Plexiform angiomyxoid myofibroblastic tumor of the stomach: report of two cases and review of the literature

Plexiform angiomyxoid myofibroblastic tumor (PAMT) of the stomach is a recently recognized entity. Because of its rarity, only 22 cases have been reported in the English-language literature and most of these are single case reports. We report two cases of gastric PAMT. The tumor cells were bland and plexiform arranged in a myxoid stroma, which was positive for alcian blue. Immunohistochemically, the tumor cells were positive for smooth muscle actin, but negative for c-kit, CD34, desmin, S-100 protein, epithelial membrane antigen, neurofilament, and protein kinase C-theta. Mutation analyses for exon 9, 11, 13, and 17 of KIT genes and 12, 14, and 18 of the platelet-derived growth factor receptor alpha (PDGFRA) genes were performed and the tumors were wild-type for mutation.

High-throughput mutation profiling identifies frequent somatic mutations in advanced gastric adenocarcinoma

Background

Gastric cancer is one of the leading cancer types in incidence and mortality, especially in Asia. In order to improve survival, identification of a catalogue of molecular alterations underlying gastric cancer is a critical step for developing and designing genome-directed therapies.

Methodology/Principal Findings

The Center for Cancer Genome Discovery (CCGD) at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute (DFCI) has adapted a high-throughput genotyping platform to determine the mutation status of a large panel of known cancer genes. The mutation detection platform, termed OncoMap v4, interrogates 474 “hotspot” mutations in 41 genes that are relevant for cancer. We performed OncoMap v4 in formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissue specimens from 237 gastric adenocarcinomas. Using OncoMap v4, we found that 34 (14.4%) of 237 gastric cancer patients harbored mutations. Among mutations we screened, PIK3CA mutations were the most frequent (5.1%) followed by p53 (4.6%), APC (2.5%), STK11 (2.1%), CTNNB1 (1.7%), and CDKN2A (0.8%). Six samples harbored concomitant somatic mutations. Mutations of CTNNB1 were significantly more frequent in EBV-associated gastric carcinoma (P = 0.046). Our study led to the detection of potentially druggable mutations in gastric cancer which may guide novel therapies in subsets of gastric cancer patients.

Conclusions/Significance

Using high throughput mutation screening platform, we identified that PIK3CA mutations were the most frequently observed target for gastric adenocarcinoma.

Small submucosal tumors of the stomach: differentiation of gastric schwannoma from gastrointestinal stromal tumor with CT

Objective

To identify the CT features that help differentiate gastric schwannomas (GS) from small (5 cm or smaller) gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST) and to assess the growth rates of both tumors.

Materials and Methods

We included 16 small GSs and 56 GISTs located in the stomach. We evaluated the CT features including size, contour, surface pattern, margins, growth pattern, pattern and degree of contrast enhancement, and the presence of intralesional low attenuation area, hemorrhage, calcification, surface dimpling, fistula, perilesional lymph nodes (LNs), invasion to other organs, metastasis, ascites, and peritoneal seeding. We also estimated the tumor volume doubling time.

Results

Compared with GISTs, GSs more frequently demonstrated a homogeneous enhancement pattern, exophytic or mixed growth pattern, and the presence of perilesional LNs (each p < 0.05). The intralesional low attenuation area was more common in GISTs than GSs (p < 0.05). Multivariate analyses indicated that a homogeneous enhancement pattern, exophytic or mixed growth pattern, and the presence of perilesional LNs were statistically significant (p < 0.05). Tumor volume doubling times for GSs (mean, 1685.4 days) were significantly longer than that of GISTs (mean, 377.6 days) (p = 0.004).

Conclusion

Although small GSs and GISTs show similar imaging findings, GSs more frequently show an exophytic or mixed growth pattern, homogeneous enhancement pattern, perilesional LNs and grow slower than GISTs.

HLA-B*40:179, a novel allele identified by sequence-based typing in cord blood from a Korean woman

The novel allele B*40:179 showed one nucleotide difference with B*40:01:01 in exon 4.

Profiling of activated receptor tyrosine kinases in advanced gastric cancers identifies patients with poor prognosis

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Background: Metastatic gastric cancer (GCA) remains a therapeutic challenge due to its poor prognosis. Trastuzumab is the only known targeted therapy that has demonstrated a survival benefit in a small subset of metastatic GCAs. Addition of molecular diagnostics for predicting prognosis and therapeutic outcomes can significantly enhance the clinical management of GCAs. Herein, we identify activated receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) in distinct GCA subsets that correlate with disease-free survival post-curative GCA surgery. Methods: Fresh frozen GCA tissues from 434 stage I to IV GCA patients were profiled for HER1, HER2, HER3, p95HER2, c-MET and IGF1R RTKs using the multiplexed Collaborative Enzyme Enhanced Reactive (CEER) immunoassay. CEER is a highly sensitive and specific proximity assay that relies on the formation of a triple antibody complex surrounding the target protein. Results: p95HER2, a known trastuzumab resistance mechanism, was identified for the first time in 79% of IHC/FISH-based HER2(+) GCAs. Full-length HER2 expression was heterogeneous with ~20% of HER2(-) GCAs still expressing the HER2 protein. 232/434 GCAs expressed at least one activated RTK analyzed in our study. Of these 232 patients, 121 patients that presented with stage II or III disease at the time of surgery; demonstrated a worse progression-free survival as compared to those where none of the analyzed RTKs were activated (32.6 months vs 76.5 months, p=0.0318). HER axis members were the most commonly activated RTKs with 64% of such GCAs. Approximately 71% of activated cMET tumors demonstrated a co-activation with a HER axis member with a preference for HER1 in ~61% of cMET-activated GCAs. Patients with p-MET(+):p-HER1(+) GCAs had a worse prognosis as compared to those with p-MET(+):p-HER1(-) GCAs (46.2 months vs 82.8 months, p=0.0184). Conclusions: CEER-based RTK characterization revealed concomitantly activated signaling pathways in GCAs which could predict disease recurrence. Comprehensive molecular profiles of GCA tumors can allow for the implementation of these companion biomarkers in GCA therapeutic clinical trials.

Profiling of circulating tumor cells isolated from 105 metastatic gastric cancer patients revealed HER2 overexpression/activation for potential use in clinical setting

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Background: Gastric cancer (GCA) is the second leading cause of cancer mortality in the world. Survival of patients with advanced GCA treated with chemotherapy remains low. New targeted therapies are urgently needed. There is mounting evidence of the role of HER2 overexpression in patients with GCA, and it has been highly correlated to poor outcomes with more aggressive disease. The ability to accurately determine HER2 status by testing circulating tumor cells (CTCs) may improve patient treatment by allowing ongoing assessment of HER2 status during treatment and/or identifying additional patients who could potentially benefit from HER2- targeted therapy. Methods: The Collaborative Enzyme Enhanced Reactive-immunoassay (CEER) was utilized to determine the expression and activation (phosphorylation) levels of HER2 in CTCs isolated from blood specimens obtained from 105 metastatic GCA patients. Results: Utilizing the CEER platform, the levels of HER2 expression and phosphorylation were determined for CTCs isolated from metastatic GCA patients. Evaluable CTCs were found in 33% (35/105) of enrolled patients. Out of 35 patients, 7 patients (20%) have high HER2 over expression, 6 patients (17%) have moderate HER2 expression and 11 patients (31%) have HER2 activation (phospho positive) with no HER2 over-expression. Conclusions: When CTCs were present, the CEER assay identified varying levels of HER2 involvements in 68% of metastatic GCA patients. HER2 positive CTCs could serve as a prognostic and/or predictive marker in patients with advanced GCA and CTC-HER2 profile shifts can be utilized to monitor the treatment efficacy.

Impact of pretreatment thrombocytosis on blood-borne metastasis and prognosis of gastric cancer

BACKGROUND

Thrombocytosis has been associated with malignancies and poor prognostic implications in cancer patients. In the present study the prognostic significance of pretreatment platelet (PLT) level was assessed with regard to recurrence and survival in patients with primary gastric adenocarcinoma.

METHODS

The authors reviewed the prospective data of 1593 gastric cancer patients who received curative gastrectomy with extended lymphadenectomy. The correlations of PLT level with recurrence and overall survival were evaluated by both univariate and multivariate analyses.

RESULTS

Thrombocytosis (≥ 40 × 10(4)/ μL), present in 6.4% of the patients prior to curative surgery, was more frequently associated with advanced T and N classification, larger tumor size, anemia, and leukocytosis (p < 0.05). In patients with pretreatment thrombocytosis compared to those without it, five-year survival rate was worse (56.9% vs. 65.5%; p = 0.043), and recurrence rate was higher mainly due to the frequent hematogenous spread (51.0% vs. 34.5%; p < 0.001). Furthermore, risk of blood-borne metastasis was almost three-fold higher in patients with pretreatment thrombocytosis (Odds ratio 2.83 [95% CI 1.67-4.77], p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Pretreatment thrombocytosis correlated significantly with poor prognosis and can be used as an independent predictor of recurrence by blood-borne metastasis in gastric cancer.

Tumor size predicts survival in mucinous gastric carcinoma

BACKGROUND

Mucinous gastric carcinoma (MGC) is a distinct histologic subtype of gastric cancer. However, the prognostic significances of the current TNM staging system and histology in MGC have not been studied.

METHODS

206 patients who underwent R0 resection for MGC were classified by tumor size (<3 cm as T1; ≥ 3-5 cm as T2; ≥ 5-9 cm as T3; and ≥ 9 cm as T4). Immunohistochemistry for EGFR and HER2 was also performed.

RESULTS

Tumor sizes ranged from 1.2 to 21.0 cm (median 6.2 cm). Large tumor size (≥ 5 cm) was significantly associated with older patient age, deeper invasion depth, and more frequent lymph node metastasis (P < 0.05). Tumor size was a significant prognostic factor in both univariate (P < 0.001) and multivariate (P < 0.04) analyses. However, depth of invasion was not significant in multivariate analyses. A modified staging system based on tumor size predicted survival more accurately than did the conventional TNM staging system. We verified our results in an independent validation cohort of 123 MGC patients. Overexpression of either EGFR or HER2 was rare.

CONCLUSIONS

In MGCs, tumor size is an independent prognostic factor and a modified TNM system based on tumor size predicted survival accurately.

Clinical significance of gastritis cystica profunda and its association with Epstein-Barr virus in gastric cancer

BACKGROUND

Gastritis cystica profunda (GCP) is a relatively rare disorder characterized by hyperplastic and cystic down growth of gastric glands into the submucosa. In the current study, the authors attempted to clarify the clinical and pathologic features of GCP in patients with gastric cancer.

METHODS

The records of 10,728 patients with gastric cancer who underwent gastric cancer surgery were reviewed. The clinicopathologic features of patients who had GCP (n = 161) were compared with the features of patients without GCP (n = 10,567). In situ hybridization to determine Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) positivity was performed in cancer tissues from patients with (n = 119) and without (n = 503) GCP.

RESULTS

GCP was associated significantly with older age, male gender, proximal tumor location, differentiated histology and Lauren intestinal type compared with non-GCP. GCP also was present more frequently in remnant and multiple gastric cancers. Patients who had GCP presented with earlier tumor stages in terms of depth of invasion and lymph node metastasis, and they had less lymphatic and perineural invasion than patients without GCP; however, the presence of GCP was not an independent prognostic factor. The EBV-positive rate was significantly higher in the GCP group (31.1%) than in the non-GCP group (5.8%).

CONCLUSIONS

Patients with gastric cancer who had GCP had clinicopathologic features that differed from the features observed in patients without GCP. GCP was associated significantly with EBV-positive gastric cancers, and its possible role as a premalignant lesion needs to be clarified.

Novel mechanism of a CDH1 splicing mutation in a Korean patient with signet ring cell carcinoma

We report a novel mechanism of a CDH1 splicing mutation in a patient with signet ring cell carcinoma of the stomach. A 27-year-old man complaining of aggravated dyspepsia was diagnosed with signet ring cell carcinoma. Both his father and uncle had died of stomach cancer at a young age. DNA sequencing analysis of the CDH1 gene revealed a splice site mutation(c.833-2A>G). By RNA/cDNA sequencing analysis, CDH1 c.833-2A>G generated a new acceptor site within intron 6, causing the insertion of a 79-bp intronic sequence between exon 6 and 7 (r.833-79_833-1ins), and resulting in a frame shift. E-cadherin immunohistochemical staining revealed a loss of CDH1 expression. This study reveals the disease-causing mechanism of this splicing mutation, and emphasizes the need for functional studies using RNA samples for the accurate interpretation of detected splicing variant. This is the first reported case of a CDH1 mutation in a Korean patient.

Metastasis of neuroendocrine tumors are characterized by increased cell proliferation and reduced expression of the ATM gene

PURPOSE

Gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (GEP-NETs) are rare group of tumors with a wide spectrum of clinical behavior. However, there are no known clinically relevant biomarkers to predict metastasis.

EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN

To investigate differential gene expression signatures of metastatic vs non-metastatic NETs, we studied cell cycle regulatory genes in 19 metastatic and 22 non-metastatic colorectal NETs by PCR arrays. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) and quantitative real-time RT-PCR were performed to verify the results and another set of 38 GEP-NETs were further studied for validation.

RESULTS

We first delineated six candidate genes for metastasis including ATM, CCND2, RBL2, CDKN3, CCNB1, and GTSE1. ATM was negatively correlated with metastatic NETs (p<0.001) with more than 2-fold change compared to non-metastatic NETs. Overexpression of ATM protein by IHC was strongly correlated with high ATM mRNA levels and low Ki-67 labeling index. Patients with ATM-negativity by IHC showed significantly decreased overall survival than patients with ATM-positivity (median OS, metastatic vs non-metastatic NETs; 2.7 years vs not reached; p = 0.003) and 85.7% of metastatic NETs were ATM-negative. In another validation set of GEP-NETs, decreased mRNA of ATM gene was associated with metastasis and remained significant (p = 0.023).

CONCLUSIONS

ATM down-regulation was strongly associated with metastatic NETs when compared with non-metastatic NETs and ATM may be a potential predictive marker for metastasis as well as a novel target in metastatic GEP-NETs.

Imatinib efficacy by tumor genotype in Korean patients with advanced gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST): The Korean GIST Study Group (KGSG) study

PURPOSE

To assess the efficacy of imatinib for different tumor genotypes in Korean patients with advanced gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST).

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Clinical data were collected from 370 consecutive patients with locally advanced unresectable, metastatic, or recurrent GIST treated with imatinib 400 mg/day between August 2001 and December 2007 at 20 Korean institutions. Tumor genotypes were determined for 290 patients by direct DNA sequencing of KIT exons 9, 11, 13, and 17, and PDGFRA exons 12, 14, and 18.

RESULTS

Of 290 patients assessed for genotype, 261 (90.0%) had mutations in KIT: 222 (76.6%) in exon 11, 35 (12.1%) in exon 9 and two each (0.7%) for exons 13 and 17. Four patients (1.4%) had mutations in the PDGFRA gene: one in exon 12, and three in exon 18. Twenty-five patients (8.6%) had no detectable mutations. The best responses of the 235 patients with measurable lesions were: 15 complete response (6.4%), 126 partial response (53.5%), 86 stable disease (36.6%), and eight progressive disease (3.4%). Patients with KIT exon 9 mutations, compared with patients with KIT exon 11 mutations, had a lower objective response rate (36.7% vs. 63.6%, p = 0.007) and a shorter progression-free survival (median 28.7 months vs. 49.4 months, p = 0.001). No statistical difference in overall survival was observed between these genotypes.

CONCLUSION

This study confirms that imatinib efficacy is dependent on genotype in Korean GIST patients, consistent with results demonstrated by Western patients with GIST.

Gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumors: incidence and treatment outcome in a single institution in Korea

AIM

We studied to identify the clinicopathological features, treatment outcome, and prognostic factors for patients with gastrointestinal and hepatopancreaticobiliary neuroendocrine tumor (NET).

METHOD

Between February 2001 and May 2006, a total of 470 patients were diagnosed with NET arising from the gastrointestinal tract, pancreas, and hepatobiliary system. The retrospective patient cohort was obtained and analyzed.

RESULTS

The male to female ratio was 1.5:1, and the median age was 55 years (range, 16-81). The most common primary site was the rectum (55.8%). Overall 29 (6.2%) originated from the hepatobiliary system. At initial presentation, 60 patients (12.8%) showed distant metastases. Curative surgery or endoscopic resection was performed in 401 patients. Histopathological distributions were as follows: well differentiated tumor (82.1%), well differentiated carcinoma (10.2%) and poorly differentiated carcinoma (7.7%). The frequency of the poorly differentiated type was somewhat higher in the hepatobiliary system than in the pancreas and gastrointestinal tract (44.8, 15.4 and 2.8%, respectively, P < 0.05). The estimated 5-year overall survival rate for all patients was 89.6%. Multivariate analysis showed that distant metastases (P = 0.018), origin from the hepatobiliary system (P < 0.001) and poorly differentiated neuroendocrine carcinoma (P < 0.001) were independent predictors for poor survival outcome.

CONCLUSION

Patients with locoregional NET had a favorable long-term survival after curative resection. Distant metastases, hepatobiliary localization and a poor degree of tumor cell differentiation were poor prognostic factors. Further investigational approaches for treatment of advanced disease are needed.

Esophageal parakeratosis mimicking endoscopic appearance of superficial esophageal neoplastic lesion such as dysplasia

The endoscopic findings of esophageal parakeratosis have not been well defined and its clinical significance including malignant potential is unclear. Here, we report a case of esophageal parakeratosis presenting as a discrete flat elevated lesion and mimicking the endoscopic appearance of superficial esophageal neoplastic lesion such as dysplasia or cancer. A 72-year-old woman was referred to our hospital for an esophageal lesion detected by upper endoscopy during a medical check-up. Upper endoscopy revealed a 5-cm sized whitish flat elevated lesion involving the mucosa of the middle esophagus. The surface of this lesion showed mild nodularity and the margin was discrete. When spraying with lugol solution, the lesion was not stained. On microscopic examination, esophageal parakeratosis was noted on the luminal surface with a hyaline eosinophilic cytoplasm and small elongate nuclei oriented parallel to the surface. Although pathological examination of initial biopsy specimens revealed no evidence of neoplasia or infection, we carried out follow-up upper endoscopies 1 month and 1 year later because of endoscopic findings mimicking dysplasia or cancer. Endoscopic and histopathological findings from the first and the second follow-up upper endoscopies were same as those of the first examination and the final diagnosis of esophageal parakeratosis was made. Given the present case, esophageal parakeratosis needs to be considered as a differential diagnosis when a flat elevated lesion is found in the esophagus and biopsy specimens reveal no evidence of dysplasia or cancer.

Glomus tumor of the stomach: a clinicopathologic analysis of 10 cases and review of the literature

Background/Aims

Gastric glomus tumors are extremely rare, and presurgical confirmation is often impossible. The identification of clinical and radiologic characteristics of this tumor type is important for preoperative diagnosis and treatment planning.

Methods

In this study, we analyzed 10 cases of gastric glomus tumors resected at a single institute over 9 years.

Results

Eight of the patients were men and 2 were women, with a mean age of 49 years. Five patients presented with abdominal discomfort or pain, 1 presented with anemia, and the remaining 4 cases were found incidentally during endoscopic examinations. The most common location of the tumor was the antrum (n=7), followed by the low (n=2) and high body (n=1). Although the endoscopic ultrasonography findings were variable, contrast-enhanced computed tomography generally showed a strong homogeneous enhancement. The resected tumors were well-demarcated solid masses with sizes ranging from 1.0 to 3.6 cm. Microscopically, the masses were composed of abundant vascular channels with clusters of uniform and round glomus cells. There was no evidence of recurrence after complete surgical resection.

Conclusions

Gastric glomus tumors are unusual, distinct lesions that should be considered in the differential diagnosis of a gastric submucosal mass. Unlike their deep soft tissue counterparts, most glomus tumors in the stomach are benign.

De novo autoimmune hepatitis in Korean children after liver transplantation: a single institution's experience

INTRODUCTION

De novo autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) after orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) has been described as a new type of late graft dysfunction in children who have not undergone transplantation for previous autoimmune liver disease. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinical aspects of de novo AIH among children following OLT.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Between January 1994 and May 2007, 149 children underwent OLT, including 1 with recurrent AIH who was excluded from this study, whereas 4 others developed de novo AIH (2.7%; n = 4/148). We analyzed the demographics, laboratory characteristics, and response to treatment of the 4 children with de novo AIH following OLT.

RESULTS

The 4 patients were all girls with a median interval after OLT to presentation of 6.5 years (range, 0.7-8.8 years). The median age when de novo AIH developed was 12.4 years (range, 8.7-17.3 years). All cases were detected by abnormal liver function tests, namely, increased aspartate aminotransferase (AST; median, 322 IU/L; range, 181-919 IU/L). One patient showed elevated immunoglobulin G. Three patients displayed positive antinuclear antibodies. All were seronegative for smooth muscle antibody and liver-kidney microsomal type 1 antibody. One patient showed anti-mitochondrial antibody. All patients were treated with steroids with or without azathioprine. The liver function tests in these 4 patients, improved by at least 50% during the first month of treatment, responding to steroid treatment with or without azathioprine.

CONCLUSION

In preadolescent or adolescent female patients with unexplained graft dysfunction after OLT, it is important to recognize de novo AIH rapidly and to develop an adequate diagnostic strategy, including evaluation of serum autoantibodies, immunoglobulin G, and liver biopsy.

Phase III trial comparing capecitabine plus cisplatin versus capecitabine plus cisplatin with concurrent capecitabine radiotherapy in completely resected gastric cancer with D2 lymph node dissection: the ARTIST trial

PURPOSE

The ARTIST (Adjuvant Chemoradiation Therapy in Stomach Cancer) trial was the first study to our knowledge to investigate the role of postoperative chemoradiotherapy therapy in patients with curatively resected gastric cancer with D2 lymph node dissection. This trial was designed to compare postoperative treatment with capecitabine plus cisplatin (XP) versus XP plus radiotherapy with capecitabine (XP/XRT/XP).

PATIENTS AND METHODS

The XP arm received six cycles of XP (capecitabine 2,000 mg/m2 per day on days 1 to 14 and cisplatin 60 mg/m2 on day 1, repeated every 3 weeks) chemotherapy. The XP/XRT/XP arm received two cycles of XP followed by 45-Gy XRT (capecitabine 1,650 mg/m2 per day for 5 weeks) and two cycles of XP.

RESULTS

Of 458 patients, 228 were randomly assigned to the XP arm and 230 to the XP/XRT/XP arm. Treatment was completed as planned by 75.4% of patients (172 of 228) in the XP arm and 81.7% (188 of 230) in the XP/XRT/XP arm. Overall, the addition of XRT to XP chemotherapy did not significantly prolong disease-free survival (DFS; P = .0862). However, in the subgroup of patients with pathologic lymph node metastasis at the time of surgery (n = 396), patients randomly assigned to the XP/XRT/XP arm experienced superior DFS when compared with those who received XP alone (P = .0365), and the statistical significance was retained at multivariate analysis (estimated hazard ratio, 0.6865; 95% CI, 0.4735 to 0.9952; P = .0471). CONCLUSION The addition of XRT to XP chemotherapy did not significantly reduce recurrence after curative resection and D2 lymph node dissection in gastric cancer. A subsequent trial (ARTIST-II) in patients with lymph node-positive gastric cancer is planned.

P5-18-12: Perception, Practice and Toxicity of Adjuvant Treatment of HER2+ Breast Cancer in Wisconsin

INTRODUCTION: Multiple trastuzumab-containing (neo)adjuvant regimens are used for HER2+ BrCa, but the experience with these regimens in routine practice is not reported. Some oncologists select TCH based on BCIRG 006, whereas others prefer anthracycline-based therapy. We evaluated whether oncologists’ perceptions of these regimens match clinical experience.

METHODS: We surveyed 151 Wisconsin (WI) oncologists regarding factors impacting selection of TCH versus AC-TH; 65 (42%) responded. At the same time, we reviewed 200 cases of HER2+ BrCa treated with adjuvant trastuzumab from 2003 to 2010 at the University of Wisconsin Carbone Cancer Center (UW) and the Marshfield Clinic. We collected baseline patient and tumor characteristics, regimen administered, and toxicities as assessed by lab values, cardiac ejection fraction (EF), hospitalizations, dose reductions/delays, and ability to complete therapy.

RESULTS: Two-thirds of surveyed oncologists prefer anthracycline-based therapy over TCH. Of oncologists preferring TCH, 20 of 23 had been in practice for &gt;10 years. Oncologists perceived that AC-TH and TCH were equally likely to be completed. The majority of physicians select therapy based on patient age and stage, with a preference for AC-TH for node-positive disease and TCH for early stage (T1a-bN0) tumors. Despite BCIRG 006 remaining unpublished at the time of the survey, peer-review publication was cited as the most important factor in selecting this regimen. Although use of granulocyte colony stimulating factor (GCSF) in BCIRG 006 has not reported, 50% of oncologists indicated routine use with cycle 1 of TCH. Of the 200 cases reviewed, 114 women received AC-TH, 48 women received TCH, and 38 had other regimens. The median age was 53 years old, 52% had node positive disease. Acute toxicity trended higher with TCH. For example, there were fewer dose modifications/delays for AC-TH than TCH (31% vs. 46%, p=0.07). This may have been due to common use of GCSF with AC-TH (77% vs. 33% use with TCH). Neutropenic fever (NF) was higher with TCH, reaching 25% incidence when administered without GCSF. However, NF did not occur in the 8 TCH patients who received cycle 1 GCSF. There was no correlation between NF and patient age. The incidence of left ventricular EF decline leading to cessation of trastuzumab was similar for both regimens (19.4% AC-TH vs. 14.6% TCH; p = 0.64). Trastuzumab was completed as planned in 70% of patients. Although EF decline was most common explanation, 13% of early trastuzumab discontinuations occurred for other reasons.

CONCLUSION: TCH and AC-TH are the most commonly administered adjuvant regimens for WI women with HER2+ BrCa. Amongst WI oncologists, TCH is perceived as safer, but is less likely to be recommended for node-positive BrCa. This retrospective analysis suggests that acute myelosuppression is greater for TCH, with a significant rate of NF. Per ASCO guidelines, these data suggest GCSF should be used routinely with TCH due to high rate of FN. We were intrigued that oncologists who have been in practice longer are more likely to choose TCH. The reasons for this are unclear, but are perhaps related to prior experience with long-term cardiotoxicity with AC-TH.

Citation Information: Cancer Res 2011;71(24 Suppl):Abstract nr P5-18-12.

Endoscopic submucosal dissection of early gastric cancer

Gastric cancer is the most common cancer worldwide. The proportion of early gastric cancer (EGC) cases at diagnosis has increased because of the use of mass screening endoscopy in older adults. Endoscopic mucosal resection has become the standard treatment for EGC in cases with standard indications because of its low risk of lymph node metastasis. A new endoscopic method, endoscopic submucosal dissection, has recently become available. This method allows en bloc resection without limitation of the size of the lesion. The goal of this article is to review the history and methods of endoscopic treatment with EGC, the conventional and extended indications, the therapeutic outcomes, and the complication rates.

Interobserver Variation in the Diagnosis of Gastric Epithelial Dysplasia and Carcinoma between Two Pathologists in Japan and Korea

Although the biological potential of gastric epithelial dysplasia (GED) as a precursor of gastric cancer has never been in doubt, the classification of these lesions has been controversial and fraught with marked variations in approach to diagnosis across the world. The complexity of cyto-architectural features has been considered to be of paramount importance for the diagnosis of carcinoma in Japan, while breach of the basement membrane and invasion into the lamina propria has been considered the sine qua non of malignancy and hence a pre-requisite for the diagnosis of cancer in the West. In Korea, although the incidence of gastric cancer is similar to Japan, the diagnostic approach to GED or cancer seems to lie midway between Western and Japanese criteria. In this review, we will discuss the difference in the diagnosis of GED and cancer between two pathologists working in the comprehensive cancer center located in Japan and Korea, one of the most prevalent areas in the world for gastric cancer.

Incidence and risk factors for the development of prolonged severe intrahepatic cholestasis after pediatric living-donor liver transplantation

The aim of this study is to evaluate the incidence, etiology, and risk facrors for prolonged severe intrahepatic cholestasis (PSIC) after 129 pediatric living-donor liver transplantations (LDLT). The incidence of PSIC was 25.6% (n = 33). Twenty-eight (84.8%) versus 5 (15.2%) children experienced early versus late PSIC, respectively. Among these 33 children with PSIC, 8 (24.2%) received a donor liver with mild to moderate fatty change, 4 (12.1%) with low graft-body weight ratios, and 4 (12.1%) with ABO incompatibility. The predominant etiologies were acute rejection (n = 15; 45.5%), chronic rejection (n = 6; 18.2%), virus (n = 3; 9.1%), vascular complications (n = 4; 12.1%), and initial graft dysfunction (n = 10; 30.3%). ABO incompatibility (P = .032; odds ratio [OR] 3.25), chronic rejection (P = .012; OR 4.76), and vascular complications (P = .046; OR 1.82) were significant variables associated with PSIC. Donor selection with ABO compatibility as well as early detection and management of chronic rejection and vascular complications may be important to prevet PSIC in LDLT.

The CpG island methylator phenotype may confer a survival benefit in patients with stage II or III colorectal carcinomas receiving fluoropyrimidine-based adjuvant chemotherapy

Background

Colorectal carcinoma (CRC) with CpG island methylator phenotype (CIMP) is recognized as a distinct subgroup of CRC, and CIMP status affects prognosis and response to chemotherapy. Identification of CIMP status in CRC is important for proper patient management. In Eastern countries, however, the clinicopathologic and molecular characteristics and prognosis of CRCs with CIMP are still unclear.

Methods

A total of 245 patients who underwent their first surgical resection for sporadic CRC were enrolled and CIMP status of the CRCs was determined using the quantitative MethyLight assay. The clinicopathologic and molecular characteristics were reviewed and compared according to CIMP status. In addition, the three-year recurrence-free survival (RFS) of 124 patients with stage II or stage III CRC was analyzed in order to assess the effectiveness of fluoropyrimidine-based adjuvant chemotherapy with respect to CIMP status.

Results

CIMP-high CRCs were identified in 34 cases (13.9%), and were significantly associated with proximal tumor location, poorly differentiated carcinoma, mucinous histology, and high frequencies of BRAF mutation, MGMT methylation, and MSI-high compared to CIMP-low/negative carcinomas. For patients with stage II or III CIMP-low/negative CRCs, no significant difference was found in RFS between those undergoing surgery alone and those receiving surgery with fluoropyrimidine-based adjuvant chemotherapy. However, for patients with CIMP-high CRCs, patients undergoing surgery with fluoropyrimidine-based adjuvant chemotherapy (n = 17; three-year RFS: 100%) showed significantly better RFS than patients treated with surgery alone (n = 7; three-year RFS: 71.4%) (P = 0.022).

Conclusions

Our results suggest that selected patients with CIMP-high CRC may benefit from fluoropyrimidine-based adjuvant chemotherapy with longer RFS. Further large scale-studies are required to confirm our results.

Diagnostic dilemmas of hyalinizing trabecular tumours on fine needle aspiration cytology: a study of seven cases with BRAF mutation analysis

OBJECTIVE

Hyalinizing trabecular tumours (HTTs) are rare follicular-derived neoplasms that behave in an almost benign manner. HTT is frequently misdiagnosed as papillary carcinoma by fine needle aspiration (FNA) cytology or as papillary or medullary carcinoma on surgical resection.

METHODS

The authors examined FNA material from seven cases of histologically verified HTT. Cytological findings were reviewed and correlated with ultrasonographic and histological features. In addition, MIB-1 and calcitonin immunostaining was performed on surgical specimens, and BRAF mutation analysis on three pre-operative FNA specimens and seven histology specimens.

RESULTS

The original cytological diagnosis was either suspicious or positive for papillary carcinoma in all patients. The FNA-based differential diagnoses included HTT, papillary carcinoma or, less likely, medullary carcinoma in two patients. Aspirates showed oval to spindle-shaped cells with frequent intranuclear inclusions, isolated in loosely cohesive groups with a trabecular or syncytial pattern in a bloody background. Radiating arrangements of tumour cells surrounding hyaline stroma with serrated calcifications and a lack of papillary or sheet-like fragments may suggest HTT on FNA. Spherical calcified bodies and possible psammoma bodies were frequently found in three cases. Retrospectively, six of the seven cases showed membranous immunoreactivity for MIB-1, but none of the seven possessed the BRAF (V600E) mutation or showed calcitonin reactivity.

CONCLUSIONS

Although the recognition of HTT on FNA cytology is difficult, because of its morphological similarities to papillary and medullary carcinoma, its characteristic cytological features along with ultrasonographic findings may suggest the diagnosis preoperatively and avoid surgical over-treatment.