In silico predicted compound targeting the IQGAP1-GRD domain selectively inhibits growth of human acute myeloid leukemia

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is fatal in the majority of adults. Identification of new therapeutic targets and their pharmacologic modulators are needed to improve outcomes. Previous studies had shown that immunization of rabbits with normal peripheral WBCs that had been incubated with fluorodinitrobenzene elicited high titer antibodies that bound to a spectrum of human leukemias. We report that proteomic analyses of immunoaffinity-purified lysates of primary AML cells showed enrichment of scaffolding protein IQGAP1. Immunohistochemistry and gene-expression analyses confirmed IQGAP1 mRNA overexpression in various cytogenetic subtypes of primary human AML compared to normal hematopoietic cells. shRNA knockdown of IQGAP1 blocked proliferation and clonogenicity of human leukemia cell-lines. To develop small molecules targeting IQGAP1 we performed in-silico screening of 212,966 compounds, selected 4 hits targeting the IQGAP1-GRD domain, and conducted SAR of the 'fittest hit' to identify UR778Br, a prototypical agent targeting IQGAP1. UR778Br inhibited proliferation, induced apoptosis, resulted in G2/M arrest, and inhibited colony formation by leukemia cell-lines and primary-AML while sparing normal marrow cells. UR778Br exhibited favorable ADME/T profiles and drug-likeness to treat AML. In summary, AML shows response to IQGAP1 inhibition, and UR778Br, identified through in-silico studies, selectively targeted AML cells while sparing normal marrow.

Vitamin D Receptor Antagonist MeTC7 Inhibits PD-L1

Small-molecule inhibitors of PD-L1 are postulated to control immune evasion in tumors similar to antibodies that target the PD-L1/PD-1 immune checkpoint axis. However, the identity of targetable PD-L1 inducers is required to develop small-molecule PD-L1 inhibitors. In this study, using chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assay and siRNA, we demonstrate that vitamin D/VDR regulates PD-L1 expression in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) cells. We have examined whether a VDR antagonist, MeTC7, can inhibit PD-L1. To ensure that MeTC7 inhibits VDR/PD-L1 without off-target effects, we examined competitive inhibition of VDR by MeTC7, utilizing ligand-dependent dimerization of VDR-RXR, RXR-RXR, and VDR-coactivators in a mammalian 2-hybrid (M2H) assay. MeTC7 inhibits VDR selectively, suppresses PD-L1 expression sparing PD-L2, and inhibits the cell viability, clonogenicity, and xenograft growth of AML cells. MeTC7 blocks AML/mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) adhesion and increases the efferocytotic efficiency of THP-1 AML cells. Additionally, utilizing a syngeneic colorectal cancer model in which VDR/PD-L1 co-upregulation occurs in vivo under radiation therapy (RT), MeTC7 inhibits PD-L1 and enhances intra-tumoral CD8+T cells expressing lymphoid activation antigen-CD69. Taken together, MeTC7 is a promising small-molecule inhibitor of PD-L1 with clinical potential.

TRAIL-coated leukocytes to kill circulating tumor cells in the flowing blood from prostate cancer patients

Background

Radical surgery is the first line treatment for localized prostate cancer (PC), however, several studies have demonstrated that surgical procedures induce tumor cell mobilization from the primary tumor into the bloodstream.

Methods

The number and temporal fluctuations of circulating tumor cells (CTC), cancer associated fibroblasts (CAF) and CTC cluster present in each blood sample was determined.

Results

The results show that both CTC and CTC cluster levels significantly increased immediately following primary tumor resection, but returned to baseline within 2 weeks post-surgery. In contrast, the CAF level decreased over time. In patients who experienced PC recurrence within months after resection, CTC, CAF, and cluster levels all increased over time. Based on this observation, we tested the efficacy of an experimental TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL)-based liposomal therapy ex-vivo to induce apoptosis in CTC in blood. The TRAIL-based therapy killed approximately 75% of single CTCs and CTC in cluster form.

Conclusion

Collectively, these data indicate that CTC cluster and CAF levels can be used as a predictive biomarker for cancer recurrence. Moreover, for the first time, we demonstrate the efficacy of our TRAIL-based liposomal therapy to target and kill prostate CTC in primary patient blood samples, suggesting a potential new adjuvant therapy to use in combination with surgery.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12885-021-08589-8.

Next generation sequencing of sarcomas: Response to crizotinib in two cases with MET amplification

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Background: Sarcoma subtypes are often defined by recurrent molecular alterations. The purpose of this study is to review the utility of next generation sequencing (NGS) in sarcoma patients and report clinical outcomes to matched therapies. Methods: The records of all patients seen at the University of Rochester Medical Center (URMC) with sarcoma and NGS profiling between 8/2013 and 3/2020 were reviewed. Responses to agents targeting reported alterations were analyzed. In patients with fluorescent-in-situ hybridization (FISH) testing, fusion events by NGS were compared with FISH results. All highlighted pathogenic alterations on the NGS profile report as well as variants of uncertain significance (VUS) were recorded. Results: Seventy-five patients met inclusion criteria. Of these, 25 received a treatment based on identified alterations; 1 had a complete response (CR), 4 had partial responses (PR), and 4 experienced disease stabilization (SD). We identified two patients with MET amplified sarcoma that responded to treatment with crizotinib. One other patient with a diagnosis of leiomyosarcoma was found to have an unusually high total mutational burden (TMB) and experienced complete pathologic response to dual checkpoint blockade. In 4 cases, testing resulted in a change in subtype diagnosis. Several rare and novel fusions were identified; a sarcoma with TPM4-NTRK3 fusion responded to larotrectinib, while a sarcoma with PML-JAK1 fusion did not respond to ruxolitinib, and a sarcoma with IL7R-BCL2 fusion progressed on venetoclax. Table summarizes matched therapies in responders. Conclusions: NGS profiling led to a targeted therapy with a clinical benefit rate of 12% in this cohort. NGS profiling led to a change in diagnosis in 5% of this cohort. Multi-institutional collaborations to track outcomes of matched therapy would help determine the utility of therapies in rare cancers and unusual alterations.[Table: see text]

Efficacy and toxicities of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) in advanced melanoma: A single institution experience

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Background: Historically, the prognosis of advanced melanoma has been poor. Recent landmark studies (KEYNOTE-006, CheckMate 066, CheckMate 037 and CheckMate 067) have shown significant improvement in outcomes of patients with advanced melanoma treated with ICIs. In a single institution retrospective study, we evaluated the efficacy and toxicities of ICIs in patients with advanced melanoma treated in real-world clinical practice. Methods: We included patients who received pembrolizumab (PEMBRO), nivolumab (NIVO), or ipilimumab plus nivolumab (IPI/NIVO) at the University of Rochester Medical Center from June 2015 to December 2018. Patient- and cancer-related characteristics were collected and compared between treatment groups. Outcomes including duration of treatment, response rates, and adverse events (AEs) were captured. Progression free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were summarized using the Kaplan-Meier method. Results: We included 89 patients (55 received PEMBRO, 20 received NIVO, and 14 received IPI/NIVO); median age at ICI initiation was 68 years (range, 28-92) and 29% had Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group Performance Status (ECOG PS) of ≥2. Forty-five patients (51%) had ≥2 co-morbidities. Nine patients (10%) had autoimmune diseases prior to initiating ICIs and 34 patients (38%) had brain metastasis. ICIs were given as first line in 71 patients (80%). Compared to those who received PEMBRO or NIVO, patients who received IPI/NIVO were younger (median age was 61 vs.71 vs. 70, p=0.003) and had better ECOG PS (ECOG PS ≥2 was 0% vs. 40% vs. 33%, p=0.007). Table shows the outcomes for the three groups. Conclusions: Patients with advanced melanoma treated with ICIs derived similar response rates to those seen in published landmark studies. However, median OS was shorter (range was 38 months to not reached in published studies). [Table: see text]

Impact of cisplatin-related adverse health outcomes (AHOs) on employment outcomes and self-reported health (SRH) among testicular cancer survivors (TCS)

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Background: We aim to provide new information on cisplatin-related AHOs and employment status in TCS and evaluate impact on SRH. Methods: 1,815 TCS ³1 year post-chemotherapy underwent physical exam, audiometry, renal function evaluation, and completed questionnaires. Therapy data were obtained from medical records. A cumulative burden of morbidity score (CBMPt) assessed the number and severity of platinum-related AHOs (peripheral sensory neuropathy (PSN), hearing loss, tinnitus, and renal function) with grading per CTCAE v4.03. Multivariable regression assessed relations between CBMPt score, individual AHOs and employment status as well as SRH, adjusting for sociodemographic/clinical factors. Unemployment in TCS was compared with subjects in the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) of similar age/race/ethnicity. Results: Almost 1 in 10 TCS were either on disability leave (2.4%) or unemployed (6.8%) at a median age of 37 yr (median follow-up: 4 yr). TCS with tinnitus (OR = 3.1, grade 3 vs. 0, P = 0.04), renal dysfunction (OR = 13.5, grade 3 vs. 0, P = 0.01), or pain (OR = 7.2 and 40.9, grade 2 or 3 vs. 0, respectively; P < 0.001 each) had significantly greater odds of disability leave vs. full-time employment after adjusting for sociodemographic/clinical factors; pain was strongly correlated with PSN (Pearson r2= 0.40; P < 0.001). CBMPt score was associated with disability leave (OR = 1.5, P = 0.04), but not with unemployment. A significantly higher percentage of TCS were unemployed vs. BRFSS norms (e.g. 3.6% of TCS age 35-39 vs. 2.0% in BRFSS). PSN (OR = 2.2, grade 3 vs. 0, P = 0.02), self-reported hearing loss (OR = 1.8, grade 2/3 vs. 0, P = 0.04), and pain (OR = 2.8 and 8.5, grade 2 or 3 vs. 0, respectively; P < 0.01 each) were each associated with increased odds of unemployment vs. full-time employment. Cisplatin-related AHOs and pain were associated with significantly worse SRH (P < 0.05). Conclusions: Our findings have new, important implications regarding productivity loss and socioeconomic costs in TCS. Survivorship care strategies should include inquiries about employment status, and every effort made to assist affected TCS in returning to the work force.

A phase II study of enzalutamide (Enz) with dutasteride (Dut) or finasteride (Fin) in men ≥ 65 years with hormone-naive systemic prostate cancer (HNSPCa): Tolerability and geriatric asssessment (GA) results

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Background: Older men are at a high risk for adverse events (AEs) from androgen deprivation therapy (ADT). In this phase II study, we evaluated Enz and Dut/Fin in lieu of ADT for at-risk older patients with HNSPCa. Methods: Eligible patients were ≥65 years (y); at high risk of AEs from ADT by GA or treating physicians; metastatic (M1) or non-metastatic (M0) HNSPCa with a PSA doubling time ≤ 9 months and testosterone > 50ng/dl. They received Enz 160 mg/day and Dut 0.5 mg/day or Fin 5 mg/day until disease progression. GA was performed at baseline and week (wk) 61 and/or at the time of progression. GA included validated tests: Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADL), fall history, Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB), Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS), and Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MOCA). The prevalence of impairment for each assessment was calculated; change in prevalence from baseline to wk 61 was analyzed using paired sample t-test. Results: 43 patients were enrolled in the study. Median age at enrollment was 78 y (range 66-94) and 93% were ECOG 0-1; 37% (n = 16) had M0 and 63% (n = 27) had M1 HNSPCa, with the majority (67%) having Gleason 6 or 7 disease. At baseline, 18.6% met the cutoff for impairment for IADLs, 53.7% for SPPB, 7.9% for GDS and 64.3% for MOCA; 9.8% had a recent fall. Median baseline PSA was 11.38 ng/ml (range: 2-145). At the time of analysis, 29 men (67.4%) remain on study treatment. 95.3%, 74.4% and 46.5% of patients reported at least one Grade 1, 2 or 3 AE respectively. No patient had a Grade 4 AE and one Grade 5 AE was reported but was an unrelated event. The most common Grade 3 AEs were hypertension (27.8%), GI (19.4%), and cardiac (8.3%); all Grade 3 GI AEs reported were deemed unrelated to the study drugs. Only impairment in ≥ 1 IADL showed a statistically significant increase in prevalence at wk 61 of treatment (40.6%) compared to baseline (18.6%, p = 0.036). Conclusions: For older men with HNSPCa, Enz with Dut/Fin demonstrated efficacy with reasonable toxicity profile, and no significant impact on the majority of GA domains. Clinical trial information: NCT02213107.

Genetic testing patterns for homologous recombination repair (HRR) alterations in patients with metastatic prostate cancer (mPC): An assessment at the University of Rochester (UR)

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Background: Germline and somatic HRR alterations are present in 12% and 20% of patients with mPC, respectively, and can have treatment implications. NCCN guidelines recommend offering genetic testing for patients with mPC. This study examines genetic testing patterns in patients with mPC at UR. Methods: We conducted a retrospective study of all patients (n = 240) with mPC who saw medical oncology at UR from 10/1/2017 to 4/1/2018. We abstracted the following data from medical records: patient demographics, mPC characteristics, types of genetic testing, and clinically significant (CS) HRR alterations as defined by Myriad, Ambry, and Foundation One. To compare characteristics of patients who had genetic testing to those who did not, we used non-parametric Wilcoxon rank-sum test for continuous variables and Fisher’s exact test for categorical variables. Results: The median age at mPC diagnosis was 71 years (range: 42-93 years), 86.3% were white, and 35% had mPC at initial diagnosis. 64 patients (26.7%) were offered genetic testing and 40 patients (16.7%) completed germline (n = 12), somatic (n = 21), or both germline and somatic genetic testing (n = 7). Median time from diagnosis of mPC to germline and somatic genetic testing were 9 months and 35 months, respectively. Among the 24 patients who were offered, but did not have testing, the reasons were: patients’ refusal (n = 10), death/hospice care (n = 7), insurance issue (n = 3), patient’s preference to have somatic testing at disease progression (n = 3), and missed genetic counseling visit (n = 1). Compared to patients who did not have genetic testing, those who had testing were younger at the time of mPC diagnosis (63.5 vs 73.0 years; p < 0.0001). CS HRR alterations were identified in 8 of 40 patients tested (20%): somatic HRR alterations include BRCA2 (n = 2), ATM (n = 1), CDK 12 (n = 1), and C HEK2 (n = 1); germline HRR alterations include BRCA2 (n = 2) and CHEK2 (n = 1). Conclusions: We report that approximately one-fourth of patients with mPC at UR had genetic testing offered, with a 20% prevalence of HRR alterations in those tested. Future research should develop strategies to address barriers to genetic testing.

Effect of Intravesical Instillation of Gemcitabine vs Saline Immediately Following Resection of Suspected Low-Grade Non-Muscle-Invasive Bladder Cancer on Tumor Recurrence: SWOG S0337 Randomized Clinical Trial

Importance

Low-grade non-muscle-invasive urothelial cancer frequently recurs after excision by transurethral resection of bladder tumor (TURBT).

Objective

To determine whether immediate post-TURBT intravesical instillation of gemcitabine reduces recurrence of suspected low-grade non-muscle-invasive urothelial cancer compared with saline.

Design, Setting, and Participants

Randomized double-blind clinical trial conducted at 23 US centers. Patients with suspected low-grade non-muscle-invasive urothelial cancer based on cystoscopic appearance without any high-grade or without more than 2 low-grade urothelial cancer episodes within 18 months before index TURBT were enrolled between January 23, 2008, and August 14, 2012, and followed up every 3 months with cystoscopy and cytology for 2 years and then semiannually for 2 years. Patients were monitored for tumor recurrence, progression to muscle invasion, survival, and toxic effects. The final date of follow-up was August 14, 2016.

Interventions

Participants were randomly assigned to receive intravesical instillation of gemcitabine (2 g in 100 mL of saline) (n = 201) or saline (100 mL) (n = 205) for 1 hour immediately following TURBT.

Main Outcomes and Measures

The primary outcome was time to recurrence of cancer. Secondary end points were time to muscle invasion and death due to any cause.

Results

Among 406 randomized eligible patients (median age, 66 years; 84.7% men), 383 completed the trial. In the intention-to-treat analysis, 67 of 201 patients (4-year estimate, 35%) in the gemcitabine group and 91 of 205 patients (4-year estimate, 47%) in the saline group had cancer recurrence within 4.0 years (hazard ratio, 0.66; 95% CI, 0.48-0.90; P<.001 by 1-sided log-rank test for time to recurrence). Among the 215 patients with low-grade non-muscle-invasive urothelial cancer who underwent TURBT and drug instillation, 34 of 102 patients (4-year estimate, 34%) in the gemcitabine group and 59 of 113 patients (4-year estimate, 54%) in the saline group had cancer recurrence (hazard ratio, 0.53; 95% CI, 0.35-0.81; P = .001 by 1-sided log-rank test for time to recurrence). Fifteen patients had tumors that progressed to muscle invasion (5 in the gemcitabine group and 10 in the saline group; P = .22 by 1-sided log-rank test) and 42 died of any cause (17 in the gemcitabine group and 25 in the saline group; P = .12 by 1-sided log-rank test). There were no grade 4 or 5 adverse events and no significant differences in adverse events of grade 3 or lower.

Conclusions and Relevance

Among patients with suspected low-grade non-muscle-invasive urothelial cancer, immediate postresection intravesical instillation of gemcitabine, compared with instillation of saline, significantly reduced the risk of recurrence over a median of 4.0 years. These findings support using this therapy, but further research is needed to compare gemcitabine with other intravesical agents.

Trial Registration

clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT00445601.

Cumulative Burden of Morbidity Among Testicular Cancer Survivors After Standard Cisplatin-Based Chemotherapy: A Multi-Institutional Study

Purpose In this multicenter study, we evaluated the cumulative burden of morbidity (CBM) among > 1,200 testicular cancer survivors and applied factor analysis to determine the co-occurrence of adverse health outcomes (AHOs). Patients and Methods Participants were ≤ 55 years of age at diagnosis, finished first-line chemotherapy ≥ 1 year previously, completed a comprehensive questionnaire, and underwent physical examination. Treatment data were abstracted from medical records. A CBM score encompassed the number and severity of AHOs, with ordinal logistic regression used to assess associations with exposures. Nonlinear factor analysis and the nonparametric dimensionality evaluation to enumerate contributing traits procedure determined which AHOs co-occurred. Results Among 1,214 participants, approximately 20% had a high (15%) or very high/severe (4.1%) CBM score, whereas approximately 80% scored medium (30%) or low/very low (47%). Increased risks of higher scores were associated with four cycles of either ifosfamide, etoposide, and cisplatin (odds ratio [OR], 1.96; 95% CI, 1.04 to 3.71) or bleomycin, etoposide, and cisplatin (OR, 1.44; 95% CI, 1.04 to 1.98), older attained age (OR, 1.18; 95% CI, 1.10 to 1.26), current disability leave (OR, 3.53; 95% CI, 1.57 to 7.95), less than a college education (OR, 1.44; 95% CI, 1.11 to 1.87), and current or former smoking (OR, 1.28; 95% CI, 1.02 to 1.63). CBM score did not differ after either chemotherapy regimen ( P = .36). Asian race (OR, 0.41; 95% CI, 0.23 to 0.72) and vigorous exercise (OR, 0.68; 95% CI, 0.52 to 0.89) were protective. Variable clustering analyses identified six significant AHO clusters (χ² P < .001): hearing loss/damage, tinnitus (OR, 16.3); hyperlipidemia, hypertension, diabetes (OR, 9.8); neuropathy, pain, Raynaud phenomenon (OR, 5.5); cardiovascular and related conditions (OR, 5.0); thyroid disease, erectile dysfunction (OR, 4.2); and depression/anxiety, hypogonadism (OR, 2.8). Conclusion Factors associated with higher CBM may identify testicular cancer survivors in need of closer monitoring. If confirmed, identified AHO clusters could guide the development of survivorship care strategies.

Feasibility of utilizing a novel mhealth platform to deliver an evidence-based exercise intervention among testicular cancer survivors (TCS)

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Background: Cardiovascular disease results in significant morbidity among TCS. Exercise for Cancer Patients (EXCAP) is a self-directed, individually tailored intervention that improves cardiovascular fitness in cancer patients, yet this has not been tested in TCS. We conducted a randomized phase II feasibility study of a novel exercise intervention using a mHealth delivery platform for EXCAP. Methods: We developed mHealth-EXCAP, which integrates data from a wearable digital activity tracker (DAT) into a patient’s electronic medical record (EMR), allowing providers to monitor and adjust EXCAP prescriptions via a patient-centered virtual portal. We randomized TCS ( < 69 yr at diagnosis, any treatments, not in active or maintenance stage of exercise behavior) into 3 study arms: Arm 1 (mHealth-EXCAP), Arm 2 (EXCAP) and Arm 3 (usual care). TCS in both Arm 1 and 2 completed a 12 week EXCAP program with the goal of 12,000 daily steps and daily resistance exercises but Arm 1 used the mHealth platform. Arm 3 used a TCS care plan that promotes exercises. Results: 74 TCS were screened (32 ineligible; 23 declined), 19 consented and 14 (74%) completed study (3 withdrew; 2 lost to follow up) as of 1/31/17. Median age (yr) was 35 (Arm 1; n = 6), 48 (Arm 2; n = 4), and 48 (Arm 3; n = 4). In Arm 1, 83% TCS wore DAT and synced daily step data to EMR > 90% of days. EXCAP prescriptions were adjusted via EMR portal on average 5 times over 12 weeks for each TCS and their weekly daily step goals were met 73% of the time. The number of daily steps recorded by DAT and those synced from DAT to EMR differed by a mean of 1.5% steps (±1.8). Median baseline number of daily steps were 5,525 (Arm 1), 6,795 (Arm 2), and 5,904 (Arm 3) and increased by 5,236, 1,160, and 1,544 respective steps at 12 weeks, with only Arm 1 (50% TCS) achieving > 12,000 daily steps. At 3 months after intervention, 33% TCS in Arm 1 maintained > 12,000 daily steps. On average, TCS in Arm 1 performed resistance exercises 26 minutes a day/5 times a week vs. 28 minutes a day/4 times a week in Arm 2. Conclusions: mHealth-EXCAP is feasible to implement among TCS and may decrease sedentary behavior. Ongoing research will examine its effects on cardiovascular fitness and risk factors.

Clinical, sociodemographic, and behavioral factors associated with cumulative burden of morbidity (CBM) among testicular cancer survivors (TCS) in the Platinum study

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Background: TCS are an important group in which to characterize late effects of cancer and its therapy given their young age at diagnosis and high cure rate. We comprehensively evaluated CBM and identified associated clinical, sociodemographic, and behavioral risk factors among TCS given cisplatin based chemotherapy in a multicenter study. Methods: TCS completed a comprehensive health questionnaire. Responses were grouped into 22 adverse health outcomes (AHO) and graded by severity. A CBM score was calculated based on AHO number and severity, following Geenen et al (JAMA 2007). Multivariable ordinal logistic regression examined the association of clinical, sociodemographic, and behavioral factors with CBM. Variable-based hierarchical clustering identified individual AHOs that co-occurred. Results: Among 1,215 TCS (median age at evaluation 38 y, range 19-68 y; time since chemotherapy 4.6 y), over 20% had a CBM score of high (17%), very high (4%) or severe (0.4%). Most TCS, however, had CBM scores of low (37%), medium (28%), very low (9%) or none (5%). In a multivariable model controlling for time since chemotherapy, older attained age (OR 1.2; 95% CI 1.1 - 1.3), being widowed/divorced/separated (OR 1.8; 95% CI 1.1 - 3.1), having less than college-level education (OR 1.7; 95% CI 1.3 - 2.2), being retired/on disability (OR 2.5; 95% CI 1.2 - 5.3), and receipt of 4 cycles of BEP vs. 4 cycles of EP or 3 cycles of BEP (OR 1.3; 95% CI 1.01 - 1.8) were associated with increased odds of a worse CBM score; vigorous exercise (OR 0.7; 95% CI 0.5 - 0.9) and non-white race (OR 0.6; 95% CI 0.4 - 0.9) were associated with decreased odds. A separate cluster analysis revealed five groups of AHOs: those known to be cisplatin-related (e.g. neuropathy, ototoxicity); metabolic abnormalities (e.g. hypercholesterolemia, diabetes); vascular damage (e.g. stroke); testicular cancer-related (e.g. hypogonadism); and other (e.g. thyroid disease). Conclusions: TCS with factors associated with worse CBM may be candidates for closer monitoring. If confirmed, our cluster analysis showing that groups of conditions tend to co-occur in TCS could provide guidance for survivorship care plans.

A phase II study of enzalutamide (Enz) with dutasteride (Dut) or finasteride (Fin) in men ≥ 65 years with hormone-naive systemic prostate cancer (HNSPCa)

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Background: Older men are at a high risk for adverse events (AEs) from androgen deprivation therapy (ADT). In prior studies, peripheral androgen blockade with bicalutamide and Fin was better tolerated but less efficacious than ADT in HNSPCa. The potential syngerism of Enz (a potent antiandrogen) and Dut/Fin (5-a reductase inhibitors for conversion of testosterone [T] to dihydrotestosterone [DHT]) provided the rationale for this Phase II study that examined the clinical efficacy and safety of Enz with Dut/Fin in men > 65 years with HNSPCa. Methods: Eligible patients were > 65 years (y) ; at a high risk of AE from ADT by comprehensive geriatric assessment or treating physicians; had metastatic (M1) or biochemical recurrent (M0) HNSPCa with a PSA doubling time < 9 months; and had T > 50ng/dl. They received Enz (160mg daily) and Dut (0.5mg daily) or Fin (5mg daily) until disease progression according to the Prostate Cancer Working Group 2 guidelines. The primary study endpoint is time to PSA progression. The secondary endpoints are time to PSA nadir and treatment-related AEs. Results: As of July 31, 2016, 24 patients were screened (3 ineligible) and 21 were enrolled with a median follow-up of 31 weeks (7-79). Median age at enrollment was 79.5 y (66-94) and 14 %, 72% and 14% had ECOG performance status of 0, 1, and 2, respectively. 57% (n = 12) had M0 and 43% (n = 9) had M1 HNSPCa, with 18%, 62%, 5%, and 10% having Gleason 6, 7, 8, and 9 disease, respectively (5% with unkown Gleason sum). The median PSA at enrollment was 12 ng/ml (2-102). The median time to 90% PSA decline after treatment initiation was 7 weeks (7-20) and 92% achieved 80% DHT decline in 9 months. At the time of analysis, all patients had ongoing PSA decline of > 90% without radiographic evidence of disease progression. Common Grade 1 AEs included gynecomastia (28%), fatigue (28%), hot flashes (19%) and paresthesias (15%). One patient withdrew from the study due to Grade 2 paresthesia. None had Grade 3 or 4 treatment-related AEs. One patient died due to colitis unrelated to study treatments. Conclusions: Enz with Dut/Fin appears to have clinical activity for older patients with M0 and M1 HNSPCa with acceptable side effects. Clinical trial information: NCT02213107.

Feasibility of an electronic implementation method of an evidence-based exercise intervention among testicular cancer survivors (TCS)

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Background: Cardiovascular (CV) disease results in significant morbidity among TCS. The effects of exercise on mitigating these late effects remain unknown in this population. Exercise for Cancer Patients (EXCAP) is a self-directed, individually tailored intervention that has been shown to improve CV fitness in cancer patients. We conducted a randomized phase II feasibility study of a novel electronic implementation method (mHealth) of EXCAP. Methods: We developed mHealth-EXCAP that integrates data from a wearable digital activity tracker (DAT) into a patient’s electronic medical record (EMR), allowing providers to monitor and adjust EXCAP prescriptions via a patient-centered virtual portal. We randomized TCS ( < 69 yr at diagnosis, any treatments, not in active or maintenance stage of exercise behavior) into 3 study arms: Arm 1 (mHealth-EXCAP), Arm 2 (EXCAP) and Arm 3 (usual care). Both Arm 1 and 2 completed a 12 week EXCAP program with the goal of 12,000 daily steps and daily resistance exercises and Arm 1 has integration of mHealth. Arm 3 received a TCS care plan that encourages exercises. Results: 52 TCS were screened (23 ineligible; 12 declined), 17 consented and 13 (80.9%) completed study (3 withdrew; 1 lost to follow up) as of May 31, 2016. Median age (yr) was 34 (Arm 1; n = 6), 52 (Arm 2; n = 3), and 48 (Arm 3; n = 4). In Arm 1, 83% TCS wore DAT and synced daily step data to EMR > 90% of days. Further, EXCAP prescriptions were adjusted via EMR portal on average 5 times over 12 weeks for each TCS and their weekly daily step goals were met 73% of the time. The number of daily steps recorded by DAT and those synced from DAT to EMR differed by a mean of 1.5% steps (±1.8). Median baseline number of daily steps were 5,432 (Arm 1), 6,737 (Arm 2), and 5,875 (Arm 3) and increased by 6,161, 1,742, and 1,921 respective steps, with only Arm 1 (50% TCS) achieving > 12,000 daily steps at study completion. On average, TCS in Arm 1 and 2 performed resistance exercises 15 minutes a day/2 times a week and 34 minutes a day/3 times a week, respectively. Conclusions: mHealth-EXCAP is feasible to implement among TCS and may decrease sedentary behavior. Ongoing research will examine its effects on CV risk factors and cardiopulmonary function.

Biopsychosocial distress assessment among testicular cancer survivors (TCS) using electronic patient reported outcomes (PROs)

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Background: Distressis a frequently endorsed experience by cancer patients.Many organizations advocate formal distress screening as part of clinical care in order to better meet the “psychological, social, and/or spiritual needs of patients that may interfere with the ability to cope effectively with cancer, its physical symptoms, and its treatments.” The primary objective of this study is to characterize distress levels among TCS using electronic PROs via a modified version of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network Distress Thermometer (DT) and Patient Reported Outcomes Measurement System (PROMIS). Methods: Eligible TCS ( < 69 years at diagnosis, any treatments, not in active or maintenance stage of exercise behavior) enrolled onto a pilot study of an electronic, self-directed, individually tailored “EXercise for CAncer Patients” (EXCAP) program were offered iPad-based distress screening during routine medical oncology clinic visits. Screening consisted of a modified DT, where patients self-report distress on a scale of 1-10, wherein scores of greater than 4 refer to increased distress, as well as PROMIS domains for anxiety and depression, where scores range from 0-100, 50 is the average for the United States (US) general population, and higher values indicate more anxiety or depression. Results: A total of 18 TCS (median age 44) enrolled in the EXCAP study as of May 31, 2016. Among participants, 56%, 28% and 17% had stage I, II, and III testicular cancer, respectively. Treatment modality and median time from treatment to enrollment were: 78% orchiectomy, 23.5 months (range 1-204); 33% retroperitoneal lymph node dissection, 8 months (range 1-48); and 72% chemotherapy, 22 months (range 3-587). TCS completed a median of 2 distress screenings (range 1-8). The median DT score was 3 (range 1-8). Median PROMIS anxiety and depression scores were 52.88 (32.87-69.36) and 51.02 (34.17-6.65). Conclusions: TCS self-report low levels of distress on the DT and PROMIS scores for anxiety and depression that are comparable to the US general population. Future research will explore associations between patient- and disease-specific factors and distress in TCS.

TGFβ Superfamily Members Mediate Androgen Deprivation Therapy-Induced Obese Frailty in Male Mice

First line treatment for recurrent and metastatic prostate cancer is androgen deprivation therapy (ADT). Use of ADT has been increasing in frequency and duration, such that side effects increasingly impact patient quality of life. One of the most significant side effects of ADT is sarcopenia, which leads to a loss of skeletal muscle mass and function, resulting in a clinical disability syndrome known as obese frailty. Using aged mice, we developed a mouse model of ADT-induced sarcopenia that closely resembles the phenotype seen in patients, including loss of skeletal muscle strength, reduced lean muscle mass, and increased adipose tissue. Sarcopenia onset occurred about 6 weeks after castration and was blocked by a soluble receptor (ActRIIB-Fc) that binds multiple TGFβ superfamily members, including myostatin, growth differentiation factor 11, activin A, activin B, and activin AB. Analysis of ligand expression in both gastrocnemius and triceps brachii muscles demonstrates that each of these proteins is induced in response to ADT, in 1 of 3 temporal patterns. Specifically, activin A and activin AB levels increase and decline before onset of strength loss at 6 weeks after castration, and myostatin levels increase coincident with the onset of strength loss and then decline. In contrast, activin B and growth differentiation factor 11 levels increase after the onset of strength loss, 8-10 weeks after castration. The observed patterns of ligand induction may represent differential contributions to the development and/or maintenance of sarcopenia. We hypothesize that some or all of these ligands are targets for therapy to ameliorate ADT-induced sarcopenia in prostate cancer patients.

Cardiovascular Disease Mortality After Chemotherapy or Surgery for Testicular Nonseminoma: A Population-Based Study

PURPOSE

Increased risks of incident cardiovascular disease (CVD) in patients with testicular cancer (TC) given chemotherapy in European studies were largely restricted to long-term survivors and included patients from the 1960s. Few population-based investigations have quantified CVD mortality during, shortly after, and for two decades after TC diagnosis in the era of cisplatin-based chemotherapy.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Standardized mortality ratios (SMRs) for CVD and absolute excess risks (AERs; number of excess deaths per 10,000 person-years) were calculated for 15,006 patients with testicular nonseminoma reported to the population-based Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results program (1980 to 2010) who initially received chemotherapy (n=6,909) or surgery (n=8,097) without radiotherapy and accrued 60,065 and 81,227 person-years of follow-up, respectively. Multivariable modeling evaluated effects of age, treatment, extent of disease, and other factors on CVD mortality.

RESULTS

Significantly increased CVD mortality occurred after chemotherapy (SMR, 1.36; 95% CI, 1.03 to 1.78; n=54) but not surgery (SMR, 0.81; 95% CI, 0.60 to 1.07; n=50). Significant excess deaths after chemotherapy were restricted to the first year after TC diagnosis (SMR, 5.31; AER, 13.90; n=11) and included cerebrovascular disease (SMR, 21.72; AER, 7.43; n=5) and heart disease (SMR, 3.45; AER, 6.64; n=6). In multivariable analyses, increased CVD mortality after chemotherapy was confined to the first year after TC diagnosis (hazard ratio, 4.86; 95% CI, 1.25 to 32.08); distant disease (P<.05) and older age at diagnosis (P<.01) were independent risk factors.

CONCLUSION

This is the first population-based study, to our knowledge, to quantify short- and long-term CVD mortality after TC diagnosis. The increased short-term risk of CVD deaths should be further explored in analytic studies that enumerate incident events and can serve to develop comprehensive evidence-based approaches for risk stratification and application of preventive and interventional efforts.

Abstract 4041: IQGAP1 in human acutae myelogenous leukemia

Background: AML is phenotypically diverse. However, genome-wide sequencing studies indicate that median number of non-synonymous mutations in AML is 8 (B Vogelstein Science 2013) and that the same pathways are affected in tumors with distinct genetic alterations. These insights provided the impetus to confirm and extend the previously published observation that immunization with normal human white blood cells (WBC) whose surface charge had been modified in vitro by incubation with fluorodinitrobenzene (FDNB) elicited an antibody response that cross-reacted against a broad range of leukemias (Nature 232:197-198,1971).

Specific Aims: 1) Isolation and molecular characterization of a shared antigenic moiety from human AML, 2) Examine the prevalence- and role in AML of IQGAP1, which was identified as a shared antigenic moiety.

Methods: WBCs from healthy donors were incubated with FDNB at 104 molecules/cell for 12-15 minutes in PBS. Three rabbits were immunized with FDNB-treated cells (experimental rabbits). A control rabbit was immunized with sham-treated cells. After complement inactivation, immune sera were absorbed against WBCs from healthy donors. Absorbed immune sera were tested for their ability to stain AML cell lines by flow cytometry and clinical AML samples by Western blotting. Immunoprecipitation of antigens from whole cell lysates of clinical AML samples was done using IgG adsorbed on protein A/G Agarose beads. Liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry of the immuneprecipitated material was performed. Fold change in IQGAP1 expression in normal vs AML bone marrow was determined from raw data from Gene Expression Omnibus at the NCBI using Partek Genomic Suite. IQGAP1 expression was knocked down by shRNA and the effect on proliferation and colony formation was measured.

Results: Sera from experimental rabbits stained AML cell lines with greater intensity by flow cytometry compared to serum from the control rabbit. Western blotting of whole cell lysates of clinical AML samples revealed bands that were recognized by immune serum from experimental rabbits but not the control rabbit. Immunoprecipitation of antigens from whole cell lysates of clinical AML samples revealed IQGAP1 as being differentially recognized in independent experiments. Western blots of human AML samples probed with anti-IQGAP1 antibody revealed the predicted 190 kDa band. The fold change in IQGAP1 expression in normal bone marrow versus AML was -3.22636, p-value 2.62 × 10e-7. Knocking down expression of IQGAP1 in K562, MV4-11 and THP1 cell lines resulted in significant decrease in proliferation and colony formation.

Conclusion and Future Directions: IQGAP1 was identified as a shared antigenic moiety in. IQGAP1 is over-expressed in AML compared to normal bone marrow. Knocking down IQGAP1 expression in AML cell lines decreased proliferation and colony formation. Experiments to determine the mechanistic basis of the effect of FDNB on cells and if IQGAP1 is “druggable” are underway.

Citation Format: Deepak M. Sahasrabudhe, Jeremy Bechelli, Fred P. Hagen, Mark Paris, Marlene Balys, Mohammad Minhajuddin, Jane Liesveld. IQGAP1 in human acutae myelogenous leukemia. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 106th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2015 Apr 18-22; Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2015;75(15 Suppl):Abstract nr 4041. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2015-4041

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors among cisplatin-treated testicular cancer survivors (TCS): A multicenter clinical study of U.S. and Canadian patients

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Background: The remarkable success of cisplatin-based chemotherapy in curing metastatic TC has been accompanied by potential life-threatening sequelae, including CVD. Most prior studies, however, have been conducted in Europe and included older chemotherapy regimens. We examined CVD risk factors in an ongoing multi-center clinical study of TCS given modern cisplatin-based chemotherapy (CHEM) at centers in North America (NCI 1R01 CA157823-02). Methods: TCS aged ≤49 years at time of first-line CHEM were eligible to undergo clinical examination and complete a questionnaire regarding co-morbidities, lifestyle behaviors, and prescription drug use. Results: We evaluated the first 443 consecutively enrolled TCS (23% seminoma; 77% nonseminoma) with most having stage II (52%) or III (28%) disease. The median age at time of TC diagnosis was 32 years (range 15-49 years) and median time since completion of chemotherapy was 59 months (range 1-24 years). Patients were largely white (90%), married (62%), and had full-time employment (82%) and health insurance (88%). 8% of TCS were current smokers. 48% of TCS had gained >10 lbs after CHEM with 29% having a ≥102 cm (40 inch) waist circumference, and 43% and 31% having a body mass index of 25 to <30 kg/m2 (overweight) and ≥ 30 kg/m2 (obese), respectively. A sizable proportion of men had abnormal systolic (21% with 130-139 mm Hg and 17% with ≥140 mm Hg) and diastolic (35% with 80-89 mm Hg and 13% with ≥90 mm Hg) blood pressure. 14%, 11%, and 5% TCS indicated that they currently used medications for hypertension, cholesterol and diabetes, respectively. Cardiac conditions were reported by 32 TCS (7%), including angina (N=2), angioplasty/stent placement (N=1), myocardial infarction (N=1), transient ischemic attack (N=1), stroke (N=2), peripheral vascular disease (N=12), deep vein thrombosis (N=23), and pulmonary embolism (N=15). Conclusions: A number ofCVD risk factors are present in a contemporary North American cohort of TCS after CHEM. Future analytic studies should focus on mechanistic investigations to facilitate the development of screening and preventive efforts for CVD in high-risk patients.