Patients with colorectal cancer and brain metastasis: The relevance of extracranial metastatic patterns predicting time intervals to first occurrence of intracranial metastasis and survival.

The aim of the study was to investigate the predictive impact of extracranial metastatic patterns on course of disease and survival in patients with colorectal cancer (CRC) and brain metastasis (BM). A total of 228 patients (134 male [59%], 94 female [41%]) with histologically proven CRC and BM were classified into different groups according to extracranial metastatic patterns. Time intervals to metastatic events and survival times from initial CRC diagnosis, extracranial and intracranial metastasis were analyzed. Extracranial organs mostly affected were liver (102 of 228 [44.7%]) and lung (96 of 228 [42.1%]). Liver and lung metastases were detected in 31 patients (13.6%). Calculated over the entire course of disease, patients with lung metastasis showed longer overall survival (OS) than patients with liver metastasis or patients without lung metastasis (43.9 vs 34.6 [P = .002] vs 35.0 months [P = .002]). From the date of initial CRC diagnosis, lung metastasis occurred later in CRC history than liver metastasis (24.3 vs 7.5 months). Once lung metastasis was diagnosed, BM occurred faster than in patients with liver metastasis (15.8 vs 26.0 months; Δ 10.2 months). Accordingly, OS from the diagnosis of liver metastasis was longer than from lung metastasis (27.1 vs 19.6 months [P = .08]). Once BM was present, patients with lung metastasis lived longer than patients with liver metastasis (3.8 vs 1.1 months [P = .028]). Shortest survival times in all survival categories analyzed revealed patients with concurrent liver and lung metastasis. Patients with CRC and BM form a heterogeneous cohort where extracranial metastasis to liver or lungs predicts survival.

Combined resection of colorectal hepatic-pulmonary metastases shows improved outcome over chemotherapy alone.

BACKGROUND: The objective of this retrospective study was to assess the survival of patients after resection of hepatic and pulmonary colorectal metastases to identify predictors of long-term survival. METHODS: Patients receiving chemotherapy alone were compared to patients receiving surgery and chemotherapy in a matched-pair analysis with the following criteria: UICC stage, grading, and date of initial primary tumor occurrence. RESULTS: A total of 30 patients with liver and lung metastases of colorectal carcinoma underwent resection. In 20 cases, complete resection was achieved (median survival, 67 months). Incomplete resection and preoperatively elevated carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) levels are independent risk factors for reduced survival. Patients developing pulmonary metastases prior to hepatic metastases had the worst prognosis. Surgical resection significantly increased survival compared to chemotherapy alone in matched-pair analysis (65 vs. 30 months, p = 0.03). CONCLUSIONS: Incomplete resection and elevated CEA levels are predictors of poor outcome. Matched-paired analysis confirmed that surgical resection in combination with chemotherapy appears to be superior to chemotherapy alone.

PD-L2: A prognostic marker in chromophobe renal cell carcinoma?

In the context of cancer immunotherapy, PD-1 as well as PD-L1 has been widely studied in renal cell carcinoma (RCC). PD-1 and PD-L1 play a significant role as prognostic markers in clear cell renal cell carcinoma. In contrast, little is known about PD-L2 expression patterns in RCC, especially in rarer subtypes. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence, distribution and prognostic impact of PD-L2 expression in chromophobe (ch)RCC. Eighty-one patients who underwent renal surgery due to chRCC were retrospectively evaluated. Tumor specimens were analyzed for PD-L2 expression by immunohistochemistry. Expression data were associated with clinicopathological parameters and overall survival (OS). Twenty-three (28.4%) patients showed a PD-L2 > median (PD-L2 high) staining intensity. No significant association between clinicopathological parameters and PD-L2 expression was identified. A significant difference between 5- and 10-year OS in dependence of PD-L2 expression was found (PD-L2 low 96.4 and 87.7% vs. PD-L2 high 87.1 and 56%; log rank, p = 0.029). However, in multivariate analysis PD-L2 expression failed to be proofed as an independent prognostic factor. In conclusion, to our knowledge this is the first study evaluating the prognostic impact of PD-L2 in a considerably large cohort of chRCC. Our results showed a significant diminished OS in dependence of PD-L2 expression. This implicates that PD-L2 might play a role as prognostic marker in chRCC demanding further evaluation.

c-Met in chromophobe renal cell carcinoma.

c-Met plays a role as a prognostic marker in clear cell renal cell carcinoma. In addition, recently the tyrosine kinase inhibitor cabozantinib targeting c-Met was approved for the treatment of advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC). In contrast to clear cell RCC, little is known about c-Met expression patterns in rarer RCC subtypes. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence, distribution and prognostic impact of c-Met expression on chromophobe (ch)RCC. Patients who underwent renal surgery due to chRCC were retrospectively evaluated. Tumor specimens were analyzed for c-Met expression by immunohistochemistry. Expression data were associated with clinicopathological parameters including patient survival. Eighty-one chRCC patients were eligible for analysis. Twenty-four (29.6%) patients showed a high c-Met expression (c-Methigh, staining intensity higher than median). Our results showed an association between c-Methigh expression and the existence of lymph node metastasis (p = 0.007). No further significant clinicopathological associations with c-Met were identified, also regarding c-Met expression and overall survival. In conclusion, to our knowledge this is the first study evaluating the prognostic impact of c-Met in a considerably large cohort of chRCC. High c-Met expression is associated with the occurrence of lymph node metastasis. This indicates that c-Met might be implicated into metastatic progression in chRCC.

PD-1/PD-L1 expression in chromophobe renal cell carcinoma: An immunological exception?

Immune checkpoint inhibitors targeting the inhibitory cross talk between tumor and immune cells have been approved for therapy in renal cell carcinoma (RCC). In contrast to clear cell RCC, little is known on PD-1/PD-L1 expression patterns in rarer RCC subtypes. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence, distribution and prognostic impact of PD-1 and PD-L1 expression in chromophobe (ch)RCC. Patients who underwent renal surgery due to chRCC were retrospectively evaluated. Tumor specimen was analyzed for PD-1 and PD-L1 expression by immunohistochemistry. Expression data were correlated with clinic-pathological parameters including patient survival. Eighty-one chRCC patients were eligible for analysis, thereof 25 (30.9 %) and 11 (13.6 %) patients were positive for PD-1+ tumor-infiltrating mononuclear cells (TIMCs) and tumoral PD-L1+ expression, respectively. No significant associations were found for PD-1+ TIMC or tumoral PD-L1+ expression and clinical attributes. In addition, no differences in 5- and 10-year overall survival for PD-1- TIMC compared to PD-1+ TIMC (90.5 and 72.2 vs. 100 and 75 %; p = 0.41) and for PD-L1- tumors compared to PD-L1+ tumors (91.9 and 76.4 vs. 100 and 50 %; p = 0.48) were observed. In conclusion, to our knowledge this is the first study to evaluate the prognostic impact of PD-1 and PD-L1 in chRCC. PD-L1 does seem to be expressed in a minority of all chRCC, likewise only a minority of chRCC was infiltrated by PD-1-positive inflammatory cells. Neither PD-1+ TIMC nor tumoral PD-L1+ expression was associated with parameters of aggressiveness or survival.

Brain Metastasis in Colorectal Cancer Patients: Survival and Analysis of Prognostic Factors.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of the study was to characterize the rare cohort of patients (pts) with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) and brain metastasis (BM) and to identify prognostic subgroups. PATIENTS AND METHODS: In collaboration with the Munich Cancer Registry, pts with mCRC and BM who were diagnosed between 1998 and 2011 were identified. Survival from the time of first diagnosis of colorectal cancer (CRC) (OS-1), from the time of diagnosis of metastatic disease (OS-2) and of BM (OS-3) was calculated regarding (1) the temporal occurrence of extra- and intracranial metastasis (meta- vs. synchronous) and (2) tumor and patient characteristics. For survival analysis the Kaplan-Meier estimator and Cox regression models were used. RESULTS: A total of 228 pts (134 male [59%], 94 female [41%]) were identified. The median age was 63 years (142 pts [62%] were 65 years of age or younger). Most pts presented with primary tumors staged T3/4, N+, Grade 2. The primary tumor was located predominantly in the left colon (155 pts; 68%), especially in the rectum (95 pts; 42%). Median OS-1 was 35.6 months (95% confidence interval [CI], 30.1-41.1 months), OS-2 was 16.5 months (95% CI, 13.9-19.1 months), and OS-3 was 2.0 months (95% CI, 1.5-2.5 months). Median time from first CRC diagnosis to BM was 29.2 months. Subsequent BM after extracranial metastasis were observed in 184 pts (80.7%), whereas 31 pts (13.6%) presented with solitary BM. Univariate analysis did not reveal a prognostic variable for overall survival after diagnosis of BM. CONCLUSION: This study presents the largest number of pts with mCRC and BM analyzed to date. The results show that most mCRC pts develop BM as a late step in the course of disease. Median time from first CRC diagnosis to BM is 29.2 months. Only a few pts were diagnosed with BM early in the disease or with solitary BM. When BM is present survival is poor.