Unveiling Melanoma: A Deep Dive into Disparities at a Latin-American Cancer Institute.

INTRODUCTION: The worldwide incidence of melanoma has increased in the last 40 years. Our aim was to describe the clinic-pathological characteristics and outcomes of three cohorts of patients diagnosed with melanoma in a Latin-American cancer institute during the last 20 years. METHODS: We evaluated three retrospective patient cohorts diagnosed with melanoma at Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Neoplasicas (INEN), a public hospital in Lima, Peru, for the years 2005-2006, 2010-2011, and 2017-2018. Survival rate differences were assessed using the Log-rank test. RESULTS: Overall, 584 patients were included (only trunk and extremities); 51% were male, the mean age was 61 (3-97) years, and 48% of patients resided in rural areas. The mean time to diagnosis was 22.6 months, and the mean Breslow thickness was 7.4 mm (T4). Lower extremity was the most common location (72%). A majority of the patients (55%) had metastases at the time of presentation, with 36% in stage III and 19% in stage IV. Cohorts were distributed as 2005-2006 (n = 171), 2010-2011 (n = 223), and 2017-2018 (n = 190). No immunotherapy was used. Cohort C exhibited the most significant increase in stage IV diagnoses (12.3%, 15.7%, 28.4%, respectively; p < 0.01). The median overall survival rates at the three-year follow-up demonstrated a decline over the years for stages II (97%, 98%, 57%, respectively; p < 0.05) and III (66%, 77%, 37%; p < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: There has been a worsening in the incidence of late-stage metastatic melanoma in Peru throughout the years, coupled with a significant decline in overall survival rates. This is underscored by the fact that half of the population lives in regions devoid of oncological access.

Promoter hypermethylation of RARB and GSTP1 genes in plasma cell-free DNA as breast cancer biomarkers in Peruvian women.

BACKGROUND: Promoter hypermethylation is one of the enabling mechanisms of hallmarks of cancer. Tumor suppressor genes like RARB and GSTP1 have been reported as hypermethylated in breast cancer tumors compared with normal tissues in several populations. This case-control study aimed to determine the association between the promoter methylation ratio (PMR) of RARB and GSTP1 genes (separately and as a group) with breast cancer and its clinical-pathological variables in Peruvian patients, using a liquid biopsy approach. METHODS: A total of 58 breast cancer patients and 58 healthy controls, matched by age, participated in the study. We exacted cell-free DNA (cfDNA) from blood plasma and converted it by bisulfite salts. Methylight PCR was performed to obtain the PMR value of the studied genes. We determined the association between PMR and breast cancer, in addition to other clinicopathological variables. The sensitivity and specificity of the PMR of these genes were obtained. RESULTS: A significant association was not found between breast cancer and the RARB PMR (OR = 1.90; 95% CI [0.62-6.18]; p = 0.210) or the GSTP1 PMR (OR = 6.57; 95% CI [0.75-307.66]; p = 0.114). The combination of the RARB + GSTP1 PMR was associated with breast cancer (OR = 2.81; 95% CI [1.02-8.22]; p = 0.026), controls under 50 years old (p = 0.048), patients older than 50 (p = 0.007), and postmenopausal (p = 0.034). The PMR of both genes showed a specificity of 86.21% and a sensitivity of 31.03%. CONCLUSION: Promoter hypermethylation of RARB + GSTP1 genes is associated with breast cancer, older age, and postmenopausal Peruvian patients. The methylated promoter of the RARB + GSTP1 genes needs further validation to be used as a biomarker for liquid biopsy and as a recommendation criterion for additional tests in asymptomatic women younger than 50 years.

Chip-based digital Polymerase Chain Reaction as quantitative technique for the detection of PIK3CA mutations in breast cancer patients.

Background: PIK3CA is a gene frequently mutated in breast cancer. With the FDA approval of alpelisib, the evaluation of PIK3CA for activating mutations is becoming routinely. Novel platforms for gene analysis as digital PCR (dPCR) are emerging as a potential replacement for the traditional Sanger sequencing. However, there are still few studies on chip-based dPCR to detect mutations in tumor samples. Thus, this cross-sectional study aimed to assess the sensibility of a chip-based dPCR to detect and quantify PIK3CA mutations and compare its performance with Sanger sequencing. Materials and Methods: Tumor samples from 57 breast cancer patients (22 pre-treatment samples, 32 tumors after neoadjuvant chemotherapy, and three lymph nodes) were collected and analyzed by Sanger sequencing and dPCR for the three PIK3CA most relevant mutations (p.E545K, p. H1047R, and p. H1047L). Digital PCR sensitivity, specificity, and overall performance were estimated by contingency tables, receptor operator characteristic (ROC), and area under the curve (AUC). Association of PIK3CA mutations with clinicopathological variables was conducted. Results: Sanger sequencing identified PIK3CA mutations in six patients (10.5%), two with p. H1047R, and four with p. E545K. Digital PCR confirmed those mutations and identified 19 additional patients with at least one mutation. Comparison between dPCR and Sanger sequencing showed a sensitivity of 100% (95% CI 53-100%), and a specificity of 84.2% (95% CI 83-84.2%). Besides, p. H1047R mutation detected by dPCR showed a significant association with breast cancer phenotype (p = 0.019) and lymphatic nodes infiltration (p = 0.046). Conclusions: Digital PCR showed a high sensitivity to detect mutations in tumor samples and it might be capable to detect low-rate mutations and tumor subpopulations not detected by Sanger sequencing.

Mortality in cutaneous malignant melanoma and its association with Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte ratio.

INTRODUCTION: Cutaneous malignant melanoma (CMM) incidence has risen rapidly in the last 50 years. Poor progression and high mortality characterize CMM, making a thorough understanding of progression and associated factors essential for optimizing care. AIMS: We assessed the association between the Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte Ratio (NLR) and mortality in adults with CMM from an entirely mixed-race Hispanic population during 12 consecutive years of extensive follow-up. MATERIAL & METHODS: We performed a retrospective cohort study in a tertiary hospital in Peru. NLR was categorized with a cutoff value higher or equal than 3. We collected demographic variables, laboratory results and treatments at baseline of follow-up. Cox regression analysis was performed, and we calculated crude and adjusted hazard ratios (HR) and their 95% confidence interval (95%CI). RESULTS: The analysis was from 615 CMM cases, and there were 378 deaths. Most melanomas (63.6%) were acral lentiginous. The crude analysis showed that high NLR is a risk factor for mortality, HR = 2.52; 95%CI (2.03-3.14). High NRL ratio remains statistically significant after adjusting for confounding variables, aHR = 1.61; 95%CI (1.16-2.24). Other risk factors for mortality were clinical stages III and IV, older than 60 years, females and greater Breslow thickness. CONCLUSIONS: We concluded that high NRL ratio is a risk factor for mortality and should be monitored in every patient who is diagnosed with malignant melanoma during their first blood count. It should then be carried out in follow-up controls for patients of clinical stage III and IV only, or in patients who present a relapse.

Identificación de pacientes con cáncer de mama en riesgo de metástasis al sistema nervioso central / Identifying breast cancer patients at risk for central nervous system metastases

Introducción.- Se han propuesto que ciertas sub poblaciones de pacientes con cáncer de mama tendrían un riesgo incrementado de desarrollar metástasis en el sistema nervioso central (SNC). El objetivo de este trabajo es describir factores de riesgo para metástasis en el SNC en pacientes portadoras de cáncer de mama. Pacientes y Métodos.- Se realizó una revisión retrospectiva de 1081 casos de cáncer de mama diagnosticados y tratados en el Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Neoplásicas (Lima, Perú) durante los años 2000 al 2002, en estadios clínicos I, II, III o IV al momento del diagnóstico. La determinación de los marcadores: receptor de estrógeno, progesterona y Her2 se realizó por inmunohistoquímica. Se evaluó la incidencia acumulada de metástasis cerebrales de acuerdo a cada variable clínica o patológica. Resultados.- Un total de 1025 pacientes fueron diagnosticados en los estadios I, II o III. Dentro de este grupo 304 (29.7%) pacientes tuvieron una diseminación de la enfermedad local, regional o a distancia. Se identificaron un total de 56 pacientes con estadio IV, de los cuales 11 (19.6%) tuvieron metástasis al SNC en algún momento hasta la fecha del último control, mientras que 4 (7.1%) pacientes tuvieron en el SNC al diagnóstico. Se encontró relación significativa en términos de incidencia acumulativa entre primera metástasis al SNC y estado nodal, receptor de estrógeno, receptor de progesterona, Her2, sub tipo molecular y estadío clínico (P<0.01 para todas las variables). Conclusiones.- A pesar de observarse factores de riesgo significativos para el desarrollo de metástasis en el SNC, no se pueden discriminar aquellos pacientes que presentan alto riesgo de metástasis en el SNC.

Introduction.- It has been proposed that certain sub populations of breast cancer patients have an increased risk to develop central nervous system (CNS) metastases. The aim of this study is to describe risk factors to develop CNS metastases in breast cancer patients. Patients and Methods.- A retrospective review of 1081 cases of breast cancer patients with clinical stages I, II, III and IV was performed. Determination of estrogen and progesterone receptors and Her2 markers was done by immunohistochemistry. The accumulative incidence of CNS metastases was evaluated according to each clinico pathologic variable. Results.- A total of 1025 patients were diagnosed with breast cancer in stages I, II, III. In this group 304 (29.7%) had local, regional or distant disease. 56 patients were diagnosed with stage IV, in this group 11 (19.6%) had CNS metastases at some point until the date of last follow up, while 4 (7.1%) of patients had CNS metastases at diagnosis. There were significant differences in terms of accumulative incidence between CNS metastases and nodal status, estrogen receptor, progesterone receptor, Her2, molecular subtype, and clinical stage (P<0.01 for each variable). Conclusions.- Despite the observation of significant risk factors for the development of CNS metastases, it is not possible to determine those patients with high risk to develop CNS metastases.

Melanoma maligno de la región mamaria en el Instituto de Enfermedades Neoplásicas: 50 años / Malignant melanoma of the mammary region in the Institute of Diseases Neoplasicas: 50 years

Introducción: En nuestro medio y a nivel nacional no existe ningún trabajo acerca de melanoma maligno de localización mamaria, por lo cual se desconoce lo relacionado con muchos aspectos clínicos y terapéuticos de esta enfermedad, hemos considerado entonces analizar el tema, evaluando en forma retrospectiva su historia natural, características, el resultado del tratamiento y los factores de pronóstico para aquellos pacientes que en el Instituto de Enfermedades Neoplásicas tienen el diagnóstico de ésta entidad. Métodos: En un estudio clínico retrospectivo, se revisaron las historias clínicas de 24 pacientes con diagnóstico de melanoma maligno de la región mamaria que fueron atendidas en el Instituto de Enfermedades Neoplásicas, Lima- Perú, entre 1952-2002. Resultados: La edad de los pacientes varió de 1 a 85, alcanzando una mediana de 51 años. No hubo diferencia en la distribución de los pacientes en cuanto al sexo ni al lado de la mama afectada. La mediana de tiempo de enfermedad al diagnóstico fue 1 año. El tamaño del tumor varió de 1 cm a 18 cm alcanzando una mediana de 2.8 cm. El síntoma principal fue generalmente nevus congénito en 46 por ciento siendo el dolor un síntoma infrecuente. El estadío clínico I fue el más frecuente con el 38 por ciento de los casos en cambio el nivel de Breslow fue generalmente mayor de 4mm. Un tercio de los pacientes tuvieron el tipo histológico de extensión superficial seguido del tipo nodular. La cirugía es la base del tratamiento y ésta se ha modificado con el paso del tiempo a técnicas más conservadoras utilizadas en nuestra institución a partir del año 2000.

Linfoma no Hodgkin primario de mama en el Instituto de Enfermedades Neoplásicas: 50 años / Limphoma non hodgkin primary of breast in the Institute of diseases neoplasicas: 50 years

Introducción: como en la literatura nacional sólo hay una referencia acerca del linfoma localizado primariamente en la mama, hemos considerado necesario analizar el tema, evaluado en forma retrospectiva su historia natural, características, el resultado del tratamiento y los factores de pronóstico para aquellas pacientes que en el Instituto de Enfermedades Neoplásicas tienen el diagnóstico de ésta enfermedad. Métodos: En un estudio clínico retrospectivo, se revisaron las historias clínicas de 23 pacientes con diagnóstico de Linfoma No Hodgkin Primario de Mama (LNHPM) que fueron atendidas en el Instituto de Enfermedades Neoplásicas, Lima-Perú, entre 1952-2002. Resultados: La edad de las pacientes varió de 15 a 87 años, alcanzando una mediana de 46 años. La enfermedad se presentó en forma bilateral en 26 por ciento de las pacientes. La mediana de tiempo de enfermedad al diagnóstico fue 2 meses. El tamaño del tumor varió de 1.5 cm al compromiso de toda la mama alcanzando una mediana de 6 cm. El síntoma principal fue generalmente tumor mamario en 80 por ciento. Las pacientes tenían enfermedaad en estadío avanzado (IV) según Ann arbor en 35 por ciento. Hubieron 5LNHPM de curso indolente y 18 de curso agresivo. Se realizó inmunohistoquímica en 14 pacientes, el 80 por ciento correspondió a Linfoma de células B y el 20 por ciento a células T, según la clasificación OMS de neoplasias linfoides. Se aplicó quimioterapia a 19 pacientes como parte del manejo inicial...