Do clear cell ovarian carcinomas have poorer prognosis compared to other epithelial cell types? A study of 1411 clear cell ovarian cancers

OBJECTIVE

To compare the clinico-pathologic characteristics and survival of women with clear cell versus other epithelial ovarian cancers.

METHODS

Data were obtained from the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results Program between 1988 and 2001 and analyzed using Kaplan-Meier and Cox proportional hazards models.

RESULTS

Of 28,082 women with epithelial ovarian cancer, 1411 (5%) had clear cell, 13,835 (49.3%) papillary serous, 3655 (13%) endometrioid, 2711 (9.7%) mucinous, and 6470 (23%) had unspecified histologies. The median age of overall patients was 64 years; with clear cell patients presenting at younger age (55 years). The proportion of clear cell histology was significantly higher in Asians versus Whites, Blacks, and others (11.1% versus 4.8%, 3.1%, and 5.5%; p<0.001). Clear cell carcinoma is more likely to be diagnosed at early-stage (67.3%) compared to 19.2% in serous, 61.6% endometrioid, and 61.3% in mucinous carcinomas (p<0.005). Retroperitoneal lymph node metastases were found in 13.6% of serous carcinomas, 7.9% clear cell, 7.3% endometrioid, and 3.8% of mucinous (p<0.001). Adjusted for stage, the 5-year disease-specific survival of patients with clear cell carcinoma is worse compared to serous: 85.3% vs. 86.4% for stage I, 60.3% vs. 66.4% stage II, 31.5% vs. 35.0% stage III, and 17.5% vs. 22.2% for stage IV, respectively (p<0.001). On multivariate analysis, age, stage, grade, histology, and surgical treatment were independent predictors of disease-specific survival.

CONCLUSIONS

Our data suggest that women with clear cell ovarian cancer present at a younger age, are more likely to be Asian, and have a poorer prognosis compared to serous cancers.

Antithrombin III prevents and rapidly reverses leukocyte recruitment in ischemia/reperfusion

BACKGROUND

P-selectin has recently been shown to be essential for leukocyte rolling after the reperfusion of ischemic mesentery. However, the mediators responsible for neutrophil rolling in ischemic microvessels remain entirely unclear.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Intravital microscopy was used to examine leukocyte kinetics in a feline mesentery ischemia/reperfusion model. Sixty minutes of ischemia followed by reperfusion caused a profound increase in leukocyte rolling and adhesion. Pretreatment with the endogenous antithrombotic agent antithrombin III (ATIII) infused as a bolus (250 U/kg) reduced neutrophil rolling and adhesion to preischemic levels during reperfusion. No effect was seen with heat-inactive ATIII. Importantly, ATIII posttreatment also significantly reduced neutrophil rolling and adhesion during reperfusion, suggesting that ATIII can reverse the leukocyte recruitment response induced by ischemia/reperfusion. Vascular permeability was also reduced by 50% after ATIII administration. To determine whether ATIII could reverse thrombin-induced rolling directly, neutrophil rolling was performed on human endothelium in flow chambers. Indeed, thrombin-induced rolling, but not histamine-induced rolling, could be rapidly reversed with ATIII on endothelium, suggesting that ATIII affects thrombin rather than directly affecting neutrophils or the endothelium.

CONCLUSIONS

This study demonstrates for the first time that thrombin plays an important role in ischemia-induced leukocyte rolling and adhesion and that ATIII can be used therapeutically postreperfusion to attenuate the leukocyte recruitment response in inflammation without the nonspecific effects associated with anti-adhesion molecule therapy.

Tunneling nanotube formation is stimulated by hypoxia in ovarian cancer cells

In this study, we demonstrated that hypoxic conditions stimulated an increase in tunneling nanotube (TNT) formation in chemoresistant ovarian cancer cells (SKOV3, C200).We found that suppressing the mTOR pathway using either everolimus or metformin led to suppression of TNT formation in vitro, verifying TNTs as a potential target for cancer-directed therapy. Additionally, TNT formation was detected in co-cultures including between platinum-resistant SKOV3 cells, between SKOV3 cells and platinum-chemosensitive A2780 cells, and between SKOV3 cells cultured with benign ovarian epithelial (IOSE) cells; these findings indicate that TNTs are novel conduits for malignant cell interactions and tumor cell interactions with other cells in the microenvironment. When chemoresistant C200 and parent chemosensitive A2780 cells were co-cultured, chemoresistant cells displayed a higher likelihood of TNT formation to each other than to chemosensitive malignant or benign epithelial cells. Hypoxia-induced TNT formation represents a potential mechanism for intercellular communication in ovarian cancer and other forms of invasive refractory cancers.

Ultrasound guided subcostal transversus abdominis plane (TAP) infiltration with liposomal bupivacaine for patients undergoing robotic assisted hysterectomy: A prospective randomized controlled study

INTRODUCTION

Optimal pain control after major surgery contributes to a patient's recovery and satisfaction. The use of liposomal bupivacaine in subcostal transversus abdominis plane (TAP) blocks for postoperative pain control after robot assisted abdominal surgery has yet to be studied.

METHODS

We conducted a prospective randomized controlled observer-blinded study comparing bilateral subcostal TAP blocks with bupivacaine to bilateral subcostal TAP blocks with liposomal bupivacaine. These were performed prior to the patient undergoing robot assisted hysterectomy. The patients' pain scores, opioid use, side effects, and satisfaction were followed for 72h after injection.

RESULTS

Total opioid use in the first 72h after injection was significantly decreased in the group that received liposomal bupivacaine compared to bupivacaine. Patients in the liposomal bupivacaine group had significantly lower maximal pain scores at all time periods studied as well as decreased incidence of nausea/vomiting. There was a trend toward decreased length of stay in the liposomal bupivacaine group.

CONCLUSION

Subcostal TAP blocks with liposomal bupivacaine decreased the total opioid requirement for the first 72h after robot assisted hysterectomy when compared to subcostal TAP blocks with bupivacaine.

The functional paradox of CD43 in leukocyte recruitment: a study using CD43-deficient mice

Although there is considerable evidence implicating a role for CD43 (leukosialin) in leukocyte cell-cell interactions, its precise function remains uncertain. Using CD43-deficient mice (CD43(-/-)) and intravital microscopy to directly visualize leukocyte interactions in vivo, we investigated the role of CD43 in leukocyte-endothelial cell interactions within the cremasteric microcirculation under flow conditions. Our studies demonstrated significantly enhanced leukocyte rolling and adhesion after chemotactic stimuli in CD43(-/-) mice compared with wild type mice. Using an in vitro flow chamber, we established that the enhanced rolling interactions of CD43(-/-) leukocytes, primarily neutrophils, were also observed using immobilized E-selectin as a substrate, suggesting that passive processes related to steric hindrance or charge repulsion were likely mechanisms. Despite increased adhesion and rolling interactions by CD43(-/-) leukocytes, we uncovered a previously unrecognized impairment of CD43(-/-) leukocytes to infiltrate tissues. Oyster glycogen-induced neutrophil and monocyte infiltration into the peritoneum was significantly reduced in CD43(-/-) mice. In response to platelet activating factor, CD43(-/-) leukocytes were impaired in their ability to emigrate out of the vasculature. These results suggest that leukocyte CD43 has a dual function in leukocyte-endothelial interactions. In addition to its role as a passive nonspecific functional barrier, CD43 also facilitates emigration of leukocytes into tissues.

Evaluation of the performance of the ACS NSQIP surgical risk calculator in gynecologic oncology patients undergoing laparotomy

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this study was to evaluate the ability of the American College of Surgeons (ACS) National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP) surgical risk calculator to predict complications in gynecologic oncology patients undergoing laparotomy.

METHODS

A chart review of patients who underwent laparotomy on the gynecologic oncology service at a single academic hospital from January 2009 to December 2013 was performed. Preoperative variables were abstracted and NSQIP surgical risk scores were calculated. The risk of any complication, serious complication, death, urinary tract infection, venous thromboembolism, cardiac event, renal complication, pneumonia and surgical site infection were correlated with actual patient outcomes using logistic regression. The c-statistic and Brier score were used to calculate the prediction capability of the risk calculator.

RESULTS

Of the 1094 patients reviewed, the majority were <65years old (70.9%), independent (95.2%), ASA class 1-2 (67.3%), and overweight or obese (76.1%). Higher calculated risk scores were associated with an increased risk of the actual complication occurring for all events (p<0.05). The calculator performed best for predicting death (c-statistic=0.851, Brier=0.008), renal failure (c-statistic=0.752, Brier=0.015) and cardiac complications (c-statistic=0.708, Brier=0.011). The calculator did not accurately predict most complications.

CONCLUSIONS

The NSQIP surgical risk calculator adequately predicts specific serious complications, such as postoperative death and cardiac complications. However, the overall performance of the calculator was worse for gynecologic oncology patients than reported in general surgery patients. A tailored prediction model may be needed for this patient population.

Factors influencing same-day hospital discharge and risk factors for readmission after robotic surgery in the gynecologic oncology patient population

STUDY OBJECTIVE

To determine the factors that allow for a safe outpatient robotic-assisted minimally invasive gynecologic oncology surgery procedure.

DESIGN

Retrospective chart review (Canadian Task Force classification II-1).

SETTING

University hospital.

PATIENTS

All patients (140) undergoing robotic-assisted minimally invasive surgery with the gynecologic oncology service from January 1, 2013, to December 31, 2013.

INTERVENTIONS

Risk factors for unsuccessful discharge within 23 hours of surgery and same-day discharge were assessed using logistic regression models.

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS

All patients were initially scheduled for same-day discharge. The outpatient surgery group was defined by discharge within 23 hours of the surgery end time, and a same-day surgery subgroup was defined by discharge before midnight on the day of surgery. One hundred fifteen (82.1%) were successfully discharged within 23 hours of surgery, and 90 (64.3%) were discharged the same day. The median hospital stay was 5.3 hours (range, 1-48 hours). Unsuccessful discharge within 23 hours was associated with a preoperative diagnosis of lung disease and intraoperative complications; unsuccessful same-day discharge was associated with older age and later surgery end time. Only 2 patients (1.4%) were readmitted to the hospital within 30 days of surgery.

CONCLUSIONS

Outpatient robotic-assisted minimally invasive surgery is safe and feasible for most gynecologic oncology patients and appears to have a low readmission rate. Older age, preoperative lung disease, and later surgical end time were risk factors for prolonged hospital stay. These patients may benefit from preoperative measures to facilitate earlier discharge.

Perspectives of cancer patients and their health during the COVID-19 pandemic

Introduction

The immunosuppressive nature of some cancers and many cancer-directed treatments may increase the risk of infection with and severe sequelae from Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). The objective of this study was to compare concerns about COVID-19 among individuals undergoing cancer treatment to those with a history of cancer not currently receiving therapy and to those without a cancer history.

Methods

We conducted a cross-sectional anonymous online survey study of adults currently residing in the United States. Participants were recruited over a one-week period (April 3–11, 2020) using promoted advertisements on Facebook and Twitter. Groups were compared using chi-squared tests, Fisher’s exact tests, and t-tests.

Results

543 respondents from 47 states provided information on their cancer history and were included in analyses. Participants receiving active treatment reported greater concern about infection from the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus (p<0.001), higher levels of family distress caused by the COVID-19 pandemic (p = 0.004), and greater concern that the general public does not adequately understand the seriousness of COVID-19 (p = 0.04). Those with metastatic disease were more likely to indicate that COVID-19 had negatively affected their cancer care compared to patients with non-metastatic cancer (50.8% vs. 31.0%; p = 0.02). The most commonly reported treatment modifications included chemotherapy delays.

Conclusions

Patients undergoing active treatment for cancer were most concerned about the short-term effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the logistics as well as potential efficacy of ongoing cancer treatment, longer term effects, and overarching societal concerns that the population at large is not as concerned about the public health implications of SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Survival after recurrence in early-stage high-risk epithelial ovarian cancer: a Gynecologic Oncology Group study

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to evaluate the clinical outcome of recurrent early-stage high-risk epithelial ovarian cancer patients.

METHODS

Demographic and clinicopathological data were collected from women enrolled in GOG 157 who underwent surgical staging and had recurrent disease. Survival probability was estimated using Kaplan-Meier method, and hazard ratio of death was analyzed using Cox regression model.

RESULTS

Of 74 women with recurrent early-stage high-risk ovarian cancer, the median age at recurrence was 63 years; 93% were White, 2.7% were Black, 2.7% were Asian, and 1.4% were Others. Fifty-eight percent had stage I, and the remainder had stage II disease. Clear cell, serous, endometrioid, mucinous, and other tumors consisted of 28.4%, 25.7%, 24.3%, 16.2%, and 5.4% of patients, respectively; in addition, 36.5% had ascites, 33.8% had positive cytology, and 43.2% had ruptured tumors. Fifty-eight percent underwent three cycles, and 42% had six cycles of adjuvant chemotherapy with paclitaxel and carboplatin. Recurrence was diagnosed clinically in 46% and radiographically in 54% of women. The median time from completion of primary chemotherapy to recurrence (treatment-free interval, TFI) was 21 months. Overall, median survival after recurrence was 24 months. Patients with longer (>24 months) TFI had a higher median survival after subsequent treatment at 35 months compared to only 10 months in those who recurred <or=24 months (p=0.003).

CONCLUSIONS

Although patients with primary early-stage high-risk ovarian cancer have an overall favorable prognosis, survival after recurrence is poor and comparable to those with recurrent advanced-stage disease. Novel therapeutic modalities are warranted in these high-risk patients.

Improved survival in non-Ashkenazi Jewish ovarian cancer patients with BRCA1 and BRCA2 gene mutations

OBJECTIVES

Previous studies report a survival advantage in ovarian cancer patients with Ashkenazi Jewish (AJ) breast cancer gene (BRCA) founder mutations. The purpose of this study was to determine if this association exists in patients with non-Ashkenazi Jewish (non-AJ) BRCA mutations. We also sought to account for "survival bias" by minimizing lead time that may exist between diagnosis and genetic testing.

METHODS

Patients with stage III/IV ovarian cancer and a non-AJ BRCA mutation, seen between January 1996 and July 2007, were identified from eight institutions. Patients with sporadic ovarian cancer were compared to similar cases, matched by age, stage, year of diagnosis, and vital status at time interval to BRCA testing. Progression-free (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were calculated by the Kaplan-Meier method. Multivariate Cox proportional hazards models were calculated for variables of interest. Fisher's exact test and chi-square were also used for analysis.

RESULTS

Ninety-five advanced stage ovarian cancer patients with non-AJ BRCA mutations and 183 sporadic controls were analyzed. Compared to sporadic ovarian cancer patients, non-AJ BRCA patients had longer PFS (27.9 months vs. 17.9 months, HR 0.61 [95% CI 0.43-0.86]) and OS (101.7 months vs. 54.3 months, HR 0.43 [95% CI 0.27-0.68]). BRCA status was an independent predictor of PFS and OS.

CONCLUSIONS

This multicenter study demonstrates a significant survival advantage in advanced stage ovarian cancer patients with non-AJ BRCA mutations, confirming the previous studies in the Jewish population. This improved survival was evident when accounting for the "survival bias" that coincides with genetic testing.

Emotional health concerns of oncology physicians in the United States: Fallout during the COVID-19 pandemic

INTRODUCTION

Cancer care is significantly impacted by the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Our objective was to evaluate the early effects of the pandemic on the emotional well-being of oncology providers across the United States and explore factors associated with anxiety and depression symptoms.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A cross-sectional survey was administered to United States cancer-care physicians recruited over a two-week period (3/27/2020-4/10/2020) using snowball-convenience sampling through social media. Symptoms of anxiety and depression were measured using the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-4).

RESULTS

Of 486 participants, 374 (77.0%) completed the PHQ-4: median age was 43 years; 63.2% female; all oncologic specialties were represented. The rates of anxiety and depression symptoms were 62.0% and 23.5%, respectively. Demographic factors associated with anxiety included female sex, younger age, and less time in clinical practice. Perception of inadequate personal protective equipment (68.6% vs. 57.4%, p = 0.03) and practicing in a state with more COVID-19 cases (65.8% vs. 51.1%, p = 0.01) were associated with anxiety symptoms. Factors significantly associated with both anxiety and depression included the degree to which COVID-19 has interfered with the ability to provide treatment to cancer patients and concern that patients will not receive the level of care needed for non-COVID-19 illness (all p-values <0.01).

CONCLUSION

The perceived degree of interference with clinical practice along with personal concerns about COVID-19 were significantly associated with both anxiety and depression among oncology physicians in the United States during the COVID-19 pandemic. Our findings highlight factors associated with and sources of psychological distress to be addressed to protect the well-being of oncology physicians.

Dasatinib (BMS-35482) has synergistic activity with paclitaxel and carboplatin in ovarian cancer cells

PURPOSE

To explore the activity of dasatinib alone and in combination with paclitaxel and carboplatin in ovarian cancer cells and to determine if dasatinib activity can be predicted based on evaluation of the SRC pathway.

EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN

Microarray analysis was performed for IGROV1, OVCAR3, A2780 and SKOV3 ovarian cancer cells and the status of the genomic SRC signature pathway was determined. Cells were treated with carboplatin, paclitaxel and dasatinib individually and in combination. Pre- and post-treatment phospho-SRC (pSRC) and SRC protein expression was determined. Dose-response curves were constructed, and drug interaction was assessed by the Combination Index (CI) method.

RESULTS

SRC protein expression levels reflected the SRC pathway genomic signature in the cell lines with the lowest (SKOV3) and highest (IGROV1) pathway expression, but not in those with intermediate expression (OVCAR3, A2780). Dasatinib treatment caused loss of pSRC in all cell lines, with 50% growth inhibition for IGROV1 at 70 nM, OVCAR3 at 34 nM, A2780 at 4.1 μM and SKOV3 at 530 nM. Dasatinib combined with cytotoxics yielded a synergistic effect (CI=0.46 to 0.79) in all cell lines except SKOV3.

CONCLUSION

Dasatinib in combination with standard chemotherapeutic agents appears to interact in a synergistic manner in some ovarian cancer cell lines. Further research is needed to evaluate tumor cell characteristics which predict response to dasatinib.

Cancer-Related Distress: Revisiting the Utility of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network Distress Thermometer Problem List in Women With Gynecologic Cancers

PURPOSE

The Distress Thermometer (DT) includes a measure of cancer-related distress and a list of self-reported problems. This study evaluated the utility of the DT problem list in identifying concerns most associated with distress and poorer quality of life (QOL) in survivors of gynecologic cancer.

METHODS

Demographic, clinical, psychosocial functioning, and DT data were described among 355 women participating in a gynecologic cancer cohort. Problems from the DT list were ranked by prevalence, distress, and QOL. Logistic regression models explored factors associated with problems that were common (≥ 25% prevalence) and associated with distress and QOL.

RESULTS

The average age of participants was 59.9 years (standard deviation [SD], 10.8 years). Most participants were non-Hispanic white (97%) and had ovarian (44%) or uterine (42%) cancer. The mean DT score was 2.7 (SD, 2.7); participants reported a mean of 7.3 problems (SD, 5.9 problems). The most common problems were fatigue (53.6%), worry (49.9%), and tingling (46.3%); least common problems were childcare (2.1%), fevers (2.1%), and substance abuse (1.1%). Report of some common problems, including tingling, sleep, memory, skin issues, and appearance, was not associated with large differences in distress or QOL. In contrast, some rarer problems such as childcare, treatment decisions, eating, housing, nausea, and bathing/dressing were associated with worse distress or QOL. Younger age, lower income, and chemotherapy were risk factors across common problems that were associated with worse distress or QOL (fatigue, nervousness, sadness, fears, and pain).

CONCLUSION

The DT problem list did not easily identify concerns most associated with distress and low QOL in patients with gynecologic cancer. Adaptations that enable patients to report their most distressing concerns would enhance clinical utility of this commonly used tool.

Online Medical Misinformation in Cancer: Distinguishing Fact From Fiction

It is without question that the Internet has democratized access to medical information, with estimates that 70% of the American population use it as a resource, particularly for cancer-related information. Such unfettered access to information has led to an increase in health misinformation. Fortunately, the data indicate that health care professionals remain among the most trusted information resources. Therefore, understanding how the Internet has changed engagement with health information and facilitated the spread of misinformation is an important task and challenge for cancer clinicians. In this review, we perform a meta-synthesis of qualitative data and point toward empirical evidence that characterizes misinformation in medicine, specifically in oncology. We present this as a call to action for all clinicians to become more active in ongoing efforts to combat misinformation in oncology.

Evaluation of the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program Surgical Risk Calculator in Gynecologic Oncology Patients Undergoing Minimally Invasive Surgery

STUDY OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the ability of the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (ACS NSQIP) surgical risk calculator to predict discharge to postacute care and perioperative complications in gynecologic oncology patients undergoing minimally invasive surgery (MIS).

DESIGN

A retrospective chart review (Canadian Task Force classification II-1).

SETTING

A university hospital.

PATIENTS

All patients undergoing MIS on the gynecologic oncology service from January 1, 2009, to December 30, 2013.

INTERVENTIONS

Surgical procedures were reviewed, and appropriate Common Procedural Terminology codes were assigned. Twenty-one preoperative risk factors were abstracted from the chart and entered into the ACS NSQIP surgical risk calculator. The predicted risk of discharge to postacute care and 8 additional postoperative complications were calculated and recorded. Actual postoperative complications were abstracted from the medical record. The association between the calculated risk and the actual outcome was determined using logistic regression. The ability of the calculator to accurately predict a particular event was assessed using the c-statistic and Brier score.

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS

Of the 876 patients reviewed, a majority underwent hysterectomy (71.6%), with almost half of those patients undergoing additional cancer staging procedures (34.8%). Although the calculator was a poor predictor of postoperative complications, it was a strong predictor for discharge to postacute care (c-statistic = 0.91, Brier score = 0.02) with an odds ratio of 2.31 (95% confidence interval, 1.65-3.25; p < .0001).

CONCLUSION

The ACS NSQIP surgical risk calculator does not accurately predict postoperative complications or length of stay in gynecologic oncology patients undergoing MIS. Although it was a strong predictor of need for discharge to postacute care, it vastly overestimated the number of patients requiring this service. Therefore, the calculator's risk score for discharge to postacute care may be considered during preoperative counseling but should not be a predictor of whether or not the patient should proceed with surgery.

The Power of Social Media for HPV Vaccination-Not Fake News!

The Fogg theory of mass interpersonal communication suggests that social media has the ability to combine the credibility of interpersonal persuasion with mass media, resulting in a desired attitude or behavior among a large group of people. Although social media can be a very effective way of communicating health recommendations, they can also be used to spread incorrect information (a.k.a., fake news). Content analyses of social media show a mix of positive and negative messaging regarding vaccination against HPV, and sentiment may vary by social media site. Positive messages are more likely to appeal to logic, citing facts and statistics, whereas negative messages are more likely to use personal stories to appeal to emotions. An ecologic study has shown a correlation between the predominant HPV vaccine sentiment in a state and statewide HPV vaccine coverage, suggesting social media messaging has the ability to influence HPV vaccination decisions.

Assessment of Circulating Tumor Cells as a Predictive Biomarker of Histology in Women With Suspected Ovarian Cancer

Background

The clinical assessment of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) as a blood-based biomarker is FDA-approved for use in breast, colorectal, and prostate cancers. The objective of this prospective clinical study was to determine whether pretreatment CTCs are a useful diagnostic biomarker in women with complex pelvic masses.

Methods

Whole blood was collected from 49 women with newly diagnosed pelvic masses. The presence of CTCs was compared between women with and without ovarian cancer histopathologic diagnosis after surgery using a Chi-squared test.

Results

CTCs were absent in those with benign disease (0/14), present in 17% (5/29) of patients with a histologic diagnosis of ovarian carcinoma, and present in 80% (4/5) of patients with ovarian metastases from other cancers (P = 0.001). All 5 women with ovarian cancer who had CTCs present presented stage III or IV of the disease (P = 0.13).

Conclusions

CTCs were more prevalent in patients with metastases to the ovary than in primary ovarian carcinomas.

Siglec-6 is expressed in gestational trophoblastic disease and affects proliferation, apoptosis and invasion

Sialic acid immunoglobulin-like lectin (Siglec)-6 is a transmembrane receptor that binds leptin. Leptin is an obesity-associated peptide hormone overexpressed in gestational trophoblastic disease (GTD). GTD encompasses several placental abnormalities that range from benign to malignant. Among GTD, molar placentas are characterized by excess proliferation, whereas gestational trophoblastic neoplasias (GTN) have characteristically aggressive invasion. We hypothesized that in GTD, Siglec-6 expression would increase with disease severity and that Siglec-6 and leptin would promote proliferation, inhibit apoptosis and/or promote invasion. Siglec-6 expression patterns were evaluated with particular attention to the diagnostic utility of Siglec-6 in GTD (controls: normal placentas (n=32), hydropic abortus placentas (n=7), non-GTD reproductive tract cancers (n=2); GTD: partial moles (PM; n=11), complete moles (n=24), GTN (n=6)). In normal placentas, Siglec-6 expression dramatically decreased after 8 weeks gestation. Complete molar placentas had significantly higher Siglec-6 expression than controls, but expression was not significantly different from PM. In GTN, Siglec-6 expression was low. These data suggest that Siglec-6 may have diagnostic utility for distinguishing complete moles from normal and hydropic abortus placentas. Functional studies in choriocarcinoma-derived BeWO cells demonstrated a complex interplay between Siglec-6 expression and leptin exposure. In cells lacking Siglec-6, leptin treatment promoted invasion, likely through interaction with LepR leptin receptor, without affecting proliferation or apoptosis. Siglec-6 expression promoted proliferation in a leptin-dependent manner, but protected cells from apoptosis and promoted invasion in a leptin-independent manner. We propose that Siglec-6 and leptin play a role in the aberrant properties characteristic of GTD, namely excess proliferation and invasion.

Thrombin and leukocyte recruitment in endotoxemia

Because thrombin has been implicated in sepsis, it has been proposed that antithrombin III (AT III) is beneficial due to its anticoagulatory and antiadhesive effects. Using intravital microscopy, we visualized leukocyte-endothelium interactions in postcapillary venules of the feline mesentery exposed to lipopolysaccharide (LPS). At a concentration of AT III that blocks leukocyte adhesion in postischemic mesentery, we found no role for thrombin in LPS-induced rolling, adhesion and emigration, or microvascular dysfunction. Furthermore, AT III did not attenuate leukocyte-endothelial interactions after tumor necrosis factor-alpha superfusion of the mesentery. In contrast, fucoidan, a selectin inhibitor, prevented almost all LPS-induced rolling and reduced adhesion, emigration, and microvascular dysfunction. In a model of endotoxemia, leukocyte recruitment into mesentery or lungs was unaffected by AT III. Finally, in a human cell system that mimics the flow conditions in vivo, human neutrophils rolled, adhered, and emigrated similar to the feline postcapillary microvessels, and AT III had no effect on leukocyte recruitment induced by LPS. If AT III has beneficial effects in endotoxemia, it is not due to a direct effect upon leukocyte rolling, adhesion, or emigration in postcapillary venules in vivo.

Postoperative readmissions following ileostomy formation among patients with a gynecologic malignancy

OBJECTIVES

Ileostomy results in a relatively poorer water reabsorption and is associated with dehydration and renal injury. These problems may be exacerbated in the setting of gynecologic cancers owing to both patient and disease-related factors. We evaluated the rate and reasons for hospital readmission within 30 days of ileostomy creation in patients with a gynecologic malignancy.

METHODS

We performed a retrospective review of women with gynecologic malignancies who underwent ileostomy creation between 2002 and 2013.

RESULTS

Fifty-three patients were eligible for analysis. The mean age was 63.3 years. Most patients had ovarian cancer (86.5%). Indications for ileostomy included small bowel obstruction (45.3%), as part of primary debulking (18.9%), or treatment of an anastomotic leak (15.1%). The 30-day readmission rate was 34%. Co-morbid diseases such as hypertension (p=0.008) and chronic kidney disease (p=0.010) were more common among women who were readmitted. The most common reasons for readmission were dehydration (38.9%) and acute renal failure (33.3%); women readmitted for these conditions had higher average serum creatinine levels at initial postoperative discharge (1.00 mg/dL versus 0.71 mg/dL, p=0.017) than women who did not require readmission. Readmitted women had a trend toward shorter overall survival (0.41 years versus 1.67 years, p=0.061).

CONCLUSIONS

Readmission rates for gynecologic oncology patients undergoing ileostomy were similar to, but higher than those previously reported in the colorectal literature. In our population, patients with preexisting cardiovascular or renal disease were at the highest risk of readmission and may benefit from preemptive strategies to decrease high ostomy output and dehydration.

A patient-centered mobile health application to motivate use of genetic counseling among women with ovarian cancer: A pilot randomized controlled trial

OBJECTIVE

Despite current guidelines recommending women with ovarian cancer receive genetic risk evaluation by a genetic counselor, utilization has historically been low. We sought to assess the feasibility and effectiveness of a week-long mobile Application for Genetic Information on Cancer (mAGIC) intervention aimed to persuade women with ovarian cancer to pursue genetic counseling.

METHODS

The mobile application intervention was based on the Fogg Behavior Model, and consisted of three parts: (1) identifying barriers, (2) developing motivators, and (3) providing triggers to action. The Health Belief Model was used to guide content development. We conducted a prospective, randomized, controlled pilot trial among 104 untested women with a history of epithelial ovarian, primary peritoneal or fallopian tube cancer with the primary objective of increasing uptake of cancer genetic counseling services.

RESULTS

Utilization of cancer genetic counseling services improved in both study arms over historical controls, however there was no statistically significant difference between them (intervention: 54.5% versus control: 38.6%; p = 0.14). However, compared to controls, women randomized to the mAGIC intervention demonstrated greater knowledge of hereditary cancer (0-10 scale; 9.4 ± 1.0 vs. 7.1 ± 1.5; p < 0.0001), which persisted for at least three months. Additionally, 96% of women in the intervention group reported they had talked with their family about genetic counseling compared to 77% in the control group (p = 0.01).

CONCLUSIONS

The mAGIC intervention did not result in increased uptake of genetic counseling, however it provided significant secondary benefits, including increased participants' knowledge about hereditary ovarian cancer, self-efficacy, and their reported communication with family members. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02877862.

Abstract CT032: A phase 1/2, open-label, multicenter, dose escalation and efficacy study of mRNA-2416, a lipid nanoparticle encapsulated mRNA encoding human OX40L, for intratumoral injection alone or in combination with durvalumab for patients with advanced malignancies

Background: While PD-1/L1 blockade is an effective therapeutic approach for many patients with solid and hematologic malignancies, it is not sufficient to induce tumor regressions in the majority of patients. Optimal T cell responses require T cell receptor activation and co-stimulation, which can be provided via ligation of tumor necrosis factor receptor family members, such as OX40. Binding of OX40 by OX40L in the presence of a recognized antigen promotes CD4+ and CD8+ T cell expansion, enhances memory responses and inhibits regulatory T cell function. mRNA-2416 is a novel mRNA-based lipid nanoparticle therapeutic agent that expresses the wild type human OX40L. Preclinical in vivo anti-tumor activity of a murine mRNA-2416 surrogate and synergy with anti-PD-L1 antibodies in syngeneic cancer models are observed (unpublished). Here we present the findings of a first-in-human study of mRNA-2416 monotherapy delivered intratumorally in solid tumor patients with accessible lesions.

Methods: This study tested the safety and efficacy of mRNA-2416 administered every 2 weeks for up to 12 doses in a standard 3+3 phase 1 dose escalation in patients with locally advanced, recurrent or metastatic solid malignancy or lymphoma. Tumor biopsies were collected pre- and post-treatment and evaluated by quantitative immunofluorescence (QIF) and RNA sequencing to characterize OX40L expression and immune response following treatment.

Results: As of November 13, 2019, 39 patients have been treated at 4 dose levels from 1-8 mg. mRNA-2416 was generally well-tolerated with no DLTs. 6 out of 39 patients experienced grade 3 treatment related AEs. Out of 14 patients with best overall response of stable disease by RECIST, 6 had stable disease for ≥ 14 weeks, and 4 had tumor shrinkage in the injected lesions. Analyses of paired biopsies from injected lesions by QIF showed increased OX40L protein expression as well as elevated T cell scores post-treatment. Activation of a pro-inflammatory gene expression response post-treatment was observed in many cases, including increased cytolytic activity scores, elevated PD-L1 expression, and stimulation of a T cell-inflamed gene expression profile predictive of anti-PD-1/L1 response. These findings were observed in patients with long duration on study or tumor shrinkage.

Conclusion: Intratumoral mRNA-2416 is tolerable at all dose levels studied when given as monotherapy and analyses of tumor post-treatment demonstrate increased OX40L protein expression, elevated PD-L1 levels and pro-inflammatory activity. Taken together with the observation of preclinical in vivo synergy with PD-L1 blockade, these data support the evaluation of a combination of intratumoral mRNA-2416 with the anti-PD-L1 inhibitor durvalumab in solid tumors, which is ongoing in part B of this study.

Citation Format: Antonio Jimeno, Shilpa Gupta, Ryan Sullivan, Khanh T. Do, Wallace L. Akerley, Ding Wang, Deanna Teoh, Kurt Schalper, Sima J. Zacharek, Jing Sun, Andressa S. Laino, Joshua Frederick, Honghong Zhou, William Randolph, Stephanie Pascarella, Lisa Johansen, Pamela S. Cohen, ROBERT S. MEEHAN, Todd M. Bauer. A phase 1/2, open-label, multicenter, dose escalation and efficacy study of mRNA-2416, a lipid nanoparticle encapsulated mRNA encoding human OX40L, for intratumoral injection alone or in combination with durvalumab for patients with advanced malignancies [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research 2020; 2020 Apr 27-28 and Jun 22-24. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2020;80(16 Suppl):Abstract nr CT032.

Associations between risk-perception, self-efficacy and vaccine response-efficacy and parent/guardian decision-making regarding adolescent HPV vaccination

Objectives

To evaluate associations of risk perception, self-efficacy and response-efficacy with HPV vaccination decisions among parents/guardians of adolescents.

Methods

A cross-sectional survey of parents/guardians of adolescents was conducted at the Minnesota State Fair. Risk perception was measured by participant rankings of HPV infection and vaccine risks against diseases/side-effects for which numerical risks were provided. Response efficacy was measured as perceived ability of the vaccine to prevent HPV infection, and self-efficacy was measured as the perceived ability to prevent infection without vaccination (scale 0–100). Chi-squared and Fisher's exact tests compared risk perception, self-efficacy and response-efficacy of vaccinators to non-vaccinators.

Results

Of 405 eligible participants, 355 completed vaccination questions; 304 (86%) were vaccinators and 51 (14%) were non-vaccinators. Non-vaccinators had lower risk-perception of HPV-related cancers (p < 0.05) and higher risk-perception of vaccine-related side-effects (p < 0.05). Self-efficacy was higher (64 ± 24 vs. 30 ± 29; p < 0.0001) and perceived HPV vaccine response efficacy was lower (52 ± 31 vs. 83 ± 19; p < 0.0001) among non-vaccinators compared to vaccinators.

Conclusions

Lower HPV-related cancer risk perception and higher self-efficacy were associated with the decision not to vaccinate. HPV vaccination decisions were similar to meningococcal vaccination decisions, suggesting reluctance to vaccinate in general rather than resistance to the HPV vaccine specifically drove the results.

•

Minnesota State Fair Cross-sectional survey of parents/guardians of adolescents.

•

Higher HPV-related cancer risk perception associated with HPV vaccination.

•

Genital wart perception not associated with HPV vaccination decision.

•

Non-vaccination associated with perceived ability to prevent HPV infection.

•

Lower vaccine risk perception associated with decision to vaccinate against HPV.

The effect of anesthesia choice on post-operative outcomes in women undergoing exploratory laparotomy for a suspected gynecologic malignancy

OBJECTIVE

To determine how anesthesia choice in women undergoing laparotomy for gynecologic malignancy affects pain control and narcotic use.

METHODS

This is a retrospective study of women who underwent laparotomy for suspected gynecologic malignancy from May 2012 to January 2013. Patients were categorized into one of three groups: 1) patient controlled analgesia (PCA); 2) PCA+transversus abdominis plane block (TAP); and 3) patient-controlled epidural analgesia (PCEA). Mean narcotic use and patient reported pain scores were compared.

RESULTS

The analysis includes 112 women (44 PCA, 30 TAP, 38 PCEA). Intraoperative factors were not different between groups with the exception of a significant difference in the rate of intra-operative complications (p=0.020), with lower rates in the PCEA group. The groups differed in intravenous narcotic use in each of the first three postoperative days (day 0: p=0.014; day 1: p<0.0001; day 2: p=0.048), with patients in the TAP group using the least on day 0 and those in the PCEA group using less on postoperative days 1 and 2. In addition, the PCEA group reported lower pain scores on postoperative days 1 and 2 (day 1: p=0.046; day 2: p=0.008).

CONCLUSIONS

The use of patient controlled epidural anesthesia after laparotomy for gynecologic malignancy is associated with decreased IV and PO narcotic use and improved pain control without increasing complications or length of hospital stay. Further investigation with prospective randomized trials is warranted to elucidate the optimal post-operative pain management technique.