Genomic Tumor Correlates of Clinical Outcomes Following Organ-Sparing Chemoradiation Therapy for Bladder Cancer

PURPOSE

There is an urgent need for biomarkers of radiation response in organ-sparing therapies. Bladder preservation with trimodality therapy (TMT), consisting of transurethral tumor resection followed by chemoradiation, is an alternative to radical cystectomy for muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC), but molecular determinants of response are poorly understood.

EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN

We characterized genomic and transcriptomic features correlated with long-term response in a single institution cohort of patients with MIBC homogeneously treated with TMT. Pretreatment tumors from 76 patients with MIBC underwent whole-exome sequencing; 67 underwent matched transcriptomic profiling. Molecular features were correlated with clinical outcomes including modified bladder-intact event-free survival (mBI-EFS), a composite endpoint that reflects long-term cancer control with bladder preservation.

RESULTS

With a median follow-up of 74.6 months in alive patients, 37 patients had favorable long-term response to TMT while 39 had unfavorable long-term response. Tumor mutational burden was not associated with outcomes after TMT. DNA damage response gene alterations were associated with improved locoregional control and mBI-EFS. Of these alterations, somatic ERCC2 mutations stood out as significantly associated with favorable long-term outcomes; patients with ERCC2 mutations had significantly improved mBI-EFS [HR, 0.15; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.06-0.37; P = 0.030] and improved BI-EFS, an endpoint that includes all-cause mortality (HR, 0.33; 95% CI, 0.15-0.68; P = 0.044). ERCC2 mutant bladder cancer cell lines were significantly more sensitive to concurrent cisplatin and radiation treatment in vitro than isogenic ERCC2 wild-type cells.

CONCLUSIONS

Our data identify ERCC2 mutation as a candidate biomarker associated with sensitivity and long-term response to chemoradiation in MIBC. These findings warrant validation in independent cohorts.

Advanced Age in Humans and Mouse Models of Glioblastoma Show Decreased Survival from Extratumoral Influence

PURPOSE

Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most common aggressive primary malignant brain tumor in adults with a median age of onset of 68 to 70 years old. Although advanced age is often associated with poorer GBM patient survival, the predominant source(s) of maladaptive aging effects remains to be established. Here, we studied intratumoral and extratumoral relationships between adult patients with GBM and mice with brain tumors across the lifespan.

EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN

Electronic health records at Northwestern Medicine and the NCI SEER databases were evaluated for GBM patient age and overall survival. The commercial Tempus and Caris databases, as well as The Cancer Genome Atlas were profiled for gene expression, DNA methylation, and mutational changes with varying GBM patient age. In addition, gene expression analysis was performed on the extratumoral brain of younger and older adult mice with or without a brain tumor. The survival of young and old wild-type or transgenic (INK-ATTAC) mice with a brain tumor was evaluated after treatment with or without senolytics and/or immunotherapy.

RESULTS

Human patients with GBM ≥65 years of age had a significantly decreased survival compared with their younger counterparts. While the intra-GBM molecular profiles were similar between younger and older patients with GBM, non-tumor brain tissue had a significantly different gene expression profile between young and old mice with a brain tumor and the eradication of senescent cells improved immunotherapy-dependent survival of old but not young mice.

CONCLUSIONS

This work suggests a potential benefit for combining senolytics with immunotherapy in older patients with GBM.

Radical cystectomy versus trimodality therapy for muscle-invasive bladder cancer: a multi-institutional propensity score matched and weighted analysis

BACKGROUND

Previous randomised controlled trials comparing bladder preservation with radical cystectomy for muscle-invasive bladder cancer closed due to insufficient accrual. Given that no further trials are foreseen, we aimed to use propensity scores to compare trimodality therapy (maximal transurethral resection of bladder tumour followed by concurrent chemoradiation) with radical cystectomy.

METHODS

This retrospective analysis included 722 patients with clinical stage T2-T4N0M0 muscle-invasive urothelial carcinoma of the bladder (440 underwent radical cystectomy, 282 received trimodality therapy) who would have been eligible for both approaches, treated at three university centres in the USA and Canada between Jan 1, 2005, and Dec 31, 2017. All patients had solitary tumours less than 7 cm, no or unilateral hydronephrosis, and no extensive or multifocal carcinoma in situ. The 440 cases of radical cystectomy represent 29% of all radical cystectomies performed during the study period at the contributing institutions. The primary endpoint was metastasis-free survival. Secondary endpoints included overall survival, cancer-specific survival, and disease-free survival. Differences in survival outcomes by treatment were analysed using propensity scores incorporated in propensity score matching (PSM) using logistic regression and 3:1 matching with replacement and inverse probability treatment weighting (IPTW).

FINDINGS

In the PSM analysis, the 3:1 matched cohort comprised 1119 patients (837 radical cystectomy, 282 trimodality therapy). After matching, age (71·4 years [IQR 66·0-77·1] for radical cystectomy vs 71·6 years [64·0-78·9] for trimodality therapy), sex (213 [25%] vs 68 [24%] female; 624 [75%] vs 214 [76%] male), cT2 stage (755 [90%] vs 255 [90%]), presence of hydronephrosis (97 [12%] vs 27 [10%]), and receipt of neoadjuvant or adjuvant chemotherapy (492 [59%] vs 159 [56%]) were similar between groups. Median follow-up was 4·38 years (IQR 1·6-6·7) versus 4·88 years (2·8-7·7), respectively. 5-year metastasis-free survival was 74% (95% CI 70-78) for radical cystectomy and 75% (70-80) for trimodality therapy with IPTW and 74% (70-77) and 74% (68-79) with PSM. There was no difference in metastasis-free survival either with IPTW (subdistribution hazard ratio [SHR] 0·89 [95% CI 0·67-1·20]; p=0·40) or PSM (SHR 0·93 [0·71-1·24]; p=0·64). 5-year cancer-specific survival for radical cystectomy versus trimodality therapy was 81% (95% CI 77-85) versus 84% (79-89) with IPTW and 83% (80-86) versus 85% (80-89) with PSM. 5-year disease-free survival was 73% (95% CI 69-77) versus 74% (69-79) with IPTW and 76% (72-80) versus 76% (71-81) with PSM. There were no differences in cancer-specific survival (IPTW: SHR 0·72 [95% CI 0·50-1·04]; p=0·071; PSM: SHR 0·73 [0·52-1·02]; p=0·057) and disease-free survival (IPTW: SHR 0·87 [0·65-1·16]; p=0·35; PSM: SHR 0·88 [0·67-1·16]; p=0·37) between radical cystectomy and trimodality therapy. Overall survival favoured trimodality therapy (IPTW: 66% [95% CI 61-71] vs 73% [68-78]; hazard ratio [HR] 0·70 [95% CI 0·53-0·92]; p=0·010; PSM: 72% [69-75] vs 77% [72-81]; HR 0·75 [0·58-0·97]; p=0·0078). Outcomes for radical cystectomy and trimodality therapy were not statistically different among centres for cancer-specific survival and metastasis-free survival (p=0·22-0·90). Salvage cystectomy was done in 38 (13%) trimodality therapy patients. Pathological stage in the 440 radical cystectomy patients was pT2 in 124 (28%), pT3-4 in 194 (44%), and 114 (26%) node positive. The median number of nodes removed was 39, the soft tissue positive margin rate was 1% (n=5), and the perioperative mortality rate was 2·5% (n=11).

INTERPRETATION

This multi-institutional study provides the best evidence to date showing similar oncological outcomes between radical cystectomy and trimodality therapy for select patients with muscle-invasive bladder cancer. These results support that trimodality therapy, in the setting of multidisciplinary shared decision making, should be offered to all suitable candidates with muscle-invasive bladder cancer and not only to patients with significant comorbidities for whom surgery is not an option.

FUNDING

Sinai Health Foundation, Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation, Massachusetts General Hospital.

Determining venous thromboembolism risk in patients with adult-type diffuse glioma

Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a life-threating condition that is common in patients with adult-type diffuse gliomas, yet thromboprophylaxis is controversial because of possible intracerebral hemorrhage. Effective VTE prediction models exist for other cancers, but not glioma. Our objective was to develop a VTE prediction tool to improve glioma patient care, incorporating clinical, blood-based, histologic, and molecular markers. We analyzed preoperative arterial blood, tumor tissue, and clinical-pathologic data (including next-generation sequencing data) from 258 patients with newly diagnosed World Health Organization (WHO) grade 2 to 4 adult-type diffuse gliomas. Forty-six (17.8%) experienced VTE. Tumor expression of tissue factor (TF) and podoplanin (PDPN) each positively correlated with VTE, although only circulating TF and D-dimers, not circulating PDPN, correlated with VTE risk. Gliomas with mutations in isocitrate dehydrogenase 1 (IDH1) or IDH2 (IDHmut) caused fewer VTEs; multivariable analysis suggested that this is due to IDHmut suppression of TF, not PDPN. In a predictive time-to-event model, the following predicted increased VTE risk in newly diagnosed patients with glioma: (1) history of VTE; (2) hypertension; (3) asthma; (4) white blood cell count; (5) WHO tumor grade; (6) patient age; and (7) body mass index. Conversely, IDHmut, hypothyroidism, and MGMT promoter methylation predicted reduced VTE risk. These 10 variables were used to create a web-based VTE prediction tool that was validated in 2 separate cohorts of patients with adult-type diffuse glioma from other institutions. This study extends our understanding of the VTE landscape in these tumors and provides evidence-based guidance for clinicians to mitigate VTE risk in patients with glioma.

Impact of postoperative stereotactic body radiation therapy on survival of patients with spinal metastases in the context of additional systemic adjuvant therapy

BACKGROUND

Stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) has been established as a safe and effective treatment modality for control of long-term pain and tumor growth. However, few studies have investigated the efficacy of postoperative SBRT versus conventional external beam radiation therapy (EBRT) in extending survival within the context of systemic therapy.

METHODS

A retrospective chart review of patients who underwent surgery for spinal metastasis at our institution was conducted. Demographic, treatment and outcome data were collected. SBRT was compared with EBRT and non-SBRT, and analyses were stratified by whether or not patients received systemic therapy. Survival analysis was conducted using propensity score matching.

RESULTS

Bivariate analysis in the non-systemic therapy group revealed longer survival with SBRT compared to EBRT and non-SBRT. Further analysis also showed that primary cancer type and preoperative mRS significantly affected survival. Within patients who received systemic therapy, overall median survival for SBRT patients was 22.7 months (95% CI: 12.1 - 52.3) versus 16.1 months (95% CI: 12.7 - 44.0; p = 0.28) for EBRT patients and 16.1 months (95% CI: 12.2 - 21.9; p = 0.07) for non-SBRT patients. Within patients who did not receive systemic therapy, overall median survival for SBRT patients was 62.1 months (95% CI: 18.1 - unknown) versus 5.3 months (95% CI: 2.8 - unknown; p = 0.08) for EBRT patients and 6.9 months (95% CI: 5.0 - 45.6; p = 0.02) for non-SBRT patients.

CONCLUSION

In patients who do not receive systemic therapy, treatment with postoperative SBRT may increase survival time compared to patients not receiving SBRT.

EXTH-25. EXPLOITING EPIGENETIC DYSREGULATION IN ISOCITRATE DEHYDROGENASE MUTANT GLIOMA VIA THE USE OF HISTONE DEACETYLASE INHIBITORS

Isocitrate dehydrogenase 1/2 mutations (IDHmut) define a unique subtype of glioma that exhibits profound epigenetic dysregulation through DNA and histone hypermethylation. Though IDHmutgliomas are less aggressive than their IDH wildtype (IDHwt) counterparts, these tumors are still incurable and are invariably fatal. New treatments are therefore needed. Histone deacetylase (HDAC) enzymes compose a class of epigenetic drug targets already used in the clinic to treat other malignancies, but their potential against gliomas, specifically IDHmutgliomas, have not been extensively studied. We previously showed that IDHwt gliomas are more sensitive than IDHwt gliomas to the cytotoxic and antiproliferative effects mediated by the FDA-approved HDAC inhibitor panobinostat, and that this sensitivity was associated with a greater increase in histone acetylation in IDHmut glioma cultures. Follow-up RNA-Seq showed that panobinostat more greatly affected gene expression in IDHmut glioma cells, with 1999 significant differentially expressed genes showing a 10% or greater change in gene expression in IDHmut cells compared to 388 genes for IDHwt counterparts. This included the known HDAC target and cell-cycle inhibitor CDKN1A, with panobinostat causing a 1.9-fold greater upregulation of CDKN1A in IDHmut cells than IDHwt cells (p= 0.045). In immunocompromised mice intracranially engrafted with IDHmut or IDHwt glioma, 15 mg/kg intraperitoneally-administered panobinostat was detectable after 6 hours within the intracerebral tumors via mass spectrometry at a concentration of 52.4 ng/g (150.1 nM), and extended the survival of IDHmut glioma-engrafted mice (Median: 4 days; Mean: 9.4 days), but not IDHwt glioma-engrafted mice (IDHmut: logrank p= 0.044; IDHwt: logrank p= 0.18). These results suggest that HDAC inhibition via panobinostat may be an effective therapy to treat IDHmutglioma patients. Ongoing studies, including ChIP-Seq, will determine specific sites of histone acetylation and HDACs that are responsible for the greater sensitivity of IDHmut gliomas to HDAC inhibition.

QOL-06. PREDICTING VENOUS THROMBOEMBOLISM IN PATIENTS WITH ADULT-TYPE DIFFUSE GLIOMAS

Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a common paraneoplastic complication in patients with adult-type diffuse gliomas. VTE greatly diminishes quality-of-life, and can even be life-threatening. While effective VTE prediction models exist for other cancers, those models do not work for gliomas. Thus, there are no standard guidelines for thromboprophylaxis in glioma patients. To address this deficiency, arterial blood, tumor tissue, and comprehensive clinical-pathologic data (including next generation sequencing) were obtained from 258 newly diagnosed WHO grade 2-4 adult-type diffuse glioma patients at Northwestern Memorial Hospital. Forty-six out of 258 grade 2-4 glioma patients (17.8%) experienced a subsequent VTE. Intratumoral expression of two proteins that have been associated with VTE risk in other cancers, thromboplastin and podoplanin, was higher in IDH wild-type than IDH mutant gliomas. Tissue expression of both markers was associated with increased VTE risk, but in the circulation, only thromboplastin positively correlated with VTE. LASSO time-to-event analysis showed that older patient age, elevated body mass index, elevated WBC count, hypertension, a preoperative history of VTE, asthma, and higher WHO grade predicted increased postoperative VTE risk, whereas hypothyroidism, IDH mutation, and MGMT promoter methylation were negative risk factors. Together, these 10 variables generated a receiver operating characteristic curve for 3, 6, 9, and 12 months from original surgery resulting in estimated AUC value of 0.82 in the Northwestern discovery cohort, 0.72 in the UCLA validation cohort (N=68), and 0.68 in the Duke validation cohort (N=157). We created an online prediction tool based on this model, which estimates VTE risk up to 1 year from original surgery. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first externally validated VTE risk prediction tool designed specifically for adult-type diffuse glioma patients. This tool, based on readily obtainable information, provides treating physicians with more objective risk estimates on which to base thromboprophylaxis decision-making.

CNSC-24. THE EPILEPTIC LANDSCAPE OF IDH MUTANT GLIOMAS

Tumor-associated epilepsy (TAE) is a frequent complication of diffusely infiltrative gliomas, and impairs quality-of-life. We previously showed that isocitrate dehydrogenase 1 mutant (IDHmut) gliomas were associated with preoperative seizures, and that D2HG increased synchronized bursts in cultured neurons (PMID: 28404805). But the mechanism whereby this occurs, whether IDHmut inhibitors can block this, and whether seizure risk varies by IDHmut status post-operatively, are unknown. We discovered that exogenous 3 mM D2HG had a 150% greater effect on the firing rate of cultured mouse cortical neurons when nonneoplastic glia cells were present versus when they were absent (P=0.002). Coculture with patient-derived IDHmut glioma cells increased the firing rate of human cortical neuron/astrocyte spheroids by up to 272%, and the IDHmut inhibitor AG881 reduced the excitatory effect of IDHmut glioma cells on spheroids by 79% (P=0.0008). Using a novel in vivo model of TAE, wherein EEG recordings were taken of immunocompetent mice engrafted with isogenic mouse glioma lines (NRAS/ATRX/TP53mut ± IDHmut), we found that IDHmut gliomas produced 7.6-fold more epileptiform spikes than IDHwt gliomas (P=0.004). RNA-Seq analysis of the peritumoral mouse brain tissue showed that this increase in spikes was associated with significantly increased expression of key genes known to be upregulated in epilepsy, including SLC12A5, THSB1, VEGFA, FOSL2, and SYNPO. Treatment with 5 mg/kg AG881 by daily oral gavage reduced those spikes in IDHmut-engrafted mice by 51% within three days (P=0.027), whereas vehicle control had no effect (P=0.33). Among 247 patients with grade 2–4 adult-type diffuse gliomas, multivariable time-to-event analysis showed that post-operative seizure risk was positively associated with pre-operative seizures, subtotal resection, and IDHmut astrocytoma. Together, these data show that (i) the D2HG product of IDHmut gliomas increases neuronal excitation in a glial-dependent manner; (ii) IDHmut also affects post-operative seizure risk; (iii) IDHmut inhibitors may improve TAE control.

Abstract 522: Preoperative D-dimer and Tissue Factor activity predict postoperative venous thromboembolism in glioma patients

Background: Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a debilitating and life-threatening condition that is common in patients with cancer, especially glioma. There are no widely-accepted antithrombotic prophylaxis guidelines for glioma patients, partly because of the risk of iatrogenic intracerebral hemorrhage. Effective VTE risk assessment models exist for other cancers, but not glioma. Our prior publications suggested a protective role of IDH1 mutations (IDHmut) against VTE, and a direct correlation between circulating Tissue Factor (TF), a procoagulant secreted by cancers, and VTE in glioma patients. Others have found a correlation between inflammatory markers and cancer-associated VTE, but this has not yet been proven in gliomas. Our objective was to evaluate glioma patients for increased VTE risk by assessing clinical, histologic, molecular, and plasma-based markers.

Methods: The Northwestern University Nervous System Tumor Bank provided preoperative arterial plasma, tumor tissue, and clinical-pathological data from 165 newly diagnosed glioma patients. Molecular profiling was done by GlioSeq NGS. Twelve candidate VTE biomarkers (D-dimer, E-Selectin, ICAM-1, VCAM-1, Granzyme B, IFNγ, TNFα, IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-10, and IL-13) were analyzed using the automated microfluidic multiplex Ella࣪ platform. TF procoagulant activity was measured using a FXa chromogenic assay.

Results: Of these patients (n=165), 33 (20%) experienced post-operative VTE. Clinical characteristics associated with increased VTE risk included advanced patient age, high body mass index, high tumor grade, prior history of VTE, coronary artery disease, hyperlipidemia, and hypertension. Of the targeted genetic screening panel (GlioSeq) on resected tumors, only IDHmut significantly correlated with VTE, being associated with reduced risk (OR=0.28; 95% CI=0.12-0.64, P=0.001). Among the plasma biomarkers, elevated circulating TF activity and D-dimer correlated with VTE risk. Circulating TF (>2.0pg/mL) was associated with VTE (Log-rank, P=0.002). D-dimer was elevated in patients that developed VTE (1,355±2,000 vs 605±1,061 ng/mL; P=0.004). High levels of D-dimer associated with worse median overall survival (2.5 vs. 46.9 months; Log-rank P<0.0001), and high D-dimer also developed VTE events quicker (95 vs 245 days; Log-rank P=0.001).

Conclusions: This study identified multiple risk factors for glioma-associated VTE and may help identify which patients would benefit the most from prophylactic anticoagulation therapy following surgery.

Citation Format: Amanda Alexander, Michael Drumm, Jonathan Lamano, Rodrigo Javier, Kathleen McCortney, Rachel Weller Roska, Kirsten Burdett, Denise M. Scholtens, Nathan Steere, Amanda Kubik, Yoav Noam, Craig Horbinski, Dusten J. Unruh. Preoperative D-dimer and Tissue Factor activity predict postoperative venous thromboembolism in glioma patients [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2022; 2022 Apr 8-13. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2022;82(12_Suppl):Abstract nr 522.

The epileptic landscape of IDH mutant gliomas

2064

Background: Tumor-associated epilepsy (TAE) is a frequent complication of diffusely infiltrative gliomas. TAE not only impairs quality-of-life, but it can even be life-threatening. Furthermore, glioma cells have been shown to proliferate and migrate faster when exposed to firing neurons. We previously showed that isocitrate dehydrogenase 1 mutant (IDHmut) gliomas were more likely to cause preoperative seizures than IDH wildtype (IDHwt) gliomas, and that the chemical product of IDHmut, D2HG, increased synchronized network bursts in cultured neurons (PMID: 28404805). But the mechanism whereby this occurs, whether IDHmut inhibitors can block this, and whether seizure risk also varies by IDHmut status postoperatively, are unknown. Methods: Methods are embedded in Results. Results: We discovered that exogenous 3 mM D2HG had a 150% greater effect on the firing rate of cultured mouse cortical neurons when nonneoplastic glia cells were present versus when they were absent ( P=0.002). Although a recently published study suggested that D2HG causes seizures through mTOR activation (PMID: 34994387), we found that D2HG reduced neuronal mTOR activity in neuronal-glial cocultures by 54% ( P=0.0004). Patch clamp analyses showed that, while D2HG does not directly activate glutamate receptors, it does act as a glutamate transport substrate, thus potentially interfering with the ability of glial cells to take up glutamate released into the synaptic cleft. Coculture with patient-derived IDHmut glioma cells increased the firing rate of human cortical neuron/astrocyte spheroids by up to 272%, and an IDHmut inhibitor currently being tested in clinical trials, AG881, reduced the excitatory effect of IDHmut glioma cells on spheroids by 79% ( P=0.0008). Using a novel in vivo model of TAE, wherein EEG recordings were taken of immunocompetent mice engrafted with an isogenic pair of Sleeping Beauty transposase-engineered mouse glioma lines (NRAS/ATRX/TP53mut ± IDHmut), we found that IDHmut gliomas produced 7.6-fold more epileptiform spikes than IDHwt gliomas ( P=0.004). RNA-Seq analysis of the peritumoral mouse brain tissue showed that this increase in spikes was associated with significantly increased expression of key genes known to be upregulated in epilepsy, including SLC12A5, THSB1, VEGFA, FOSL2, and SYNPO. Treatment with 5 mg/kg AG881 by daily oral gavage reduced those spikes in IDHmut-engrafted mice by 51% within three days ( P=0.027), whereas vehicle control had no effect ( P=0.33). Among 247 patients with grade 2–4 adult-type diffuse gliomas, multivariable time-to-event analysis showed that postoperative seizure risk increased with preoperative seizures, subtotal resection, and IDHmut astrocytoma. Conclusions: Together, these data show that (i) the D2HG product of IDHmut gliomas increases neuronal excitation in a glial-dependent manner; (ii) IDHmut also affects postoperative seizure risk; (iii) IDHmut inhibitors may improve TAE control.

Impact of AR-V7 and other androgen receptor splice variant expression on outcomes of post-prostatectomy salvage therapy

274

Background: Radiotherapy (RT) with or without androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) plays a key role in salvage therapy of prostate cancer recurrent after prostatectomy. However, not all patients benefit from salvage therapy, and there is an unmet need for biomarkers to distinguish responders from non-responders. Prostate cancer depends on androgen receptor (AR) signaling, and expression of AR splice variants (ARVs) that enable androgen-independent AR signaling is associated with resistance to ADT in the metastatic setting. Recent in vitro data suggest that ARVs also mediate DNA repair after irradiation, suggesting that ARV expression may also be a biomarker of RT resistance. However, the landscape of ARVs in primary prostate cancer and its effect on treatment outcomes remain unexplored. Here we hypothesize that ARVs are detectable in primary prostate cancer and may modulate response to salvage RT + ADT. Methods: We retrospectively identified 46 prostate cancer patients treated with prostatectomy followed by salvage RT+ ADT at a single institution from 1995 to 2012. The indication for salvage therapy was biochemical failure after undetectable post-operative PSA in 72%, gross local recurrence in 17%, and persistently elevated PSA after surgery in 11%. Median RT dose was 64.8 Gy, and all patients received concurrent ADT. We comprehensively interrogated the landscape of ARVs by performing ultra-deep targeted RNA-seq of archival formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded prostatectomy samples. Using a custom library of > 3000 primers spanning all AR exons and introns, we evaluated 21 native splice junction sites and 20 splice variants with a mean depth of coverage of > 5000x. Decipher score was also evaluated. We tested for association between splice variant expression and clinical outcomes using the log-rank test and Cox proportional hazards model. Results: In total, 76% of patients had one or more detectable AR splice variants. The most commonly detected variants were AR-45 in 41%, AR-V9 in 20%, and AR-V7 in 13%. At a median follow-up of 33.8 months, biochemical progression-free survival (BPFS) at 3 years was 60%, distant metastasis-free survival was 90%, and overall survival was 100%. Among detected splice variants, only AR-V7 was associated with differential clinical outcomes, with a median BPFS of 10.9 months in AR-V7 positive vs 73.4 months in AR-V7 negative patients ( p = 0.0020, HR 5.23, 95% CI 1.62-16.87). Conclusions: Using ultra-deep targeted RNA-Seq, we provide among the first comprehensive descriptions of the ARV landscape in primary prostate cancer. Moreover, we show that detectable AR-V7 in prostatectomy specimens was associated with inferior outcomes following salvage RT+ADT, suggesting for the first time that AR-V7 may modulate outcomes for localized as well as metastatic disease. Ongoing work includes comparison with Decipher score and validation in independent cohorts.

Multi-institutional matched comparison of radical cystectomy to trimodality therapy for muscle-invasive bladder cancer

433

Background: Prior randomized controlled trials (RCT) comparing bladder preservation to radical cystectomy (RC) for muscle invasive bladder cancer (MIBC) closed early due to lack of accrual. Given that no future RCTs are foreseen, and in the absence of level 1 data, we aimed to provide the best evidence possible on outcomes of matched cohorts comparing trimodality therapy (TMT, maximal transurethral resection of bladder tumor followed by concurrent chemoradiation) to RC in order to guide management. Methods: This retrospective analysis included 703 patients with MIBC clinical stage T2-T3/4aN0M0 MIBC urothelial carcinoma of the bladder, 421 RC and 282 TMT who would have been eligible for both TMT or RC, treated at the Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston; Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, Toronto; and University of Southern California, Los Angeles between 2005-2017. To compare homogeneous cohorts, all patients included in this analysis had solitary tumors < 7 cm, no or unilateral hydronephrosis, and no multifocal carcinoma in situ. Treatment propensity scores were estimated using logistic regression, and patients were matched 3:1 with replacement. Covariates included age, sex, clinical T stage, hydronephrosis, (neo)adjuvant chemotherapy, body mass index, smoking history, and ECOG status. Overall survival (OS) was estimated with adjusted Cox models; cancer-specific survival (CSS), distant failure-free survival, pelvic nodal failure-free survival and metastasis-free survival (combined distant and pelvic nodal failure) were estimated with adjusted competing risk models. Our primary endpoint of interest was metastasis-free survival. The analysis was performed as intent-to-treat. Results: The 3:1 matched cohort comprised of 1,116 patients (834 RC vs 282 TMT). After matching, age (71.3 vs 71.6), cT2 clinical stage (88 vs 90%), presence of hydronephrosis (12 vs 10%), and use of (neo)adjuvant chemotherapy (60 vs 65%) were similar between RC and TMT cohorts. Salvage cystectomy was performed in 38 patients (13%) treated by TMT. At 5 years, metastasis-free (73 vs 78%, p = 0.07), distant failure-free (78 vs 82%, p = 0.14), and pelvic nodal failure-free (96 vs 94%, p = 0.33) survival were not statistically different between RC and TMT, whereas CSS and OS favored TMT (78 vs 85%, p = 0.02; 70 vs 78%, p < 0.001). Outcomes for RC and TMT were not different among centers. Final pT stage in the RC patients was: pT0 14%, pT1 7%, pT2 29%, pT3/4 42% and N+ 24%. Peri RC mortality was 2.1% and median number of nodes removed was 40. NMIBC recurrence occurred in 57/278 (20.5%) TMT patients. Conclusions: This large multi-institutional contemporary study provides the best evidence to date, in the absence of randomized trials, supporting TMT for select patients with MIBC. Oncologic outcomes seem to be equivalent between TMT and RC, affirming the position that TMT should be offered as an effective alternative.

EXTH-36. ELECTROCONVULSIVE SEIZURE-INDUCED CHANGES IN THE TUMOR MICROENVIRONMENT PROMOTE SURVIVAL IN GLIOMA-BEARING MICE

PURPOSE

Growing evidence indicates that the neurotransmitters dysregulated in psychiatric disorders are similarly dysregulated in glioblastoma (GBM) biology. GBM cells are dependent on bountiful neuronal glutamate, utilize elevated dopamine receptor expression to augment progression, and catabolize serotonin to drive proliferation and inhibit anti-tumor immunity. The clinical induction of seizure, known as electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), has been used by psychiatrists since the 1930s to correct these dysregulations and can additionally improve medication blood-brain barrier (BBB) penetrance. We hypothesized that seizure-induced changes in the glioma microenvironment occur with ECT, slowing tumor progression, increasing BBB permeability, and prolonging overall survival in glioma-bearing mice.

METHODS

C57BL6 mice were orthotopically injected with CT-2A-Luc mouse glioma cells. Mice were randomized to receive ECT via ear-clip electrodes or sham treatment daily up to five times per week. Intracranial progression was monitored via bioluminescent signal from CT-2A-Luc xenografts. BBB permeability was assessed by subjecting mice to ECT or sham treatment immediately following intravenous injection of sodium fluorescein.

RESULTS

Intracranial progression was maximally reduced in ECT-treated mice relative to sham-treated mice after 17 ECT treatments (ECT radiance 2.6 x 109 photons/second versus sham 4.7 x 109 photons/second, p=0.013), which was further confirmed by both decreased tumor weight and tumor size on histologic evaluation. This translated into an improvement in overall survival from median 29 days in sham-treated mice to 38 days in ECT-treated mice (p=0.0018). Mean seizure duration was 41.8 seconds and positively correlated with overall survival (Pearson coefficient r=0.63, p=0.028). Brain parenchymal uptake of sodium fluorescein was significantly higher in ECT-treated mice (mean relative increase in ECS to sham radiance of 1.47, p&lt; 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Repeated ECT slows tumor progression and prolongs overall survival in C57BL6 mice bearing CT-2A-Luc xenografts. The BBB is compromised immediately following ECT. ECT merits further oncologic investigation as a potential therapeutic in GBM.

QOLP-08. THE LANDSCAPE OF EPILEPSY ASSOCIATED WITH DIFFUSELY INFILTRATIVE GLIOMAS

Seizures are among the most prevalent co-morbidities associated with glioma, and pose a serious threat to patients. Our prior work showed that IDH mutation (IDHmut) was associated with much greater seizure frequency at the time of initial glioma diagnosis. However, less is known about the variables that contribute to seizure risk throughout the course of disease. We therefore collected data from 247 patients with grade 2–4 glioma, and determined seizure risk using Kaplan-Meier survival probabilities and multivariable cox regression analyses. Median follow-up of IDH wildtype (IDHwt) and IDHmut glioma patients was 15 months and 36 months, respectively. Incidence of pre-operative seizures for IDHwt and IDHmut patients was 75/168 (45%) and 60/79 (76%), and incidence of post-operative seizures was 70/168 (42%) and 43/79 (54%), respectively. Patients who had a pre-operative seizure had a shorter time to their first post-operative seizure than patients who never had a pre-operative seizure in both IDHwt (P&lt; 0.0001) and IDHmut (P= 0.039) cohorts. Among IDHmut glioma patients, those with subtotal resections developed post-operative seizures faster (median time to first seizure= 9.9 months) than those with gross-total resections (median not reached) (P= 0.0005), but a similar pattern was not observed in IDHwt glioma patients (P= 0.20). Those with IDHmut astrocytomas more quickly developed post-operative seizures (median= 11.1 months), compared to those with IDHwt astrocytomas (24.9 months) or IDHmut oligodendrogliomas (median not reached) (P= 0.033). Tumor progression closely followed post-operative seizures in patients with IDHwt gliomas when either their first post-operative seizure occurred longer than 6 months following resection, or when their post-operative seizures worsened in quality. These data suggest the best predictors of post-operative seizures are as follows: the presence of pre-operative seizures; extent of surgical resection; IDHmut status. These data will help clinicians better manage glioma patients by identifying those at greatest risk of seizures.

BIOM-27. INTEGRATED PREDICTION OF VENOUS THROMBOEMBOLISM IN GLIOMA PATIENTS

BACKGROUND

Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a debilitating and life-threating condition that is common in patients with cancer, especially glioma. There are no widely-accepted guidelines for antithrombotic prophylaxis in glioma patients, in part because of the risk of iatrogenic intracerebral hemorrhage. Effective VTE prediction models exist for patients with other cancers, but not glioma. Our prior publications suggested a protective role of IDH mutation (IDHmut) against VTE, as well as a positive association between elevated circulating Tissue Factor (TF), a procoagulant secreted by cancers, and VTE in glioma patients. Others have recently found a correlation between podoplanin, a platelet activator, and cancer-associated VTE, but this has not yet been proven in gliomas. Our objective was to develop a multidimensional VTE prediction tool to improve glioma patient care, incorporating clinical, blood-based, histologic, and molecular markers.

METHODS

The Northwestern University Nervous System Tumor Bank provided preoperative arterial blood, tumor tissue, and clinical-pathologic data from 254 grade II-IV glioma patients over a 4-year interval. Molecular profiling was done by GlioSeq NGS.

RESULTS

Forty-six out of 254 grade II-IV glioma patients (18%) experienced VTE during their disease course. VTE was associated with worse median overall survival (18 vs. 54 months, P&lt; 0.001). Positive risk factors for VTE included advanced patient age, high body mass index, high glioma grade, prior history of VTE, coronary artery disease, hyperlipidemia, hypertension, and elevated circulating TF activity, among other variables. While tumor expression of podoplanin positively correlated with VTE, circulating podoplanin did not. Among molecular markers, the strongest was IDHmut, being associated with greatly reduced VTE risk (OR=0.28; 95% CI=0.12-0.64, P=0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

This study identified multiple risk factors for glioma-associated VTE. Using these data, we have developed a web-based multivariable integrated prediction calculator to identify glioma patients who would benefit the most from prophylactic anticoagulation.

Differences in Quality of Life Between Men and Women who Undergo Bladder Preservation with Trimodality Therapy

PURPOSE: Sex-specific differences exist in muscle invasive bladder cancer (MIBC): men have a higher incidence; women present with more advanced disease; and surgical options differ between men and women. Health related quality of life (HRQoL) for male versus female patients with MIBC is not well understood and limited data exists in patients who undergo bladder preservation with trimodality therapy (TMT). The purpose of this study was to compare long-term HRQoL between men and women who have undergone TMT. METHODS AND MATERIALS: This was a secondary analysis of a prior study that reported long-term HRQoL differences for patients who underwent TMT. We analyzed patient reported HRQoL data to assess differences in HRQoL between men and women. RESULTS: Of the 64/74 (86%) TMT patients that completed questionnaires, 14 (22%) were women. Median age at diagnosis was 60 years for women and 66 years for men (p = 0.007). From six HRQoL instruments, there were two responses with a statistically significant difference between women and men –incidence of diarrhea and degree of sexual activity. Fifty percent of women compared to 86%of men reported no diarrhea (p = 0.02). A greater percentage of women reported some degree of sexual activity in the 4 weeks prior to questionnaire completion (p = 0.04), and sexual interest following TMT declined significantly with age in men, but not in women. CONCLUSIONS: In general, men and women report very good long-term HRQoL following TMT. There were, however, some differences between the sexes. Understanding this difference, especially related to sexual function, will allow more informed decision making by patients when choosing between treatment modalities.

Methylation-dependent Tissue Factor Suppression Contributes to the Reduced Malignancy of IDH1-mutant Gliomas

PURPOSE

Gliomas with isocitrate dehydrogenase 1 mutations (IDH1^mut) are less aggressive than IDH1 wild-type (IDH1^wt) gliomas and have global genomic hypermethylation. Yet it is unclear how specific hypermethylation events contribute to the IDH1^mut phenotype. Previously, we showed that the gene encoding the procoagulant tissue factor (TF), F3, is among the most hypermethylated and downregulated genes in IDH1^mut gliomas, correlating with greatly reduced thrombosis in patients with IDH1^mut glioma. Because TF also increases the aggressiveness of many cancers, the current study explored the contribution of TF suppression to the reduced malignancy of IDH1^mut gliomas.Experimental Design: TF expression was manipulated in patient-derived IDH1^mut and IDH1^wt glioma cells, followed by evaluation of in vitro and in vivo behavior and analyses of cell signaling pathways.

RESULTS

A demethylating agent, decitabine, increased F3 transcription and TF-dependent coagulative activity in IDH1^mut cells, but not in IDH1^wt cells. TF induction enhanced the proliferation, invasion, and colony formation of IDH1^mut cells, and increased the intracranial engraftment of IDH1^mut GBM164 from 0% to 100% (P = 0.0001). Conversely, TF knockdown doubled the median survival of mice engrafted with IDH1^wt/EGFRvIII^amp GBM6, and caused complete regression of IDH1^wt/EGFR^amp GBM12 (P = 0.001). In vitro and in vivo effects were linked to activation of receptor tyrosine kinases (RTK) by TF through a Src-dependent intracellular pathway, even when extracellular RTK stimulation was blocked. TF stimulated invasion predominately through upregulation of β-catenin.

CONCLUSIONS

These data show that TF suppression is a component of IDH1^mut glioma behavior, and that it may therefore be an attractive target against IDH1^wt gliomas.

Genomic profiling of muscle invasive bladder cancer to predict response to bladder-sparing trimodality therapy

513

Background: Trimodality therapy with TURBT followed by chemoradiation is an acceptable alternative to cystectomy for muscle invasive bladder cancer (MIBC). Genomic profiling has demonstrated MIBC can be divided into molecular subtypes with differing responses to chemotherapy. We explored the utility of genomic data to select patients for bladder-sparing trimodality therapy. Methods: Transcriptome wide gene expression profiles were generated for 189 MIBC TURBT samples from patients treated with trimodality therapy at a single institution. Of these, 103 passed microarray QC. Molecular subtype and expression of bladder cancer genes were assessed for association with overall and disease-specific survival. Transcriptome wide differential expression analysis was used to explore gene set enrichment in trimodality therapy response groups. Results: The chemoradiation cohort (n = 103) had a median followup of 6.9 years for alive patients, and was classified into four subtypes: basal (n = 44), basal claudin-low (n = 12), infiltrated luminal (n = 17) and luminal tumors (n = 30). There was no significant difference in overall or disease-specific survival by subtype. However, higher expression of the luminal-associated PPARG was correlated with increased survival after adjusting for subtype and clinical factors (HR = 0.52, p = 0.002). In contrast, a p53 signature predicted worse survival after adjusting for clinical factors (HR = 1.92, p = 0.022). Elevated mRNA expression of the DNA damage repair gene MRE11 was associated with improved survival in the trimodality cohort (HR = 0.69, P = 0.031), consistent with its potential role as a predictive biomarker for radiation response. Gene set enrichment revealed differential regulation of immune pathways in trimodality therapy responders relative to non-responders, including enrichment of interferon gamma signaling (p = 0.01) and CXCL9 (p = 0.031), suggestive of an interplay between tumor immunologic microenvironment and response to chemoradiation. Conclusions: Transcriptional profiling of MIBC revealed gene signatures correlated with response to chemoradiation, suggesting the potential of genomics to guide use of trimodality therapy.

Cystic Fibrosis Mice Develop Spontaneous Chronic Bordetella Airway Infections

Chronic pulmonary disease and infection is the primary cause of morbidity and mortality in people with cystic fibrosis (CF). Though Pseudomonas aeruginosa, is most commonly found in the airways of individuals with CF, there is increasing appreciation for the diversity of the CF microbiome, including other taxa such as Bordetella. Here we describe the identification and impact of Bordetella pseudohinzii infection in CF mice, which previously have not been thought to develop spontaneous airway infections. We determined that CF mice are more susceptible to the B. pseudohinzii infections, and less able to resolve the infection than non-CF mice. Moreover, in both CF and non-CF mice, B. pseudohinzii infections lead to markedly reduced respiratory rates and a CF-specific immune response. These results establish the CF mouse model as an important tool for the study of CF-relevant infection and highlight the potential contribution of Bordetella to CF clinical pathology.

Risk Factors for Disease Progression After Postprostatectomy Salvage Radiation: Long-term Results of a Single-institution Experience

BACKGROUND

Salvage radiotherapy (SRT) has been successfully used for recurrent prostate cancer after radical prostatectomy; however, the optimal timing of SRT remains controversial. Our objective was to identify the risk factors for disease progression after SRT, with a focus on the pre-SRT prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels in the modern era of PSA testing.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

We performed a retrospective review of 551 consecutive patients who had undergone postradical prostatectomy SRT for recurrent prostate cancer from 2000 to 2013. The exclusion criteria were hormonal therapy before or concurrent with SRT, adjuvant RT, distant metastases, and missing data. Disease progression was defined as a repeat PSA level of ≥ 0.2 ng/mL greater than the post-SRT nadir, a continued increase in the PSA level despite SRT, initiation of systemic therapy, local recurrence, nodal failure, and/or distant metastases. Univariate and multivariable Cox regression analysis were performed to identify the predictors of disease progression. Secondarily, PSA kinetics were evaluated in the model and compared using the Akaike information criterion.

RESULTS

Of the 551 patients, 307 underwent SRT, of whom 134 experienced subsequent disease progression. The median interval to recurrence was 6.03 years (95% confidence interval, 3.74-8.36 years). On multivariable analysis, Gleason score, T stage, positive surgical margins, and pre-SRT PSA level were associated with progression; PSA kinetics did not independently predict for progression. When the pre-SRT PSA level was stratified (≤ 0.30, 0.31-0.50, 0.51-1.00, and > 1 ng/mL), incremental elevations were associated with an increased risk of disease progression.

CONCLUSION

Multiple factors predict for progression after SRT. These risk factors could help identify those who would derive the greatest benefit from additional systemic treatment. The findings of the present study also support initiation of early SRT, irrespective of the PSA kinetics.

Outcomes and tolerability of selective bladder preservation by combined modality therapy for invasive bladder cancer in elderly patients

316

Background: The median age of patients diagnosed with muscle invasive bladder cancer (MIBC) in the US is 72 years old, and only about half of those over 70 years receive potentially curative therapy (radical cystectomy, chemoradiation, definitive radiation), suggesting a large proportion of patients are undertreated. To address this unmet need, we examined the outcomes and tolerability of chemoradiation (chemoRT) in the elderly. Methods: We conducted an analysis of 455 patients with cT2-T4a disease treated at our institution between 1986 and 2013. Patients underwent induction chemoRT (40Gy) after transurethral resection of bladder tumor (TURBT). Patients achieving a complete response (CR) received consolidation chemoRT to a total goal dose of 64-65Gy. Those with less than a CR or an invasive recurrence were recommended to undergo salvage cystectomy. Elderly was defined as 75 years or older. For comparison with younger patients, propensity score matching was performed based on sex, T-stage, hydronephrosis, completion of TURBT, and decade of treatment. Disease-specific survival (DSS) was evaluated using Kaplan-Meier method. Results: Median age was 66 years (range 27-94). One hundred and one patients (22%) were 75 years or older. Median follow-up was 7.4 years for surviving patients. In a propensity score matched pair analysis of 84 elderly and 84 younger patients, DSS at 5 and 10 years for the elderly was 64.8% and 51%, compared to 71.7% and 62.0% for younger patients (p = 0.28). Elderly patients, compared to the younger patients, had similar rates of ED visits during treatment (10% vs 12%, p = 0.76), hospital admissions for any cause (17% vs. 14%, p = 0.8), unplanned treatment breaks for any cause (24% vs. 12%, p = 0.16), and discontinuation of therapy due to toxicities (6% vs 7%, p = 1.0). Conclusions: In elderly patients with MIBC, outcomes and tolerability of bladder-sparing chemoRT are comparable to that of younger patients. Clinicians should not deny patients potentially curative therapies based on age alone, although further investigation is warranted.

Subtyping muscle-invasive bladder cancer to assess clinical response to trimodality therapy

287

Background: Trimodality therapy with TURBT followed by chemoradiation is an acceptable alternative to cystectomy for muscle invasive bladder cancer (MIBC). Recently, genomic profiling has demonstrated MIBC can be divided into three or more subtypes with differing responses to chemotherapy, suggesting genomic subtype may impact therapeutic response. Here, we explore the utility of genomic information to better select patients for bladder-sparing trimodality therapy. Methods: Transcriptome-wide gene expression profiles were generated for 189 MIBC TURBT samples from patients undergoing trimodality therapy at the Massachusetts General Hospital. Of these, 108 passed microarray QC and 100 had complete clinical information. The patient tumors were classified as basal, basal claudin-low, infilrated luminal or luminal subtype. The subtype and the expression of a number of bladder cancer genes were assessed for their association with need for salvage cystectomy and for overall survival. Finally, transcriptome-wide differential expression analysis was used to explore gene set enrichment in trimodality therapy response groups. Results: Our chemoradiation cohort (n = 108) was classified into the four subtypes: basal (n = 45), basal claudin low (n = 13), infiltrated luminal (n = 17) and luminal tumors (n = 33). Survival analysis (n = 100) showed that patients of the luminal subtype trended to better overall survival, but did not reach significance (HR = 0.63, p = 0.1). Fewer patients with infiltrated luminal tumors (12%) required a salvage cystectomy compared to all other subtypes (34+/-1.5%, p = 0.08). We found high expression of BLACAT1 and NORAD (a lncRNA with a role in genome stability) correlated with worse (p = 0.01) and better prognosis (p = 0.008), respectively. Likewise, patients with high levels of the luminal-associated PPARG showed a significant increase in overall survival (p = 0.0002). Gene set enrichment revealed differential regulation of immune pathways in the trimodality therapy responders relative to the non-responders (p < 0.05). Conclusions: Preliminary data exploring MIBC subtyping suggests the possibility of using genomics to predict response to trimodality bladder-sparing therapy.

The prognostic utility of hemoglobin and lymphocytopenia in bladder-sparing therapy

370

Background: Many patients with bladder cancer are found to have laboratory derrangements such as anemia and lymphocytopenia prior to treatment, though their prognostic value is unknown. We examined pretreatment lab values and clinical outcomes in patients with muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC) who underwent bladder sparing trimodality therapy (TMT). Methods: We performed a retrospective analysis of 181 patients with T2-T4a bladder cancer who underwent TMT between 2001 and 2013. Pretreatment absolute lymphocyte count (ALC), neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR), and hemoglobin (Hgb) values were collected, and cut-off values were established to be 1.5*10^9/L, 3.12, and 12 g/dl, respectively. Overall survival (OS), disease-specific survival (DSS), and disease-free survival (DFS) were compared with Kaplan Meier survival probabilities and univariate and multivariate Cox regression analysis, controlling for gender, age, completeness of TURBT, response to TMT, cystectomy, clinical T stage, and hydronephrosis. Results: Median follow-up was 47 months. On univariate analysis, patients with a low pretreatment lymphocyte count had poorer OS (p = 0.03) than patients with a higher pretreatment lymphocyte count (5 year OS rates: 54% and 71%, respectively). Patients with pretreatment anemia had poorer OS (p = 0.001) and DSS (p < 0.001) than patients with a higher pretreatment hemoglobin count, (5 year OS rates: 39% and 65%; 5 year DSS rates: 39% and 72%, respectively). On multivariate analysis, pretreatment anemia was significantly associated with poorer OS (HR 2.58, 95% CI 1.36–4.90) and DSS (HR 3.23, 95% CI 1.62–6.43), whereas complete response to TMT was significantly associated with improved OS (HR 0.24, 95% CI 0.13–0.43) and DSS (HR 0.29, 95% CI 0.14–0.59). Complete response to TMT was significantly associated with improved DFS (HR 0.36, 95% CI 0.21–0.61), and a higher clinical T stage was associated with poorer DFS (HR 2.38, 95% CI 1.19–4.75). Conclusions: When adjusting for clinical factors, pretreatment anemia remained an independent predictor of overall and disease-specific survival following TMT. Further prospective validation of lab values and clinical outcomes in MIBC are needed.

Long-term Outcomes After Bladder-preserving Tri-modality Therapy for Patients with Muscle-invasive Bladder Cancer: An Updated Analysis of the Massachusetts General Hospital Experience

BACKGROUND

Tri-modality therapy (TMT) is a recognized treatment strategy for selected patients with muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC).

OBJECTIVE

Report long-term outcomes of patients with MIBC treated by TMT.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS

Four hundred and seventy-five patients with cT2-T4a MIBC were enrolled on protocols or treated as per protocol at the Massachusetts General Hospital between 1986 and 2013.

INTERVENTION

Patients underwent transurethral resection of bladder tumor followed by concurrent radiation and chemotherapy. Patients with less than a complete response (CR) to chemoradiation or with an invasive recurrence were recommended to undergo salvage radical cystectomy.

OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS AND STATISTICAL ANALYSIS

Disease-specific survival (DSS) and overall survival (OS) were calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method.

RESULTS AND LIMITATIONS

Median follow-up for surviving patients was 7.21 yr. Five- and 10-yr DSS rates were 66% and 59%, respectively. Five- and 10-yr OS rates were 57% and 39%, respectively. The risk of salvage cystectomy at 5 yr was 29%. In multivariate analyses, T2 disease (OS hazard ratio [HR]: 0.57, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.44-0.75, DSS HR: 0.51, 95% CI: 0.36-0.73), CR to chemoradiation (OS HR: 0.61, 95% CI: 0.46-0.81, DSS HR: 0.49, 95% CI: 0.34-0.71), and presence of tumor-associated carcinoma in situ (OS HR: 1.56, 95% CI: 1.17-2.08, DSS HR: 1.50, 95% CI: 1.03-2.17) were significant predictors for OS and DSS. When evaluating our cohort over treatment eras, rates of CR improved from 66% to 88% and 5-yr DSS improved from 60% to 84% during the eras of 1986-1995 to 2005-2013, while the 5-yr risk of salvage radical cystectomy rate decreased from 42% to 16%.

CONCLUSIONS

These data demonstrate high rates of CR and bladder preservation in patients receiving TMT, and confirm DSS rates similar to modern cystectomy series. Contemporary results are particularly encouraging, and therefore TMT should be discussed and offered as a treatment option for selected patients.

PATIENT SUMMARY

Tri-modality therapy is an alternative to radical cystectomy for patients with muscle-invasive bladder cancer, and is associated with comparable long-term survival and high rates of bladder preservation.

Long-term results of adjuvant versus early salvage postprostatectomy radiation: A large single-institutional experience

PURPOSE

The purpose of this study was to evaluate freedom from biochemical failure (FFBF), freedom from androgen deprivation therapy (FFADT), freedom from distant metastases (FFDM), and overall survival (OS) after adjuvant radiation therapy (ART) versus early salvage radiation therapy (ESRT) in men with prostate cancer and adverse pathologic features (pT3 and/or positive surgical margins).

METHODS AND MATERIALS

Of 718 patients consecutively treated with postoperative radiation therapy (RT) for prostate cancer between 1992 and 2013, we retrospectively identified 171 men receiving ART and 230 receiving ESRT (RT delivered at a prostate-specific antigen level ≤0.5 ng/mL) who had adverse pathologic features. Postirradiation FFBF (BF was defined as prostate-specific antigen level rise to ≥0.2 ng/mL), FFADT, FFDM, and OS were compared using Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression methods. Propensity score (PS)-matching was performed to estimate treatment effects while accounting for covariates predicting treatment allocation.

RESULTS

Median follow-up was 7.4 and 8.0 years for patients treated with ART and ESRT, respectively. Ten-year FFBF (69% vs 56%, P = .003) and 10-year FFADT (88% vs 81%, P = .046) rates were higher after ART; however, FFDM and OS did not significantly differ. After PS-matching, ART was associated with improved FFBF (P < .0001), FFADT (P = .0001), and FFDM (P = .02). Findings were confirmed in multivariable analyses in unmatched and PS-matched cohorts. Sensitivity analyses showed that FFBF benefit associated with ART lost statistical significance only after 38% of ART patients were assumed to have been cured by surgery and excluded from the model. This corresponds to the upper bound of patients with adverse pathologic features who did not recur after observation in prior randomized trials.

CONCLUSIONS

Postoperative RT confers excellent long-term cancer control. These results suggest ART may be associated with improved FFBF, FFADT, and FFDM, but comparable OS. Given the retrospective study design, these findings should be interpreted with caution. Optimal timing of postoperative RT further awaits results of ongoing trials.

Risk factors for disease progression after post-prostatectomy salvage radiation: Long-term results of a large institutional experience

110

Background: Salvage radiotherapy (SRT) has been successfully used to treat recurrent prostate cancer following radical prostatectomy (RP). The objective of this study was to identify risk factors for disease progression post-SRT. Methods: Retrospective review of 719 consecutive patients who had RP and received post-operative radiation (adjuvant/SRT) for recurrent prostate cancer from 1992-2013. Disease progression was defined by a prostate specific antigen (PSA) ≥0.2 ng/ml, local recurrence, nodal failure, or distant metastases. Analysis was restricted to patients treated after 2000, when the PSA detectability threshold decreased to 0.2. Univariable and multivariable Cox regression analysis with backwards selection was performed with the following variables: demographics (age, race), pathological features (Gleason score, positive margins, pT-stage), surgery type, radiation details, hormone therapy, and pre-SRT PSA. Secondarily, we included PSA velocity and doubling-time as continuous variables in the model. Results: 384 patients received SRT after 2000, of which 152 had disease progression, with a median time to recurrence of 6.2 years (95% CI 4.1-7.6 years). Multivariable analysis results are reported in the Table. Gleason score, T-stage, seminal vesicle invasion, and pre-SRT PSA were associated with progression. Pre-SRT PSA ≤ 0.3 conferred the lowest rate of disease progression. In a secondary model, PSA kinetics was evaluated in which doubling-time was associated with progression (HR 0.98 per month increase, 95% CI 0.96-1.00; p=0.03). Conclusions: The lowest rate of disease progression was found amongst patients treated with a PSA ≤ 0.3. A shorter DT may also be a useful predictor of disease progression after SRT. [Table: see text]

Renal function in bladder cancer patients after trimodality therapy: Long-term results of a large institutional experience

453

Background: Maintenance of renal function following treatment of bladder cancer presents an ongoing challenge. The decline following radical cystectomy is well documented. However, in patients undergoing trimodality bladder-sparing therapy consisting of transurethral resection (TURBT) and concurrent chemoradiation followed by adjuvant chemotherapy, renal function is poorly understood. Methods: We performed a retrospective review of 178 patients with muscle-invasive bladder cancer who underwent bladder-sparing therapy between 2001 and 2013 and collected nadir creatinine values in the month preceding TURBT and at 1, 3, 5, 7, and 9 years post treatment initiation. Wilcoxon signed-rank test and mixed effects analysis were performed to compare the pre-treatment and post-treatment levels of creatinine and EGFR and to analyze their temporal change. Results: Median follow-up was 48 months (range: 1 to 162 months). The mean pre-treatment creatinine and EGFR were 1.12 mg/dl and 71 mg/dl, respectively. Cr increased to 1.21 mg/dl and EGFR decreased to 65 mg/dl at 1 year following treatment initiation (p = 0.001, p = 0.002). All post-treatment values were also significantly different from pre-treatment values (all p values < 0.002), but there was no significant difference between the post-treatment values over time. Conclusions: Following bladder-sparing therapy for muscle invasive bladder cancer, renal function was generally well preserved in the long term. Although there was a modest yet statistically significant decrease in renal function that occurred during the first year, there was no further decline up to 9 years. While this initial decrease in function is of unknown clinical significance, the lack of further decline after 1 year is different from similar studies following cystectomy.

Early salvage versus adjuvant post-prostatectomy radiation therapy: Long-term results of a large institutional experience

99

Background: Randomized trials and consensus statements support consideration of adjuvant radiation therapy (ART) after radical prostatectomy (RP) for adverse pathologic features (pT3, positive margins), although its use remains low. Whether early salvage radiation therapy (ESRT) is as effective as ART remains unknown. The objective of this study was to compare outcomes after ART and ESRT. Methods: We performed a retrospective institutional analysis of 719 consecutive patients receiving post-RP RT from 1992 to 2013. ESRT was defined as RT for biochemical failure (BF) with post-RP PSA ≤ 0.5 ng/ml. All included ART and ESRT patients had adverse surgical pathologic features. Outcomes examined were freedom from BF (FFBF; rising PSA ≥ 0.2 ng/ml with subsequent confirmation), freedom from subsequent androgen deprivation therapy (FFADT), freedom from distant metastases (FFDM), and overall survival (OS). ART and ESRT were compared using multivariable analyses (MVA) with propensity score (PS) matching for pre-RP PSA, age at RT, Gleason score, pT-stage, and margin status. Results: 537 patients received salvage RT, of whom 195 received ESRT; 181 patients received ART. Median follow-up from RP was 7.0 and 8.1 years in the ART and ESRT cohorts, respectively. Median time to BF after RT was 4.4 and 4.7 years in the ART and ESRT cohorts, respectively. On MVA, ART was associated with improved 10-year FFBF (74 vs 60%, HR 0.36 [95% CI: 0.23-0.58], P < 0.0001) and 10-yr FFADT (91 vs 83%, HR 0.37 [95% CI: 0.18-0.76], P = 0.007). There were no significant differences in FFDM (96 vs 92%, HR 0.58 [95% CI: 0.19-1.7], P = 0.3), and OS (98 vs 95%, HR 1.24 [95% CI: 0.4-3.89], P = 0.7). After PS matching, ART (n = 169) remained significantly associated with improved FFBF (p < 0.0001) and FFADT (p = 0.01), compared to ESRT (n = 176). Conclusions: Post-prostatectomy RT confers excellent long-term prostate cancer control, a finding supported by the long follow-up in this series. ART is associated with improved FFBF and FFADT compared to ESRT, although there were no statistically significant differences in FFDM and OS. Optimal timing of postoperative RT further awaits the results of ongoing randomized trials.

Negative reinforcement impairs overnight memory consolidation

Post-learning sleep is beneficial for human memory. However, it may be that not all memories benefit equally from sleep. Here, we manipulated a spatial learning task using monetary reward and performance feedback, asking whether enhancing the salience of the task would augment overnight memory consolidation and alter its incorporation into dreaming. Contrary to our hypothesis, we found that the addition of reward impaired overnight consolidation of spatial memory. Our findings seemingly contradict prior reports that enhancing the reward value of learned information augments sleep-dependent memory processing. Given that the reward followed a negative reinforcement paradigm, consolidation may have been impaired via a stress-related mechanism.

A controlled clinical evaluation of the parents plus children's programme: a video-based programme for parents of children aged 6 to 11 with behavioural and developmental problems

This article describes the development and the clinic-based evaluation of the Parents Plus Children's Programme (PPCP), a group-based video-modelling-assisted programme for parents of children aged 6 to 11 referred to a Child Mental Health Service with significant behavioural problems both with and without associated developmental difficulties. In evaluating the programme, a sequential block design was used to assign 74 parents of children referred to the service to the PPCP group (n = 42) or the Treatment as Usual (TAU) Comparison Group (n = 32). Assessment took place before and immediately following the 8-week intervention for both groups and at 5-month follow-up for the PPCP Group. Compared to the TAU Group postprogramme, the PPCP Group displayed significant reductions in total difficulties and conduct problems as measured by the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire, decreased parental stress, increased parental confidence and significant improvements in parent-defined problems and goals. These positive changes were maintained at 5-month follow-up for the PPCP group, in addition to further significant improvements in peer problems and prosocial behaviour. The analysis also suggests that the programme is more effective for parents of children with behavioural problems only, than for those with associated developmental difficulties. The strengths and limitations of the study are discussed, as well as the difficulties of conducting practice-based research.

Parallel-stranded DNA with Hoogsteen base pairing stabilized by a trans-[Pt(NH3)2]2+ cross-link: characterization and conversion into a homodimer and a triplex

The oligonucleotides 5'-d(TTTTCTTTTG) and 5'-d(AAAAGAAAAG) were cross-linked with a trans-[Pt(NH3)2]2+ entity via the N7 positions of the 3'-end guanine bases to give parallel-stranded (ps) DNA. At pH 4.2, CD and NMR spectroscopy indicate the presence of Hoogsteen base pairing. In addition, temperature-dependent UV spectroscopy shows an increase in melting temperature for the platinated duplex (35 degrees C) as compared to the non-platinated, antiparallel-stranded duplex formed from the same oligonucleotides (21 degrees C). A monomer-dimer equilibrium for the platinated 20mer is revealed by gel electrophoresis. At pH 4.2, addition of a third strand of composition 5'-d(AGCTTTTCTTTTAG) to the ps duplex leads to the formation of a triple helix with two distinct melting points at 38 degrees C (platinum cross-linked Hoogsteen part) and 21 degrees C (Watson-Crick part), respectively.