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You are here Biopharmaceutical/ Genomic Glossary Homepage > Healthcare > Molecular Medicine > Cancer & Immuno-oncology
Cancer & Immuno-oncology glossary & taxonomy
SCOPE
NOTE Cancer
and
oncology
include immuno-oncology, liquid biopsies, CAR T Cell therapies,
circulating tumor cells, neoantigen targeted therapies, NK Natural Killer
Cells based cancer immunotherapies, cancer vaccines, oncolytic virus
immunotherapies, tumor microenvironment Every day, scientists and physicians dedicated to cancer research work to make discoveries that will advance new treatments and tools into the clinic. Patients participate in clinical trials with the hope of finding new options for themselves and producing better outcomes for future patients who will face the same disease. Their combined efforts—enabled by research funding—have led to new ways to prevent, detect, and treat cancer and a 25% decline in the rate of death from cancer over the past two decades. Despite this progress, more work remains. Highlights of the NCI Annual Plan & Budget Proposal for Fiscal Year 2019 https://www.cancer.gov/about-nci/budget/plan/ Related glossaries include Biomarkers Cancer & Immuno-Oncology overview Clinical trials Molecular Diagnostics testing Molecular imaging Molecular Medicine Pharmacogenomics adoptive cell transfer: the transfer of cells into a patient.[1] The cells may have originated from the patient or from another individual. The cells are most commonly derived from the immune system with the goal of improving immune functionality and characteristics. In autologous cancer immunotherapy, T cells are extracted from the patient, genetically modified and cultured in vitro and returned to the same patient. Wikipedia accessed 2018 Dec 12 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adoptive_cell_transfer
Adoptive T Cell Therapy
August 11-12., 2020
Boston, MA
Efforts
to engineer CAR Ts, NKs, TCRs, and TILs with greater precision, safety
profiles, and efficacy are leading to the second generation of improved
adoptive cell therapies. With multiple engineered receptors already making
preclinical impact, many biotech and pharma companies are preparing for
the next wave of clinical trials. The end goal is still the same: improved
patient outcomes. However, there remain technical considerations and
translational challenges relating to cell therapy development,
manufacturing practicability, clinical trial approaches, cell quality and
persistence, and patient management
https://www.immuno-oncologysummit.com/T-Cell/ antibodies cancer therapy: Antibodies for Cancer Therapy Driving Breakthrough Therapies May 4-5, 2020 Boston MA Program Antibodies have become the most sought-after tools in drug discovery, with bispecific antibodies and cell engagers leading the pack of new constructs. New insights on the tumor microenvironment and the microbiome can determine how successful a therapeutic strategy will be, and new imaging tools will help improve delivery of antibody drugs https://www.pegsummit.com/Cancer-Antibodies/
ANTIBODY DRUG CONJUGATES
2020 May 6-7 BOSTON MA A
successful ADC requires the combination of the right target, right
antibody, right linker and the right payload. Getting it right can create
ADCs that have the potential to become a life-saving medicine for many
diseases, especially cancer.
https://www.pegsummit.com/Antibody-Drug-Conjugates/ Antineoplastic Agents, Immunological: Antineoplastic agents containing immunological agents (e.g. MAbs). These pharmacologic preparations inhibit or prevent the proliferation of NEOPLASMS. MeSH 2018 Related terms: Immuno-Oncology IO, immunotherapy
autoantibodies:
A hallmark of both
autoimmunity and cancer, represent an easily accessible surrogate for measuring
adaptive immune responses to cancer. ...
Serological analysis of arrays displaying the
complete human proteome (seromics)
represents a new era in cancer immunology, opening the way to defining the
repertoire of the humoral immune response to cancer. Seromic profiling of
ovarian and pancreatic cancer, Gnjatic S, et. al, Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2010
Mar 16;107(11):5088-93. Epub 2010 Mar 1
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20194765
biological
therapy:
involves
the use of living organisms, substances derived from living organisms, or
laboratory-produced versions of such substances to treat disease. Some
biological therapies for cancer use vaccines or bacteria to
stimulate the body’s immune system to act against cancer cells.
These types of biological therapy, which are sometimes referred to collectively
as “immunotherapy” or “biological response modifier therapy,” do not target
cancer cells directly. Other biological therapies, such as antibodies or
segments of genetic material (RNA or DNA),
do target cancer cells directly. Biological therapies that interfere with
specific molecules involved
in tumor growth
and progression are also referred to as targeted
therapies.
National Cancer Institute, Immunotherapy fact sheet biological tumor markers: Molecular products metabolized and secreted by neoplastic tissue and characterized biochemically in cells or body fluids. They are indicators of tumor stage and grade as well as useful for monitoring responses to treatment and predicting recurrence. Many chemical groups are represented including hormones, antigens, amino and nucleic acids, enzymes, polyamines, and specific cell membrane proteins and lipids. MeSH, 1988 Bispecific Antibodies to the Clinic for Oncology Advancing Bispecific Antibodies and Combination Therapy to the Clinic Creating the Killer Combo May 6-7, 2020 BOSTON MA https://www.pegsummit.com/Bispecific-Antibodies-For-Oncology/ The development of bispecific antibodies is one of the hottest areas in biologic research at the moment and their advancement to preclinical and clinical development will determine what the future of this area will look like.
Bispecific Antibodies for Cancer Immunotherapy
August 10-12 2020 Boston, MA
|
Cancer
biomarkers may also be present in benign neoplastic disease, which careful
longitudinal clinical study has shown does not proceed to malignancy (13)(14). A
vitally important and humbling example is the demonstration that oncogene
markers such as c-erbB-2, p53, and cyclin D1, commonly thought to be cancer
biomarkers, are also present in patients with benign breast disease who have
been followed clinically for 15 years or longer without neoplastic progression.
... Even after more than 150 years of cell science, it must be recognized that
our conceptual framework of cancer biology remains inadequate to recognize the
ideal or optimal biomarker for most cancers. Furthermore, even if, as expected,
our perspectives will change over time, we need to understand what we are
looking for before investments in the search and evaluation for cancer
biomarkers will be effective. KP Pritzker, Cancer biomarkers: Easier said than
done, Clinical Chemistry, 48 (8): 1147- 1150 Aug. 2002
http://www.clinchem.org/cgi/content/full/48/8/1147 cancer genomics: Cancer is a complex disease of genomic alteration, exploiting many different molecular mechanisms. Fighting cancer will ultimately require a comprehensive classification of cancers according to their genomic basis. Projects include: systematic studies of genome-wide loss and amplification; targeted resequencing to identify mutant genes in key pathways; and discovery of cancer-specific biomarkers. ... Cancer cells rely for their survival on the expression of a limited number of specific genes. Identifying these genes would yield, for the first time, a comprehensive catalog of the potential therapeutic targets for cancer. Projects include systematic use of RNA interference (RNAi) to identify such Achilles' heels of cancers. ... Genomic signatures provide a powerful way to recognize the effects of chemical compounds, both to understand cancer biology and to develop new therapeutics. Program activities include: Gene-Expression High-Throughput Screening (GE-HTS) to identify compounds that can induce specific developmental changes in cancer ... Other efforts include molecular pathology studies to map gene expression patterns to actual tumor architecture, integrating molecular signatures to predict cancer prognosis and treatment response, and developing robust computational biology tools to analyze and interpret the data generated across the large range of projects underway. Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard 2010 http://www.broadinstitute.org/scientific-community/science/programs/cancer/cancer Herceptin is an example of a drug for which specific suitable patients can now be identified. Oncogenomics appears to be a synonym, but less frequently used than cancer genomics. (Glossary FAQ question # 3 outlines methodology.) Related terms: CGAP Cancer Genome Anatomy Project, familial cancer, family history, germline mutations, oncogenomics, somatic cells, sporadic cancer Narrower terms: cancer proteomics; familial cancer, family history, hereditary cancer, sporadic cancer. Cancer
Immunome Atlas:
Innsbruck Medical University, Austria comprehensive
immunogenomic analyses of next generation sequencing data (NGS) data for 20
solid cancers from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and other
datasources.
See also
Biomarkers
Cancer Informatics April
21-23, 2020 • Boston, MA |
explores the important technology and informatics trends and challenges of
applying computational biology to cancer research and care. Themes that will be
covered include collaboration and network models, data
access/management/integration strategies, and applications of biological
interpretation to aid in research at the bench side or care at the bedside.Most
clinical diagnoses involve the use of clinical testing, much of which is
not standardized locally/nationally/internationally. https://www.bio-itworldexpo.com/cancer-informatics
cancer proteomics:
The use of DNA microarrays to study
cancer is as established as the technology itself [5, 6]. Transcriptome
data is not only used to classify different types of cancer, but to shed light
on known and unknown cancer genes: proto- oncogenes, oncogenes, and tumor
suppressor genes. Proteome data, on the other hand, is not as pervasive,
largely due to technological limitations. However, with the steady advancements
in the tools mentioned above, “cancer proteomics” is becoming a reality.
James Kuo "Proteomics and its applications to cancer research"
Molecular Biology & Biochemistry, Yale Univ. 2000
http://bioinfo.mbb.yale.edu/mbb452a/2000/projects/James--Kuo.html
cancer resources -
for
patients
Cancer vaccines are designed to boost the body’s natural
ability to protect itself, through the immune system, from dangers posed by
damaged or abnormal cells such as cancer cells. The U.S. Food and Drug
Administration (FDA) has approved two types of vaccines to prevent cancer:
vaccines against the hepatitis B virus, which can cause liver cancer, and
vaccines against human papillomavirus types 16 and 18, which are responsible for
about 70 percent of cervical cancer cases. The FDA has approved one cancer
treatment vaccine for certain men with metastatic prostate cancer. Researchers
are developing treatment vaccines against many types of cancer and testing them
in clinical trials.
National Cancer Institute,
Cancer Vaccines
http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/Therapy/cancer-vaccines While
the common goal for cancer immunotherapeutics is to boost the immune system and
thereby fight cancer in various stages, what is needed most for treating cancer
successfully are more precisely-targeted therapies. The approaches vary widely
and ideally it may be reached by using the patient’s own immune system or by
inducing T-cells or “vaccines” Broader term:
cancer immunotherapeutics
CAR T-cell therapy: A
type of treatment in which a patient's T cells (a type of immune system
cell) are changed in the laboratory so they will attack cancer cells. T
cells are taken from a patient’s blood. Then the gene for a special
receptor that binds to a certain protein on the patient’s cancer cells is
added in the laboratory. The special receptor is called a chimeric antigen
receptor (CAR). Large numbers of the CAR T cells are grown in the
laboratory and given to the patient by infusion. CAR T-cell therapy is
being studied in the treatment of some types of cancer. Also called
chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy. NCI Dictionary of Cancer Terms
https://www.cancer.gov/publications/dictionaries/cancer-terms?cdrid=771302 cellular oncogene (proto-oncogene):
A
normal gene that when mutated or improperly expressed contributes to the
development of cancer. (See Oncogene.) Molecular Cell Biology 4th
edition
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK21662/ checkpoint inhibitors:
are used to treat cancers such as melanoma skin cancer and lung
cancer. Researchers are also looking at them in clinical trials for other
types of cancer.
chemotherapy:
Drug
discovery & development
Often, but not necessarily cancer chemotherapy.
Circulating Tumor Cells
March 2-4, 2020 • San Francisco, CA
https://www.triconference.com/Circulating-Tumor-Cells | Circulating
tumor cells and cell-free tumor DNA have dominated the headlines for the
past decade and presently new liquid biopsy tests are entering the clinic.
These will enable improved diagnosis of cancer, early detection, and a new
era of companion diagnostics for therapy selection, monitoring, predicting
outcomes, and measuring the risk of recurrence. New tools include methods
to both isolate CTCs and destroy them with lasers, digital microfluidics,
and epigenetic measurement to better diagnose, prognose, and treat
disease.
Molecular
characterization of tumour material will become increasingly important in
selecting patients for clinical trials and offering appropriate treatment for
patients in clinical practice. Recent advances in the field have indicated that
the molecular characteristics of a tumour can be determined from circulating
tumour cells and circulating tumour DNA; thus, a simple blood sample could
provide these data in a simple, convenient and efficient manner.
Circulating tumour-derived predictive biomarkers
in oncology, Hodgson DR, Wellings R, Orr MC, McCormack R, Malone M, Board RE,
Cantarini MV., AstraZeneca, Drug Discov Today. 2010 Feb;15(3-4):98-101. Epub
2010 Jan 4.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20045486
Comparative
Oncology Program COP: In
2003, the National Cancer Institute's Center for Cancer Research (CCR)
launched the Comparative Oncology Program (COP) to help researchers better
understand the biology of cancer and to improve the assessment of novel
treatments for humans by treating pet animals-primarily cats and dogs-with
naturally occurring cancer, giving these animals the benefit of
cutting-edge research and therapeutics.
dominant
(-acting) oncogene A gene that
stimulates cell proliferation and contributes to oncogenesis when present in a
single copy. See oncogene [FAO glossary]
driver mutations:
Cancer genomes carry two classes of mutations: 'driver' mutations, which are
positively selected because they are essential for tumour growth and
development, and 'passenger' mutations, which are not subject to
selection because they don't confer a growth advantage.
Genomics:
Beyond the usual suspects Nature Reviews Drug
Discovery 6, 270-271
April 2007
doi:10.1038/nrd2301
early
detection of cancer:
Methods to identify and characterize
cancer in the early stages of disease and predict tumor behavior. MeSH
2009
Emerging Immuno-Oncology
Targets
August 11-12, 2020 Boston, MA | While
cancer immunotherapy has made a giant leap in the past five years, the
majority of therapies at advanced stages of development are clustered in a
similar target space. The increased investment in immuno-oncology has
created an urgent opportunity to discover and populate new target spaces
that either present new classes of immunotherapies or can be used in
combination with existing products.
https://www.immuno-oncologysummit.com/Immuno-Oncology-Targets/
Engineering Next-Generation Cancer Immunotherapies
January 20-21, 2020 • San Diego, CA
https://www.chi-peptalk.com/cancer-immunotherapies/ Based
on the clinical successes of checkpoint inhibitors, the industry is now
directing its attention to combination treatments, single agent
therapeutics with multiple modes of action, confronting resistance
mechanisms, reducing toxicity and the persistent challenge of solid
tumors.
familial cancer:
The expression 'familial cancer' is used
by some as a synonym of hereditary cancer, however, many (including
the authors of this program) use it simply to refer to the familial
occurrence of cancer (> 1 case in a family), not necessarily due
to an inherited cancer predisposition. Some proven hereditary disorders
include the word ‘familial’ in their name. [Familial Cancer Database On-line
Manual. R.H. Sijmons & G.T.N. Burger, Groningen, The Netherlands, 2000 http://facd.uicc.org/manual.shtml
Related terms: hereditary cancer, sporadic cancer
FDA Office of
Hematology and Oncology Products OHOP:
http://www.fda.gov/aboutfda/centersoffices/officeofmedicalproductsandtobacco/cder/ucm091745.htm Gleevec:
An early example of a drug that targets a
genetic change that is characteristic of the disease being treated ... approved
for treatment of patients with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). Gleevec inhibits
Bcr- Abl tyrosine kinase, a protein that is created by the Philadelphia
chromosome abnormality that is characteristic of CML.
hereditary cancer:
The hallmark of hereditary cancer is that
the associated germ- line mutation confers a high lifetime risk of cancer
(often >50 %, but no precise risk percentage has been defined in
the literature). As a general rule, tumor development is a multi- step process
in which in addition to the germline mutation in a gene, the normal ("wild
type") copy of that gene and/ or other genes need to undergo somatic mutations
before cancer develops. Familial Cancer Database On- line Manual. R.H.
Simons & G.T.N. Burger, Groningen, The Netherlands, 2000
http://facd.uicc.org/manual.shtml Related
terms: familial cancer, sporadic cancer
immune checkpoint inhibitor: A
type of drug that blocks certain proteins made by some types of immune
system cells, such as T cells, and some cancer cells. These proteins help
keep immune responses in check and can keep T cells from killing cancer
cells. When these proteins are blocked, the “brakes” on the immune system
are released and T cells are able to kill cancer cells better. Examples of
checkpoint proteins found on T cells or cancer cells include PD-1/PD-L1
and CTLA-4/B7-1/B7-2. Some immune checkpoint inhibitors are used to treat
cancer.
https://www.cancer.gov/publications/dictionaries/cancer-terms/def/immune-checkpoint-inhibitor
See related checkpoint inhibitor
immuno-oncology IO: As
our understanding of tumor immunology has advanced, immuno-oncology has made
unprecedented progress in improving the outcomes for cancer patients.
Immuno-Oncology Summit 2020 Aug 10-14
https://www.immuno-oncologysummit.com/
Immuno-Oncology Biomarkers & Companion Diagnostics
Predicting Response and Guiding Patient
Selection in IO Trials and Patient Care MARCH 2-4, 2020 San Francisco CA
Recent advances in cancer immunotherapy have
generated excitement across all fields of oncology. However, the field is
still experiencing a lack of predictive biomarkers and patient selection
remains difficult. Challenges in discovering predictive biomarkers for
cancer immunotherapy involve multiple cell types, multiple mechanisms of
T-cell regulation, genetic heterogeneity of tumors, immune components. https://www.triconference.com/Preclinical-Immuno-Oncology-Biomarkers
Immuno-Oncology
Summit Europe
March 9-12, 2020
South Quay London
https://www.immuno-oncologyeurope.com/ |
immunotherapy:
A type of biological therapy that uses substances to stimulate or suppress
the immune system to help the body fight cancer, infection, and other
diseases. Some types of immunotherapy only target certain cells of the
immune system. Others affect the immune system in a general way. Types of
immunotherapy include cytokines, vaccines, bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG),
and some monoclonal antibodies. NCI Dictionary of Cancer terms
Improving
Immunotherapy Efficacy and Safety May 4-5, 2020 Boston, MA
focuses on the latest innovations, science, novel targets, and modalities
being adopted to improve immunotherapy efficacy and safety. Topics
include: new approaches to immunity, the tumor microenvironment, novel IO
targets and engineering strategies, emerging modalities, such as NK Cells
and Gamma Deltas, immune tolerance, TREGs, plus effective strategies to
mitigate toxicity. Examples will come from the world of checkpoint
inhibitors, adoptive T cell therapy, combinations, cancer vaccines,
oncolytic viruses, and novel immunotherapy approaches.
https://www.pegsummit.com/Immunotherapy
imprecision medicine: “Fundamentally,
this is still imprecision medicine,” said Dr. George Demetri, an
oncologist and professor at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston,
referring to cancer immunotherapy. “We have great targets, but we still
don’t know how to identify the right patients.”
Adam Feuerstein A humbling setback for an immune-revving cancer therapy
underscores the many questions facing the field,
Stat 2017 July
Interagency Council on Biomedical Imaging in
Oncology:
The Interagency
Council on Biomedical Imaging (ICBIO) in Oncology brings together technology
developers and representatives from the National Cancer Institute (NCI), Food
and Drug Administration (FDA), and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
(CMS) to expedite the process of bringing new products to market, to provide
advice from a multi-agency perspective on the spectrum of scientific,
regulatory, and reimbursement issues related to developing imaging devices or
technology. https://imaging.cancer.gov/programs_resources/specialized_initiatives/icbio/site.htm
liquid biopsy:
June 15-17, 2019, Seattle WA
Obtaining material for pathological examination and analysis, from bodily
fluids. Material retrieved includes CELL-FREE NUCLEIC ACIDS; CELL-DERIVED
MICROPARTICLES; EXOSOMES; CIRCULATING NEOPLASM CELLS; and other
circulating cells and CELLULAR STRUCTURES. MeSH Year introduced: 2018
Liquid biopsy enabling
technologies
August 25-26, 2020 Washington, DC
https://www.nextgenerationdx.com/circulating-tumor-cells/ | The
technologies in the liquid biopsy field have been maturing rapidly and are
on their path to revolutionize the management of cancer patients. However,
in the increasingly crowded landscape of all the diagnostic approaches, it
can be overwhelming to identify the key technologies that are showing
promises and have mathematical oncology:
Clinical oncologists and
tumour biologists possess virtually no comprehensive model to serve as a
framework for understanding, organizing and applying their data... Fortunately,
there are some signs of increasing acceptance of mathematical methods in
experimental oncology. "Mathematical oncology: Cancer summed up" RA Gatenby,
PK Maini, Nature 421 (6921): 321, Jan. 23, 2003 Related term: oncologic mathematics
Molecular Targets Program
Recent advances and insights into the molecular pathogenesis of cancer provide
unprecedented opportunities for discovery and development of novel, molecularly
targeted diagnostic, therapeutic and preventative strategies and agents. The
pivotal challenge to discovery and development of molecularly targeted
prevention and therapeutics remains the definitive validation of
human cancer-pertinent molecular targets for intervention. Such validation
ultimately requires human clinical trials of specific molecularly targeted
agents, and the demonstration that the desired clinical outcome is unequivocally
the result of the corresponding molecular intervention. The critical foundation
for the lead-discovery and preclinical research phase of molecular target
validation is the basic research elucidating potential cancer-pertinent
molecular targets. Within the NCI Center
for Cancer Research (CCR),
there are unique and extraordinary opportunities to advance molecularly targeted
therapeutics and prevention of cancer, AIDS and other diseases. Rapid and
efficient translation of basic scientific advances into new tools, reagents, and
molecularly targeted leads for preclinical and clinical research and development
based on scientific rationales and state-of-the-art technologies, optimally
requires an interdisciplinary, collaborative, team-oriented approach.... The
initial goal of the MTP is to facilitate the discovery of compounds that may
serve as bioprobes for functional genomics, proteomics and molecular target
validation research, as well as leads or candidates for drug development.
Compounds of interest include not only classical, "drug-like" organic
small-molecules, but also peptides, proteins, nucleic acids, lipids,
carbohydrates and other bioactive chemical classes. Future implementation phases
of the MTP concept may support preclinical and clinical development of promising
new molecularly targeted investigational drugs. National Cancer Institute,
Molecular targets Program
https://ccrod.cancer.gov/confluence/display/CCRMTDPBeu/Introduction+to+MTP
myeloid cells: It is well established that cancer
development ensues based on reciprocal interactions between genomically
altered neoplastic cells and diverse populations of recruited “host” cells
co-opted to support malignant progression. Among the host cells recruited
into tumor microenvironments, several subtypes of myeloid cells, including
macrophages, monocytes, dendritic cells, and granulocytes contribute to
tumor development by providing tumor-promoting factors as well as a
spectrum of molecules that suppress cytotoxic activities of T lymphocytes.
Based on compelling preclinical data revealing that inhibition of critical
myeloid-based programs leads to tumor suppression, novel immune-based
therapies and approaches are now entering the clinic for evaluation.
Cotechini T, Medler TR, Coussens LM. Myeloid Cells as Targets for Therapy
in Solid Tumors. Cancer J. 2015;21(4):343-50.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4948591/
neoantigens:
A neoantigenic determinant is an epitope on
a neoantigen,
which is a newly formed antigen that
has not been previously recognized by the immune system.[1]Neoantigens
are often associated with tumor
antigens
and are found in oncogenic cells.[2] Neoantigens
and, by extension, neoantigenic determinants can be formed when a protein
undergoes further modification within a biochemical pathway such as glycosylation, phosphorylation or proteolysis.
This, by altering the structure of the protein, can produce new epitopes
that are called neoantigenic determinants as they give rise to new antigenic
determinants.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neoantigenic_determinant
The nature of the antigens that allow
the immune system to distinguish cancer cells from noncancer cells has
long remained obscure. Recent technological innovations have made it
possible to dissect the immune response to patient-specific neoantigens
that arise as a consequence of tumor-specific mutations, and emerging data
suggest that recognition of such neoantigens is a major factor in the
activity of clinical immunotherapies. These observations indicate that
neoantigen load may form a biomarker in cancer immunotherapy and provide
an incentive for the development of novel therapeutic approaches that
selectively enhance T cell reactivity against this class of antigens.
Neoantigens in cancer immunotherapy
Ton N. Schumacher1,*, Robert D. Schreiber2,*
Science 03 Apr 2015: Vol. 348,
Issue 6230, pp. 69-74 DOI: 10.1126/science.aaa4971
http://science.sciencemag.org/content/348/6230/69
Neoplastic Cells, Circulating: Exfoliate
neoplastic cells circulating in the blood and associated with
metastasizing tumors. MeSH Year Introduced 2009
NK
Natural Killer cells:
are lymphocytes in the
same family as T and B cells, coming from a common progenitor. However, as
cells of the innate immune system, NK cells are classified as group I
Innate Lymphocytes (ILCs) and respond quickly to a wide variety of
pathological challenges. NK cells are best known for killing virally
infected cells, and detecting and controlling early signs of cancer. As
well as protecting against disease, specialized NK cells are also found in
the placenta and may play an important role in pregnancy.
Philipp Eissmann, British Society for Immunology
https://www.immunology.org/public-information/bitesized-immunology/cells/natural-killer-cells
oncogene:
A normal cellular gene which, when inappropriately
expressed or mutated, can transform eukaryotic cells into tumour cells.
IUPAC Medicinal Chemistry
Genes which can potentially induce neoplastic transformation. They include genes for
growth factors, growth factor receptors, protein
kinases, signal transducers, nuclear phosphoproteins, and transcription
factors. When these genes are constitutively expressed after structural and/or regulatory changes, uncontrolled cell proliferation may result. Viral oncogenes have prefix "v-" before the gene symbol; cellular oncogenes
(PROTO- ONCOGENES) have the prefix "c-" before the gene symbol.
MeSH, 1983 Narrower terms: cellular oncogenes, dominant
oncogene, immortalizing oncogene, proto-oncogene, recessive oncogene, viral
oncogenes
oncogene proteins:
Proteins coded by oncogenes.
They include proteins resulting from the fusion of an oncogene and another gene
(ONCOGENE PROTEINS, FUSION). MeSH, 1993
oncologic mathematics:
HYPOTHESIS: Mathematical methods and their derivatives have practical applications to oncology. They can be used to describe fundamental aspects of tumor behavior, such as loss of genetic stability, tumor growth, immunologic identity, genesis of diversity, and methods of prognosticating cancer. DATA SOURCES:
Descriptive models and published literature in the fields of oncology and applied mathematics. DATA SYNTHESIS: Cancer does not conform to simple mathematical principles. Its irregular mode of carcinogenesis, erratic tumor growth, variable response to tumoricidal agents, and poorly understood metastatic patterns constitute highly variable clinical behavior. Defining this process requires an accurate understanding of the interactions between tumor cells and host tissues and ultimately determines prognosis. Applying
time- tested and evolving mathematical methods to oncology may provide new tools with inherent advantages for the description of tumor behavior, selection of therapeutic modes, prediction of metastatic patterns, and providing an inclusive basis for prognostication.
... CONCLUSION: Experimentally testable, oncologic mathematics may provide a framework to determine clinical outcome on a
patient- specific basis and increase the growing awareness that mathematical models help simplify seemingly complex and random tumor behavior.
"Oncologic mathematics: evolution of a new specialty" RY Chandawarkar,
DP Guyton, Archives of Surgery 137(12): 1428- 1434, Dec. 2002 Related term: mathematical oncology
oncolytic virotherapy:
August 10-11, 2020 Boston MA https://www.immuno-oncologysummit.com/Oncolytic-Virus-Immunotherapy/
The use of oncolytic viruses has expanded rapidly over the past five years
with interest in the field at an all-time high following recent scientific
breakthroughs and multi-million dollar investments from big pharma.
oncosomes
p53:
Tumor suppressor genes located on the short
arm of human chromosome 17 and coding for the phosphoprotein p53. MeSH, 1991
Broader term: tumor suppressor gene
passenger mutations:
See under driver mutations
patient
navigation:
NCI addressed unequal patterns of standard health care access through CRCHD’s
multisite Patient Navigation Research Program (PNRP). The PNRP focused on
developing and testing interventions for follow-up and treatment initiation of
four cancers with significant disparity: breast, cervical, prostate, and
colorectal.
ness. These interventions
are designed to decrease the time between a cancer-related abnormal finding,
definitive diagnosis, and delivery of quality standard cancer care services.
National Cancer Institute, NIH
https://www.cancer.gov/about-nci/organization/crchd/disparities-research/pnrp precancerous:
There has been a lack of uniform
terminology for the precancerous and non- invasive lesions. Reasons for this
lack relate in part to changing concepts about the biology of these lesions,
subjective interpretation of criteria, heterogeneity of the neoplastic cell
population, less than optimal interobserver reproducibility, and even changes in
treatment. Very often descriptive terms applied to these lesions contain a
mixture of diagnostic and prognostic meanings.
Classifying
the precancers: A metadata approach
Jules J
Berman*1 and Donald E Henson2 BMC Medical Informatics and Decision Making
2003,
3:8
Preclinical and Translational Immuno-Oncology
August 11-12, 2020 Boston, MA | The
recent advancements in immunotherapies, such as immune checkpoint
modulators, bispecific antibodies, and adoptive T cell transfer, are
shifting the way cancer patients are treated. Rapid development of novel
immuno-oncology programs is creating the need for predictive preclinical
models and translational strategies to understand combination
immunotherapy, study responses and resistance to cancer immunotherapy, and
identify novel biomarkers and targets.
https://www.immuno-oncologysummit.com/Preclinical-Immuno-Oncology/ predictive
oncology: Essentially promotes primary cancer
prevention by assessment of cancer susceptibility and control of genotoxic
exposures and of the basic mechanisms that may lead to the development of
neoplastic diseases. Predictive oncology incorporates also identification of
cancer prone individuals and prognostic evaluation of tumor development and
progression as well as lifestyle modification. Cancer Prediction and Prevention
Online, International Society for Preventive Oncology
http://www.cancerprev.org/ISPO/About/Definition
preventive
oncology:
For secondary prevention focuses on routine clinical and
laboratory procedures for early detection and treatment of cancer, patient
management and education, management of curable lesions, education and lifestyle
modification. Involves: screening modalities and their cost effectiveness,
methodological issues of cancer detection, public awareness and professional
education, screening guidelines for cancer detection, clinical and laboratory
aspects of cancer detection, management of patients with preneoplastic
alterations, management of early curable neoplasms, novel therapeutic
approaches. Cancer Prediction and Prevention Online,
International Society for Preventive Oncology
http://www.cancerprev.org/ISPO/About/Definition
proto-oncogene: See cellular oncogene
proto-oncogene proteins:
Products of
proto-oncogenes. Normally they do not have oncogenic or transforming properties,
but are involved in the regulation or differentiation of cell growth. They often
have protein kinase activity. MeSH, 1991
recessive oncogene; recessive-acting oncogene;
anti-oncogene
A single copy of this gene is
sufficient to suppress cell proliferation; the loss of both copies of the gene
contributes to cancer formation. See oncogene FAO glossary
Small Molecules for Immunology and Oncology
APRIL 15-16, 2020 San Diego CA
Evidence is mounting that autoimmunity/inflammation versus cancer can be
considered two sides of the same coin. Inflammation arises when the immune
system is overactive whereas cancer is largely a result of an underactive
or subverted immune system. Hence medicinal chemists often design drugs
against the same target for these seemingly opposite diseases: developing
antagonists to inhibit autoimmunity/inflammation or agonists for the same
molecular target to activate the immune system against cancer. We hope you
can join fellow chemists at this event to share strategies, successes and
challenges in discovering and optimizing drug candidates that have the
potential to be orally bioavailable modulators of the immune system be it
for cancer or other diseases.
sporadic cancer:
Cancer that occurs randomly and is not
inherited from parents. Caused by DNA changes in one cell that grows and
divides, spreading throughout the body.
DOE
Related terms: familial cancer, family history, hereditary cancer
targeted cancer
therapies: Drugs or other substances that block the growth and spread
of cancer by interfering with specific molecules involved in tumor growth and
progression. Because scientists often call these molecules “molecular
targets,” targeted cancer therapies are sometimes called “molecularly
targeted drugs,” “molecularly targeted therapies,” or other similar names.
By focusing on molecular and cellular changes that are specific to cancer,
targeted cancer therapies may be more effective than other types of treatment,
including
chemotherapy
and
radiotherapy,
and less harmful to normal cells. National Cancer Institute, Targeted
Cancer Therapy
http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/Therapy/targeted
targeted therapy: a
type of treatment that uses drugs or other substances to identify and
attack specific types of cancer cells and limiting harm to normal cells.
Some targeted therapies block the action of certain enzymes, proteins, or
other molecules involved in the growth and spread of cancer cells. Other
types of targeted therapies help the immune system kill cancer cells or
deliver toxic substances directly to cancer cells to kill them. This type
of therapy may have fewer side effects than other types of cancer
treatment.
National Cancer Institute
[NCI] Dictionary of Terms
Tumor antigen:
an antigenic substance
produced in tumor cells,
i.e., it triggers an immune
response in
the host.
Tumor antigens are useful tumor
markers in
identifying tumor cells with diagnostic
tests and
are potential candidates for use in cancer
therapy.
Wikipedia accessed 2018 August 8 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tumor_antigen tumor
markers: Tumor markers are substances produced by tumor cells
or by other cells of the body in response to cancer or certain benign
(noncancerous) conditions. These substances can be found in the blood, in the
urine, in the tumor tissue, or in other tissues. Different tumor markers are
found in different types of cancer, and levels of the same tumor marker can be
altered in more than one type of cancer. In addition, tumor marker levels are
not altered in all people with cancer, especially if the cancer is early stage.
Some tumor marker levels can also be altered in patients with noncancerous
conditions. Tumor Markers Q&A, National Cancer Institute
https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/diagnosis-staging/diagnosis/tumor-markers-fact-sheet
Tumor markers
are substances, usually proteins,
that are produced by the body in response to cancer growth or by the cancer
tissue itself. Some tumor markers are specific for one type of cancer, while
others are seen in several cancer types. Many of the well-known markers are seen
in non-cancerous conditions as well as cancer. Consequently, these tumor markers
are not diagnostic for cancer. Lab Tests Online, American Association for
Clinical Chemistry in collaboration with ACLA, ASCLS, ASM, CLMA, ASH, AMP, ASCP,
NCCLS, CAP, CSLMS, CSCC, CLAS, NACB and ACB.
https://labtestsonline.org/tests/tumor-markers
tumor
microenvironment (TME):
Targeting the Tumour Microenvironment, Nov 18-19 2019, Lisbon
Portugal
innovations for enhancing the immune anti-tumour response and
overcoming inhibitory factors. It is becoming clear that many immunosuppressive
mechanisms are at work. The checkpoint inhibitors are not living up to
expectations, and for these and other antagonists to be effective, it is
necessary to control Tregs and manipulate myeloid-derived and other suppressor
cells in the tumour microenvironment (TME). The leaders in the field are also
paying attention to the role of cytokines and the importance of Fc-engagement
for effective targeting.
https://www.pegsummiteurope.com/tumour-microenvironment
tumor suppressor gene:
A protective gene that normally limits
the growth of tumors. When a tumor suppressor is mutated, it may fail to
keep a cancer from growing. BRCA1 and p53 are well- known tumor suppressor
genes. NHGRI
Genes that inhibit expression of the tumorigenic
phenotype. They are normally involved in holding cellular growth in check. When
tumor suppressor genes are inactivated or lost, a barrier to normal
proliferation is removed and unregulated growth is possible. MeSH, 2002
Ken Kinzler and Bert Vogelstein distinguish between "gatekeeper"
tumor suppressor genes (classical) and "caretakers" (in DNA repair and
genome integrity, whose action lies outside the pathway). KW Kinzler, B.
Vogelstein "Cancer- susceptibility genes. Gatekeepers and caretakers"
Nature 386 (6627): 761, 763 Apr. 24, 1997
Narrower terms: caretaker tumor suppressor genes,
gatekeeper tumor suppressor genes, p53; Related term:
Gene categories suppressor
gene
tumor suppressor proteins:
Proteins that are normally involved in holding cellular growth in check. Deficiencies or abnormalities in these proteins may lead to unregulated cell growth and tumor development.
MeSH, 2002
tumoroid: Multicellular
cancer “oids” (tumoroids, spheroids, organoids)
provide models of intermediate complexity between standard two-dimensional
culture systems and tumors in
vivo. “Oids”
exhibit physiologically relevant cell-cell and cell-matrix interactions,
gene expression and signaling pathway profiles, heterogeneity and
structural complexity that reflect in vivo tumors. When cultured
properly, tumoroids form
with relative ease and demonstrate the effectiveness, reproducibility, and
robustness of this in vitro model system.
Cancer Resources
Therapeutic indications Conferences:
http://www.healthtech.com/conferences/upcoming.aspx?s=RXXS
Robert Weinberg's Racing to the Beginning of the Road : The Search
for the Origin of Cancer 1998 is a very readable account of top
rate biomedical research, a good reminder that these "races" are marathons
and not 100 yard dashes. The title is one of my favorite metaphors for
the complexity of biology. This explanation of how nonlinear progress
from lab to clinic can be is highly recommended.
Welch, Gilbert H.
Should I Be Tested for Cancer? Univ of California Press, 2004.
http://www.ucpress.edu/books/pages/10079.html
Support for college students with Cancer
https://www.affordablecollegesonline.org/college-resource-center/students-with-cancer/
Other patient and disease related websites
Molecular
Diagnostics,
Patient resources
How
to look for other unfamiliar terms
IUPAC definitions are reprinted with the permission of
the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry. |
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