-predictive, but not chemotherapy-predictive. When comparing their predictive performance with 14 published risk signatures in six hormonotherapy-treated cohorts, NervSign97 and NervSign24 were the two best performers. Pathway enrichment score and deconvolution analysis identified brain neural progenitor presence and perineural invasion as nervous system-related mechanisms positively associated with NervSign97 and poor clinical prognosis in hormonotherapy-treated patients. Transcriptomic profiling has identified two nervous system-related signatures that were validated in clinical samples as hormonotherapy-predictive signatures, meriting further exploration of neuronal component involvement in tumor progression.Significance: The development of personalized and precision medicine is the future of cancer therapy. With only two gene expression signatures approved by FDA for breast cancer, we are in need of new ones that can reliably stratify patients for optimal treatment. This study provides two hormonotherapy-predictive and prognostic signatures that are related to nervous system in TME. It highlights tumor neuronal components as potential new targets for breast cancer therapy.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1158/2767-9764.CRC-21-0090

J Clin Ultrasound. 2023 Mar 17.

Multiparametric ultrasound images of three different cases of schwannoma of the peripheral nervous system.

Enrico Maria Zardi, Camilla Chello.

This case image illustrates the importance of new sonographic applications such as superb microvascular imaging and shear wave elastography; as showed, they improve the diagnostic recognition of peripheral nerve lesion thanks to a better definition of vascularity and measure of stiffness.

Keywords: Schwannoma; shear wave elastography; superb microvascular imaging

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/jcu.23452

Front Oncol. 2023 ;13 1100532

Sporadic spinal psammomatous malignant melanotic nerve sheath tumor: A case report and literature review.

Giulio Bonomo, Alessandro Gans, Elio Mazzapicchi, Emanuele Rubiu, Paolo Alimonti, Marica Eoli, Rosina Paterra, Bianca Pollo, Guglielmo Iess, Francesco Restelli, Jacopo Falco, Francesco Acerbi, Marco Paolo Schiariti, Paolo Ferroli, Morgan Broggi.

Background: Sporadic Spinal Psammomatous Malignant Melanotic Nerve Sheath Tumor (SSP-MMNST) is a rare subgroup of peripheral nerve sheath tumors arising along the spine. Only a few reports of SSP-MMNST have been described. In this paper, we review the literature on SSP-MMNST focusing on clinical, and diagnostic features, as well as investigating possible pathogenetic mechanisms to better implement therapeutic strategies. We also report an illustrative case of a young female presenting with cervicobrachial pain due to two SSP-MMNSTs arising from C5-6 right spinal roots.Case description: We report a case of a 28-year-old woman presenting with right arm weakness and dysesthesia. Clinical examination and neuroimaging were performed, and, following surgical removal of both lesions, a histological diagnosis of SSP-MMNST was obtained.
Results: The literature review identified 21 eligible studies assessing 23 patients with SSP-MMNST, with a mean onset age of 41 years and a slight male gender preference. The lumbar district was the most involved spinal segment. Gross-total resection (GTR) was the treatment of choice in all amenable cases, followed in selected cases with residual tumor by adjuvant radiotherapy or chemotherapy. The metastatic and recurrence rates were 31.58% and 36.8%, respectively.
Conclusion: Differently from common schwannomas, MMNST represents a rare disease with known recurrence and metastatization propensity. As reported in our review, SSP-MMNST has a greater recurrence rate when compared to other forms of spinal MMNST, raising questions about the greater aggressiveness of the former. We also found that residual disease is related to a higher risk of systemic disease spreading. This metastatic potential, usually associated with primary lumbar localization, is characterized by a slight male prevalence. Indeed, whenever GTR is unachievable, considering the higher recurrence rate, adjuvant radiation therapy should be taken into consideration.

Keywords: case report; malignant melanotic nerve sheath tumor; melanotic schwannoma; nerve sheath; psammomatous; spinal; sporadic; tumor

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fonc.2023.1100532

Asian J Surg. 2023 Mar 14. pii: S1015-9584(23)00306-8. [Epub ahead of print]

Thoracic schwannoma presenting with chronic abdominal pain: A case report.

Yan Weng, Ling Ye.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.asjsur.2023.03.004