Pathway-level mutation analysis in primary high-grade serous ovarian cancer and matched brain metastases

Brain metastases (BMs) in ovarian cancer (OC) are a rare event. BMs occur most frequently in high-grade serous (HGS) OC. The molecular features of BMs in HGSOC are poorly understood. We performed a whole-exome sequencing analysis of ten matched pairs of formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded samples from primary HGSOC and corresponding BMs. Enrichment significance (p value; false discovery rate) was computed using the Reactome, the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway collections, and the Gene Ontology Biological Processes. Germline DNA damage repair variants were found in seven cases (70%) and involved the BRCA1, BRCA2, ATM, RAD50, ERCC4, RPA1, MLHI, and ATR genes. Somatic mutations of TP53 were found in nine cases (90%) and were the only stable mutations between the primary tumor and BMs. Disturbed pathways in BMs versus primary HGSOC constituted a complex network and included the cell cycle, the degradation of the extracellular matrix, cell junction organization, nucleotide metabolism, lipid metabolism, the immune system, G-protein-coupled receptors, intracellular vesicular transport, and reaction to chemical stimuli (Golgi vesicle transport and olfactory signaling). Pathway analysis approaches allow for a more intuitive interpretation of the data as compared to considering single-gene aberrations and provide an opportunity to identify clinically informative alterations in HGSOC BM.

Genomic characterization of brain metastases (BM) in high-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSOC)

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Background: BM are a rare occurrence in ovarian cancer (OC) and their molecular characteristics is virtually unknown. DNA damage repair (DDR) deficiency is prevalent in OC, and co-mutated TP53 and any DDR denotes high tumor mutation burden (TMB). We genetically characterized a unique series of high-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSOC) patients who developed BM to identify alterations of potential clinical relevance. Methods: Whole-exome sequencing (2x150bp, SureSelectXT Library Prep Kit, Illumina’s NovaSeq platform) was performed in matched BM, primary tumors (PT) and normal tissue. DNA was extracted from FFPE samples using QIAamp DNA FFPE Tissue Kit (Qiagen, Germany). All mutations were checked with Catalogue of Somatic Mutations in Cancer (COSMIC) and Integrative Genomics Viewer (IGV). Results: Study group included 10 HGSOC patients (International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics classification (FIGO) II-IV, mean age at diagnosis 48 years, range 35-59). Median time from primary HGSOC diagnosis to BM was 38 months (range, 18 to 149). TP53 somatic mutations were found in both primary tumor (PT) and BM in 8 patients. The other 2 cases harbored TP53 mutations not reported in COSMIC catalogue: p.S60L and intronic TP53 mutation preceding p.I322 (IGV). In 9 cases TP53 mutations coexisted with germline or somatic DNA damage repair deficiency. Four cases contained BRCA1 mutations (all germline), and none harbored germline BRCA2 mutation. Other mutated genes included MLH1 (2 somatic, 2 germline), ATR (4 germline, 1 somatic), AMT (1 somatic), RAD50 (1 somatic), ERCC4 (1 somatic), FANCD2 (1 somatic) and RPA1 (1 germline). Three mutation signatures defined in the COSMIC database were indentified in BM: 6, 20 and 30. In 6 cases these mutations were shared in PT, and in another 4 their presence in PT could not be determined due to technical reasons. Median survival from BM was 31 months (range, 5 to 184). Conclusions: Genomic analysis of BM provides an opportunity to identify potentially clinically informative alterations. Mutational profiles in PT are generally reflected in BM. Detected genetic alterations suggest their potential sensitivity to PARP inhibitors and immunotherapy.