Neuropeptide Y expression in primary cutaneous melanoma

BACKGROUND

Neuropeptide Y (NPY) is involved in the carcinogenesis of different tumours, especially neural crest-derived tumours.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of our study is to investigate the expression of NPY on melanoma and its relation with prognostic histological parameters and survival.

METHODS

This is a retrospective observational study of two independent series, with a total of 79 primary melanomas, diagnosed in two independent University Hospitals in Spain, from January 2000 to December 2004.

RESULTS

We found a significant higher expression of NPY on superficial spreading melanoma and lentigo maligna (40%) (P = 0.030). Thinner tumours were associated with higher NPY expression (Clark level, P = 0.003; Breslow level, P = 0.012). Melanomas with low NPY expression were associated with intense cell proliferation (Ki-67, P = 0.034), high density of peritumoral mast cell infiltrates (P = 0.033) and low E-cadherin expression (P = 0.031). Melanomas with high NPY expression exhibited significant differences in terms of relapse time (median: 114 vs. 68 months, P = 0.008) and overall survival (114 vs. 74 months, P = 0.004).

CONCLUSION

High expression of NPY was associated with better prognostic histological parameters, low peritumoral mast cells density, presence of adhesion proteins and better outcome.

Resistance of Nonmelanoma Skin Cancer to Nonsurgical Treatments. Part I: Topical Treatments

A wide range of treatments is now available for nonmelanoma skin cancer (NMSC), including 5-fluorouracil, ingenol mebutate, imiquimod, diclofenac, photodynamic therapy, methotrexate, cetuximab, vismodegib, and radiotherapy. All are associated with high clinical and histologic response rates. However, some tumors do not respond due to resistance, which may be primary or acquired. Study of the resistance processes is a broad area of research that aims to increase our understanding of the nature of each tumor and the biologic features that make it resistant, as well as to facilitate the design of new therapies directed against these tumors. In this article we review resistance to the authorized topical treatments for NMSC.

The appropriate axillary procedure after a positive sentinel node in breast cancer patients: the "Hôpital Tenon" score revisited. A two-institution study

INTRODUCTION

Until recently, completion ALND has been considered the standard of care after a positive SN in breast cancer patients. However, most patients will not display further axillary involvement. The Tenon score is a simple nomogram that can be used intraoperatively to avoid completion ALND in low-risk patients. We aimed at validating the Tenon score on a SN-positive patient sample that had been preoperatively selected using axillary US examination.

PATIENTS AND METHOD

We used a retrospective analysis of our bicentric database that included 246 breast cancer patients with a positive SN. We calculated sensitivity, specificity, as well as positive and negative predictive values for each cut-off point. ROCs were constructed and corresponding AUC values were calculated as a measure of discriminative capacity.

RESULTS

At least one non-SN was positive in 52 patients (21.1 %). 118 patients (48 %) had a score up to 5. Among them, three had at least one positive non-SN. NPV was 97.5 %. Using that threshold, the ROCs analysis showed an AUC of 0.822 (95 % CI 0.764-0.880).

CONCLUSION

Use of preoperative axillary US examination led to a modification of the proposed Tenon cut-off value from 3.5 to 5 to attain good predictive power for non-SN status. Straightforward intraoperative use of the Tenon score may be considered an advantage over other available nomograms.

Abstract P3-07-42: Predicting outcome and benefit to first-line bevacizumab in advanced/metastatic hormone receptor (HR)+/HER2-negative breast cancer (BC) treated with endocrine therapy: A correlative science study from the LEA phase III clinical trial (GEICAM/2006-11_GBG 051)

Introduction: The role of bevacizumab in combination with chemotherapy in metastatic BC is controversial, and no biomarker exists as of today that predicts benefit to this agent. In the LEA clinical trial, a numerical, statistically non-significant benefit from the addition of bevacizumab to endocrine therapy (ET) was observed in the first-line metastatic setting (18.4 vs. 13.8 months of Progression-Free Survival (PFS), p=0.14). Here, we explored various gene expression-based predictors of outcome and benefit to bevacizumab.

Methods and materials: LEA trial randomized 380 patients with HR+/HER2- advanced disease to bevacizumab in combination with ET (ET+B) vs. ET alone. Primary endpoint was PFS. Expression of BC selected genes was evaluated in formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) primary tumors using the nCounter platform from patients randomized in Spain that consent for biomarker analyses. The following variables were evaluated: 1) research-based PAM50 intrinsic subtypes (categorical variable; Luminal A, Luminal B, HER2-enriched, Basal-like and Normal-like); 2) research-based PAM50 signatures (continuous variable; scores showing the distant of the gene expression values of an individual sample compared to the centroid gene values for each PAM50 intrinsic subtype); 3) risk of recurrence (ROR) groups (low, medium and high); 4) the 13-gene hypoxia/VEGF signature (continuous); and 5) Ki67 by immunohistochemistry (continuous). Uni- and multivariable Cox models for PFS were used to test the prognostic significance of each variable. To determine whether each variable is predictive of bevacizumab benefit, we tested the interaction term of each variable by treatment arm in a Cox model.

Results: Tumor samples from 103 patients were analyzed: 55 (53%) in ET+B arm and 49 (47%) in ET arm. Subtype distribution was as follows: 57 (55.3%) Luminal A, 32 (31.1%) Luminal B, 5 (4.9%) HER2-enriched, 1 (1.0%) Basal-like, and 8 (7.8%) normal-like. In a univariate analysis, Luminal B tumors had a poorer outcome using Luminal A as reference (13.8 vs. 21.3 months, respectively; (hazard ratio, HR=1.80, 95% CI 1.10-2.95, p=0.019). Concordant with this finding, Luminal A signature was associated with a better outcome. Similarly, ROR-P high group showed a poorer outcome than ROR-P low group (8.5 vs. 19.4 months; HR=2.88, 95% CI 1.30-6.35, p=0.009). Neither VEGF-13 signature nor Ki67 were found to be associated with PFS. Similar findings were obtained after adjustment for treatment, age, previous ET, ECOG, visceral disease and number of metastatic sites. In terms of treatment benefit, the HER2-enriched signature was the only variable found predictive of bevacizumab PFS benefit in univariate (p=0.010) and multivariate (p=0.015) analyses.

Conclusions: In advanced HR+/HER2- disease, intrinsic subtype (i.e. Luminal A vs. B) independently predicts PFS following first-line ET. In addition, HR+/HER2-negative tumors with high expression of the HER2-enriched signature, a biomarker of estrogen-independence, benefit the most from bevacizumab. Further validation of these prognostic and predictive biomarkers is warranted.

Citation Format: Prat A, de la Haba-Rodriguez J, Guerrero Á, García-Sáenz JA, Morales S, Antón A, Muñoz M, Ramos M, Martínez-Jáñez N, Margelí M, Servitja S, Rojo F, Galván P, González S, Cruz J, Sánchez-Rovira P, Perelló A, Rodríguez-Martin C, Casas M, Carrasco E, Caballero R, Martín M. Predicting outcome and benefit to first-line bevacizumab in advanced/metastatic hormone receptor (HR)+/HER2-negative breast cancer (BC) treated with endocrine therapy: A correlative science study from the LEA phase III clinical trial (GEICAM/2006-11_GBG 051). [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Thirty-Eighth Annual CTRC-AACR San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium: 2015 Dec 8-12; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2016;76(4 Suppl):Abstract nr P3-07-42.

Mediterranean diet and faecal microbiota: a transversal study

The adherence to Mediterrean Diet pattern is associated with higher abundances of Bacteroidetes and lower of Firmicutes.

Forced axial segregation in axially inhomogeneous rotating systems

Controlling segregation is both a practical and a theoretical challenge. Using a novel drum design comprising concave and convex geometry, we explore, through the application of both discrete particle simulations and positron emission particle tracking, a means by which radial size segregation may be used to drive axial segregation, resulting in an order of magnitude increase in the rate of separation. The inhomogeneous drum geometry explored also allows the direction of axial segregation within a binary granular bed to be controlled, with a stable, two-band segregation pattern being reliably and reproducibly imposed on the bed for a variety of differing system parameters. This strong banding is observed to persist even in systems that are highly constrained in the axial direction, where such segregation would not normally occur. These findings, and the explanations provided of their underlying mechanisms, could lead to radical new designs for a broad range of particle processing applications but also may potentially prove useful for medical and microflow applications.

Interpreting biomarker data from the COPHES/DEMOCOPHES twin projects: Using external exposure data to understand biomarker differences among countries

In 2011 and 2012, the COPHES/DEMOCOPHES twin projects performed the first ever harmonized human biomonitoring survey in 17 European countries. In more than 1800 mother-child pairs, individual lifestyle data were collected and cadmium, cotinine and certain phthalate metabolites were measured in urine. Total mercury was determined in hair samples. While the main goal of the COPHES/DEMOCOPHES twin projects was to develop and test harmonized protocols and procedures, the goal of the current paper is to investigate whether the observed differences in biomarker values among the countries implementing DEMOCOPHES can be interpreted using information from external databases on environmental quality and lifestyle. In general, 13 countries having implemented DEMOCOPHES provided high-quality data from external sources that were relevant for interpretation purposes. However, some data were not available for reporting or were not in line with predefined specifications. Therefore, only part of the external information could be included in the statistical analyses. Nonetheless, there was a highly significant correlation between national levels of fish consumption and mercury in hair, the strength of antismoking legislation was significantly related to urinary cotinine levels, and we were able to show indications that also urinary cadmium levels were associated with environmental quality and food quality. These results again show the potential of biomonitoring data to provide added value for (the evaluation of) evidence-informed policy making.

Perfusion SPECT, SISCOM and PET (18)F-FDG in the assessment of drug- refractory epilepsy patients candidates for epilepsy surgery

AIMS

Brain perfusion SPECT (ictal-interictal), SPECT images and subtraction ictal SPECT coregistered to MRI (SISCOM) and (18)F-FDG-PET (interictal), play an important role in the pre-surgical diagnosis of patients with medically refractory epilepsy. This study aimed to establish: the reproducibility of visual ictal-interictal SPECT and SISCOM analysis altogether with the capacity of SPECT, SISCOM and PET to determine the epileptogenic zone.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

(99m)Tc-HMPAO SPECT ictal-interictal and SISCOM (Analyze 7.0) were performed on 47 refractory epilepsy patients (24 F, 19-60 yrs). In 13 patients, SISCOM was also performed using a new program (Focus DET). Ictal-interictal SPECT and SISCOM images were analysed independently by two nuclear medicine physicians (observer 1 and 2). Kappa concordance coefficient was used to evaluate the reproducibility. In sixteen patients, SPECT, SISCOM and PET findings were compared with the resected area during the surgery, and surgical outcome using Engel scale or with the stereo EEG-(SEEG).

RESULTS

The ictal-interictal SPECT interobserver agreement was 91%, Kappa index 0.86, SISCOM (Analyze 7.0) interobserver agreement percentage was 82%, Kappa index 0.80, Analyze 7.0 showed a higher inconclusive results than visual SPECT analysis. SISCOM FocusDET interobserver agreement was 92%, Kappa index 0.87, with lower inconclusive results than Analyze 7.0. SPECT, SISCOM and PET combined findings identified 87% seizure onset zone: 79% temporal, 26% parieto-temporal and 7% frontal.

CONCLUSIONS

Ictal-interictal SPECT and SISCOM showed a high reproducibility in this sample of patients with drug-refractory epilepsy. SPECT,SISCOM and PET combined findings improved detection of epileptogenic zone in comparison with the individual assessment.

Desarrollo postembrionario de <i>Latrodectus variegatus</i> (Araneae: Theridiidae)

The Iife cicle of Latrodectus variegatus from cocoons collected in Bariloche, Argentina, is described. In stage IV (first free stage) 361 individually bred spiders were isolated and fed Drosophila melanogaster in the juvenile stage and Musca domestica after wards. "Stage 1" is the stage following eclosion. For the study of survival, and average Iife expectancy, a week wa