Analysis of the association of HER-2 low carcinomas and PAM50 assay in hormone receptor positive early-stage breast cancer

BACKGROUND

HER2-low has emerged as a new predictive biomarker in metastatic breast cancer. However, its prognostic value in early-stage carcinomas needs to be revisited. We aimed to evaluate the association of HER2-low carcinomas with PAM50 risk groups combined with clinicopathological variables in early breast cancer.

METHODS

We conducted a retrospective analysis of 332 patients with early-stage breast cancer that underwent PAM50 signature analysis between 2015 and 2021at Hospital Universitario 12 de Octubre (Madrid, Spain). Clinical and pathological variables were collected from medical records. After adjusting for potential confounders, we estimated Odds Ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval for high-risk PAM50 subgroup, comparing HER2-low versus HER2-zero carcinomas by multivariable logistic regression. P values below 0.05 were deemed statistically significant.

RESULTS

192 (57%) patients were classified as HER2-low carcinomas. Median follow-up was 34 months. Adjusted OR for high-risk PAM50 when comparing HER2-low versus HER2-zero carcinomas was 1.31 (95% CI: 0.75-2.30, p = 0.33). The multivariable model detected significant associations for Ki-67% (≥20% vs. <20%: OR = 4.03, 95% CI: 2.15-7.56, p < 0.001), T staging category (T2/T3 vs. T1: OR = 3.44, 95% CI: 1.96-6.04, p < 0.001), progesterone receptor (PR ≥ 20% vs. <20%: OR = 0.44, 95% CI: 0.23-0.83, p = 0.01), nodal staging category (N+ vs. N0: OR = 3.8, 95% CI: 1.89-7.62, p < 0.001) and histological grade (grade 2 vs. 1: OR = 2.41, 95% CI: 1.01-5.73, p = 0.04; grade 3 vs 1: OR = 5.40, 95%CI: 1.98-14.60, p = 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

In this early-stage breast cancer cohort, HER2-low was not associated with a high-risk PAM50 compared to HER2-zero carcinomas. Ki-67 ≥ 20%, T2/T3, histological grade 2/3, N+ and PR<20% were significantly associated to a high-risk PAM50.

pTERT C250T mutation: A potential biomarker of poor prognosis in metastatic melanoma

Melanoma is the most aggressive form of skin cancer and the leading cause of death from cutaneous tumors. Several studies have associated alterations in the TERT promoter region (pTERT) with gene overexpression, aggressiveness and poor prognosis of the disease. The aim of this study was to clarify the role of pTERT molecular status in paired samples of primary melanoma and metastasis using tissue and plasma to establish a correlation with disease progression and survival. A total of 88 FFPE tissue samples from 53 patients with advanced melanoma were analyzed. Of these, 35 had paired samples. We also examined cfDNA samples from plasma of 25 patients. We detected a good correlation between primary tumors and metastases in pTERT mutation and methylation status. We were also able to identify pTERT mutations in plasma samples that correlated with mutational status in tissue samples. Interestingly, the C250T mutation was associated with worse survival and higher TERT mRNA expression, compared to the other most common mutation: C228T. In addition, hyper-methylation of the promoter region seems to be related to the progression of pTERT wild type (WT) patients. These results suggest that TERT gene alterations plays an important role during tumor progression, with the detection of the C250T mutation in tissue and plasma as a potential biomarker of poor prognosis in patients with advanced melanoma.

Abstract P5-02-44: Efficacy analysis of CDK4/6 inhibitors in combination with endocrine therapy treatment in HR+/HER2- breast cancer according to PAM50 intrinsic subtype: primary results of SOLTI-1801_CDK-PREDICT study

Background: First-line treatment with cyclin-dependent kinase 4 and 6 inhibitors (CDK4/6i) plus endocrine therapy (ET) has demonstrated efficacy in improving progression-free survival (PFS), overall response rate (ORR) and, more recently, ribociclib was also improve overall survival (OS) in hormone receptor-positive/HER2-negative (HR+/HER2-) advanced breast cancer (aBC). Unfortunately, most patients eventually progress and develop secondary or primary endocrine resistance. To date, no clinical or molecular markers have shown clinical utility in this setting. However, data from retrospective analysis suggest that intrinsic subtypes (IS) are prognostic and predict benefit from CDK4/6i+ET (Finn SABCS 2017, Prat. JCO 2021). Here, we have evaluated the impact of IS in PFS and ORR.

Methods: This study prospectively evaluated patients with HR+/HER2- aBC treated in the first-line setting with CDK4/6i + ET from February 2015 to January 2022 across 5 hospitals in Spain. Tumor biopsies had been performed within 90 days prior the patient started the CDK4/6i + ET. RNA from FFPE tumors was analyzed at the nCounter® (Nanostring Technologies) using a 72 custom gene panel including the PAM50 genes. The primary objective is to correlate the baseline PAM50 IS with PFS. The Kaplan-Meier method and multivariable cox model PFS analyses were performed adjusting for previous endocrine sensitivity, visceral disease, and metastatic onset disease. Secondary objectives were to estimate the ORR based on RECIST1.1 and its association with IS and the development of a prognostic algorithm that includes clinical and genomic data.

Results: From May 2020 to May 2022, 113 patients with PAM50 results who met all eligibility criteria, including sample quality, were included. IS distribution was 42.5% Luminal A, 46.9% luminal B, 7.1% HER2-enriched, 0.9% basal-like and 2.6% Normal-like (89.4% luminal vs 10.6% non-luminal). Baseline patient characteristics are shown in table 1. The median follow-up for PFS was 18.5 m (interquartile range 10.0 – 31.7m). Median PFS for Luminal vs no-luminal subtypes was 26.8 m (95% CI: 18.9 - 43.8 m) and 10.0 m (95% CI: 5.8 - 26.0 m) (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR]= 2.44 95% IC: 1.17 - 5.07). Median PFS by all IS was not reached (NR) for Luminal A (95% CI: 23.0 – NR); 19.5 m luminal B (95% CI: 15.7 - 27.3 m, aHR vs Luminal A= 1.98 95% IC: 1.09 - 3.62), 10.0 m HER2-E (95% CI: 4.4 - NR, aHR vs Luminal A= 2.75 95% IC: 1.05 - 7.18), 12.4 m Normal-like (95% CI: 5.8 - NR, aHR vs Luminal A= 19.35 95% IC: 2.32 - 160.89) and not estimable for basal-like (aHR vs Luminal A= 5.44 95% IC: 1.44 - 20.60). ORR was not significantly higher in Luminal B (55.1%) and HER2-E (57.1%) subtype versus luminal A (46.3%) (p=0.677). OS follow-up is still immature.

Conclusions: We confirmed the independent prognostic value of the PAM50 IS in first-line HR+/HER2- breast cancer treated with CDK4/6i+ET. Further gene expression analysis and development of a prognostic composite score is ongoing and will be presented at the conference.

This project has received a research grant from “Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad” (Spain) awarded within the National Research Program with reference PI 18/01408, co-funded with European Union ERDF funds.

Baseline patient characteristics

Citation Format: Pablo Tolosa, Tomás Pascual, Cristina Hernando, Sonia Servitja, Adela Fernández, Fara Brasó-Maristany, Javier Benitez, Laura Lema, Yolanda Ruano, Lucia Parrilla, Ana María Roncero, Rodrigo Sánchez-Bayona, Manuel Alva, Guillermo Villacampa, María Rocío Moreno-Villa, Jordi Canes, Fernando Salvador, Aleix Prat, Eva Ciruelos. Efficacy analysis of CDK4/6 inhibitors in combination with endocrine therapy treatment in HR+/HER2- breast cancer according to PAM50 intrinsic subtype: primary results of SOLTI-1801_CDK-PREDICT study [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2022 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2022 Dec 6-10; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2023;83(5 Suppl):Abstract nr P5-02-44.

A Case of COL1A1-PDGFB Fusion Uterine Sarcoma

COL1A1-PDGFB gene fusion uterine sarcoma is a recently described entity which shows some overlapping features with dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans. To date, only 4 cases have been reported in the literature. Due to its rarity, succinct clinicopathologic characteristics are yet to be established. We report a fifth case initially mistaken as a uterine fibroid which histologically proved to be a CD34 + high-grade spindle cell proliferation which on fluorescence in situ hybridization analysis displayed COL1A1-PDGFB gene rearrangement. With this case description we hope to raise awareness and aid in the characterization of this emerging entity.

Progression to lung fibrosis in severe COVID-19 patients: A morphological and transcriptomic study in postmortem samples

The development of lung fibrosis is a major concern in patients recovered from severe COVID-19 pneumonia. This study aimed to document the evolution of diffuse alveolar damage (DAD) to the fibrosing pattern and define the transcriptional programs involved. Morphological, immunohistochemical and transcriptional analysis were performed in lung samples obtained from autopsy of 33 severe COVID-19 patients (median illness duration: 36 days). Normal lung and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) were used for comparison. Twenty-seven patients with DAD and disease evolution of more than 2 weeks had fibrosis. Pathways and genes related with collagen biosynthesis and extracellular matrix (ECM) biosynthesis and degradation, myofibroblastic differentiation and epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) were overexpressed in COVID-19. This pattern had similarities with that observed in IPF. By immunohistochemistry, pathological fibroblasts (pFBs), with CTHRC1 and SPARC expression, increased in areas of proliferative DAD and decreased in areas of mature fibrosis. Immunohistochemical analysis demonstrated constitutive expression of cadherin-11 in normal epithelial cells and a similar pattern of cadherin and catenin expression in epithelial cells from both normal and COVID-19 samples. Transcriptomic analysis revealed downregulation of the Hippo pathway, concordant with the observation of YAP overexpression in hyperplastic alveolar epithelial cells. Progression to fibrosis in severe COVID-19 is associated with overexpression of fibrogenic pathways and increased in CTHRC1- and SPARC-positive pFBs. Whereas the Hippo pathway seemed to be implicated in the response to epithelial cell damage, EMT was not a major process implicated in COVID-19 mediated lung fibrosis.

A clinically compatible drug-screening platform based on organotypic cultures identifies vulnerabilities to prevent and treat brain metastasis

We report a medium-throughput drug-screening platform (METPlatform) based on organotypic cultures that allows to evaluate inhibitors against metastases growing in situ. By applying this approach to the unmet clinical need of brain metastasis, we identified several vulnerabilities. Among them, a blood-brain barrier permeable HSP90 inhibitor showed high potency against mouse and human brain metastases at clinically relevant stages of the disease, including a novel model of local relapse after neurosurgery. Furthermore, in situ proteomic analysis applied to metastases treated with the chaperone inhibitor uncovered a novel molecular program in brain metastasis, which includes biomarkers of poor prognosis and actionable mechanisms of resistance. Our work validates METPlatform as a potent resource for metastasis research integrating drug-screening and unbiased omic approaches that is compatible with human samples. Thus, this clinically relevant strategy is aimed to personalize the management of metastatic disease in the brain and elsewhere.

Abstract OT2-19-03: Solti-1801. Analysis of the efficacy of CDK4/6 inhibitors in combination with hormonal treatment in luminal breast cancer in relation to the intrinsic subtype and markers of immunity (CDK-predict)

Introduction. The incorporation of cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors 4 and 6 (CDK4/6 inhibitors) with endocrine therapy in patients with hormone receptor-positive/HER2-negative (HR+/HER2-) advanced breast cancer has demonstrated its efficacy improving progression-free survival (PFS), overall response rate (ORR) and, more recently, overall survival (OS). However, patients eventually progress due to resistance to treatment. To date, no clinical or molecular markers defining the HR+/HER2- patient population that obtains the greatest benefit from these drugs have been found, apart from estrogen receptor positivity. However, data from multiple retrospective analysis suggest that within HR+/HER2- disease, the non-luminal intrinsic subtypes (20-30% of these patients) have a worse prognosis and may not benefit equally from every CDK4/6 inhibitor (Finn SABCS 2017, Prat. JCO 2021). Furthermore, the prognostic impact of tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) and gene expression related to the immune response in the context of HR+/HER2- advanced breast cancer have not been deeply investigated. Design. CDK-PREDICT is an observational, non-interventional, multicenter study that will include 114 patients with advanced breast cancer treated in first-line with CDK4/6 inhibitors + hormone therapy. The primary objective is to correlate the baseline intrinsic subtypes (defined by PAM50) with the efficacy (measured as PFS) of CDK4/6 inhibitors + hormone therapy. As secondary objectives, the correlation of the intrinsic subtypes with ORR and with the histopathological characteristics of the tumor will be analyzed. In addition, the expression of immune response and cell cycle genes, as well as the presence of TILs, will be correlated with the intrinsic subtypes and with PFS and ORR. Formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tumor tissue samples will be hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) stained and percentage of TILs will be determined. RNA will be purified and analyzed at the nCounter (Nanostring Technologies) using a panel of 72 genes including the PAM50 genes and immune genes such as PD1, PDL1, CD8 or CD4. Overall, we aim to develop a predictive score combining clinical, genomic, and immune expression data integrating tumor biology and microenvironment. For inclusion in the study, a metastatic sample taken within 100 days prior to CDK4/6 inhibitors treatment is required. Once this sample has been collected, registered, and assessed for quality, patients will be followed up every 6 months until disease progression, death or withdrawal from the study. As of July 2021, 80 patients have been included at 5 sites in Spain. This study is included within the Biomarker program of SOLTI. Recruitment of this study started in June 2020. Acknowledgements.This project has received a research grant from “Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad” (Spain) awarded within the National Research Program with reference PI 18/01408, co-funded with European Union ERDF funds (European Regional Development Fund).

Citation Format: Pablo Tolosa, Tomás Pascual, Cristina Hernando, Sonia Servitja, María Fernández Abad, Fara Brasó-Maristany, Javier Benítez, Laura Lema, Mario Martínez, Yolanda Ruano, Lucía Parrilla, Alejandra Bernardini, Ana María Roncero, Laia Paré, Jordi Canes, Patricia Villagrasa, Fernando Salvador, Aleix Prat, Eva Ciruelos. Solti-1801. Analysis of the efficacy of CDK4/6 inhibitors in combination with hormonal treatment in luminal breast cancer in relation to the intrinsic subtype and markers of immunity (CDK-predict) [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2021 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2021 Dec 7-10; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2022;82(4 Suppl):Abstract nr OT2-19-03.

Abstract OT-26-04: Solti-1801. Analysis of the efficacy of CDK4/6 inhibitors in combination with hormonal treatment in luminal breast cancer in relation to the intrinsic subtype and markers of immunity (CDK-PREDICT)

Introduction. The incorporation of cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors 4 and 6 (CDK4/6 inhibitors) with endocrine therapy in patients with advanced hormone receptor-positive (HR+) breast cancer and without overexpression of the HER2 (HER2-) oncogene has demonstrated its efficacy improving progression-free survival (PFS), overall response rate (ORR) and, more recently, overall survival (OS). However, patients eventually progress due to resistance to treatment. To date, no clinical or molecular markers defining the HR +/HER2- patient population that obtains the greatest benefit from these drugs have been found, apart from estrogen receptor positivity. However, there are data from multiple retrospective analysis suggesting that within HR+/ HER2- disease, the non-luminal intrinsic subtypes (20-30% of these patients) have a worse prognosis and may not benefit from CDK4/6 inhibitors. Furthermore, the prognostic impact of tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) and gene expression related to the immune response in the context of HR + / HER2- advanced breast cancer have not been deeply investigated.

Design. CDK-PREDICT is an observational, non-interventional, multicenter study that will include 114 patients with advanced breast cancer who have received, are receiving or are going to receive endocrine therapy plus a CDK4/6 inhibitor for, at least, 8 weeks as first-line treatment. The primary objective is to correlate the intrinsic subtypes (defined by PAM50) with the efficacy (measured as PFS) of CDK4/6 inhibitors + hormone therapy. As secondary objectives, the correlation of the intrinsic subtypes with ORR and with the histopathological characteristics of the tumor will be analyzed. In addition, the expression of immune response and cell cycle genes, as well as the presence of TILs, will be correlated with the intrinsic subtypes and with PFS and ORR. Overall, we aim to develop a predictive score combining clinical, genomic and immune expression data integrating tumor biology and microenvironment. For inclusion in the study, a metastatic sample taken within 90 days prior to CDK4/6 inhibitors treatment will be required. Once this sample has been collected, registered and assessed for quality, patients will be followed up every 6 months until disease progression, death or withdrawal from the study.

This project has received a research grant from “Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad” (Spain) awarded within the National Research Program with reference PI 18/01408, co-funded with European Union ERDF funds (European Regional Development Fund). This study is included within the Biomarker program of SOLTI. Recruitment of this study started in June 2020.

Citation Format: Pablo Tolosa, Tomás Pascual, Cristina Hernando, Sonia Servitja, María Fernández Abad, Rafael Villanueva, Fernando Henao, Javier Benítez, Laura Lema, Mario Martínez, Yolanda Ruano, Lucía Parrilla, Alejandra Bernardini, Ana María Roncero, Laia Paré, Jordi Canes, Fernando Salvador, Patricia Villagrasa, Aleix Prat, Eva Ciruelos. Solti-1801. Analysis of the efficacy of CDK4/6 inhibitors in combination with hormonal treatment in luminal breast cancer in relation to the intrinsic subtype and markers of immunity (CDK-PREDICT) [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2020 San Antonio Breast Cancer Virtual Symposium; 2020 Dec 8-11; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2021;81(4 Suppl):Abstract nr OT-26-04.

IL6/sIL6R regulates TNFα-inflammatory response in synovial fibroblasts through modulation of transcriptional and post-transcriptional mechanisms

Introduction

The clinical efficacy of specific interleukin-6 inhibitors has confirmed the central role of IL6 in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). However the local role of IL6, in particular in synovial fibroblasts (SF) as a direct cellular target to IL6/sIL6R signal is not well characterized. The purpose of the study was to characterize the crosstalk between TNFα and IL6/sIL6R signaling to the effector pro-inflammatory response of SF.

Methods

SF lines were stimulated with either TNFα, IL6/sIL6R, or both together, for the time and dose indicated for each experiment, and where indicated, cells were treated with inhibitors actinomycin D, adalimumab, ruxolitinib and cycloheximide. mRNA expression of cytokines, chemokines and matrix metalloproteases (MMPs) were analyzed by quantitative RT-PCR. Level of IL8/CXCL8 and CCL8 in culture supernatants was measured by ELISA. Mononuclear and polymorphonuclear cells migration assays were assessed by transwell using conditioned medium from SF cultures. Statistical analyses were performed as indicated in the corresponding figure legends and a p-value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.

Results

The stimulation of SF with IL6/sIL6R and TNFα, cooperatively promotes the expression of mono- and lymphocytic chemokines such as IL6, CCL8 and CCL2, as well as matrix degrading enzymes such as MMP1, while inhibiting the induction of central neutrophil chemokines such as IL8/CXCL8. These changes in the pattern of chemokines expression resulted in reduced polymorphonuclear (PMN) and increased mononuclear cells (MNC) chemoattraction by SF. Mechanistic analyses of the temporal expression of genes demonstrated that the cooperative regulation mediated by these two factors is mostly induced through de novo transcriptional mechanisms activated by IL6/sIL6R. Furthermore, we also demonstrate that TNFα and IL6/sIL6R cooperation is partially mediated by the expression of secondary factors signaling through JAK/STAT pathways.

Conclusions

These results point out to a highly orchestrated response to IL6 in TNFα-induced SF and provide additional insights into the role of IL6/sIL6R in the context of RA, highlighting the contribution of IL6/sIL6R to the interplay of SF with other inflammatory cells.

Supplementary information

Supplementary information accompanies this paper at 10.1186/s12860-020-00317-7.

Phase II trial of palbociclib in recurrent RB-positive anaplastic oligodendroglioma: A Spanish group for research in neurooncology (GEINO) trial

2038

Background: The pRB-dependent cell cycle checkpoint is altered in the vast majority of anaplastic oligodendrogliomas (AO), either by homozygous deletion or by hypermethylation of CDKN2A and/or CDKN2B, or by amplification and/or overexpression of CDK4. Palbociclib is an oral inhibitor of CDK4 and 6 that has already been shown to be highly active in breast cancer. Methods: We conducted a multicenter, open-label, phase II trial evaluating efficacy and safety of Palbociclib in patients with AO that progressed to radiotherapy and more than one chemotherapy regimen containing Temozolomide and/or Lomustine. Inclusion criteria included: histologically and molecularly confirmed grade III oligodendroglioma (WHO 2016 classification, IDH1/2 mutation and 1p/19 codeletion were mandatory), recurrence after radiotherapy and 1 or 2 chemotherapy regimens and conserved RB protein expression by immunohistochemistry (IHC). Patients were treated with Palbociclib 125 mg/daily 3 weeks on/1off. The primary objective of the study was progression-free survival at 6 months (6M-PFS). Results: Between October 2015 and September 2018, 34 patients were enrolled across ten hospitals. The study was stopped early secondary to lack of efficacy, with 74% of evaluable patients progressing within 6 months. Number of patients alive and free from progression at 6 months after the enrollment was 9 (26%) out of the first 34 patients, below the minimum number required (18 out of 40) to consider Palbociclib as an active drug in this population. With a median follow-up of 11.2 months, the median PFS was 3 months (95% CI: 2.5-3.5 months). Median overall survival (OS) was 23.1 months (95% CI: 17.2-25 months). There were no partial or complete responses and only 11 patients (32%) achieved stable disease as best response. Palbociclib was well tolerated with neutropenia (Grade 3 or 4: 40%) and thrombocytopenia (Grade 3 or 4: 15%) as the most common adverse effects (AEs). Both AEs had no significant impact since there were no episodes of febrile neutropenia or bleeding. Conclusions: Despite the good tolerance and drug exposure, Palbociclib monotherapy did not show favorable activity in recurrent AO. Clinical trial information: NCT02530320.

Study of tumor infiltrating immune CELLS and vasculature in human gliomas: Differences in IDH1/2 mutant versus IDH1/2WT tumors

2030

Background: Gliomas harboring mutations in IDH1/2 show a higher overall survival time than “wild type” (wt) tumors. Although the clinical aspects are well described, little is known about the underlying mechanisms by which these mutations generate such a difference in the clinical course. Our group has recently described that IDH1/2 mutations induce a distinct vascular phenotype in the tumors, with less blood-brain barrier (BBB) leakage than the IDH1/2 wt gliomas (In Press, DOI:10.1101/541326). Methods: Prospective study analyzing a cohort of 20 patients with primary gliomas resected in one institution. Samples were obtained in the first surgery and 12 IDHmut and 8 IDHwt gliomas were included. Immune infiltration was analysed by flow cytometry and vasculature by inmunohistochemistry. For molecular biology studies, western blots were performed with Mini-PROTEAN system. Proteins were visible by enhanced chemoluminescence. Results: We show that the immune component also differentiates these two pathologies. There is significantly less immune infiltration in IDH1/2 mutant gliomas. Within the CD45 subset, IDH1/2 mutant gliomas have a reduced proportion of T lymphocytes with a different T cell exhaustion profile and an increased proportion of CD11b+ cells in comparison to IDH1/2 wt cases. Myeloid compartment distribution is also different in these two types of tumors, showing an augmented proportion of the M2 (CD206+) and the neutrophil subsets in IDH1/2 wt gliomas. Moreover, a higher proportion of CD45 PDL1+ was present in the IDH1/2 wt tumors samples. The analysis of the vasculature showed an increase density and the lumen size of the vessels of the IDH1/2 wt compared to the IDH1/2 mutant gliomas which correlate with changes in the immune profile. The biochemical analysis showed that there is an increment in EGFR and PDGFR activity in the IDH wt gliomas that is related with more vascular aberrations and higher CD45 infiltrate. This suggests that EGFR and PDGFR are the key regulators of the tumor microenvironment. Conclusions: To understand the matching between the immune infiltration and vasculogenesis is relevant for interpreting data coming from the clinical trials with checkpoints inhibitors. At the time abstract submission survival analysis is not yet available due to the short time of follow-up but in May 2019, the number of expected events for analysis will be reached.

Use of extracellular vesicles from lymphatic drainage as surrogate markers of melanoma progression and BRAF V600E mutation

García-Silva et al. show for the first time that extracellular vesicles isolated from the exudative seroma obtained from the lymphatic drainage implanted in melanoma patients after lymphadenectomy can be interrogated for melanoma markers and BRAF mutations. Profiling the BRAF^V600E mutation in this biofluid is a novel approach to predict disease relapse.

Liquid biopsies from cancer patients have the potential to improve diagnosis and prognosis. The assessment of surrogate markers of tumor progression in circulating extracellular vesicles could be a powerful non-invasive approach in this setting. We have characterized extracellular vesicles purified from the lymphatic drainage also known as exudative seroma (ES) of stage III melanoma patients obtained after lymphadenectomy. Proteomic analysis showed that seroma-derived exosomes are enriched in proteins resembling melanoma progression. In addition, we found that the BRAF^V600E mutation can be detected in ES-derived extracellular vesicles and its detection correlated with patients at risk of relapse.

Acquisition of Somatic NRAS Mutations in Central Nervous System Melanocytes: A Predisposing Risk Factor to Primary Melanoma of the Central Nervous System, a Frequently Forgotten Pitfall in Congenital Nevi

Congenital melanocytic nevi (CMN) are benign melanocytic proliferations that are usually present at birth. A somatic mosaicism for an NRAS point mutation is responsible for the several phenotypic abnormalities that may be associated with congenital nevi. We report the case of a 7-year-old boy with a proliferative nodule (PN) arising in a Giant CMN completely excised and with several visceral and intraspinal melanoma metastases with no evidence of primary cutaneous melanoma. The careful analysis of the clinical, morphologic, and molecular features allowed the distinction of between the benign PN (BPN) and the melanoma. The BPN showed a characteristic comparative genomic hybridization pattern with gains or losses of whole chromosomes, whereas the melanoma displayed gains or losses involving complex partial chromosomal copy number gains or losses. Leptomeningeal melanocytes are more susceptible to transformation by oncogenic NRAS than cutaneous melanocytes, and central nervous system melanomas are more common than cutaneous melanomas in the setting of CMN. Thus, it has been recommended to characterize the congenital disease in patients with 2 CMN at birth, independently of size and site, with a single magnetic resonance imaging screening younger than the age of 1 year.

Phase II trial of dacomitinib, a pan-human EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor, in recurrent glioblastoma patients with EGFR amplification

Background

We conducted a multicenter, 2-stage, open-label, phase II trial to assess the efficacy and safety of dacomitinib in adult patients with recurrent glioblastoma (GB) and epidermal growth factor receptor gene (EGFR) amplification with or without variant III (EGFRvIII) deletion.

Methods

Patients with first recurrence were enrolled in 2 cohorts. Cohort A included patients with EGFR gene amplification without EGFRvIII mutation. Cohort B included patients with EGFR gene amplification and EGFRvIII mutation. Dacomitinib was administered (45 mg/day) until disease progression/unacceptable adverse events (AEs). Primary endpoint was progression-free survival (PFS; RANO criteria) at 6 months (PFS6).

Results

Thirty patients in Cohort A and 19 in Cohort B were enrolled. Median age was 59 years (range 39-81), 65.3% were male, and Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group Performance Status 0/1/2 were 10.2%/65.3%/24.5%, respectively. PFS6 was 10.6% (Cohort A: 13.3%; Cohort B: 5.9%) with a median PFS of 2.7 months (Cohort A: 2.7 mo; Cohort B: 2.6 mo). Four patients were progression free at 6 months and 3 patients were so at 12 months. Median overall survival was 7.4 months (Cohort A: 7.8 mo; Cohort B: 6.7 mo). The best overall response included 1 complete response and 2 partial responses (4.1%). Stable disease was observed in 12 patients (24.5%: eight in Cohort A and four in Cohort B). Diarrhea and rash were the most common AEs; 20 (40.8%) patients experienced grade 3-4 drug-related AEs.

Conclusions

Dacomitinib has a limited single-agent activity in recurrent GB with EGFR amplification. The detailed molecular characterization of the 4 patients with response in this trial can be useful to select patients who could benefit from dacomitinib.

DEK oncogene is overexpressed during melanoma progression

DEK is an oncoprotein involved in a variety of cellular functions, such as DNA repair, replication, and transcriptional control. DEK is preferentially expressed in actively proliferating and malignant cells, including melanoma cell lines in which DEK was previously demonstrated to play a critical role in proliferation and chemoresistance. Still, the impact of this protein in melanoma progression remains unclear. Thus, we performed a comprehensive analysis of DEK expression in different melanocytic tumors. The immunostaining results of 303 tumors demonstrated negligible DEK expression in benign lesions. Conversely, malignant lesions, particularly in metastatic cases, were largely positive for DEK expression, which was partially associated with genomic amplification. Importantly, DEK overexpression was correlated with histological features of aggressiveness in primary tumors and poor prognosis in melanoma patients. In conclusion, our study provides new insight into the involvement of DEK in melanoma progression, as well as proof of concept for its potential application as a marker and therapeutic target of melanoma.

N-terminal pro B-type natriuretic peptide and angiogenic biomarkers in the prognosis of adverse outcomes in women with suspected preeclampsia

BACKGROUND

This study compares the performance of the soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase 1 to placental growth factor (sFlt-1/PlGF) ratio and the cardiac biomarker N-terminal pro-B type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) in the prediction of adverse outcomes in women with suspicion of PE.

METHODS

A retrospective cohort study was conducted on women admitted at triage with signs and/or symptoms of PE (n=340). Serum levels of sFlt-1, PlGF and NT-proBNP were determined by an electrochemiluminescence immunoassay (Roche Diagnostics). The main outcomes were early- or late-onset PE and development of adverse outcome, defined as delivery within the first week since clinical presentation or fetal/early neonatal death.

RESULTS

NT-proBNP concentrations (ng/L) were significantly increased in PE versus non-PE women, both at <34 (169 versus 34) and ≥34weeks of gestation (101 versus 49) (p<0.001). A cut-point of 70 showed sensitivities/specificities of 78/74% for early-, and 70/62% for late-onset PE; slightly lower than those offered by the sFlt-1/PlGF ratio or uric acid. The respective cut-points of 178 and 219 for sFlt-1/PlGF ratio and NT-proBNP, demonstrated similar performance in the prediction of adverse outcome, with sensitivity/specificity of 95/84% and 94/76%, respectively.

CONCLUSION

NT-proBNP and sFlt-1/PlGF ratio can be used to predict the development of an adverse outcome.

Leakage decrease detected by dynamic susceptibility-weighted contrast-enhanced perfusion MRI predicts survival in recurrent glioblastoma treated with bevacizumab

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

In glioblastoma, tumor progression appears to be triggered by expression of VEGF, a regulator of blood vessel permeability. Bevacizumab is a monoclonal antibody that inhibits angiogenesis by clearing circulating VEGF, resulting in a decline in the contrast-enhancing tumor, which does not always correlate with treatment response. Our objectives were: (1) to evaluate whether changes in DSC perfusion MRI-derived leakage could predict survival in recurrent glioblastoma, and (2) to estimate whether leakage at baseline was related to treatment outcome.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We retrospectively analyzed DSC perfusion MRI in 24 recurrent glioblastomas treated with bevacizumab as second line chemotherapy. Leakage at baseline and changes in maximum leakage between baseline and the first follow-up after treatment were selected for quantitative analysis. Survival univariate analysis was made constructing survival curves using Kaplan-Meier method and comparing subgroups by log rank probability test.

RESULTS

Leakage reduction at 8 weeks after initiation of bevacizumab treatment had a significant influence on overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS). Median OS and PFS were 2.4 and 2.8 months longer for patients with leakage reduction at the first follow-up. Higher leakage at baseline was associated with leakage reduction after treatment. Odds ratio of treatment response was 9 for patients with maximum leakage at baseline >5.

CONCLUSIONS

Leakage decrease may predict OS and PFS in recurrent glioblastomas treated with bevacizumab. Leakage reduction postulates as a potential biomarker for treatment response evaluation. Leakage at baseline seems to predict response to treatment, but was not independently associated with survival.

Role of vitamin D and sFlt-1/PlGF ratio in the development of early- and late-onset preeclampsia

BACKGROUND

The imbalanced production of placental biomarkers and vitamin D deficiency have been proposed as risk factors for the development of preeclampsia (PE). However, little is known about the relationship between them and their role in early- versus late-onset PE. The objectives were to assess the role of 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] concentrations and the soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase 1 (sFlt-1) to placental growth factor (PlGF) ratio in the development of early- and late-onset PE; and to evaluate the relationship between 25(OH)D and the biomarkers.

METHODS

A retrospective, full-blinded cohort study was conducted at the Obstetric Emergency Service of a tertiary care hospital. Pregnant women (n=257) attending obstetric triage with suspicion of PE were included. sFlt-1, PlGF and 25(OH)D concentrations were measured by electrochemoluminescence (ECLIA) immunoassay and pregnancy outcome (development of PE) was registered from patients records.

RESULTS

PE women showed lower 25(OH)D concentrations at clinical presentation than non-PE women (median: 35.0 nmol/L and 39.6 nmol/L, respectively; p=0.027). Women with 25(OH)D levels <50 nmol/L experienced an increased risk of developing late-onset PE [odds ratio (OR) 4.6, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.4-15], but no association was found for early-onset PE. However, a sFlt-1/PlGF ratio above the corresponding cutpoints increased the risk of developing both early- and late-onset PE [ORs 58 (95% CI 11-312) and 12 (95% CI 5.0-27), respectively]. No association was found between 25(OH)D levels and sFlt-1/PlGF ratio.

CONCLUSIONS

Low vitamin D status in women with suspected late-onset PE increases the risk of imminent development of the disease.

New biomarkers in diagnosis of early onset preeclampsia and imminent delivery prognosis

BACKGROUND

Several studies have revealed a high soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase 1 (sFlt-1) to placental growth factor (PlGF) ratio in preeclamptic women. However, its role in patients with suspected preeclampsia (PE) at triage in the emergency department remains an issue and a controversial unique cutpoint of 85 has been proposed regardless of gestational age. A new cutpoint for sFlt-1/PlGF ratio was investigated to rule out PE at obstetric triage, and to assess its prognostic value for risk of imminent delivery.

METHODS

Blood samples from 257 pregnant women with suspected PE were obtained at obstetric triage admission. Serum PlGF and sFlt-1 were measured by an electrochemoluminiscence immunoassay (ECLIA) on the immunoanalyzer Cobas e601 (Roche Diagnostics) and the corresponding ratio was calculated. Final outcomes (mainly development of PE) were reviewed and time between clinical presentation and delivery was calculated.

RESULTS

The best ratio cutpoint to diagnose PE changed according to gestational age: 23 (92.0% sensitivity, 81.1% specificity) and 45 (83.7% sensitivity, 72.6% specificity) for women <34 and ≥ 34 weeks' gestation, respectively. Furthermore, sFlt-1/PlGF ratio inversely correlated with time elapsed between clinical presentation and delivery, and a cutpoint of 178 could predict complications such as imminent delivery or fetal/neonatal death with a sensitivity of 70.6% and a specificity of 97.8%.

CONCLUSIONS

The new cut-off values for the sFlt-1/PlGF ratio adjusted by the gestational age at clinical presentation can be used to rule out PE at obstetric triage and to predict imminent delivery with better accuracy than the cutpoint currently accepted.

Human papillomavirus combined with cytology and margin status identifies patients at risk for recurrence after conization for high-grade cervical intraepithelial neoplasia

OBJECTIVE

To compare the ability of cytology, human papillomavirus (HPV) testing and co-testing to identify recurrence of patients treated by loop electrosurgical excision procedure (LEEP) for cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) 2-3.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Retrospective analysis (R.A.): the medical records of 372 women treated for CIN 2-3 were reviewed. Resection margin, HPV typing, Pap smears, and biopsies post-LEEP were collected. Prospective analysis (P.A.): 97 women were followed post-LEEP by cytology, HPV test and colposcopy every six months.

RESULTS

Positive margins were found to be an independent risk factor for recurrent disease (OR 0.192; 95% CI 0.074-0.497 in R.A. and OR 0.096; 95% CI 0.023-0.392 in P.A.). HPV testing showed less sensitivity than cytology (69% vs 84%, respectively in R.A. and 80% vs 100% in P.A.). Co-testing predicted recurrent disease at a sensitivity of 90.6% in R.A. and 100% in P.A.

CONCLUSION

Co-testing is the best option in follow-up protocols after treatment for CIN 2-3. If margins are free and co-testing is negative at six and 12 months, 18 months visit could be avoided.

Codeletion of 1p and 19q determines distinct gene methylation and expression profiles in IDH-mutated oligodendroglial tumors

Oligodendroglial tumors (OTs) are primary brain tumors that show variable clinical and biological behavior. The 1p/19q codeletion is frequent in these tumors, indicating a better prognosis and/or treatment response. Recently, the prognostically favorable CpG island methylator phenotype (CIMP) in gliomas (G-CIMP+) was associated with mutations in the isocitrate dehydrogenase 1 and isocitrate dehydrogenase 2 (IDH) genes, as opposed to G-CIMP- tumors, highlighting the relevance of epigenetic mechanisms. We performed a whole-genome methylation study in 46 OTs, and a gene expression study of 25 tumors, correlating the methylation and transcriptomic profiles with molecular and clinical variables. Here, we identified two different epigenetic patterns within the previously described main G-CIMP+ profile. Both IDH mutation-associated methylation profiles featured one group of OTs with 1p/19q loss (CD-CIMP+), most of which were pure oligodendrogliomas, and a second group with intact 1p/19q and frequent TP53 mutation (CIMP+), most of which exhibited a mixed histopathology. A third group of OTs lacking the CIMP profile (CIMP-), and with a wild-type IDH and an intact 1p/19q, similar to the G-CIMP- subgroup, was also observed. The three CIMP groups presented a significantly better (CD-CIMP+), intermediate (CIMP+) or worse (CIMP-) prognosis. Furthermore, transcriptomic analyses revealed CIMP-specific gene expression signatures, indicating the impact of genetic status (IDH mutation, 1p/19q codeletion, TP53 mutation) on gene expression, and pointing to candidate biomarkers. Therefore, the CIMP profiles contributed to the identification of subgroups of OTs characterized by different prognoses, histopathologies, molecular features and gene expression signatures, which may help in the classification of OTs.

Differential expression profiling analyses identifies downregulation of 1p, 6q, and 14q genes and overexpression of 6p histone cluster 1 genes as markers of recurrence in meningiomas

The majority of meningiomas are probably benign but a number of tumors display considerable histological and/or clinical aggressivity, sometimes with unexpectedly high recurrence rates after radical removal. Understanding the potential behavior of these tumors in individual patients is critical for rational therapeutic decision-making. This study aimed to identify gene expression profiles and candidate markers associated with original and recurrent meningiomas. Unsupervised hierarchical clustering of the samples confirmed 2 main groups of meningiomas with distinct clinical behaviors. The gene expression profiling study identified genes and pathways potentially associated with meningioma recurrence, revealing an overall lower level of gene expression. The differential gene expression profiling analyses of original and recurrent meningiomas identified 425 known genes and expressed sequence tags related to meningioma recurrence, with SFRP1 (8p12), TMEM30B (14q23), and CTGF (6q23) showing the most disparate expression. Most of the differentially expressed genes were located at 1p, 6q, and 14q and were underexpressed in recurrences. Loss of such chromosomal regions has previously been associated with a higher risk of meningioma recurrence or malignant progression. Thus, at these locations, we propose the existence of novel candidate genes that could be involved in meningioma recurrence. In addition, the overexpression of genes of histone cluster 1 (6p) in recurrent meningiomas is reported here for the first time. Finally, the altered genes related to meningioma recurrence are involved in pathways such as Notch, TGFβ, and Wnt, as described previously, and in other pathways such as cell cycle, oxidative phosphorylation, PPAR, and PDGF, not related before to meningioma recurrence.

Microarray-based comparative genomic hybridization (array-CGH) as a useful tool for identifying genes involved in Glioblastoma (GB)

Alterations in the genome that lead to changes in DNA sequence copy number are a characteristic of Glioblastomas (GBs). Microarray-based comparative genomic hybridization (array-CGH) is a high-throughput technology that allows the hybridization of genomic DNA onto conventional cDNA microarrays, normally used in expression profiling, to analyze genomic copy number imbalances. In this way, thousands of genes can be reviewed in a high resolution analysis to define amplicons and to identify? candidate genes showing recurrent genomic copy number changes in GB tumors.

Worse outcome in primary glioblastoma multiforme with concurrent epidermal growth factor receptor and p53 alteration

Primary glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), in contrast with secondary GBM, has been associated with the presence of EGFR amplification and absence of p53 mutation. In this study, we analyzed relevant molecular and clinical variables in 194 primary GBMs and tested them for survival analysis. Although most of the tumors showed a mutually exclusive pattern, concurrent alterations of EGFR and p53 were detected. Survival analysis of CDK4 amplification revealed a highly significant association with a worse clinical outcome (P = .01), whereas MDM2, CDK6, PTEN, and p21 were not associated with patient survival. Multivariate analysis including the significant clinical and molecular variables revealed CDK4 amplification, age, and radiotherapy to be markers with independent prognostic value. In addition, the primary GBM tumors showing simultaneous EGFR and p53 alterations were significantly associated with worse survival (P < .01). These results highlight the prognostic value of CDK4 amplification and of simultaneous EGFR-p53 alterations in the clinical outcome of patients with primary GBM.

Identification of survival-related genes of the phosphatidylinositol 3'-kinase signaling pathway in glioblastoma multiforme

BACKGROUND

Knowledge of the molecular mechanisms involved in the biology of glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is essential for the identification of candidate prognostic markers, new putative therapeutic targets, and early detection strategies predictive of survival.

METHODS

The authors performed expression-profiling analyses in a series of primary GBMs by using complementary DNA microarrays. Validation of putative targets was performed in large series of GBMs by immunohistochemistry on tissue microarrays, real-time quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction analysis, and Western blot analysis.

RESULTS

The expression signature consisted of 159 up-regulated genes and 186 down-regulated genes. Most of these genes were involved in cell adhesion, signal transduction, cell cycle, apoptosis, and angiogenesis. Among the genes from the molecular signature, annexin 1 (ANXA1) and ubiquitin-specific protease 7 (USP7) were evaluated in wider series of GBMs. ANXA1 analysis carried out in different types of gliomas revealed exclusive overexpression in astrocytomas. Furthermore, survival analysis by using functional clusters of genes related with cancer and glioma biology revealed 7 genes involved in the PI3K-signaling pathway that presented a significant association with clinical outcome. Among these genes, positive expression of BCL2-associated X protein (BAX) was associated significantly with better survival in a larger series of tumors. In addition, activation of the PI3K/Akt pathway was demonstrated in this set of GBMs.

CONCLUSIONS

The authors concluded that there is a significant role for PI3K pathway survival-related genes in patients with GBM, and putative prognostic markers associated with glioma tumorigenesis were identified. The detailed study of these candidate genes and the molecular pathways regulating PI3K activation reveal that they are promising targets for the clinical management of patients with glioma.

BCR gene disruption in a pilomyxoid astrocytoma

We report here a 4-month-old child with a large, solid enhancing mass involving predominantly the suprasellar and diencephalic regions, with extension of both hemispheres. The patient underwent partial resection of the mass by right temporal craniotomy. Histological diagnosis was of a low-grade glioma consistent with pilomyxoid astrocytoma. Cytogenetic analyses revealed an insertion on chromosome 17 that involved disruption of the BCR gene. This finding suggests a possible rearrangement of this gene that could act in a similar way to chronic myeloid leukemia with formation of a chimeric tyrosine kinase protein. This study may suggest the use of inhibitors of tyrosine kinase proteins as an alternative treatment approach in cases of refractory or disseminated pilocytic astrocytomas.

Identification of novel candidate target genes in amplicons of Glioblastoma multiforme tumors detected by expression and CGH microarray profiling

BACKGROUND

Conventional cytogenetic and comparative genomic hybridization (CGH) studies in brain malignancies have shown that glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is characterized by complex structural and numerical alterations. However, the limited resolution of these techniques has precluded the precise identification of detailed specific gene copy number alterations.

RESULTS

We performed a genome-wide survey of gene copy number changes in 20 primary GBMs by CGH on cDNA microarrays. A novel amplicon at 4p15, and previously uncharacterized amplicons at 13q32-34 and 1q32 were detected and are analyzed here. These amplicons contained amplified genes not previously reported. Other amplified regions containing well-known oncogenes in GBMs were also detected at 7p12 (EGFR), 7q21 (CDK6), 4q12 (PDGFRA), and 12q13-15 (MDM2 and CDK4). In order to identify the putative target genes of the amplifications, and to determine the changes in gene expression levels associated with copy number change events, we carried out parallel gene expression profiling analyses using the same cDNA microarrays. We detected overexpression of the novel amplified genes SLA/LP and STIM2 (4p15), and TNFSF13B and COL4A2 (13q32-34). Some of the candidate target genes of amplification (EGFR, CDK6, MDM2, CDK4, and TNFSF13B) were tested in an independent set of 111 primary GBMs by using FISH and immunohistological assays. The novel candidate 13q-amplification target TNFSF13B was amplified in 8% of the tumors, and showed protein expression in 20% of the GBMs.

CONCLUSION

This high-resolution analysis allowed us to propose novel candidate target genes such as STIM2 at 4p15, and TNFSF13B or COL4A2 at 13q32-34 that could potentially contribute to the pathogenesis of these tumors and which would require futher investigations. We showed that overexpression of the amplified genes could be attributable to gene dosage and speculate that deregulation of those genes could be important in the development and progression of GBM. Our findings highlight the important influence in GBM of signaling pathways such as the PI3K/AKT, consistent with the invasive features of this tumor.