1. Biological Role of Tumor/Stromal CXCR4-CXCL12-CXCR7 in MITO16A/MaNGO-OV2 Advanced Ovarian Cancer Patients
- Author
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D'Alterio, C, Spina, A, Arenare, L, Chiodini, P, Napolitano, M, Galdiero, F, Portella, L, Simeon, V, Signoriello, S, Raspagliesi, F, Lorusso, D, Pisano, C, Colombo, N, Zannoni, G, Losito, N, De Cecio, R, Scognamiglio, G, Califano, D, Russo, D, Tuninetti, V, Piccirillo, M, Gargiulo, P, Perrone, F, Pignata, S, Scala, S, D'alterio C., Spina A., Arenare L., Chiodini P., Napolitano M., Galdiero F., Portella L., Simeon V., Signoriello S., Raspagliesi F., Lorusso D., Pisano C., Colombo N., Zannoni G. F., Losito N. S., De Cecio R., Scognamiglio G., Califano D., Russo D., Tuninetti V., Piccirillo M. C., Gargiulo P., Perrone F., Pignata S., Scala S., D'Alterio, C, Spina, A, Arenare, L, Chiodini, P, Napolitano, M, Galdiero, F, Portella, L, Simeon, V, Signoriello, S, Raspagliesi, F, Lorusso, D, Pisano, C, Colombo, N, Zannoni, G, Losito, N, De Cecio, R, Scognamiglio, G, Califano, D, Russo, D, Tuninetti, V, Piccirillo, M, Gargiulo, P, Perrone, F, Pignata, S, Scala, S, D'alterio C., Spina A., Arenare L., Chiodini P., Napolitano M., Galdiero F., Portella L., Simeon V., Signoriello S., Raspagliesi F., Lorusso D., Pisano C., Colombo N., Zannoni G. F., Losito N. S., De Cecio R., Scognamiglio G., Califano D., Russo D., Tuninetti V., Piccirillo M. C., Gargiulo P., Perrone F., Pignata S., and Scala S.
- Abstract
This study investigated the prognostic role of the CXCR4-CXCL12-CXCR7 axis in advanced epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) patients receiving first-line treatment within the MITO16A/MaNGO-OV2 phase-IV trial. CXCR4-CXCL12-CXCR7 expression was evaluated in the epithelial and stromal component of 308 EOC IHC-stained tumor samples. The statistical analysis focused on biomarkers’ expression, their association with other variables and prognostic value. Zero-inflated tests, shrinkage, bootstrap procedures, and multivariable models were applied. The majority of EOC (75.0%) expressed CXCR4 and CXCR7, 56.5% expressed the entire CXCR4-CXCL12-CXCR7 axis, while only 4.6% were negative for CXCL12 and its cognate receptors, in regard to the epithelial component. Stromal CXCL12 and CXCR7, expressed in 11.2% and 65.5%, respectively, were associated with the FIGO stage. High CXCL12 in epithelial cancer cells was associated with shorter progression-free and overall survival. However, after adjusting for overfitting due to best cut-off multiplicity testing, the significance was lost. This is a wide-ranging, prospective study in which CXCR4-CXCL12-CXCR7 were systematically evaluated in epithelial and stromal components, in selected stage III-IV EOC. Although CXCL12 was not prognostic, epithelial expression identified high-risk FIGO stage III patients for PFS. These data suggest that it might be worth studying the CXCL12 axis as a therapeutic target to improve treatment efficacy in EOC patients.
- Published
- 2022