7826 The Identification of an Activating ESR1 Mutation in an Aggressive Prolactinoma Enabled the Use of Personalized Treatment
Authors: Paes Ticiana , Mebarak Jacobo Buelvas , Magnotto John C , Stamatiades George A , Kuang Yanan , Paweletz Cloud , Laws Edward Raymond , Carroll Rona Stephanie , Jeselsohn Rinath , Mohan Dipika R , Lerario Antonio Marcondes , Bi Wenya L , Reardon David A , Meredith David M , Kaiser Ursula B , Abreu Ana Paula 
Published: October 2024

Disclosure: T. Paes: None. J.B. Mebarak: None. J. C. Magnotto: None. G. A. Stamatiades: None. Y. Kuang: None. C. Paweletz: None. E.R. Laws: None. R.S. Carroll: None. R. Jeselsohn: None. D. R. Mohan: None. A. Marcondes Lerario: None. W. L. Bi: None. D. A. Reardon: None. D. M. Meredith: None. U.B. Kaiser: None. A. Abreu: None.

Introduction: Prolactinomas are benign tumors typically treated with dopamine agonists; few progress on medical therapy, through unclear molecular mechanisms. Although the SF3B1 mutation has been identified in one study as a driver of aggressive prolactinomas, in most cases no genetic mutations have been reported. We aimed to identify genetic alterations associated with prolactinomas using a gene panel. Method and Results: Oncopanel, a massively parallel sequencing panel, was performed to identify genomic variants and copy number variation (CNV) in a cohort of 21 patients with prolactinomas. No SF3B1 pathogenic variants were identified in this cohort. A MEN1 mutation was detected in a macroadenoma resistant to dopamine agonist. In a case of an extremely aggressive prolactinoma diagnosed in a 49-year-old woman, a somatic ESR1 [encoding estrogen receptor alpha (ERα)] mutation (ESR1Y537S) was identified in tissue from the patient’s fourth surgery. Using droplet digital PCR (ddPCR), ESR1Y537S was also detected in circulating cell-free DNA. We aimed to investigate whether ESR1Y537S may have driven initial tumor formation, or whether it was acquired as the tumor progressed. To this end, Sanger sequencing and ddPCR analyses of DNA from the first two resected tumors were performed and failed to identify ESR1Y537S. In the CNV analysis, the ESR1-mutated prolactinoma had the highest number of CNVs, compared to the rest of the cohort. Despite efforts to control tumor growth with multiple therapeutic modalities, the mutated prolactinoma had progressively enlarged post-menopausally, with invasion of surrounding structures. ESR1Y537S is a hotspot mutation in metastatic breast cancer. In breast cancer cells, ESR1Y537S activates the ERα independent of ligand binding, resulting in high cell proliferation and conferring resistance to classic hormonal treatment in ER-positive breast cancer. Elacestrant, a second-line ER degrader, increases overall free-survival in patients with resistant breast cancer and ESR1Y537S. Given the lack of response to multimodality therapy, off-label elacestrant was initiated after the third cycle of radiotherapy was completed in the patient with the aggressive prolactinoma. The combination of radiotherapy with this personalized treatment targeting ESR1 activity (elacestrant) was able to control tumor growth and significantly reduce prolactin levels. Conclusion:ESR1 regulates lactotroph differentiation and proliferation, possibly contributing to prolactinoma tumorigenesis. Our data support a role for ESR1Y537S in this prolactinoma’s unusually aggressive behavior in the postmenopausal setting. Molecular profiling revealing the mutation (ESR1Y537S) allowed the patient to receive a targeted therapy which, together with radiotherapy, resulted in a decrease in prolactin levels and a remarkable improvement in disease control.

Presentation: 6/2/2024