Immunotherapy and Targeted Molecular Therapy in Thoracic Surgical Oncology

A special issue of Cancers (ISSN 2072-6694). This special issue belongs to the section "Cancer Therapy".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 March 2025 | Viewed by 805

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
University of Michigan, Department of Surgery, Section of Thoracic Surgery, 1500 E Medical Center Dr., Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
Interests: lung cancer; esophageal cancer; circulating tumor cells; surgical education

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Guest Editor
Division of Thoracic and Foregut Surgery, Department of Surgery, University of Rochester, 601 Elmwood Ave, Rochester, NY, 14642, USA
Interests: lung cancer; benign esophageal disorders; esophageal motility; surgical education

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Malignancies treated by thoracic surgeons include primary lung, esophageal, thymic, tracheal, and chest wall neoplasms. Many additional malignancies metastasize to the lungs, thoracic spine/ribs, and mediastinal lymph nodes. These cancers are varied in pathophysiology and tumor biology. Until recently, systemic treatment for locally advanced thoracic tumors was limited to chemotherapy, radiation, and palliative invasive interventions. This paradigm is being disrupted by the advent of targeted molecular therapy (TMT) and immunotherapy (IO). TMT utilizes small molecules to counteract tumor-specific gene alterations and altered cell biology. IO addresses alterations in the normal host immune response to cancer. Taken together, these medications have shown a documented efficacy in the palliative, adjuvant, and peri-operative settings, with ongoing investigations for expanded indications.

The purpose of this Special Issue is to (1) explore the foundational molecular/cell biology of TMT and IO; (2) provide an updated paradigm for the current use of TMT and IO in thoracic malignancies; (3) report ongoing efforts for expanded indications of TMT and IO in basic, translational, and clinical trial science; and (4) describe the future directions of TMT and IO clinical investigations. We welcome both original research and review articles.

Dr. Rishindra Mamidi Reddy
Dr. Ryan Albert John Campagna
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • immunotherapy
  • lung cancer
  • esophageal cancer
  • targeted therapy
  • thymic cancer
  • adjuvant therapy

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

11 pages, 520 KiB  
Article
The Association of Immune-Related Adverse Events with the Efficacy of Atezolizumab in Previously Treated Advanced Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer Patients: A Single-Center Experience
by Filip Marković, Mihailo Stjepanović, Natalija Samardžić and Milica Kontić
Cancers 2024, 16(17), 2995; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers16172995 - 28 Aug 2024
Viewed by 566
Abstract
Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) are pivotal in managing metastatic non-oncogene addicted non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). They have unique toxicities known as immune-related adverse events (irAEs). Previous studies have linked irAEs during atezolizumab-based first-line treatments in advanced NSCLC with improved outcomes. This study explored [...] Read more.
Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) are pivotal in managing metastatic non-oncogene addicted non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). They have unique toxicities known as immune-related adverse events (irAEs). Previous studies have linked irAEs during atezolizumab-based first-line treatments in advanced NSCLC with improved outcomes. This study explored the association between irAEs and the efficacy of atezolizumab in advanced NSCLC patients who had previously received platinum-based chemotherapy. The study involved 105 advanced NSCLC patients who received atezolizumab monotherapy after progressing on at least one line of platinum-based chemotherapy from a single academic institution in Serbia. Data were obtained from a hospital lung cancer registry. Among the participants, 63.8% were male, with the majority being current (53.3%) or former smokers (37.1%). About half had a good performance status (ECOG PS 0–1) at the start of atezolizumab treatment. irAEs occurred in 23 patients (21.9%). The median progression-free survival (mPFS) was significantly longer for patients with irAEs (13.03 months) compared to those without (3.4 months) (HR 0.365 [95% CI, 0.195–0.681], p = 0.002). irAEs and ECOG PS 0–1 were predictors of longer mPFS, with irAEs being more common in patients with good performance status (p = 0.01). irAEs were linked to improved mPFS in NSCLC patients treated with atezolizumab after multiple lines of platinum-based chemotherapy. Full article
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