bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Artificial intelligence (AI) content detection in ASCO scientific abstracts from 2021 to 2023.
Authors: Howard Frederick Matthew , Li Anran , Riffon Mark , Garrett-Mayer Elizabeth , Pearson Alexander T.
Published: June 2024

1565

Background: Generative AI models such as OpenAI’s ChatGPT have been broadly utilized throughout the medical literature. Previous studies have found that AI can generate scientific abstracts which can be difficult to distinguish from the work of human authors. There is a pressing need to characterize utilization of AI in scientific writing to guide policy. Methods: In collaboration with ASCO's Center for Research and Analytics, we extracted text from all scientific abstracts submitted to ASCO 2021 – 2023 Annual Meetings. Likelihood of AI content was evaluated by four AI detectors: GPTZero, Originality.ai (OGAI), Sapling, and Kashyap's AI Content Detector (AICD). Each detector produces a numeric likelihood of AI content. Predictions were dichotomized for uniform analysis across detectors: those in the top 5% for a given detector were considered as having high likelihood of AI content. Logistic regression was used to compute odds ratio (OR) for AI-generated content with respect to submission year and abstract characteristics. Predictions were also assessed for 10 human-written abstracts as negative controls, and 10 produced by OpenAI’s GPT-3 and GPT-4 models as positive controls. Results: 15,553 abstracts met inclusion criteria. 5,179 (33%) were published online only, and 5,327 (34%) referenced registered clinical trials. Across all detectors, abstracts submitted in 2023 were significantly more likely to contain AI content than those in 2021 (OR range 1.3 - 1.7). In abstracts from 2023, AI content score was associated with online only publication, lack of clinical trial number, and abstract track (Table). None of the 10 negative control human written abstracts were identified as AI generated, whereas 100%, 95%, 90%, and 30% of the GPT-3/4 generated abstracts were classified as AI generated by Sapling, GPTZero, OGAI, and AICD respectively using the 5% threshold. Additional results will be presented. Conclusions: AI content detectors uniformly suggest a higher likelihood of AI content generation for abstracts submitted in 2023. Predicted AI content is associated with triage of abstracts to online only presentation, suggesting predicted AI content is associated with lower perceived abstract quality. Further work is needed to understand the accuracy of AI detectors and utility in the abstract review process. [Table: see text]
Efficacy and safety of the vebreltinib in patients with previously treated, secondary glioblastoma/IDH mutant glioblastoma with PTPRZ1-METFUsion GENe (FUGEN): A randomised, multicentre, open-label, phase II/III trial.
Authors: Jiang Tao , Bao Zhaoshi , Yang Feng-Dong , Mao Qing , Li Shouwei , Qu Yan , Wang Liang , Mou Yonggao , Yu Ru-tong , Wu Jinsong , Hu Guangyuan , Li Wenbin , Qiu Xiaoguang , Li Yun-Qian , Cai Linbo
Published: June 2024

2003

Background: Although gliomas with mutated IDH have an improved prognosis compared to gliomas with wild-type IDH, IDH-mutant gliomas carry a high risk of malignant transformation from low-grade gliomas into high-grade gliomas within 10 years, resulting in poor prognosis. However, effective targeted drugs for high-grade gliomas are still lacking. Here, we report data from the FUGEN study of Vebreltinib, the first completed phase II/III trial of sGBM / IDH mutant glioblastoma patients with previously treated, PTPRZ1-MET Fusion gene positive. Methods: In this open-label, phase II/III trial, we randomly assigned, in a 1:1 ratio, 84 patients with Histologically confirmed secondary GBM or IDH-mutant GBM to receive twice-daily oral vebreltinib in 300 mg dose or the investigator's choice of chemotherapy (temozolomide [100-150 mg/m2/day, 7days on followed by 7 days off ] or cis-platinum [80-100 mg/m2 for 3 days] combined with etoposide [100mg/m2/day for 3 days]) every 28 days. The primary endpoint was overall survival (OS), and the secondary endpoints were progression-free survival (PFS) and objective response rate (ORR). Results: 42 patients of the vebreltinib group and 39 patients of the chemotherapy group were included in the full analysis set. After a median follow-up of 4.44 months, the median OS in the vebreltinib group and chemotherapy group was 6.31 months (95% CI, 4.44-8.77) and 3.38 months (95% CI, 2.37-4.27), respectively. The HR for OS was 0.52 (90% CI, 0.32-0.85; P = 0.009). The median PFS in the vebreltinib group and chemotherapy group was 1.87 months (95% CI, 1.41-2.76) and 1.05 months (95% CI, 0.95-1.77), respectively. The HR for PFS was 0.54 (95% CI, 0.33-0.88; P = 0.014). No significant differences were observed in ORR (9.5% vs. 2.6%) for the vebreltinib group and chemotherapy group. Treatment-related adverse events of grade 3 or 4 were reported in 7% of the patients in the vebreltinib group, as compared with 12.2% of those in the chemotherapy group. No treatment-related deaths were observed. Conclusions: These results of the FUGEN trail support the use of vebreltinib as the first target therapy in patients with previously treated, PTPRZ1-MET fusion gene positive, secondary glioblastoma / IDH-mutant glioblastoma, and shed light on a novel therapeutic pathway in the landscape of IDH-mutant high-grade gliomas. Clinical Trials Information: NCT06105619 and ChiCTR2300077783 Research Funding:Beijing Pearl Biotechnology Co., Ltd. and Avistone Biotechnology Limited. Clinical trial information: NCT06105619 .
Survival outcomes associated with first-line PCV or temozolomide in combination with radiotherapy in IDH-mutant 1p/19q-codeleted grade 3 oligodendroglioma.
Authors: Kacimi Salah Eddine O. , Dehais Caroline , Feuvret Loïc , Chinot Olivier L. , Carpentier Catherine , Bronnimann Charlotte , Vauleon Elodie , Djelad Apolline , Cohen-Jonathan Moyal Elizabeth L. , Langlois Olivier , Campone Mario , Ducloie Mathilde , Noel Georges , Cuzzubbo Stefania , Ricard Damien , Faillot Thierry , Boelle Pierre-Yves , Figarella-Branger Dominique , Ducray Francois , Touat Mehdi ,   POLA Network
Published: June 2024

2004

Background: Patients with IDH-mutant 1p/19q-codeleted grade 3 oligodendroglioma (O3IDHmt/Codel) benefit from adding alkylating chemotherapy to radiotherapy (RT). However, the optimal chemotherapy regimen between Procarbazine, CCNU, and Vincristine (PCV) and Temozolomide (TMZ) remains unclear given the lack of randomized trial data comparing both regimens. Methods: The objective was to assess the overall (OS) and progression-free (PFS) survival associated with first-line PCV/RT versus TMZ/RT in patients diagnosed with O3IDHmt/Codel. We included patients with histologically-proven O3IDHmt/Codel (according to WHO criteria) from the French national prospective cohort study POLA. All tumours underwent central pathological review. OS and PFS from surgery were estimated using Kaplan-Meier method and Cox regression model. Results: 305 newly-diagnosed O3IDHmt/Codel patients treated with RT and chemotherapy between 2008 and 2022 were included. 67.9% of patients (n=207) were treated with PCV/RT and 32.1% with TMZ/RT (n=98). Median follow-up was 78.4 months (IQR=44.3-102.7). Median OS was not reached (95%CI: NR-NR) and 140 months (95%CI: 110-NR) in the PCV/RT and TMZ/RT groups, respectively (log-rank P<0.0001). On univariable analysis, there was a significant difference in favor of PCV/RT in both 5-year (PCV/RT: 89%, 95%CI: 85-94; TMZ/RT: 75%, 95%CI: 66-84) and 10-year OS (PCV/RT: 72%, 95%CI: 61-85; TMZ/RT: 60%, 95%CI: 49-73), which was confirmed in the multivariable Cox model adjusted for age, type of surgery, gender, ECOG performance status and CDKN2A homozygous deletion (HR 0.53 for PCV/RT, 95%CI: 0.30-0.92, P=0.025). Conclusions: In patients with newly-diagnosed O3IDHmt/Codel from the POLA cohort, first line PCV/RT was associated with better OS outcomes compared to TMZ/RT. Our data suggest that the improved safety profile associated with TMZ comes at the cost of inferior efficacy in this population. Further investigation using prospective randomized studies is warranted.
Dual-agent immunotherapy for prevention of melanoma brain metastases: A real-world analysis of 8686 patients.
Authors: Mansouri Alireza , Bhanja Debarati , Wilding Hannah E. , Mikolajewicz Nicholas , Ozair Ahmad , Ahluwalia Manmeet Singh
Published: June 2024

2022

Background: Melanoma brain metastases (MBM) are a common endpoint among patients with advanced melanoma and prognosis is poor. Strategies for MBM prevention can prolong life and reduce morbidity. Dual agent immunotherapy (dIT) has been paradigm-changing in management malignant melanoma management. Recent clinical trials have supported the role of dIT for upfront management of small, asymptomatic MBM. Yet, its potential role in extending brain metastasis-free survival (BMFS) and decreasing MBM incidence overall has not been explored. The objective was to compare MBM incidence, median overall survival (OS), and BMFS in melanoma patients treated with dIT versus single immunotherapy (sIT). Methods: A real-world deidentified database collating clinical information from 92 organizations (TriNetX, Inc.) was queried. Melanoma patients without brain metastases prior to immunotherapy were stratified by treatment (anti-CTLA4 [sIT] and combination anti-CTLA4/ anti-PD1 [dIT]) and propensity-score matched. MBM incidence was measured within 5 years post-IT initiation. A complementary single-institution retrospective cohort study analyzed melanoma patients treated from 2012-2019. Median OS and BMFS were compared via log-rank tests and multivariate Cox proportional-hazards models. A competing risk analysis was performed to measure the cumulative incidences of MBM and death without MBM. Results: TriNetX identified 8,686 melanoma patients who received immunotherapy (4,585 dIT; 4,101 sIT). MBM incidence was 13.4%, and 19.3%, for the dIT and sIT cohorts, respectively (p < 0.0001). DIT was associated with a lower likelihood of developing MBM compared to sIT (RR [95%CI], 0.69 [0.62-0.77]). After propensity-score matching on demographics and comorbidities, MBM incidence was similarly 13.3% and 18.5% for the dIT and sIT cohorts, respectively. On single-institution analysis, 130 melanoma patients were included (87 dIT; 43 sIT with anti-CTLA4). In patients with stage IV disease, median OS was 1.70 and 3.66 years for the sIT and dIT cohorts, respectively (p=0.6). Median BMFS was 1.56 and 2.36 years in the sIT and dIT cohorts respectively (p=0.76). On multivariable Cox proportional hazard regression analysis, NRAS mutation was significantly correlated with a worse prognosis for BMFS. Conclusions: These data highlight the impact of combination anti-CTL4/ anti-PD1 immunotherapy in decreasing MBM incidence. The potential primary prophylactic role of dIT in MBM warrants prospective exploration, including mechanistic understanding.
Clinical and molecular features and survival in thyroid cancer with brain metastases.
Authors: Barron Carly C. , Megid Thais Baccili Cury , Deng Yangqing , Saldanha Erick Figueiredo , Moffat Gordon Taylor , O'Dwyer Richard Thomas , Mesci Aruz , Lukovic Jelena , Tsang Richard , Mete Ozgur , Krzyzanowska Monika K. , Ma Lucy Xiaolu
Published: June 2024

2023

Background: Brain metastases (BM) in advanced thyroid cancer are rare; however, they may be underreported as staging brain imaging is not routine. Prognostic features and molecular alterations for this group are poorly described. We characterized the clinical and molecular features of thyroid cancer with BM and evaluated differences in survival. Methods: In this single-center retrospective analysis, patients with metastatic radioactive iodine refractory well-differentiated, poorly-differentiated, or medullary thyroid carcinoma seen at the Princess Margaret Cancer Center from 2007-2022 were included. Electronic medical records were reviewed to collect clinicopathologic and treatment data. All patients had tumor next-generation sequencing (NGS) by a targeted gene panel. Overall survival (OS) from initial medical oncology consultation was analyzed using the Kaplan-Meier method and univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazards models. Results: Of 248 patients with advanced thyroid cancer, 41(17%) were diagnosed with BM. The median interval from thyroid cancer diagnosis to BM development was 6.49 years (y) (IQR 3.51- 14.35 y). The median age at the time of BM diagnosis was 63.6 y and 23 (56%) were male. Most (76%) were asymptomatic at the diagnosis of BM and 80% had an ECOG of 0-1. Among patients with well-differentiated histology, 27 (18%) developed BM, while 7 (12%) with poorly-differentiated and 7 (19%) with medullary thyroid cancer developed BM. The most common molecular alterations included BRAFV600E (n=19), TERT (n=11), RAS (n=9), RET (n=8), and FANCA (n=3). Patients were treated with surgery (n=5), stereotactic radiation (n=21), whole brain radiation therapy (n=12), or a combination of both (n=2). OS was similar in patients with BM compared to those without (6.05 vs 6.45 y). There were no differences in histology or molecular alterations between patients that developed BM compared to those who did not. The median survival from the time of BM was 3.23 y. Patients with BM with ≥4 lesions had worse survival (0.52 vs 5.09 y, p=0.01). There were no differences in survival based on histology, symptoms, treatment or molecular alterations among those with BM. Conclusions: This is one of the largest reported thyroid BM cohorts and the first with complete NGS. The prevalence of BM in our cohort was higher than previously described, often diagnosed incidentally. Screening for BM in advanced thyroid cancer may detect higher rates, offering prognostic insights. While the number of BM was predictive of survival, molecular alterations did not predict BM development or survival and larger studies are needed.
Constructing adverse event timelines for patients receiving CAR-T therapy using large language models.
Authors: Guillot Jordan , Miao Brenda , Suresh Arvind , Williams Christopher , Zack Travis , Wolf Jeffrey Lee , Butte Atul
Published: June 2024

2555

Background: Chimeric antigen receptor T (CAR-T) therapy is associated with a high risk of severe adverse events often only detailed in clinical notes. Monitoring them demands significant time and effort for manual chart review. Recent developments in large language modeling (LLMs) show promise for large-scale information extraction from clinical text. We performed a pilot study to evaluate the capability of the GPT-4 LLM to extract adverse events documented in the progress reports. Methods: We extracted progress notes within 30 days of any CAR-T administration from the UCSF deidentified clinical data warehouse. GPT-4, accessed through a HIPAA compliant Microsoft Azure Studio API, was used to extract CAR-T adverse events resulting in clinical intervention. A random sample of adverse events from 10% of patient notes were evaluated by a clinical reviewer (JG, PharmD). Topic modeling using BERTopic was used to cluster all adverse events to identify trends over time. Results: We identified 4183 clinical notes written within 30 days of CAR-T administration from 253 patients (39.1% women, 60.9% men). Mean age was 60.6 (SD:17.7). Manual validation of clinical notes from 10% of patients with CAR-T therapies (n=25) demonstrated that GPT4 was able to extract CAR-T related adverse events with 64% accuracy. We used BERTopic to cluster all extracted adverse events into 19 topics. Clusters with key terms “hyponatremia, leukocytosis, encephalopathy, toxicities, and neurologic” occurred most often (n=277), and primarily documented 12.9 days after CAR-T administration (Table). Conclusions: Although limited by use of de-identified data and absence of prompt engineering, this pilot supports the further investigation of LLMs for extraction of adverse events from unstructured clinical text. [Table: see text]
Erythrocyte-αPD-1 conjugates overcome resistance to checkpoint blockade immunotherapy: A first-in-human study.
Authors: Nie Xiaoqian , Yang Liu , Liu Yuehua , Chen Zheling , Gao Xiaofei
Published: June 2024

2557

Background: While the immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) therapy has revolutionized the field of tumor therapy. the resistance remains a major challenge. We have previously developed WTX-212, an erythrocyte-antibody conjugate covalently linking anti-PD-1 antibody to erythrocyte membranes. Unlike conventional antibodies, WTX-212 exhibits natural accumulation in the spleen and remodels the splenic immune landscape in tumor-bearing mice. WTX-212 treatment efficiently activates CD8+ T cells in the spleen, which subsequently infiltrate into tumors and exhibit anti-tumor cytotoxicity. Additionally, activated T cells reduce the splenic reservoir of Myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSC) and those within tumors, further enhancing overall anti-tumor responses. Pre-clinical studies have demonstrated that WTX-212 can significantly suppress tumor growth in xenograft tumor models resistant to anti-PD-1 immunotherapies. A first-in-human (FIH) clinical trial is now investigating its potential in human cancer patients. Methods: The FIH trial (NCT05707325) is aimed to investigate the safety, pharmacokinetics and preliminary efficacy of WTX-212 in cancer patients with advanced malignancies. All of patients had previously received anti-PDs therapies and developed resistance to these treatments. By Feb 5th, 2024, the tumor lesions were assessed using RECIST v1.1 criteria. Blood and tumor samples were collected for correlative analysis. Results: 7 metastasized patients with various solid tumors, having undergone a median of 3.1 prior lines of therapy (ranging from 1-6), received WTX-212 monotherapy. None of patients treated with WTX-212 experienced treatment-related adverse events greater than Grade 3, indicating a high safety profile. WTX-212 was detectable in peripheral blood at the end of cycle in a dose dependent manner. Disease control was achieved in 5/7 patients (DCR=71%). Specifically, a patient with esophageal cancer, achieved a confirmed complete remission after 6-cycle treatment. Additionally, two patients, one with esophageal cancer (3L) and another with HPV-negative cervical cancer (4L), maintained stable disease for over 40 and 30 weeks, respectively. Consistent with our pre-clinical findings, a substantial reduction in MDSCs were observed in 6/7 patients (ranging from 24%-82%). Furthermore, a median 1.5-fold increase in T cells was noted in all patients in the peripheral blood after the 1st cycle of the treatment. Conclusions: WTX-212 treatment is safe and tolerable and shows promising clinical signs in cancer patients resistant to anti-PD-1 immunotherapy, supporting further investigation and exploration of WTX-212 monotherapy and combination therapy. Clinical trial information: NCT05707325 .
Transforming tumor immune microenvironments with a novel systemic enveloped oncolytic virotherapy targeting all tumor sites.
Authors: Nguyen Duong , Kang Yunyi , Streule Karolin , Songco Stephanie , Schulte Lina , Schneider Laura Edith , Alemu Selamawit Worku , Smith Trevor , Alamillo Ashley , Sy-Quia Ana , Neuharth Forrest , Minev Ivelina , Stewart Jacob , Seikkula Matthew , Minev Boris , Herrmann Thomas , Santidrian Antonio F.
Published: June 2024

2559

Background: Systemic oncolytic virotherapy offers a promising solution for treating both local and metastatic diseases. However, the rapid inactivation of virotherapeutics by the immune system has resulted in disappointing clinical efficacy. To address this challenge, we have built a new program (ImmunoNova) to develop a cellular-based technology that protects oncolytic virotherapy, allowing for successful targeting of the therapy to tumor sites and effectively overcoming clinical challenges. This approach involves utilizing a newly selected and engineered, tumor-selective strain of vaccinia virus (RT-01). This strain produces high levels of extracellular enveloped virions (EEVs) that contain a second human cell-derived membrane, providing augmented protection against elimination by the immune system when administered systemically. The process requires specific manufacturing methods to preserve this crucial second human cellular membrane. Methods: The resistance of the manufactured enveloped RT-01 (envRT-01) virus against human humoral immunity and its rapid spread were assessed ex-vivo using a plaque assay. EnvRT-01 was administered in various xenograft and syngeneic models to evaluate its specificity in targeting tumors and its therapeutic efficacy, either alone or in combination with cell therapies. The amplification of virus-encoded RFP was monitored using an imaging system. Additionally, flow cytometry and immunohistochemistry (IHC) were employed to analyze immune infiltration in both treated and untreated tumors. Results: EnvRT-01 particles exhibited an approximately 80% survival rate in the presence of active complement. In animal studies, a single systemic dose of envRT-01 selectively targeted three distinct human cancer indications (lung, melanoma, head & neck), leading to the suppression of tumor growth in all three cases. Similarly, in an immunocompetent syngeneic lung tumor model, envRT-01 effectively targeted and reduced multiple murine lung tumors with just a low single dose of treatment. EnvRT-01 was capable of targeting and expressing viral-encoded proteins in all tumor sites and drastically modifying the tumor immune microenvironment, favoring an anti-tumor immune phenotype and facilitating other cell therapies such as innate-based cell therapies. Conclusions: The development of this innovative enveloped oncolytic virotherapeutic, coupled with advancements in its manufacturing methods, opens up new possibilities in the realm of cancer therapy. It addresses the limitations posed by untargetable and untreatable metastatic diseases, presenting a transformative solution with broad implications for the field.
Nivolumab (NIVO) plus ipilimumab (IPI) vs chemotherapy (chemo) as first-line (1L) treatment for microsatellite instability-high/mismatch repair-deficient (MSI-H/dMMR) metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC): Expanded efficacy analysis from CheckMate 8HW.
Authors: Lenz Heinz-Josef , Lonardi Sara , Elez Elena , Van Cutsem Eric , Jensen Lars Henrik , Bennouna Jaafar , Mendez Guillermo , Schenker Michael , De La Fouchardiere Christelle , Limon Maria Luisa , Yoshino Takayuki , Li Jin , Manzano Jose Luis , Tortora Giampaolo , Garcia-Carbonero Rocio , Joshi Rohit , Cela Elvis , Chen Tian , Jin Lixian , Andre Thierry
Published: June 2024

3503

Background: NIVO + IPI demonstrated superior progression-free survival (PFS) vs chemo in patients (pts) with previously untreated MSI-H/dMMR mCRC in the randomized phase 3 CheckMate 8HW study (NCT04008030). We report expanded efficacy analysis from the prespecified interim analysis of NIVO + IPI vs chemo in the 1L setting. Methods: Pts with unresectable or mCRC and MSI-H/dMMR status by local testing were enrolled across different lines of therapy and randomized 2:2:1 to NIVO (240 mg) + IPI (1 mg/kg) Q3W (4 doses, then NIVO 480 mg Q4W), NIVO (240 mg) Q2W (6 doses, then NIVO 480 mg Q4W), or chemo ± targeted therapies; treatments continued until disease progression or unacceptable toxicity (all arms) or for up to 2 years (NIVO ± IPI arms). In pts with blinded independent central review (BICR)–documented progression with chemo, crossover to NIVO + IPI was permitted. Dual primary endpoints were PFS by BICR per RECIST v1.1 for NIVO + IPI vs chemo (1L) and NIVO + IPI vs NIVO (all lines) in pts with centrally confirmed MSI-H/dMMR mCRC. PFS2 (time from randomization to progression after subsequent systemic therapy, initiation of second subsequent systemic therapy, or death) was a key exploratory endpoint. Results: Among 303 pts randomized to NIVO + IPI (n = 202) or chemo (n = 101), 171 pts in the NIVO + IPI arm and 84 pts in the chemo arm had centrally confirmed MSI-H/dMMR. At 31.5-months (mo) median follow-up (range 6.1–48.4), NIVO + IPI demonstrated superior PFS vs chemo (HR 0.21; 97.91% CI 0.13–0.35; P < 0.0001). Subsequent systemic therapy was received by 20 (12%) and 57 (68%) pts in the NIVO + IPI and chemo arms, respectively. In the chemo arm, 56 (67%) pts received subsequent immunotherapy (39 [46%] crossed over to NIVO + IPI on study; 17 [20%] received non-study immunotherapy). Median PFS2 was not reached (NR) with NIVO + IPI and 29.9 mo with chemo (HR 0.27; 95% CI 0.17–0.44; Table). Any grade and grade 3/4 treatment-related adverse events (TRAEs) are presented (Table). Treatment-related deaths were reported for 2 pts in the NIVO + IPI arm. Conclusions: Clinical benefit with 1L NIVO + IPI vs chemo was maintained after subsequent therapy, as shown by improved PFS2 in pts with centrally confirmed MSI-H/dMMR mCRC. No new safety concerns were identified with NIVO + IPI. These results further support NIVO + IPI as a standard-of-care 1L treatment option for pts with MSI-H/dMMR mCRC. Clinical trial information: NCT04008030 . [Table: see text]
Clinical validation of Histotype Px Colorectal in patients in a U.S. colon cancer cohort.
Authors: Arole Vidya , De Raedt Sepp , Maupin Jessica , Boutros Sandra , Noonan Anne M. , Lujan Giovanni , Miller Eric David
Published: June 2024

3622

Background: According to current guidelines, most patients with high-risk stage II and stage III colon cancer should receive adjuvant chemotherapy (ACT). However, risk determination is controversial and most patients do not benefit from ACT. Histotype Px Colorectal is a novel artificial intelligence-based biomarker validated for R0 stage II-III colorectal adenocarcinoma that analyzes digitized routine H&E-stained FFPE tumor resections. Combined with clinical parameters, patients are stratified into distinct low, intermediate, and high-risk groups. This pilot study seeks to validate the applicability of Histotype Px Colorectal in an independent cohort from the United States. Methods: This was a retrospective analysis of patients diagnosed with pathological stage II-III colon adenocarcinoma at Ohio State University from 2016-2020. Anonymized slides were collected and digitized using the Aperio AT2 scanner. Clinical parameters and outcome data were extracted from patient records. Histotype Px Colorectal biomarker was blindly applied to each scan and subsequently linked to clinical outcomes. Statistical analysis was performed using Cox proportional hazards regression analysis. The pre-specified primary outcome was cancer-specific survival with a secondary outcome of time-to-recurrence. Results: Baseline characteristics of the 159 eligible patients included median age of 63 years (range 22-91), 52% female, 52% stage III, 64% right-sided tumors, and 31% MSI. 18% of stage II and 70% of stage III patients received ACT, respectively, with FOLFOX in 61%. Median follow-up for all patients was 54.2 months. For stage II patients, 21% were classified as intermediate-risk and 79% as low-risk. Only 6 (8%) of the 76 stage II patients had a cancer-related death with 3 of those patients classified as intermediate-risk. For stage III patients, 26% were classified as high-risk, 22% as intermediate-risk, and 52% as low-risk. 18 (22%) of the 83 stage III patients had a cancer-related death with 14 of those patients classified as high or intermediate-risk. Overall, Histotype Px Colorectal was a significant predictor of cancer-specific survival with HR=7.80 (95% CI 2.96-20.56, p<0.001) for high vs. low-risk patients and 2.81 (95% CI 0.98-8.04, p=0.05) for intermediate vs. low-risk patients. In addition, it was found to be a significant predictor for time-to-recurrence with HR=7.59 (3.56-16.20, p<0.001) for high vs. low-risk patients and 2.67 (1.20-5.96, p=0.02) for intermediate vs. low-risk patients. Conclusions: The findings from this study highlight the potential utility of this innovative biomarker in guiding clinical decisions regarding ACT. Further research involving a larger and more diverse patient cohort and subsequent clinical studies are planned to solidify these initial findings and to enable personalized treatment strategies based on individual risk assessments.
Contrasting comprehensive genomic profiles of adenocarcinomas of the appendix in younger versus older patients.
Authors: Shahnawaz Myera , Mitchell Jasmine , Ross Jeffrey S. , Basnet Alina
Published: June 2024

3626

Background: Adenocarcinoma of the appendix (AAC) is a rare form of intestinal malignancy that can pursue an aggressive clinical course. Little is known about the clinical and biologic features of this disease when it presents in young patients under 40. Methods: 1,840 cases of clinically advanced AAC were selected and analyzed by hybrid capture based comprehensive genomic profiles (CGP) to evaluate all classes of genomic alterations (GA). MSI high status and tumor mutation burden (TMB) were determined from sequencing results and PD-L1 was measured by immunohistochemistry (Dako 22C3). Results: 135 (7.3%) of the AAC were identified in patients of 39 years of age or younger (“younger”). The mean age of the younger patients was 32.9 years and for the 40 and over (“older”) patients it was 60.4 years. The slight female gender preponderance was higher in the older patients than the younger patients (Table). The GA per sample were similar. The younger patients had a significantly higher frequency of KRAS GA (71.1% vs 60.4%; p=.017) and TP53 GA (56.3% vs 41.3%; p=.0008). The KRAS G12C mutation frequency was similarly low in both cohorts. Targetable GA in BRAF and ERBB2 were infrequent in both groups as were GA in PIK3CA, PTEN and FBXW7. GA in the APC gene was significantly more frequent in the older patients (10.8% vs 3.7%; p=.007). Biomarkers of immune-oncology (IO) drug efficacy were infrequently identified in both groups including MSI-High status, TMB levels and PD-L1 expression. Conclusions: At a 7.3% incidence, AAC is a relatively infrequent form of gastrointestinal malignancy in young patients. The data analysis shows significant differences in the genomics found in younger and older patients suffering from this disease. These results can have a crucial impact on current and future clinical trials used to design novel treatments. Further exploration into this subject can change the overall approach and even treatment guidelines for this type of cancer. [Table: see text]
Personalized neoadjuvant strategy in ER positive and HER2 negative breast cancer to increase BCS rate (PLATO): A prospective, multicenter, phase II clinical trial.
Authors: Han Wonshik , Kang Eunhye , Kim Hong-Kyu , Lee Han-Byoel , KIM Jisun , Shin Hee-Chul , Kim Hyun-Ah , Kim Eun-Kyu , Son Byung Ho
Published: June 2024

595

Background: Neoadjuvant therapy significantly enhances the likelihood of breast-conserving surgery (BCS) in breast cancer patients. However, in ER-positive and HER-2 negative breast cancer, the response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NCT) is not as good as HER-2 positive or triple-negative breast cancer. In addition, with the evolution of multi-gene assays, many patients of this subtype may not require adjuvant chemotherapy. This study explores the potential of tailored neoadjuvant treatments (NCT or endocrine therapy (NET)) guided by 70-gene assay (Mammaprint, Agendia) to improve BCS rates in ER-positive/HER-2 negative breast cancer. Methods: A prospective, multicenter cohort study was conducted across four Korean centers from 2019 to 2023. Participants were clinical stage II-IIIA, ER-positive/HER2-negative breast cancer patients deemed unsuitable for BCS. Suitability was further verified by an independent three-surgeon panel using mammography or MRI. Out of 130 screened patients, 100 were enrolled. We analyzed 90 patients, excluding 10 cases; 2 with a basal type or HER2 type result in the blueprint, 7 who refused neoadjuvant therapy, and 1 who underwent surgery at another hospital. Before initiation of therapy, each surgeon recorded a target tumor size at which the surgeon would be able to do BCS considering location of the tumor and patient’s breast size. Based on the 70-gene assay results from core needle biopsies, high-genomic-risk patients received NCT (anthracycline + cyclophosphamide for 4 cycles, followed by 4 cycles of docetaxel), while low-risk patients underwent 16 weeks of NET with letrozole (±leuprolide for premenopausal women). Results: Out of the patients, 66 (73%) were high-genomic-risk and underwent NCT, while 24 (27%) received NET. Median tumor size was 3.7cm (85.6% clinical T2 and 14.4% T3/4). The primary endpoint, achieving the pre-established target tumor size for BCS, was reached by 70.0% (95% CI: 59.4-79.2%) of patients, significantly surpassing the set goal of 50.8% (a 15% increase from historical control). The rates were 74.2% for NCT and 58.3% for NET. The actual BCS rate was 58.9% overall (63.6% for NCT and 45.8% for NET). Clinically, 5.6% exhibited complete response (CR), 74.4% partial response (PR), 18.8% stable disease (SD), and 1.1% progressive disease (PD). Pathologic complete response (pCR) was achieved in 2.2% (all in the NCT group). No severe adverse events beyond expectations were observed. No pre-treatment clinical or pathological factor was significantly predictive for the BCS conversion. Conclusions: For ER positive, HER2 negative breast cancer patients initially ineligible for BCS, the use of pre-treatment multi-gene assays to guide selective NCT or NET could substantially increase BCS rates and reduce unnecessary chemotherapy. Clinical trial information: NCT03900637 .
Ten-year outcomes of targeted axillary surgery after neoadjuvant chemotherapy in breast cancer.
Authors: Lee Jeeyeon , Park Junhyun , Kang Byeongju , Jung Jin Hyang , Keum Heejung , Kim Hye Jung , Kim Won Hwa , Chae Yee Soo , Lee Soo Jung , Lee In Hee , Park Ji-young , Park Jee-Young Nora , Park Ho Yong
Published: June 2024

600

Background: When pathological complete response (pCR) is achieved in node-positive breast cancer after neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC), identifying traces of the previous lesion becomes challenging which makes accurate surgery difficult. We conducted targeted axillary surgery (TAS) in node-positive breast cancer after NAC, which involves accurately targeting the lymph nodes where metastasis occurred and performing surgery using a less extensive method. The 10-year outcomes were compared with those of patients who underwent conventional axillary lymph node dissection (ALND). Methods: We conducted a retrospective analysis of 235 patients with cT1-3N1-2 breast cancer who received NAC from 2012 to 2017. In this cohort, 78 patients underwent TAS only, and 157 underwent conventional ALND, including 31 patients who initially received TAS followed by additional ALND. Oncologic results, including locoregional recurrence-free survival (LRFS), distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS), and overall survival (OS), were assessed over a 10-year follow-up period. Survival outcomes for all patients and each subtype were analyzed using Kaplan-Meier survival methods. Results: The TAS group had significantly more postmenopausal patients (p=0.022), and the most common type of breast cancer was invasive ductal carcinoma [TAS: 75 (96.2%); ALND: 157 (100.0%)]. There was no statistical difference in the T stage and the number of lymph nodes suspected of metastasis at diagnosis (p=0.062, 0.985). Mastectomy was performed in 60.3% of patients in the TAS group and 93.0% in the ALND group (p<0.001), and 68 (87.2%) of the TAS group and 41 (26.1%) of the ALND group received additional axillary radiotherapy (p=0.019). There was no significant difference in oncologic outcomes between the TAS and ALND groups in all patients (LRFS, p=0.673; DMFS, p=0.729; OS, p=0.396) and based on subtypes, including hormone receptor (HR)-positive, HER2-positive, and triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). In the HR-positive breast cancer group, the TAS and ALND groups showed very similar trends (LRFS, p=0.954; DMFS, p=0.993; OS, p=0.617). In HER2-positive breast cancer, although not statistically significant, the survival outcomes were better in the TAS group than in the ALND group (LRFS, p=0.967; DMFS, p=0.999; OS, p=0.423). However, the OS in the TAS group for TNBC was lower than that in the ALND group, though not significantly (LRFS, p=0.411; DMFS, p=0.697; OS, p=0.210). Conclusions: This study demonstrates that TAS is comparable to ALND in terms of 10-year oncological outcomes across different types of node-positive breast cancer, suggesting its potential as a viable alternative. However, further research focusing on patient quality of life and postoperative complications is essential to establish TAS as a superior surgical option to ALND.
Pretreatment neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio as a predictor of pathological complete response to neoadjuvant immunotherapy in early breast cancer.
Authors: Du Tian , Wang Yan , Zhao Zixuan , Chen Yuhong , Deng Rong , Tang Jun
Published: June 2024

e12545

Background: Neoadjuvant immunotherapy has been increasingly used in early breast cancer, while lack of accessible predictive biomarkers of response remains an open question. High pretreatment neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR) was associated with worse prognosis and treatment responses to neoadjuvant chemotherapy in multiple cancers including breast cancer. However, it remains unclear whether NLR was associated with response to neoadjuvant immunotherapy in early breast cancer. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 89 early breast cancer patients who received neoadjuvant chemotherapy in combination with at least 4 cycles of immunotherapy and subsequent breast surgery in Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center. Pretreatment NLR was calculated, and Miller-Payne grade 5 in primary tumor site was considered pathological complete response (pCR) to neoadjuvant therapy. Univariate and multivariate analyses were used to evaluate the associations between clinicopathological markers and pCR. Results: 49.4% (44/89) of the patients achieved pCR. Compared to non-pCR patients, pCR patients had significantly lower pretreatment NLR (1.93 vs 2.87, p<0.001) and lower percentage of pretreatment cT3/T4 stage (11.4% vs 37.7%, p=0.006), and received more cycles of neoadjuvant immunotherapy (6.5 vs 6.0, p<0.05). More pCR patients received TCb based neoadjuvant therapy (86.4% vs 51.1%, p<0.001). In multivariate analysis, the pretreatment NLR (p=0.002) and cT3/T4 (p=0.010, as compared to cT1/T2) were independent predictive factors for pCR. Conclusions: Lower pretreatment NLR was associated with higher possibility of achieving pCR in early breast cancer treated with neoadjuvant immunotherapy. [Table: see text]
Effect of neratinib on HER2 mRNA stability via hsa-miR-23a-5p and efficacy of CDK4/6 inhibitors in HER2-low breast cancer.
Authors: Chen Liushan , Ye Lingling , Liang Yuqi , Zuo Qian , Hu Yuyu , Guo Qianqian , Chen Qianjun
Published: June 2024

e12550

Background: Traditional HER2-negative breast cancer sometimes includes HER2-low components, and CDK4/6 inhibitors are the first- and second-line treatments for advanced HER2-low breast cancer. Nonetheless, little is understood about how the stability of HER2 mRNA in HER2-low breast cancer affects the effectiveness of CDK4/6 inhibitor therapy and the associated intervention techniques. Methods: In order to investigate the impact of HER2-low on the effectiveness of CDK4/6 inhibitor in treating breast cancer, we first used HER2-0 and HER2-low breast cancer cells/mice as the study object and assessed the anti-proliferation effect of CDK4/6 inhibitor using CCK8 technique and monoclonal formation experiment. Second, we increased the treatment of anti-HER2 inhibitor neratinib and assessed its impact on the efficacy of HER2 low breast cancer CDK4/6 inhibitors. By reducing the expression of HER2 in HER2 low breast cancer cells, we analyzed and determined whether HER2 is the primary pathway that influences the poor efficacy of HER2 low breast cancer CDK4/6 inhibitors; At last, actinomycin D was used to detect the mRNA stability of HER2 in the treatment of HER2-low breast cancer by neratinib against CDK4/6 inhibitors, and then microRNA sequencing and luciferase reporter gene detection technology were used. To investigate the specific mechanism of action of neratinib on the mRNA stability of HER2 in the treatment of HER2-low breast cancer by CDK4/6 inhibitors. Results: Our study found that treatment with CDK4/6 inhibitors was significantly less effective against HER2-low breast cancer compared to HER2-0 subtype (P=0.005). Notably, in HER2-low subtype cells, HER2 knockdown significantly inhibited cell proliferation (P<0.001), G1 phase cell cycle arrest (P=0.001), and downregulated cyclin D1 expression and CDK4 protein levels (P=0.007, P=0.003). Second, it was found that in the cell and animal models of HER2-low breast cancer, the addition of the CDK4/6 inhibitor drug neratinib effectively reduced the stability of HER2 mRNA (P=0.001), inhibited the cell cycle of G1 phase (P=0.005). In addition, we observed that lowering the dose of neratinib to 1/2 (20 mg/kg) remained effective and well tolerated (P=0.002). Finally, we found that neratinib can reduce the mRNA stability of HER2 by binding hsa-miR-23a-5p to the 3'UTR region of HER2 (P<0.001), thereby improving the efficacy of CDK4/6 inhibitors in HER2-low breast cancer. Conclusions: We found that low expression of HER2 reduced the efficacy of CDK4/6 inhibitors in HER2-low breast cancer; Neratinib reduces the mRNA stability of HER2 by binding hsa-miR-23a-5p to the 3 'UTR region of HER2, thereby improving the efficacy of CDK4/6 inhibitors in HER2-low breast cancer. These findings provide a tolerable and effective two-drug combination regimen for patients with clinical HER2-low breast cancer.
Immune subtyping of ER-positive, PR-negative and HER2-negative breast cancers by immunohistochemistry: Molecular basis and clinical relevance.
Authors: Zhang Huimin , Zhao Yuting , Xie Peiling , Chen Heyan
Published: June 2024

e12553

Background: The diversity and plasticity behind ER+/PR−/HER2− breast cancer (BC) remain underexplored. In our previous work, an immune subtype classification for ER+/PR-/HER2- BC with RNA-seq data was established to distinguish between immune-hot and -cold tumors to provide guidance for immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) therapy. However, considering the economic costs, the clinical application of sequencing methods is limited. This study aimed to identify biomarkers of the immune subtype classification and develop a diagnostic procedure for ER+/PR-/HER2- BC immune subtyping based on the immunohistochemistry (IHC) technique, thereby identifying candidates of ICI therapy and refining treatment strategies for ER+/PR-/HER2- BC. Methods: RNA-seq data for 411 patients diagnosed with ER+/PR-/HER2- BC were obtained from the METABRIC database (METABRIC cohort). The immune subtype classification was established by consensus clustering with 1480 immune-related genes. Biomarkers for each immune subtype were identified from differentially expressed genes and validated using logistic regression and ROC curve analysis. Validation of the immune classification was conducted using RNA-seq data from the GEO and TCGA databases. Transcriptomic gene chip sequencing was performed on surgical specimens from 15 ER+/PR-/HER2- BC patients in our center (Chip cohort) to classify the immune subtypes. Biomarkers identified were validated and a diagnostic procedure was designed using IHC techniques. Results: In the METABRIC cohort, immune subtypes including Clusters 1-5 were established. Five biomarkers including DCN, SPP1, CXCL9, STC2, and SRGAP1 were identified, with the AUC values of ROC curves being 0.90, 0.82, 0.99, 0.70, and 0.89, respectively. Notably, Cluster 3 exhibited higher infiltration of CD8+ T cells, B cells, and M1 macrophages, with a greater association with immune activation pathways, thus being defined as the immune-hot subtype. Cluster 1, also showing a moderate immune cell infiltration, was characterized by a more pronounced stromal infiltration. In the Chip cohort, IHC revealed that Cluster 3 exhibited the highest levels of CD8+ T cell and B cell infiltration as well as PD-L1 expression, suggesting a potential benefit from ICI therapy. In contrast, Cluster 1 demonstrated the most extensive infiltration of endothelial and fibroblast cells. The other subtypes were characterized by a suppressed immune microenvironment, especially in Cluster 2, where an infiltration of SPP1+ macrophages was observed. A diagnostic procedure was designed with the biomarkers using IHC techniques. Conclusions: This study validated the immune subtype classification for ER+/PR-/HER2- BC. An easy-to-use IHC-based diagnostic procedure was developed, facilitating the identification of potential ICI therapy candidates in clinical practice at a lower cost.
Deliberate inclusion of multiple co-correlated gene target sets during discovery for improved biomarker translation to a clinical assay in early-stage breast cancer.
Authors: Cormier-May Elizabeth , Colbus Michael , Keiser Martin J
Published: June 2024

e12560

Background: Co-correlation between gene targets provides a more robust, and often nonlinear, understanding of human biology, resulting in more accurate and reliable diagnostics. When translating from discovery to a clinical assay, detectability of promising targets often hinders diagnostic development. Translating a single set of co-correlated targets becomes more challenging, as the success of the program is dependent on the interrelationship between all targets and the ability of the entire set to translate clinically. Given target translation uncertainty, we hypothesized that the deliberate inclusion of multiple independent sets of co-correlated targets during discovery could bridge the gap between promising biology and a clinically viable assay. We set out to discover and clinically validate multiple sets of co-correlated targets required for noninvasive breast cancer detection. Methods: Nonlinear statistical methods were repeatedly applied to microarray gene expression profiles from peripheral blood (PBMCs) obtained from 140 patients with and without breast cancer. Four independent cohorts were used for subsequent studies to assess efficacy and reproducibility of discovered targets. In total, five independent sets of highly efficacious co-correlated targets, totaling 26 unique genes, were discovered and analytically validated across the five patient cohorts (n=357). A sixth independent cohort of 197 plasma samples (breast cancer n=116, controls n=81) was obtained and used to clinically translate and validate the 26 targets using real-time qPCR (qPCR). Results: qPCR revealed strong and reproducible clinical signal from 8/26 previously discovered targets (Table). To evaluate the efficacy of the targets, an 8-gene signature was trained on the PBMC discovery cohort, achieving >99% sensitivity, 83% specificity, indicating a promising classifier could be trained from the 8 qPCR targets. During CLIA validation of the assay, in normalized qPCR data from 87 patients, the 8-gene assay achieved a statistically significant >99% sensitivity, 89% specificity in stage I breast cancer. Conclusions: Given the performance observed from the 8-gene qPCR assay, we conclude that the deliberate inclusion of multiple sets of co-correlated targets, including those considered mathematically redundant during discovery, contributed to the success of a clinically viable assay for the detection of early-stage breast cancer in plasma. [Table: see text]