{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,23]],"date-time":"2026-09-23T18:38:01Z","timestamp":1790188681856,"version":"4.1.0"},"reference-count":10,"publisher":"BMJ","issue":"2","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2021,2,12]],"date-time":"2021-02-12T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1613088000000},"content-version":"unspecified","delay-in-days":11,"URL":"http:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["bmj.com"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["J Immunother Cancer"],"accepted":{"date-parts":[[2021,1,10]]},"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2021,2]]},"abstract":"<jats:p>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 <jats:italic>TSC22D3<\/jats:italic>, 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.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1136\/jitc-2020-001903","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2021,2,12]],"date-time":"2021-02-12T11:58:43Z","timestamp":1613131123000},"page":"e001903","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1136\/crossmarkpolicy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":25,"title":["Adrenal gland as a sanctuary site for immunotherapy in patients with microsatellite instability-high metastatic colorectal cancer"],"prefix":"10.1136","volume":"9","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-9602-5162","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Romain","family":"Cohen","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Sorbonne Universit\u00e9; Department of Medical Oncology, H\u00f4pital Saint-Antoine, AP-HP, Paris, France"},{"name":"Sorbonne Universit\u00e9, INSERM UMRS 938, \u00c9quipe Instabilit\u00e9 des Microsatellites et Cancer, \u00c9quipe Labellis\u00e9e par la Ligue Nationale Contre le Cancer et SIRIC CURAMUS, Centre de recherche Saint Antoine, Paris, France"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-1925-6650","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Vincent","family":"Jonch\u00e8re","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Sorbonne Universit\u00e9, INSERM UMRS 938, \u00c9quipe Instabilit\u00e9 des Microsatellites et Cancer, \u00c9quipe Labellis\u00e9e par la Ligue Nationale Contre le Cancer et SIRIC CURAMUS, Centre de recherche Saint Antoine, Paris, France"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Christelle","family":"De La Fouchardi\u00e8re","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Medical Oncology Department, Centre Leon Berard, Lyon I University, Lyon, France"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Toky","family":"Ratovomanana","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Sorbonne Universit\u00e9, INSERM UMRS 938, \u00c9quipe Instabilit\u00e9 des Microsatellites et Cancer, \u00c9quipe Labellis\u00e9e par la Ligue Nationale Contre le Cancer et SIRIC CURAMUS, Centre de recherche Saint Antoine, Paris, France"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Quentin","family":"Letourneur","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Sorbonne Universit\u00e9, INSERM UMRS 938, \u00c9quipe Instabilit\u00e9 des Microsatellites et Cancer, \u00c9quipe Labellis\u00e9e par la Ligue Nationale Contre le Cancer et SIRIC CURAMUS, Centre de recherche Saint Antoine, Paris, France"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Mira","family":"Ayadi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Programme Cartes d'Identit\u00e9 des Tumeurs, Ligue Nationale Contre Le Cancer, Paris, France"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Lucile","family":"Armenoult","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Programme Cartes d'Identit\u00e9 des Tumeurs, Ligue Nationale Contre Le Cancer, Paris, France"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Adrien","family":"Buisson","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Centre L\u00e9on Berard, Department of Biopathology, Lyon, Paris"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Matthieu","family":"Sarabi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Medical Oncology Department, Centre Leon Berard, Lyon I University, Lyon, France"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Anna","family":"Pellat","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Sorbonne Universit\u00e9; Department of Medical Oncology, H\u00f4pital Saint-Antoine, AP-HP, Paris, France"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Raphael","family":"Colle","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Sorbonne Universit\u00e9; Department of Medical Oncology, H\u00f4pital Saint-Antoine, AP-HP, Paris, France"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Francois","family":"Paye","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Sorbonne Universit\u00e9; Department of Digestive Surgery, H\u00f4pital Saint-Antoine, AP-HP, Paris, France"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Pierre","family":"Meeus","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Centre Leon Berard, Department of Surgery, Lyon, France"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Magali","family":"Svrcek","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Sorbonne Universit\u00e9, INSERM UMRS 938, \u00c9quipe Instabilit\u00e9 des Microsatellites et Cancer, \u00c9quipe Labellis\u00e9e par la Ligue Nationale Contre le Cancer et SIRIC CURAMUS, Centre de recherche Saint Antoine, Paris, France"},{"name":"Sorbonne Universit\u00e9; 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