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Xie J, Chen Y, Luo S, Yang W, Lin Y, Wang L, Ding X, Tong M, Yu R. Tracing unknown tumor origins with a biological-pathway-based transformer model. CELL REPORTS METHODS 2024; 4:100797. [PMID: 38889685 PMCID: PMC11228371 DOI: 10.1016/j.crmeth.2024.100797] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2023] [Revised: 02/01/2024] [Accepted: 05/21/2024] [Indexed: 06/20/2024]
Abstract
Cancer of unknown primary (CUP) represents metastatic cancer where the primary site remains unidentified despite standard diagnostic procedures. To determine the tumor origin in such cases, we developed BPformer, a deep learning method integrating the transformer model with prior knowledge of biological pathways. Trained on transcriptomes from 10,410 primary tumors across 32 cancer types, BPformer achieved remarkable accuracy rates of 94%, 92%, and 89% in primary tumors and primary and metastatic sites of metastatic tumors, respectively, surpassing existing methods. Additionally, BPformer was validated in a retrospective study, demonstrating consistency with tumor sites diagnosed through immunohistochemistry and histopathology. Furthermore, BPformer was able to rank pathways based on their contribution to tumor origin identification, which helped to classify oncogenic signaling pathways into those that are highly conservative among different cancers versus those that are highly variable depending on their origins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiajing Xie
- National Institute for Data Science in Health and Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian 361102, China
| | - Ying Chen
- School of Informatics, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian 361005, China
| | - Shijie Luo
- National Institute for Data Science in Health and Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian 361102, China
| | - Wenxian Yang
- Aginome Scientific, Xiamen, Fujian 361005, China
| | - Yuxiang Lin
- National Institute for Data Science in Health and Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian 361102, China
| | - Liansheng Wang
- National Institute for Data Science in Health and Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian 361102, China; School of Informatics, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian 361005, China
| | - Xin Ding
- Department of Pathology, Zhongshan Hospital of Xiamen University, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian 361004, China.
| | - Mengsha Tong
- National Institute for Data Science in Health and Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian 361102, China; State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Life Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian 361102, China.
| | - Rongshan Yu
- National Institute for Data Science in Health and Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian 361102, China; School of Informatics, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian 361005, China; Aginome Scientific, Xiamen, Fujian 361005, China.
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2
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Draškovič T, Hauptman N. Discovery of novel DNA methylation biomarker panels for the diagnosis and differentiation between common adenocarcinomas and their liver metastases. Sci Rep 2024; 14:3095. [PMID: 38326602 PMCID: PMC10850119 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-53754-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2023] [Accepted: 02/05/2024] [Indexed: 02/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Differentiation between adenocarcinomas is sometimes challenging. The promising avenue for discovering new biomarkers lies in bioinformatics using DNA methylation analysis. Utilizing a 2853-sample identification dataset and a 782-sample independent verification dataset, we have identified diagnostic DNA methylation biomarkers that are hypermethylated in cancer and differentiate between breast invasive carcinoma, cholangiocarcinoma, colorectal cancer, hepatocellular carcinoma, lung adenocarcinoma, pancreatic adenocarcinoma and stomach adenocarcinoma. The best panels for cancer type exhibit sensitivity of 77.8-95.9%, a specificity of 92.7-97.5% for tumors, a specificity of 91.5-97.7% for tumors and normal tissues and a diagnostic accuracy of 85.3-96.4%. We have shown that the results can be extended from the primary cancers to their liver metastases, as the best panels diagnose and differentiate between pancreatic adenocarcinoma liver metastases and breast invasive carcinoma liver metastases with a sensitivity and specificity of 83.3-100% and a diagnostic accuracy of 86.8-91.9%. Moreover, the panels could detect hypermethylation of selected regions in the cell-free DNA of patients with liver metastases. At the same time, these were unmethylated in the cell-free DNA of healthy donors, confirming their applicability for liquid biopsies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tina Draškovič
- Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Pathology, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Nina Hauptman
- Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Pathology, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
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3
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Ma W, Wu H, Chen Y, Xu H, Jiang J, Du B, Wan M, Ma X, Chen X, Lin L, Su X, Bao X, Shen Y, Xu N, Ruan J, Jiang H, Ding Y. New techniques to identify the tissue of origin for cancer of unknown primary in the era of precision medicine: progress and challenges. Brief Bioinform 2024; 25:bbae028. [PMID: 38343328 PMCID: PMC10859692 DOI: 10.1093/bib/bbae028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2023] [Revised: 12/10/2023] [Accepted: 01/11/2024] [Indexed: 02/15/2024] Open
Abstract
Despite a standardized diagnostic examination, cancer of unknown primary (CUP) is a rare metastatic malignancy with an unidentified tissue of origin (TOO). Patients diagnosed with CUP are typically treated with empiric chemotherapy, although their prognosis is worse than those with metastatic cancer of a known origin. TOO identification of CUP has been employed in precision medicine, and subsequent site-specific therapy is clinically helpful. For example, molecular profiling, including genomic profiling, gene expression profiling, epigenetics and proteins, has facilitated TOO identification. Moreover, machine learning has improved identification accuracy, and non-invasive methods, such as liquid biopsy and image omics, are gaining momentum. However, the heterogeneity in prediction accuracy, sample requirements and technical fundamentals among the various techniques is noteworthy. Accordingly, we systematically reviewed the development and limitations of novel TOO identification methods, compared their pros and cons and assessed their potential clinical usefulness. Our study may help patients shift from empirical to customized care and improve their prognoses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenyuan Ma
- Department of Medical Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Hui Wu
- Department of Medical Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yiran Chen
- Department of Surgical Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Hongxia Xu
- Zhejiang University-University of Edinburgh Institute (ZJU-UoE Institute), Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Haining, China
| | - Junjie Jiang
- Department of Gastroenterology, Affiliated Hangzhou First People's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Bang Du
- Real Doctor AI Research Centre, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Mingyu Wan
- Department of Medical Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xiaolu Ma
- Department of Medical Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xiaoyu Chen
- Department of Medical Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Lili Lin
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xinhui Su
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xuanwen Bao
- Department of Medical Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yifei Shen
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, the First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Nong Xu
- Department of Medical Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jian Ruan
- Department of Medical Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Haiping Jiang
- Department of Medical Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yongfeng Ding
- Department of Medical Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
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4
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Lee White L, Smith-Gagen J, Elliott L, Lu M. Patient characteristics associated with definitive diagnosis of metastatic pancreatic cancer in those initially diagnosed with cancer of unknown primary. Mol Clin Oncol 2023; 19:101. [PMID: 38022848 PMCID: PMC10666077 DOI: 10.3892/mco.2023.2697] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2023] [Accepted: 10/24/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Cancer of unknown primary (CUP) and pancreatic cancer (PC) are malignancies associated with poor prognosis. CUP is the fourth most common cause of cancer mortality in the US, and median survival time is 3-4 months. PC is the third most common cause of cancer mortality in the US, and median survival time for patients with stage 3 or 4 PC is 2-3 months. The present study aimed to understand the patient characteristics of those initially misdiagnosed with CUP who ultimately received a diagnosis of PC. The present study used 2010-2015 Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results-Medicare data, a US population-based cancer registry linked to Medicare health insurance claims. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals were calculated using two binary logistic regression models to compare the characteristics of patients who received definitive diagnosis between the CUP-PC group (those with an initial diagnosis of CUP who eventually received a stage 3 or 4 PC diagnosis) and the PC group (those diagnosed with stage 3 or 4 PC only). Approximately 26% of patients who received a definitive diagnosis of metastatic PC started with an initial diagnosis of CUP (n=17,565). The odds of definitive PC diagnosis in patients with CUP were lower for those with a comorbidity score of 0 [OR, 0.85 (95% CI: 0.79, 0.91)] and epithelial/unspecified histology [OR, 0.76 (95% CI: 0.71, 0.82)]. The odds of definitive PC diagnosis in patients with CUP were higher for patients of other race [OR, 1.27 (95% CI: 1.13, 1.43)] compared with white patients. Definitive diagnosis of PC in patients with CUP was lower in patients who were older with fewer or no comorbidities and unspecified histology. The complexity of CUP diagnosis and patient performance status may influence delays in diagnosis to a known primary site.
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Affiliation(s)
- Larissa Lee White
- Kaiser Permanente Colorado, Institute for Health Research, Aurora, CO 80014, USA
| | | | - Leslie Elliott
- School of Public Health, University of Nevada, Reno, NV 89557, USA
| | - Minggen Lu
- School of Public Health, University of Nevada, Reno, NV 89557, USA
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Ren M, Cai X, Jia L, Bai Q, Zhu X, Hu X, Wang Q, Luo Z, Zhou X. Comprehensive analysis of cancer of unknown primary and recommendation of a histological and immunohistochemical diagnostic strategy from China. BMC Cancer 2023; 23:1175. [PMID: 38041048 PMCID: PMC10691136 DOI: 10.1186/s12885-023-11563-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2023] [Accepted: 10/24/2023] [Indexed: 12/03/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Previous studies on cancer of unknown primary (CUP) mainly focus on treatment and prognosis in western populations and lacked clinical evaluation of different IHC markers, so this study aimed to evaluate characteristics of CUP and recommend a diagnostic strategy from a single center in China. METHODS AND RESULTS Data of 625 patients with CUP were retrospectively collected and reviewed. The patients ranged in age from 20 to 91 years, with a female-to-male ratio of 1.3:1. The predominant histological type was poor or undifferentiated adenocarcinomas (308; 49.3%). The results of Canhelp-Origin molecular testing for the identification of the tissue of origin in 262 of 369 patients (71.0%) were considered predictable (similarity score > 45), with the most common predicted primary tumor site being the breast (57, 21.8%). Unpredictable molecular results correlated with more aggressive clinical parameters and poor survival. Thee positivity rates of several targeted antibodies (GATA3, GCDFP15, TTF1, Napsin A, and PAX8), based on the clinically predicted site, were lower than those reported for the corresponding primary tumors. Nonetheless, TRPS1 and INSM1 were reliable markers of predicted breast carcinoma (75.0%) and neuroendocrine tumors (83.3%), respectively. P16 expression, as well as HPV and EBER testing contributed significantly to the diagnosis of squamous cell carcinomas. Survival analysis revealed that older ages (> 57), ≥ 3 metastatic sites, non-squamous cell carcinomas, bone/liver/lung metastases, unpredictable molecular results, and palliative treatment correlated with poor overall survival. CONCLUSIONS We recommend a CUP diagnostic strategy involving the use of targeted antibody panels as per histological findings that is potentially applicable in clinical practice. The markers TRPS1, INSM1, and P16 expression, as well as HPV and EBER testing are particularly valuable in this aspect. Molecular testing is also predictive of survival rates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Min Ren
- Department of Pathology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, 270 Dong'an Road, Shanghai, 200032, China
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
- Institute of Pathology, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Xu Cai
- Department of Pathology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, 270 Dong'an Road, Shanghai, 200032, China
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
- Institute of Pathology, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Liqing Jia
- Department of Pathology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, 270 Dong'an Road, Shanghai, 200032, China
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
- Institute of Pathology, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Qianming Bai
- Department of Pathology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, 270 Dong'an Road, Shanghai, 200032, China
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
- Institute of Pathology, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Xiaoli Zhu
- Department of Pathology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, 270 Dong'an Road, Shanghai, 200032, China
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
- Institute of Pathology, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Xichun Hu
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
- Department of Medical Oncology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Qifeng Wang
- Department of Pathology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, 270 Dong'an Road, Shanghai, 200032, China.
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China.
- Institute of Pathology, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China.
| | - Zhiguo Luo
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China.
- Department of Medical Oncology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, 200032, China.
| | - Xiaoyan Zhou
- Department of Pathology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, 270 Dong'an Road, Shanghai, 200032, China.
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China.
- Institute of Pathology, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China.
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Zhang S, He S, Zhu X, Wang Y, Xie Q, Song X, Xu C, Wang W, Xing L, Xia C, Wang Q, Li W, Zhang X, Yu J, Ma S, Shi J, Gu H. DNA methylation profiling to determine the primary sites of metastatic cancers using formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissues. Nat Commun 2023; 14:5686. [PMID: 37709764 PMCID: PMC10502058 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-41015-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2022] [Accepted: 08/18/2023] [Indexed: 09/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Identifying the primary site of metastatic cancer is critical to guiding the subsequent treatment. Approximately 3-9% of metastatic patients are diagnosed with cancer of unknown primary sites (CUP) even after a comprehensive diagnostic workup. However, a widely accepted molecular test is still not available. Here, we report a method that applies formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissues to construct reduced representation bisulfite sequencing libraries (FFPE-RRBS). We then generate and systematically evaluate 28 molecular classifiers, built on four DNA methylation scoring methods and seven machine learning approaches, using the RRBS library dataset of 498 fresh-frozen tumor tissues from primary cancer patients. Among these classifiers, the beta value-based linear support vector (BELIVE) performs the best, achieving overall accuracies of 81-93% for identifying the primary sites in 215 metastatic patients using top-k predictions (k = 1, 2, 3). Coincidentally, BELIVE also successfully predicts the tissue of origin in 81-93% of CUP patients (n = 68).
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Affiliation(s)
- Shirong Zhang
- Translational Medicine Research Center, Hangzhou First People's Hospital, 310006, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China
- Key Laboratory of Clinical Cancer Pharmacology and Toxicology Research of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou First People's Hospital, 310006, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Shutao He
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 200031, Shanghai, China
- Institute of Biotechnology and Health, Beijing Academy of Science and Technology, 100089, Beijing, China
| | - Xin Zhu
- Key Laboratory of Head & Neck Cancer Translational Research of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang Cancer Hospital, 310022, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Yunfei Wang
- Zhejiang ShengTing Biotech Co. Ltd, 310018, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Qionghuan Xie
- Zhejiang ShengTing Biotech Co. Ltd, 310018, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Xianrang Song
- Shandong Cancer Hospital and Institute, Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, 250117, Jinan, Shandong Province, China
| | - Chunwei Xu
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, Jinling Hospital, Nanjing University School of Medicine, 210002, Nanjing, Jiangshu Province, China
| | - Wenxian Wang
- Key Laboratory of Head & Neck Cancer Translational Research of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang Cancer Hospital, 310022, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Ligang Xing
- Shandong Cancer Hospital and Institute, Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, 250117, Jinan, Shandong Province, China
| | - Chengqing Xia
- Zhejiang ShengTing Biotech Co. Ltd, 310018, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Qian Wang
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Jiangsu Province Hospital of Chinese Medicine, 210029, Nanjing, Jiangshu Province, China
| | - Wenfeng Li
- Department of Medical Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, 325000, Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Xiaochen Zhang
- Department of Medical Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 310006, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Jinming Yu
- Shandong Cancer Hospital and Institute, Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, 250117, Jinan, Shandong Province, China
| | - Shenglin Ma
- Translational Medicine Research Center, Hangzhou First People's Hospital, 310006, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China.
- Department of Oncology, Hangzhou Cancer Hospital, 310006, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China.
| | - Jiantao Shi
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 200031, Shanghai, China.
| | - Hongcang Gu
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Medical Physics and Technology, Institute of Health and Medical Technology, Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 230031, Hefei, Anhui Province, China.
- Hefei Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 230031, Hefei, Anhui Province, China.
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Savoldi A, Mutters NT, Tacconelli E. Personalized infection prevention and control: a concept whose time has arrived. ANTIMICROBIAL STEWARDSHIP & HEALTHCARE EPIDEMIOLOGY : ASHE 2023; 3:e151. [PMID: 37771739 PMCID: PMC10523548 DOI: 10.1017/ash.2023.429] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2023] [Revised: 07/15/2023] [Accepted: 07/19/2023] [Indexed: 09/30/2023]
Abstract
Personalized medicine has been progressively implemented in several diagnostic and therapeutic patients' algorithms, based on the common assumption that tailoring interventions, practices, and/or therapies to individual patients' clinical, biological, epidemiological, and genetic characteristics would optimize their effectiveness and reduce adverse effects. The potential benefit of the precision medicine approach has been recently considered for possible implementation in the field of infection prevention and control. The commentary explores available evidence and assesses possible future scenarios where, through advanced modeling approaches, we would be able to provide personalized prediction algorithms identifying at-risk patients who deserve the implementation of tailored preventive measures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessia Savoldi
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Diagnostics and Public Health, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Nico T. Mutters
- Institute for Hygiene and Public Health, University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Evelina Tacconelli
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Diagnostics and Public Health, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
- ESCMID European Committee on Infection Prevention and Control (EUCIC), Basel, Switzerland
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Schmidt M, Hinterleitner C, Singer S, Lauer UM, Zender L, Hinterleitner M. Diagnostic Approaches for Neuroendocrine Neoplasms of Unknown Primary (NEN-UPs) and Their Prognostic Relevance-A Retrospective, Long-Term Single-Center Experience. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:4316. [PMID: 37686593 PMCID: PMC10486951 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15174316] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2023] [Revised: 08/18/2023] [Accepted: 08/25/2023] [Indexed: 09/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Neuroendocrine neoplasms (NENs) represent a rare and heterogenous group of tumors with predominantly gastroenteropancreatic or pulmonary origin. Despite numerous diagnostic efforts, the primary tumor site remains unknown in up to 20% of the patients diagnosed with NEN. In this subgroup of NEN patients, a standard diagnostic algorithm has not yet been integrated into clinical routine. Of note, an undetermined primary tumor site in NENs is associated with an impaired clinical outcome by at least "formally" limiting treatment options exclusively approved for NENs of a certain histological origin. In this retrospective study, a patient cohort of 113 patients initially diagnosed with NEN of unknown primary (NEN-UP) was analyzed. In 13 patients (11.5%) a primary tumor site could be identified subsequently, amongst others, by performing somatostatin receptor (SSTR)-PET-based imaging, which was irrespective of the initial clinical or demographic features. Diagnostic work-up and therapeutic regimens did not differ significantly between patients with an identified or unidentified primary tumor site; only a detailed immunohistochemical assessment providing additional information on the tumor origin proved to be significantly associated with the detection of a primary tumor site. Our study revealed that a profound diagnostic work-up, particularly including SSTR-PET-based imaging, leads to additional treatment options, finally resulting in significantly improved clinical outcomes for patients with NEN-UPs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Moritz Schmidt
- Department of Medical Oncology & Pneumology (Internal Medicine VIII), University Hospital Tuebingen, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany
- ENETS Center of Excellence, University Hospital Tuebingen, Otfried-Mueller-Str. 14, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany;
- DFG Cluster of Excellence 2180 ‘Image-Guided and Functional Instructed Tumor Therapy’ (iFIT), University of Tuebingen, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Clemens Hinterleitner
- Department of Medical Oncology & Pneumology (Internal Medicine VIII), University Hospital Tuebingen, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany
- ENETS Center of Excellence, University Hospital Tuebingen, Otfried-Mueller-Str. 14, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany;
- DFG Cluster of Excellence 2180 ‘Image-Guided and Functional Instructed Tumor Therapy’ (iFIT), University of Tuebingen, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany
- Cancer Biology and Genetics, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Stephan Singer
- ENETS Center of Excellence, University Hospital Tuebingen, Otfried-Mueller-Str. 14, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany;
- Department of Pathology, University Hospital Tuebingen, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Ulrich M. Lauer
- Department of Medical Oncology & Pneumology (Internal Medicine VIII), University Hospital Tuebingen, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany
- ENETS Center of Excellence, University Hospital Tuebingen, Otfried-Mueller-Str. 14, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany;
- DFG Cluster of Excellence 2180 ‘Image-Guided and Functional Instructed Tumor Therapy’ (iFIT), University of Tuebingen, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), 72076 Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Lars Zender
- Department of Medical Oncology & Pneumology (Internal Medicine VIII), University Hospital Tuebingen, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany
- ENETS Center of Excellence, University Hospital Tuebingen, Otfried-Mueller-Str. 14, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany;
- DFG Cluster of Excellence 2180 ‘Image-Guided and Functional Instructed Tumor Therapy’ (iFIT), University of Tuebingen, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), 72076 Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Martina Hinterleitner
- Department of Medical Oncology & Pneumology (Internal Medicine VIII), University Hospital Tuebingen, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany
- ENETS Center of Excellence, University Hospital Tuebingen, Otfried-Mueller-Str. 14, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany;
- DFG Cluster of Excellence 2180 ‘Image-Guided and Functional Instructed Tumor Therapy’ (iFIT), University of Tuebingen, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany
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9
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Suzuki R, Hamada K, Ohkuma R, Homma M, Tsurui T, Iriguchi N, Ishiguro T, Hirasawa Y, Ariizumi H, Kubota Y, Horiike A, Yoshimura K, Wada S, Yamochi T, Tsunoda T. Case Report: Combined pembrolizumab, 5-fluorouracil, and cisplatin therapy were remarkably effective in p16-positive squamous cell carcinoma of unknown primary. Front Oncol 2023; 13:1231986. [PMID: 37496666 PMCID: PMC10365966 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2023.1231986] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2023] [Accepted: 06/22/2023] [Indexed: 07/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Cancer of unknown primary (CUP) is a malignant tumor without a known primary lesion with a frequency of 3-5%. It can be divided into favorable and unfavorable prognosis subsets. While recommended treatments are available for the former group, there is no established treatment for the latter. Here, we report the effective treatment of a 32-year-old woman with p16-positive squamous cell CUP with pembrolizumab plus 5-fluorouracil and cisplatin therapy. Case presentation A 32-year-old woman presented with metastatic lesions in the liver, lung, bone, cervical region, abdominal region, and pelvic lymph nodes. She was diagnosed with p16-positive squamous cell carcinoma of unknown primary origin. The patient received pembrolizumab plus 5-fluorouracil and cisplatin therapy, which markedly reduced the metastasis and improved her Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status after two courses. Conclusion This case report highlights the potential of pembrolizumab plus 5-fluorouracil and cisplatin therapy for treating CUP with an unfavorable prognosis. p16 positivity is worth examining for squamous cell carcinoma of unknown primary origin, and if present, this therapy should be considered a promising treatment option.
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Affiliation(s)
- Risako Suzuki
- Division of Medical Oncology, Department of Medicine, Showa University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Kazuyuki Hamada
- Division of Medical Oncology, Department of Medicine, Showa University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
- Department of Chest Surgery, Fukushima Medical University, Fukushima, Japan
| | - Ryotaro Ohkuma
- Division of Medical Oncology, Department of Medicine, Showa University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Mayumi Homma
- Department of Pathology, Showa University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Toshiaki Tsurui
- Division of Medical Oncology, Department of Medicine, Showa University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Nana Iriguchi
- Division of Medical Oncology, Department of Medicine, Showa University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Tomoyuki Ishiguro
- Division of Medical Oncology, Department of Medicine, Showa University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yuya Hirasawa
- Division of Medical Oncology, Department of Medicine, Showa University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Hirotsugu Ariizumi
- Division of Medical Oncology, Department of Medicine, Showa University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yutaro Kubota
- Division of Medical Oncology, Department of Medicine, Showa University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Atsushi Horiike
- Division of Medical Oncology, Department of Medicine, Showa University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Kiyoshi Yoshimura
- Division of Medical Oncology, Department of Medicine, Showa University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
- Department of Clinical Immuno Oncology, Clinical Research Institute for Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Showa University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Satoshi Wada
- Division of Medical Oncology, Department of Medicine, Showa University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
- Department of Clinical Diagnostic Oncology, Clinical Research Institute of Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Showa University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Toshiko Yamochi
- Department of Pathology, Showa University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Takuya Tsunoda
- Division of Medical Oncology, Department of Medicine, Showa University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
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10
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Qu LX, Li JM, Zhong XJ, Chen B, Chen YX, Gao JP, Li X. Cancer of unknown primary site in the mandibular region: A case report. Oncol Lett 2023; 25:210. [PMID: 37123027 PMCID: PMC10131278 DOI: 10.3892/ol.2023.13796] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2022] [Accepted: 01/20/2023] [Indexed: 04/09/2023] Open
Abstract
The diagnosis and treatment of cancer of unknown primary site (CUP) present with difficulties and produce a poor prognosis. The current study presents the case of a patient with CUP in the mandibular region was treated with docetaxel and lobaplatin chemotherapy, and vascular embolization of the tumor. The tumor size was markedly reduced and the patient's quality of life improved following radiotherapy. The present case report is accompanied by a discussion of the literature to contextualize the treatment regimen for patients with CUP. These findings will support current treatment practices, inform oncologists and benefit patients with cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li-Xin Qu
- Fifth Department of Oncology, Jinshazhou Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510168, P.R. China
| | - Jin-Mei Li
- Fifth Department of Oncology, Jinshazhou Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510168, P.R. China
| | - Xiao-Jun Zhong
- Department of Intervention, Guangzhou Fuda Cancer Hospital, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510665, P.R. China
| | - Bo Chen
- Co-operation and Co-construction Support Department, Guangzhou KingMed Center for Clinical Laboratory Co., Ltd., Guangzhou, Guangdong 510030, P.R. China
| | - Yu-Xu Chen
- Fifth Department of Oncology, Jinshazhou Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510168, P.R. China
| | - Jin-Ping Gao
- International Tumor Medical Center, Jinshazhou Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510168, P.R. China
| | - Xiang Li
- Fifth Department of Oncology, Jinshazhou Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510168, P.R. China
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11
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Hermans KEPE, Kazemzadeh F, Loef C, Jansen RLH, Nagtegaal ID, van den Brandt PA, Schouten LJ. Risk factors for cancer of unknown primary: a literature review. BMC Cancer 2023; 23:314. [PMID: 37020279 PMCID: PMC10077635 DOI: 10.1186/s12885-023-10794-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2022] [Accepted: 03/30/2023] [Indexed: 04/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Cancer of Unknown Primary (CUP) is metastatic cancer with an unidentifiable primary tumour origin during life. It remains difficult to study the occurrence and aetiology of CUP. Hitherto, it is unclear whether risk factors are associated with CUP, yet identifying these factors could reveal whether CUP is a specific entity or a cluster of metastasised cancers from various primary tumour origins. Epidemiological studies on possible CUP risk factors were systematically searched in PubMed and Web of Science on February 1st, 2022. Studies, published before 2022, were included if they were observational human-based, provided relative risk estimates, and investigated possible CUP risk factors. A total of 5 case-control and 14 cohort studies were included. There appears to be an increased risk for smoking in relation to CUP. However, limited suggestive evidence was found to link alcohol consumption, diabetes mellitus, and family history of cancer as increased risks for CUP. No conclusive associations could be made for anthropometry, food intake (animal or plant-based), immunity disorders, lifestyle (overall), physical activity, or socioeconomic status and CUP risk. No other CUP risk factors have been studied. This review highlights smoking, alcohol consumption, diabetes mellitus and family history of cancer as CUP risk factors. Yet, there remains insufficient epidemiological evidence to conclude that CUP has its own specific risk factor profile.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karlijn E P E Hermans
- Department of Epidemiology, GROW School for Oncology and Reproduction, Maastricht University, PO Box 616, 6200 MD, Maastricht, the Netherlands.
| | - Fatemeh Kazemzadeh
- Department of Pathology, Radboud University Medical Centre, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Caroline Loef
- Department of Research, Comprehensive Cancer Organization the Netherlands, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Rob L H Jansen
- Department of Research, Comprehensive Cancer Organization the Netherlands, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Iris D Nagtegaal
- Department of Pathology, Radboud University Medical Centre, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Piet A van den Brandt
- Department of Epidemiology, GROW School for Oncology and Reproduction, Maastricht University, PO Box 616, 6200 MD, Maastricht, the Netherlands
| | - Leo J Schouten
- Department of Epidemiology, GROW School for Oncology and Reproduction, Maastricht University, PO Box 616, 6200 MD, Maastricht, the Netherlands
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12
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From Biology to Diagnosis and Treatment: The Ariadne’s Thread in Cancer of Unknown Primary. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24065588. [PMID: 36982662 PMCID: PMC10053301 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24065588] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2023] [Revised: 03/10/2023] [Accepted: 03/13/2023] [Indexed: 03/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Cancer of unknown primary (CUP) encloses a group of heterogeneous tumours, the primary sites for which cannot be identified at the time of diagnosis, despite extensive investigations. CUP has always posed major challenges both in its diagnosis and management, leading to the hypothesis that it is rather a distinct entity with specific genetic and phenotypic aberrations, considering the regression or dormancy of the primary tumour; the development of early, uncommon systemic metastases; and the resistance to therapy. Patients with CUP account for 1–3% of all human malignancies and can be categorised into two prognostic subsets according to their clinicopathologic characteristics at presentation. The diagnosis of CUP mainly depends on the standard evaluation comprising a thorough medical history; complete physical examination; histopathologic morphology and algorithmic immunohistochemistry assessment; and CT scan of the chest, abdomen, and pelvis. However, physicians and patients do not fare well with these criteria and often perform additional time-consuming evaluations to identify the primary tumour site to guide treatment decisions. The development of molecularly guided diagnostic strategies has emerged to complement traditional procedures but has been disappointing thus far. In this review, we present the latest data on CUP regarding the biology, molecular profiling, classification, diagnostic workup, and treatment.
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13
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Bin Y, Deng W, Hu H, Zeng Q, Chen J, Xu Y, Dai Y, Liao A, Xiao W. RASSF1A inhibits epithelial-mesenchymal transition of gastric cancer cells by downregulating P-JNK. Cell Biol Int 2023; 47:573-583. [PMID: 36404583 DOI: 10.1002/cbin.11958] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2021] [Revised: 10/18/2022] [Accepted: 10/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Gastric cancer (GC) is one of the most common gastrointestinal tumors. In this study, we assessed the biological role of Ras association domain family 1 isoform A (RASSF1A) in GC cells. Expressions of RASSF1A and the relationship of RASSF1A with epithelial-mesenchymal transformation (EMT)-related proteins were assessed in five cell lines using Western blot. GC cells with RASSF1A overexpression were used to study sensitivity to cisplatin, migration, invasion, and the expression of EMT-associated biomarkers. GC cells showed profound downregulation of RASSF1A expression compared with normal human gastric mucosal cells. High RASSF1A expression was associated with increased overall survival. Overexpression of RASSF1A regulates GC cells activity and the expression of EMT-associated biomarkers. RASSF1A regulates E-cadherin and Vimentin through P-JNK pathway. Our results revealed that RASSF1A can inhibit the proliferation, migration, and invasion of GC cells via E-cadherin. Our study provides insights for further research on GC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuling Bin
- The First Affiliated Hospital, Department of Gastroenterology, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, Hunan, China
| | - Wenbing Deng
- The First Affiliated Hospital, Department of Gastroenterology, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, Hunan, China
| | - Hongsai Hu
- Department of Gastroenterology, ZhuZhou Central Hospital, Zhuzhou, Hunan, China
| | - Qiong Zeng
- Department of Geratology, LouDi Central Hospital, Loudi, Hunan, China
| | - Juan Chen
- The First Affiliated Hospital, Department of Gastroenterology, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, Hunan, China
| | - Yanqing Xu
- Department of Gastroenterology, AnXiang People's Hospital, Anxiang, Hunan, China
| | - Yong Dai
- The First Affiliated Hospital, Department of Gastroenterology, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, Hunan, China
| | - Aijun Liao
- The First Affiliated Hospital, Department of Gastroenterology, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, Hunan, China
| | - Weisheng Xiao
- The First Affiliated Hospital, Department of Gastroenterology, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, Hunan, China
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14
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Circulating Tumor DNA Methylation Biomarkers for Characterization and Determination of the Cancer Origin in Malignant Liver Tumors. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:cancers15030859. [PMID: 36765815 PMCID: PMC9913861 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15030859] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2022] [Revised: 01/25/2023] [Accepted: 01/26/2023] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Malignant liver tumors include primary malignant liver tumors and liver metastases. They are among the most common malignancies worldwide. The disease has a poor prognosis and poor overall survival, especially with liver metastases. Therefore, early detection and differentiation between malignant liver tumors are critical for patient treatment selection. The detection of cancer and the prediction of its origin is possible with a DNA methylation profile of the tumor DNA compared to that of normal cells, which reflects tissue differentiation and malignant transformation. New technologies enable the characterization of the tumor methylome in circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA), providing a variety of new ctDNA methylation biomarkers, which can provide additional information to clinical decision-making. Our review of the literature provides insight into methylation changes in ctDNA from patients with common malignant liver tumors and can serve as a starting point for further research.
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15
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van der Strate I, Kazemzadeh F, Nagtegaal ID, Robbrecht D, van de Wouw A, Padilla CS, Duijts S, Esteller M, Greco FA, Pavlidis N, Qaseem A, Snaebjornsson P, van Zanten SV, Loef C. International consensus on the initial diagnostic workup of cancer of unknown primary. Crit Rev Oncol Hematol 2023; 181:103868. [PMID: 36435296 DOI: 10.1016/j.critrevonc.2022.103868] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2022] [Revised: 11/04/2022] [Accepted: 11/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Although the incidence of Cancer of Unknown Primary (CUP) is estimated to be 1-2 % of all cancers worldwide, no international standards for diagnostic workup are yet established. Such an international guideline would facilitate international comparison, provide adequate incidence and survival rates, and ultimately improve care of patients with CUP. METHODS Participants for a four round modified Delphi study were selected via a CUP literature search in PubMed and an international network of cancer researchers. A total of 90 CUP experts were invited, and 34 experts from 15 countries over four continents completed all Delphi survey rounds. FINDINGS The Delphi procedure resulted in a multi-layer CUP classification for the diagnostic workup. Initial diagnostic workup should at least consist of history and physical examination, full blood count, analysis of serum markers, a biopsy of the most accessible lesion, a CT scan of chest/abdomen/pelvis, and immunohistochemical testing. Additionally, the expert panel agreed on the need of an ideal diagnostic lead time for CUP patients. There was no full consensus on the place in diagnostic workup of symptom-guided MRI or ultrasound, a PET/CT scan, targeted gene panels, immunohistochemical markers, and whole genome sequencing. INTERPRETATION Consensus was reached on the contents of the first diagnostic layer of a multi-layer CUP classification. This is a first step towards full consensus on CUP diagnostics, that should also include supplementary and advanced diagnostics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iris van der Strate
- Department of Research and Development, Comprehensive Cancer Organization the Netherlands, Utrecht, the Netherlands.
| | - Fatemeh Kazemzadeh
- Department of Pathology, Radboud University Medical Centre, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Iris D Nagtegaal
- Department of Pathology, Radboud University Medical Centre, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Debbie Robbrecht
- Medical Oncology, Erasmus MC Cancer Institute, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Agnes van de Wouw
- Department of Medical Oncology, VieCuri Medical Center, Venlo, the Netherlands
| | - Catarina S Padilla
- Department of Research and Development, Comprehensive Cancer Organization the Netherlands, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Saskia Duijts
- Department of Research and Development, Comprehensive Cancer Organization the Netherlands, Utrecht, the Netherlands; Department of Medical Psychology, Cancer Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Manel Esteller
- Josep Carreras Leukemia Research Institute (IJC), Badalona, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain; Centro de Investigacion Biomedica en Red Cancer (CIBERONC), Madrid, Spain; Institucio Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats (ICREA), Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain; Physiological Sciences Department, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Barcelona (UB), Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - F Anthony Greco
- Sarah Cannon Research Institute and Cancer Center, Tennessee Oncology, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Nicholas Pavlidis
- Medical School, University of Ioannina, Stavros Niarchou Avenue, 45110, Ioannina, Greece
| | - Amir Qaseem
- American College of Physicians, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Petur Snaebjornsson
- Department of Pathology, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, 1066 CX, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Sophie Veldhuijzen van Zanten
- Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Erasmus MC, Dr. Molewaterplein 40, 3015 GD, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Caroline Loef
- Department of Research and Development, Comprehensive Cancer Organization the Netherlands, Utrecht, the Netherlands
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16
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Yang H, He F, Xu W, Cao Z. Clinical features of cancer with unknown primary site (clinical features, treatment, prognosis of cancer with unknown primary site). BMC Cancer 2022; 22:1372. [PMID: 36587212 PMCID: PMC9805240 DOI: 10.1186/s12885-022-10472-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2022] [Accepted: 12/21/2022] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Cancer of unknown primary site(CUPs) is a metastatic syndrome with an unidentifiable primary tumor, even after extensive workup to seek the primary site. CUPs accounts for about 3%-5% of the total number of all cancer diagnoses worldwide. The current precision medicine era has reclassified patients with CUPs into the favorable and unfavorable prognostic subset. In this study clinical characteristics and treatment of patients of CUPs were retropactively analysed. Thirty-two patients treated from July 2016 to October 2021 were included in the Affiliated Tumor Hospital of Tianjin Medical University(Tianjin, China).Common symptoms were anemia, fever, enlarged lymph nodes, abdominal pain, edema/multiple serous cavity effusion. Patients with good prognostic factors achieved good outcomes with treatment, conversely, patients with poor prognosis were generally treated empirically and had poorer outcomes. After anti-tumor treatment, the total effective rate was 41 percent(41% was the percentage of patients who achievedtumour respons). To the end of follow-up, after anti-tumor treatment, the median Overall Survival(OS) of patients was 5.4 months.
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Affiliation(s)
- HongLiang Yang
- Institute of Medical Engineering and Translational Medicine, Tianjin University, Tianjin, People’s Republic of China
- Department of Hematology, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin’s Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin, Ti-Yuan-Bei, Huan-Hu-Xi-Road, Tianjin, People’s Republic of China
| | - Feng He
- Institute of Medical Engineering and Translational Medicine, Tianjin University, Tianjin, People’s Republic of China
| | - Wen Xu
- Department of Hematology, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin’s Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin, Ti-Yuan-Bei, Huan-Hu-Xi-Road, Tianjin, People’s Republic of China
| | - Zeng Cao
- Department of Hematology, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin’s Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin, Ti-Yuan-Bei, Huan-Hu-Xi-Road, Tianjin, People’s Republic of China
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17
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Davalos V, Esteller M. Cancer epigenetics in clinical practice. CA Cancer J Clin 2022. [PMID: 36512337 DOI: 10.3322/caac.21765] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 31.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2022] [Revised: 10/07/2022] [Accepted: 10/20/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer development is driven by the accumulation of alterations affecting the structure and function of the genome. Whereas genetic changes disrupt the DNA sequence, epigenetic alterations contribute to the acquisition of hallmark tumor capabilities by regulating gene expression programs that promote tumorigenesis. Shifts in DNA methylation and histone mark patterns, the two main epigenetic modifications, orchestrate tumor progression and metastasis. These cancer-specific events have been exploited as useful tools for diagnosis, monitoring, and treatment choice to aid clinical decision making. Moreover, the reversibility of epigenetic modifications, in contrast to the irreversibility of genetic changes, has made the epigenetic machinery an attractive target for drug development. This review summarizes the most advanced applications of epigenetic biomarkers and epigenetic drugs in the clinical setting, highlighting commercially available DNA methylation-based assays and epigenetic drugs already approved by the US Food and Drug Administration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Veronica Davalos
- Josep Carreras Leukaemia Research Institute, Badalona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Manel Esteller
- Josep Carreras Leukaemia Research Institute, Badalona, Catalonia, Spain
- Centro de Investigacion Biomedica en Red Cancer, Madrid, Spain
- Physiological Sciences Department, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
- Institucio Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avancats, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
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18
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Meulemans J, Voortmans J, Nuyts S, Daisne JF, Clement P, Laenen A, Delaere P, Van Lierde C, Poorten VV. Cervical squamous cell carcinoma of unknown primary: Oncological outcomes and prognostic factors. Front Oncol 2022; 12:1024414. [PMID: 36452507 PMCID: PMC9702087 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.1024414] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2022] [Accepted: 10/26/2022] [Indexed: 09/01/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES Cervical squamous cell carcinoma of unknown primary (SCCUP) is a rare entity within head and neck cancer and both treatment regimens as well as identified potential predictors for oncological outcomes vary between published series. In this study, we evaluated oncological outcomes and identified potential prognostic factors for outcome. PATIENTS AND METHODS This retrospective monocentric cohort study includes 82 SCCUP patients diagnosed and treated between January 2000 and June 2021. Overall survival (OS), disease-specific survival (DSS), disease-free survival (DFS) and locoregional recurrence-free survival (LRFS) were evaluated. The Cox proportional hazards model was used to analyze the prognostic effect of patient and tumor characteristics on oncological outcomes. RESULTS Five year OS, DSS, DFS and LRFS were respectively 53.9%, 72.2%, 68.9% and 67.3%. The p16 status was evaluated in 55 patients with 40% being p16 positive. On univariable analysis, p16 negative SCCUPs had significantly worse survival and recurrence rates in the presence of clinical extranodal extension (cENE) (OS: p=0.0013, DSS: p=0.0099, DFS: p=0.0164, LRFS: p=0.0099) and radiological extranodal extension (rENE) (OS: p=0.0034, DSS: p=0.0137, DFS: p=0.0167, LRFS: p=0.0100). In p16 positive SCCUP patients, rENE had a significantly negative prognostic effect on DFS (p=0.0345) and LRFS (p=0.0367). Total group multivariate analysis identified rENE as an independent negative predictor for all oncological outcomes. The "number of positive lymph nodes" was a second independent predictor for DSS (p=0.0257) and DFS (p=0.0435). CONCLUSIONS We report favorable oncological outcomes, comparable to previously published results. Although the presence of rENE seems associated with poor oncological outcomes, the differential effect of clinical, radiological and pathological ENE in both p16 positive and negative subgroups remain to be elucidated by further prospective research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeroen Meulemans
- Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Department of Oncology, Section Head and Neck Oncology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Jens Voortmans
- Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Department of Oncology, Section Head and Neck Oncology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Sandra Nuyts
- Radiation Oncology, University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Department of Oncology, Section Experimental Radiotherapy, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | | | - Paul Clement
- Medical Oncology, University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Annouschka Laenen
- Interuniversity Institute for Biostatistics and Statistical Bioinformatics, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Pierre Delaere
- Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Charlotte Van Lierde
- Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Department of Oncology, Section Head and Neck Oncology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Vincent Vander Poorten
- Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Department of Oncology, Section Head and Neck Oncology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
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19
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Kaczorowski M, Chłopek M, Kruczak A, Ryś J, Lasota J, Miettinen M. PRAME Expression in Cancer. A Systematic Immunohistochemical Study of >5800 Epithelial and Nonepithelial Tumors. Am J Surg Pathol 2022; 46:1467-1476. [PMID: 35973038 PMCID: PMC9588667 DOI: 10.1097/pas.0000000000001944] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Preferentially expressed antigen in melanoma (PRAME) is considered a useful marker in the differential diagnosis between malignant melanoma and its melanocytic mimics. Recently PRAME expression was documented in nonmelanocytic tumors, but much of the data are based on mRNA studies. This investigation evaluated PRAME expression in the spectrum of normal tissues and >5800 human tumors using immunohistochemistry and EP461 monoclonal antibody. In normal tissues, PRAME was expressed in the testis and proliferative endometrium. In tumors, PRAME was variably expressed in malignancies of different lineages. Among epithelial tumors, >50% of PRAME-positive lesions were found among endometrial carcinomas (82%), uterine serous carcinomas (82%), uterine carcinosarcomas (60%), ovarian clear cell carcinomas (90%), ovarian serous carcinomas (63%), adenoid cystic carcinomas (81%), seminomas (78%), thymic carcinomas (75%), and basal cell carcinomas (62%). In mesenchymal and neuroectodermal malignancies, PRAME was frequently expressed in synovial sarcoma (71%), myxoid liposarcoma (76%), neuroblastoma (61%) and metastatic melanoma (87%). Also, PRAME was consistently expressed in 4 melanomas that lacked all melanoma markers including S100 protein and SOX10 but harbored typical for melanoma BRAF or NRAS driver mutations. However, strong and diffuse PRAME immunoreactivity was seen in many types of nonmelanocytic poorly differentiated carcinomas and sarcomas. Based on this study, PRAME is a relatively unspecific immunohistochemical marker, which limits its use in diagnostic surgical pathology. However, immunohistochemistry is a reliable and unexpensive method useful in detecting PRAME-positive malignancies for potential immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maciej Kaczorowski
- Laboratory of Pathology, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Pathology, Wroclaw Medical University, Wrocław, Poland
| | - Małgorzata Chłopek
- Laboratory of Pathology, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Anna Kruczak
- Department of Tumor Pathology, Maria Skłodowska-Curie National Research Institute of Oncology, Cracow Branch, Poland
| | - Janusz Ryś
- Department of Tumor Pathology, Maria Skłodowska-Curie National Research Institute of Oncology, Cracow Branch, Poland
| | - Jerzy Lasota
- Laboratory of Pathology, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Markku Miettinen
- Laboratory of Pathology, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
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20
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Zeng DB, Chang C, Liu XS, Gao Y, Wang YL, Pei ZJ. Magnetic resonance imaging and 18F-fludeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography findings of retroperitoneal clear cell carcinoma with an unknown primary site: A case report. Front Med (Lausanne) 2022; 9:1024008. [PMID: 36388941 PMCID: PMC9663478 DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2022.1024008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2022] [Accepted: 09/30/2022] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Herein, we report a case of retroperitoneal clear cell carcinoma (RCCC) with an unknown primary site that was confirmed via pathology. A 46-year-old man presented with low-grade fever, hyperhidrosis, and nightly fatigue that had occurred for the last 20 days. His weight had decreased significantly within the past 2 months (approximately 12 kg). On abdominal ultrasound, a mass was observed near the left renal hilum. In addition, enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the abdomen revealed a retroperitoneal nodular mass; however, no abnormalities in either kidney or adrenal glands were observed. 18F-fludeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography (18F-FDG PET/CT) demonstrated an intensely FDG-avid retroperitoneal mass, the maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax) was 19.6. On March 8, 2021, left retroperitoneal lesion resection, retroperitoneal lymph node dissection, and double kidney exploration were performed under general anesthesia. A post-operative pathological examination revealed Poorly differentiated clear cell carcinoma (left retroperitoneal) and metastatic lymph nodes. Immunohistochemical findings showed that the tumor originated from the kidney. At 6-month follow-up, reexamination of the patient revealed retroperitoneal lesion recurrence; however, no abnormalities were observable via enhanced computed tomography (CT) of both kidneys. To our knowledge, there have been no previous reports of RCCC of unknown origin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dao-Bing Zeng
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Taihe Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, China
| | - Chan Chang
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Taihe Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, China
| | - Xu-Sheng Liu
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Taihe Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, China
| | - Yan Gao
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Taihe Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, China
| | - Ya-Lan Wang
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Taihe Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, China
| | - Zhi-Jun Pei
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Taihe Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, China
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21
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Mei J, Wang H, Fan H, Ding J, Xu J. Case Report: Successful Immunotherapy Improved the Prognosis of the Unfavorable Subset of Cancer of Unknown Primary. Front Immunol 2022; 13:900119. [PMID: 35812375 PMCID: PMC9256999 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.900119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2022] [Accepted: 05/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Cancer of unknown primary (CUP) is heterogeneous and has a wide variety of clinical presentations and a poor prognosis in most patients, with a median overall survival of only 6 months. The development of molecular profiling contributes to precision therapy, and targeted drugs and immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) greatly promote individualized treatment. Case presentation Here, we reported a case of an unfavorable subset of CUP who had a long time of survival after the immunotherapy-prominent comprehensive treatment. A 48-year-old man presented with back pain and a cough. A diagnostic work-up showed bone marrow, multiple bones, and lymph node metastasis. Lymph node pathology implies metastatic poorly differentiated cancer. Next-generation sequencing (NGS) showed no special targets, but the tumor proportion score (TPS) of programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) was 80% and the tumor mutation burden (TMB) was 16.7 per million bases. After two cycles of pembrolizumab 200 mg D1 plus nanoparticle albumin-bound (nab)-paclitaxel 200 mg D1&8 (q3w), PET-CT and bone marrow aspiration cytology showed a complete response (CR). Subsequently, pembrolizumab alone was used for three months. The left inguinal lymph nodes showed new metastasis. After two cycles of the combination treatment of pembrolizumab and (nab)-paclitaxel, a partial response (PR) was achieved. After seven months, retroperitoneal lymph nodes showed new metastasis, and the sequential treatment with radiotherapy and pembrolizumab exhibited encouraging efficacy. To date, the patient has survived nearly 40 months with the combination therapy. Conclusions The ICI-prominent comprehensive treatment provided clinical benefit for the reported case of CUP. Thus, CUP patients with markers of benefiting from immunotherapy should be actively treated with immunotherapy to improve their prognosis.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Junli Ding
- *Correspondence: Junying Xu, ; Junli Ding,
| | - Junying Xu
- *Correspondence: Junying Xu, ; Junli Ding,
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22
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Gore S, Azad RK. CancerNet: a unified deep learning network for pan-cancer diagnostics. BMC Bioinformatics 2022; 23:229. [PMID: 35698059 PMCID: PMC9195411 DOI: 10.1186/s12859-022-04783-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2022] [Accepted: 06/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Despite remarkable advances in cancer research, cancer remains one of the leading causes of death worldwide. Early detection of cancer and localization of the tissue of its origin are key to effective treatment. Here, we leverage technological advances in machine learning or artificial intelligence to design a novel framework for cancer diagnostics. Our proposed framework detects cancers and their tissues of origin using a unified model of cancers encompassing 33 cancers represented in The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). Our model exploits the learned features of different cancers reflected in the respective dysregulated epigenomes, which arise early in carcinogenesis and differ remarkably between different cancer types or subtypes, thus holding a great promise in early cancer detection. Results Our comprehensive assessment of the proposed model on the 33 different tissues of origin demonstrates its ability to detect and classify cancers to a high accuracy (> 99% overall F-measure). Furthermore, our model distinguishes cancers from pre-cancerous lesions to metastatic tumors and discriminates between hypomethylation changes due to age related epigenetic drift and true cancer. Conclusions Beyond detection of primary cancers, our proposed computational model also robustly detects tissues of origin of secondary cancers, including metastatic cancers, second primary cancers, and cancers of unknown primaries. Our assessment revealed the ability of this model to characterize pre-cancer samples, a significant step forward in early cancer detection. Deployed broadly this model can deliver accurate diagnosis for a greatly expanded target patient population. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12859-022-04783-y.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steven Gore
- Department of Biological Sciences and BioDiscovery Institute, University of North Texas, Denton, TX, 76203, USA
| | - Rajeev K Azad
- Department of Biological Sciences and BioDiscovery Institute, University of North Texas, Denton, TX, 76203, USA. .,Department of Mathematics, University of North Texas, Denton, TX, 76203, USA.
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23
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Zhang S, Qamar SA, Junaid M, Munir B, Ain Q, Bilal M. Algal Polysaccharides‐based Nanoparticles for Targeted Drug Delivery Applications. STARCH-STARKE 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/star.202200014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Shuangshuang Zhang
- School of Food Science and Technology Jiangsu Food and Pharmaceutical Science College Huaian 223003 China
| | - Sarmad Ahmad Qamar
- State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering and School of Biotechnology East China University of Science and Technology Shanghai 200237 China
| | - Muhammad Junaid
- Department of Biochemistry Government College University Faisalabad Pakistan
| | - Bushra Munir
- Institute of Chemistry University of Sargodha Sargodha 40100 Pakistan
| | - Qurat‐ul Ain
- School of Biochemistry and Biotechnology University of Punjab Lahore Punjab Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Bilal
- School of Life Science and Food Engineering Huaiyin Institute of Technology Huaian 223003 China
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24
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Pan-cancer methylome analysis for cancer diagnosis and classification of cancer cell of origin. Cancer Gene Ther 2022; 29:428-436. [PMID: 34744163 DOI: 10.1038/s41417-021-00401-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2021] [Revised: 09/26/2021] [Accepted: 10/14/2021] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
The accurate and early diagnosis and classification of cancer origin from either tissue or liquid biopsy is crucial for selecting the appropriate treatment and reducing cancer-related mortality. Here, we established the CAncer Cell-of-Origin (CACO) methylation panel using the methylation data of the 28 types of cancer in The Cancer Genome Atlas (7950 patients and 707 normal controls) as well as healthy whole blood samples (95 subjects). We showed that the CACO methylation panel had high diagnostic potential with high sensitivity and specificity in the discovery (maximum AUC = 0.998) and validation (maximum AUC = 1.000) cohorts. Moreover, we confirmed that the CACO methylation panel could identify the cancer cell type of origin using the methylation profile from liquid as well as tissue biopsy, including primary, metastatic, and multiregional cancer samples and cancer of unknown primary, independent of the methylation analysis platform and specimen preparation method. Together, the CACO methylation panel can be a powerful tool for the classification and diagnosis of cancer.
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25
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Yu B, Wang Q, Liu X, Hu S, Zhou L, Xu Q, Sun Y, Hu X, Luo Z, Zhang X. Case Report: Molecular Profiling Assists in the Diagnosis and Treatment of Cancer of Unknown Primary. Front Oncol 2022; 12:723140. [PMID: 35433426 PMCID: PMC9005951 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.723140] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2021] [Accepted: 02/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Background For cancer of unknown primary (CUP), non-selective empiric chemotherapy is usually used. However, patients suffering from CUP are generally assumed to have a dismal prognosis with median overall survival of less than 1 year. Therefore, clinicians eagerly await the establishment of effective strategies for diagnosis and treatment. In recent years, the remarkable advances in next-generation sequencing (NGS) technology have enabled the wide usage of DNA/RNA sequencing to comprehensively analyze the molecular information of individual tumors and identify potential targets for patients’ diagnosis and treatment. Here, we describe a patient of CUP who was successfully diagnosed and treated with targeted therapy directed by comprehensive molecular profiling. Case Presentation A 61-year-old Asian woman with a painless, slow-growing mass lesion in the mesosternum underwent fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography/computed tomography and was found to have malignant metastatic tumors in the mesosternum. Conventional pathological examination of metastatic lesions could not conclude the primary origin of the tumors. The patient was diagnosed with CUP at first. Then, comprehensive molecular profiling was employed to identify the tumor origin and genetic alterations. A gene expression-based tissue origin assay was performed using a tissue biopsy sample. The test result suggested that the lesion tumors might be breast cancer metastasis. Furthermore, liquid biopsy-based circulating tumor DNA profiling detected an ERBB2 copy number amplification. Subsequent surgery and additional postoperative pathology analysis confirmed that the primary tumor site was indeed located in the right outer upper quadrant of the breast. After local surgical resection, the patient received 8 cycles of Docetaxel + Carboplatin + Trastuzumab + Pertuzumab (TCbHP) chemotherapy with subsequent human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-targeted maintenance therapy. Currently, the patient is on regular follow-up and has achieved disease control for up to 6 months. Conclusion Our findings suggest that molecular identification of the tumor origin and the detection of actionable molecular alterations may offer promise for improved diagnostic accuracy and important therapeutic implications for patients with the CUP syndrome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bo Yu
- Department of Medical Oncology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China.,Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Qifeng Wang
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.,Department of Pathology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China
| | - Xin Liu
- Department of Medical Oncology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China.,Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Silong Hu
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.,Department of Nuclear Medicine, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China
| | - Liangping Zhou
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.,Department of Radiology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China
| | - Qinghua Xu
- Canhelp Genomics Research Center, Canhelp Genomics, Hangzhou, China.,Institute of Machine Learning and Systems Biology, College of Electronics and Information Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yifeng Sun
- Canhelp Genomics Research Center, Canhelp Genomics, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xichun Hu
- Department of Medical Oncology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China.,Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Zhiguo Luo
- Department of Medical Oncology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China.,Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiaowei Zhang
- Department of Medical Oncology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China.,Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
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26
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de la Haba-Rodriguez J, Lloret FF, Salgado MAV, Arce MO, Gutiérrez AC, Jiménez JGD, Zambrano CB, Alonso RMR, López RL, Salas NR. SEOM-GETTHI clinical guideline for the practical management of molecular platforms (2021). Clin Transl Oncol 2022; 24:693-702. [PMID: 35362851 PMCID: PMC8986692 DOI: 10.1007/s12094-022-02817-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The improvement of molecular alterations in cancer as well as the development of technology has allowed us to bring closer to clinical practice the determination of molecular alterations in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer. The use of multidetermination platforms is spreading in most Spanish hospitals. The objective of these clinical practice guides is to review their usefulness, and establish usage guidelines that guide their incorporation into clinical practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan de la Haba-Rodriguez
- Department of Medical Oncology, Hospital Universitario Reina Sofia, Instituto Maimonides de Investigacion Biomedica, Universidad de Córdoba, Córdoba, Spain
| | | | | | - Martín Oré Arce
- Department of Medical Oncology, Hospital Marina Baixa de Villajoyosa, Alicante, Spain
| | - Ana Cardeña Gutiérrez
- Department of Medical Oncology, Hospital Universitario Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria, Tenerife, Spain
| | | | - Carmen Beato Zambrano
- Department of Medical Oncology, Hospital Universitario de Jerez de la Frontera, Cádiz, Spain
| | | | - Rafael López López
- Department of Medical Oncology, Complejo Hospitalario Universitario de Santiago, La Coruña, Spain
| | - Nuria Rodriguez Salas
- Department of Medical Oncology, Hospital La Paz, P de la Castellana, 261 - 28046, Madrid, Spain.
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27
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Multi-omics strategies for personalized and predictive medicine: past, current, and future translational opportunities. Emerg Top Life Sci 2022; 6:215-225. [PMID: 35234253 DOI: 10.1042/etls20210244] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2021] [Revised: 02/13/2022] [Accepted: 02/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Precision medicine is driven by the paradigm shift of empowering clinicians to predict the most appropriate course of action for patients with complex diseases and improve routine medical and public health practice. It promotes integrating collective and individualized clinical data with patient specific multi-omics data to develop therapeutic strategies, and knowledgebase for predictive and personalized medicine in diverse populations. This study is based on the hypothesis that understanding patient's metabolomics and genetic make-up in conjunction with clinical data will significantly lead to determining predisposition, diagnostic, prognostic and predictive biomarkers and optimal paths providing personalized care for diverse and targeted chronic, acute, and infectious diseases. This study briefs emerging significant, and recently reported multi-omics and translational approaches aimed to facilitate implementation of precision medicine. Furthermore, it discusses current grand challenges, and the future need of Findable, Accessible, Intelligent, and Reproducible (FAIR) approach to accelerate diagnostic and preventive care delivery strategies beyond traditional symptom-driven, disease-causal medical practice.
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28
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Non-Epithelial Ovarian Cancers: How Much Do We Really Know? INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:ijerph19031106. [PMID: 35162125 PMCID: PMC8834485 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19031106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2021] [Revised: 01/07/2022] [Accepted: 01/17/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Non-epithelial ovarian cancers (NEOC) are a group of uncommon malignancies that mainly includes germ cell tumours (GCT), sex cord-stromal tumours (SCST), and some extremely rare tumours, such as small cell carcinomas and sarcomas. Each of these classifications encompasses multiple histologic subtypes. The aetiology and molecular origins of each sub-group of NEOC require further investigation, and our understanding on the genetic changes should be optimised. In this article, we provide an update on the clinical presentation, pathology, genetics, treatment and survival of the main histological subtypes of the GCT and the SCST, as well as of ovarian small cell carcinomas. We also discuss miRNA expression profiles of NEOC and report the currently active clinical trials that include NEOC.
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29
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Ahmed Z. Precision medicine with multi-omics strategies, deep phenotyping, and predictive analysis. PROGRESS IN MOLECULAR BIOLOGY AND TRANSLATIONAL SCIENCE 2022; 190:101-125. [DOI: 10.1016/bs.pmbts.2022.02.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
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30
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Buqué A, Montrose DC, Galluzzi L. Emergent impact of lifestyle on tumor progression and response to therapy. INTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2022; 373:ix-xvii. [DOI: 10.1016/s1937-6448(22)00132-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
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31
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Occult triple negative male breast cancer. The usefulness of molecular platforms. A case report. CURRENT PROBLEMS IN CANCER: CASE REPORTS 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cpccr.2021.100097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
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32
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Zhang Y, Xia L, Ma D, Wu J, Xu X, Xu Y. 90-Gene Expression Profiling for Tissue Origin Diagnosis of Cancer of Unknown Primary. Front Oncol 2021; 11:722808. [PMID: 34692498 PMCID: PMC8529103 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2021.722808] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2021] [Accepted: 09/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer of unknown primary (CUP), in which metastatic diseases exist without an identifiable primary location, accounts for about 3-5% of all cancer diagnoses. Successful diagnosis and treatment of such patients are difficult. This study aimed to assess the expression characteristics of 90 genes as a method of identifying the primary site from CUP samples. We validated a 90-gene expression assay and explored its potential diagnostic utility in 44 patients at Jiangsu Cancer Hospital. For each specimen, the expression of 90 tumor-specific genes in malignant tumors was analyzed, and similarity scores were obtained. The types of malignant tumors predicted were compared with the reference diagnosis to calculate the accuracy. In addition, we verified the consistency of the expression profiles of the 90 genes in CUP secondary malignancies and metastatic malignancies in The Cancer Genome Atlas. We also reported a detailed description of the next-generation coding sequences for CUP patients. For each clinical medical specimen collected, the type of malignant tumor predicted and analyzed by the 90-gene expression assay was compared with its reference diagnosis, and the overall accuracy was 95.4%. In addition, the 90-gene expression profile generally accurately classified CUP into the cluster of its primary tumor. Sequencing of the exome transcriptome containing 556 high-frequency gene mutation oncogenes was not significantly related to the 90 genes analysis. Our results demonstrate that the expression characteristics of these 90 genes can be used as a powerful tool to accurately identify the primary sites of CUP. In the future, the inclusion of the 90-gene expression assay in pathological diagnosis will help oncologists use precise treatments, thereby improving the care and outcomes of CUP patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi Zhang
- Department of Pathology, Jiangsu Cancer Hospital, Jiangsu Institute of Cancer Research, The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Lei Xia
- Department of Pathology, Jiangsu Cancer Hospital, Jiangsu Institute of Cancer Research, The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Dawei Ma
- Department of Pathology, Jiangsu Cancer Hospital, Jiangsu Institute of Cancer Research, The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Jing Wu
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Jiangsu Cancer Hospital, Jiangsu Institute of Cancer Research, The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Xinyu Xu
- Department of Pathology, Jiangsu Cancer Hospital, Jiangsu Institute of Cancer Research, The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Youtao Xu
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Jiangsu Cancer Hospital, Jiangsu Institute of Cancer Research, The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
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33
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Saif I, Bouziyane A, Benhessou M, Karroumi ME, Ennaji MM. Detection of hypermethylation BRCA1/2 gene promoter in breast tumours among Moroccan women. Mol Biol Rep 2021; 48:7147-7152. [PMID: 34591267 DOI: 10.1007/s11033-021-06705-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2021] [Accepted: 09/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The promoter region is a key element of gene expression regulation. In mammals, most of the genes present, at the level of their promoter, a large number of islands CpG. Age also is seen as another factor for developing breast cell cancer reaching the tumour stage. AIM This study aimed to explore the hypermethylation of the BRCA1/2 promoter gene in women breast cancer and correlation with age and tumour stage. MATERIALS AND METHODS Fifty biopsies were derived from Moroccan women treated for breast carcinoma, the DNA extracted was treated by bisulphite and the targeted BRCA1/2 Amplicons were amplified by specific methylation primers (MSP). RESULTS The result shows that 62% of the samples were BRCA1 methylated in addition and negative result for BRCA2, these positive epigenetic factor were remarkable in women over 47 years and at the stage of malignant tumour. CONCLUSION These results show that half of the methylated samples are positive with a majority of over 47 years old, and confirms that age might be an additional factor for breast cancer development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Imane Saif
- Team of Virology, Oncology and Medical Biotechnologies, Laboratory of Virology, Microbiology, Quality and Biotechnologies/ETB, Faculty of Sciences and Technics-Mohammedia, University Hassan II of Casablanca, Po Box 146, Mohammedia, Morocco
| | - Amal Bouziyane
- Team of Virology, Oncology and Medical Biotechnologies, Laboratory of Virology, Microbiology, Quality and Biotechnologies/ETB, Faculty of Sciences and Technics-Mohammedia, University Hassan II of Casablanca, Po Box 146, Mohammedia, Morocco.,Department of Gynecological Obstetrics, University Mohamed VI of Health Sciences of Casablanca, Casablanca, Morocco
| | - Mustapha Benhessou
- Team of Virology, Oncology and Medical Biotechnologies, Laboratory of Virology, Microbiology, Quality and Biotechnologies/ETB, Faculty of Sciences and Technics-Mohammedia, University Hassan II of Casablanca, Po Box 146, Mohammedia, Morocco.,Department of Gynecological Obstetrics, Faculty of Medicine of Casablanca, Hospital University Center (CHU) Ibn Rochd Casablanca, University Hassan II, Casablanca, Morocco
| | - Mohamed El Karroumi
- Department of Gynecological Obstetrics, Faculty of Medicine of Casablanca, Hospital University Center (CHU) Ibn Rochd Casablanca, University Hassan II, Casablanca, Morocco
| | - Moulay Mustapha Ennaji
- Team of Virology, Oncology and Medical Biotechnologies, Laboratory of Virology, Microbiology, Quality and Biotechnologies/ETB, Faculty of Sciences and Technics-Mohammedia, University Hassan II of Casablanca, Po Box 146, Mohammedia, Morocco.
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34
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Jiao F, Guo R, Beckmann JS, Yan Z, Yang Y, Hu J, Wang X, Xie S. Great future or greedy venture: Precision medicine needs philosophy. Health Sci Rep 2021; 4:e376. [PMID: 34541334 PMCID: PMC8439431 DOI: 10.1002/hsr2.376] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2021] [Revised: 08/06/2021] [Accepted: 08/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Over the past decade, we have witnessed the initiation and implementation of precision medicine (PM), a discipline that promises to individualize and personalize medical management and treatment, rendering them ultimately more precise and effective. Despite of the continuing advances and numerous clinical applications, the potential of PM remains highly controversial, sparking heated debates about its future. METHOD The present article reviews the philosophical issues and practical challenges that are critical to the feasibility and implementation of PM. OUTCOME The explanation and argument about the relations between PM and computability, uncertainty as well as complexity, show that key foundational assumptions of PM might not be fully validated. CONCLUSION The present analysis suggests that our current understanding of PM is probably oversimplified and too superficial. More efforts are needed to realize the hope that PM has elicited, rather than make the term just as a hype.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fei Jiao
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular BiologyBinzhou Medical UniversityYantaiChina
| | - Ruoyu Guo
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular BiologyBinzhou Medical UniversityYantaiChina
| | | | - Zhonghai Yan
- Department of Medicine, College of Physicians and SurgeonsColumbia UniversityNew YorkNew YorkUSA
| | - Yun Yang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular BiologyBinzhou Medical UniversityYantaiChina
| | - Jinxia Hu
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular BiologyBinzhou Medical UniversityYantaiChina
| | - Xin Wang
- Department of Clinical Laboratory & Center of Health Service Training970 Hospital of the PLA Joint Logistic Support ForceYantaiChina
| | - Shuyang Xie
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular BiologyBinzhou Medical UniversityYantaiChina
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35
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Genomic alterations and possible druggable mutations in carcinoma of unknown primary (CUP). Sci Rep 2021; 11:15112. [PMID: 34302033 PMCID: PMC8302572 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-94678-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2021] [Accepted: 07/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Carcinoma of Unknown Primary (CUP) is a heterogeneous and metastatic disease where the primary site of origin is undetectable. Currently, chemotherapy is the only state-of-art treatment option for CUP patients. The molecular profiling of the tumour, particularly mutation detection, offers a new treatment approach for CUP in a personalized fashion using targeted agents. We analyzed the mutation and copy number alterations profile of 1709 CUP samples deposited in the AACR Project Genomics Evidence Neoplasia Information Exchange (GENIE) cohort and explored potentially druggable mutations. We identified 52 significant mutated genes (SMGs) among CUP samples, in which 13 (25%) of SMGs were potentially targetable with either drugs are approved for the know primary tumour or undergoing clinical trials. The most variants detected were TP53 (43%), KRAS (19.90%), KMT2D (12.60%), and CDKN2A (10.30%). Additionally, using pan-cancer analysis, we found similar variants of TERT promoter in CUP and NSCLC samples, suggesting that these mutations may serve as a diagnostic marker for identifying the primary tumour in CUP. Taken together, the mutation profiling analysis of the CUP tumours may open a new way of identifying druggable targets and consequently administrating appropriate treatment in a personalized manner.
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36
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Laprovitera N, Riefolo M, Porcellini E, Durante G, Garajova I, Vasuri F, Aigelsreiter A, Dandachi N, Benvenuto G, Agostinis F, Sabbioni S, Berindan Neagoe I, Romualdi C, Ardizzoni A, Trerè D, Pichler M, D'Errico A, Ferracin M. MicroRNA expression profiling with a droplet digital PCR assay enables molecular diagnosis and prognosis of cancers of unknown primary. Mol Oncol 2021; 15:2732-2751. [PMID: 34075699 PMCID: PMC8486570 DOI: 10.1002/1878-0261.13026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2021] [Revised: 04/30/2021] [Accepted: 05/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Metastasis is responsible for the majority of cancer‐related deaths. Particularly, challenging is the management of metastatic cancer of unknown primary site (CUP), whose tissue of origin (TOO) remains undetermined even after extensive investigations and whose therapy is rather unspecific and poorly effective. Molecular approaches to identify the most probable TOO of CUPs can overcome some of these issues. In this study, we applied a predetermined set of 89 microRNAs (miRNAs) to infer the TOO of 53 metastatic cancers of unknown or uncertain origin. The miRNA expression was assessed with droplet digital PCR in 159 samples, including primary tumors from 17 tumor classes (reference set) and metastases of known and unknown origin (test set). We combined two different statistical models for class prediction to obtain the most probable TOOs: the nearest shrunken centroids approach of Prediction Analysis of Microarrays (PAMR) and the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) models. The molecular test was successful for all formalin‐fixed paraffin‐embedded samples and provided a TOO identification within 1 week from the biopsy procedure. The most frequently predicted origins were gastrointestinal, pancreas, breast, lung, and bile duct. The assay was applied also to multiple metastases from the same CUP, collected from different metastatic sites: The predictions showed a strong agreement, intrinsically validating our assay. The final CUPs' TOO prediction was compared with the clinicopathological hypothesis of primary site. Moreover, a panel of 13 miRNAs proved to have prognostic value and be associated with overall survival in CUP patients. Our study demonstrated that miRNA expression profiling in CUP samples could be employed as diagnostic and prognostic test. Our molecular analysis can be performed on request, concomitantly with standard diagnostic workup and in association with genetic profiling, to offer valuable indications about the possible primary site, thereby supporting treatment decisions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noemi Laprovitera
- Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine (DIMES), University of Bologna, Italy.,Department of Life Sciences and Biotechnologies, University of Ferrara, Italy
| | - Mattia Riefolo
- Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine (DIMES), University of Bologna, Italy.,Pathology Unit, IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna, Italy
| | - Elisa Porcellini
- Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine (DIMES), University of Bologna, Italy
| | - Giorgio Durante
- Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine (DIMES), University of Bologna, Italy
| | | | - Francesco Vasuri
- Pathology Unit, IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna, Italy
| | - Ariane Aigelsreiter
- Diagnostic and Research Institute of Pathology, Medical University of Graz, Austria
| | - Nadia Dandachi
- Division of Oncology, Medical University of Graz, Austria
| | | | | | - Silvia Sabbioni
- Department of Life Sciences and Biotechnologies, University of Ferrara, Italy
| | - Ioana Berindan Neagoe
- Research Center for Functional Genomics, Biomedicine and Translational Medicine, "Iuliu Hatieganu" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | | | - Andrea Ardizzoni
- Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine (DIMES), University of Bologna, Italy.,Division of Medical Oncology, IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna, Italy
| | - Davide Trerè
- Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine (DIMES), University of Bologna, Italy
| | - Martin Pichler
- Division of Oncology, Medical University of Graz, Austria
| | - Antonietta D'Errico
- Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine (DIMES), University of Bologna, Italy.,Pathology Unit, IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna, Italy
| | - Manuela Ferracin
- Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine (DIMES), University of Bologna, Italy
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Cancer of unknown primary stem-like cells model multi-organ metastasis and unveil liability to MEK inhibition. Nat Commun 2021; 12:2498. [PMID: 33941777 PMCID: PMC8093243 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-22643-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2020] [Accepted: 03/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancers of unknown primary (CUPs), featuring metastatic dissemination in the absence of a primary tumor, are a biological enigma and a fatal disease. We propose that CUPs are a distinct, yet unrecognized, pathological entity originating from stem-like cells endowed with peculiar and shared properties. These cells can be isolated in vitro (agnospheres) and propagated in vivo by serial transplantation, displaying high tumorigenicity. After subcutaneous engraftment, agnospheres recapitulate the CUP phenotype, by spontaneously and quickly disseminating, and forming widespread established metastases. Regardless of different genetic backgrounds, agnospheres invariably display cell-autonomous proliferation and self-renewal, mostly relying on unrestrained activation of the MAP kinase/MYC axis, which confers sensitivity to MEK inhibitors in vitro and in vivo. Such sensitivity is associated with a transcriptomic signature predicting that more than 70% of CUP patients could be eligible to MEK inhibition. These data shed light on CUP biology and unveil an opportunity for therapeutic intervention. Cancer of unknown primary (CUP) is a mysterious malignancy featuring metastatic dissemination in the absence of a recognizable primary tumor. By characterizing CUP cancer stem cells we show that self-sustained long-term propagation and sensitivity to MEK inhibition are CUP common features.
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Redefining cancer of unknown primary: Is precision medicine really shifting the paradigm? Cancer Treat Rev 2021; 97:102204. [PMID: 33866225 DOI: 10.1016/j.ctrv.2021.102204] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2021] [Revised: 03/27/2021] [Accepted: 03/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The concept of Cancer of Unknown Primary (CUP) has evolved with the advent of medical oncology. CUP can be difficult to diagnose and represents 2 to 5% of new cancers, therefore not exceptionally rare. Within CUPs can be identified a subset of favourable prognosis tumours, however the vast majority of CUP patients belongs to a poor prognosis group. CUP features significant oncological challenges, such as unravelling biological and transversal issues, and most importantly, improving patient's outcomes. In that regard, CUP patients' outcomes regrettably showed minimal improvement for decades and CUP remains a cancer group of very poor prognosis. The biology of CUP has two main hypotheses. One is that CUP is a subgroup of a given primary cancer, where the primary is present but cannot be seen due to its small size. The other, the "true" CUP hypothesis, states that CUP share features that make them a specific entity, whatever their tissue of origin. A true biological signature has not yet been described, but chromosomal instability is a hallmark of poor prognosis CUP group. Precision oncology, despite achieving identifying the putative origin of the CUP, so far failed to globally improve outcomes of patients. Targeting molecular pathways based on molecular analysis in CUP management is under investigation. Immunotherapy has not shown ground-breaking results, to date. Accrual is also a crucial issue in CUP trials. Herein we review CUP history, biological features and remaining questions in CUP biology, the two main approaches of molecular oncology in CUP management, in order to draw perspectives in the enormous challenge of improving CUP patient outcomes.
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de Nigris F, Ruosi C, Napoli C. Clinical efficiency of epigenetic drugs therapy in bone malignancies. Bone 2021; 143:115605. [PMID: 32829036 DOI: 10.1016/j.bone.2020.115605] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2020] [Revised: 08/07/2020] [Accepted: 08/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
A great interest in the scientific community is focused on the improvement of the cure rate in patients with bone malignancies that have a poor response to the first line of therapies. Novel treatments currently include epigenetic compounds or molecules targeting epigenetic-sensitive pathways. Here, we offer an exhaustive review of such agents in these clinical settings. Carefully designed preclinical studies selected several epigenetic drugs, including inhibitors of DNA methyltransferase (DNMTIs), such as Decitabine, histone deacetylase classes I-II (HDACIs), as Entinostat, Belinostat, lysine-specific histone demethylase (LSD1), as INCB059872 or FT-2102 (Olutasidenib), inhibitors of isocitrate dehydrogenases, and enhancer of zeste homolog 2 (EZH2), such as EPZ6438 (Tazemetostat) To enhance the therapeutic effect, the prevalent approach in phase II trial is the association of these epigenetic drug inhibitors, with targeted therapy or immune checkpoint blockade. Optimization of drug dosing and regimens of Phase II trials may improve the clinical efficiency of such novel therapeutic approaches against these devastating cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Filomena de Nigris
- Department of Precision Medicine, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", 80138 Naples, Italy.
| | - Carlo Ruosi
- Department of Public Health, Federico II University, 80132 Naples, Italy
| | - Claudio Napoli
- Department of Advanced Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", 80138 Naples, Italy; IRCCS SDN, 80134 Naples, IT, Italy
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40
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Oleksiewicz U, Machnik M. Causes, effects, and clinical implications of perturbed patterns within the cancer epigenome. Semin Cancer Biol 2020; 83:15-35. [PMID: 33359485 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcancer.2020.12.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2020] [Revised: 12/18/2020] [Accepted: 12/18/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Somatic mutations accumulating over a patient's lifetime are well-defined causative factors that fuel carcinogenesis. It is now clear, however, that epigenomic signature is also largely perturbed in many malignancies. These alterations support the transcriptional program crucial for the acquisition and maintenance of cancer hallmarks. Epigenetic instability may arise due to the genetic mutations or transcriptional deregulation of the proteins implicated in epigenetic signaling. Moreover, external stimulation and physiological aging may also participate in this phenomenon. The epigenomic signature is frequently associated with a cell of origin, as well as with tumor stage and differentiation, which all reflect its high heterogeneity across and within various tumors. Here, we will overview the current understanding of the causes and effects of the altered and heterogeneous epigenomic landscape in cancer. We will focus mainly on DNA methylation and post-translational histone modifications as the key regulatory epigenetic signaling marks. In addition, we will describe how this knowledge is translated into the clinic. We will particularly concentrate on the applicability of epigenetic alterations as biomarkers for improved diagnosis, prognosis, and prediction. Finally, we will also review current developments regarding epi-drug usage in clinical and experimental settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Urszula Oleksiewicz
- Department of Cancer Immunology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poznan, Poland; Department of Cancer Diagnostics and Immunology, Greater Poland Cancer Centre, Poznan, Poland.
| | - Marta Machnik
- Department of Cancer Immunology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poznan, Poland; Department of Cancer Diagnostics and Immunology, Greater Poland Cancer Centre, Poznan, Poland
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Dermawan JK, Rubin BP. The role of molecular profiling in the diagnosis and management of metastatic undifferentiated cancer of unknown primary ✰: Molecular profiling of metastatic cancer of unknown primary. Semin Diagn Pathol 2020; 38:193-198. [PMID: 33309276 DOI: 10.1053/j.semdp.2020.12.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2020] [Revised: 11/24/2020] [Accepted: 12/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Cancer of unknown primary (CUP) refers to metastatic tumors for which the primary tumor of origin cannot be determined at the time of diagnosis, despite extensive clinicopathologic investigations. Molecular profiling is increasingly able to predict a probable primary tumor type for CUP when clinicopathologic workup is inconclusive. Numerous studies have explored the use of various molecular profiling techniques for identification of site/tissue of origin of CUP. These techniques include gene expression profiling utilizing microarray, reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction, RNA-sequencing, somatic gene mutation profiling with next-generation DNA sequencing, and epigenomics including DNA methylation profiling. Despite the generally poor prognosis of CUP, a minority of patients can expect to benefit from targeted therapy despite being agnostic to the tissue of origin. Studies have explored the use of various molecular profiling techniques to predict prognostic and therapeutic biomarkers, with the goal of improving outcome for patients with CUP. However, discordant results between non-randomized and randomized clinical trials in evaluating tumor-type specific therapies raise uncertainties of the benefits of molecularly-predicted tissue of origin-based treatment in routine clinical use. Nevertheless, the current overall trend is in favor of using molecular tools to refine the diagnosis and clinical management of patients with CUP. More large-cohort, randomized prospective studies are needed to assess and validate the utility and feasibility of molecular profiling to uncover potentially targetable genetic alterations. These efforts will also yield further biological insights into the biology and pathogenesis of CUP (Graphical Abstract).
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Affiliation(s)
- Josephine K Dermawan
- Robert J. Tomsich Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH 44195, United States
| | - Brian P Rubin
- Robert J. Tomsich Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH 44195, United States.
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42
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Araiza-Olivera D, Gutierrez-Aguilar M, Espinosa-García AM, García-García JA, Tapia-Orozco N, Sánchez-Pérez C, Palacios-Reyes C, Escárcega D, Villalón-López DN, García-Arrazola R. From bench to bedside: Biosensing strategies to evaluate endocrine disrupting compounds based on epigenetic events and their potential use in medicine. ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY AND PHARMACOLOGY 2020; 80:103450. [PMID: 32622887 DOI: 10.1016/j.etap.2020.103450] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2019] [Revised: 06/12/2020] [Accepted: 06/23/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
The relationship between endocrine system disorders and health risks due to chemical environmental compounds has become a growing concern in recent years. Involuntary exposure to endocrine disruptors (EDCs) is associated with the worldwide increase of diseases such as cancer, obesity, diabetes, and neurocortical disorders. EDCs are compounds that target the nuclear hormonereceptors (NHR) leading to epigenetic changes. Consequently, the use of biosensing strategies based on epigenetic events have a great potential to provide outstanding information about the exposition of EDCs and their evaluation in human health. This review addresses the novel trends in biosensing EDCs evaluation based on DNA methylation assays associated with different human diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- D Araiza-Olivera
- Department of Chemistry and Biomolecules, Institute of Chemistry, UNAM, Mexico.
| | | | - A M Espinosa-García
- Unidad de Medicina Genómica, Hospital General de México, Dr. Balmis 148, Mexico City, Mexico.
| | - J A García-García
- Department of Education, Hospital General de México, Dr. Balmis 148, Mexico City, Mexico.
| | - N Tapia-Orozco
- Departmentof Food Science and Biotechnology, Faculty of Chemistry, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ave. Universidad 3000, 04510, Coyoacán, Mexico City, Mexico.
| | - C Sánchez-Pérez
- Institute of Applied Sciences and Technology, Faculty of Chemistry, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ave. Universidad 3000, 04510, Coyoacán, Mexico City, Mexico.
| | - C Palacios-Reyes
- Laboratory of Genetics and Molecular Diagnostics, Juarez Hospital of Mexico, Mexico City, Mexico.
| | - D Escárcega
- Instituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey, Campus Ciudad de México, calle del Puente 222, Ejidos de Huipulco, Tlalpan 14380, Mexico City, Mexico.
| | - Demelza N Villalón-López
- Instituto Politénico Nacional-Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Biológicas, Departamento de Química Orgánica, Prolongación de Carpio y Plande Ayala, colonia Casco de Santo Tomás. Del, Miguel Hidalgo, 11350, Mexico.
| | - R García-Arrazola
- Departmentof Food Science and Biotechnology, Faculty of Chemistry, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ave. Universidad 3000, 04510, Coyoacán, Mexico City, Mexico.
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Zhao Y, Pan Z, Namburi S, Pattison A, Posner A, Balachander S, Paisie CA, Reddi HV, Rueter J, Gill AJ, Fox S, Raghav KPS, Flynn WF, Tothill RW, Li S, Karuturi RKM, George J. CUP-AI-Dx: A tool for inferring cancer tissue of origin and molecular subtype using RNA gene-expression data and artificial intelligence. EBioMedicine 2020; 61:103030. [PMID: 33039710 PMCID: PMC7553237 DOI: 10.1016/j.ebiom.2020.103030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2020] [Revised: 09/10/2020] [Accepted: 09/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cancer of unknown primary (CUP), representing approximately 3-5% of all malignancies, is defined as metastatic cancer where a primary site of origin cannot be found despite a standard diagnostic workup. Because knowledge of a patient's primary cancer remains fundamental to their treatment, CUP patients are significantly disadvantaged and most have a poor survival outcome. Developing robust and accessible diagnostic methods for resolving cancer tissue of origin, therefore, has significant value for CUP patients. METHODS We developed an RNA-based classifier called CUP-AI-Dx that utilizes a 1D Inception convolutional neural network (1D-Inception) model to infer a tumor's primary tissue of origin. CUP-AI-Dx was trained using the transcriptional profiles of 18,217 primary tumours representing 32 cancer types from The Cancer Genome Atlas project (TCGA) and International Cancer Genome Consortium (ICGC). Gene expression data was ordered by gene chromosomal coordinates as input to the 1D-CNN model, and the model utilizes multiple convolutional kernels with different configurations simultaneously to improve generality. The model was optimized through extensive hyperparameter tuning, including different max-pooling layers and dropout settings. For 11 tumour types, we also developed a random forest model that can classify the tumour's molecular subtype according to prior TCGA studies. The optimised CUP-AI-Dx tissue of origin classifier was tested on 394 metastatic samples from 11 tumour types from TCGA and 92 formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) samples representing 18 cancer types from two clinical laboratories. The CUP-AI-Dx molecular subtype was also independently tested on independent ovarian and breast cancer microarray datasets FINDINGS: CUP-AI-Dx identifies the primary site with an overall top-1-accuracy of 98.54% in cross-validation and 96.70% on a test dataset. When applied to two independent clinical-grade RNA-seq datasets generated from two different institutes from the US and Australia, our model predicted the primary site with a top-1-accuracy of 86.96% and 72.46% respectively. INTERPRETATION The CUP-AI-Dx predicts tumour primary site and molecular subtype with high accuracy and therefore can be used to assist the diagnostic work-up of cancers of unknown primary or uncertain origin using a common and accessible genomics platform. FUNDING NIH R35 GM133562, NCI P30 CA034196, Victorian Cancer Agency Australia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yue Zhao
- The Jackson Laboratory for Genomic Medicine, 10 Discovery Drive, Farmington, CT, USA
| | - Ziwei Pan
- The Jackson Laboratory for Genomic Medicine, 10 Discovery Drive, Farmington, CT, USA; Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, CT, USA
| | - Sandeep Namburi
- The Jackson Laboratory for Genomic Medicine, 10 Discovery Drive, Farmington, CT, USA
| | - Andrew Pattison
- Department of Clinical Pathology and Centre for Cancer Research, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Atara Posner
- Department of Clinical Pathology and Centre for Cancer Research, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Shiva Balachander
- Department of Clinical Pathology and Centre for Cancer Research, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Carolyn A Paisie
- The Jackson Laboratory for Genomic Medicine, 10 Discovery Drive, Farmington, CT, USA
| | - Honey V Reddi
- The Jackson Laboratory for Genomic Medicine, 10 Discovery Drive, Farmington, CT, USA; The Jackson Laboratory Cancer Center, Bar Harbor, ME, USA
| | - Jens Rueter
- The Jackson Laboratory Cancer Center, Bar Harbor, ME, USA
| | - Anthony J Gill
- Cancer Diagnosis and Pathology Group, Kolling Institute of Medical Research, Royal North Shore Hospital, St Leonards, New South Wales 2065 Australia; NSW Health Pathology, Department of Anatomical Pathology, Royal North Shore Hospital, Sydney, New South Wales 2065 Australia; Department of Anatomical Pathology, Douglass Hanly Moir Pathology, Macquarie Park, New South Wales 2113 Australia; University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales 2006 Australia
| | - Stephen Fox
- Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Department of Pathology, University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Kanwal P S Raghav
- Department of Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology, Division of Cancer Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - William F Flynn
- The Jackson Laboratory for Genomic Medicine, 10 Discovery Drive, Farmington, CT, USA
| | - Richard W Tothill
- Department of Clinical Pathology and Centre for Cancer Research, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Melbourne, Australia; Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Parkville, Melbourne, Australia.
| | - Sheng Li
- The Jackson Laboratory for Genomic Medicine, 10 Discovery Drive, Farmington, CT, USA; The Jackson Laboratory Cancer Center, Bar Harbor, ME, USA; Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, CT, USA; Department of Computer Science and Engineering, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, USA.
| | - R Krishna Murthy Karuturi
- The Jackson Laboratory for Genomic Medicine, 10 Discovery Drive, Farmington, CT, USA; The Jackson Laboratory Cancer Center, Bar Harbor, ME, USA; Department of Computer Science and Engineering, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, USA.
| | - Joshy George
- The Jackson Laboratory for Genomic Medicine, 10 Discovery Drive, Farmington, CT, USA; The Jackson Laboratory Cancer Center, Bar Harbor, ME, USA.
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Ye Q, Wang Q, Qi P, Chen J, Sun Y, Jin S, Ren W, Chen C, Liu M, Xu M, Ji G, Yang J, Nie L, Xu Q, Huang D, Du X, Zhou X. Development and Clinical Validation of a 90-Gene Expression Assay for Identifying Tumor Tissue Origin. J Mol Diagn 2020; 22:1139-1150. [PMID: 32610162 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmoldx.2020.06.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2019] [Revised: 05/19/2020] [Accepted: 06/01/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The accurate identification of tissue origin in patients with metastatic cancer is critical for effective treatment selection but remains a challenge. The aim of this study is to develop a gene expression assay for tumor molecular classification and integrate it with clinicopathologic evaluations to identify the tissue origin for cancer of uncertain primary (CUP). A 90-gene expression signature, covering 21 tumor types, was identified and validated with an overall accuracy of 89.8% (95% CI, 0.87-0.92) in 609 tumor samples. More specifically, the classification accuracy reached 90.4% (95% CI, 0.87-0.93) for 323 primary tumors and 89.2% (95% CI, 0.85-0.92) for 286 metastatic tumors, with no statistically significant difference (P = 0.71). Furthermore, in a real-life cohort of 141 CUP patients, predictions by the 90-gene expression signature were consistent or compatible with the clinicopathologic features in 71.6% of patients (101/141). Findings suggest that this novel gene expression assay could efficiently predict the primary origin for a broad spectrum of tumor types and support its diagnostic utility of molecular classification in difficult-to-diagnose metastatic cancer. Additional studies are ongoing to further evaluate the clinical utility of this novel gene expression assay in predicting primary site and directing therapy for CUP patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qing Ye
- Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, Department of Pathology, The First Affiliated Hospital of University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, People's Republic of China; Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, Intelligent Pathology Institute, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, People's Republic of China; Department of Pathology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, The Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing, People's Republic of China; Cancer of Unknown Primary Group, Pathology Committee, Chinese Research Hospital Association, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Qifeng Wang
- Cancer of Unknown Primary Group, Pathology Committee, Chinese Research Hospital Association, Shanghai, People's Republic of China; Department of Pathology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, People's Republic of China; Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Peng Qi
- Department of Pathology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, People's Republic of China; Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Jinying Chen
- Canhelp Genomics Research Center, Hangzhou, Canhelp Genomics Co., Ltd., People's Republic of China
| | - Yifeng Sun
- Canhelp Genomics Research Center, Hangzhou, Canhelp Genomics Co., Ltd., People's Republic of China
| | - Shichai Jin
- Canhelp Genomics Research Center, Hangzhou, Canhelp Genomics Co., Ltd., People's Republic of China
| | - Wanli Ren
- Canhelp Genomics Research Center, Hangzhou, Canhelp Genomics Co., Ltd., People's Republic of China
| | - Chengshu Chen
- Canhelp Genomics Research Center, Hangzhou, Canhelp Genomics Co., Ltd., People's Republic of China
| | - Mei Liu
- Canhelp Genomics Research Center, Hangzhou, Canhelp Genomics Co., Ltd., People's Republic of China
| | - Midie Xu
- Cancer of Unknown Primary Group, Pathology Committee, Chinese Research Hospital Association, Shanghai, People's Republic of China; Department of Pathology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, People's Republic of China; Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Gang Ji
- Department of Pathology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, People's Republic of China; Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Jun Yang
- Department of Pathology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, The Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing, People's Republic of China
| | - Ling Nie
- Department of Pathology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, The Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing, People's Republic of China
| | - Qinghua Xu
- Cancer of Unknown Primary Group, Pathology Committee, Chinese Research Hospital Association, Shanghai, People's Republic of China; Canhelp Genomics Research Center, Hangzhou, Canhelp Genomics Co., Ltd., People's Republic of China; Institute of Machine Learning and Systems Biology, College of Electronics and Information Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai, People's Republic of China.
| | - Deshuang Huang
- Institute of Machine Learning and Systems Biology, College of Electronics and Information Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiang Du
- Cancer of Unknown Primary Group, Pathology Committee, Chinese Research Hospital Association, Shanghai, People's Republic of China; Department of Pathology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, People's Republic of China; Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiaoyan Zhou
- Cancer of Unknown Primary Group, Pathology Committee, Chinese Research Hospital Association, Shanghai, People's Republic of China; Department of Pathology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, People's Republic of China; Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, People's Republic of China.
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Shao Y, Liu X, Hu S, Zhang Y, Li W, Zhou X, Wang Q, Hou Y, Chen Y, Wang Y, Wang Y, Luo Z, Hu X. Sentinel node theory helps tracking of primary lesions of cancers of unknown primary. BMC Cancer 2020; 20:639. [PMID: 32646508 PMCID: PMC7350562 DOI: 10.1186/s12885-020-07042-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2019] [Accepted: 06/04/2020] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Sentinel lymph node is the first stop of lymphatic spreading of cancer with known primary. The lymph node metastasis pattern of cancer of unknown primary (CUP) is unclear and has been presumed to follow the same pathway. To test this hypothesis, data of all 716 patients clinically diagnosed as CUP in our center were collected. Methods Diagnoses of lymph node metastasis were established by 18F-FDG PET-CT and/or biopsy pathology. Three hundred and forty-seven cases meeting the criteria were divided into three groups: pathology-confirmed primary with invasive biopsy or surgery of the suspicious lesion (group A, n = 64), primary still unknown even with invasive biopsy or surgery of the suspicious lesion (group B, n = 204), and others with no suspicious lesion or lesions who had not been sampled due to medical or other reasons (group C, n = 79). We assessed the clinicopathological features between these groups, and the relationship between lymph node metastasis pattern and confirmed primary site. Results In group A, the primary sites of 61 cases were compatible with sentinel node theory, resulting in a positive predictive value of 95%. No significant differences in age, sex, bone metastasis, or visceral metastasis observed between group A and group B, except that group A had a higher ratio of differentiated carcinoma (94% vs. 77%, P = 0.003). Conclusion To our knowledge, this is the first evidence indicating that the majority of clinical CUP cases follow the sentinel node theory to spread in lymph nodes, which helps tracking the primary, especially for differentiated carcinoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yilin Shao
- Department of Medical Oncology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, 270 Dong-an Rd, Shanghai, 200032, China.,Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Xin Liu
- Department of Medical Oncology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, 270 Dong-an Rd, Shanghai, 200032, China.,Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Silong Hu
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Yingjian Zhang
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Wentao Li
- Department of Medical Oncology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, 270 Dong-an Rd, Shanghai, 200032, China.,Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Xiaoyan Zhou
- Department of Pathology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Qifeng Wang
- Department of Pathology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Yifeng Hou
- Department of Medical Oncology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, 270 Dong-an Rd, Shanghai, 200032, China.,Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Yong Chen
- Department of Medical Oncology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, 270 Dong-an Rd, Shanghai, 200032, China.,Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Yanli Wang
- Department of Pathology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Yaohui Wang
- Department of Medical Oncology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, 270 Dong-an Rd, Shanghai, 200032, China.,Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Zhiguo Luo
- Department of Medical Oncology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, 270 Dong-an Rd, Shanghai, 200032, China. .,Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China.
| | - Xichun Hu
- Department of Medical Oncology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, 270 Dong-an Rd, Shanghai, 200032, China. .,Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China.
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Davalos V, Esteller M. Insights from the genetic and transcriptional characterization of a cancer of unknown primary (CUP). EMBO Mol Med 2020; 12:e12685. [PMID: 32558182 PMCID: PMC7338800 DOI: 10.15252/emmm.202012685] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Cancer of unknown primary (CUP) defines a heterogeneous group of metastatic tumors that lack an identifiable primary tumor, despite a standardized diagnostic work‐up (Fizazi et al, 2015). CUPs are characterized by an aggressive clinical course, unusual metastatic pattern, and poor prognosis. Research in this field has been encouraged to unravel the complexity of this enigmatic entity and improve clinical management and survival of CUP patients. In this issue of EMBO Molecular Medicine, Benvenuti et al (2020) describe the molecular characterization of multiple synchronous and spatially distinct metastases from a CUP patient, shedding light on the evolutionary dynamic and distinctive features of CUP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Veronica Davalos
- Josep Carreras Leukaemia Research Institute (IJC), Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Manel Esteller
- Josep Carreras Leukaemia Research Institute (IJC), Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.,Centro de Investigacion Biomedica en Red Cancer (CIBERONC), Madrid, Spain.,Institucio Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats (ICREA), Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.,Physiological Sciences Department, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Barcelona (UB), Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
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Lombardo R, Tosi F, Nocerino A, Bencardino K, Gambi V, Ricotta R, Spina F, Siena S, Sartore-Bianchi A. The Quest for Improving Treatment of Cancer of Unknown Primary (CUP) Through Molecularly-Driven Treatments: A Systematic Review. Front Oncol 2020; 10:533. [PMID: 32457826 PMCID: PMC7225282 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2020.00533] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2019] [Accepted: 03/25/2020] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: Carcinomas of unknown primary (CUP) account for 3–5% of all malignancy and, despite a reduction in incidence, the overall survival has not improved over the last decade. Chemotherapy regimens have not provided encouraging results. New diagnostic technologies, such as next generation sequencing (NGS), could represent a chance to identify potentially targetable genomic alterations in order to personalize treatment of CUP and provide insights into tumor biology. Methods: A systematic review of studies of patients with CUP, whose tumor specimen was evaluated through a NGS panel, has been performed on June 10th, 2019 according to PRISMA criteria from PubMed, ASCO meeting library and Clinicaltrial.gov. We have identified potentially targetable alterations for which approved/off-label/in clinical trials drugs are available. Moreover, we have included case reports about CUP patients treated with targeted therapies driven by NGS results in order to explore the clinical role of NGS in this setting. Results: We have evaluated 15 publications of which eleven studies (9 full-text articles and 2 abstracts) have analyzed the genomic profiling of CUPs through NGS technology, with different platforms and with different patients cohorts, ranging from 16 to 1,806 patients. Among all these studies, 85% of patients demonstrated at least one molecular alteration, the most frequent involving TP53 (41.88%), KRAS (18.81%), CDKN2A (8.8%), and PIK3CA (9.3%). A mean of 47.3% of patients harbored a potentially targetable alteration for which approved/off-label/in clinical trials drugs were available. Furthermore, we have identified 4 case reports in order to evaluate the clinical relevance of a specific targeted therapy identified through NGS. Conclusions: NGS may represent a tool to improve diagnosis and treatment of CUP by identifying therapeutically actionable alterations and providing insights into tumor biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberta Lombardo
- Niguarda Cancer Center, Grande Ospedale Metropolitano Niguarda, Milan, Italy.,Department of Oncology and Hemato-Oncology, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Federica Tosi
- Niguarda Cancer Center, Grande Ospedale Metropolitano Niguarda, Milan, Italy.,Department of Oncology and Hemato-Oncology, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Annunziata Nocerino
- Niguarda Cancer Center, Grande Ospedale Metropolitano Niguarda, Milan, Italy
| | - Katia Bencardino
- Niguarda Cancer Center, Grande Ospedale Metropolitano Niguarda, Milan, Italy
| | - Valentina Gambi
- Niguarda Cancer Center, Grande Ospedale Metropolitano Niguarda, Milan, Italy
| | - Riccardo Ricotta
- Niguarda Cancer Center, Grande Ospedale Metropolitano Niguarda, Milan, Italy
| | - Francesco Spina
- Niguarda Cancer Center, Grande Ospedale Metropolitano Niguarda, Milan, Italy
| | - Salvatore Siena
- Niguarda Cancer Center, Grande Ospedale Metropolitano Niguarda, Milan, Italy.,Department of Oncology and Hemato-Oncology, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Andrea Sartore-Bianchi
- Niguarda Cancer Center, Grande Ospedale Metropolitano Niguarda, Milan, Italy.,Department of Oncology and Hemato-Oncology, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
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Maternal Prenatal Exposures in Pregnancy and Autism Spectrum Disorder: An Insight into the Epigenetics of Drugs and Diet as Key Environmental Influences. ADVANCES IN NEUROBIOLOGY 2020; 24:143-162. [PMID: 32006359 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-30402-7_5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a rapidly growing global pandemic that affects an estimated 1 in 59-68 children. It is a complex disease with both genetic and environmental etiologies. Due to the rapid increase in the incidence of ASD, environmental causes for ASD are gaining attention. Efforts to probe several environmental exposures that could contribute to causing ASD are underway. In this regard, this chapter is directed towards understanding prenatal exposure to key environmental factors i.e., drugs and dietary nutrients that may act via the same molecular pathway - epigenetics as a potential etiological factor for ASD. Epigenetic regulation is a molecular mechanism known to be a significant contributor to neurodevelopmental disorders. It also offers a means to explain how environmental exposures can impact genetics. We discuss the impact of maternal exposures to certain drugs, and dietary intake, on the developing fetus during pregnancy. Maternal Exposure to some drugs during gestation are associated with a higher risk of ASD, while exposure to other dietary compounds may offer promise to rescue epigenetic regulatory insults related to ASD. However, more work in this important area is still required, nevertheless preliminary research already has important implications in the understanding, prevention and treatment of ASD.
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Exploring the biological hallmarks of cancer of unknown primary: where do we stand today? Br J Cancer 2020; 122:1124-1132. [PMID: 32042068 PMCID: PMC7156745 DOI: 10.1038/s41416-019-0723-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2019] [Accepted: 12/18/2019] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Cancer of unknown primary (CUP) affects a small percentage of the general population. Nonetheless, a substantial number of these patients have a poor prognosis and consequently succumb to their illness within a year of diagnosis. The natural history of CUP is characterised by early metastasis from the unknown primary site, aggressive course and resistance to conventional chemotherapy. Unfortunately, the processes by which this orphan disease originates and progresses have not been fully elucidated and its biology remain unclear. Despite the conceptual progress in genetic and molecular profiling made over the past decade, recognition of the genetic and molecular abnormalities involved in CUP, as well as the identification of the tissue of origin remain unresolved issues. This review will outline the biology of CUP by exploring the hallmarks of cancer in order to rationalise the complexities of this enigmatic syndrome. This approach will help the reader to understand where research efforts currently stand and the pitfalls of this quest.
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Kolling S, Ventre F, Geuna E, Milan M, Pisacane A, Boccaccio C, Sapino A, Montemurro F. "Metastatic Cancer of Unknown Primary" or "Primary Metastatic Cancer"? Front Oncol 2020; 9:1546. [PMID: 32010631 PMCID: PMC6978906 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2019.01546] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2019] [Accepted: 12/20/2019] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Cancer of unknown primary (CUP) is an umbrella term used to classify a heterogeneous group of metastatic cancers based on the absence of an identifiable primary tumor. Clinically, CUPs are characterized by a set of distinct features comprising early metastatic dissemination in an atypical pattern, an aggressive clinical course, poor response to empiric chemotherapy and, consequently, a short life expectancy. Two opposing strategies to change the dismal prognosis for the better are pursued. On the one hand, following the traditional tissue-gnostic approach, more and more sophisticated tissue-of-origin (TOO) classifier assays are employed to push identification of the putative primary to its limits with the clear intent of allowing tumor-site specific treatment. However, robust evidence supporting its routine clinical use is still lacking, notably with two recent randomized clinical trials failing to show a patient benefit of TOO-prediction based site-specific treatment over empiric chemotherapy in CUP. On the other hand, with regards to a tissue-agnostic strategy, precision medicine approaches targeting actionable genomic alterations have already transformed the treatment for many known tumor types. Yet, an unmet need remains for well-designed clinical trials to scrutinize its potential role in CUP beyond anecdotal case reports. In the absence of practice changing results, we believe that the emphasis on finding the presumed unknown primary tumor at all costs, implicit in the term CUP, has biased recent research in the field. Focusing on the distinct clinical features shared by all CUPs, we advocate adopting the term primary metastatic cancer (PMC) to denominate a distinct cancer entity instead. In our view, PMC should be considered the archetype of metastatic disease and as such, despite accounting for a mere 2–3% of malignancies, unraveling the mechanisms at play goes beyond improving the prognosis of patients with PMC and promises to greatly enhance our understanding of the metastatic process and carcinogenesis across all cancer types.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefan Kolling
- Department of Investigative Clinical Oncology, Candiolo Cancer Institute, FPO-IRCCS, Candiolo, Italy
| | - Ferdinando Ventre
- Department of Investigative Clinical Oncology, Candiolo Cancer Institute, FPO-IRCCS, Candiolo, Italy
| | - Elena Geuna
- Multidisciplinary Oncology Outpatient Clinic, Candiolo Cancer Institute, FPO-IRCCS, Candiolo, Italy
| | - Melissa Milan
- Laboratory of Exploratory Research and Molecular Cancer Therapy, Candiolo Cancer Institute, FPO-IRCCS, Candiolo, Italy
| | - Alberto Pisacane
- Unit of Pathology, Candiolo Cancer Institute, FPO- IRCCS, Candiolo, Italy
| | - Carla Boccaccio
- Laboratory of Cancer Stem Cell Research, Candiolo Cancer Institute, FPO-IRCCS, Candiolo, Italy.,Department of Oncology, University of Turin Medical School, Candiolo, Italy
| | - Anna Sapino
- Unit of Pathology, Candiolo Cancer Institute, FPO- IRCCS, Candiolo, Italy.,Department of Medical Sciences, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Filippo Montemurro
- Multidisciplinary Oncology Outpatient Clinic, Candiolo Cancer Institute, FPO-IRCCS, Candiolo, Italy
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