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Chen F, Zhou P, Ren G, Lee EKW, Liu Q, Shen Y, Wang Y, El Helali A, Jin JY, Fu P, Dai W, Lee AWM, Yu H, Spring Kong FM. Interpretable deep learning insights: Unveiling the role of 1 Gy volume on lymphopenia after radiotherapy in breast cancer. Radiother Oncol 2024; 197:110333. [PMID: 38772478 DOI: 10.1016/j.radonc.2024.110333] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2023] [Revised: 04/18/2024] [Accepted: 05/07/2024] [Indexed: 05/23/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Lymphopenia is known for its significance on poor survivals in breast cancer patients. Considering full dosimetric data, this study aimed to develop and validate predictive models for lymphopenia after radiotherapy (RT) in breast cancer. MATERIAL AND METHODS Patients with breast cancer treated with adjuvant RT were eligible in this multicenter study. The study endpoint was lympopenia, defined as the reduction in absolute lymphocytes and graded lymphopenia after RT. The dose-volume histogram (DVH) data of related critical structures and clinical factors were taken into account for the development of dense neural network (DNN) predictive models. The developed DNN models were validated using external patient cohorts. RESULTS A total of 918 consecutive patients with invasive breast cancer enrolled. The training, testing, and external validating datasets consisted of 589, 203, and 126 patients, respectively. Treatment volumes at nearly all dose levels of the DVH were significant predictors for lymphopenia following RT, including volumes at very low-dose 1 Gy (V1) of organs at risk (OARs) including lung, heart and body, especially ipsilateral-lung V1. A final DNN model, combining full DVH dosimetric parameters of OARs and three key clinical factors, achieved a predictive accuracy of 75 % or higher. CONCLUSION This study demonstrated and externally validated the significance of full dosimetric data, particularly the volume of low dose at as low as 1 Gy of critical structures on lymphopenia after radiation in patients with breast cancer. The significance of V1 deserves special attention, as modern VMAT RT technology often has a relatively high value of this parameter. Further study is warranted for RT plan optimization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fang Chen
- Department of Clinical Oncology, Shenzhen Key Laboratory for Cancer Metastasis and Personalized Therapy, The University of Hong Kong-Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, China; Department of Clinical Oncology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Ping Zhou
- Department of Radiotherapy, The First Affiliated Hospital of Hainan Medical University, China
| | - Ge Ren
- Department of Clinical Oncology, Shenzhen Key Laboratory for Cancer Metastasis and Personalized Therapy, The University of Hong Kong-Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, China; Department of Health Technology and Informatics, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong
| | - Eric K W Lee
- Department of Clinical Oncology, Shenzhen Key Laboratory for Cancer Metastasis and Personalized Therapy, The University of Hong Kong-Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, China
| | - Qin Liu
- Department of Clinical Oncology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Yuanyuan Shen
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Yang Wang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Shenzhen Polytechnic University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Aya El Helali
- Department of Clinical Oncology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Jian-Yue Jin
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Pingfu Fu
- Department of Population and Quantitative Health Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Wei Dai
- Department of Clinical Oncology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Anne W M Lee
- Department of Clinical Oncology, Shenzhen Key Laboratory for Cancer Metastasis and Personalized Therapy, The University of Hong Kong-Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, China
| | - Hao Yu
- Institute of Biomedical and Health Engineering, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, China.
| | - Feng-Ming Spring Kong
- Department of Clinical Oncology, Shenzhen Key Laboratory for Cancer Metastasis and Personalized Therapy, The University of Hong Kong-Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, China; Department of Clinical Oncology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.
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Chiang CL, Lam TC, Li JCB, Chan KSK, El Helali A, Lee YYP, Law LHT, Zheng D, Lo AWI, Kam NW, Li WS, Cheung AKW, Chow JCH, Chan SPC, Lai JWY, Lee SWM, Kong FM(S, Ng WT, Kwong DLW, Lee AWM. Efficacy, safety, and correlative biomarkers of bintrafusp alfa in recurrent or metastatic nasopharyngeal cancer patients: a phase II clinical trial. Lancet Reg Health West Pac 2023; 40:100898. [PMID: 37701718 PMCID: PMC10493598 DOI: 10.1016/j.lanwpc.2023.100898] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2023] [Revised: 08/15/2023] [Accepted: 08/22/2023] [Indexed: 09/14/2023]
Abstract
Background The strategy of dual blockade of TGF-β and PD-L1 pathways has not been previously tested in platinum-refractory recurrent or metastatic nasopharyngeal cancer (R/M NPC) patients. This study aimed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of bintrafusp alfa in refractory R/M NPC patients. Methods In this single-arm, single-centre phase II clinical trial, 38 histologically confirmed R/M NPC patients were enrolled and administered with bintrafusp alfa every 2 weeks. Primary endpoint was objective response rate (ORR) per Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors version 1.1 (RECIST v1.1). Secondary endpoints included progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), duration of response (DOR), and safety. Findings Thirty-eight patients were accrued (33 men; median age, 54 years). ORR was 23.7% (complete response, n = 2; partial response, n = 7). The median DOR was 19.2 months, median PFS was 2.3 months, median OS was 17.0 months, and 1-year OS rate was 63.2%. Unfortunately, 25 patients (65.7%) progressed within 8 weeks of treatment, 15 patients (39.5%) and 8 patients (21.1%) developed hyper-progressive disease (HPD) per RECIST v1.1 and tumor growth rate (TGR) ratio respectively. Sixteen patients (42.4%) experienced ≥ grade 3 treatment-related adverse events (TRAEs), most commonly anemia (n = 9, 23.7%) and secondary malignancies (n = 4, 10.5%). TRAEs led to permanent treatment discontinuation in 7 patients. Patients with strong suppression of plasma TGFβ1 level at week 8 were unexpectedly associated with worse ORR (9.1% vs 44.4%, P = 0.046) and development of HPD. There was no correlation between PD-L1 expression and ORR. Interpretation Bintrafusp alfa demonstrated modest activity in R/M NPC but high rates of HPD and treatment discontinuation secondary to TRAEs are concerning. Funding The project was supported by Alice Ho Miu Ling Nethersole Charity Foundation Professorship Endowed Fund and Merck KGaA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chi Leung Chiang
- LKS Faculty of Medicine, Department of Clinical Oncology, School of Clinical Medicine, The University of Hong Kong and University of Hong Kong-Shenzhen Hospital, China
| | - Tai Chung Lam
- LKS Faculty of Medicine, Department of Clinical Oncology, School of Clinical Medicine, The University of Hong Kong and University of Hong Kong-Shenzhen Hospital, China
| | - James Chun Bong Li
- LKS Faculty of Medicine, Department of Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, School of Clinical Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, China
| | - Kenneth Sik Kwan Chan
- LKS Faculty of Medicine, Department of Clinical Oncology, School of Clinical Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, China
| | - Aya El Helali
- LKS Faculty of Medicine, Department of Clinical Oncology, School of Clinical Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, China
| | | | - Laalaa Hiu Ting Law
- LKS Faculty of Medicine, Department of Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, School of Clinical Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, China
| | - Danyang Zheng
- LKS Faculty of Medicine, Department of Clinical Oncology, School of Clinical Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, China
| | | | - Ngar Woon Kam
- LKS Faculty of Medicine, Department of Clinical Oncology, School of Clinical Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, China
| | - Wing Sum Li
- Department of Clinical Oncology, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Hong Kong, China
| | | | | | | | - Jessica Wing Yu Lai
- Department of Clinical Oncology, Princess Margaret Hospital, Hong Kong, China
| | - Sarah Wai Man Lee
- Department of Clinical Oncology, Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital, Hong Kong, China
| | - Feng-Ming (Spring) Kong
- LKS Faculty of Medicine, Department of Clinical Oncology, School of Clinical Medicine, The University of Hong Kong and University of Hong Kong-Shenzhen Hospital, China
| | - Wai Tong Ng
- LKS Faculty of Medicine, Department of Clinical Oncology, School of Clinical Medicine, The University of Hong Kong and University of Hong Kong-Shenzhen Hospital, China
| | - Dora Lai Wan Kwong
- LKS Faculty of Medicine, Department of Clinical Oncology, School of Clinical Medicine, The University of Hong Kong and University of Hong Kong-Shenzhen Hospital, China
| | - Anne Wing Mui Lee
- LKS Faculty of Medicine, Department of Clinical Oncology, University of Hong Kong-Shenzhen Hospital and School of Clinical Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, China
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Chen F, Zhou P, Lee KW, Liu Q, Helali AE, Jin JY, Lee AWM, Yu H, Kong FM. Interpretable Deep Learning Identified the Significance of 1 Gy Volume on Lymphopenia after Radiotherapy in Breast Cancer. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 2023; 117:e168. [PMID: 37784771 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijrobp.2023.06.1006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/04/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE(S) Lymphopenia is common after radiotherapy (RT) and is known for its significance on poor survival outcomes in patients with breast cancer. Previous work has demonstrated the significance of point dosimetric factors like the volume receiving 5 Gy. Considering the full dosimetric data together, this study aimed to develop and validate predictive models for lymphopenia after RT in breast cancer. MATERIALS/METHODS Patients with breast cancer treated with radiation therapy in adjuvant setting and with complete dosimetric data were eligible. Combining dose-volume histogram (DVH) dosimetric and clinical factors, dense neural network (DNN) models were developed to predict both the reduction in lymphocyte counts and the graded lymphopenia in breast cancer patients after adjuvant RT. A Shapley additive explanation was applied to explain each feature's directional contributions. The generalization of DNN models was validated in both internal and independent external validation cohorts. P<0.05 was considered to be significant. RESULTS A total of 928 consecutive patients with invasive breast cancer were eligible for this study. Treatment volumes of nearly all irradiation dose levels of DVH were significant predictors for lymphopenia after RT, including volumes at very low-dose 1 Gy (V1) of all structures considered including the lung, heart and body. DNN models using full DVH dosimetric and clinical factors were built and a simplified model was further established and validated in both internal and external validation cohorts. This simplified DNN AI model, combining full DVH dosimetric parameters of all OARs and five key clinical factors including baseline lymphocyte counts, tumor stage, RT technique, RT fields and RT fractionation, showed a predictive accuracy of 77% and above. CONCLUSION This study demonstrated and externally validated the significance of an AI model of combining clinical and full dosimetric data, especially the volume of low dose at as low as 1 Gy of all critical structures on lymphopenia after RT in patients with breast cancer. The significance of V1 deserves special attention, as modern arc RT technology often has relatively high value of this parameter. Further study warranted for breast cancer RT plan optimization.
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Affiliation(s)
- F Chen
- The University of Hong Kong-Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, China; The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - P Zhou
- Department of Radiotherapy, The First Affiliated Hospital of Hainan Medical University, Haikou, China
| | - K W Lee
- The University of Hong Kong-Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, China
| | - Q Liu
- The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - A E Helali
- The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - J Y Jin
- School of biomedical engineering, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - A W M Lee
- The University of Hong Kong-Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, China
| | - H Yu
- Chinese Academy of Sciences Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Shenzhen, China, Shenzhen, China
| | - F M Kong
- The University of Hong Kong-Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, China; The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
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Tao J, Quan J, El Helali A, Lam WWT, Pang H. Global trends indicate increasing consumption of dietary sodium and fiber in middle-income countries: A study of 30-year global macrotrends. Nutr Res 2023; 118:63-69. [PMID: 37598558 DOI: 10.1016/j.nutres.2023.07.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2023] [Revised: 07/14/2023] [Accepted: 07/17/2023] [Indexed: 08/22/2023]
Abstract
According to the Global Burden of Disease Study, 3 million deaths were attributable to high sodium intake and low intake of whole grains. With the rapid evolution of the food industry, we hypothesize that dietary intake of sodium has increased and that dietary intake of whole grains or fibers has decreased because of easier access to highly processed food. Country-level data on dietary factors and country income levels from 1990 to 2018 were collected from 3 public databases. The trend of dietary intake was modeled using the linear mixed model accounting for random effects of individual countries. The country-level differences in dietary factors between males and females were calculated, and the trends were also modeled accounting for the random effects of countries. Both males and females consumed increasing amounts of dietary sodium from 1990 to 2018 in high-income, middle- to high-, middle-, and low-income countries. Dietary fiber intake increased in low-to-middle, middle-, and middle-to-high income countries for both men and women over the past 3 decades. Men tend to consume more sodium and less fiber and whole grains in their diets than women, the trend of which is statistically significant in middle-income countries. Over the past 3 decades, the macrotrend of dietary sodium has increased around the globe. To reduce the sodium intake level, nutrition policy should emphasize sodium reduction, especially in high-income, middle- to high-income, middle-income, and low-income countries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun Tao
- School of Public Health, LKS Faculty of Medicine, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Jianchao Quan
- School of Public Health, LKS Faculty of Medicine, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China; Faculty of Business and Economics, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Aya El Helali
- Department of Clinical Oncology, School of Clinical Medicine, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Wendy W T Lam
- School of Public Health, LKS Faculty of Medicine, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China; LKS Jockey Club Institute of Cancer Care, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Herbert Pang
- School of Public Health, LKS Faculty of Medicine, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China; Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA.
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5
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El Helali A, Lam TC, Ko EYL, Shih DJ, Chan CK, Wong CH, Wong JW, Cheung LW, Lau JK, Liu AP, Chan AS, Loong HH, Lam STS, Chan GCF, Lee VH, Yuen KK, Ng WT, Lee AW, Ma ES. The impact of the multi-disciplinary molecular tumour board and integrative next generation sequencing on clinical outcomes in advanced solid tumours. Lancet Reg Health West Pac 2023; 36:100775. [PMID: 37547050 PMCID: PMC10398587 DOI: 10.1016/j.lanwpc.2023.100775] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2023] [Revised: 03/31/2023] [Accepted: 04/13/2023] [Indexed: 08/08/2023]
Abstract
Background The integration of next-generation sequencing (NGS) comprehensive gene profiling (CGP) into clinical practice is playing an increasingly important role in oncology. Therefore, the HKU-HKSH Multi-disciplinary Molecular Tumour Board (MTB) was established to advance precision oncology in Hong Kong. A multicenter retrospective study investigated the feasibility of the HKU-HKSH MTB in determining genome-guided therapy for treatment-refractory solid cancers in Hong Kong. Methods Patients who were presented at the HKU-HKSH MTB between August 2018 and June 2022 were included in this study. The primary study endpoints were the proportion of patients who receive MTB-guided therapy based on genomic analysis and overall survival (OS). Secondary endpoints included the proportion of patients with actionable genomic alterations, objective response rate (ORR), and disease control rate (DCR). The Kaplan-Meier method was used in the survival analyses, and hazard ratios were calculated using univariate Cox regression. Findings 122 patients were reviewed at the HKU-HKSH MTB, and 63% (n = 77) adopted treatment per the MTB recommendations. These patients achieved a significantly longer median OS than those who did not receive MTB-guided therapy (12.7 months vs. 5.2 months, P = 0.0073). Their ORR and DCR were 29% and 65%, respectively. Interpretation Our study demonstrated that among patients with heavily pre-treated advanced solid cancers, MTB-guided treatment could positively impact survival outcomes, thus illustrating the applicability of NGS CGPs in real-world clinical practice. Funding The study was supported by the Li Shu Pui Medical Foundation. Dr Aya El Helali was supported by the Li Shu Pui Medical Foundation Fellowship grant from the Li Shu Pui Medical Foundation. Funders had no role in study design, data collection, data analysis, interpretation, or writing of the report.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aya El Helali
- Department of Clinical Oncology, School of Clinical Medicine, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
- Oncology Medical Center, The University of Hong Kong - Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, China
| | - Tai-Chung Lam
- Department of Clinical Oncology, School of Clinical Medicine, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
- Oncology Medical Center, The University of Hong Kong - Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, China
| | - Elaine Yee-Ling Ko
- Department of Clinical Oncology, School of Clinical Medicine, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - David J.H. Shih
- School of Biomedical Science, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Chun Kau Chan
- Department of Clinical Oncology, School of Clinical Medicine, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Charlene H.L. Wong
- Department of Clinical Oncology, School of Clinical Medicine, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
- Oncology Medical Center, The University of Hong Kong - Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, China
| | - Jason W.H. Wong
- School of Biomedical Science, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Lydia W.T. Cheung
- School of Biomedical Science, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Johnny K.S. Lau
- Department of Clinical Oncology, School of Clinical Medicine, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
- Oncology Medical Center, The University of Hong Kong - Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, China
| | - Anthony P.Y. Liu
- Department of Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, School of Clinical Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Ann S.Y. Chan
- Department of Clinical Oncology, Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Herbert H. Loong
- Department of Clinical Oncology, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Stephen Tak Sum Lam
- Clinical Genetics Service, Hong Kong Sanatorium & Hospital, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Godfrey Chi-Fung Chan
- Department of Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, School of Clinical Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Victor H.F. Lee
- Department of Clinical Oncology, School of Clinical Medicine, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
- Oncology Medical Center, The University of Hong Kong - Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, China
| | - Kwok Keung Yuen
- Department of Clinical Oncology, Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Wai-Tong Ng
- Department of Clinical Oncology, School of Clinical Medicine, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
- Oncology Medical Center, The University of Hong Kong - Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, China
| | - Anne W.M. Lee
- Department of Clinical Oncology, School of Clinical Medicine, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
- Oncology Medical Center, The University of Hong Kong - Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, China
| | - Edmond S.K. Ma
- Division of Clinical Pathology & Molecular Pathology, Hong Kong Sanatorium Hospital, Hong Kong SAR, China
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Lam TC, Cho WCS, Au JSK, Ma ESK, Lam STS, Loong HHF, Wong JWH, Wong SM, Lee VHF, Leung RCY, Lau JKS, Kam MTY, Mok FST, Lim FMY, Nyaw JSF, Tin WWY, Cheung KM, Chan OSH, Kwong PWK, Cheung FY, Poon DM, Chik JYK, Lam MHC, Chan LWC, Wong SCC, Cao YB, Hui CV, Chen JZJ, Chang JH, Kong SFM, El Helali A. Consensus Statements on Precision Oncology in the China Greater Bay Area. JCO Precis Oncol 2023; 7:e2200649. [PMID: 37315266 PMCID: PMC10309548 DOI: 10.1200/po.22.00649] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2022] [Revised: 03/31/2023] [Accepted: 04/19/2023] [Indexed: 06/16/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Next-generation sequencing comprehensive genomic panels (NGS CGPs) have enabled the delivery of tailor-made therapeutic approaches to improve survival outcomes in patients with cancer. Within the China Greater Bay Area (GBA), territorial differences in clinical practices and health care systems and strengthening collaboration warrant a regional consensus to consolidate the development and integration of precision oncology (PO). Therefore, the Precision Oncology Working Group (POWG) formulated standardized principles for the clinical application of molecular profiling, interpretation of genomic alterations, and alignment of actionable mutations with sequence-directed therapy to deliver clinical services of excellence and evidence-based care to patients with cancer in the China GBA. METHODS Thirty experts used a modified Delphi method. The evidence extracted to support the statements was graded according to the GRADE system and reported according to the Revised Standards for Quality Improvement Reporting Excellence guidelines, version 2.0. RESULTS The POWG reached consensus in six key statements: harmonization of reporting and quality assurance of NGS; molecular tumor board and clinical decision support systems for PO; education and training; research and real-world data collection, patient engagement, regulations, and financial reimbursement of PO treatment strategies; and clinical recommendations and implementation of PO in clinical practice. CONCLUSION POWG consensus statements standardize the clinical application of NGS CGPs, streamline the interpretation of clinically significant genomic alterations, and align actionable mutations with sequence-directed therapies. The POWG consensus statements may harmonize the utility and delivery of PO in China's GBA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tai-Chung Lam
- Department of Clinical Oncology, Queen Mary Hospital/Hong Kong University-Shenzhen Hospital, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | | | - Joseph Siu-Kie Au
- Adventist Oncology Centre, Hong Kong Adventist Hospital, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Edmond Shiu-Kwan Ma
- Clinical and Molecular Pathology and Cancer Genetics Centre, Hong Kong Sanatorium & Hospital, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Stephen Tak-Sum Lam
- Clinical Genetic Service Centre, Hong Kong Sanatorium & Hospital, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Herbert Ho-Fung Loong
- Department of Clinical Oncology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Jason Wing Hon Wong
- School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - S.N. Michael Wong
- Department of Clinical Oncology, Queen Mary Hospital/Hong Kong University-Shenzhen Hospital, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Victor Ho-Fun Lee
- Department of Clinical Oncology, Queen Mary Hospital/Hong Kong University-Shenzhen Hospital, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | | | | | - Michael Tsz-Yeung Kam
- Department of Clinical Oncology, Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | | | - Fiona Mei-Ying Lim
- Department of Clinical Oncology, Princess Margaret Hospital, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | | | | | - Ka-Man Cheung
- Department of Clinical Oncology, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | | | | | - Foon-Yiu Cheung
- Hong Kong International Oncology Centre, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Darren M.C. Poon
- Comprehensive Oncology Centre, Hong Kong Sanatorium & Hospital, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | | | | | - Lawrence Wing-Chi Chan
- Department of Health Technology & Informatics, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Sze-Chuen Cesar Wong
- Department of Health Technology & Informatics, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong SAR, China
- Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Ya-Bing Cao
- Department of Radiology & Oncology, Kiang Wu Hospital, Macao SAR, China
| | - Cheng-Vai Hui
- Department of Clinical Oncology, Centro Hospitalar Conde de São Januário, Macao SAR, China
| | - Jack Zhi-Jian Chen
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Cancer Hospital Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Shenzhen Center, Shenzhen, China
| | - Jian-Hua Chang
- Department of Medical Oncology, Cancer Hospital Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Shenzhen Center, Shenzhen, China
| | - Spring Feng-Ming Kong
- Department of Clinical Oncology, Queen Mary Hospital/Hong Kong University-Shenzhen Hospital, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Aya El Helali
- Department of Clinical Oncology, Queen Mary Hospital/Hong Kong University-Shenzhen Hospital, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
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Chiang CL, Chiu KWH, Chan KSK, Lee FAS, Li JCB, Wan CWS, Dai WC, Lam TC, Chen W, Wong NSM, Cheung ALY, Lee VWY, Lau VWH, El Helali A, Man K, Kong FMS, Lo CM, Chan ACY. Sequential transarterial chemoembolisation and stereotactic body radiotherapy followed by immunotherapy as conversion therapy for patients with locally advanced, unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (START-FIT): a single-arm, phase 2 trial. Lancet Gastroenterol Hepatol 2023; 8:169-178. [PMID: 36529152 DOI: 10.1016/s2468-1253(22)00339-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2022] [Revised: 09/28/2022] [Accepted: 09/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The synergy between locoregional therapies and immune checkpoint inhibitors has not been investigated as conversion therapy for unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma. We aimed to investigate the activity of sequential transarterial chemoembolisation (TACE) and stereotactic body radiotherapy followed by avelumab (an anti-PD-L1 drug) for locally advanced, unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma. METHODS START-FIT was a single-arm, phase 2 trial in patients with locally advanced hepatocellular carcinoma who were not suitable for curative treatment, conducted in two hospitals in Hong Kong and one in Shenzhen, China. Eligible patients were those aged 18 years or older with an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status 0-1, Child-Pugh liver function score A5 to B7, tumour size of at least 5 cm, a maximum of three tumour lesions, and adequate hepatic, renal, and bone marrow function. Participants received TACE on day 1, followed by stereotactic body radiotherapy (27·5-40·0 Gy in five fractions) at day 28. Avelumab (10 mg/kg) was administered 14 days following stereotactic body radiotherapy and every 2 weeks thereafter. The primary endpoint was the proportion of patients deemed amenable to curative treatment, defined as those who had a sustained complete or partial treatment response for at least 2 months and if curative treatment could be performed (ie, resection, radiofrequency ablation, or transplantation), analysed by intention to treat. Safety was also analysed in the intention-to-treat population. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT03817736) and has been completed. FINDINGS Between March 18, 2019, and Jan 27, 2021, 33 patients (32 [97%] men and one [3%] woman) were enrolled. The median sum of the largest diameters of lesions was 15·1 cm (IQR 8·3-14·9). 21 (64%) patients had macrovascular invasion (hepatic vein [n=13], branched portal vein [n=3], or both [n=5]). Median follow-up was 17·2 months (IQR 7·8-25·8). 18 (55%) patients were deemed amenable to curative treatment: four (12%) of 33 patients had curative treatment (resection [n=2] or radiofrequency ablation [n=2]), and 14 (42%) had a radiological complete response and opted for close surveillance. 11 (33%) of 33 patients had treatment-related adverse events that were grade 3 or worse. The most common treatment-related grade 3 or worse adverse event was transient increase in alanine aminotransferase or aspartate aminotransferase (five [15%]) after TACE. Five (15%) patients developed immune-related adverse events of grade 3 or worse (three had hepatitis, two had dermatitis). INTERPRETATION To our knowledge, this is the first prospective trial using the combination of immunotherapy and locoregional treatment as conversion therapy for locally advanced unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma, with promising results. Future randomised trials with larger cohorts of patients are warranted. FUNDING Merck.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chi Leung Chiang
- Department of Clinical Oncology, Queen Mary Hospital, School of Clinical Medicine, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China; Clinical Oncology Center, University of Hong Kong-Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, China
| | - Keith Wan Hang Chiu
- Department of Diagnostic Radiology, School of Clinical Medicine, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Kenneth Sik Kwan Chan
- Department of Clinical Oncology, Queen Mary Hospital, School of Clinical Medicine, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Francis Ann Shing Lee
- Department of Clinical Oncology, Tuen Mun Hospital, Tuen Mun, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - James Chun Bong Li
- Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, School of Clinical Medicine, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Catherine Wing Suet Wan
- Department of Diagnostic Radiology, School of Clinical Medicine, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Wing Chiu Dai
- Department of Surgery, School of Clinical Medicine, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Tai Chung Lam
- Department of Clinical Oncology, Queen Mary Hospital, School of Clinical Medicine, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China; Clinical Oncology Center, University of Hong Kong-Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, China
| | - Wenqi Chen
- Clinical Oncology Center, University of Hong Kong-Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, China
| | - Natalie Sean Man Wong
- Department of Clinical Oncology, Tuen Mun Hospital, Tuen Mun, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Andy Lai Yin Cheung
- Medical Physics Unit, School of Clinical Medicine, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Venus Wan Yan Lee
- Medical Physics Unit, Tuen Mun Hospital, Tuen Mun, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Vince Wing Hang Lau
- Department of Diagnostic Radiology, School of Clinical Medicine, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China; Department of Radiology, Gleneagles Hospital, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Aya El Helali
- Department of Clinical Oncology, Queen Mary Hospital, School of Clinical Medicine, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Kwan Man
- Department of Surgery, School of Clinical Medicine, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Feng Ming Spring Kong
- Department of Clinical Oncology, Queen Mary Hospital, School of Clinical Medicine, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China; Clinical Oncology Center, University of Hong Kong-Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, China
| | - Chung Mau Lo
- Department of Surgery, School of Clinical Medicine, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Albert Chi-Yan Chan
- Department of Surgery, School of Clinical Medicine, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China.
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Leung TH, Ho JC, El Helali A, Vokes EE, Wang X, Pang H. New reporting items and recommendations for randomized trials impacted by COVID-19 and force majeure events: a targeted approach. Ann Transl Med 2023; 11:2. [PMID: 36760246 PMCID: PMC9906209 DOI: 10.21037/atm-22-2160] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2022] [Accepted: 11/13/2022] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Background Appropriate analyses and reporting are essential to the reproducibility and interpretation of clinical trials. However, the coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) pandemic and other force majeure events, like the war in Ukraine, have impacted the conduct of clinical trials. Methods The number of clinical trials potentially impacted were estimated from clinicaltrials.gov. To identify reporting items considered vital for assessing the impact of COVID-19, we reviewed 35 randomized phase III trials from three top oncology journals published between July and December 2020. For validation, we reviewed 29 phase III trials published between January and December 2021. Results Our results show that the number of clinical trials being potentially impacted in cancer, cardiovascular diseases, and diabetes is at least 1,484, 535, and 145, respectively. The magnitude of disruption is most significant in oncology trials. Based on the review of 35 trials, a modified checklist with ten new and four modified items covering pandemic's impact on trial conduct, protocol changes, delays, data capture, analysis and interpretation was developed to ensure comprehensive and transparent reporting. Our validation shows that six out of seven applicable reporting items were reported in less than 21% of the articles. Conclusions Our recommendations were proposed to improve the reporting of randomized clinical trials impacted by COVID-19 and force majeure events that are broadly applicable to different areas of medical research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tiffany H. Leung
- Department of Medicine, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - James C. Ho
- Department of Medicine, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Aya El Helali
- Department of Clinical Oncology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Everett E. Vokes
- University of Chicago Medicine and Biological Sciences, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Xiaofei Wang
- Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Duke University of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Herbert Pang
- Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Duke University of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
- School of Public Health, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
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9
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El Helali A, Tao J, Wong CHL, Chan WWL, Mok KC, Wu WF, Shitara K, Mohler M, Boku N, Pang H, Lam KO. A meta-analysis with systematic review: Efficacy and safety of immune checkpoint inhibitors in patients with advanced gastric cancer. Front Oncol 2022; 12:908026. [PMID: 36387109 PMCID: PMC9660259 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.908026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2022] [Accepted: 09/26/2022] [Indexed: 09/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Background While the efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) is increasingly recognized in advanced gastric cancer (aGC), overall survival (OS) has not been consistently improved across the different randomized controlled trials (RCTs). This meta-analysis aimed to quantify the efficacy and safety of ICI and explore potential predictive tumor tissue biomarkers in aGC. Methods A random-effect pairwise meta-analysis was used to evaluate the primary outcome of OS. Sensitivity analysis was performed to investigate the effects of ICIs on PD-L1 status, TMB, MSI-H, and the Asian patient population. We extracted the OS Kaplan-Meier curves from the included trials to compare the effect of PD-L1 status on response to ICIs using DigitizeIt 2.5 and Guyot's algorithm. Results A pairwise meta-analysis of seven RCTs included in this study showed that ICIs were more effective than the comparator in improving OS (pooled HR: 0.84). We demonstrated that PD-1 ICIs were additive when combined with the comparator arm (pooled HR: 0.79). A sensitivity analysis showed that PD-1 ICIs were associated with better OS outcomes in the Asian patient population as monotherapy (pooled HR: 0.66) or in combination with chemotherapy (pooled HR: 0.83). We demonstrated that tumors with PD-L1 ≥1 (P = 0.02) and PD-L1 ≥10 (P = 0.006) derived OS benefit from ICI monotherapy. Equally, MSI-H (P <0.00001) and TMB-high (P <0.0001) tumors derived favorable survival benefits from ICIs. Conclusions and relevance The results of this meta-analysis suggest that ICIs result in improved OS outcomes in aGC. The benefits varied with different ethnicities, class of ICI, PD-L1 expression, MSI status, and TMB. Systematic Review Registration https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero, identifier (CRD42019137829).
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Affiliation(s)
- Aya El Helali
- Department of Clinical Oncology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Jun Tao
- School of Public Health, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Charlene H. L. Wong
- Department of Clinical Oncology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Wendy Wing-Lok Chan
- Department of Clinical Oncology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Ka-Chun Mok
- Department of Clinical Oncology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Wing Fong Wu
- Department of Clinical Oncology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Kohei Shitara
- Department of Gastrointestinal Oncology, National Cancer Center Hospital East, Kashiwa, Japan
| | - Markus Mohler
- Department of Medicine, Johannes-Gutenberg University Clinic, Mainz, Germany
| | - Narikazu Boku
- Department of Oncology and General Medicine, IMSUT Hospital, Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Herbert Pang
- School of Public Health, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
- Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Duke University of Medicine, Durham, NC, United States
| | - Ka On Lam
- Department of Clinical Oncology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
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10
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Woo PYM, Lam TC, Helali AE. Long-term tumour-treating fields for glioblastoma and beyond disease progression: a case report. Hong Kong Med J 2022; 28:396-399. [PMID: 38232964 DOI: 10.12809/hkmj219546] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- P Y M Woo
- Department of Neurosurgery, Kwong Wah Hospital, Hong Kong
| | - T C Lam
- Department of Clinical Oncology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - A E Helali
- Department of Clinical Oncology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
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11
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Hung Y, Leung S, Chiu SP, Li P, Kan A, Lo C, Wong SZ, Luk S, Lai CC, El Helali A, Chan WW. Perceptions about traditional Chinese medicine use among Chinese breast cancer survivors: A qualitative study. Cancer Med 2022; 12:1997-2007. [PMID: 36073533 PMCID: PMC9883569 DOI: 10.1002/cam4.5046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2022] [Revised: 07/04/2022] [Accepted: 07/07/2022] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION An increasing number of breast cancer survivors (BCS) use traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) throughout their cancer journey. There is emerging evidence that TCM is effective in the reducing side effects of chemotherapy. However, qualitative patient-centric and culturally relevant research into TCM use is scant. This qualitative study aimed to explore the use and perceptions of Chinese Hong Kong BCS using TCM. METHODS Participants were recruited from a university hospital and three breast cancer patient groups in Hong Kong. Questionnaires regarding the use of TCM were given to all participants, followed by individual semi-structured interviews on selected BCS to comprehensively understand TCM's use and perceptions. A greater emphasis was placed on the qualitative data. RESULTS About half of the participants (n = 67, 48.9%) used TCM during their cancer treatment journey, among which almost all (n = 64, 95.5%) had improved symptoms. Sleeping disturbances (n = 58, 86.6%) and fatigue (n = 53, 79.1%) were the two most common symptoms that improved after TCM. Interview data revealed that participants used TCM to satisfy unmet needs that mainstream conventional Western medicine could not fulfil. They wished for a sense of control and better well-being. They expressed improvements in physical and psychological well-being after the use of TCM. Despite existing barriers, including high cost, long duration of treatment, and disapproval from oncologists, most would still recommend TCM to fellow survivors. CONCLUSIONS Chinese Hong Kong BCS who used TCM reported positive experiences. Understanding how BCS perceive and use TCM is important to integrating TCM into survivorship care in this population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yik‐Laam Hung
- Li Ka Shing Faculty of MedicineUniversity of Hong KongHong Kong
| | - Siu‐Sing Leung
- Li Ka Shing Faculty of MedicineUniversity of Hong KongHong Kong
| | | | - Pik‐Yi Li
- Li Ka Shing Faculty of MedicineUniversity of Hong KongHong Kong
| | | | - Chi‐Chung Lo
- Li Ka Shing Faculty of MedicineUniversity of Hong KongHong Kong
| | | | - Sze‐Lam Luk
- Li Ka Shing Faculty of MedicineUniversity of Hong KongHong Kong
| | | | - Aya El Helali
- Department of Clinical Oncology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of MedicineUniversity of Hong KongHong Kong
| | - Wendy Wing‐Lok Chan
- Department of Clinical Oncology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of MedicineUniversity of Hong KongHong Kong
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12
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Tao J, Helali AE, Ho JC, Lam WWT, Pang H. An Evaluation of Gene-Diet Interaction Statistical Methods and Discovery of rs7175421-Whole Grain Interaction in Lung Cancer. Nutr Cancer 2022; 75:219-227. [PMID: 35930377 DOI: 10.1080/01635581.2022.2104878] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Dietary factors show different effects on genetically diverse populations. Scientific research uses gene-environment interaction models to study the effects of dietary factors on genetically diverse populations for lung cancer risk. However, previous study designs have not investigated the degree of type I error inflation and, in some instances, have not corrected for multiple testing. Using a motivating investigation of diet-gene interaction and lung cancer risk, we propose a training and testing strategy and perform real-world simulations to select the appropriate statistical methods to reduce false-positive discoveries. The simulation results show that the unconstrained maximum likelihood (UML) method controls the type I error better than the constrained maximum likelihood (CML). The empirical Bayesian (EB) method can compete with the UML method in achieving statistical power and controlling type I error. We observed a significant interaction between SNP rs7175421 with dietary whole grain in lung cancer prevention, with an effect size (standard error) of -0.312 (0.112) for EB estimate. SNP rs7175421 may interact with dietary whole grains in modulating lung cancer risk. Evaluating statistical methods for gene-diet interaction analysis can help balance the statistical power and type I error.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun Tao
- School of Public Health, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong, China
| | - Aya El Helali
- Department of Clinical Oncology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong, China
| | - James C Ho
- Department of Medicine, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong, China
| | - Wendy W T Lam
- School of Public Health, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong, China.,Jockey Club Institute of Cancer Care, The University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong, China
| | - Herbert Pang
- School of Public Health, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong, China.,Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina, USA
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13
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Chiang CL, Lam TC, Li CBJ, Li WS, Chan SK, Lee YPY, Cheung KWA, Chow JCH, Chan PCS, Lee WMS, Lai WYJ, Helali AE, Ng WT, Kong FMS, Kwong DLW, Lee WMA. Antitumor activity of bintrafusp alfa in previously treated patients with recurrent or metastatic nasopharyngeal cancer (NPC): A single arm, prospective phase II trial. J Clin Oncol 2022. [DOI: 10.1200/jco.2022.40.16_suppl.e18029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
e18029 Background: Patients with recurrent or metastatic nasopharyngeal cancer (R/M NPC) who failed platinum-based chemotherapy have poor prognoses. We report the clinical activity and safety of bintrafusp alfa, a first-in-class bifunctional fusion protein composed of the extracellular domain of the transforming growth factor (TGF)-βRII receptor fused to a human IgG1 antibody blocking programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1), in patients with heavily pretreated R/M NPC. Tumor and plasma-based biomarkers were investigated in an exploratory analysis. Methods: Eligible patients had histologically confirmed NPC that had recurred at distant sites and were not amenable to curative treatment. All patients received at least one prior line of platinum-based chemotherapy for recurrent disease. Patients were treated with bintrafusp alfa (1200mg every 2 weeks) until disease progression. The sample size was estimated to assume a 40% objective response rate (ORR) to bintrafusp alfa compared with 20% for checkpoint inhibitors. Modified Simon two-stage optimal design was used (power, 80%; a = 0.05; P0 = 0.20; P1 = 0.40; n1 = 18; n = 33 with an additional five patients to allow for ineligibility or other reasons). The primary endpoint was ORR and secondary endpoints included survival and toxicity. Expression of PD-L1 in archived tumors, plasma clearance of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) DNA, plasma clearance of TGF-β, and exosomal PD-L1 were assessed for a potential correlation with ORR. (NCT 04396886). Results: Out of 43 patients screened, 38 patients were enrolled. After a median follow-up of 14.9 months (range: 1.6-23.3 months), the confirmed ORR was 23.7% (95% CI: 12.4-38.8%) (complete response, n = 1; partial response, n = 8). The median treatment duration was 1.8 months (range: 0.5-14.3 months). 8 patients (21.1%) and 2 patients (5.3%) received bintrafusp alfa for > 6 months and > 12 months respectively. The 1-year overall survival (OS) rate was 57.5% (95% CI, 40.2% to 71.5%) and 1-year progression-free survival rate was 23% (95% CI, 10.1% to 39.4%). ORR was higher in patients with a decreasing trend in EBV-DNA at week 4 (40% vs. 6.3%, p = 0.02), whereas high exosomal PD-L1 levels at week 4 were predictive of worse ORR (5.3% vs. 41.7%, p = 0.012). There were no associations between clinical outcome and tissue PD-L1 expression (p = 0.952) or plasma TGF-β clearance (p = 0.28). 16 patients (42.4%) experienced ≥ grade 3 treatment-related adverse events, most commonly anemia (n = 9, 23.7%) and secondary malignancies (n = 4, 10.5%). Conclusions: Bintrafusp alfa has promising activity in heavily pretreated R/M NPC and a favorable 1-year OS rate, though the observed activity was not as high as the study initially aimed. The biomarker results warrant validation in larger cohorts. Clinical trial information: NCT04396886.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chi Leung Chiang
- Department of Clinical Oncology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | | | - Chung Bong James Li
- Department of Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Wing Sum Li
- Department of Clinical Oncology, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Sik-Kwan Chan
- Department of Clinical Oncology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Yim Ping Yolanda Lee
- Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Gleneagles HK Hospital, Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | | | | | | | - Wai Man, Sarah Lee
- Department of Clinical Oncology, Pamela Youde Nethersole Hospital, Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Wing Yu Jessica Lai
- Department of Clinical Oncology, Princess Margaret Hospital, Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Aya El Helali
- Department of Clinical Oncology, LKS Faculty of Medicine, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Wai-Tong Ng
- The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Feng-Ming Spring Kong
- Department of Clinical Oncology, LKS Faculty of Medicine, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Dora LW Kwong
- Department of Clinical Oncology, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Wing Mui Anne Lee
- Department of Clinical Oncology, LKS Faculty of Medicine, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong
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14
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Xu Z, Yang L, Ng WT, Helali AE, Lee VHF, Ma L, Liu Q, Li J, Shen L, Huang J, Zha J, Zhou C, Lee AWM, Chen L. A Single-Arm Phase 2 Trial on Induction Chemotherapy Followed by Concurrent Chemoradiation in Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Using a Reduced Cumulative Dose of Cisplatin. Front Oncol 2022; 12:842281. [PMID: 35574402 PMCID: PMC9092977 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.842281] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2021] [Accepted: 03/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Background We conducted this study to evaluate if a reduced cumulative dose of induction and concurrent cisplatin conferred similar favorable outcomes when compared to trial NPC-0501. Methods Newly diagnosed nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) with stage III-IVA were prospectively recruited from January 2015 to September 2019. Induction chemotherapy (IC) consisted of cisplatin 80mg/m2 on day 1 and capecitabine 1000mg/m2 twice daily from day 1 to 14 every 3 weeks for 3 cycles followed by concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) with 2 cycles of cisplatin 100mg/m2 given every 3 weeks. Tumor response was evaluated according to RECIST v1.1. Acute and late adverse events (AEs) were graded with CTCAE v4.0 and Late Radiation Morbidity Scoring of the RTOG, respectively. Results 135 patients were recruited. At 16 weeks after CCRT, all 130 patients who completed the entire course of radiotherapy (RT) had a complete response upon final assessment. With a median follow-up of 36.2 months, 22 treatment failures and 8 deaths were observed. The 3-year progression-free survival, overall survival, locoregional recurrence-free survival, and distant recurrence-free survival were 83.7%, 94.1%, 94.1%, and 85.9%, respectively. Our survival data outcomes were similar to those reported in the cisplatin and capecitabine (PX) induction arm of the 0501 trial. 103 patients (76.3%) reported acute grade 3-4 AEs. Two patients (1.5%) had late grade 3-4 complications, numerically fewer than those reported in the NPC-0501 trial. Conclusions Induction PX and concurrent cisplatin with a reduced cumulative cisplatin dose yield survival outcomes comparable to those reported in the NPC-0501 trial with excellent tolerability. Therefore, a reduced cumulative dose of cisplatin is a promising treatment scheme for nasopharyngeal carcinoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhiyuan Xu
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China.,Clinical Oncology Centre, The University of Hong Kong - Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, China
| | - Li Yang
- Clinical Oncology Centre, The University of Hong Kong - Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, China
| | - Wai-Tong Ng
- Clinical Oncology Centre, The University of Hong Kong - Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, China.,Department of Clinical Oncology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Aya El Helali
- Clinical Oncology Centre, The University of Hong Kong - Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, China.,Department of Clinical Oncology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Victor Ho-Fun Lee
- Clinical Oncology Centre, The University of Hong Kong - Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, China.,Department of Clinical Oncology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Lingyu Ma
- Clinical Oncology Centre, The University of Hong Kong - Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, China
| | - Qin Liu
- Clinical Oncology Centre, The University of Hong Kong - Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, China
| | - Jishi Li
- Clinical Oncology Centre, The University of Hong Kong - Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, China
| | - Lin Shen
- Clinical Oncology Centre, The University of Hong Kong - Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, China
| | - Jijie Huang
- Clinical Oncology Centre, The University of Hong Kong - Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, China
| | - Jiandong Zha
- Clinical Oncology Centre, The University of Hong Kong - Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, China
| | - Cheng Zhou
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Anne W M Lee
- Clinical Oncology Centre, The University of Hong Kong - Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, China.,Department of Clinical Oncology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Longhua Chen
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
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El Helali A, Kwok GST, Tse KY. Adjuvant and post-surgical treatment in non-epithelial ovarian cancer. Best Pract Res Clin Obstet Gynaecol 2021; 78:74-85. [PMID: 34493450 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpobgyn.2021.06.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2021] [Accepted: 06/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Non-epithelial cancers arising from the ovary are uncommon malignancies. Germ cell tumors of the ovary arise from primordial germ cells, and sex cord-stromal tumors of the ovary represent a cluster of tumors arising from the sex cord and stromal compartment. Most patients diagnosed with germ cell tumors are young adults and adolescent females. In contrast, ovarian sex cord-stromal tumors more commonly occur in a mature age group. Advances in the adjuvant management of non-epithelial ovarian cancer following optimal surgical and pathological staging have improved patient survival outcomes. In addition, active surveillance is preferentially assigned to patients diagnosed with stage I germ cell tumor, stage 1A grade 1 immature teratoma, stage 1A yolk sac tumor, and stage 1AI sex cord-stromal tumors. This article discusses the importance of selecting the adjuvant treatment approach most suitable to the patients' surgical and pathological stages, thereby safeguarding patient outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aya El Helali
- Department of Clinical Oncology, University of Hong Kong Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, Queen Mary Hospital, 1/F Professorial Block, 102 Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong.
| | - Gladys Shuk Tak Kwok
- Division of Gynaecology Oncology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Hong Kong Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, Queen Mary Hospital, 6/F Professorial Block, 102 Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong.
| | - Ka Yu Tse
- Division of Gynaecology Oncology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Hong Kong Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, Queen Mary Hospital, 6/F Professorial Block, 102 Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong.
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Helali AE, McCabe N, Steele C, Perez LD, O'Neill CL, Dickson N, McGivern N, Harkin C, McCavigan A, Medina RJ, Knight LA, McQuaid S, James JA, Michie CO, Gourley C, McCluggage WG, Harkin DP, Wilson RH, Stitt AW, Kennedy RD. Abstract 7: Platinum resistance in epithelial ovarian cancer is dependent on a PDGFR alpha-VEGF-A signalling mechanism that activates downstream angiogenesis pathways. Cancer Res 2018. [DOI: 10.1158/1538-7445.am2018-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Introduction:
40-45% of patients with High Grade Serous Ovarian Cancer (HGSOC) will eventually relapse with platinum resistant disease. Tothill et al and TCGA are two independent gene expression datasets which have demonstrated the presence of a mesenchymal molecular subgroup, characterised by upregulation of angiogenesis regulating genes. Angiogenesis is known to be an integral pathological feature of HGSOC and anti-angiogenics have dominated the field of drug development in EOC. However, despite this, anti-angiogenic agents have failed to demonstrate a significant impact on overall survival (OS) benefit. In this study, we asked if platinum resistance could be associated with an improved response to anti-angiogenic agents and what the underlying biological rationale for this could be.
Methods:
A meta-analysis of 14 phase II and III clinical trials in EOC were used to investigate the association between platinum resistance and response to anti-angiogenic agents. In addition, we analysed gene expression in 12 matched pre- and post-chemotherapy EOC samples. Novel isogenic cisplatin-resistant HGSOC cell lines were established to study the development of an angiogenic phenotype. Further studies were performed in novel ascites-derived primary cell lines from HGSOC patients with known outcomes following platinum-based chemotherapy.
Result:
In the clinical trial meta-analysis, an OS benefit for antiangiogenics was observed in platinum-resistant disease (p=0.029), whilst platinum-sensitive EOC only derived progression free survival (PFS) (p=<0.0001) benefit and not OS (p=0.125). In the 12 matched pairs of patient samples, post-platinum samples had a higher micro-vessel density (MVD) relative to their paired treatment-naïve sample (p= 0.0001). Additionally, an in vivo angiogenesis matrigel plug assay demonstrated that cisplatin-resistant EOC cell lines were associated with an increase in MVD (p=<0.0001). MVD was reduced in the platinum-resistant cells following treatment with bevacizumab (p=0.001). Ascites-derived primary cells established from platinum-resistant patients demonstrated overexpression of VEGF-A, consistent with stimulating angiogenesis. Gene expression analysis of pre- and post-platinum paired samples identified that PDGFRα (p=0.007) and PDGFRβ (p=0.005) were differentially expressed in the post-platinum therapy samples. In vitro validation in the platinum-resistant cell lines demonstrated that VEGF-A expression was regulated by PDGFRα.
Discussion:
We have demonstrated that previous platinum therapy for EOC is associated with an increase in tumor PDGFα and VEGF-A expression, correlating with a response to anti-angiogenic therapies. This data suggests that platinum therapy resistance may inform the selection of EOC patients for novel antiangiogenic therapies in future clinical trials.
Citation Format: Aya El Helali, Nuala McCabe, Christopher Steele, Lara Dura Perez, Christina L. O'Neill, Naomi Dickson, Niamh McGivern, Caolan Harkin, Andrena McCavigan, Reinhold J. Medina, Laura A. Knight, Stephen McQuaid, Jacqueline A. James, Caroline O. Michie, Charlie Gourley, W Glenn McCluggage, Denis P. Harkin, Richard H. Wilson, Alan W. Stitt, Richard D. Kennedy. Platinum resistance in epithelial ovarian cancer is dependent on a PDGFR alpha-VEGF-A signalling mechanism that activates downstream angiogenesis pathways [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2018; 2018 Apr 14-18; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2018;78(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 7.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aya El Helali
- 1Centre for Cancer Research and Cell Biology, Belfast, United Kingdom
| | - Nuala McCabe
- 1Centre for Cancer Research and Cell Biology, Belfast, United Kingdom
| | | | | | | | | | - Niamh McGivern
- 1Centre for Cancer Research and Cell Biology, Belfast, United Kingdom
| | - Caolan Harkin
- 1Centre for Cancer Research and Cell Biology, Belfast, United Kingdom
| | | | | | | | - Stephen McQuaid
- 4Northern Ireland Molecular Pathology Laboratory, Belfast, United Kingdom
| | | | - Caroline O. Michie
- 5Nicola Murray Ovarian Cancer Research Centre, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Charlie Gourley
- 5Nicola Murray Ovarian Cancer Research Centre, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - W Glenn McCluggage
- 6Department of Pathology, Royal Group of Hospitals Trust, Belfast, United Kingdom
| | | | - Richard H. Wilson
- 1Centre for Cancer Research and Cell Biology, Belfast, United Kingdom
| | - Alan W. Stitt
- 3Centre for Experimental Medicine, Belfast, United Kingdom
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Helali AE, McCabe N, Dickson N, Perez LD, Harkin DP, Wilson R, Kennedy R. Abstract 776: Acquired platinum resistance enhances tumour angiogenesis through activation of vascular mimicry. Cancer Res 2017. [DOI: 10.1158/1538-7445.am2017-776] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Introduction:
Platinum resistant High Grade Serous Ovarian Cancer (HGSOC) has a poor outcome with limited treatment options. Angiogenesis is a key pathological feature of ovarian cancer and anti-angiogenics have dominated the field of drug development in EOC, particularly in the second-line setting (Marachini et al 2013). In this study we asked if platinum resistance could be associated with an improved response to anti-angiogenic agents.
Method:
A review of phase III anti-angiogenic clinical trials was used to investigate the association between platinum resistance and response to anti-angiogenic agents. To investigate the effect of chemotherapy on predefined ovarian cancer molecular subgroups (Gourley, et al. J Clin Oncol 32:5s, 2014), we analysed 35 matched pre- and post-chemotherapy samples by gene expression. Novel isogenic cisplatin-resistant HGSOC cell lines were established to study the mechanisms of cisplatin section pressure and shift to an angiogenic phenotype. This was further validated in novel ascites-derived primary cell lines from HGSOC patients with known outcomes following platinum-based chemotherapy.
Results:
Critical review of 22 phase III anti-angiogenic trials suggested that there was a better response to anti-angiogenics following previous platinum-based chemotherapy. Our analysis demonstrated that 67% of treatment naïve tumours that were initially classified as non-angiogenic shifted to an angiogenic biology, which was associated with platinum resistance. Additionally we found that cisplatin resistant cancer cell lines demonstrated hallmarks of vascular mimicry and an associated increase in vessel density using an angiogenesis Matrigel plug assay in Athymic nude mice (p-value=<0.0001). In addition, cell lines established from platinum-resistant patients as well as cell lines made platinum resistant in-vitro, demonstrated overexpression of VEGFa which would be expected to stimulate angiogenesis.
Conclusion:
We have demonstrated that platinum-resistance in HGSOC is associated with angiogenic biology supporting the use of anti-angiogenic agents in this setting.
Citation Format: Aya El Helali, Nuala McCabe, Naomi Dickson, Lara Dura Perez, Denis P Harkin, Richard Wilson, Richard Kennedy. Acquired platinum resistance enhances tumour angiogenesis through activation of vascular mimicry [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2017; 2017 Apr 1-5; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2017;77(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 776. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2017-776
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Affiliation(s)
- Aya El Helali
- 1Centre for Cancer Research and Cell Biology, Belfast, United Kingdom
| | - Nuala McCabe
- 1Centre for Cancer Research and Cell Biology, Belfast, United Kingdom
| | - Naomi Dickson
- 1Centre for Cancer Research and Cell Biology, Belfast, United Kingdom
| | - Lara Dura Perez
- 1Centre for Cancer Research and Cell Biology, Belfast, United Kingdom
| | | | - Richard Wilson
- 1Centre for Cancer Research and Cell Biology, Belfast, United Kingdom
| | - Richard Kennedy
- 1Centre for Cancer Research and Cell Biology, Belfast, United Kingdom
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