Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 19, 2026

A Syngeneic Mouse Model of Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma for Quantitative and Longitudinal Assessment of Preclinical Therapies
06:38

A Syngeneic Mouse Model of Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma for Quantitative and Longitudinal Assessment of Preclinical Therapies

Published on: April 12, 2017

Absence of Bcl-2 and Fas/CD95/APO-1 predicts the response to immunotherapy in metastatic renal cell carcinoma

R Maruyama1, K Yamana, T Itoi

  • 1Division of Molecular Oncology, Department of Signal Transduction Research, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Niigata University, Asahimachi 1-757, Niigata 951-8510, Japan.

British Journal of Cancer
|October 13, 2006
PubMed

Insights

Predicting immunotherapy response in metastatic renal cell cancer (RCC) is crucial. Bcl-2 and Fas protein expression in primary tumors may help select patients likely to benefit from immunotherapy, improving treatment outcomes.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Immunology
  • Molecular Biology

Background:

  • Immunotherapy is the sole treatment for metastatic renal cell cancer (RCC), but its efficacy is limited, with only a 20% response rate.
  • Severe adverse effects can occur with immunotherapy, necessitating patient selection strategies.
  • Currently, no reliable molecular markers exist to predict immunotherapy response in RCC patients.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the potential of apoptosis-related molecules Bcl-2 and Fas, along with apoptotic and proliferating indexes (AI, PI), as predictors of immunotherapy response in metastatic RCC.
  • To identify biomarkers that can aid in selecting patients with a higher susceptibility to immunotherapy for metastatic RCC.

Main Methods:

  • Immunohistochemical analysis was performed on tumor tissues from 40 patients with metastatic RCC who received postoperative immunotherapy.
  • Assessment of Bcl-2 and Fas protein expression, as well as apoptotic and proliferating indexes (AI, PI) in primary tumors.
  • Correlation of these markers with treatment response (Complete Response, Partial Response, No Change, Progressive Disease) and patient survival.

Main Results:

  • Patients experiencing progressive disease (PD) post-immunotherapy had significantly decreased survival.
  • Higher proliferating index (PI) in primary tumors correlated with progressive disease.
  • Absence of Bcl-2 in primary tumors was associated with better treatment response (CR or PR).
  • Primary tumors negative for both Bcl-2 and Fas demonstrated significantly better immunotherapy response compared to other groups.

Conclusions:

  • Bcl-2 and Fas protein expression in primary renal cell carcinoma lesions may serve as valuable predictive markers for immunotherapy response.
  • These markers could aid in selecting metastatic RCC patients who are more likely to benefit from immunotherapy, potentially improving treatment outcomes and reducing unnecessary adverse effects.

More Related Videos

Experimental Metastasis and CTL Adoptive Transfer Immunotherapy Mouse Model08:06

Experimental Metastasis and CTL Adoptive Transfer Immunotherapy Mouse Model

Published on: November 26, 2010

Related Concept Videos

Combination Therapies and Personalized Medicine02:50

Combination Therapies and Personalized Medicine

Combining two or more treatment methods increases the life span of cancer patients while reducing damage to vital organs or tissue from the overuse of a single treatment. Combination therapy also targets different cancer-inducing pathways, thus reducing the chances of developing resistance to treatment.
The combination of the drug acetazolamide and sulforaphane is a good example of combination therapy to treat cancer. The cells in the interior of a large tumor often die due to the hypoxic and...
Targeted Cancer Therapies02:57

Targeted Cancer Therapies

The targeted cancer therapies, also known as “molecular targeted therapies,” take advantage of the molecular and genetic differences between the cancer cells and the normal cells. It needs a thorough understanding of the cancer cells to develop drugs that can target specific molecular aspects that drive the growth, progression, and spread of cancer cells without affecting the growth and survival of other normal cells in the body.
There are several types of targeted therapies against specific...
Tumor Immunotherapy01:27

Tumor Immunotherapy

Immunotherapy is a treatment that boosts or manipulates the immune system to fight diseases, including cancer. For instance, by stimulating an immune response through vaccinations against viruses that cause cancers, like hepatitis B virus and human papillomavirus, these diseases can be prevented. Nonetheless, some cancer cells can avoid the immune system due to their rapid mutation and division. The immune response to many cancers involves three phases: elimination, equilibrium, and escape.
The Intrinsic Apoptotic Pathway01:31

The Intrinsic Apoptotic Pathway

Internal cellular stress, such as cellular injury or hypoxia, triggers intrinsic apoptosis. The B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2) family of proteins are the primary regulators of the intrinsic apoptotic pathway. For example, during DNA damage, checkpoint proteins, such as Ataxia Telangiectasia Mutated (ATM protein) and Checkpoints Factor-2 (Chk2) proteins, are activated. These proteins phosphorylate p53 which further activates pro-apoptotic proteins, such as Bax, Bak, PUMA, and Noxa, and inhibits...