Radiation-induced changes in gene expression in rectal cancer specimens

Hillson, L. V. S., McCulloch, A. K., Edwards, J. , Dunne, P. D., O'Cathail, S. M. and Roxburgh, C. S. (2024) Radiation-induced changes in gene expression in rectal cancer specimens. Clinical and Translational Oncology, (doi: 10.1007/s12094-023-03361-9) (PMID:38243085) (Early Online Publication)

Abstract

Purpose: The standard-of-care for locally advanced rectal cancer is radiotherapy-based neoadjuvant therapy followed by surgical resection. This article reviews the evidence of molecular changes at the transcriptome level induced through radiotherapy in rectal cancer. Methods: The PubMed search “(radiation OR radiotherapy) cancer (transcriptome OR “gene expression”) rectal” was used. The studies taken forward utilised gene-expression data on both pre-treatment and post-treatment rectal adenocarcinoma biospecimens from patients treated with RT-based neoadjuvant strategies. Results: Twelve publications met the review criteria. There was variation in approaches in terms of design, patient population, cohort size, timing of the post-radiotherapy sampling and method of measuring gene expression. Most of the post-treatment biospecimen retrievals were at resection. The literature indicates a broad upregulation of immune activity through radiotherapy using gene-expression data. Conclusion: Future studies would benefit from standardised prospective approaches to sampling to enable the inclusion of timepoints relevant to the tumour and immune response.

• Item Type: Articles
• Additional Information: ROXBURGH receives research funding from the investigator-initiated clinal study funded by Varian Medical Systems. Campbell SD ROXBURGH is additionally in receipt of research funding through an investigatorinitiated clinical trial funded by AstraZeneca (NCT04621370). Sean M. O’CATHAIL is a co-investigator on the clinical study funded by Varian Medical Systems and also a co-investigator on a clinical trial funded by AstraZeneca (NCT04621370). Joanne EDWARDS is a co-investigator on the clinical study funded by Varian Medical Systems.
• Keywords: Rectal, cancer, radiotherapy, transcriptomics, serial-sampling.
• Status: Early Online Publication
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Dunne, Dr Philip and Edwards, Professor Joanne and Hillson, Lily and O'Cathail, Dr Sean and McCulloch, Mrs Ashley and Roxburgh, Professor Campbell
• Authors: Hillson, L. V. S., McCulloch, A. K., Edwards, J., Dunne, P. D., O'Cathail, S. M., and Roxburgh, C. S.
• College/School: College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Cancer Sciences
• Journal Name: Clinical and Translational Oncology
• Publisher: Springer
• ISSN: 1699-048X
• ISSN (Online): 1699-3055
• Published Online: 19 January 2024
• Copyright Holders: Copyright © 2024 The Author(s)
• First Published: First published in Clinical and Translational Oncology 2024
• Publisher Policy: Reproduced under a Creative Commons license