An Updated Review of the Biomarkers of Response to Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors in Merkel Cell Carcinoma: Merkel Cell Carcinoma and Immunotherapy
Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is primarily a disease of the elderly Caucasian, with most cases occurring in individuals over 50. Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) treatment has shown promising results in MCC patients. Although ~34% of MCC patients are expected to exhibit at least one of the predictiv...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2023-10-01
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| Series: | Cancers |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/15/20/5084 |
| _version_ | 1797574334960631808 |
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| author | Adnan Fojnica Kenana Ljuca Saghir Akhtar Zoran Gatalica Semir Vranic |
| author_facet | Adnan Fojnica Kenana Ljuca Saghir Akhtar Zoran Gatalica Semir Vranic |
| author_sort | Adnan Fojnica |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is primarily a disease of the elderly Caucasian, with most cases occurring in individuals over 50. Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) treatment has shown promising results in MCC patients. Although ~34% of MCC patients are expected to exhibit at least one of the predictive biomarkers (PD-L1, high tumor mutational burden/TMB-H/, and microsatellite instability), their clinical significance in MCC is not fully understood. PD-L1 expression has been variably described in MCC, but its predictive value has not been established yet. Our literature survey indicates conflicting results regarding the predictive value of TMB in ICI therapy for MCC. Avelumab therapy has shown promising results in Merkel cell polyomavirus (MCPyV)-negative MCC patients with TMB-H, while pembrolizumab therapy has shown better response in patients with low TMB. A study evaluating neoadjuvant nivolumab therapy found no significant difference in treatment response between the tumor etiologies and TMB levels. In addition to ICI therapy, other treatments that induce apoptosis, such as milademetan, have demonstrated positive responses in MCPyV-positive MCC, with few somatic mutations and wild-type <i>TP53</i>. This review summarizes current knowledge and discusses emerging and potentially predictive biomarkers for MCC therapy with ICI. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T21:21:33Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-5672f06b6b644326b98f3299e4e0162d |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2072-6694 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T21:21:33Z |
| publishDate | 2023-10-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Cancers |
| spelling | doaj.art-5672f06b6b644326b98f3299e4e0162d2023-11-19T16:00:21ZengMDPI AGCancers2072-66942023-10-011520508410.3390/cancers15205084An Updated Review of the Biomarkers of Response to Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors in Merkel Cell Carcinoma: Merkel Cell Carcinoma and ImmunotherapyAdnan Fojnica0Kenana Ljuca1Saghir Akhtar2Zoran Gatalica3Semir Vranic4Institute of Virology, TUM School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, 81675 Munich, GermanyHealth Center of Sarajevo Canton, 71000 Sarajevo, Bosnia and HerzegovinaDepartment of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, QU Health, Qatar University, Doha 2713, QatarDepartment of Pathology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK 73019, USADepartment of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, QU Health, Qatar University, Doha 2713, QatarMerkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is primarily a disease of the elderly Caucasian, with most cases occurring in individuals over 50. Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) treatment has shown promising results in MCC patients. Although ~34% of MCC patients are expected to exhibit at least one of the predictive biomarkers (PD-L1, high tumor mutational burden/TMB-H/, and microsatellite instability), their clinical significance in MCC is not fully understood. PD-L1 expression has been variably described in MCC, but its predictive value has not been established yet. Our literature survey indicates conflicting results regarding the predictive value of TMB in ICI therapy for MCC. Avelumab therapy has shown promising results in Merkel cell polyomavirus (MCPyV)-negative MCC patients with TMB-H, while pembrolizumab therapy has shown better response in patients with low TMB. A study evaluating neoadjuvant nivolumab therapy found no significant difference in treatment response between the tumor etiologies and TMB levels. In addition to ICI therapy, other treatments that induce apoptosis, such as milademetan, have demonstrated positive responses in MCPyV-positive MCC, with few somatic mutations and wild-type <i>TP53</i>. This review summarizes current knowledge and discusses emerging and potentially predictive biomarkers for MCC therapy with ICI.https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/15/20/5084skinMerkel cell carcinomatherapyimmune checkpoint inhibitorsbiomarkers |
| spellingShingle | Adnan Fojnica Kenana Ljuca Saghir Akhtar Zoran Gatalica Semir Vranic An Updated Review of the Biomarkers of Response to Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors in Merkel Cell Carcinoma: Merkel Cell Carcinoma and Immunotherapy Cancers skin Merkel cell carcinoma therapy immune checkpoint inhibitors biomarkers |
| title | An Updated Review of the Biomarkers of Response to Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors in Merkel Cell Carcinoma: Merkel Cell Carcinoma and Immunotherapy |
| title_full | An Updated Review of the Biomarkers of Response to Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors in Merkel Cell Carcinoma: Merkel Cell Carcinoma and Immunotherapy |
| title_fullStr | An Updated Review of the Biomarkers of Response to Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors in Merkel Cell Carcinoma: Merkel Cell Carcinoma and Immunotherapy |
| title_full_unstemmed | An Updated Review of the Biomarkers of Response to Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors in Merkel Cell Carcinoma: Merkel Cell Carcinoma and Immunotherapy |
| title_short | An Updated Review of the Biomarkers of Response to Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors in Merkel Cell Carcinoma: Merkel Cell Carcinoma and Immunotherapy |
| title_sort | updated review of the biomarkers of response to immune checkpoint inhibitors in merkel cell carcinoma merkel cell carcinoma and immunotherapy |
| topic | skin Merkel cell carcinoma therapy immune checkpoint inhibitors biomarkers |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/15/20/5084 |
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