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Targeting the apoptosis pathway to treat tumours of the paediatric nervous system.

ABSTRACT: New, more effective therapeutics are required for the treatment of paediatric cancers. Current treatment protocols of cytotoxic treatments including chemotherapy trigger cancer-cell death by engaging the apoptosis pathway, and chemotherapy efficacy is frequently impeded by apoptosis dysregulation. Apoptosis dysregulation, through genetic or epigenetic mechanisms, is a feature of many cancer types, and contributes to reduced treatment response, disease progression and ultimately treatment resistance. Novel approaches are required to overcome dysregulated apoptosis signalling, increase the efficacy of cancer treatment and improve patient outcomes. Here, we provide an insight into current knowledge of how the apoptosis pathway is dysregulated in paediatric nervous system tumours, with a focus on TRAIL receptors, the BCL-2 proteins and the IAP family, and highlight preclinical evidence demonstrating that pharmacological manipulation of the apoptosis pathway can restore apoptosis signalling and sensitise cancer cells to treatment. Finally, we discuss the potential clinical implications of these findings.

SUBMITTER: Fitzgerald MC

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9107479 | biostudies-literature | 2022 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Targeting the apoptosis pathway to treat tumours of the paediatric nervous system.

Fitzgerald Marie-Claire MC O'Halloran Philip J PJ Connolly Niamh M C NMC Murphy Brona M BM

Cell death & disease 20220514 5

New, more effective therapeutics are required for the treatment of paediatric cancers. Current treatment protocols of cytotoxic treatments including chemotherapy trigger cancer-cell death by engaging the apoptosis pathway, and chemotherapy efficacy is frequently impeded by apoptosis dysregulation. Apoptosis dysregulation, through genetic or epigenetic mechanisms, is a feature of many cancer types, and contributes to reduced treatment response, disease progression and ultimately treatment resista ...[more]

PMID: 35568716

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Project description:BackgroundThis systematic review has been conducted with the aim of characterizing cognitive deficits and analyzing their frequency in survivors of paediatric Central Nervous System tumours.Materials and methodsAll literature published up to January 2023 was retrieved searching the databases "PubMed", "Cochrane", "APA PsycInfo" and "CINAHL". The following set of pre-defined inclusion criteria were then individually applied to the selected articles in their full-text version: i) Retrospective/prospective longitudinal observational studies including only patients diagnosed with primary cerebral tumours at ≤ 21 years (range 0-21); ii) Studies including patients evaluated for neuro-cognitive and neuro-psychological deficits from their diagnosis and/or from anti-tumoral therapies; iii) Studies reporting standardized tests evaluating patients' neuro-cognitive and neuro-psychological performances; iv) Patients with follow-ups ≥ 2 years from the end of their anti-tumoral therapies; v) Studies reporting frequencies of cognitive deficits.Results39 studies were included in the analysis. Of these, 35 assessed intellectual functioning, 30 examined memory domains, 24 assessed executive functions, 22 assessed attention, 16 examined visuo-spatial skills, and 15 explored language. A total of 34 studies assessed more than one cognitive function, only 5 studies limited their analysis on a single cognitive domain. Attention impairments were the most recurrent in this population, with a mean frequency of 52.3% after a median period post-treatment of 11.5 years. The other cognitive functions investigated in the studies showed a similar frequency of impairments, with executive functions, language, visuospatial skills and memory deficits occurring in about 40% of survivors after a similar post-treatment period. Longitudinal studies included in the systematic review showed a frequent decline over time of intellectual functioning.ConclusionsSurvivors of paediatric Central Nervous System tumours experience cognitive sequelae characterized by significant impairments in the attention domain (52.3%), but also in the other cognitive functions. Future studies in this research field need to implement more cognitive interventions and effective, but less neurotoxic, tumour therapies to preserve or improve neurocognitive functioning and quality of life of this population.

Project description:Abstract INTRODUCTION: Neurotrophic tyrosine receptor kinase (NTRK) gene fusions are oncogenic drivers in various tumours. Larotrectinib, a highly selective TRK inhibitor, demonstrated an objective response rate (ORR) of 75% across 206 evaluable patients with various non-primary CNS cancers (Hong et al, ASCO 2021). We report long-term data on larotrectinib-treated paediatric patients with TRK fusion-positive primary CNS tumours. METHODS: Patients aged <18 years with TRK fusion-positive primary CNS tumours enrolled in two clinical trials (NCT02637687, NCT02576431) were included. Larotrectinib was administered at 100 mg/m2 (maximum: 100 mg) twice-daily. Response was investigator-assessed per RECIST v1.1 and RANO. RESULTS: As of July 2021, 28 patients with TRK fusion-positive primary CNS tumours were enrolled, including 14 high-grade and eight low-grade gliomas. Median age at enrolment was 7.0 years (range 1.0–17.0). Twenty-three patients (82%) received prior systemic therapy and 12 (43%) received prior radiotherapy. The ORR was 39% (95% confidence interval [CI] 22–59): three complete responses, eight partial responses, 15 stable disease and two progressive disease. The 24-week disease control rate was 82% (95% CI 63–94). Median duration of response (DoR) was not reached; median follow-up was 25.6 months. Median progression-free survival was 21.9 months (95% CI 9.2–not estimable). Median overall survival (OS) was not reached; median follow-up was 27.6 months. DoR and OS 24-month rates were 53% and 71%, respectively. Treatment duration ranged from 1.0 to 39.0+ months. Treatment-related adverse events (TRAEs) were mostly Grade 1–2. Grade 3–4 events occurred in three patients (increased gamma-glutamyltransferase, hyperglycaemia, hypernatraemia, hyponatraemia and neutropaenia). No patients discontinued treatment due to TRAEs. Fourteen patients progressed on treatment; four continued treatment post-progression for ≥4 weeks. CONCLUSION: Larotrectinib demonstrated high disease control rate, durable responses and a manageable safety profile. These results support testing for NTRK gene fusions in paediatric patients with primary CNS tumours.

Dataset Information

Targeting the apoptosis pathway to treat tumours of the paediatric nervous system.

Publications

Targeting the apoptosis pathway to treat tumours of the paediatric nervous system.

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