PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Cohen, Romain
AU  - Jonchère, Vincent
AU  - De La Fouchardière, Christelle
AU  - Ratovomanana, Toky
AU  - Letourneur, Quentin
AU  - Ayadi, Mira
AU  - Armenoult, Lucile
AU  - Buisson, Adrien
AU  - Sarabi, Matthieu
AU  - Pellat, Anna
AU  - Colle, Raphael
AU  - Paye, Francois
AU  - Meeus, Pierre
AU  - Svrcek, Magali
AU  - Duval, Alex
AU  - Andre, Thierry
TI  - Adrenal gland as a sanctuary site for immunotherapy in patients with microsatellite instability-high metastatic colorectal cancer
AID  - 10.1136/jitc-2020-001903
DP  - 2021 Feb 01
TA  - Journal for ImmunoTherapy of Cancer
PG  - e001903
VI  - 9
IP  - 2
4099  - http://jitc.bmj.com/content/9/2/e001903.short
4100  - http://jitc.bmj.com/content/9/2/e001903.full
SO  - J Immunother Cancer2021 Feb 01; 9
AB  - Metastatic colorectal cancers (mCRC) harboring microsatellite instability (MSI) are sensitive to immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), but the mechanisms of resistance to ICIs remain unclear. Dissociated responses in patients with ICI-treated cancer suggest that certain organs may serve as sanctuary sites due to the tumor microenvironment. This case series describes five patients with ICI-treated MSI mCRC with disease progression limited to the adrenal glands. At ICI initiation, three patients were free of metastasis in the adrenal glands. Four patients experienced objective response per RECIST (Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors) while treated with ICI. ICI treatment was discontinued due to progressive disease limited to the adrenal glands (n=3) or toxicity (n=2). The time between ICI initiation and progression in the adrenal glands ranged from 11 to 39 months. Adrenalectomy (n=3) and stereotactic body radiation therapy (n=2) were performed. At the last follow-up, all patients were alive and progression free. Molecular analyses were performed in one patient. A significant impairment of the antigen presentation pathway was observed in the ICI-resistant lesion of the adrenal gland, which could be explained by the presence of glucocorticoids in the adrenal gland microenvironment. We also detected an overexpression of TSC22D3, a glucocorticoid-target gene that functions as a mediator of anti-inflammation and immunosuppression. This case series suggests that the adrenal glands may be the sanctuary sites for ICI-treated MSI mCRC through the glucocorticoid-induced impairment of the antigen presentation machinery.