Adrenal gland as a sanctuary site for immunotherapy in patients with microsatellite instability-high metastatic colorectal cancer.
Romain CohenVincent JonchèreChristelle De La FouchardièreToky RatovomananaQuentin LetourneurMira AyadiLucile ArmenoultAdrien BuissonMatthieu SarabiAnna PellatRaphael ColleFrancois PayePierre MeeusMagali SvrcekAlex DuvalThierry AndréPublished in: Journal for immunotherapy of cancer (2022)
Metastatic colorectal cancers (mCRC) harboring microsatellite instability (MSI) are sensitive to immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), but the mechanisms of resistance to ICIs remain unclear. Dissociated responses in patients with ICI-treated cancer suggest that certain organs may serve as sanctuary sites due to the tumor microenvironment. This case series describes five patients with ICI-treated MSI mCRC with disease progression limited to the adrenal glands. At ICI initiation, three patients were free of metastasis in the adrenal glands. Four patients experienced objective response per RECIST (Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors) while treated with ICI. ICI treatment was discontinued due to progressive disease limited to the adrenal glands (n=3) or toxicity (n=2). The time between ICI initiation and progression in the adrenal glands ranged from 11 to 39 months. Adrenalectomy (n=3) and stereotactic body radiation therapy (n=2) were performed. At the last follow-up, all patients were alive and progression free. Molecular analyses were performed in one patient. A significant impairment of the antigen presentation pathway was observed in the ICI-resistant lesion of the adrenal gland, which could be explained by the presence of glucocorticoids in the adrenal gland microenvironment. We also detected an overexpression of TSC22D3, a glucocorticoid-target gene that functions as a mediator of anti-inflammation and immunosuppression. This case series suggests that the adrenal glands may be the sanctuary sites for ICI-treated MSI mCRC through the glucocorticoid-induced impairment of the antigen presentation machinery.
Keyphrases
- newly diagnosed
- end stage renal disease
- ejection fraction
- radiation therapy
- chronic kidney disease
- squamous cell carcinoma
- stem cells
- small cell lung cancer
- prognostic factors
- multiple sclerosis
- oxidative stress
- metastatic colorectal cancer
- patient reported outcomes
- transcription factor
- cell proliferation
- dna methylation
- young adults
- rectal cancer
- single molecule
- patient reported
- locally advanced
- stress induced
- drug induced