Characterization and spatial distribution of infiltrating lymphocytes in medullary, and lymphocyte-predominant triple negative breast cancers.

Medullary carcinoma of the breast (MedBC) is a rare histological type that accounts for less than 5% of all invasive breast cancers. Here, we performed an exploratory study aimed to determine whether imaging mass cytometry (IMC) can be used to characterize the immune infiltration and the spatial distribution heterogeneity in the rare subtype of MedBC compared to atypical MedBC and TNBC-TILS+ tumors. In both MedBC and TNBC-TILs+, there was a notable enrichment of immune cells in the peripheral regions of the tumors, whereas in atypical MedBC, the immune cells exhibited a central enrichment pattern. This distribution of infiltrated cells reflects an active immune recruitment correlated to more favorable prognosis. In MedBC, spatial analysis shows that immune cells are localized at a greater distance from the tumor cells. IMC highlights the heterogeneity of immune microenvironment across three main subtypes of breast tumors and could help to define distinct immune patterns.

Moving toward precision medicine to predict drug sensitivity in patients with metastatic breast cancer.

Tumor heterogeneity represents a major challenge in breast cancer, being associated with disease progression and treatment resistance. Precision medicine has been extensively applied to dissect tumor heterogeneity and, through a deeper molecular understanding of the disease, to personalize therapeutic strategies. In the last years, technological advances have widely improved the understanding of breast cancer biology and several trials have been developed to translate these new insights into clinical practice, with the ultimate aim of improving patients' outcomes. In the era of molecular oncology, genomics analyses and other methodologies are shaping a new treatment algorithm in breast cancer care. In this manuscript, we review the main steps of precision medicine to predict drug sensitivity in breast cancer from a translational point of view. Genomic developments and their clinical implications are discussed, along with technological advancements that could broaden precision medicine applications. Current achievements are put into perspective to provide an overview of the state-of-art of breast cancer precision oncology as well as to identify future research directions.

Precision medicine in the era of multi-omics: can the data tsunami guide rational treatment decision?

Precision medicine for cancer is rapidly moving to an approach that integrates multiple dimensions of the biology in order to model mechanisms of cancer progression in each patient. The discovery of multiple drivers per tumor challenges medical decision that faces several treatment options. Drug sensitivity depends on the actionability of the target, its clonal or subclonal origin and coexisting genomic alterations. Sequencing has revealed a large diversity of drivers emerging at treatment failure, which are potential targets for clinical trials or drug repurposing. To effectively prioritize therapies, it is essential to rank genomic alterations based on their proven actionability. Moving beyond primary drivers, the future of precision medicine necessitates acknowledging the intricate spatial and temporal heterogeneity inherent in cancer. The advent of abundant complex biological data will make artificial intelligence algorithms indispensable for thorough analysis. Here, we will discuss the advancements brought by the use of high-throughput genomics, the advantages and limitations of precision medicine studies and future perspectives in this field.

Clinical utility of circulating tumor DNA sequencing with a large panel: a National Center for Precision Medicine (PRISM) study.

BACKGROUND: Circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) sequencing is a promising approach for tailoring therapy in patients with cancer. We report hereby the results from a prospective study where we investigated the impact of comprehensive molecular profiling of ctDNA in patients with advanced solid tumors. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Genomic analysis was performed using the FoundationOne Liquid CDx Assay [324 genes, tumor mutational burden (TMB), microsatellite instability status]. Each individual genomic report was reviewed and discussed weekly by a multidisciplinary tumor board (MTB). Actionable targets were classified by ESMO Scale for Clinical Actionability of Molecular Targets (ESCAT) tier leading to molecular-based treatment suggestions wherever it was possible. RESULTS: Between December 2020 and November 2021, 1772 patients with metastatic solid tumors underwent molecular profiling. Median time to assay results was 12 days. Results were contributive for 1658 patients (94%). At least one actionable target was detected in 1059 patients (64%) with a total of 1825 actionable alterations including alteration of the DNA damage repair response pathway (n = 336, 18%), high TMB (>16 mutations/Mb; n = 243, 13%), PIK3CA mutations (n = 150, 8%), ERBB family pathway alterations (n = 127, 7%), PTEN alterations (n = 95, 5%), FGFR alterations (n = 67, 4%) and MET activations (n = 13, 0.7%). The MTB recommended a matched therapy for 597 patients (56%) with a total of 819 therapeutic orientations: clinical trials (n = 639, 78%), off-label/compassionate use (n = 81, 10%), approved drug (n = 51, 6%), and early access program (n = 48, 6%). In total, 122 patients (21%) were treated. Among the assessable patients (n = 107), 4 (4%) had complete response, 35 (33%) had partial response, 27 (25%) had stable disease, and 41 (38%) a progressive disease as best response. The median progression-free survival and median overall survival were 4.7 months (95% confidence interval 2.7-6.7 months) and 8.3 months (95% confidence interval 4.7-11.9 months) respectively. CONCLUSIONS: ctDNA sequencing with a large panel is an efficient approach to match patients with advanced cancer with targeted therapies.

Recommendations for the use of next-generation sequencing (NGS) for patients with metastatic cancers: a report from the ESMO Precision Medicine Working Group.

Next-generation sequencing (NGS) allows sequencing of a high number of nucleotides in a short time frame at an affordable cost. While this technology has been widely implemented, there are no recommendations from scientific societies about its use in oncology practice. The European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) is proposing three levels of recommendations for the use of NGS. Based on the current evidence, ESMO recommends routine use of NGS on tumour samples in advanced non-squamous non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), prostate cancers, ovarian cancers and cholangiocarcinoma. In these tumours, large multigene panels could be used if they add acceptable extra cost compared with small panels. In colon cancers, NGS could be an alternative to PCR. In addition, based on the KN158 trial and considering that patients with endometrial and small-cell lung cancers should have broad access to anti-programmed cell death 1 (anti-PD1) antibodies, it is recommended to test tumour mutational burden (TMB) in cervical cancers, well- and moderately-differentiated neuroendocrine tumours, salivary cancers, thyroid cancers and vulvar cancers, as TMB-high predicted response to pembrolizumab in these cancers. Outside the indications of multigene panels, and considering that the use of large panels of genes could lead to few clinically meaningful responders, ESMO acknowledges that a patient and a doctor could decide together to order a large panel of genes, pending no extra cost for the public health care system and if the patient is informed about the low likelihood of benefit. ESMO recommends that the use of off-label drugs matched to genomics is done only if an access programme and a procedure of decision has been developed at the national or regional level. Finally, ESMO recommends that clinical research centres develop multigene sequencing as a tool to screen patients eligible for clinical trials and to accelerate drug development, and prospectively capture the data that could further inform how to optimise the use of this technology.

Outcome and molecular landscape of patients with PIK3CA-mutated metastatic breast cancer.

BACKGROUND: α-Selective phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) inhibitors improve outcome in patients with PIK3CA-mutated, hormone receptor-positive (HR+)/Her2- metastatic breast cancer (mBC). Nevertheless, it is still unclear how to integrate this new drug family in the treatment landscape. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 649 patients with mBC from the SAFIR02 trial (NCT02299999), with available mutational profiles were selected for outcome analysis. PIK3CA mutations were prospectively determined by next-generation sequencing on metastatic samples. The mutational landscape of PIK3CA-mutated mBC was assessed by whole-exome sequencing (n = 617). Finally, the prognostic value of PIK3CA mutations during chemotherapy was assessed in plasma samples (n = 44) by next-generation sequencing and digital PCR. RESULTS: Some 28% (104/364) of HR+/Her2- tumors and 10% (27/255) of triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) presented a PIK3CA mutation (P < 0.001). PIK3CA-mutated HR+/Her2- mBC was less sensitive to chemotherapy [adjusted odds ratio: 0.40; 95% confidence interval (0.22-0.71); P = 0.002], and presented a worse overall survival (OS) compared with PIK3CA wild-type [adjusted hazard ratio: 1.44; 95% confidence interval (1.02-2.03); P = 0.04]. PIK3CA-mutated HR+/Her2- mBC was enriched in MAP3K1 mutations (15% versus 5%, P = 0.0005). In metastatic TNBC (mTNBC), the median OS in patients with PIK3CA mutation was 24 versus 14 months for PIK3CA wild-type (P = 0.03). We further looked at the distribution of PIK3CA mutation in mTNBC according to HR expression on the primary tumor. Some 6% (9/138) of patients without HR expression on the primary and 36% (14/39) of patients with HR+ on the primary presented PIK3CA mutation (P < 0.001). The level of residual PIK3CA mutations in plasma after one to three cycles of chemotherapy was associated with a poor OS [continuous variable, hazard ratio: 1.03, 95% confidence interval (1.01-1.05), P = 0.007]. CONCLUSION: PIK3CA-mutated HR+/Her2- mBC patients present a poor outcome and resistance to chemotherapy. Patients with PIK3CA-mutated TNBC present a better OS. This could be explained by an enrichment of PIK3CA mutations in luminal BC which lost HR expression in the metastatic setting. TRIAL REGISTRATION: SAFIR02 trial: NCT02299999.

Genomic alterations in breast cancer: level of evidence for actionability according to ESMO Scale for Clinical Actionability of molecular Targets (ESCAT).

Better knowledge of the tumor genomic landscapes has helped to develop more effective targeted drugs. However, there is no tool to interpret targetability of genomic alterations assessed by next-generation sequencing in the context of clinical practice. Our aim is to rank the level of evidence of individual recurrent genomic alterations observed in breast cancer based on the ESMO Scale for Clinical Actionability of molecular Targets (ESCAT) in order to help the clinicians to prioritize treatment. Analyses of databases suggested that there are around 40 recurrent driver alterations in breast cancer. ERBB2 amplification, germline BRCA1/2 mutations, PIK3CA mutations were classified tier of evidence IA based on large randomized trials showing antitumor activity of targeted therapies in patients presenting the alterations. NTRK fusions and microsatellite instability (MSI) were ranked IC. ESR1 mutations and PTEN loss were ranked tier IIA, and ERBB2 mutations and AKT1 mutations tier IIB. Somatic BRCA 1/2 mutations, MDM2 amplifications and ERBB 3 mutations were ranked tier III. Seventeen genes were ranked tier IV based on preclinical evidence. Finally, FGFR1 and CCND1 were ranked tier X alterations because previous studies have shown lack of actionability.

Redox and metabolic strategies developed by anterior and posterior gills of the crab Neohelice granulata after short periods of hypo- or hyper-osmotic stress.

The aim of this study was to identify the response pattern of redox balance, Na+/K+ATPase activity and HSP70 expression in the posterior and anterior gills of the crab Neohelice granulata submitted to hypo- or hyper-osmotic stress for 1 h and 6 h. After 1 h of either type of osmotic stress, there was an increase in catalase activity, but a decrease in GSSG/GSH ratio (oxidized to reduced glutathione ratio) and Na+/K+ATPase activity in both gill sets. H2O2 levels decreased only in the posterior gills. H2O2 levels and Na+/K+ATPase activity remained reduced after 6 h of exposure to either type of osmotic stress in both gill sets. The GSSG/GSH ratio returned to initial levels after 6 h of hyper-osmotic stress, whereas it increased 10 times in both gill sets after hypo-osmotic stress. Furthermore, HSP70 protein expression increased in posterior gills after 6 h of hypo-osmotic stress. H2O2 levels in tank water decreased after hypo-osmotic challenge and increased after 6 h of hyper-osmotic stress, indicating increased H2O2 excretion. Therefore, N. granulata gills have redox, metabolic and molecular strategies to deal with rapid osmotic challenges, an important environmental parameter that influences juvenile and adult crab distribution and abundance within different populations.