Abstract IA11: The role of bone microenvironment in the lethal progression of prostate cancer
Authors: Logothetis Christopher , Gallick Gary E. , Lin Sue-Hwa , Navone Nora 
Published: May 2015

Lethal prostate cancer (PCa) is clinically characterized by bone-homing and bone- forming metastases, and bone is frequently the initial organ involved in castrate-resistant progression. These clinical observations led investigators to develop bone-tropic radiopharmaceuticals to treat men with advanced PCa. The ability of the bone-homing alpha emitter (RAD-223) to prolong progression free and overall survival establishes the therapeutic relevance of targeting bone 1.

The long accepted paradigm of PCa progression has been dominated by the model of evolution from androgen dependence to androgen independence under the selective pressure of castration. Thus, Src family kinases (SFKs) were investigated experimentally and clinically for the treatment of putative “androgen independent” PCa, as SFKs play a role in both tumor growth and bone turnover. The roles of SFKs in migration, invasion, survival of tumor cells, and osteoclast and osteoblast function in tumor microenvironment were supported by numerous clinical and laboratory observations 2, 3. Despite promising phase I /II reports of dasatinib, a multikinase and potent SFK inhibitor, in men with advanced PCa 4, 5, a phase III trial failed to yield the expected survival advantage 6. The result of this trial highlights the difficulties in translating data from cell line models to biologically heterogeneous clinical PCa and in transitioning from phase I/II to phase III clinical trials. The efficacy of dasatinib was not observed likely due to persistent AR signaling, which remains the primary driver of progression in bone by the transition from paracrine to intracrine androgen signaling 7. Based on these considerations, we are testing the efficacy of an androgen biosynthesis inhibitor in combination with dasatinib to better understand the relevance of mechanism(s). A co–clinical investigational strategy is being applied to better define biomarkers to predict clinical efficacy.

These studies also highlight the importance of preclinical work that utilizes models that better reflect the heterogeneity of PCa. This problem is partly overcome by patient- derived xenografts (PDX) 8, 9 10. These models reflect many aspects of PCa in bone and can be used to identify therapy targets and better identify both mechanisms of drug efficacy and development of resistance. Studies in PDX have led to identification of FGF signaling as a therapy target 11. Additional studies in PDX implicated the tumor microenvironment in the striking bone responses observed with cabozantinib 13.

These observations led us to propose a model of prostate cancer progression founded on the hypothesis that cancer progresses from being an endocrine-driven cancer (Dihydrotestosterone-dependent) to paracrine/intracrine driven (microenvironment-dependent), and then finally to a cell autochthonous phase 12. Continued studies should lead to decisions on therapy treatment that are based on an understanding of markers that predict disease progression. This new paradigm will also result in more effective therapy combinations.

References

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9. Roychowdhury S, Iyer MK, Robinson DR, et al. Personalized oncology through integrative high-throughput sequencing: a pilot study. Sci Transl Med. 2011;3: 111ra121.

10. Li ZG, Mathew P, Yang J, et al. Androgen receptor-negative human prostate cancer cells induce osteogenesis in mice through FGF9-mediated mechanisms. J Clin Invest. 2008;118: 2697-2710.

11. Corn PG, Wang F, McKeehan WL, Navone N. Targeting fibroblast growth factor pathways in prostate cancer. Clin Cancer Res. 2013;19: 5856-5866.

12. Logothetis CJ, Gallick GE, Maity SN, et al. Molecular classification of prostate cancer progression: foundation for marker-driven treatment of prostate cancer. Cancer Discov. 2013;3: 849-861.

13. Varkaris A. et al. Abstract, Prostate Cancer Foundation 2013.

Citation Format: Christopher Logothetis, Gary E. Gallick, Sue-Hwa Lin, Nora Navone. The role of bone microenvironment in the lethal progression of prostate cancer. [abstract]. In: Abstracts: AACR Special Conference on Cellular Heterogeneity in the Tumor Microenvironment; 2014 Feb 26-Mar 1; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2015;75(1 Suppl):Abstract nr IA11. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.CHTME14-IA11