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Cancer-Related Systemic Inflammation: The Challenges and Therapeutic Opportunities for Personalized Medicine

Diana Shinko1, Connie I Diakos2,3,4, Stephen J Clarke2,3,4

  • 1Discipline of Pharmacology, Sydney Medical School, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.

Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics
|July 13, 2017
PubMed

Insights

Cancer patients with systemic inflammation, a common issue in about 25% of advanced cases, show poorer chemotherapy response and survival. New personalized therapies targeting inflammation are needed for this patient subgroup.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Cancer Research
  • Translational Medicine

Background:

  • Personalized medicine has advanced cancer treatment, but many patients lack targetable tumor mutations.
  • A significant subpopulation of cancer patients experiences poor outcomes due to cancer-related systemic inflammation.
  • This inflammation affects approximately 25% of advanced cancer patients across various subtypes.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To highlight cancer-related systemic inflammation as a critical, underappreciated target for personalized cancer therapy.
  • To discuss the challenges and opportunities in developing novel therapeutic strategies for this patient group.

Main Methods:

  • This review synthesizes current research on cancer-related systemic inflammation.
  • It examines the biological mechanisms involving host and tumor cell interactions.
  • The review analyzes existing and potential therapeutic strategies targeting inflammation.

Main Results:

  • Systemic inflammation is linked to significantly poorer response to chemotherapy.
  • Patients with inflammation exhibit shorter overall survival compared to non-inflamed counterparts.
  • Inflammation involves complex host-tumor cell interactions offering potential drug targets.

Conclusions:

  • Cancer-related systemic inflammation represents a distinct clinical entity requiring tailored therapeutic approaches.
  • Targeting inflammation pathways presents a promising avenue for improving outcomes in a substantial cancer patient population.
  • Further research and clinical development are crucial for realizing the therapeutic potential of targeting cancer-related inflammation.

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