Oncotarget

Oncotarget

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Oncotarget episodes

  • Novel GEM Model Unveils PLK1’s Role in Tumorigenesis
    On the bright side, polo-like kinase 1 (PLK1) is considered a master regulator of the ever-important cell cycle. On the dark side, PLK1 expression (at both the mRNA and protein level) has shown to be upregulated in tumor cells, suggesting that PLK1 may also contribute to tumorigenesis. Despite this direct association, researchers studying the role of PLK1 in cancer have encountered a problem: a lack of appropriate animal models for experimentation.
    “Even though studies have suggested that PLK1 contributes to tumorigenesis, the ability of PLK1 to drive oncogenic transformation on its own in vivo was still questionable due to a lack of sophisticated animal models for experimentation [18, 19].”
    This problem may have been solved in 2021. In a new editorial paper, researchers Lilia Gheghiani and Zheng Fu from Virginia Commonwealth University discuss a recent study using their team’s new genetically engineered mouse (GEM) model to assess the ability of PLK1 to be a sole driver of oncogenic transformation in vivo. Their editorial was published in Oncotarget’s Volume 14 on June 27, 2023, and entitled, “The dark side of PLK1: Implications for cancer and genomic instability.”
    Full blog - https://www.oncotarget.org/2023/06/29/novel-gem-model-unveils-plk1s-role-in-tumorigenesis/
    Paper DOI - https://doi.org/10.18632/oncotarget.28456
    Correspondence to - Zheng Fu - [email protected]
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    Keywords - cancer, polo-like kinase 1 (PLK1), oncogene, chromosomal instability, cell cycle checkpoints, tumorigenesis
    About Oncotarget
    Oncotarget is a primarily oncology-focused, peer-reviewed, open access journal. Papers are published continuously within yearly volumes in their final and complete form, and then quickly released to Pubmed. On September 15, 2022, Oncotarget was accepted again for indexing by MEDLINE. Oncotarget is now indexed by Medline/PubMed and PMC/PubMed.
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    6 min
  • Decoding the Mechanism Behind MCL-1 Inhibitors: A Pathway to Understanding MCL-1 Protein Stability
    A new editorial paper was published in Oncotarget's Volume 14 on June 21, 2023, entitled, “Decoding the mechanism behind MCL-1 inhibitors: A pathway to understanding MCL-1 protein stability.”
    The successful development of the BCL-2 inhibitor venetoclax, currently approved for chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and acute myeloid leukemia (AML), encouraged the development of inhibitors that target other antiapoptotic proteins, particularly Myeloid Leukemia 1 (MCL-1). MCL-1 is among the top genes amplified in several cancers and is implicated in cancer progression, drug resistance and poor prognosis. It protects cancer cells from apoptosis and decreases their sensitivity to targeted agents or chemotherapeutics.
    In this new editorial, researchers Shady I. Tantawy, Natalia Timofeeva, Ana Hernandez, Aloke Sarkar and Varsha Gandhi from The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center discussed their recent investigation into the mechanism of MCL-1 inhibitor (MCL-1i)-induced Mcl-1 protein stability. The team explored underlying molecular mechanisms that contribute to MCL-1i-induced MCL-1 protein accumulation and its implications. Their study revealed a complex and multifaceted nature of MCL-1 protein accumulation in B-cell malignancies upon treatment with MCL-1i (AMG-176 and AZD5991).
    “Collectively, these findings may have important implications for the development of next-generation MCL-1i with improved efficacy and safety profiles.”
    DOI - https://doi.org/10.18632/oncotarget.28440
    Correspondence to - Aloke Sarkar - [email protected], and Varsha Gandhi - [email protected]
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    Keywords - AMG-176, AZD5991, B-cell leukemia, MCL-1 inhibitor, MCL-1 protein
    About Oncotarget
    Oncotarget is a primarily oncology-focused, peer-reviewed, open access journal. Papers are published continuously within yearly volumes in their final and complete form, and then quickly released to Pubmed. On September 15, 2022, Oncotarget was accepted again for indexing by MEDLINE. Oncotarget is now indexed by Medline/PubMed and PMC/PubMed.
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    3 min
  • DPDT Anticancer Activity in Human Colon Cancer HCT116 Cells
    A new research paper was published in Oncotarget's Volume 14 on June 21, 2023, entitled, “Diphenyl ditelluride anticancer activity and DNA topoisomerase I poisoning in human colon cancer HCT116 cells.”
    Diphenyl ditelluride (DPDT) is an organotellurium (OT) compound with pharmacological properties, including antioxidant, antigenotoxic and antimutagenic activities when applied at low concentrations. However, DPDT as well as other OT compounds also show cytotoxicity against mammalian cells when treatments occur at higher drug concentrations. The underlying mechanisms of toxicity of DPDT against tumor cells have previously been poorly explored.
    In this new study, researchers André Luiz Mendes Juchem, Cristiano Trindade, Juliana Bondan da Silva, Miriana da Silva Machado, Temenouga Nikolova Guecheva, Jaqueline Cesar Rocha, Jenifer Saffi, Iuri Marques de Oliveira, João Antonio Pêgas Henriques, and Alexandre Escargueil from the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Sorbonne Université, Federal University of Health Sciences of Porto Alegre, Lutheran University of Brazil, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, and University of Vale do Taquari aimed to investigate the effects of DPDT against both human cancer and non-tumorigenic cells.
    “Together, our results will help to better define DPDT as a potential drug candidate for treating CRC [colorectal cancer].”
    The researchers used the colonic HCT116 cancer cells and the MRC5 fibroblasts as models. Their results showed that DPDT preferentially targets HCT116 cancer cells when compared to MRC5 cells with IC50 values of 2.4 and 10.1 μM, respectively. This effect was accompanied by the induction of apoptosis and a pronounced G2/M cell cycle arrest in HCT116 cells.
    Furthermore, DPDT induces DNA strand breaks at concentrations below 5 μM in HCT116 cells and promotes the occurrence of DNA double strand breaks mostly during S-phase as measured by γ-H2AX/EdU double staining. Finally, DPDT forms covalent complexes with DNA topoisomerase I, as observed by the TARDIS assay, with a more prominent effect observed in HCT116 than in MRC5 cells. Taken together, the results of this study show that DPDT preferentially targets HCT116 colon cancer cells likely through DNA topoisomerase I poisoning.
    “This makes DPDT an interesting molecule for further development as an anti-proliferative compound in the context of cancer.”
    Read the full paper: DOI: https://doi.org/10.18632/oncotarget.28465
    Correspondence to: João Antonio Pêgas Henriques, Alexandre Escargueil
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    Keywords - colorectal cancer, HCT116, diphenyl ditelluride, organotellurium, topoisomerase I
    About Oncotarget
    Oncotarget is a primarily oncology-focused, peer-reviewed, open access journal. Papers are published continuously within yearly volumes in their final and complete form, and then quickly released to Pubmed. On September 15, 2022, Oncotarget was accepted again for indexing by MEDLINE. Oncotarget is now indexed by Medline/PubMed and PMC/PubMed.
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    4 min
  • Targeting GITR in Cancer Immunotherapy – There Is No Perfect Knowledge
    A new research perspective was published in Oncotarget's Volume 14 on June 19, 2023, entitled, “Targeting GITR in cancer immunotherapy – there is no perfect knowledge.”
    In this new perspective, researchers Diwakar Davar and Roberta Zappasodi from the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC), University of Pittsburgh, Weill Cornell Medical College, and Weill Cornell Graduate School of Medical Sciences discuss the glucocorticoid-induced TNFR-related protein (GITR), belonging to the TNFR superfamily (TNFRSF) and stimulating both the acquired and innate immunity. GITR is broadly expressed on immune cells, particularly regulatory T cells (Tregs) and natural killer (NK) cells.
    “Given its potential to promote T effector function and impede Treg immune suppression, GITR is an attractive target for cancer immunotherapy.”
    Preclinically, GITR agonists have demonstrated potent anti-tumor efficacy singly and in combination with a variety of agents, including PD-1 blockade. Multiple GITR agonists have been advanced into the clinic, although the experience with these agents has been disappointing. Recent mechanistic insights into the roles of antibody structure, valency, and Fc functionality in mediating anti-tumor efficacy may explain some of the apparent inconsistency or discordance between preclinical data and observed clinical efficacy.
    Overall, the clinical results obtained so far with GITR agonist agents have demonstrated specific immune effects in the expected immune cell populations based on preclinical studies. However, these effects have not produced substantial therapeutic activity in human cancer patients. A maturing understanding of the immune responses to GITR agonism in human cancer has clarified novel issues specific to drug development in this space including Ab structure (monospecific and bispecific mAbs and co-stimulatory GITR ligands), Ab valency, and Fc functionality.
    “This improved understanding of the immune responses to GITR agonism in patients should be kept in consideration for the design of novel rational combinations or treatment regimens in earlier disease settings where immunotherapy is gradually becoming the treatment of choice.”
    DOI - https://doi.org/10.18632/oncotarget.28461
    Correspondence to - Diwakar Davar - [email protected]
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    Keywords - cancer, immunotherapy, programmed death-1 (PD-1), cytotoxic T-lymphocyte Antigen-4 (CTLA-4), glucocorticoid-induced TNFR-related protein (GITR)
    About Oncotarget
    Oncotarget is a primarily oncology-focused, peer-reviewed, open access journal. Papers are published continuously within yearly volumes in their final and complete form, and then quickly released to Pubmed. On September 15, 2022, Oncotarget was accepted again for indexing by MEDLINE. Oncotarget is now indexed by Medline/PubMed and PMC/PubMed.
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    4 min
  • Metformin's Role in Preventing Metabolic Syndrome During Androgen Deprivation Therapy
    A new research paper was published in Oncotarget's Volume 14 on June 19, 2023, entitled, “Utilizing metformin to prevent metabolic syndrome due to androgen deprivation therapy (ADT): a randomized phase II study of metformin in non-diabetic men initiating ADT for advanced prostate cancer.”
    Androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) can lead to metabolic syndrome (MS) and is implicated in ADT-resistance. Metformin showed antineoplastic activity through mTOR inhibition secondary AMPK-activation.
    To investigate whether metformin mitigated ADT-related MS, researchers Devalingam Mahalingam, Salih Hanni, Anthony V. Serritella, Christos Fountzilas, Joel Michalek, Brian Hernandez, John Sarantopoulos, Paromitta Datta, Ofelia Romero, Sureshkumar Mulampurath Achutan Pillai, John Kuhn, Michael Pollak6, and Ian M. Thompson from the University of Texas Health Science Center, Robert H Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center of Northwestern University, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Mays Cancer Center at University of Texas Health, Audie Murphy VA Hospital, McGill University, and Christus Health conducted a randomized double-blind phase II trial of metformin 500 mg TID or placebo in non-diabetic patients with biochemically-relapsed or advanced prostate cancer (PC) due for ADT.
    “To test these hypotheses, we conducted a phase II randomized, placebo-controlled, prospective study of metformin vs. placebo in patients with advanced, castrate sensitive PC treated with ADT (NCT:01620593).”
    Fasting serum glucose, insulin, PSA, metformin, weight, and waist circumference (WC) were measured at baseline, week 12 and 28. The primary endpoint was a group of MS metrics. Secondary endpoints include PSA response, safety, serum metformin concentrations and analysis of downstream an mTOR target, phospho-S6-kinase.
    Thirty-six men were randomized to either metformin or placebo. Mean age was 68.4. Mean weight, WC and insulin levels increased in both arms. At week 12 and 28, no statistical differences in weight, WC or insulin were observed in either arm. No significant difference in percentage of patients with PSA <0.2 at week 28 between metformin (45.5%) vs. placebo (46.7%). Analysis in the metformin-arm showed variable down-regulation of phospho-S6 kinase.
    “In our small study, metformin added to ADT did not show a reduced risk of ADT-related MS or differences in PSA response.”
    DOI - https://doi.org/10.18632/oncotarget.28458
    Correspondence to - Devalingam Mahalingam - [email protected]
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    Keywords - prostate cancer, metformin, metastatic, androgen deprivation therapy, clinical trial
    About Oncotarget
    Oncotarget is a primarily oncology-focused, peer-reviewed, open access journal. Papers are published continuously within yearly volumes in their final and complete form, and then quickly released to Pubmed. On September 15, 2022, Oncotarget was accepted again for indexing by MEDLINE. Oncotarget is now indexed by Medline/PubMed and PMC/PubMed.
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    4 min
  • Oncotarget Sponsors 2023 Ride for Roswell
    The Ride for Roswell is one of the nation’s largest cycling events—hosted by Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center—to raise awareness and funds for cancer research and patient care. This charity bike ride, based out of Buffalo, New York, has brought people together for 27 years to celebrate cancer survivors, pay tribute to lives that have been lost, and to work together to support research and find a cure.
    When its doors opened in Buffalo in 1898, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center was the first cancer research-focused institution in the world. Today, this institution is one of only four National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer centers in the state of New York. Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center is ranked by U.S. News & World Report as one of the best cancer hospitals in the United States.
    The Ride for Roswell started in 1989 when Mitch Flynn, owner of the advertising agency Flynn & Friends, met Katherine Gioia. Katherine was a four-year-old patient battling a rare form of cancer. After Katherine’s death (less than a year after her diagnosis), Katherine’s mother, Anne Gioia, and aunt, Donna Gioia, founded the Roswell Park Alliance Foundation in her memory to raise money for cancer research and treatment. On June 29, 1996, Mitch and Alliance Foundation staff launched the first Ride for Roswell.
    In the 27 years since then, thanks to over 127,000 riders and thousands of volunteers, the Ride for Roswell has raised over $67 million to fund cancer research. The event has become one of the largest charity rides in the United States.
    Full press release - https://www.oncotarget.net/2023/06/19/oncotarget-sponsors-2023-ride-for-roswell/
    Join Team Open Access - https://give.roswellpark.org/site/TR/SpecialEvents/General?team_id=15232&pg=team&fr_id=1830
    About Oncotarget
    Oncotarget is a primarily oncology-focused, peer-reviewed, open access journal. Papers are published continuously within yearly volumes in their final and complete form, and then quickly released to Pubmed. On September 15, 2022, Oncotarget was accepted again for indexing by MEDLINE. Oncotarget is now indexed by Medline/PubMed and PMC/PubMed.
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    6 min
  • ACSL4: Biomarker, Mediator and Target in Quadruple Negative Breast Cancer
    A new review paper was published in Oncotarget's Volume 14 on June 12, 2023, entitled, “ACSL4: biomarker, mediator and target in quadruple negative breast cancer.”
    Breast cancer is a heterogeneous disease for which effective treatment depends on correct categorization of its molecular subtype. For the last several decades this determination has relied on hormone receptor status for estrogen, progesterone and HER2. More recently, gene expression data have been generated that further stratify both receptor-positive and receptor-negative cancers.
    In this new review, researcher Marie E. Monaco from NYU Grossman School of Medicine and VA NY Harbor Healthcare System discusses the fatty acid-activating enzyme, ACSL4, which has been demonstrated to play a role in the malignant phenotype of a variety of cancers, including breast. This lipid metabolic enzyme is differentially expressed as a function of subtype in breast tumors, with highest expression observed in the mesenchymal (claudin low) and basal-like subtypes.
    “ACSL4 is one of five mammalian enzyme isoforms responsible for activation (thioesterification) of long-chain fatty acids as a prerequisite to their further utilization in lipid biosynthetic and fatty acid oxidative pathways [1].”
    Here, Dr. Monaco reviews data that support the potential of utilizing ACSL4 status as both a biomarker of molecular subtype and a predictor of response to a variety of targeted and non-targeted treatment regimens. The ability of ACSL4 to induce a more aggressive phenotype suggests it might be a potential target for inhibition in the treatment of breast cancer. Additional studies are needed to demonstrate the utility of this protein as both a biomarker and target in the classification and treatment of breast cancer.
    “Based on these findings, we suggest 3 expanded roles for ACSL4: 1. as a biomarker for classification of breast cancer subtypes; 2. as a predictor of sensitivity to hormone-based and certain other therapies; and 3. as a target for the development of new treatment modalities.”
    DOI - https://doi.org/10.18632/oncotarget.28453
    Correspondence to - Marie E. Monaco - [email protected]
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    Keywords - ACSL4, breast cancer, ferroptosis, molecular subtype, quadruple negative breast cancer
    About Oncotarget
    Oncotarget is a primarily oncology-focused, peer-reviewed, open access journal. Papers are published continuously within yearly volumes in their final and complete form, and then quickly released to Pubmed. On September 15, 2022, Oncotarget was accepted again for indexing by MEDLINE. Oncotarget is now indexed by Medline/PubMed and PMC/PubMed.
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    4 min
  • LP-284 Targets Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma and DNA Damage Repair Deficiency
    A new research paper was published in Oncotarget's Volume 14 on June 12, 2023, entitled, “LP-284, a small molecule acylfulvene, exerts potent antitumor activity in preclinical non-Hodgkin's lymphoma models and in cells deficient in DNA damage repair.”
    Despite advances in therapies treating non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL), 20~40% of patients experience relapsed or refractory disease. While solid tumors with homologous recombination deficiencies have been successfully targeted with synthetic lethal agents such as poly-ADP ribose polymerase (PARP) inhibitors, such synthetic lethality strategy has not yet been approved to treat patients with NHL.
    In this new study, researchers Jianli Zhou, Drew Sturtevant, Cassie Love, Aditya Kulkarni, Neha Biyani, Umesh Kathad, Elizabeth Thacker, Sandeep Dave, and Kishor Bhatia from Lantern Pharma Inc., Duke University and Data Driven Bioscience investigated the mechanism of action (MoA) and therapeutic potential of a new-generation acylfulvene compound, LP-284, in both in vitro and in vivo NHL models.
    “Here, we aimed to characterize LP-284’s antitumor efficacy in NHL models and further elucidate its mechanisms of action.”
    One of LP-284’s MoA includes inducing the repair of double-strand DNA break (DSB). The researchers found that LP-284 exerts nanomolar potency in a panel of hematological cancer cell lines including fifteen NHL cell lines. In vivo, LP-284 treatment prolongs the survival of mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) cell line JeKo-1 derived xenograft mice by two-fold and shows increased efficacy over bortezomib and ibrutinib. In addition, LP-284 is capable of inhibiting tumor growth of JeKo-1 xenografts that are refractory to bortezomib or ibrutinib. They further showed that LP-284 is particularly lethal in cells with deficient DNA damage response and repair, a targetable vulnerability in NHL.
    “In conclusion, our study has demonstrated LP-284 as a novel and potent acylfulvene drug that can suppress tumor growth in NHL models and cells with HR or TC-NER deficiency.”
    DOI - https://doi.org/10.18632/oncotarget.28454
    Correspondence to - Jianli Zhou - [email protected]
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    Keywords - non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, DNA damage, homologous recombination repair, transcription-coupled nucleotide excision repair, ATM
    About Oncotarget
    Oncotarget is a primarily oncology-focused, peer-reviewed, open access journal. Papers are published continuously within yearly volumes in their final and complete form, and then quickly released to Pubmed. On September 15, 2022, Oncotarget was accepted again for indexing by MEDLINE. Oncotarget is now indexed by Medline/PubMed and PMC/PubMed.
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    4 min
  • Targeting the Src N-Terminal Regulatory Element in Cancer
    A new research perspective was published in Oncotarget's Volume 14 on May 19, 2023, entitled, “Targeting the Src N-terminal regulatory element in cancer.”
    The signaling pathways displayed by cancer cells are often composed of the same components as the physiological ones, yet the overall result is a pathological deregulation. In this new paper, researchers Betlem Mezquita, Marjorie Reyes-Farias and Miquel Pons from the Universitat de Barcelona and Universitat Internacional de Catalunya discuss the non-receptor protein tyrosine kinase Src as a good example.
    “Src, the first discovered oncogene, is the leading member of the Src family of kinases (SFK) that includes Fyn, Yes, Blk, Yrk, Fgr, Hck, Lck, and Lyn.”
    Src is the first described proto-oncogene and a demonstrated player in cancer progression, as it affects proliferation, invasion, survival, cancer stemness, and drug resistance. Src activation is linked to poor prognosis in many cancer types, yet mutations in this protein are rarely observed. In addition, being a demonstrated cancer target, unspecific inhibition of the kinase activity has proven inefficient in clinics since the inhibition of Src in non-cancerous cells results in unacceptable toxicity.
    Thus, there is a need for new target regions in Src that could inhibit Src activity only in certain cell types, e.g., cancer cells, while maintaining the normal physiological activity in healthy cells. The Src N-terminal regulatory element (SNRE) includes the poorly studied intrinsically disordered region with unique sequences for each of the members of the Src family. In this perspective, the researchers discuss the non-canonical regulatory mechanisms involving the SNRE and their potential use as oncotargets.
    “Our group has designed a screening system to search chemical libraries for binders of the Src SNRE [88] and we are currently following up a promising lead.”
    DOI: https://doi.org/10.18632/oncotarget.28434
    Correspondence to: Miquel Pons - [email protected]
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    Keywords: Src family kinases, intrinsically disordered proteins, SNRE, cell-type selective drugs, drug resistance
    About Oncotarget
    Oncotarget is a primarily oncology-focused, peer-reviewed, open access journal. Papers are published continuously within yearly volumes in their final and complete form, and then quickly released to Pubmed. On September 15, 2022, Oncotarget was accepted again for indexing by MEDLINE. Oncotarget is now indexed by Medline/PubMed and PMC/PubMed.
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    4 min
  • Value of Chemotherapy Post Immunotherapy in Stage IV Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer
    A new research paper was published in Oncotarget's Volume 14 on May 26, 2023, entitled, “Value of chemotherapy post immunotherapy in stage IV non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).”
    Lung cancer is the number one cause of mortality among all types of cancer worldwide. Its treatment landscape has shifted from the classic chemotherapy alone to newer regimens based on the discovery of new immunotherapy and targeted therapy drugs. However, chemotherapy is still an option for treatment of advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) after progression on immunotherapy alone or in combination with first-line chemotherapy.
    This new retrospective study, by researchers Hazem I. Assi, Maroun Bou Zerdan, Mohammad Hodroj, Makram Khoury, Nour Sabiha Naji, Ghid Amhaz, Reine Abou Zeidane, and Fadi El Karak from the American University of Beirut Medical Center and Hotel Dieu de France University Hospital, was based on chart review of patients diagnosed with advanced NSCLC cases who received Docetaxel as second or third line after being treated by immunotherapy and/or chemotherapy in previous lines. The data was collected from the medical records of physicians’ clinics in three different hospital centers in Lebanon over the period of 5 years from July 2015 until December 2020. February 2021 was data analysis cut off time.
    “The main aim [of this study] was to assess the role of Docetaxel post-chemoimmunotherapy for patients with diagnosed NSCLC.”
    A total of 21 patients were included in this study. The majority of our patients were males (81%). As for histologic type, most patients had non-squamous lung cancer (67%) as compared to 33% who had squamous lung cancer. Overall, their study reported a 24% response rate to Docetaxel including stable disease and partial response and a median progression free survival (PFS) of 3 months. The mean time interval elapsed from diagnosis to the initiation of Docetaxel was 11.5 months.
    “New therapeutic options should be validated for the treatment of NSCLC in the second and subsequent lines of therapy considering the poor prognosis of this disease. The chemotherapy in second and third line may keep an important role in the treatment after progression on newer agents, but it needs more evidence in prospective studies including a larger number of patients.”
    DOI - https://doi.org/10.18632/oncotarget.28444
    Correspondence to - Fadi El Karak - [email protected]
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    Keywords - chemotherapy, immunotherapy, non-small cell lung cancer
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Oncotarget is a primarily oncology-focused, peer-reviewed, open access journal. Papers are published continuously within yearly volumes in their final and complete form and then quickly released to Pubmed.