Clinical characteristics, racial inequities, and outcomes in patients with breast cancer and COVID-19: A COVID-19 and cancer consortium (CCC19) cohort study

Background

Limited information is available for patients with breast cancer (BC) and coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), especially among underrepresented racial/ethnic populations.

Methods

This is a COVID-19 and Cancer Consortium (CCC19) registry-based retrospective cohort study of females with active or history of BC and laboratory-confirmed severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection diagnosed between March 2020 and June 2021 in the US. Primary outcome was COVID-19 severity measured on a five-level ordinal scale, including none of the following complications, hospitalization, intensive care unit admission, mechanical ventilation, and all-cause mortality. Multivariable ordinal logistic regression model identified characteristics associated with COVID-19 severity.

Results

1383 female patient records with BC and COVID-19 were included in the analysis, the median age was 61 years, and median follow-up was 90 days. Multivariable analysis revealed higher odds of COVID-19 severity for older age (aOR per decade, 1.48 [95% CI, 1.32-1.67]); Black patients (aOR 1.74; 95 CI 1.24-2.45), Asian Americans and Pacific Islander patients (aOR 3.40; 95 CI 1.70-6.79) and Other (aOR 2.97; 95 CI 1.71-5.17) racial/ethnic groups; worse ECOG performance status (ECOG PS ≥2: aOR, 7.78 [95% CI, 4.83-12.5]); pre-existing cardiovascular (aOR, 2.26 [95% CI, 1.63-3.15])/pulmonary comorbidities (aOR, 1.65 [95% CI, 1.20-2.29]); diabetes mellitus (aOR, 2.25 [95% CI, 1.66-3.04]); and active and progressing cancer (aOR, 12.5 [95% CI, 6.89-22.6]). Hispanic ethnicity, timing, and type of anti-cancer therapy modalities were not significantly associated with worse COVID-19 outcomes. The total all-cause mortality and hospitalization rate for the entire cohort was 9% and 37%, respectively however, it varied according to the BC disease status.

Conclusions

Using one of the largest registries on cancer and COVID-19, we identified patient and BC-related factors associated with worse COVID-19 outcomes. After adjusting for baseline characteristics, underrepresented racial/ethnic patients experienced worse outcomes compared to non-Hispanic White patients.

Funding

This study was partly supported by National Cancer Institute grant number P30 CA068485 to Tianyi Sun, Sanjay Mishra, Benjamin French, Jeremy L Warner; P30-CA046592 to Christopher R Friese; P30 CA023100 for Rana R McKay; P30-CA054174 for Pankil K Shah and Dimpy P Shah; KL2 TR002646 for Pankil Shah and the American Cancer Society and Hope Foundation for Cancer Research (MRSG-16-152-01-CCE) and P30-CA054174 for Dimpy P Shah. REDCap is developed and supported by Vanderbilt Institute for Clinical and Translational Research grant support (UL1 TR000445 from NCATS/NIH). The funding sources had no role in the writing of the manuscript or the decision to submit it for publication.

Clinical trial number

CCC19 registry is registered on ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT04354701.

Clinical Characteristics, Racial Inequities, and Outcomes in Patients with Breast Cancer and COVID-19: A COVID-19 and Cancer Consortium (CCC19) Cohort Study

Background

Limited information is available for patients with breast cancer (BC) and coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), especially among underrepresented racial/ethnic populations.

Methods

This is a COVID-19 and Cancer Consortium (CCC19) registry-based retrospective cohort study of females with active or history of BC and laboratory-confirmed severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection diagnosed between March 2020 and June 2021 in the US. Primary outcome was COVID-19 severity measured on a five-level ordinal scale, including none of the following complications, hospitalization, intensive care unit admission, mechanical ventilation, and all-cause mortality. Multivariable ordinal logistic regression model identified characteristics associated with COVID-19 severity.

Results

1,383 female patient records with BC and COVID-19 were included in the analysis, the median age was 61 years, and median follow-up was 90 days. Multivariable analysis revealed higher odds of COVID-19 severity for older age (aOR per decade, 1.48 [95% CI, 1.32 - 1.67]); Black patients (aOR 1.74; 95 CI 1.24-2.45), Asian Americans and Pacific Islander patients (aOR 3.40; 95 CI 1.70 - 6.79) and Other (aOR 2.97; 95 CI 1.71-5.17) racial/ethnic groups; worse ECOG performance status (ECOG PS ≥2: aOR, 7.78 [95% CI, 4.83 - 12.5]); pre-existing cardiovascular (aOR, 2.26 [95% CI, 1.63 - 3.15])/pulmonary comorbidities (aOR, 1.65 [95% CI, 1.20 - 2.29]); diabetes mellitus (aOR, 2.25 [95% CI, 1.66 - 3.04]); and active and progressing cancer (aOR, 12.5 [95% CI, 6.89 - 22.6]). Hispanic ethnicity, timing and type of anti-cancer therapy modalities were not significantly associated with worse COVID-19 outcomes. The total all-cause mortality and hospitalization rate for the entire cohort was 9% and 37%, respectively however, it varied according to the BC disease status.

Conclusions

Using one of the largest registries on cancer and COVID-19, we identified patient and BC related factors associated with worse COVID-19 outcomes. After adjusting for baseline characteristics, underrepresented racial/ethnic patients experienced worse outcomes compared to Non-Hispanic White patients.

Abstract HER2-12: HER2-12 Genomic and Transcriptomic Landscape of HER2-Low Breast Cancer

Introduction: Breast cancer has pioneered precision medicine with prognostic and predictive subtypes, defined by immunohistochemistry (IHC). Novel therapeutic strategies have led to the emergence of HER2-Low (H2L) as a new entity, defined as tumors with HER2 IHC score of 1+ (>10% cell stained), as well as those with 2+ (>10% cell stained) with paired negative in-situ hybridization (ISH) assay. H2L has been reported to represent up to half of all breast cancer. Further investigation into the mutational landscape of H2L compared to historical subtypes is needed to understand the clinical and biologic factors driving mechanisms of resistance and to consider post-progression treatment options within H2L populations. Methods: The Caris Life Sciences database was used to identify H2L breast tumors by IHC and CISH and evaluated for mutations detected by DNA next-generation sequencing (NextSeq 592-gene panel or NovaSeq whole exome panel). PD-L1 expression was tested by IHC (SP142 IC ≥ 1%). Tumor mutational burden (TMB) was measured by totaling somatic mutations per tumor (high ≥ 10 mutations per Mb). Statistical significance was determined using Fisher’s-Exact/Mann Whitney/X2 test with Benjamini-Hochberg-correction-adjusted p value (q value) of <0.05. Results: A total of 19789 breast tumors were included in this study. Using standard definitions, 12480 were defined as hormone receptor positive (HR+), 7309 hormone receptors negative (HRneg), 5564 were TNBC, and 1784 HER2 positive (HER2pos). 4349 cases were also identified as H2L, which included 3403 HR+H2L and 946 HRneg H2L. H2L was 22% (4349/19789) of total population; 27% (3403/12480) of the HR+ population and 12.9% (946/7309) of the HRneg population. Within the H2L tumors, when stratified by HR status, we observed in the HR+H2L tumors an increased frequency of amplifications in CCND1 (15.6% vs 5.0%), FGF3 (13.3% vs 4.7%), FGF4 (13.3% vs 4.2%), FGF19 (14.4% vs 4.7%), ZNF703 (15.6% vs 4.4 %), NSD3 (12.9% vs 5.2%), ADGRA2 (13.1% vs 5.3%), FGFR1 (11.7% vs 3.6%) and EMSY (5.2% vs 1.4%) compared to the HRnegH2L tumors. TP53 mutations were strikingly higher in the HRnegH2L group (74.4% vs 25.0%) compared to HR+H2L tumors. Markers of IO response also showed elevated positivity in PD-L1 (39.6% vs 19.5%) however, no difference was detected in TMB-H status in HRnegH2L tumors compared to HR+H2L tumors, all q<0.05. The genomic landscape differed when comparing HR+HER2pos tumors to HR+H2L tumors. Significantly more prevalent alterations in HR+HER2pos included amplifications in RNF43 (4.4% vs 1.4%), RARA (13.6% vs 0.1%), MLLT6 (19% vs 0.0%), MYC (6.1% vs 2.7%), DDX5 (10.1% vs 2.0%), CLTC (10.4% vs 3.3%) as well as TP53 (64.0% vs 25.0%) mutations and PD-L1 expression (26.6% vs 19.5%). Furthermore, mutations in PTEN (2.5% vs 7.8%), MAP3K1 (2.8% vs 7.1%), ESR1 (4.4% vs 14.3%), CDH1 (5.2% vs 16.4%), AKT1 (0.0% vs 4.3%) were elevated in the HR+H2L tumors compared to the HR+HER2pos tumors, all q<0.05. Interestingly, when the HRnegH2L tumors were compared to TNBC subtype differences were seen in the mutation rate of PIK3CA (33.5% vs 16.7%; q<0.0001), a master regulator of cell growth, and tumor suppressor gene TP53 (74% vs 86%). Conclusions: With some exceptions, H2L breast cancer shared genomic features with its more classically defined subset of either HR+ or HRneg disease. Notable differences in PIK3CA (an actionable mutation) and TP53 (a prognostic alteration) warrant additional assessment, as do amplifications variable between HR+H2L and HR+Her2pos groups. Our findings add tremendously to the current understanding of the molecular profile of the H2L subgroup and comparison to the classically defined breast cancer subgroups. Genomic risk assessments after progression on novel therapeutics will be needed to better define implications for mechanisms of resistance.

Citation Format: Rani Bansal, Julie McGrath, Phil Walker, Matias A. Bustos, Estelamari Rodriguez, Sarah L. Sammons, Melissa K. Accordino, Jane Meisel, Margaret Gatti-Mays, Emily Hsu, Kate I. Lathrop, Virginia Kaklamani, Matthew Oberley, W. Michael Korn, Stephanie L. Graff. HER2-12 Genomic and Transcriptomic Landscape of HER2-Low Breast Cancer [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2022 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2022 Dec 6-10; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2023;83(5 Suppl):Abstract nr HER2-12.

Abstract P6-05-25: HT Helper: A Mobile App to Promote Hormone Therapy Adherence among Breast Cancer Patients

Background: Adjuvant hormonal therapy (HT) is highly effective and appropriate for nearly all women with hormone receptor-positive tumors, making such treatment the most widely prescribed therapy for patients with this type of breast cancer. Despite its proven benefits in reducing cancer recurrence and improving survival, HT adherence is suboptimal (less than 80%). About 33% of patients do not take their medication as prescribed and are at increased risk of disease recurrence and lower survival. Smartphone ownership has increased substantially over the past decade, providing an extraordinary opportunity for innovation in the delivery of tailored interventions to improve patients’ adherence to hormonal therapy. Purpose: We present preliminary results of a pilot study to test the feasibility of an intervention consisting of a theory-based, bilingual, culturally tailored, and interactive mobile app + patient navigation to empower patients’ self-monitoring and management by facilitating patient education, self-efficacy, early identification and reporting of side effects, delivery of self-care advice, and timely feedback through direct communication between the patient and the oncology team. Methods: This is a 2-group parallel, randomized control trial recruiting patients (120) receiving hormone therapy treatment and attending the breast clinic at the Mays Cancer Center (MCC). The intervention group receives two components: 1) the HT Helper phone app; and 2) assistance from a patient navigator who will provide educational, psychosocial support and reinforcement, address common barriers, and facilitate the interaction with the medical team as needed. The control group receives the usual care and information provided by the MCC’s breast clinic to patients undergoing HT. The app and navigation support are based on Social Cognitive Theory and principles of motivational interviewing. Patients are assessed at baseline, three and six months. The primary outcome is HT adherence. Additional variables of interest include self-efficacy, social support, depression, side effects, anxiety, and quality of life. We also assess app usability and satisfaction. Results: We have recruited 108 patients, 56 in the intervention group and 52 in the control group. The mean age is 57.5 years, 58.3% are Latinas, 41.7% have less than high school education, 54.2% have a family income of less than $50,000/year and 52.8% have Medicare/Medicaid. In addition to descriptive data, we will present results of the 3-month and 6-month follow-ups. Conclusion: The anticipated outcome of this innovative, multi-communication study is a scalable, evidence-based, and easily adaptable intervention with potentially broad use to patients using oral anticancer agents. The intervention has the potential to improve breast cancer outcomes by reducing recurrence, improving quality of life and survival, and reducing healthcare costs. The ultimate goal of this innovative, multi-communication intervention is to improve overall survival and life expectancy, enhance quality of life, and decrease healthcare costs.

Citation Format: Vivian Cortez, Patricia Chalela, Armida Flores, Sandra Sivak, Edgar Munoz, Ysabel Lew, Virginia Kaklamani, Kate I. Lathrop, Devasena Inupakutika, David Akopian, Amelie Ramirez. HT Helper: A Mobile App to Promote Hormone Therapy Adherence among Breast Cancer Patients [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2022 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2022 Dec 6-10; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2023;83(5 Suppl):Abstract nr P6-05-25.

Abstract P5-14-17: Declining the COVID-19 vaccination: An evaluation of why some high risk cancer patients decline vaccination

The COVID-19 pandemic has created many challenges and barriers to care for patients on active cancer treatments including increased risk for morbidity and mortality from COVID-19 infection and restricted access to care. Specific patient groups, such as the uninsured and patients of underrepresented minority communities, have experienced this burden disproportionately. The rapid development and emergency authorization of COVID-19 vaccinations present an opportunity to mitigate some of this increased risk and improve health outcomes for patients on active cancer treatments. However, little is known regarding the rate of vaccination in this patient group. We study the rate of COVID-19 vaccination in a single institution infusion therapy clinic for cancer patients at a large academic county hospital in San Antonio which serves a high-risk patient population with a high representation of minority patient and uninsured patients. Patients were surveyed on arrival to the University Health System outpatient infusion clinic between May 2021 and June 2021. COVID-19 vaccinations became available to this patient population in February 2021. Starting the survey process three months after the first vaccination availability allowed sufficient time for patients to become fully vaccinated. Of the 194 patients surveyed between May 3, 2001 and June 25, 2021, 56% reported receiving at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccination which is lower than the community vaccination rate of 76%. Patients were given 6 options to choose from for declining the vaccination. They included: 1. I do not think it is safe for me because I have cancer 2. My doctor has not told me to get the vaccine 3. I want the vaccine but have not been able to schedule an appointment 4. I’m afraid of the side effects 5. I already had COVID, so I do not think I need the vaccine 6. Other The most common reason given for declining the vaccination was “My doctor has not told me to get the vaccine” by 30% of patients and the second most common was “I do not think it is safe for me because I have cancer” by 28% of patients. “I’m afraid of the side effects” was the third most common response given by 23% of patients. Interestingly, access to the vaccine was not a common reason with only 10% of patients reporting this reason for not getting vaccinated. The three most common reasons cancer patients declined the COVD-19 vaccination can all be addressed by improvement in patient/physician communication regarding the known safety of the novel COVID-19 vaccinations and the recommendation for cancer patients to be vaccinated to help improve overall safety of giving immunosuppressive medications during the pandemic. This study shows the impact that healthcare works can make in increasing the COVID-19 vaccination rate in a high-risk population.

Citation Format: Kate I Lathrop, F, Eva Prieto, Stefany Viveros, F, Salyna Riggs, Eva Balboa, Juanita Murray, Cynthia Evans, Sukeshi Arora, F. Declining the COVID-19 vaccination: An evaluation of why some high risk cancer patients decline vaccination [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2021 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2021 Dec 7-10; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2022;82(4 Suppl):Abstract nr P5-14-17.

ERα-related chromothripsis enhances concordant gene transcription on chromosome 17q11.1-q24.1 in luminal breast cancer

Background

Chromothripsis is an event of genomic instability leading to complex chromosomal alterations in cancer. Frequent long-range chromatin interactions between transcription factors (TFs) and targets may promote extensive translocations and copy-number alterations in proximal contact regions through inappropriate DNA stitching. Although studies have proposed models to explain the initiation of chromothripsis, few discussed how TFs influence this process for tumor progression.

Methods

This study focused on genomic alterations in amplification associated regions within chromosome 17. Inter−/intra-chromosomal rearrangements were analyzed using whole genome sequencing data of breast tumors in the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) cohort. Common ERα binding sites were defined based on MCF-7, T47D, and MDA-MB-134 breast cancer cell lines using univariate K-means clustering methods. Nanopore sequencing technology was applied to validate frequent rearrangements detected between ATC loci on 17q23 and an ERα hub on 20q13. The efficacy of pharmacological inhibition of a potentially druggable target gene on 17q23 was evaluated using breast cancer cell lines and patient-derived circulating breast tumor cells.

Results

There are five adjoining regions from 17q11.1 to 17q24.1 being hotspots of chromothripsis. Inter−/intra-chromosomal rearrangements of these regions occurred more frequently in ERα-positive tumors than in ERα-negative tumors. In addition, the locations of the rearrangements were often mapped within or close to dense ERα binding sites localized on these five 17q regions or other chromosomes. This chromothriptic event was linked to concordant upregulation of 96 loci that predominantly regulate cell-cycle machineries in advanced luminal tumors. Genome-editing analysis confirmed that an ERα hub localized on 20q13 coordinately regulates a subset of these loci localized on 17q23 through long-range chromosome interactions. One of these loci, Tousled Like Kinase 2 (TLK2) known to participate in DNA damage checkpoint control, is an actionable target using phenothiazine antipsychotics (PTZs). The antiproliferative effect of PTZs was prominent in high TLK2-expressing cells, compared to low expressing cells.

Conclusion

This study demonstrates a new approach for identifying tumorigenic drivers from genomic regions highly susceptible to ERα-related chromothripsis. We found a group of luminal breast tumors displaying 17q-related chromothripsis for which antipsychotics can be repurposed as treatment adjuncts.

Use of Milestones and Development of Entrustable Professional Activities in 2 Hematology/Oncology Training Programs

BACKGROUND

The Next Accreditation System (NAS) increases the focus on educational outcomes and meaningful evaluation of learners. This requires that key clinical faculty develop new assessment formats such as entrustable professional activities (EPAs).

OBJECTIVES

To build and develop milestone-based assessment tools supporting 5 EPAs for a hematology/oncology fellow continuity clinic, and to educate key clinical faculty regarding the Clinical Competency Committee (CCC) and the NAS.

METHODS

Program directors from 2 hematology/oncology fellowship programs developed 5 EPAs for continuity clinic evaluation supported by milestone-based assessment. The program directors met to create a unified CCC charter. Key clinical faculty helped to develop a milestone-based evaluation of fellow continuity clinic through creation of 5 hematology/oncology-specific EPAs. Formal entrustment regarding EPAs was deliberated by the CCC.

RESULTS

A total of 18 fellows were evaluated. Clinical Competency Committee deliberation at each institution took approximately 10 minutes per fellow for discussion and decision regarding entrustment for all 5 EPAs supporting continuity clinic. One-third of postgraduate year (PGY)-4s, 50% of PGY-5s, and 100% of PGY-6s were deemed competent in all 5 EPAs by the CCC.

CONCLUSIONS

All hematology/oncology trainees in San Antonio were evaluated using milestone-based assessment for continuity clinic, and entrustment decisions regarding 5 EPAs were made by the CCC. This project may provide other programs with a sound basis for adoption and further development of the next generation of evaluation tools at their institutions. Entrustable professional activities that are rotation specific should be used as a starting point for linking to the competencies, subcompetencies, and the reporting milestones.

Breast cancer treatment delays in a majority minority community: is there a difference?

PURPOSE

Recent studies from large nationwide cancer databases have consistently shown that Hispanic women with breast cancer have delays in treatment initiation compared with non-Hispanic white women. However, time to treatment initiation has not been studied in a community where Hispanics are the majority.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

We conducted a retrospective, observational study of 362 female patients with breast cancer treated at a large National Cancer Institute (NCI) -designated cancer center with a largely Hispanic population. We examined the relationship between race/ethnicity and time from mammogram to biopsy as well as time from biopsy to treatment initiation using Kaplan-Meier analyses and multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression.

RESULTS

Half of the female patients with breast cancer were of Hispanic descent (50.0%; n = 181). Hispanic patients were more likely to be obese, have an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group functional status ≥ 1, and have higher histologic grade disease (all P ≤ .05); no differences in American Joint Committee on Cancer stage at diagnosis were observed. After comprehensive adjustment for demographic and clinical characteristics, we found no significant differences between Hispanic versus non-Hispanic white patients in time from mammogram to biopsy (hazard ratio [HR], 0.91; 95% CI, 0.68 to 1.21) or time from biopsy to treatment (HR, 1.13; 95% CI, 0.69 to 1.88).

CONCLUSION

Hispanic women and Non-Hispanic white women with breast cancer treated at an NCI-designated cancer center had similar times to biopsy and treatment initiation. These findings suggest that in majority minority communities with large cancer centers, racial disparities can be reduced. With a growing Hispanic population throughout the United States, future studies should examine the long-term impact on improved breast cancer survival in this population.