Treatment of ocular surface squamous neoplasia in an Indian rural facility: a study of 38 eyes.

PURPOSE: To report the demographic profile, clinical presentation, and management outcomes of ocular surface squamous neoplasia (OSSN) treated with primary topical chemotherapy in a limited resource secondary eye care facility in rural parts of South India. METHODS: Retrospective interventional study of 38 eyes of 37 patients with OSSN treated with topical 1% 5-Fluorouracil (5FU), over a period of two years. RESULTS: The median age at presentation with OSSN was 44 years (mean, 46 years; range 13 to 74 years). Majority (76%) were males. The most common morphological variant was placoid OSSN (18, 47%). Limbus was the most common epicenter (31, 82%). Corneal OSSN was the most initially misdiagnosed variant (n = 3). Of the 38 eyes receiving one week on and 3-weeks off cycles of 5FU regimen, complete tumor resolution was achieved in 36 (95%) eyes. The median number of topical 5FU cycles for tumor resolution was 2 (mean, 2; range, 1 to 4). Over a median follow-up period of 5 months (mean, 6 months; range, 1 to 27 months), tumor recurrence was noted in 3 eyes (8%), of which one case had xeroderma pigmentosum with bilateral multifocal recurrence. Complication rate was 5% (n = 2), which included transient conjunctival hyperemia (n = 1), and bacterial keratitis (n = 1) which resolved with fortified antibiotics. CONCLUSION: Primary chemotherapy with topical 1% 5FU is a safe and effective management modality for OSSN at limited resource settings in rural India.

Phase 1b study of first-line fuzuloparib combined with modified FOLFIRINOX followed by fuzuloparib maintenance monotherapy in pancreatic adenocarcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Chemotherapy remains the standard first-line treatment for pancreatic adenocarcinoma, but with limited efficacy. We aimed to explore the feasibility of adding the PARP inhibitor fuzuloparib to mFOLFIRINOX in the locally advanced/metastatic (LA/M) setting. METHODS: This was the dose-escalation and -expansion, phase 1b portion of a phase 1b/2 study. Patients were given oral fuzuloparib at escalating doses starting at 30 mg twice daily (BID) plus intravenous mFOLFIRINOX q2w for 8-12 cycles, followed by maintenance fuzuloparib at 150 mg BID. Cohorts at the maximal tolerated dose (MTD) and lower dose of fuzuloparib were expanded. Primary endpoints were dose-limiting toxicity (DLT), MTD, and recommended phase 2 dose (RP2D). RESULTS: As of data cutoff on Jan 15, 2023, 39 patients were recruited. 12 patients were enrolled during dose escalation (30 mg [n = 4]; 60 mg [n = 6]; 100 mg [n = 2]). DLT occurred in 1 patient in 60 mg cohort and 1 patient in 100 mg cohort. 60 mg BID was determined to be the MTD, and then 60 and 30 mg cohorts were expanded to 22 and 15 patients, respectively. The most common grade ≥ 3 treatment-related adverse events were hematologic toxicities. Efficacy in 60 mg cohort seemed to be most favorable, with an objective response rate of 50.0% (95% CI, 26.0-74.0) and disease control rate of 94.4% (95% CI, 72.7-99.9). CONCLUSIONS: First-line fuzuloparib plus mFOLFIRINOX followed by maintenance fuzuloparib was generally safe and showed encouraging anti-tumor activity in patients with LA/M pancreatic adenocarcinoma. The RP2D of fuzuloparib combination was 60 mg BID. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT04228601.

Clinico-biological factors predicting the benefit of the LV5FU2 maintenance strategy as a first-line therapy in patients with metastatic pancreatic cancer.

INTRODUCTION: Predictive markers of LV5FU2 maintenance benefit after first-line induction with FOLFIRINOX in patients with metastatic pancreatic cancer are necessary to select patients who will not be harmed by this strategy. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We focused on patients who received 12 cycles of FOLFIRINOX (arm A, N = 88) or 8 cycles of FOLFIRINOX followed by LV5FU2 maintenance in controlled patients (arm B, N = 91) from the PRODIGE-35 trial. Prognostic factors and predictors of efficiency were identified by using Cox regression. Median progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), and time to deterioration of quality of life (TTD-QoL) were evaluated. RESULTS: Poor independent prognostic factors were primary tumor in place, age <65 years and the presence of liver metastases for PFS, a baseline neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (NLR) ≥5 and CA19.9 ≥500 UI/L for OS, independent of the treatment arm. Patients with one metastatic site had a longer PFS in arm A, whereas patients with ≥2 metastatic sites had a longer PFS in arm B. We also identified predictors of OS and TTD-QoL in arm B but these differences were not statistically significant. CONCLUSION: Except for patients with one metastatic site who benefited more from 12 cycles of FOLFIRINOX, a maintenance strategy with LV5FU2 should be widely offered to mPC patients whose survival and QoL are preserved after 4 months of FOLFIRINOX. (ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT02352337).

Familial adenomatous polyposis: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Familial adenomatous polyposis is characterized by the presence of multiple colorectal adenomatous polyps and caused by germline mutations in the tumor suppressor gene and adenomatous polyposis coli, located on chromosome 5q21-q22. Familial adenomatous polyposis occurs in approximately 1/10,000 to 1/30,000 live births, and accounts for less than 1% of all colorectal cancers in the USA. It affects both sexes equally and has a worldwide distribution. The incidence of colon cancer in low- and middle-income countries is rising. In addition to the increasing incidence, lack of early detection and impeded access to optimal multidisciplinary treatment may worsen survival outcomes. Developing quality diagnostic services in the proper health context is crucial for early diagnosis and successful therapy of patients with colorectal cancer, and applying a resource-sensitive approach to prioritize essential treatments on the basis of effectiveness and cost-effectiveness is key to overcoming barriers in low- and middle-income countries. We report a case of familial adenomatous polyposis presenting as adenocarcinoma with multiple colorectal adenomatous polyps. The diagnosis of familial adenomatous polyposis was made by the presence of numerous colorectal adenomatous polyps and family history of colonic adenocarcinoma. Due to its rarity, we decided to report it. CASE PRESENTATION: A 22-year-old Ethiopian female patient presented to Addis Ababa University College of Health science, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia with rectal bleeding. Abdominopelvic computed tomography scan was done and showed distal rectal asymmetric anterior wall thickening in keeping with rectal tumor. Colonoscopy was done and she was diagnosed to have familial adenomatous polyposis with severe dysplasia. In the meantime, colonoscopy guided biopsy was taken and the diagnosis of adenocarcinoma with familial adenomatous polyposis was rendered. For this, total proctocolectomy was carried out. On laparotomy there was also incidental finding of left ovarian deposition for which left salpingo-oophorectomy was done, and 4 weeks after surgical resection, the patient was started on oxaliplatin, leucovorin, fluorouracil chemotherapy regimen. CONCLUSION: In the clinical evaluation of a patient with rectal bleeding, familial adenomatous polyposis must be considered as a differential diagnosis in subjects having family history of colonic adenocarcinoma for early diagnostic workup, management, family genetic counseling, and testing.

Prognostic value of neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio in patients with advanced pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma treated with systemic chemotherapy.

OBJECTIVES: Although systemic chemotherapy for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) has made progress, ensuring long-term survival remains difficult. There are several reports on the usefulness of neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) in predicting the prognosis of PDAC, but few reports in systemic chemotherapy. We hereby investigated the usefulness of NLR in systemic chemotherapy for PDAC. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective study was conducted on patients with advanced PDAC treated with first-line systemic chemotherapy. Cox regression hazards models were performed to analyze the association between baseline patient characteristics and the initial treatment response, and overall survival (OS). RESULTS: A total of 60 patients with PDAC were enrolled. At baseline, there were significant differences in NLR and carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA19-9), as well as the selection rate of combination chemotherapy, between patients with partial response or stable disease and those with progressive disease. Univariate and multivariate analysis showed that NLR < 3.10, combination chemotherapy, and CA19-9 < 1011 U/mL were significant and independent predictive factors of the initial treatment response. Meanwhile, NLR < 3.10 and combination chemotherapy were independently associated with longer OS. Moreover, OS was significantly prolonged in patients with NLR < 3.10, regardless of whether combination chemotherapy or monotherapy. Patients with NLR < 3.10 at baseline had a significantly higher conversion rate to third-line chemotherapy and a longer duration of total chemotherapy. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that NLR may be a useful marker for predicting the initial treatment response to first-line chemotherapy and the prognosis for patients with advanced PDAC.

Evaluation of pembrolizumab plus cisplatin and fluorouracil in radical treatment for patients with T4b esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Pembrolizumab plus cisplatin and 5-fluorouracil administered as first-line therapy for advanced esophageal cancer patients has shown a better objective response and survival than conventional chemotherapy with less severe hematological adverse events. The safety and efficacy of this regimen were evaluated in patients with T4b esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). METHODS: Eight consecutive patients with T4b ESCC received this regimen according to KEYNOTE-590 as induction, and they were evaluated after 1-3 courses. The programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) combined positive score (CPS) was also evaluated before chemotherapy. Efficacy for the primary lesion was evaluated by our original formula for the tumor reduction rate. RESULTS: The numbers of patients with partial response (PR), stable disease, and progressive disease (PD) were 5, 1, and 2, respectively. The tumor reduction rate ranged from 69 to 87% in PR patients, and all PR patients had relief from T4b. Two patients underwent conversion surgery with R0 resection. PD-L1 CPS was over 90 in 2 PR patients, but under 10 in 2 other PR patients. PD-L1 CPS was under 10 in PD patients. One patient had hyperprogression, resulting in an esophago-pulmonary fistula. Greater than grade 3 adverse events were bleeding gastric ulcer in one patient (12.5%), neutropenia without G-CSF in 3 patients (37.5%), and hypopotassemia in 1 patient (12.5%). No patient had febrile neutropenia. CONCLUSIONS: Marked tumor reduction was confirmed in 62.5% of patients with pembrolizumab plus cisplatin and 5-fluorouracil with less adverse events. This regimen could be administered as induction chemotherapy for patients with T4b ESCC.

Neoadjuvant chemotherapy for advanced eyelid and periocular sebaceous gland carcinoma: a study of 25 cases.

PURPOSE: To report the outcomes of platinum-based neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) for eyelid and periocular sebaceous gland carcinoma (eSGC). METHODS: Retrospective study of 25 patients. RESULTS: The mean age at presentation of eSGC was 59 years. The mean tumor basal diameter was 46 mm. By the 8th edition of AJCC classification, tumors belonged T2 (n = 2, 8%), T3 (n = 6, 24%), and T4 (n = 17, 68%); N1 (n = 12,48%); and M1 (n = 1, 4%). NACT with 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) and cisplatin/carboplatin was administered in 21 (84%)/4 (16%) patients, respectively. The mean number of cycles of neoadjuvant systemic chemotherapy per patient was 2 (median, 3). The mean percentage reduction of tumor basal volume after neoadjuvant chemotherapy was 65% (median, 60%). After NACT, 12 (48%) patients underwent surgical treatment, 6 (12%) patients underwent EBRT, and 4 (8%) underwent adjuvant chemotherapy. A total of 11 (44%) patients were lost to follow-up during the course of treatment, of whom 3 died from metastatic disease. In 16 patients followed up for ≥ 3 months, complete tumor control was achieved in 11 (69%) patients, local tumor control in 14 (88%), and globe salvage in 7 (44%) at a mean follow-up of 25 months (median, 7 months; range, 3 to 110 months). No tumor recurrence was seen in any case. One (4%) serious adverse event of cardiotoxicity was noted. CONCLUSION: Platinum-based NACT is a suitable option for eSGC with advanced tumors and locoregional metastasis. Adverse events are rare and in patients compliant with treatment, NACT-based combination therapy offers globe salvage and systemic tumor control.

Clinical Implementation of Rare and Novel DPYD Variants for Personalizing Fluoropyrimidine Treatment: Challenges and Opportunities.

Fluoropyrimidines (FLs) [5-Fluorouracil, Capecitabine] are used in the treatment of several solid tumors. Dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase (DPD) is the rate-limiting enzyme for FL detoxification, and its deficiency could lead to severe, life-threatening or fatal toxicity after FL administration. Testing with a pharmacogenetic panel of four deleterious variants in the dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase gene (DPYD) (DPYD*2A, DPYD*13, c.2846A > T, c.1129-5923C > G) prior to FL treatment, is recommended by scientific consortia (e.g., CPIC, DPWG) and drug regulatory agencies (e.g., EMA). However, this panel identifies < 20% of patients at risk of severe FL-related toxicity. Cumulative recent evidence highlights the potential clinical value of rare (minor allele frequency < 1%) and novel DPYD genetic variants for identifying an additional fraction of DPD-deficient patients at increased risk of severe FL-related toxicity. In this review, we aimed to comprehensively describe the available evidence regarding the potential clinical predictive role of novel and rare DPYD variants as toxicity markers in FL-treated patients, and to discuss the challenges and opportunities in tailoring FL treatment based upon clinical application of such markers. Although we must overcome existing barriers to the clinical implementation, the available data support that comprehensive assessment of the DPYD sequence, including rare and novel genetic variants, may significantly enhance the pre-emptive identification of at-risk patients, compared to the current targeted approach.

A multicenter, prospective, non-interventional real-world study to assess the effectiveness of mecapegfilgrastim in preventing neutropenia in patients with gastrointestinal cancer.

BACKGROUND: Mecapegfilgrastim, a long-acting granulocyte-colony stimulating factor has been approved for reducing the incidence of infection, particularly febrile neutropenia (FN), in China. OBJECTIVE: We conducted a multicenter prospective observational study to examine the safety and effectiveness of mecapegfilgrastim in preventing neutropenia in gastrointestinal patients receiving the chemotherapy, including S-1/capecitabine-based regimens or the fluorouracil, leucovorin, oxaliplatin, and irinotecan (FOLFOXIRI)/fluorouracil, leucovorin, and oxaliplatin (FOLFOX)/fluorouracil, leucovorin, oxaliplatin, and irinotecan (FOLFIRINOX) regimens. METHOD: Five hundred and sixty-one gastrointestinal patients from 40 sites across China, between May 2019 and November 2021, were included. The administration of mecapegfilgrastim was prescribed at the discretion of local physicians. RESULTS: The most common adverse drug reactions (ADRs) of any grade for all patients was increased white blood cells (2.9%). Grade 3/4 ADRs were observed for anemia (0.2%), decreased white blood cells (0.2%), and decreased neutrophil count (0.2%). Among the 116 patients who received S-1/capecitabine-based chemotherapy throughout all cycles, ADRs of any grade included anemia (1.7%), myalgia (0.9%), and increased alanine aminotransferase (0.9%). No grade 3/4 ADRs were observed. In 414 cycles of patients who underwent S-1/capecitabine-based regimens, only one (0.2%) cycle experienced grade 4 neutropenia. In the FOLFIRINOX, FOLFOXIRI, and FOLFOX chemotherapy regimens, grade 4 neutropenia occurred in one (2.7%) of 37 cycles, four (4.7%) of 85 cycles, and two (1.2%) of 167 cycles, respectively. CONCLUSION: In a real-world setting, mecapegfilgrastim has proven effective in preventing severe neutropenia in gastrointestinal patients following chemotherapy. This includes commonly used moderate or high-risk FN regimens or regimens containing S1/capecitabine, all of which have demonstrated favorable efficacy and safety profiles.

Impact of Coronavirus Disease 2019 on the Diagnosis and Treatment of Pancreatic Cancer: An Observational Cohort Study.

Early pancreatic cancer diagnosis is crucial for timely intervention and better outcomes. The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has disrupted routine health care globally. The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted routine health care globally. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of COVID-19 on the diagnosis and treatment of pancreatic cancer. This retrospective study compared pancreatic cancer patients from 2 tertiary hospitals in pre and COVID-19 periods. Pre-COVID-19 period spanned from January 1, 2018, to January 19, 2020, while the COVID-19 period extended from January 20, 2020, to December 31, 2021. Results: A total of 542 patients were included. In the pre-COVID-19 period, 280 new cases of pancreatic cancer were enrolled, compared to 262 during COVID-19. The annual incidence rates were 136.63 and 134.50 patients, respectively. The median age was significantly lower during COVID-19 (71.5 years) compared to pre-COVID-19 (77 years) (P < .001). In subgroup analyses for stage 3 and 4, the proportion of stage 4 pancreatic cancer increased during COVID-19 (χ2 = 5.53, P = .019), and the COVID-19 group had younger diagnoses, better performance status, more surgery, higher use of FOLFIRINOX chemotherapy, fewer hospital referrals, and better median overall survival compared to the pre-COVID-19 group. This study revealed changes in the characteristics and treatment of patients diagnosed with pancreatic cancer during the COVID-19 pandemic. Although further large-scale research is necessary, the findings of this study can function as foundational data for formulating policies for the management of patients with pancreatic cancer during future pandemics of other infectious diseases.

5-Fluorouracil resistance due to sphingosine kinase 2 overexpression in colorectal cancer is associated with myeloid-derived suppressor cell-mediated immunosuppressive effects.

PURPOSE: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the top five cancer-related causes of mortality globally. Acquired resistance has hindered the effectiveness of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), the main chemotherapeutic drug used to treat CRC. Sphingosine kinase 2 (SphK2) may be a cancer treatment target and involved in 5-FU resistance. METHODS: Cell growth was examined using MTT and clone formation assays for SphK2 expression. To identify immune cells in mice, flow cytometry was performed. West blotting demonstrated alterations in cell division and inflammation-related proteins. SphK2 levels and inflammation-related variables were studied using Elisa. RESULTS: Due to SphK2 overexpression, immunosuppression, and 5-FU resistance are caused by the development of myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) subsequent to IL-6/STAT3 activation and alterations in the arginase (ARG-1) protein. After therapy, the combination of SphK2 inhibitors and 5-FU can effectively suppress MDSCs while increasing CD4+ and CD8+ T cell infiltration into the tumor microenvironment, lowering tumor burden, and exhibiting a therapeutic impact on CRC. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that 5-FU treatment combined with simultaneous Spkh2 inhibition by ABC294640 has anti-tumor synergistic effects by influencing multiple effects on tumor cells, T cells, and MDSCs, potentially improving the poor prognosis of colorectal cancer patients.

tsRNA-GlyGCC promotes colorectal cancer progression and 5-FU resistance by regulating SPIB.

BACKGROUND: tRNA-derived small RNAs (tsRNAs) are newly discovered non-coding RNA, which are generated from tRNAs and are reported to participate in several biological processes in diseases, especially cancer; however, the mechanism of tsRNA involvement in colorectal cancer (CRC) and 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) is still unclear. METHODS: RNA sequencing was performed to identify differential expression of tsRNAs in CRC tissues. CCK8, colony formation, transwell assays, and tumor sphere assays were used to investigate the role of tsRNA-GlyGCC in 5-FU resistance in CRC. TargetScan and miRanda were used to identify the target genes of tsRNA-GlyGCC. Biotin pull-down, RNA pull-down, luciferase assay, ChIP, and western blotting were used to explore the underlying molecular mechanisms of action of tsRNA-GlyGCC. The MeRIP assay was used to investigate the N(7)-methylguanosine RNA modification of tsRNA-GlyGCC. RESULTS: In this study, we uncovered the feature of tsRNAs in human CRC tissues and confirmed a specific 5' half tRNA, 5'tiRNA-Gly-GCC (tsRNA-GlyGCC), which is upregulated in CRC tissues and modulated by METTL1-mediated N(7)-methylguanosine tRNA modification. In vitro and in vivo experiments revealed the oncogenic role of tsRNA-GlyGCC in 5-FU drug resistance in CRC. Remarkably, our results showed that tsRNA-GlyGCC modulated the JAK1/STAT6 signaling pathway by targeting SPIB. Poly (ß-amino esters) were synthesized to assist the delivery of 5-FU and tsRNA-GlyGCC inhibitor, which effectively inhibited tumor growth and enhanced CRC sensitive to 5-FU without obvious adverse effects in subcutaneous tumor. CONCLUSIONS: Our study revealed a specific tsRNA-GlyGCC-engaged pathway in CRC progression. Targeting tsRNA-GlyGCC in combination with 5-FU may provide a promising nanotherapeutic strategy for the treatment of 5-FU-resistance CRC.

Budget impact analysis of introducing fruquintinib for metastatic colorectal cancer previously treated with fluoropyrimidine-, oxaliplatin-, and irinotecan-based chemotherapy and biologics in the United States from the payer perspective.

AIMS: Fruquintinib is a selective small molecule tyrosine kinase inhibitor of vascular endothelial growth factor receptor (VEGFR)-1, -2, and -3 recently approved in the United States (US) for the treatment of adult patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (CRC) who have previously been treated with fluoropyrimidine-, oxaliplatin-, and irinotecan-based chemotherapy, an anti-VEGF biological therapy, and if RAS wild-type and medically appropriate, anti-epidermal growth factor receptor therapy. This study aimed to estimate the 5-year budget impact of fruquintinib from a US payer perspective (commercial and Medicare). MATERIALS AND METHODS: A budget impact model was developed to compare two scenarios: a reference scenario in which patients received regorafenib, trifluridine/tipiracil, or trifluridine/tipiracil with bevacizumab and an alternative scenario in which patients received reference scenario treatments or fruquintinib. Market shares were evenly divided across available options. A 5-year time horizon and a hypothetical health plan of 1 million members was assumed. The model included epidemiological inputs to estimate the eligible population; clinical inputs for treatment duration, progression-free survival, overall survival, and adverse event (AE) frequency; and cost inputs for treatment, AEs, disease management, subsequent therapy, and terminal care costs. Budget impact was reported as total, per member per year (PMPY), and per member per month (PMPM). RESULTS: The model estimated an eligible population of 194 patients (39 per year) over 5 years. In the base case, the estimated 5-year budget impact of fruquintinib was $4,077,073 ($0.82 PMPY and 0.07 PMPM) for a commercial health plan. During the first year, the estimated budget impact was $627,570 ($0.63 PMPY and 0.05 PMPM). Results were robust across sensitivity analyses. PMPM costs from the Medicare perspective were greater than the base-case (commercial) ($0.17 vs. $0.07) due to higher incidence of CRC in that population. CONCLUSIONS: Fruquintinib is associated with a low budget impact for payers based on proposed thresholds in the US.

Fruquintinib is a treatment for metastatic colorectal cancer that has progressed after or not responded to multiple guideline-recommended therapies. This budget impact analysis was conducted to estimate the added costs a health plan would incur over a 5-year period if it chose to cover this therapy. The analysis found that the per plan member per month cost of covering fruquintinib was $0.07 for a United States commercial health plan and $0.17 for Medicare.

MIR27A Gene Polymorphism Modifies the Effect of Common DPYD Gene Variants on Severe Toxicity in Patients with Gastrointestinal Tumors Treated with Fluoropyrimidine-Based Anticancer Therapy.

To reduce severe fluoropyrimidine-related toxicity, pharmacogenetic guidelines recommend a dose reduction for carriers of four high-risk variants in the DPYD gene (*2A, *13, c.2846A>T, HapB3). The polymorphism in the MIR27A gene has been shown to enhance the predictive value of these variants. Our study aimed to explore whether rs895819 in the MIR27A gene modifies the effect of five common DPYD variants: c.1129-5923C>G (rs75017182, HapB3), c.2194G>A (rs1801160, *6), c.1601G>A (rs1801158, *4), c.496A>G (rs2297595), and c.85T>C (rs1801265, *9A). The study included 370 Caucasian patients with gastrointestinal tumors who received fluoropyrimidine-containing chemotherapy. Genotyping was performed using high-resolution melting analysis. The DPYD*6 allele was associated with overall severe toxicity and neutropenia with an increased risk particularly pronounced in patients carrying the MIR27A variant. All carriers of DPYD*6 exhibited an association with asthenia regardless of their MIR27A status. The increased risk of neutropenia in patients with c.496G was only evident in those co-carrying the MIR27A variant. DPYD*4 was also significantly linked to neutropenia risk in co-carriers of the MIR27A variant. Thus, we have demonstrated the predictive value of the *6, *4, and c.496G alleles of the DPYD gene, considering the modifying effect of the MIR27A polymorphism.

Health-related quality of life in patients with CLDN18.2-positive, locally advanced unresectable or metastatic gastric or gastroesophageal junction adenocarcinoma: results from the SPOTLIGHT and GLOW clinical trials.

BACKGROUND: First-line zolbetuximab plus chemotherapy (SPOTLIGHT, mFOLFOX6; GLOW, CAPOX) significantly improved progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) versus placebo plus chemotherapy in patients with human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-negative, locally advanced unresectable or metastatic gastric or gastroesophageal junction adenocarcinoma whose tumors were claudin 18 isoform 2-positive in the phase III SPOTLIGHT (NCT03504397) and GLOW (NCT03653507) studies. We present patient-reported outcomes (PROs) from these studies. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) was measured in the full analysis sets using the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life of Cancer Patients Core Questionnaire (QLQ-C30) and Oesophago-Gastric Module (QLQ-OG25), Global Pain, and 5-level EQ-5D (EQ-5D-5L) questionnaires. Analyses focused on key PRO domains: global health status (GHS)/QoL, physical functioning, abdominal pain and discomfort, and nausea/vomiting. Least squares mean (LSM) changes from baseline and time to first definitive deterioration (TTDD) were evaluated combined across SPOTLIGHT and GLOW and for individual studies. Time to confirmed deterioration (TTCD) was evaluated independently for SPOTLIGHT and GLOW. RESULTS: The combined analysis set included 1072 patients (zolbetuximab plus chemotherapy, 537; placebo plus chemotherapy, 535). Compliance rates were similar between treatment arms. Similar trends were observed in the zolbetuximab versus placebo arms for LSM changes from baseline in key PRO domains, with no clinically meaningful deterioration. Nausea/vomiting worsened during the first few zolbetuximab cycles but later returned to baseline levels. Overall TTCD and TTDD results were similar between arms in both studies. CONCLUSIONS: Patients in SPOTLIGHT and GLOW maintained measured HRQoL relative to baseline when treated with first-line zolbetuximab added to chemotherapy. Zolbetuximab plus chemotherapy improved PFS and OS without negatively affecting HRQoL in key PRO domains compared with placebo plus chemotherapy.

Postoperative radiotherapy in women with early operable breast cancer (Scottish Breast Conservation Trial): 30-year update of a randomised, controlled, phase 3 trial.

BACKGROUND: Breast-conserving surgery, adjuvant systemic therapy, and radiotherapy are the standard of care for most women with early breast cancer. There are few reports of clinical outcomes beyond the first decade of follow-up of randomised trials comparing breast-conserving surgery with or without radiotherapy. We present a 30-year update of the Scottish Breast Conservation Trial. METHODS: In this randomised, controlled, phase 3 trial across 14 hospitals in Scotland, women aged younger than 70 years with early breast cancer (tumours ≤4 cm [T1 or T2 and N0 or N1]) were included. They underwent breast-conserving surgery (1 cm margin) with axillary node sampling or clearance. Oestrogen receptor (ER)-rich patients (≥20 fmol/mg protein) received 20 mg oral tamoxifen daily for 5 years. ER-poor patients (<20 fmol/mg protein) received chemotherapy (cyclophosphamide 600 mg/m2, methotrexate 50 mg/m2, and fluorouracil 600 mg/m2 every 21 days intravenously in eight courses). Stratification was by menstrual status (within or more than 12 months from last menstrual period) and ER status (oestrogen concentration ≥20 fmol/mg protein, <20 fmol/mg protein, or unknown) and patients were randomly assigned (1:1) to high-dose (50 Gy in 20-25 fractions) local or locoregional radiotherapy versus no radiotherapy. No blinding was possible due to the nature of the treatment. We report the primary endpoint of the original trial, ipsilateral breast tumour recurrence, and the co-primary endpoint, overall survival. Clinical outcomes were compared by the log-rank test. Hazard ratios (HRs) are reported, with no radiotherapy as the reference group. Failures of the proportional hazards assumption are reported if significant. All analyses are by intention to treat. FINDINGS: Between April 1, 1985, and Oct 2, 1991, 589 patients were enrolled and randomly assigned to the two treatment groups (293 to radiotherapy and 296 to no radiotherapy). After exclusion of four ineligible patients (two in each group), there were 291 patients in the radiotherapy group and 294 patients in the no radiotherapy group. Median follow-up was 17·5 years (IQR 8·4-27·9). Ipsilateral breast tumour recurrence was significantly lower in the radiotherapy group than in the no radiotherapy group (46 [16%] of 291 vs 107 [36%] of 294; HR 0·39 [95% CI 0·28-0·55], p<0·0001). Although there were differences in the hazard rate for ipsilateral breast tumour recurrence in the first decade after treatment (HR 0·24 [95% CI 0·15-0·38], p<0·0001), subsequent risks of ipsilateral breast tumour recurrence were similar in both groups (0·98 [0·54-1·79], p=0·95). There was no difference in overall survival between the two groups (median 18·7 years [95% CI 16·5-21·5] in the no radiotherapy group vs 19·2 years [16·9-21·3] in the radiotherapy group; HR 1·08 [95% CI 0·89-1 ·30], log-rank p=0·43). INTERPRETATION: Our findings suggest that patients whose biology predicts a late relapse a decade or more after breast-conserving surgery for early breast cancer might gain little from adjuvant radiotherapy. FUNDING: Breast Cancer Institute (part of Edinburgh and Lothian Health Foundation) and PFS Genomics (now part of Exact Sciences).

Spatial effects of infiltrating T cells on neighbouring cancer cells and prognosis in stage III CRC patients.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most frequently occurring cancers, but prognostic biomarkers identifying patients at risk of recurrence are still lacking. In this study, we aimed to investigate in more detail the spatial relationship between intratumoural T cells, cancer cells, and cancer cell hallmarks as prognostic biomarkers in stage III colorectal cancer patients. We conducted multiplexed imaging of 56 protein markers at single-cell resolution on resected fixed tissue from stage III CRC patients who received adjuvant 5-fluorouracil (5FU)-based chemotherapy. Images underwent segmentation for tumour, stroma, and immune cells, and cancer cell 'state' protein marker expression was quantified at a cellular level. We developed a Python package for estimation of spatial proximity, nearest neighbour analysis focusing on cancer cell-T-cell interactions at single-cell level. In our discovery cohort (Memorial Sloan Kettering samples), we processed 462 core samples (total number of cells: 1,669,228) from 221 adjuvant 5FU-treated stage III patients. The validation cohort (Huntsville Clearview Cancer Center samples) consisted of 272 samples (total number of cells: 853,398) from 98 stage III CRC patients. While there were trends for an association between the percentage of cytotoxic T cells (across the whole cancer core), it did not reach significance (discovery cohort: p = 0.07; validation cohort: p = 0.19). We next utilised our region-based nearest neighbour approach to determine the spatial relationships between cytotoxic T cells, helper T cells, and cancer cell clusters. In both cohorts, we found that shorter distance between cytotoxic T cells, T helper cells, and cancer cells was significantly associated with increased disease-free survival. An unsupervised trained model that clustered patients based on the median distance between immune cells and cancer cells, as well as protein expression profiles, successfully classified patients into low-risk and high-risk groups (discovery cohort: p = 0.01; validation cohort: p = 0.003). © 2024 The Author(s). The Journal of Pathology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of The Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland.

Transarterial (chemo)embolisation versus systemic chemotherapy for colorectal cancer liver metastases.

BACKGROUND: The liver is affected by two groups of malignant tumours: primary liver cancers and liver metastases. Liver metastases are significantly more common than primary liver cancer, and five-year survival after radical surgical treatment of liver metastases ranges from 28% to 50%, depending on primary cancer site. However, R0 resection (resection for cure) is not feasible in most people; therefore, other treatments have to be considered in the case of non-resectability. One possible option is based on the concept that the blood supply to hepatic tumours originates predominantly from the hepatic artery. Transarterial chemoembolisation (TACE) of the peripheral branches of the hepatic artery can be achieved by administering a chemotherapeutic drug followed by vascular occlusive agents and can lead to selective necrosis of the cancer tissue while leaving normal liver parenchyma virtually unaffected. The entire procedure can be performed without infusion of chemotherapy and is then called bland transarterial embolisation (TAE). These procedures are usually applied over a few sessions. Another possible treatment option is systemic chemotherapy which, in the case of colorectal cancer metastases, is most commonly performed using FOLFOX (folinic acid, 5-fluorouracil, and oxaliplatin) and FOLFIRI (folinic acid, 5-fluorouracil, and irinotecan) regimens applied in multiple sessions over a long period of time. These therapies disrupt the cell cycle, leading to death of rapidly dividing malignant cells. Current guidelines determine the role of TAE and TACE as non-curative treatment options applicable in people with liver-only or liver-dominant metastatic disease that is unresectable or non-ablatable, and in people who have failed systemic chemotherapy. Regarding the treatment modalities in people with colorectal cancer liver metastases, we found no systematic reviews comparing the efficacy of TAE or TACE versus systemic chemotherapy. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the beneficial and harmful effects of transarterial embolisation (TAE) or transarterial chemoembolisation (TACE) compared with systemic chemotherapy in people with liver-dominant unresectable colorectal cancer liver metastases. SEARCH METHODS: We searched the Cochrane Hepato-Biliary Group Controlled Trials Register, CENTRAL, MEDLINE, Embase, and three additional databases up to 4 April 2024. We also searched two trials registers and the European Medicines Agency database and checked reference lists of retrieved publications. SELECTION CRITERIA: We included randomised clinical trials assessing beneficial and harmful effects of TAE or TACE versus systemic chemotherapy in adults (aged 18 years or older) with colorectal cancer liver metastases. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: We used standard Cochrane methods. Our primary outcomes were all-cause mortality; overall survival (time to mortality); and any adverse events or complications. Our secondary outcomes were cancer mortality; health-related quality of life; progression-free survival; proportion of participants dying or surviving with progression of the disease; time to progression of liver metastases; recurrence of liver metastases; and tumour response measures (complete response, partial response, stable disease, and progressive disease). For the purpose of the review and to perform necessary analyses, whenever possible, we converted survival rates to mortality rates, as this was our primary outcome. For the analysis of dichotomous outcomes, we used the risk ratio (RR); for continuous outcomes, we used the mean difference; and for time to event outcomes, we calculated hazard ratios (HRs), all with 95% confidence intervals (CI). We used the standardised mean difference with 95% CIs when the trials used different instruments. We used GRADE to assess the certainty of evidence for each outcome. We based our conclusions on outcomes analysed at the longest follow-up. MAIN RESULTS: We included three trials with 118 participants randomised to TACE versus 120 participants to systemic chemotherapy. Four participants were excluded; one due to disease progression prior to treatment and three due to decline in health. The trials reported data on one or more outcomes. Two trials were performed in China and one in Italy. The trials differed in terms of embolisation techniques and chemotherapeutic agents. Follow-up ranged from 12 months to 50 months. TACE may reduce mortality at longest follow-up (RR 0.86, 95% CI 0.79 to 0.94; 3 trials, 234 participants; very low-certainty evidence), but the evidence is very uncertain. TACE may have little to no effect on overall survival (time to mortality) (HR 0.61, 95% CI 0.37 to 1.01; 1 trial, 70 participants; very low-certainty evidence), any adverse events or complications (3 trials, 234 participants; very low-certainty evidence), health-related quality of life (2 trials, 154 participants; very low-certainty evidence), progression-free survival (1 trial, 70 participants; very low-certainty evidence), and tumour response measures (presented as the overall response rate) (RR 1.81, 95% CI 1.11 to 2.96; 3 trials, 234 participants; very low-certainty evidence), but the evidence is very uncertain. No trials reported cancer mortality, proportion of participants dying or surviving with progression of the disease, and recurrence of liver metastases. We found no trials comparing the effects of TAE versus systemic chemotherapy in people with colorectal cancer liver metastases. AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS: The evidence regarding effectiveness of TACE versus systemic chemotherapy in people with colorectal cancer liver metastases is of very low certainty and is based on three trials. Our confidence in the results is limited due to the risk of bias, inconsistency, indirectness, and imprecision. It is very uncertain whether TACE confers benefits with regard to reduction in mortality, overall survival (time to mortality), reduction in adverse events or complications, improvement in health-related quality of life, improvement in progression-free survival, and tumour response measures (presented as the overall response rate). Data on cancer mortality, proportion of participants dying or surviving with progression of the disease, and recurrence of liver metastases are lacking. We found no trials assessing TAE versus systemic chemotherapy. More randomised clinical trials are needed to strengthen the body of evidence and provide insight into the benefits and harms of TACE or TAE in comparison with systemic chemotherapy in people with liver metastases from colorectal cancer.

Mature MUC5AC Expression in Resected Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma Predicts Treatment Response and Outcomes.

Neoadjuvant therapy (NAT) for early-stage pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDA) has recently gained prominence. We investigated the clinical significance of mucin 5 AC (MUC5AC), which exists in two major glycoforms, a less-glycosylated immature isoform (IM) and a heavily glycosylated mature isoform (MM), as a biomarker in resected PDA. Immunohistochemistry was performed on 100 resected PDAs to evaluate the expression of the IM and MM of MUC5AC using their respective monoclonal antibodies, CLH2 (NBP2-44455) and 45M1 (ab3649). MUC5AC localization (cytoplasmic, apical, and extra-cellular (EC)) was determined, and the H-scores were calculated. Univariate and multivariate (MVA) Cox regression models were used to estimate progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS). Of 100 resected PDA patients, 43 received NAT, and 57 were treatment-naïve with upfront surgery (UpS). In the study population (n = 100), IM expression (H-scores for objective response vs. no response vs. UpS = 104 vs. 152 vs. 163, p = 0.01) and MM-MUC5AC detection rates (56% vs. 63% vs. 82%, p = 0.02) were significantly different. In the NAT group, MM-MUC5AC-negative patients had significantly better PFS according to the MVA (Hazard Ratio: 0.2, 95% CI: 0.059-0.766, p = 0.01). Similar results were noted in a FOLFIRINOX sub-group (n = 36). We established an association of MUC5AC expression with treatment response and outcomes.