Identifying Opportunities and Challenges for Patients With Sarcoma as a Result of Comprehensive Genomic Profiling of Sarcoma Specimens

Real-world application of comprehensive genomic profiling for gynecological malignancies: a multicenter observational study

BACKGROUND

The actual status of comprehensive genomic profiling (CGP) applications in Japan has not been clarified. We conducted a multicenter study to investigate the real-world application of CGP in gynecological malignancies.

METHODS

Nine designated cancer hospitals participated in this study. Patients who underwent CGP in 2020-2021 were assigned to the CGP group (n = 134). For the population that would have been eligible for CGP, patients who received initial treatment in 2015-2016 and were either alive with disease or died of disease at 5 years follow up were included in the control group (n = 316). We compared clinicopathological characteristics including tumor type (cervix, corpus, ovary, and others including sarcoma) and age. We also investigated the context of CGP-recommended treatment.

RESULTS

The CGP group had significantly fewer cervical cases and more others cases (cervix/corpus/ovary/others: CGP, 22/44/56/12; control, 89/79/142/6; p = 0.0003). The CGP group was significantly younger than the control group (median: CGP, 54.0; control, 65.0; p < 0.0001). Subgroup analyses revealed that patients with cervical and ovarian cancers were significantly younger in the CGP group. Among the CGP group, 17 patients (12.7%) received CGP-recommended treatments, 15 of which were not covered by public insurance. The survival time after CGP in 17 patients was longer than in the other 117 cases (median 21 vs. 11 months).

CONCLUSION

There was significant selection bias in tumor type and age for the application of CGP for gynecological malignancies in clinical practice in Japan. While CGP often recommended drugs not covered by public insurance, prognosis can be improved by use of CGP.

Soft Tissue Sarcomas with Chromosomal Alterations in the 12q13-15 Region: Differential Diagnosis and Therapeutic Implications

The chromosomal region 12q13-15 is rich in oncogenes and contains several genes involved in the pathogenesis of various mesenchymal neoplasms. Notable genes in this region include MDM2, CDK4, STAT6, DDIT3, and GLI1. Amplification of MDM2 and CDK4 genes can be detected in various mesenchymal and nonmesenchymal neoplasms. Therefore, gene amplification alone is not entirely specific for making a definitive diagnosis and requires the integration of clinical, radiological, morphological, and immunohistochemical findings. Neoplasms with GLI1 alterations may exhibit either GLI1 rearrangements or amplifications of this gene. Despite the diagnostic implications that the overlap of genetic alterations in neoplasms with changes in genes within the 12q13-15 region could create, the discovery of coamplifications of MDM2 with CDK4 and GLI1 offers new therapeutic targets in neoplasms with MDM2/CDK4 amplification. Lastly, it is worth noting that MDM2 or CDK4 amplification is not exclusive to mesenchymal neoplasms; this genetic alteration has also been observed in other epithelial neoplasms or melanomas. This suggests the potential use of MDM2 or CDK4 inhibitors in neoplasms where alterations in these genes do not aid the pathological diagnosis but may help identify potential therapeutic targets. In this review, we delve into the diagnosis and therapeutic implications of tumors with genetic alterations involving the chromosomal region 12q13-15, mainly MDM2, CDK4, and GLI1.

Comprehensive Review on the Clinical Impact of Next-Generation Sequencing Tests for the Management of Advanced Cancer

PURPOSE

This review summarizes the published evidence on the clinical impact of using next-generation sequencing (NGS) tests to guide management of patients with cancer in the United States.

METHODS

We performed a comprehensive literature review to identify recent English language publications that presented progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) of patients with advanced cancer receiving NGS testing.

RESULTS

Among 6,475 publications identified, 31 evaluated PFS and OS among subgroups of patients who received NGS-informed cancer management. PFS and OS were significantly longer among patients who were matched to targeted treatment in 11 and 16 publications across tumor types, respectively.

CONCLUSION

Our review indicates that NGS-informed treatment can have an impact on survival across tumor types.

Decision impact studies, evidence of clinical utility for genomic assays in cancer: A scoping review

BACKGROUND

Decision impact studies have become increasingly prevalent in cancer prognostic research in recent years. These studies aim to evaluate the impact of a genomic test on decision-making and appear to be a new form of evidence of clinical utility. The objectives of this review were to identify and characterize decision impact studies in genomic medicine in cancer care and categorize the types of clinical utility outcomes reported.

METHODS

We conducted a search of four databases, Medline, Embase, Scopus and Web of Science, from inception to June 2022. Empirical studies that reported a "decision impact" assessment of a genomic assay on treatment decisions or recommendations for cancer patients were included. We followed scoping review methodology and adapted the Fryback and Thornbury Model to collect and analyze data on clinical utility. The database searches identified 1803 unique articles for title/abstract screening; 269 articles moved to full-text review.

RESULTS

87 studies met inclusion criteria. All studies were published in the last 12 years with the majority for breast cancer (72%); followed by other cancers (28%) (lung, prostate, colon). Studies reported on the impact of 19 different proprietary (18) and generic (1) assays. Across all four levels of clinical utility, outcomes were reported for 22 discrete measures, including the impact on provider/team decision-making (100%), provider confidence (31%); change in treatment received (46%); patient psychological impacts (17%); and costing or savings impacts (21%). Based on the data synthesis, we created a comprehensive table of outcomes reported for clinical utility.

CONCLUSIONS

This scoping review is a first step in understanding the evolution and uses of decision impact studies and their influence on the integration of emerging genomic technologies in cancer care. The results imply that DIS are positioned to provide evidence of clinical utility and impact clinical practice and reimbursement decision-making in cancer care. Systematic review registration: Open Science Framework osf.io/hm3jr.

Genomic Profiling of Sarcomas: A Promising Weapon in the Therapeutic Arsenal

Sarcomas are rare malignant mesenchymal neoplasms, and the knowledge of tumor biology and genomics is scarce. Chemotherapy is the standard of care in advanced disease, with poor outcomes. Identifying actionable genomic alterations may offer effective salvage therapeutic options when previous lines have failed. Here, we report a retrospective cohort study of sarcoma patients followed at our center and submitted to comprehensive genomic profiling between January 2020 and June 2021. Thirty patients were included, most (96.7%) with reportable genomic alterations. The most common alterations were linked to cell cycle regulation (TP53, CDKN2A/B, and RB1 deletions and CDK4, MDM2, and MYC amplifications). Most patients (96.7%) had microsatellite stability and low tumor mutational burden (≤10 muts/megabase (Mb); median 2 Muts/Mb). Two-thirds of patients had actionable mutations for targeted treatments, including five cases with alterations amenable to targeted therapies with clinical benefit within the patient's tumor type, ten cases with targetable alterations with clinical benefit in other tumor types, and five cases with alterations amenable to targeting with drugs under investigation in a clinical trial setting. A significant proportion of cases in this study had actionable genomic alterations with available targeted drugs. Next-generation sequencing is a feasible option for identifying molecular drivers that can provide therapeutic options for individual patients. Molecular Tumor Boards should be implemented in the clinical practice to discuss genomic findings and inform clinically relevant targeted therapies.

Pulmonary thromboembolic disease or pulmonary artery intimal sarcoma: Case report and literature review

The present case study reported on a patient initially diagnosed with pulmonary embolism at the First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University (Fuzhou, China) in May 2021. Furthermore, a relevant literature review was performed. The patient was a 57-year-old Chinese male who presented with dyspnea and wheezing following exercise. Physical examination revealed pulmonary valve second heart sound > aortic valve second heart sound but lack of swelling on both lower limbs, while the imaging results suggested pulmonary artery filling defects. Initially, the patient was diagnosed with pulmonary embolism and was administered anticoagulation treatment, which lasted for 3 months but proved to be ineffective. Subsequent re-examination via chest computed tomography further indicated multiple nodules in the left hilum and lung. Therefore, the patient was hospitalized for lung aspiration biopsy, which led to the final diagnosis of pulmonary artery intimal sarcoma based on the pathological review.

Drivers of genomic loss of heterozygosity in leiomyosarcoma are distinct from carcinomas

Leiomyosarcoma (LMS) is a rare, aggressive, mesenchymal tumor. Subsets of LMS have been identified to harbor genomic alterations associated with homologous recombination deficiency (HRD); particularly alterations in BRCA2. Whereas genomic loss of heterozygosity (gLOH) has been used as a surrogate marker of HRD in other solid tumors, the prognostic or clinical value of gLOH in LMS (gLOH-LMS) remains poorly defined. We explore the genomic drivers associated with gLOH-LMS and their clinical import. Although the distribution of gLOH-LMS scores are similar to that of carcinomas, outside of BRCA2, there was no overlap with previously published gLOH-associated genes from studies in carcinomas. We note that early stage tumors with elevated gLOH demonstrated a longer disease-free interval following resection in LMS patients. Taken together, and despite similarities to carcinomas in gLOH distribution and clinical import, gLOH-LMS are driven by different genomic signals. Additional studies will be required to isolate and confirm the unique differences in biological factors driving these differences.

Clinical Utility of CDK4/6 Inhibitors in Sarcoma: Successes and Future Challenges

PURPOSE

Soft tissue and bone sarcomas are rare malignancies that exhibit significant pathologic and molecular heterogeneity. Deregulation of the CDKN2A-CCND-CDK4/6-retinoblastoma 1 (Rb) pathway is frequently observed in about 25% of unselected sarcomas and is pathognomonic for specific sarcoma subtypes. This genomic specificity has fueled the clinical evaluation of selective CDK4/6 inhibitors in sarcomas. Here, we highlight successes, opportunities, and future challenges for using CDK4/6 inhibitors to treat sarcoma.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This review summarizes the current evidence for the use of CDK4/6 inhibitors in sarcoma while identifying molecular rationale and predictive biomarkers that provide the foundation for targeting the CDK4/6 pathway in sarcoma. A systematic review was performed of articles indexed in the PubMed database and the National Institutes of Health Clinical Trials Registry (ClinicalTrials.gov). For each sarcoma subtype, we discuss the preclinical rationale, case reports, and available clinical trials data.

RESULTS

Despite promising clinical outcomes in a subset of sarcomas, resistance to CDK4/6 inhibitors results in highly heterogeneous clinical outcomes. Current clinical data support the use of CDK4/6 inhibitors in subsets of sarcoma primarily driven by CDK4/6 deregulation. When dysregulation of the Rb pathway is a secondary driver of sarcoma, combination therapy with CDK4/6 inhibition may be an option. Developing strategies to identify responders and the mechanisms that drive resistance is important to maximize the clinical utility of these drugs in patients with sarcoma. Potential biomarkers that indicate CDK4/6 inhibitor sensitivity in sarcoma include CDK4, CCND, CCNE, RB1, E2F1, and CDKN2A.

CONCLUSION

CDK4/6 inhibitors represent a major breakthrough for targeted cancer treatment. CDK4/6 inhibitor use in sarcoma has led to limited, but significant, early clinical success. Targeted future clinical research will be key to unlocking the potential of CDK4/6 inhibition in sarcoma.

Pharmacogenomics and Pharmacogenetics in Osteosarcoma: Translational Studies and Clinical Impact

High-grade osteosarcoma (HGOS) is a very aggressive bone tumor which primarily affects adolescents and young adults. Although not advanced as is the case for other cancers, pharmacogenetic and pharmacogenomic studies applied to HGOS have been providing hope for an improved understanding of the biology and the identification of genetic biomarkers, which may impact on clinical care management. Recent developments of pharmacogenetics and pharmacogenomics in HGOS are expected to: i) highlight genetic events that trigger oncogenesis or which may act as drivers of disease; ii) validate research models that best predict clinical behavior; and iii) indicate genetic biomarkers associated with clinical outcome (in terms of treatment response, survival probability and susceptibility to chemotherapy-related toxicities). The generated body of information may be translated to clinical settings, in order to improve both effectiveness and safety of conventional chemotherapy trials as well as to indicate new tailored treatment strategies. Here, we review and summarize the current scientific evidence for each of the aforementioned issues in view of possible clinical applications.