Myeloid Cell Reprogramming in Thyroid Carcinoma

NCT ID: NCT03397238

Last Updated: 2022-02-09

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: COMPLETED
• Total Enrollment: 41 participants
• Study Classification: OBSERVATIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2018-03-06
• Study Completion Date: 2021-01-05

Brief Summary

This study investigates the reprogramming of myeloid cells in patients with thyroid carcinoma. The investigators hypothesize that tumor-derived factors change the function of myeloid cells (peripheral blood and bone marrow-derived) in such a way that these immune cells promote tumor growth rather than combat the tumor.

Detailed Description

Description of the problem:

Non-medullary thyroid carcinoma (TC) is the most common endocrine malignancy and its incidence is one of the most rapidly increasing among the cancer types. For many patients with advanced and poorly differentiated tumors, treatment options are limited and the prognosis of advanced stage metastatic disease remains poor.

Envisioned solution/research direction:

To improve the patients outcome and identify novel therapeutic targets, one needs a 'systems understanding' of the pathophysiology of tumors, particularly the complex interaction of the malignant cells with other cell types in the tumor en the tumor environment (TME), especially immune cells. Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs), the most dominant myeloid population in aggressive thyroid tumors, exhibit a distorted phenotype functioning predominantly as tumor enhancer. Despite the progress in understanding the importance of TAMs, the in-depth characterization of different TAMs populations is lacking and the mechanisms governing the functional polarization of TAMs are largely unknown. Understanding the interplay between TAMs and tumor cells represents a crucial step towards development of additional therapeutic strategies in cancer.

Hypothesis:

1. We first propose that in advanced TC, not only TAMs, but also circulating monocytes and bone marrow (BM) myeloid progenitors are functionally reprogrammed by tumor-derived factors even before their recruitment in the TME.

2. Radioactive iodide (I131)(RAI) is a very effective therapy for patients with TC, but is less effective in patients with advanced, metastatic tumors. We hypothesize that by exposing tumor antigens to the immune system, RAI might induce immunogenic effects at the level of the TME with reprogramming of both TAMs present in the TME and circulating monocytes, towards a tumor suppressive phenotype. This may further potentiate the effects of RAI. In addition this could be explored in the future as a basis for immunotherapy for tumors that are refractory to conventional treatment.

Conditions

Thyroid Cancer

Study Design

• Observational Model Type: CASE_CONTROL
• Study Time Perspective: PROSPECTIVE

Study Groups

Non-metastatic TC

blood withdrawal, bone marrow aspiration

No interventions assigned to this group

Metastatic TC

blood withdrawal, bone marrow aspiration

No interventions assigned to this group

MNG surgery

blood withdrawal, bone marrow aspiration

No interventions assigned to this group

MNG RAI treatment

blood withdrawal

No interventions assigned to this group

Healthy volunteers

blood withdrawal

No interventions assigned to this group

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

• Group 1:

Subject is newly diagnosed with TC, therapy-naive and is planned to receive conventional treatment by surgery followed by RAI; no evidence of local or distant metastases

• Group 2:

Subject has TC with evidence of distant metastases (either newly diagnosed or therapy-naive or patients with persistent or recurrent disease); at least 4 months since the previous treatment with RAI if applicable

• Group 3:

Subject is diagnosed with MNG, is euthyroid, and is planned to undergo surgery - Group 4: Subject is diagnosed with MNG, is euthyroid, and is planned to receive RAI treatment

• Group 5: Healthy individuals who are euthyroid and have no evidence of thyroid disease

Exclusion Criteria

• Mentally incompetent
• Pregnant, trying to become pregnant or breastfeeding
• Known inflammatory or infectious diseases or an immunosuppressive status
• Using medication interfering with the immune system
• Reduced platelet counts or other conditions associated with an increased risk of bleeding
• Severe comorbidities: other active malignancy (except for basal cell carcinoma)
• Serious psychiatric pathology
• A self-reported alcohol consumption of >21 units per week

• Minimum Eligible Age: 18 Years
• Eligible Sex: ALL
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Sponsors

Radboud University Medical Center

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Responsibility Role: SPONSOR

Principal Investigators

Romana T Netea-Maier

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Endocrinologist

Locations

Radboudumc

Nijmegen, , Netherlands

Countries

Netherlands

Other Identifiers

2017-3628

Identifier Type: OTHER

Identifier Source: secondary_id

NL62671.091.17

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id