Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UMLS:C0546837 (esophageal cancer)
 8,907 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

The effects on esophageal cancer of monoclonal antibody trastuzumab, directed against the HER2 protein, were evaluated in this study. Immunohistochemical study showed that 90% (45/50) of esophageal cancer specimens expressed HER2 protein, and flow cytometric analysis showed that 4 kinds of human esophageal cancer cells (TT, TE2, TE6, TE10) expressed high levels of HER2 protein. Trastuzumab treatment (100-500 ng/ml) was not able to inhibit the growth of the all kinds of cancer cells, but the combination treatment of trastuzumab and peripheral mononuclear cells resulted in antibody dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity (ADCC) against the cancer cells TE6 and TE10 in a dose dependent manner. Intraperitoneal injection of trastuzumab at 1 mg/body twice a week for 5 weeks significantly inhibited the growth of mice-bearing xenografts of TE6 and TE10. Our results suggest that trastuzumab therapy is useful in the treatment of human esophageal cancer.
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PMID:[Effect of trastuzumab for human esophageal cancer]. 1461 18

AREG (Amphiregulin), BTC (beta-cellulin), EGF, EPGN (Epigen), EREG (Epiregulin), HBEGF, NRG1, NRG2, NRG3, NRG4 and TGFA (TGFalpha) constitute EGF family ligands for ERBB family receptors. Cetuximab (Erbitux), Pertuzumab (Omnitarg) and Trastuzumab (Herceptin) are anti-cancer drugs targeted to EGF family ligands, while Gefitinib (Iressa), Erlotinib (Tarceva) and Lapatinib (GW572016) are anti-cancer drugs targeted to ERBB family receptors. AREG and TGFA are biomarkers for Gefitinib non-responders. The TCF/LEF binding sites within the promoter region of human EGF family members were searched for by using bioinformatics and human intelligence (Humint). Because three TCF/LEF-binding sites were identified within the 5'-promoter region of human AREG gene, comparative genomics analyses on AREG orthologs were further performed. The EPGN-EREG-AREG-BTC cluster at human chromosome 4q13.3 was linked to the PPBP-CXCL segmental duplicons. AREG was the paralog of HBEGF at human chromosome 5q31.2. Chimpanzee AREG gene, consisting of six exons, was located within NW_105918.1 genome sequence. Chimpanzee AREG was a type I transmembrane protein showing 98.0% and 71.4% total amino-acid identity with human AREG and mouse Areg, respectively. Three TCF/LEF-binding sites within human AREG promoter were conserved in chimpanzee AREG promoter, but not in rodent Areg promoters. Primate AREG promoters were significantly divergent from rodent Areg promoters. AREG mRNA was expressed in a variety of human tumors, such as colorectal cancer, liver cancer, gastric cancer, breast cancer, prostate cancer, esophageal cancer and myeloma. Because human AREG was characterized as potent target gene of WNT/beta-catenin signaling pathway, WNT signaling activation could lead to Gefitinib resistance through AREG upregulation. AREG is a target of systems medicine in the field of oncology.
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PMID:Canonical WNT signaling pathway and human AREG. 1668 31

Insulin-like growth factor-1 receptor (IGF-1R) and human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 (HER2) receptor expression has been found to be a key regulator of tumorigenesis. The purpose of our study was to establish the prognostic significance of IGF-1R in esophageal cancer and to determine the effect of IGF-1R and HER2 targeting with alpha-IR3 and Herceptin antibodies on the proliferation of esophageal cancer cells in vitro. IGF-1R expression and clinicopathological correlations were analyzed with a tissue microarray containing 234 esophageal cancer specimens (133 adenocarcinomas and 101 squamous cell carcinomas). Proliferation changes associated with Herceptin and alpha-IR3 blockage were evaluated with the unique human esophageal cancer cell lines Pt1590 and LN1590. IGF-1R and HER2 expression levels, activation and phosphorylation status of downstream signaling proteins involved in the activation pathways were analyzed by Western blotting. IGF-1R overexpression was detected in 121 (52%) of the 234 esophageal tumors examined. In the subgroup of 87 HER2-positive tumors, 93.1% showed concordant overexpression for IGF-1R. IGF-1R was identified as a variable associated with reduced overall survival for adenocarcinoma (p = 0.05), but not for squamous cell carcinoma. The combination of Herceptin and alpha-IR3 was more effective in inhibiting in vitro proliferation than treatment with either agent alone (p < 0.01). This was associated with a decrease in HER2 and IGF-1R protein levels and suppression of Akt- and MAP kinase phosphorylation. IGF-1R expression can be used as a novel prognostic marker for adenocarcinomas of the esophagus. Cotreatment with IGF-1R and HER2 antibodies might become a valuable and effective treatment option in esophageal adenocarcinoma.
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PMID:Insulin-like growth factor-1 receptor as a novel prognostic marker and its implication as a cotarget in the treatment of human adenocarcinoma of the esophagus. 2010 20

This study aimed to determine the targeted efficacy of trastuzumab (Herceptin) on human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER-2)-overexpressing metastatic esophageal cancer in an orthotopic mouse model. HER-2 overexpression and amplification of human esophageal primary and metastatic tumors were shown with HER-2-fluorescence in situ hybridization analysis and HER-2 immunostaining. Following orthotopic implantation with the HER-2-overexpressing OE19 human esophageal cancer cell line, mice were treated with trastuzumab. Sequential magnetic resonance imaging was used to monitor primary tumor and metastasis during treatment. After six weeks, a significant inhibition of primary tumor development was imaged in trastuzumab-treated animals in comparison with the control group. Trastuzumab treatment also led to a reduction of lymphatic metastasis. Thus, HER-2 targeted therapy with trastuzumab resulted in a significant primary tumor growth reduction as well as a decrease of lymph node metastases in the orthotopic model of metastatic esophageal carcinoma. The results of the present study suggest the clinical use of trastuzumab for HER-2-overexpressing esophageal cancer, which is a significant fraction of the patient population. Treatment of this highly treatment-resistant disease with trastuzumab in the adjuvant setting to prevent lymph node metastasis after primary tumor resection is suggested by the data in this report.
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PMID:Effective therapeutic targeting of the overexpressed HER-2 receptor in a highly metastatic orthotopic model of esophageal carcinoma. 2060 43

A functional linkage of the structurally unrelated receptors HER2 and CXCR4 has been suggested for breast cancer but has not been evaluated for esophageal carcinoma. The inhibition of HER2 leads to a reduction of primary tumor growth and metastases in an orthotopic model of esophageal carcinoma. The chemokine receptor CXCR4 has been implicated in metastatic dissemination of various tumors and correlates with poor survival in esophageal carcinoma. The aim of this study was to investigate a correlation between the expression levels of HER2 and CXCR4 and to evaluate the involvement of CXCR4-expression in HER2-positive esophageal carcinoma. The effects of HER2-inhibition with trastuzumab and of CXCR4-inhibition with AMD3100 on primary tumor growth, metastatic homing, and receptor expression were evaluated in vitro and in an orthotopic model of metastatic esophageal carcinoma using MRI for imaging. The clinical relevance of HER2- and CXCR4-expression was examined in esophageal carcinoma patients. A significant correlation of HER2- and CXCR4-expression in primary tumor and metastases exists in the orthotopic model. Trastuzumab and AMD3100 treatment led to a significant reduction of primary tumor growth, metastases and micrometastases. HER2-expression was significantly elevated under AMD3100 treatment in the primary tumor and particularly in the metastases. The positive correlation between HER2- and CXCR4-expression was validated in esophageal cancer patients. The correlation of CXCR4- and HER2-expression and the elevation of HER2-expression and reduction of metastases through CXCR4-inhibition suggest a possible functional linkage and a role in tumor dissemination in HER2-positive esophageal carcinoma.
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PMID:Involvement of CXCR4 chemokine receptor in metastastic HER2-positive esophageal cancer. 2308 54

Receptor tyrosine kinases of the HER-family are involved in the development and progression of multiple epithelial tumors, and have consequently become widely used targets for new anti-cancer therapies. Trastuzumab, an antibody against HER2, has shown potent growth inhibitory effects on HER2 overexpressing tumors, including gastro-esophageal cancer, however, resistance to this therapy is inevitable. Unfortunately, a paucity of data on the cellular mechanisms of resistance to targeted therapeutic agents exists in esophageal adenocarcinoma. Using primary established HER2-overexpressing cultures and patient-derived xenograft models, we now reveal a novel resistance mechanism to trastuzumab in esophageal cancer: In response to trastuzumab, both HER3 and the metalloprotease ADAM10 are simultaneously upregulated. The proteolytic activity of the latter then releases the HER3 ligand heregulin from the cell surface to activate HER3 and confer resistance to trastuzumab by inducing compensatory growth factor receptor signaling. Blocking either HER3 or ADAM10 effectively reverts the acquired resistance to trastuzumab. Our data thus provide strategies to inhibit this signaling and circumvent resistance to trastuzumab.
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PMID:ADAM10-mediated release of heregulin confers resistance to trastuzumab by activating HER3. 2686 69

Concurrent chemoradiation therapy (CCRT) is the predominant treatment in esophageal cancer, however resistance to therapy and tumor recurrence are exceedingly common. Elevated ERBB2/Her2 may be at least partially responsible for both the high rates of recurrence and resistance to CCRT. This receptor tyrosine kinase is upregulated in 10-20% of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) tissues, and amplification of ERBB2 has been correlated with poor prognosis in esophageal cancer. Tissues from 131 ESCC patients, along with cell and animal models of the disease were used to probe the underlying mechanisms by which ERBB2 upregulation occurs and causes negative outcomes in ESCC. We found that overexpression of ERBB2 inhibited radiosensitivity in vitro. Furthermore, miR-193a-5p reduced ERBB2 expression by directly targeting the 3'UTR. Increased miR-193a-5p enhanced radiosensitivity and inhibited tumorigenesis in vitro and in vivo. Additionally, low miR-193a-5p expression correlated with poor prognosis in ESCC patients, and ESCC patients with good CCRT response exhibited higher miR-193a-5p expression. Our data suggest that patients with high miR-193a-5p will likely benefit from CCRT treatment alone, however a combination of CCRT with Herceptin may be beneficial for patients with low miR-193a-5p expression.
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PMID:MiR-193a-5p/ERBB2 act as concurrent chemoradiation therapy response indicator of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. 2720 40

Chemotherapy prolongs overall survival (OS) in esophageal (EC) and gastric cancer (GC). Unsatisfactory results of systemic therapy initiated a search for new treatment options. In metastatic disease, a number of targeted drugs were tested; however, several phase III studies assessing receptor tyrosin kinase-related signaling pathways, such as EGFR, MET/HGF or mTOR, failed. Trastuzumab remains the only targeted drug with a known molecular predictor, which extended the OS in metastatic gastric adenocarcinoma and adenocarcinoma of esophago-gastric junction. In the past two years, The Cancer Genome Atlas group published an analysis based on the genomic characteristics of GC and EC. Therefore, a better understanding of tumor biology may be a way towards stratification of treatment based on genetic and molecular characteristics and not merely on anatomical or histological basis. The rapid development in research of anti-tumor immunity and an achievement in the field of checkpoint inhibitors use in malignant melanoma have also enabled research in other cancers, including gastrointestinal malignancies. Checkpoints are part of a comprehensive and complex process of the immune system, and at the same time, the key points in the emergence of tumor tolerance. Their activation protects the organism against autoimmune reactions, but at the same time allows induction of tumor tolerance. Discussing checkpoints include the cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen 4 (CTLA-4) and programmed death-1 (PD-1) receptors and the ligand PD-1 receptor, programmed death ligand-1 (PD-L1). In this article, I summarize current findings on the use of anti PD1 agents in EC and GC.Key words: esophageal cancer - stomach cancer - checkpoint inhibitors This work was supported by the project of Ministry of Health of the Czech Republic No. 15 P03- 17-29389A and by projects LO1413, DRO and LM15089 BBMRI-CZ. The author declares she has no potential conflicts of interest concerning drugs, products, or services used in the study. The Editorial Board declares that the manuscript met the ICMJE recommendation for biomedical papers.Submitted: 17. 9. 2017Accepted: 5. 11. 2017.
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PMID:[Checkpoint Inhibitors in the Treatment of Upper Gastrointestinal Tract Tumors]. 2923 93

Esophagogastric junction (EGJ) cancer is a solid tumor entity with rapidly increasing incidence in the Western countries. Given the high proportion of advanced cancers in the West, treatment strategies routinely employed include surgery and chemotherapy perioperatively, and chemoradiation in neoadjuvant settings. Neoadjuvant chemoradiation and perioperative chemotherapy are mostly performed in esophageal cancer that extends to the EGJ and gastric as well as EGJ cancers, respectively. Recent trials have tried to combine both strategies in a perioperative context, which might have beneficial outcomes, especially in patients with EGJ cancer. However, it is difficult to recruit patients for trials, exclusively for EGJ cancers; therefore, the results have to be carefully reviewed before establishing a standard protocol. Trastuzumab was the first drug for targeted therapy that was positively evaluated for this tumor entity, and there are several ongoing trials investigating more targeted drugs in order to customize effective therapies based on tissue characteristics. The current study reviews the multimodal treatment concept for EGJ cancers in the West and summarizes the latest reports.
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PMID:Multimodal Treatment Strategies in Esophagogastric Junction Cancer: a Western Perspective. 3124 59