bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effect of novel autologous immune training platform on end-stage patients with cancer.
Authors: Pulford John F , Lederer James A. , Murzin E , Younger D , Goh Jeffrey C. , Kitchenadasse Ganessan , Atkinson Victoria , Joubert Warren Lance , Kwatra Vineet , Okera Meena , Bishnoi Sarwan K. , Gargosky Sharron , Borriello Frank , Joshi Rohit
Published: June 2024

2546

Background: SUPLEXA therapeutic cells are the initial autologous and non-engineered candidate to emerge from the novel ENLIST cells training platform. Manufacturing is robust, reproducible and with an acceptable cost of goods. The method requires 35 days to produce multiple doses. Multiple mechanisms of SUPLEXA therapeutic cells have been delineated and all appear to complement that of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) with SUPLEXA cells serving to enhance the number of primed anti-tumor host T cells while ICIs serve to increase the durability of primed T cells by blocking their premature down-regulation. Methods: A 35 patient Phase 1 single-agent study survey study is currently ongoing in Australia to test the safety and clinical activity of SUPLEXA cells in end-stage patients with various tumor types. No chemo preconditioning or concomitant cytokine treatment was employed. CYTOF analysis of longitudinal peripheral blood is used to monitor changes to the host immune system. Results: To date, SUPLEXA therapeutic cells have demonstrated safety and significant clinical benefit with an observed CR, PR, and many durable SD in approximately half the patients. Several solid tumor patients remain on study beyond 1 year and doing well. Longitudinal analysis of PBMCs from SUPLEXA cell treated cancer patients demonstrated durable changes in the composition of myeloid immune cell subsets in SUPLEXA treated patients, impacting the anti-tumor bias of the host immune system. Specifically, we identified a dramatic decrease in the number of peripheral myeloid derived suppressor cells (MDSCs), within 3 weeks of SUPLEXA treatment. In patients with CR and PR, we also identified stable increases in activated classical CD14+ blood monocytes. Conclusions: SUPLEXA therapeutic cells are a highly differentiated approach to cellular therapy. The first-in-human experience demonstrated a pristine safety profile and strong clinical benefit as a single-agent. The pharmacodynamic decrease of in the number of MDSCs, known to suppress the anti-tumor immune response and limit immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) efficacy, supports the further clinical testing to test the hypothesis that the multiple mechanisms of SUPLEXA cells will enhance the clinical activity of ICIs. Clinical trial information: NCT05237206 .
Combinatorial cellular therapy in pediatric solid tumors with natural killer (NK) and genetically engineered myeloid cells (GEMys).
Authors: Li Kathy Pei , Cronk James , Kaczanowska Sabina , Pereira Marcelo , Sato Noriko , Nakkula Robin , Chen Yun , Choyke Peter , Lee Dean Anthony , Kaplan Rosandra N.
Published: June 2024

2561

Background: Early human studies with Natural Killer (NK) cells have shown promise, harnessing their ability to infiltrate into tumors and be tumoricidal. However, these effects can be limited by adenosine, reactive oxygen species, and TGF-β in the highly immune suppressive tumor microenvironment (TME). TGF-β and downstream SMAD3 signaling in Natural Killer (NK) cells have been shown to cause decreased cytokine production, downregulation of activating cell surface receptors, and attenuated cytotoxic function against solid tumors. Exposure to TGF-β during cell culture generates expanded NK cells with increased resistance to TGF-β signaling, dubbed TGF-β imprinted NK cells. In vitrostudies have shown that these cells have increased cytokine production and cytotoxic function in the presence of TGF-β. However, their in vivo trafficking, modulation of the TME, and therapeutic efficacy remain understudied. Our lab has previously shown that when given to tumor-bearing mice, myeloid cells modified to produce IL-12 (IL-12-Genetically Engineered Myeloid cells, aka IL-12 GEMys) are effective at homing to tumor and metastatic sites and, via IL-12 secretion and TME modulation, increase NK cell presence and activation in these sites. They hold great promise as combination therapy, enhancing the effectiveness of other cellular therapies such as NK cell therapy. A current clinical trial exploring TGF-β Imprinted, Ex Vivo Expanded, Universal Donor NK Cell Infusions in relapsed sarcomas is underway (NCT05634369). Methods: In vitro experiments were conducted with the xCELLigence real-time cell analysis system. The human osteosarcoma cell line 143B and human rhabdomyosarcoma cell line RH-30 were evaluated for cell death after co-culture with healthy donor NK cells or TGF-β imprinted NK cells (E:T ratio of 5:1) in isolation and in combination with IL-12 GEMys (E:T ratio of 2:1). Results: TGF-β imprinted NK cells are significantly more effective at tumor cell killing of both 143B and RH30 cell lines in-vitro compared to regular expanded NK cells (WT NK cells), with >90% decrease in cell index compared to 50-60%, respectively, after 48 hours of co-culture. IL-12 GEMys also significantly enhance the cytotoxic effects of WT NK cells, increasing cell killing to 70-80% compared to co-culture with untransduced GEMy controls. Conclusions: These initial in-vitro experiments provide insight into the promising effectiveness of NK-myeloid cell combination therapies in the treatment of pediatric sarcomas. Ongoing in vitroexperiments include cytokine quantification by ELISA and flow cytometric analysis of NK cell activation and proliferation markers. Our preliminary results provide rationale to continue studying the in vivo efficacy of TGF-β imprinted NK cell monotherapy and in combination with IL-12 GEMys in the treatment of tumor-bearing NSG mice.
Genetic drivers of severe skin toxicity with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) in Asian patients.
Authors: Yoshimine Kohei , Goto Hiroki , Yamada Kana , Fukuyama Tamaki , Oda Tetsuro , Iwakami Runa , Takahashi Koji , Kaul Monika Dulloo , Chandler G Scott , Mohindra Rajat , Madjar Katrin
Published: June 2024

2667

Background: ICIs may cause severe skin toxicity associated with significant patient (pt) impact. Published data suggests Asian pts might be at higher risk of skin immune-related adverse events (SirAEs). Variation in human leukocyte antigen (HLA) is known to predispose to autoimmune (AI) conditions, but there is limited data to understand genetic drivers of severe SirAEs. Methods: The incidence of severe SirAEs was correlated with 30 HLA alleles of interest in 2 cohorts totaling 18 Asian pts (Dermatitis bullous n=4, Erythema multiforme n=10, Stevens-Johnson syndrome n=3, Toxic skin eruption n=1) treated with atezolizumab (A) across tumor types as monotherapy or as part of combinations- 8 Japanese pts received A in a non-interventional study (trial ID: UMIN000048702) and 10 Asian pts were enrolled in Roche trials with A. Data from the 18 cases was compared to 3 different controls of Asian pts identified from Roche trials with A (i.e. pts without any irAEs n=148, pts without SirAEs n=225, pts without severe SirAEs n=390). For each HLA allele, positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV), sensitivity, specificity, (unadjusted) odds ratio (OR) and corresponding 95%-confidence interval (CI) were evaluated. Case-control populations were obtained by risk-set sampling with exact matching on indication, treatment arm and sex, and used in age-adjusted conditional logistic regression models to assess associations between each HLA allele and severe SirAEs. Results: There was an association between some HLA alleles and severe SirAEs, but sensitivity was low (<30%) and 1-NPV was only slightly smaller than background prevalence. Results for five HLA alleles with OR>1.5 in either the unadjusted or adjusted analysis compared to controls without severe SirAEs are presented in table. Results were consistent across the three control populations. Conclusions: Five HLA alleles previously reported in AI disorders were associated with severe SirAEs in Asian pts receiving A. Although the effect size is insufficient to be considered clinically relevant, further research is warranted to better characterize the pt-level drivers of severe SirAEs in Asians pts. Clinical trial information: UMIN000048702 . [Table: see text]
Acquired gene alteration patterns and post-progression survival: PARADIGM study analysis.
Authors: Uetake Hiroyuki , Yamashita Riu , Shitara Kohei , Yoshino Takayuki , Watanabe Jun , Yasui Hirofumi , Ohori Hisatsugu , Shiozawa Manabu , Muro Kei , Yamazaki Kentaro , Oki Eiji , Sato Takeo , Naitoh Takeshi , Komatsu Yoshito , Kato Takeshi , Soeda Junpei , Yamamoto Kouji , Akagi Kiwamu , Ochiai Atsushi , Tsuchihara Katsuya
Published: June 2024

3507

Background: In the phase 3 PARADIGM trial (NCT02394795), adding panitumumab (PAN) to FOLFOX6 improved overall survival (OS) compared with bevacizumab (BEV) in patients (pts) with RASWT mCRC. In this exploratory analysis, we investigated the role of acquired gene alterations in pts who experienced progressive disease (PD) and the impact of these alterations on post-progression survival (PPS). Methods: PPS was defined as the interval from PD to death. Pre- and post-treatment cell-free DNA (cfDNA) was analyzed using the custom PlasmaSELECT-R 91 PGDx panel (NCT02394834). PFS, OS, and PPS were compared by patterns of acquired gene alterations. Results: Among the enrolled 802 pts, 390 discontinued treatment due to PD, of which 276 (70.8%) had evaluable pre- and post-treatment cfDNA samples (PAN, 126; BEV, 150). PAN pts with acquired RTK/RAS alterations had shorter PPS than those without alterations (13.2 vs 18.8 mo, HR 1.88 [95% CI: 1.28–2.76]) with the same trend in OS. BEV pts with acquired CIMP pathway alterations had shorter PPS than those without (14.9 vs 18.6 mo; HR 1.58 [1.09–2.29]); OS had similar results. Co-occurrence of gene alterations was more frequent in PAN vs BEV (overall 52.4% vs 43.3%, RTK/RAS gene co-alterations 25% vs 10%). Co-occurrence of gene alterations resulted in shorter PPS only in PAN pts. Conclusions: Distinctive patterns of acquired gene alterations were observed in PAN- and BEV-treated pts with PD. Co-occurrence of gene alterations, particularly in the RTK/ RAS pathway, was more prevalent with PAN than BEV. Clinical trial information: NCT02394834 .
Clonal hematopoiesis of indeterminate potential (CHIP): Outcomes and adverse events in patients with solid tumors.
Authors: Krishnan Tharani , Solar Vasconcelos Joao Paulo , Titmuss Emma , Topham James T. , Vanner Robert , Schaeffer David F. , Karsan Aly , Lim Howard J , Ho Cheryl , Brown Carl J. , Gill Sharlene , Kennecke Hagen Fritz , Jonker Derek J. , Chen Eric Xueyu , Renouf Daniel John , O'Callaghan Christopher J. , Loree Jonathan M.
Published: June 2024

3521

Background: CHIP is the clonal expansion of hematopoietic stem cells following acquisition of somatic mutations. It is a common incidental finding in cell-free DNA (cfDNA). We investigated the incidence of CHIP in cfDNA from patients with solid tumors and explored its association with outcomes and adverse events (AEs). Methods: We reviewed cfDNA results from a local prospective solid tumor cohort (PREDICT-L) and two randomized trials: CCTG CO.26 (durvalumab + tremelimumab [D+T] or best supportive care [BSC] in metastatic colorectal cancer [mCRC]) and CCTG PA.7 (gemcitabine and nab-paclitaxel [GN] +/- D+T in metastatic pancreatic adenocarcinoma [mPDAC]). CHIP+ was defined as any mutation in DNMT3A, TET2, ASXL1or ATM with a variant allele frequency (VAF) 2% or higher. Variants were considered germline if the VAF was >40%, or were annotated as germline by respective assays. The first line of treatment after cfDNA was reviewed for grade 3 or higher and dose-limiting AEs. Results: The prevalence of CHIP was 10%-21% and was more common in older patients (p=0.003). There was no association between CHIP and sex (p=0.80) or ECOG status (p=0.31). The VAF of CHIP variants was similar across all panels, and DNMT3A was the gene most frequently mutated in all cohorts. Patients with CHIP in PA.7 treated with immunotherapy (IO) had improved progression-free survival (PFS) versus patients without CHIP (p=0.036, p-interaction=0.061 [multivariable]). However, patients with CHIP treated with chemotherapy (Chemo) showed a trend towards worse overall survival (OS) in the PREDICT-L cohort (p=0.057). There was no significant difference in the rates of AEs between the CHIP+ versus CHIP- groups for those treated with Chemo or IO. Conclusions: CHIP is common in patients with solid tumors. Although not appearing to impact rates of AEs, CHIP may impact outcomes from Chemo or IO. [Table: see text]
Characterization of necroptosis activators in colorectal cancer.
Authors: Ashouri Karam , Xiu Joanne , Yang Yan , Millstein Joshua , Soni Shivani , Algaze Sandra , Mittal Pooja , Wong Alexandra , Lo Jae Ho , Torres-Gonzalez Lesly , Shields Anthony F. , Goldberg Richard M. , Lou Emil , Weinberg Benjamin Adam , Marshall John , Hoffmann Alexander , Zhang Lin , Yu Jian , Battaglin Francesca , Lenz Heinz-Josef
Published: June 2024

3522

Background: Necroptosis is a pro-inflammatory form of programmed cell death triggered by cellular stresses and extrinsic cytokines. It is a potential therapeutic target for immunotherapy (IO) in colorectal cancer (CRC). Here, we present comprehensive clinical and molecular characterization of key necroptosis regulators in CRC. Methods: 24,257 samples of CRC tested at Caris Life Sciences (Phoenix, AZ) with WTS (Illumina NovaSeq), NextGen DNA sequencing (NextSeq, 592 Genes and NovaSEQ, WES), and PD-L1 expression (22C3 clone; TPS ≥1%) were analyzed. Expression of activators in the necroptosis pathway ( RIPK3, MLKL, CYLD, and ZBP1) was categorized as either high (H) or low (L) using median expression as the cutoff. CRCs with high expression of all four activators were considered to have high propensity for necroptosis activity (NA-H, N=4595) compared to tumors with low expression in all activators (NA-L, N = 4946). RNA deconvolution analysis with QuantiSEQ estimated immune cell infiltration in the tumor microenvironment (TME). Differences in overall survival (OS) were analyzed from insurance claims data and calculated from treatment initiation using Kaplan-Meier estimates. Statistical significance was set as a P-value adjusted for multiple comparisons ( q<0.05). Results: NA-H was associated with increased PD-L1 positivity (4.0% vs 2.3%), immune cell infiltration, and T-cell inflamed score (all q<0.001). TP53 mutations were more frequent in NA-H, while SMAD2, SMAD4, KRAS, and NRAS mutations were associated with NA-L (all q<0.01). NA-H was associated with activation of KRAS signaling, allograft rejection, inflammatory/interferon gamma response, and pancreatic beta cell function pathways (all q<0.05). NA-H showed significantly improved OS in FOLFOX/FOLFIRI (F/F) (NA-L: 34.3 vs NA-H: 39.6 months [mo], P < 0.001; HR = 0.83, 95% CI 0.77 – 0.90) and those treated with IO (15.3 vs 22.4 mo, P = 0.018; HR = 0.77, 95% CI 0.62– 0.96) treated CRC patients. The benefit remained in TP53-mutated CRC treated with F/F (34.6 vs 41.0 mo, P < 0.001; HR = 0.82, 95% CI 0.74-0.90) and IO (10.0 vs 21.8 mo, P = 0.027; HR = 0.68, 95% CI 0.48-0.96) but not in the TP53-wild-type subgroup. Improved OS was observed with increased expression of CYLD and ZBP1(Table). The benefit remained in TP53-mutated CRC but not in the TP53 wildtype subgroup. Conclusions: This is the largest molecular and clinical characterization of necroptotic genes in CRC. Our data shows that activation of the necroptosis pathway is associated with immune cell infiltration/pathway activation, PD-L1 expression, and improved OS on F/F and IO. This benefit is more pronounced in TP53-mutated CRC, suggesting possible novel therapeutic targets.[Table: see text]
Highly prognostic signature for stage II colon cancer from the TOSCA trial: The PROSIT study.
Authors: Puccini Alberto , Ferrando Lorenzo , Mazzarella Luca , Frige Gianmaria , Pessino Anna Maria , Pastorino Alessandro , Martelli Valentino , Garuti Anna , Di Antonio Veronica , Ballestrero Alberto , Torri Valter , Labianca Roberto , Fassan Matteo , Lonardi Sara , Zoppoli Gabriele , Sobrero Alberto F.
Published: June 2024

3524

Background: The predictive and prognostic value of current biomarkers for guiding the treatment of stage II colon cancer (CC) is very limited. Here, we aimed to develop a prognostic transcriptional signature for high-risk stage II CC patients undergoing adjuvant treatment with either 3 or 6 months of FOLFOX4/CAPOX within the framework of the phase III TOSCA Italian trial. Methods: We conducted an observational retrospective study based on the TOSCA trial database, matching 62 patients with high-risk stage II CC who relapsed with 62 who did not. The matching criteria included the center of recruitment, pT stage, adjuvant treatment type and duration (3 or 6 months). Transcriptome sequencing was performed on material from centrally assessed FFPE blocks on an Illumina Novaseq 6000 instrument. Generated data were processed using the nf-core/rnaseq (v 3.14.0) pipeline, aligned to the human genome GRCh37/hg19, and analyzed for differential gene expression, requiring a minimum absolute log fold change of 1 and false discovery rate below 0.1. Enrichment analysis was performed using GSVA package with the z-score method. Results: Out of the 124 stage II CC cases considered for the present analysis, 60% received 3 months and 40% 6 months of adjuvant chemotherapy. The median age was 64 years (IQR 55.2-71.1), with 40% of the cancers being right-sided. Fifty-seven percent of the patients received FOLFOX, while the remaining were treated with XELOX. Of the 124 matched samples, 72 were of sufficient quality for RNA-seq.We identified a signature among the top 17 differentially expressed genes (absolute log fold-change > 1, p-value < 0.001, FDR < 0.1, see Table). Patients exhibiting a lower prognostic signature (PROSIT-L) showed worse disease-free survival (DFS) compared to those with a high prognostic signature (PROSIT-H) (HR 3.5; 95% CI 1.53 – 7.9; p = 0.002), indicating its strong and independent prognostic value, regardless of the treatment received. Conclusions: The new transcriptomic signature may help in identifying stage II CC patients who are likely to relapse despite receiving adjuvant oxaliplatin-based treatment. [Table: see text]
Allele-specific KRAS mutations as prognostic biomarkers in mucinous adenocarcinoma of the appendix and colorectal cancer.
Authors: Khushman Moh'd M. , Abushukair Hassan Mohammed , Alhushki Sanad , Iglesia Michael , Lim Kian-Huat , Liu Xiuli , Trikalinos Nikolaos , Suresh Rama , Aranha Olivia , Grierson Patrick , Tan Benjamin R. , Pedersen Katrina Sophia
Published: June 2024

3628

Background: Kristen rat sarcoma virus ( KRAS) mutations (MT) are reported in 40-45% of colorectal cancer (CRC), and they are associated with poor prognosis. In mucinous adenocarcinoma of the appendix (MAAP), which is often treated as CRC due to its rarity, KRAS MT are reported in >50% of tumors, and they are associated with favorable prognosis. We explored whether allele-specific KRAS MT are associated with overall survival (OS) in stage IV MAAP and CRC. Methods: The cBioCancer Genomics Portal was used to obtain genomic data. The prevalence of KRAS MT and the OS associated with allele-specific KRAS MT were explored in stage IV CRC (MSK, Cancer Cell 2018 cohort) and MAAP (MSK, J Clin Oncol 2022 cohort) patients. Survival analysis was performed using the Kaplan-Meier method with log-rank test comparisons. Results: The prevalence of KRASMT in stage IV MAAP (N=149) and CRC (N=1099) was 79.8% and 44.2% respectively. The prevalence of allele-specific KRAS MT (G12D, G12V, G13D and G12C) in MAAP/CRC was 42.3% / 12.4%, 18.8% / 9%, 6.7% / 7.7% and 6% / 2.8% respectively. All other KRAS MT in MAAP/CRC were seen in 6% and 12.2% respectively. In MAAP, the median OS (mOS) in KRAS MT vs. KRAS wild-type (WT) was 147m vs. 50m (p=0.003). Compared to the mOS in KRAS WT, the mOS was 147m (p=0.004) in G12D, 74m (p=0.140) in G12V, not reached (NR) (p=0.049) in G13D and 34m (p=0.589) in G12C. In CRC, the mOS in KRAS MT vs. KRAS WT was 60m vs. 79m (p=0.012). Compared to the mOS in KRAS WT, the mOS was 58m (p=0.249) in G12D, 58m (p=0.015) in G12V, 49m (p=0.002) in G13D and 65m (p=0.437) in G12C. The mOS in MAAP vs. CRC was 50m vs. 79m (p=0.022) in KRAS WT, 147m vs. 58m (p=0.02) in G12D, 74m vs. 58m (p=0.34) in G12V, NR vs. 49m (p=0.044) in G13D and 34m vs. 65m (p=0.13) in G12C. The favorable mOS associated with G12D in MAAP remained significant after adjusting for age, grade and TP53 (p=0.028) Conclusions: KRAS MT are more common in MAAP (79.8%) than in CRC (44.2%). In contrast to CRC, KRAS MT in MAAP are associated with favorable prognosis. Allele-specific KRAS MT are associated with different mOS in MAAP and CRC. The mOS in MAAP with KRAS G12D was exceptionally favorable (147m). To our knowledge, this is the first study to explore allele-specific KRAS mutations as prognostic biomarkers in MAAP, and adds additional data to support the distinct differences between MAAP and CRC at the molecular level. [Table: see text]
Predictive biomarkers for pathological complete response in early-stage triple negative breast cancer following neoadjuvant chemotherapy.
Authors: Polho Gabriel Berlingieri , Testa Laura , BARROSO-SOUSA ROMUALDO , Bonadio Renata Colombo
Published: June 2024

598

Background: Identifying predictive biomarkers for early-stage triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) is essential for tailoring neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) strategies effectively. Methods: We investigated potential clinical and pathological biomarkers in early-stage TNBC patients who underwent NACT regimens with anthracyclines and taxanes at a single cancer center. Medical records were scrutinized for clinical and laboratory data, with categorical variables analyzed using Fisher’s exact test. Logistic regression assessed factors associated with pathological complete response (pCR). Sensitivity and specificity of the biomarkers were explored using receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curve analyses. Results: Among 110 TNBC patients receiving anthracycline- and taxane-based NACT with complete pathology data, the median age was 48 years, 60% had stage III tumors, and 30.9% achieved pCR. Stromal tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) > 10% were observed in 54.5%, 32.7% had TILs ≥30%, and 90.9% had Ki67 ≥ 50%. Univariate analysis showed no association between pCR and TILs >10% (p=0.5), Ki67 ≥ 50% (p=0.4), anatomic stage (p=0.06), eosinophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (p=0.3), platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (p=0.08), age (p=0.5), grade (p=0.6), or HER2 status (p=0.6). Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) was significantly associated with pCR in both univariate (OR 3.92; 95% CI 1.67 - 9.57; p=0.002) and multivariable analyses (Table). No association was observed between NLR ≤ 1.76 and TILs, anatomic stage, or Ki67. The optimal NLR cutoff using ROC curve was 1.76, yielding 60.6% sensitivity and 71.8% specificity for pCR. NLR cutoffs of ≤ 1.43 had specificities higher than 85%. Although TILs value was not associated with pCR in the regression model, high TILs value (≥50%) yielded a specificity of 89.4% for pCR. Conclusions: NLR emerged as a significant and independent predictor of pCR in early-stage TNBC. Prospective studies should explore this readily available biomarker in assessing neoadjuvant strategy responses. Moreover, high specificities for pCR were observed with NLR ≤ 1.43 and TILs ≥ 50%, representing cutoff values that could be explored for treatment de-escalation. [Table: see text]
Predicting locoregional recurrence in triple-negative breast cancer using novel molecular subtyping.
Authors: Shao Shali , Shi Wei , Zhang Li , Zhang Qixian , Meng Jin , Yang Zhaozhi , Mei Xin , Chen Xingxing , Ma Jinli , Mo Miao , Shao Zhimin , Zhang Zhen , Guo Xiaomao , Yu XiaoLi
Published: June 2024

e12549

Background: Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) presents a poorer prognosis compared to other breast cancer subtypes, characterized by a higher likelihood of early recurrence and increased incidence of visceral metastases. Evidence from numerous randomized clinical trials indicates that postmastectomy radiotherapy (PMRT) reduces locoregional recurrence (LRR) and improves breast cancer survival in TNBC. Previous reports creatively divided TNBC into four molecular subtypes for personalized treatment. The present study aims to elucidate patterns of LRR in different subtypes of TNBC after PMRT. Methods: From 2019 to 2022, data from 349 AJCC 7th edition stage II-III breast cancer patients treated with mastectomy and PMRT were retrospectively analyzed. These patients were classified into the basal-like immune-suppressed (BLIS) and non-BLIS groups based on the immunohistochemistry biomarkers. The cumulative incidence function was applied to estimated LRR rates, with death as a competing risk, using Gray's test for comparisons. Results: According to the IHC results, a total of 255 patients belonged to the non-BLIS group and 94 to the BLIS group. The 3-year LRR for the entire cohort was 5.16%. There were 9 cases each in the non-BLIS subtype (3.5%) and BLIS subtype (9.6%). The cumulative incidence of LRR between the two groups was significantly different, with a rate of 4.0% in the non-BLIS group and 9.0% in the BLIS group ( P = 0.02). Among the 18 patients with LRR in the whole population, 11 had isolated LRR and 7 were diagnosed with LRR with concurrent distant metastases. The most common area of recurrence in both subtypes was the supraclavicular region. The majority of recurrences occurred within the RT field (in-field), and no isolated out-of-field relapse was observed. In multivariate analysis, independent factors predicting higher LRR were the BLIS subtype (HR = 3.06, P = 0.02). Conclusions: Study results suggest that TNBC of the BLIS subtype is at higher risk for LRR. Immunohistochemistry-based molecular typing may serve as a prognostic biomarker to guide postmastectomy radiotherapy in patients with TNBC. New strategies are needed to improve local control rates in patients with BLIS subtype.
LC3AB protein-based gene (PbG) signatures as an indicator of relapse even after achieving pathological complete response.
Authors: Singhal Sandeep K. , Gardner Kevin
Published: June 2024

e12552

Background: The application of tissue-based quantitative protein and morphological profiling of breast cancer tissues combined with RNA sequencing provides a flexible and generally applicable and scalable method to develop Protein-based Gene (PbG) signatures with significant prognostic value. Methods: A racially and subtype diverse breast cancer cohort (N=555) with available subset of RNA-seq data was used to develop gene expression-based signatures by stratifying patients according to protein expression (IHC) based on survival information and tumor lymphocyte infiltration (TILs) using survival-derived cutoff values. The predictive value of these signatures was then compared with other popular biomarkers scoring systems such as ROR.score, and OncotypeDx (Gene 21). Here we describe the predictive value of these signatures is evaluated by logistic regression modeling of publicly available gene expression data (N=996) from patients receiving neoadjuvant chemotherapy (anthracycline +/- taxane) with a final validation in an independent cohort (N=443) receiving similar therapy. Results: A model of PbG-derived signature from Kaiso, LC3A/B IHC and quantitative TIL-measurements together with ROR score, MAPK, PTEN, Immune and Gene21 signatures show significant prediction of distant metastasis-free survival in all patients: (DMFS, AUC= 0.737, 95% CI: 0.665- 0.819); and in non-pCR patients DMSF (AUC= 0.71, 95% CI: 0.633-0.773). When examining the role of all those markers among the patients who achieved the pCR and had relapse, the LC3A/B PbG-derived score was found to be highly predictive of those patients who would not achieve pCR and ultimately have recurrent disease. Conclusions: PbG-based signatures utilizing on LC3A/B protein values offer a novel and clinically relevant predictive biomarker of response to therapy and relapse in breast cancer patients.
Clinicopathological features and prognosis for pregnancy-associated breast cancer: A matched case-control study.
Authors: Al-Awadhi Aydah , Al-Shamsi Saif , Hourani Mohammad , Hussein Mawada , AlKindi Fatima , Wahba Lina , Alagha Abla , Shoqeir Alaa , Younis Tallal
Published: June 2024

e12573

Background: Pregnancy-Associated Breast Cancer (PABC) is defined as breast cancer diagnosed during pregnancy or within 1 year postpartum. Studies indicate that PABC tends to have poorer prognostic characteristics and often worse outcomes compared to non-PABC. The primary goal of this study is to examine disease characteristics associated with PABC versus non-PABC in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), where breast cancer is characterized by a younger age and more advanced stage compared to North America and Europe. Additionally, the UAE has a younger mean age for first-time mothers and a similar age for all mothers compared to North America and Europe. Methods: Patients with PABC were selected from BC cases of women ≤40 years treated at Tawam Hospital, the largest tertiary cancer center in the UAE between January 2003 – December 2020. Each PABC patient was matched to two non-PABC patients (controls) according to cancer stage, age, and year of diagnosis. The Fisher's exact and Kruskal-Wallis tests were used to compare both study groups. Results: 66 women with PABC were identified, with a median age at diagnosis of 33.0 (interquartile range [IQR]: 30.0-37.0) years. Most presented with stage II (45.5%) or stage III (39.4%) disease and underwent mastectomy and axillary lymph node dissection. Invasive ductal carcinoma was the most frequent histological type in both groups (86.4% for PABC and 85.6% for non-PABC). PABC was associated with higher grade 3 disease compared with non- PABC (53% vs 51.5% p= 0.009). More women with PABC received neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) and radiation therapy (RT) compared with non-PABC (48.5% vs 3%, p <0.001 and 80.3% vs 65.9%, p= 0.046, respectively). There were no statistically significant differences with regards to tumor size, nodal involvement, underlying histologic subtype, ER/PR expression or HER-2 status, rates of breast-conserving surgery and adjuvant chemotherapy receipt between the two groups. The median progression-free survival (PFS) was 3.2 years (IQR: 1.9-7.1) in PABC and 3.4 years (IQR: 1.2-6.2) in non-PABC group (P=0.306). The median overall survival (OS) was 4.5 years in the PABC (IQR: 2.4-7.9) versus 4.5 years (IQR: 1.9-7.9) in the non-PABC group (P = 0.786). Conclusions: PABC in women ≤40 years appears to be associated with grade III tumors and NACT and RT receipt compared to non-PABC. However, there were no significant difference in PSF and OS between PABC and non-PABC. Further analysis is underway to evaluate the prognostic factors and their effect on survival.
Is there a correlation between estrogen receptor expression level and early breast cancer survival? A retrospective study.
Authors: Rasmy Ayman , Zeeneldin Ahmed , Abozeed Walid , Elsamany Shereef
Published: June 2024

e12574

Background: The optimal cut-off of estrogen receptor (ER) positivity is still debatable; however, adjuvant hormonal therapy is usually given if ER expression is ≥ 1%. The present study aims to assess the clinicopathological features and survival outcomes of patients with low compared to high ER expression levels. Methods: In this retrospective, we checked non-metastatic hormonal receptor-positive, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-negative breast cancer patients who presented to three hospitals in Egypt and Saudi Arabia between 2016 and 2019. Different clinicopathological factors and data on relapse were checked in patients’ medical records. These data were compared in patients with ER-Low (1–10%) vs. ER-High (>10%) expression levels. Results: We included 419 patients who met the eligibility criteria for the study. Only 3.3% of patients had ER-Low. Compared to the ER-high group, the ER-low expression group was more likely to have grade 3 tumours (64.3% vs. 21.0%, p = <0.0001) and PR-negative tumors (64.3% vs. 16.3%, p = <0.0001). Furthermore, younger age (≤ 50 years) was more frequent in the ER-Low group compared to ER-High patients (71.4% vs. 42.5%, respectively, p = 0.032). Likewise, ER-high patients were more likely to have high ER-staining intensity (74.1% vs. 0.0%, p<0.0001). Disease-free survival (DFS) was numerically improved in patients with ER-high, but without statistical significance. After adjustment of different clinicopathological prognostic factors, the DFS benefit in the ER-high group was more definite (hazard ratio (HR) = 3.59, 95%, confidence interval (CI) = 1.11–11.55, and p value = 0.032). Conclusions: A lower estrogen receptor expression level (varying from 1 to 10%) in hormone-positive early breast cancer patients is an uncommon pattern associated with more aggressive disease features at diagnosis. This group of patients had a lower DFS than those with a higher degree of estrogen receptor expression, although there was no statistically significant difference in OS.
Can patients with biopsy-diagnosed DCIS safely spare sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB)?
Authors: Li Xinyu , Li Yudong , Liu Qiang
Published: June 2024

e12583

Background: While the guidelines generally recommend that most patients with biopsy-diagnosed breast ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) can be spared from axillary staging if receiving breast conserving surgery, the percentage of such patients received SLNB is still as high as 50-70%. SOUND trial recently provides some low risk invasive breast cancer patients with the option of omitting SLNB, further highlighting the necessity of omitting SLNB in DCIS patients. This study aimed to retrospectively analyze the chance of turning into invasive cancer and lymph node metastasis in the patients who are diagnosed as DCIS by biopsy. Methods: Preoperative biopsy-diagnosed breast pure DCIS patients between 2011-2023 were retrospectively reviewed in Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital. Patients with axilla staging were grouped by pathology status (LN- versus LN+). Differences were compared using either t test or chi-squared test. Multi-variate logistic regression model was conducted to stratify the risk for LN metastasis. Results: 1193 patients were eligible for analysis, of whom 51.8% turned invasive breast cancer (IBC) in post-surgery pathology. 42% and 81% of IBCs were only T1mi and less than 1cm foci (T1a,b) respectively. 1161 (97.3%) patients had available axilla LN information and their axillary metastasis rate was 7.1% (0.9% and 12.5% in DCIS and IBC). Only 22 (1.9%) or 15 (1.3%) patients had ≥ 3 or 4 positive LN involved. Multi-variate analysis identified four risk factors associated with LN metastasis: ultrasound suspicious lymph node (OR=2.22, 95%CI: 1.21-4.07), tumor size (>2cm vs ≤2cm: OR=2.85, 95%CI:1.10-7.42), biopsy method (core biopsy vs excision: OR=7.04, 95%CI:1.60-31.25) and necrosis (OR=2.20, 95%CI: 1.23-3.94). Among 440 patients with excision biopsy, only 1.4% had LN involved. In the other 721 patients diagnosed by core biopsy, the LN metastasis rate of patients who had 0,1,2 and 3 risk factors were 3.6%, 6%, 21% and 29.5%, respectively. Based on the number of risk factors patients were stratified to low risk (having 0-1 risk factor) and high risk (having ≥2 risk factors), with low risk patients having only 5.4% LN metastasis. Conclusions: Although the patients diagnosed with preoperative pure DCIS had a high chance of upgrading to invasive cancer, only 7.1% of them had lymph node metastasis. 98% of them are Z0011-eligible and 40% of them are SOUND-eligible if they receive breast conserving surgery, indicating the futility of axillary staging in these patients. We identified four independent risk factors for LN metastasis (suspicious lymph node on US, tumor size, biopsy method and necrosis). Even in the patients who received mastectomy, if they have only 0-1 risk factors, SLNB can still be safely omitted.
Interpectoral nodal dissection for invasive breast cancer: A retrospective single institution study from India.
Authors: Vijayakumar Varadharajan , Venkitaraman Balasubramanian , Kajamohideen Suhaildeen
Published: June 2024

e12585

Background: Interpectoral lymph nodes are one of the axillary lymphatic drainage sites in breast carcinoma. Usually dissection of Interpectoral nodes (IPN) avoided during axillary dissection as they are not the primary lymphatic drainage site. Our study aims to identify the rate of positivity of Interpectoral nodes in invasive breast cancer, predictors of IPN positivity in relation to tumour location, size, grade and hormone receptor status and to evaluate the need for IPN clearance during axillary dissection. Methods: A retrospective analysis of histopathology reports of 367 patients who underwent Axillary dissection in a single centre from Jan 2017-Dec 2022 for breast cancer was analysed. Inclusion criteria: Female Patients with operable Invasive Breast cancer with node positive axilla who underwent axillary dissection (upfront and post chemotherapy). Exclusion criteria: metastatic breast cancer, node-negative patients/sentinel lymph node biopsy, inadequate nodal dissection, and incomplete clinicopathological information. Data was analysed looking for presence of nodes in interpectoral tissue in Axillary dissection and to identify the positivity of interpectoral lymph nodes in specimens. Results: Interpectoral nodal dissection was done in n=216 of the 367 patients. The clinicopathological characters are described in Table. IPN were identified in 35% (n=77) of the 216 Axillary dissection specimens. IPN were positive in 7.8% (17 of 216) of patients who had interpectoral nodal dissection. 22% of the interpectoral lymph nodes removed were positive. As regards tumour size, Rotter's nodes were identified commonly in T3 and T4 tumours and positive in people with N2 and N3 disease. By multivariate analysis, T stage and N stage were the most important determinants of IPN yield and positivity. Site of tumour, neoadjuvant therapy, molecular subtype or Ki 67 were not found to be associated with either presence or positivity of interpectoral nodes. In 5 cases IPN positivity upstaged the nodal stage and in 1 patient it was the only positive node. Conclusions: As IPN is positive in most LABC, whenever axillary dissection is done in such cases Interpectoral nodes can be safely removed while dissecting level III nodes. Nodal recurrence is the most common site of recurrence post mastectomy and hence Interpectoral nodes need to be routinely removed in patients undergoing Axillary dissection for operable breast cancer to enable accurate staging and to prevent local or systemic failure. [Table: see text]
Genomic analysis of the tumor microenvironment in Asian and Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander patients with triple negative breast cancer.
Authors: Nguyen Edward , Cheng Shirley , Chang Connie , Nguyen Ba Thong , Khadka Vedbar , Deng Youping , Killeen Jeffrey , Fukui Jami Aya
Published: June 2024

e12644

Background: Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) accounts for approximately 10- 20% of breast cancer cases and has the worst overall survival and prognosis compared to other subtypes. Unlike other subtypes, patients with TNBC are responsive to neoadjuvant therapy. A higher percent of stromal tumor infiltrating lymophocytes (sTILs) in the tumor microenvironment of TNBC correlates with an improved prognosis. Previous studies demonstrate that Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders (NHPIs) and Asians have equivocal percent of sTILs. Yet NHPIs have a higher mortality rate at 24.9% compared to Asians at 11%. Our study aims to molecularly characterize the tumor microenvironment in a diverse population of patients with TNBC who received neoadjuvant therapy. Methods: Retrospective chart review was conducted on 12 Asians and 12 NHPI patients with early stage TNBC from 2015 to 2022 from a medical oncology clinic within the Hawai’i Pacific Health system. Patient data collected include age at diagnosis of breast cancer, histology, BMI, clinical stage, sTILs, residual cancer burden, neoadjuvant treatment, and pathologic complete response. Core biopsy samples were processed and analyzed using the nCounter Breast Cancer 360 Panel. Further analysis was obtained using the nSolver Advanced Analysis Module. Results: Patient characteristics are listed in the table. Most patients had the basal-like immunosuppressed TNBC subtype. Among differentially expressed genes between races, 31 genes were statistically significant. NHPIs expressed more IL12RB2 and MYC, and Asians expressed more FGFR4 and MLPH. Among responders compared to non-responders, 5 genes were statistically significant. Responders expressed more STC1 and PTGER3, and non-responders expressed more CRAYAB, TMPRSS2, and CHAD. Among old and young patients, 132 genes were statistically significant. Older patients expressed more FUT3 and CKMT1, and younger patients expressed more MMP7 and MIA. Conclusions: In this pilot study, the molecular and genetic differences suggest that the tumor microenvironment may play a role in treatment outcomes between NHPIs and Asians. Further analysis will be conducted to determine the differences in immune cell infiltration. [Table: see text]
The efficacy of PARP inhibitors in the treatment of patients with synchronous breast cancer.
Authors: Izrailbekova Kamila , Kamishov Sergey , Saydullaev Sunnatilla , Niyozova Shakhnoza Khamoydinovna , Tillyashaykhov Mirzagaleb , Olimjonova Gulnoza , Sobitov Abdurakhmon
Published: June 2024

e13041

Background: Currently, the role of BRCA1/2 in the development of primary and multiple malignant breast tumors is under discussion, along with the effectiveness of targeted therapy for this oncopathology. At the same time, there is a lack of sufficient research dedicated to the treatment of patients with synchronous breast cancer (BC) concurrent with ovarian cancer (OC) and the outcomes of using PARP inhibitors in this patient population. Methods: A retrospective analysis of treatment outcomes based on long-term survival indicators was conducted for 23 patients with synchronous BC, where the second tumor was OC. These patients underwent evaluation and treatment between 2017 and 2022. The average age of the patients was 45.3±5.6 years, with a prevalence of patients in stages IIb-IIIa of BC and IIb-IIIc of OC. Germline mutations in the BRCA1/2 genes were detected in 8 patients, among whom 5 exhibited the triple-negative phenotype of BC. The 1st group included 11 (47.8%) patients without BRCA1/2 mutations, who received neoadjuvant chemotherapy with paclitaxel 175 mg/m2 + carboplatin AUC 6 once every 3 weeks. In the 2nd group, consisting of 12 (52.2%) patients, olaparib 800 mg was added to this chemotherapy regimen. This group also included 8 patients with BRCA1/2 mutations. Results: In the majority of patients in both groups, a significant elevation in CA125 levels in serum was observed, averaging 563 U/mL, with practically normal CA153 levels at 32 U/mL. Identified mutations included 5382insC and 4154delA mutations in the BRCA1 gene, as well as the 6174delT mutation in the BRCA2 gene. Patients underwent three courses of treatment, and four weeks after completing the last course, surgical intervention was performed in the form of radical mastectomy, hysterectomy, bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy, and omentectomy. Following surgical treatment, patients received adjuvant chemotherapy following the same regimens. In the 2nd group, patients continued to receive olaparib for one year, and no signs of unacceptable toxicity were reported. The median overall survival in the first group of patients was 34.2 months (95% CI: 28.6-37.5), while in the second group, it was 36.8 months (95% CI: 31.4-41.1). The addition of bevacizumab significantly increased the median time to progression from 13.8 months (95% CI: 11.8-14.5) to 15.2 months (95% CI: 12.4-15.8), p=0.042. Lethal outcomes primarily occurred due to the progression of ovarian cancer. Conclusions: Thus, the addition of the PARP inhibitor olaparib to a platinum-based chemotherapy regimen in patients with synchronous breast cancer, associated with germline mutations in BRCA1/2 genes and the presence of ovarian cancer as a second tumor, has a positive impact on treatment outcomes. This contributes to the resectability of patients and significantly increases the median time to progression.
Prevalence of somatic PIK3CA mutations in hormone receptor-positive metastatic breast cancer: The Indian experience.
Authors: Goel Aastha , Gogia Ajay , Mathur Sandeep , Sasi Archana , Batra Atul , Deo S.V.S , Tanwar Pranay , Prasad Chandra Prakash
Published: June 2024

e13047

Background: The phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) inhibitors have been found to improve survival outcomes in hormone receptor-positive metastatic breast cancer (MBC) and are FDA-approved in this setting after progression on hormonal therapy. However, real-world data from India on the prevalence of PIK3CA mutations is scarce. Methods: This is a retrospective study including patients with hormone receptor-positive breast cancer registered at our center between January 2017- and December 2023 who developed metastatic disease on follow-up after getting appropriate treatment (adjuvant /neoadjuvant) as per institutional protocol. The PIK3CA mutation testing was done on the biopsy specimen. FDA-approved therascreen PIL3CA RGQ PCR kit from Qiagen was used and the assay is a real-time qualitative PCR test for the detection of 11 mutations phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase catalytic subunit alpha (PIK3CA) gene (Exon 7: C420R; Exon 9: E542K, E545A, E545D [1635G>T only], E545G, E545K, Q546E, Q546R; and Exon 20: H1047L, H1047R, H1047Y) using genomic DNA (gDNA) extracted from formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded (FFPE) breast tumor tissue. The clinical demographics of patients with PIK3CA mutations were extracted from the hospital database and represented descriptively. Results: A total of 80 consecutive patients with hormone-positive breast cancer at relapse were screened and 26 were found to have PIK3CA mutations (32.5%) of which 24 were female (92.3%). The median age of patients with mutated PIK3CA cases was 50 years (range: 31 to 72 years). The clinical stage of disease at presentation was: stage II in 11.5%, IIIA in 23.1%, and IIIB in 65.4% of cases. The median time of relapse was 21 months from diagnosis (range: 10 to 42 months). The disease sites at relapse were multiple in 23 patients (88.46%) [including central nervous system (CNS) relapse in 3 patients) and CNS (brain) only in 3 patients (11.54%). The mutations detected included H1047R (3140A>G at exon 20) in 8 cases, E545K (1633 G>A at exon 9) in 5 cases, Q546R (1637 A>G at exon 9) in 4 cases, E542K (1624 G>A at exon7) in 3 cases and synchronous mutations (E542K/E545K at Exon 7) in 3 cases and (H1047R/H1047L at exon 20 ) in 3 cases. Only eight patients received alpelisib with fulvestrant due to financial constraints. Conclusions: This is the first Indian study that describes the prevalence of PIK3CA mutations in hormone-positive breast cancer at relapse. Around one-third of patients harbor this mutation and 23.1% of cases have CNS involvement at relapse. The most common PIK3CA mutation detected was H1047R (exon 20) followed by E545K (exon 9).