Response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy in early breast cancers is associated with epithelial-mesenchymal transition and tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes.

Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) play a central role in early-stage breast cancer (BC) and are associated with chemoresistance, stemness, and invasion. The objective of this study was two fold: (a) by investigating the predictive value of EMT and TILs, we aimed to estimate the chance of achieving a response after neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) and (b) to evaluate the potential changes of EMT and TILs in BC upon NAC. Using bulk RNA sequencing and immunofluorescence (IF) for EMT (E-cadherin and vimentin) and lymphocyte markers (CD3, CD8, FOXP3), we analyzed pre- and post-NAC tumor samples from 100 early-BC patients treated with NAC.

Bacteria in metastatic sites: Unveiling hidden players in cancer progression.

Bacteria exhibit key features of cancer metastasis, such as motility, invasion, and modulation of the tumor microenvironment. They migrate through lymphatic and blood systems, invade metastatic tissues, and alter local microenvironments to support metastatic growth. Bacteria also shape the tumor microenvironment, affecting immune responses and inflammation, which influence tumor progression and therapy response.

Multiplex Immunofluorescence Combined with Spatial Image Analysis for the Clinical and Biological Assessment of the Tumor Microenvironment.

The tumor microenvironment (TME) is composed of a plethora of different cell types, such as cytotoxic immune cells and immunomodulatory cells. Depending on its composition and the interactions between cancer cells and peri-tumoral cells, the TME may affect cancer progression. The characterization of tumors and their complex microenvironment could improve the understanding of cancer diseases and may help scientists and clinicians to discover new biomarkers.

Biomarkers of Response and Resistance to Immunotherapy in Microsatellite Stable Colorectal Cancer: Toward a New Personalized Medicine.

Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors (ICIs) are well recognized as a major immune treatment modality for multiple types of solid cancers. However, for colorectal cancer (CRC), ICIs are only approved for the treatment of Mismatch-Repair-Deficient and Microsatellite Instability-High (dMMR/MSI-H) tumors. For the vast majority of CRC, that are not dMMR/MSI-H, ICIs alone provide limited to no clinical benefit.