Anti-CD19 CAR T cells in combination with ibrutinib for the treatment of chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

In chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) patients who achieve a complete remission (CR) to anti-CD19 chimeric antigen receptor T cells (CART-19), remissions are remarkably durable. Preclinical data suggesting synergy between CART-19 and the Bruton's tyrosine kinase (BTK) inhibitor ibrutinib prompted us to conduct a prospective single-center phase 2 trial in which we added autologous anti-CD19 humanized binding domain T cells (huCART-19) to ibrutinib in patients with CLL not in CR despite ≥6 months of ibrutinib. The primary endpoints were safety, feasibility, and achievement of a CR within 3 months. Of 20 enrolled patients, 19 received huCART-19. The median follow-up for all infused patients was 41 months (range, 0.25-58 months). Eighteen patients developed cytokine release syndrome (CRS; grade 1-2 in 15 of 18 subjects), and 5 developed neurotoxicity (grade 1-2 in 4 patients, grade 4 in 1 patient). While the 3-month CR rate among International Working Group on CLL (iwCLL)-evaluable patients was 44% (90% confidence interval [CI], 23-67%), at 12 months, 72% of patients tested had no measurable residual disease (MRD). The estimated overall and progression-free survival at 48 months were 84% and 70%, respectively. Of 15 patients with undetectable MRD at 3 or 6 months, 13 remain in ongoing CR at the last follow-up. In patients with CLL not achieving a CR despite ≥6 months of ibrutinib, adding huCART-19 mediated a high rate of deep and durable remissions. ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT02640209.

Humanized CD19-Targeted Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR) T Cells in CAR-Naive and CAR-Exposed Children and Young Adults With Relapsed or Refractory Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia.

PURPOSE: CD19-targeted chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-modified T cells demonstrate unprecedented responses in B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL); however, relapse remains a substantial challenge. Short CAR T-cell persistence contributes to this risk; therefore, strategies to improve persistence are needed. METHODS: We conducted a pilot clinical trial of a humanized CD19 CAR T-cell product (huCART19) in children and young adults with relapsed or refractory B-ALL (n = 72) or B-lymphoblastic lymphoma (n = 2), treated in two cohorts: with (retreatment, n = 33) or without (CAR-naive, n = 41) prior CAR exposure. Patients were monitored for toxicity, response, and persistence of huCART19. RESULTS: Seventy-four patients 1-29 years of age received huCART19. Cytokine release syndrome developed in 62 (84%) patients and was grade 4 in five (6.8%). Neurologic toxicities were reported in 29 (39%), three (4%) grade 3 or 4, and fully resolved in all cases. The overall response rate at 1 month after infusion was 98% (100% in B-ALL) in the CAR-naive cohort and 64% in the retreatment cohort. At 6 months, the probability of losing huCART19 persistence was 27% (95% CI, 14 to 41) for CAR-naive and 48% (95% CI, 30 to 64) for retreatment patients, whereas the incidence of B-cell recovery was 15% (95% CI, 6 to 28) and 58% (95% CI, 33 to 77), respectively. Relapse-free survival at 12 and 24 months, respectively, was 84% (95% CI, 72 to 97) and 74% (95% CI, 60 to 90) in CAR-naive and 74% (95% CI, 56 to 97) and 58% (95% CI, 37 to 90) in retreatment cohorts. CONCLUSION: HuCART19 achieved durable remissions with long-term persistence in children and young adults with relapsed or refractory B-ALL, including after failure of prior CAR T-cell therapy.

Diagnostic biomarkers to differentiate sepsis from cytokine release syndrome in critically ill children.

Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cells directed against CD19 have drastically altered outcomes for children with relapsed and refractory acute lymphoblastic leukemia (r/r ALL). Pediatric patients with r/r ALL treated with CAR-T are at increased risk of both cytokine release syndrome (CRS) and sepsis. We sought to investigate the biologic differences between CRS and sepsis and to develop predictive models which could accurately differentiate CRS from sepsis at the time of critical illness. We identified 23 different cytokines that were significantly different between patients with sepsis and CRS. Using elastic net prediction modeling and tree classification, we identified cytokines that were able to classify subjects as having CRS or sepsis accurately. A markedly elevated interferon γ (IFNγ) or a mildly elevated IFNγ in combination with a low IL1ß were associated with CRS. A normal to mildly elevated IFNγ in combination with an elevated IL1ß was associated with sepsis. This combination of IFNγ and IL1ß was able to categorize subjects as having CRS or sepsis with 97% accuracy. As CAR-T therapies become more common, these data provide important novel information to better manage potential associated toxicities.

Long-Term Outcomes From a Randomized Dose Optimization Study of Chimeric Antigen Receptor Modified T Cells in Relapsed Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia.

PURPOSE: To describe long-term outcomes of anti-CD19 chimeric antigen receptor T (CART) cells in patients with relapsed or refractory chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). METHODS: Between January 2013 and June 2016, 42 patients with relapsed or refractory CLL were enrolled in this study and 38 were infused with anti-CD19 CART cells (CART-19). Of these, 28 patients were initially randomly assigned to receive a low (5 × 107) or high (5 × 108) dose of CART-19, and 24 were evaluable for response assessment. After an interim analysis, 10 additional patients received the selected (high) dose and of these, eight were evaluable for response. Patients were followed for a median 31.5 months (range, 2 to 75 months). RESULTS: At 4 weeks, the complete and overall responses for the 32 evaluable patients were 28% (90% CI, 16% to 44%) and 44% (90% CI, 29% to 60%), respectively. The median overall survival (OS) for all patients was 64 months; there was no statistically significant difference between low- and high-dose groups (P = .84). Regardless of dose, prolonged survival was observed in patients who achieved a CR versus those who did not (P = .035), with median OS not reached in patients with CR versus 64 months in those without CR. The median progression-free survival was 40.2 months in patients with CR and 1 month in those without a CR (P < .0001). Toxicity was comparable in both dose groups. CONCLUSION: In patients with advanced CLL, a 5 × 108 dose of CART-19 may be more effective than 5 × 107 CART-19 at inducing CR without excessive toxicity. Attainment of a CR after CART-19 infusion, regardless of cell dose, is associated with longer OS and progression-free survival in patients with relapsed CLL.

Optimizing Chimeric Antigen Receptor T-Cell Therapy for Adults With Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia.

PURPOSE: The anti-CD19 chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy tisagenlecleucel (CTL019) has an 81% response rate in children with relapsed or chemotherapy refractory (r/r) B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Cytokine release syndrome (CRS) is a life-threatening treatment-related toxicity that limits the full therapeutic potential in adults. We report outcomes for adults with r/r ALL treated with an optimized CTL019 dosing and CRS management strategy. METHODS: Adults with r/r B-cell ALL received CTL019 in 1 of 2 trials. Patients received lymphodepletion followed by CTL019 as either a one-time infusion or fractionated infusions split over 3 days (day 1, 10%; day 2, 30%; day 3, 60%), which allowed for day 2 and day 3 doses to be held for early CRS. Total planned CTL019 dose varied with adaptive protocol modifications in response to efficacy and CRS toxicity. RESULTS: Thirty-five adults with r/r ALL received CTL019 in 1 of 3 dosing cohorts. The low-dose cohort (n = 9) received single or fractionated dosing and had manageable toxicity with a 33% complete remission (CR) rate. In the high-dose single infusion cohort, 3 of 6 patients with refractory CRS concurrent with culture-positive sepsis died, and 3 achieved CR. The 20 patients in the high-dose fractionated (HDF) cohort had a 90% CR rate and manageable CRS. The HDF cohort had the highest survival, with a 2-year overall survival of 73% (95% CI, 46% to 88%) and event-free survival of 49.5% (95% CI, 21% to 73%). CONCLUSION: Fractionated dosing of CTL019 with intrapatient dose modification optimizes safety without compromising efficacy in adults with r/r ALL.

Determinants of response and resistance to CD19 chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapy of chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

Tolerance to self-antigens prevents the elimination of cancer by the immune system1,2. We used synthetic chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) to overcome immunological tolerance and mediate tumor rejection in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). Remission was induced in a subset of subjects, but most did not respond. Comprehensive assessment of patient-derived CAR T cells to identify mechanisms of therapeutic success and failure has not been explored. We performed genomic, phenotypic and functional evaluations to identify determinants of response. Transcriptomic profiling revealed that CAR T cells from complete-responding patients with CLL were enriched in memory-related genes, including IL-6/STAT3 signatures, whereas T cells from nonresponders upregulated programs involved in effector differentiation, glycolysis, exhaustion and apoptosis. Sustained remission was associated with an elevated frequency of CD27+CD45RO-CD8+ T cells before CAR T cell generation, and these lymphocytes possessed memory-like characteristics. Highly functional CAR T cells from patients produced STAT3-related cytokines, and serum IL-6 correlated with CAR T cell expansion. IL-6/STAT3 blockade diminished CAR T cell proliferation. Furthermore, a mechanistically relevant population of CD27+PD-1-CD8+ CAR T cells expressing high levels of the IL-6 receptor predicts therapeutic response and is responsible for tumor control. These findings uncover new features of CAR T cell biology and underscore the potential of using pretreatment biomarkers of response to advance immunotherapies.

Measuring IL-6 and sIL-6R in serum from patients treated with tocilizumab and/or siltuximab following CAR T cell therapy.

T cells expressing a CD19-specific chimeric antigen receptor (CAR19) are demonstrating remarkable efficacy in hematologic malignancies. Treatment is often associated with life-threatening cytokine release syndrome (CRS) which can be effectively treated with cytokine blockade using the antibodies, Siltuximab or Tocilizumab respectively targeting IL-6 or the IL-6 receptor. As IL-6 blockade is moving into the clinic for the treatment of CRS as well as IL-6-driven rheumatologic and malignant diseases, clinicians are utilizing serum cytokine panels more frequently to assess the effects of IL-6 inhibitors. It is paramount to ascertain whether levels obtained are accurate, especially as certain drugs may, in theory, affect quantification. We report the comparative quantification of IL-6 and sIL-6R using Luminex-based immunoassay kits from two vendors. Our results indicate good agreement of the commercial immunoassays in measurement of IL-6 but disagreement in quantitation of sIL-6R. We found that both Siltuximab and Tocilizumab can interfere with the measurement of their respective ligands using reagents from one vendor but not the second. This has significant implications for the analysis of IL-6 and sIL-6R pharmacokinetics analysis in Siltuximab or Tocilizumab-treated patients. We found that high levels of IL-6 can falsely reduce the measured levels of sIL-6R and high levels of sIL-6R can reduce levels of IL-6 when measured with some commercial assays. These data demonstrate the importance of assessing the impact of cytokine-blocking agents on accuracy of clinical biomarker assays in other diseases, as drugs targeting TNF-alpha, IL1B, and IL5 are being used more frequently in a large number of diseases.

Identification of Predictive Biomarkers for Cytokine Release Syndrome after Chimeric Antigen Receptor T-cell Therapy for Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia.

UNLABELLED: Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-modified T cells with anti-CD19 specificity are a highly effective novel immune therapy for relapsed/refractory acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Cytokine release syndrome (CRS) is the most significant and life-threatening toxicity. To improve understanding of CRS, we measured cytokines and clinical biomarkers in 51 CTL019-treated patients. Peak levels of 24 cytokines, including IFNγ, IL6, sgp130, and sIL6R, in the first month after infusion were highly associated with severe CRS. Using regression modeling, we could accurately predict which patients would develop severe CRS with a signature composed of three cytokines. Results were validated in an independent cohort. Changes in serum biochemical markers, including C-reactive protein and ferritin, were associated with CRS but failed to predict development of severe CRS. These comprehensive profiling data provide novel insights into CRS biology and, importantly, represent the first data that can accurately predict which patients have a high probability of becoming critically ill. SIGNIFICANCE: CRS is the most common severe toxicity seen after CAR T-cell treatment. We developed models that can accurately predict which patients are likely to develop severe CRS before they become critically ill, which improves understanding of CRS biology and may guide future cytokine-directed therapy. Cancer Discov; 6(6); 664-79. ©2016 AACR.See related commentary by Rouce and Heslop, p. 579This article is highlighted in the In This Issue feature, p. 561.

Outcomes of Sequential Glaucoma Drainage Implants in Refractory Glaucoma.

PURPOSE: To describe the outcomes of eyes that have undergone a second glaucoma drainage implant (GDI) surgery. METHODS: A retrospective review of eyes that underwent a second GDI surgery from 2006 to 2013 was conducted. Primary outcome measures included intraocular pressure (IOP) reduction and success rates. Secondary outcome measures included glaucoma medication use, visual acuity, and number of reoperations. Success was defined as 6 ≤ IOP ≤ 21 with at least 20% IOP reduction, and no increase in the number of glaucoma medications from baseline at 3 months of follow-up or more. RESULTS: Sixty-five eyes (63 patients) had a mean follow-up of 22.4 ± 19.9 months. The most frequently placed second GDIs were an Ahmed FP7 (49%) or a Baerveldt 250 (26%) in the inferotemporal (46%) or inferonasal (35%) quadrant. At 3-year follow-up, IOP was reduced from 25.8 ± 7.7 to 17.4 ± 9.9 mm Hg (P = 0.004) and the number of glaucoma medications decreased from 3.6 ± 1.2 to 2.5 ± 1.4 (P = 0.01) compared with baseline. The median time to failure was 24.7 ± 5.8 months. There was no significant difference in failure rates for type of sequential GDI (P = 0.80) or plate location (P = 0.34). There was no significant difference in visual acuity between baseline and 3-year follow-up (P = 1.0). The most common postoperative complication was corneal edema (n = 9, 14%). CONCLUSIONS: Most eyes undergoing a second GDI achieve adequate IOP control with fewer antiglaucoma medications. Failure rates were similar regardless of quadrant selection or GDI type.

Affinity-Tuned ErbB2 or EGFR Chimeric Antigen Receptor T Cells Exhibit an Increased Therapeutic Index against Tumors in Mice.

Target-mediated toxicity is a major limitation in the development of chimeric antigen T-cell receptors (CAR) for adoptive cell therapy of solid tumors. In this study, we developed a strategy to adjust the affinities of the scFv component of CAR to discriminate tumors overexpressing the target from normal tissues that express it at physiologic levels. A CAR-expressing T-cell panel was generated with target antigen affinities varying over three orders of magnitude. High-affinity cells recognized target expressed at any level, including at levels in normal cells that were undetectable by flow cytometry. Affinity-tuned cells exhibited robust antitumor efficacy similar to high-affinity cells, but spared normal cells expressing physiologic target levels. The use of affinity-tuned scFvs offers a strategy to empower wider use of CAR T cells against validated targets widely overexpressed on solid tumors, including those considered undruggable by this approach.

INCIDENCE OF SUSTAINED OCULAR HYPERTENSION USING PREPACKAGED VERSUS FRESHLY PREPARED INTRAVITREAL BEVACIZUMAB FOR NEOVASCULAR AGE-RELATED MACULAR DEGENERATION.

PURPOSE: To compare the incidence of sustained ocular hypertension (OHT) after intravitreal injections of prepackaged versus freshly prepared bevacizumab monotherapy for the treatment of neovascular age-related macular degeneration. METHODS: Charts of 1,216 patients with neovascular age-related macular degeneration receiving intravitreal bevacizumab monotherapy at 2 retina practices using different preparations of bevacizumab between January 1, 2009, and December 31, 2011, were reviewed. Primary outcome was incidence of sustained OHT, defined as intraocular pressure > 25 mmHg with an increase ≥ 6 from baseline on ≥ 2 consecutive visits or requiring treatment. RESULTS: A total of 6,479 injections in 740 eyes of 634 patients were included and 14 eyes (0.81% incidence per eye-year) developed sustained OHT. For eyes receiving prepackaged bevacizumab, 10 of 339 eyes (1.39% incidence per eye-year) developed sustained OHT compared with 4 of 401 eyes (0.39% incidence per eye-year) receiving freshly prepared bevacizumab, giving an incidence rate ratio of 3.55 (95% confidence interval, 0.93-13.49; P = 0.063). All eyes that developed sustained OHT achieved intraocular pressure control with observation or topical therapy alone. CONCLUSION: Incidence of sustained OHT after intravitreal bevacizumab is low. We found a trend toward higher rates of sustained OHT with prepackaged bevacizumab although this difference was not statistically or clinically significant.

The HYSLAR trial: a prospective randomized controlled trial of the use of a restrictive fluid regimen with 3% hypertonic saline versus lactated Ringers in patients undergoing pancreaticoduodenectomy.

OBJECTIVE: This study was designed to determine whether the volume and type of fluid administered for pancreaticoduodenectomy impacts postoperative outcomes. BACKGROUND: Three percent hypertonic saline (HYS) has been suggested as a means of reducing the volume of fluid required to sustain tissue perfusion in the perioperative period. METHODS: Between May 2011 and November 2013, patients undergoing pancreaticoduodenectomy were enrolled in an institutional review board-approved, single-center, prospective, parallel, randomized controlled trial (NCT 01428050), comparing lactated Ringers (LAR) (15 mL/kg/hr LAR intraoperation, 2 mL/kg/hr LAR postoperation) with HYS (9 mL/kg/hr LAR and 1 mL/kg/hr HYS intraoperation, 1 mL/kg/hr HYS postoperation). RESULTS: A total of 264 patients were randomized. Demographic variables between groups were similar. The HYS patients had a significantly reduced net fluid balance (65 vs 91 mL/kg, P = 0.02). The overall complication rate was reduced in the HYS group (43% vs 54%), with a relative risk of 0.79 [95% confidence interval (CI), 0.62-1.02; P = 0.073], factoring stratification for pancreas texture. After adjustment for age and weight, the relative risk was 0.75 [95% CI (0.58-0.96); P = 0.023]. The total number of complications was significantly reduced in the HYS group (93 vs 123), with an incidence rate ratio of 0.74 [95% CI (0.56-0.97); P = 0.027]. After adjustment for age and weight, the incidence rate ratio was 0.69 [95% CI (0.52-0.90); P = 0.0068]. Reoperations, length of stay, readmissions, and 90-day mortality were similar between groups. CONCLUSIONS: A moderately restrictive fluid regimen with HYS resulted in a statistically significant 25% reduction in complications when adjusted for age, weight, and pancreatic texture.

Retinal hemorrhage in abusive head trauma: finding a common language.

PURPOSE: To assess the performance of a refined Web-based tool for documenting retinal hemorrhage characteristics in suspected abusive head trauma. METHODS: Using a comprehensive tabular secure platform, with access to digital images in color, black and white, and 4-zone system schematic overlay, four pediatric ophthalmologists performed pilot testing with 80 images for tool refinement. In a second phase, retinal hemorrhages were documented by number, zone, and type. Interobserver agreement was calculated using the Fleiss kappa coefficient. Intraobserver agreement was calculated using Cohen's kappa statistic. We used surface area mapping software for further analysis. RESULTS: Interobserver agreement was good (kappa 0.4-0.6) and very good (kappa 0.6-0.8) for all questions in Zone A (peripapillary). For zones C (midperiphery) and D (peripheral retina), agreement was very good for all questions except number of hemorrhages, for which agreement was good. Zone B (macula) showed good and fair agreement except for superficial hemorrhage, for which agreement was poor. There was very good intraobserver agreement for number (kappa 0.68, 0.65, 0.67) and type of hemorrhages in zones A, B, and C. Surface area mapping results revealed no significant differences between zones A and B. Zones C and D had significantly less hemorrhage than A and B. CONCLUSIONS: Our tool performed with good or very good interobserver and intraobserver agreement in almost all domains. We attribute zone B underperformance to the significant increased area covered by hemorrhages compared to zones C and D and the lack of contrast with normal anatomical structures in zone A.

Metabolic syndrome increases risk for pulmonary embolism after hip and knee arthroplasty.

AIM: To investigate whether patients with metabolic syndrome (MetS) undergoing total hip or knee replacement have an increased risk for pulmonary embolism (PE). METHODS: We studied patients undergoing total hip or total knee replacement from January 2001 to April 2006. The diagnosis of PE was based on a positive finding with a chest CT or a lung scan. Components of MetS were defined as 1) BMI≥30 kg/m(2) , 2) non-fasting preadmission glucose ≥11.1 mmol/L or diagnosis of diabetes, 3) hypertension, and 4) dyslipidemia. MetS was diagnosed if at least three of these components were present. RESULTS: Of 7282 patients, 107 (1.47%) were diagnosed with PE. The incidence of PE in patients with 0, 1, 2, 3, and 4 MetS components was respectively 0.85% (16/1888; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.5%-1.4%), 1.24% (31/2500; 95% CI 0.9%-1.8%), 1.76% (34/1936; 95% CI 1.2%-2.5%), 2.64% (21/796; 95% CI 1.7%-4.1%), and 3.09% (5/162; 95% CI 1.1%-7.4%). The independent risk factors for PE were age ≥70, knee as opposite to hip replacement, bilateral knee surgery, congestive heart failure, and MetS or the number of MetS components. The odds of PE independently increased 1.6 times (95% CI 1.01-2.56; P=0.043) for patients with MetS and 1.23 times (95% CI 1.02-1.48; P=0.028) per each additional MetS component. CONCLUSION: Patients with MetS are at increased risk for PE after total joint arthroplasty. The increasing number of MetS components significantly increased the incidence of PE.

Tumor recurrence is independent of pancreatic fistula in patients after pancreaticoduodenectomy for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Recurrence of pancreatic adenocarcinoma after pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) can be increased in patients with pancreatic fistula (PF). The purpose of our study was to determine if a relationship exists between PF and tumor recurrence (both peritoneal and local) in patients after PD for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. STUDY DESIGN: A single-institution, retrospective analysis of 221 patients who underwent PD from January 2001 to December 2009 was conducted. Electronic charts and medical records were queried for tumor characteristics, recurrence, and complications. Presence and grading of PF was determined using the criteria of the International Study Group on Pancreatic Fistula. Data were analyzed using chi-square and Kaplan-Meier survival statistics. RESULTS: There were 114 male and 107 female patients. Mean age was 66 years (range 35 to 91 years). The vast majority (84%) of patients had stage II disease; 143 (65%) had positive lymph nodes (median 2 positive nodes; range 1 to 17 positive nodes). Pancreatic fistula developed in 23 patients (grade A, n = 9; grade B, n = 13; grade C, n = 1; 10.2%). Peritoneal recurrence was noted in 20 patients (9%). Of the 23 patients with PF, peritoneal recurrence developed in 3 (13%). Of the 198 patients without PF, peritoneal recurrence developed in 17 (10%). Local recurrence occurred in 47 patients (21%), 5 (2%) in patients with PF and 42 (21%) in those without PF (p = NS). In Kaplan-Meier survival analysis, there was no significant difference in recurrence-free survival (p = 0.4) and overall survival (p = 0.3) for those with PF vs those without PF. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with PF after PD were not found to have a significant increase in local or peritoneal recurrence. Therefore, in this analysis, postoperative PF does not appear to serve as an adverse prognostic marker.

Splenic vein thrombosis is associated with an increase in pancreas-specific complications and reduced survival in patients undergoing distal pancreatectomy for pancreatic exocrine cancer.

Distal pancreatectomy and splenectomy (DPS) is the procedure of choice for the surgical treatment of pancreatic exocrine cancer localized to the body and tail of the pancreas. Splenic vein thrombosis (SVT) can occur in patients with malignant pancreatic exocrine tumors secondary to direct tumor invasion or compression of the splenic vein by mass effect. This study examines the effect of preoperative SVT on postoperative outcomes. In this retrospective cohort study, we queried our pancreatic surgery database to identify patients who underwent DPS from October 2005 to June 2011. These cases were evaluated for evidence of preoperative SVT on clinical records and cross-sectional imaging (CT,MRI, endoscopic US). Outcomes for patients with and without SVT were compared. From an overall cohort of 285 consecutive patients who underwent DPS during the study period, data were evaluated for 70 subjects who underwent surgery for pancreatic exocrine cancer (27 with SVT, 43 without SVT). The preoperative demographics and co-morbidities were similar between the groups, except the average age was higher for those without SVT (p<0.05). The median estimated blood loss was significantly higher in the SVT group (675 versus 250 ml, p=<0.001).While the overall morbidity rates were similar between the two groups (48 % SVT versus 56% no SVT, p=NS), the group with SVT had a significantly higher rate of pancreas-specific complications, including pancreatic fistula (33 versus 7 %,p<0.01) and delayed gastric emptying (15 versus 0%, p<0.02). Hospital readmission rates were similar between the groups(30 versus 28 %, p=NS). Patients without SVT had a trend toward longer median survival (40 versus 20.8 months),although the difference was not statistically significant (p=0.1). DPS for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma can be performed safely in patients with SVT, but with higher intraoperative blood loss, increased pancreas-specific complications, and a trend towards lower long-term survival rates. This paper was presented as a poster at the 53rd annual meeting of the Society for Surgery of the Alimentary Tract and at the 46th annual meeting of the Pancreas Club, San Diego, CA, May 2012.

Low levels of Stat5a protein in breast cancer are associated with tumor progression and unfavorable clinical outcomes.

INTRODUCTION: Signal transducer and activator of transcripton-5a (Stat5a) and its close homologue, Stat5b, mediate key physiological effects of prolactin and growth hormone in mammary glands. In breast cancer, loss of nuclear localized and tyrosine phosphorylated Stat5a/b is associated with poor prognosis and increased risk of antiestrogen therapy failure. Here we quantify for the first time levels of Stat5a and Stat5b over breast cancer progression, and explore their potential association with clinical outcome. METHODS: Stat5a and Stat5b protein levels were quantified in situ in breast-cancer progression material. Stat5a and Stat5b transcript levels in breast cancer were correlated with clinical outcome in 936 patients. Stat5a protein was further quantified in four archival cohorts totaling 686 patients with clinical outcome data by using multivariate models. RESULTS: Protein levels of Stat5a but not Stat5b were reduced in primary breast cancer and lymph node metastases compared with normal epithelia. Low tumor levels of Stat5a but not Stat5b mRNA were associated with poor prognosis. Experimentally, only limited overlap between Stat5a- and Stat5b-modulated genes was found. In two cohorts of therapy-naïve, node-negative breast cancer patients, low nuclear Stat5a protein levels were an independent marker of poor prognosis. Multivariate analysis of two cohorts treated with antiestrogen monotherapy revealed that low nuclear Stat5a levels were associated with a more than fourfold risk of unfavorable outcome. CONCLUSIONS: Loss of Stat5a represents a new independent marker of poor prognosis in node-negative breast cancer and may be a predictor of response to antiestrogen therapy if validated in randomized clinical trials.

Is there a role for the quantification of RRM1 and ERCC1 expression in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma?

BACKGROUND: RRM1 and ERCC1 overexpression has been extensively investigated as potential predictive markers of tumor sensitivity to conventional chemotherapy agents, most thoroughly in lung cancer. However, data in pancreatic cancer are scarce. METHODS: We investigated the mRNA and protein expression of ERCC1 and RRM1 by RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry (IHC) in formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded pancreatic ductal carcinoma (PDA) tissues. The primary outcome investigated was the association between RRM1 and ERCC1 expression and overall survival (OS) or disease-free survival (DFS). RESULTS: A total of 94 patients with resected PDA were included in this study. Most of them (87%) received gemcitabine based chemotherapy. Data for OS analysis was available in all cases but only 68% had enough information to estimate DFS. IHC analysis revealed information for 99% (93/94) and 100% of the cases for RRM1 and ERCC1 expression respectively. However, PCR data interpretation was possible in only 49 (52%) and 79 (84%) cases respectively. There was no significant association between high or low expression of either RRM1 or ERCC1, detected by IHC and OS (14.4 vs. 19.9 months; P = 0.5 and 17.1 vs. 19.9; P = 0.83 respectively) or PCR and OS (48.0 vs. 24.1 months; P = 0.21 and 22.0 vs. 16.0 months; P = 0.39 respectively). Similar results were obtained for DFS. CONCLUSIONS: RRM1 and ERCC1 expression does not seem to have a clear predictive or prognostic value in pancreatic cancer. Our data raise some questions regarding the real clinical and practical significance of analyzing these molecules as predictors of outcomes.

High blood pressure and obesity increase the risk of abnormal glucose tolerance in young adult african americans.

Higher prevalence of both hypertension and obesity in African Americans is associated with a disproportionately greater burden of cardiovascular diseases in this ethnic group. The purpose of this study was to examine whether there is an interaction between hypertension and obesity that significantly increases the expression of metabolic risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Four groups of young adult African Americans were recruited based on their weight and blood pressure (BP). The effects of weight and BP on metabolic risk factors were analyzed based on data obtained from 484 patients. Results demonstrated that high BP and obesity were independently associated with increased odds of abnormal glucose tolerance, 1.8- and 2.2-fold, respectively. The coexistence of both high BP and obesity further increased the odds of abnormal glucose tolerance 4-fold. In addition, the geometric mean of homeostasis model assessment, an estimate of insulin resistance, increased by 18% with high BP, 60% with obesity, and 90% with the presence of both high BP and obesity. Although no statistically significant interaction between high BP and obesity was detected, the relationships of both high BP and obesity with metabolic risk factors were clearly additive.