From presentation to paper: Gender disparities in oncological research.

Gender disparities in scientific publications have been identified in oncological research. Oral research presentations at major conferences enhance visibility of presenters. The share of women presenting at such podia is unknown. We aim to identify gender-based differences in contributions to presentations at two major oncological conferences. Abstracts presented at plenary sessions of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meetings and European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) Congresses were collected. Trend analyses were used to analyze female contribution over time. The association between presenter's sex, study outcome (positive/negative) and journals' impact factors (IFs) of subsequently published papers was assessed using Chi-square and Mann-Whitney U tests. Of 166 consecutive abstracts presented at ASCO in 2011-2018 (n = 34) and ESMO in 2008-2018 (n = 132), 21% had female presenters, all originating from Northern America (n = 17) or Europe (n = 18). The distribution of presenter's sex was similar over time (p = 0.70). Of 2,425 contributing authors to these presented abstracts, 28% were women. The proportion of female abstract authors increased over time (p < 0.05) and was higher in abstracts with female (34%) compared to male presenters (26%; p < 0.01). Presenter's sex was not associated with study outcome (p = 0.82). Median journals' IFs were lower in papers with a female first author (p < 0.05). In conclusion, there is a clear gender disparity in research presentations at two major oncological conferences, with 28% of authors and 21% of presenters of these studies being female. Lack of visibility of female presenters could impair acknowledgement for their research, opportunities in their academic career and even hamper heterogeneity in research.

Prolonged hematopoietic and myeloid cellular response in patients after an acute coronary syndrome measured with 18F-DPA-714 PET/CT.

PURPOSE: An acute coronary syndrome (ACS) is characterized by a multi-level inflammatory response, comprising activation of bone marrow and spleen accompanied by augmented release of leukocytes into the circulation. The duration of this response after an ACS remains unclear. Here, we assessed the effect of an ACS on the multi-level inflammatory response in patients both acutely and after 3 months. METHODS: We performed 18F-DPA-714 PET/CT acutely and 3 months post-ACS in eight patients and eight matched healthy controls. DPA-714, a PET tracer binding the TSPO receptor and highly expressed in myeloid cells, was used to assess hematopoietic activity. We also characterized circulating monocytes and hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) by flow cytometry in 20 patients acutely and 3 months post-ACS and in 19 healthy controls. RESULTS: In the acute phase, patients displayed a 1.4-fold and 1.3-fold higher 18F-DPA-714 uptake in, respectively, bone marrow (p = 0.012) and spleen (p = 0.039) compared with healthy controls. This coincided with a 2.4-fold higher number of circulating HSPCs (p = 0.001). Three months post-ACS, 18F-DPA-714 uptake in bone marrow decreased significantly (p = 0.002), but no decrease was observed for 18F-DPA-714 uptake in the spleen (p = 0.67) nor for the number of circulating HSPCs (p = 0.75). CONCLUSIONS: 18F-DPA-714 PET/CT reveals an ACS- triggered hematopoietic organ activation as initiator of a prolonged cellular inflammatory response beyond 3 months, characterized by a higher number of circulating leukocytes and their precursors. This multi-level inflammatory response may provide an attractive target for novel treatment options aimed at reducing the high recurrence rate post-ACS.

Tumor immune microenvironmental characteristics in Human Epidermal Growth Factor-2 (HER2) positive esophageal adenocarcinoma: A comparative analysis and biomarker study.

BACKGROUND: HER2 targeting in esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC) has shown potential, but often fails to show durable response. Given the contributions of the tumor immune microenvironment (TIME) to therapeutic responses, we aimed to chart the TIME characteristics of HER2 positive tumors. METHODS: 84 biopsies were taken from the TRAP cohort (neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (nCRT) according to CROSS with trastuzumab and pertuzumab; n = 40; HER2+n = 40) and a control cohort with nCRT only (n = 44; HER2- n = 40, HER2+n = 4) before treatment. Biopsies were analysed using targeted gene expression analysis (Nanostring immune-oncology panel, 750 genes). Differential gene expression was assessed between HER2 positive (n = 44) vs. negative biopsies (n = 40), and non-responders (n = 17) vs. responders (n = 23) to anti-HER2 treatment. Statistical significance was determined as p-value <0.05, adjusted for multiple testing correction. RESULTS: 83 biopsies were eligible for analyses following quality control (TRAP cohort n = 40; control cohort n = 43); there were no significant differences in clinical characteristics between the TRAP vs. control the cohort or HER2 positive vs. HER2 negative biopsies. HER2 expression was found to associate with epithelial markers (EPCAM p < 0.001; E-cadherin p < 0.001). Moreover, HER2 expression was associated with a lower expression of immune cell infiltration, such as NK-cells (p < 0.001) and CD8 T-cells (p < 0.001), but also lower expression of immune exhaustion markers (PDCD1LG2, CTLA4; p < 0.001). In non-responders to anti-HER2 treatment, baseline biopsies showed increased expression of immune exhaustion markers, as well as hypoxia and VEGF signalling. DISCUSSION: HER2 expression was associated with epithelial tumor characteristics. The HER2 positive TIME showed reduced immune cell infiltration but also lower expression of inhibitory signals associated with immune exhaustion, questioning the mechanism behind potential clinical benefit of co-administration of anti-HER2 agents and checkpoint inhibitors. As limited response was associated with increased VEGF signalling, studies could investigate potential synergism of targeting VEGF and HER2.

Resistance mechanisms to HER2-targeted therapy in gastroesophageal adenocarcinoma: A systematic review.

INTRODUCTION: Despite promising results following targeted treatment with human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-inhibitors in HER2-positive gastric and esophageal adenocarcinoma (GEA), prognosis remains dismal. Many patients ultimately demonstrate progression following treatment due to resistance to HER2-targeted therapy. Here, we describe the potential primary and secondary resistance mechanisms to HER2-targeted therapy in GEA. METHODS: We systematically searched PubMed/MEDLINE, EMBASE, and CENTRAL for eligible studies describing changes that were associated with drug resistance. Study quality was assessed using an adjusted version of the OHAT risk of bias tool. Quality of proposed resistance mechanisms was assessed using predefined criteria. RESULTS: In total, 913 records were screened, of which 73 were included that investigated mechanisms of resistance against anti-HER2 treatment in cell lines, xenograft models, patient tissue samples, and publicly available datasets. HER2-targeted therapy resistance was found to be caused by HER2 receptor changes, upregulation of compensatory receptors, (re)activation of downstream signaling pathways like PI3K/AKT and MAPK, epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition, acquirement of stem cell-like properties, alterations in cell cycle related genes, cellular metabolism, and drug pharmacokinetics. DISCUSSION: Several different mechanisms can contribute to drug resistance to anti-HER2 treatment in GEA, mainly through loss of or mutations in the HER2 receptor and upregulation of alternative receptors such as MET, HER3, and FGFRs. Despite these preclinical results, methods to overcome the proposed resistance mechanisms in the clinical setting are lacking. Therefore, further investigation of therapy resistance in GEA patients treated with HER2 targeted therapy is essential to overcome resistance and improve treatment outcome of these patients.

A phase Ib/II study of regorafenib and paclitaxel in patients with beyond first-line advanced esophagogastric carcinoma (REPEAT).

Purpose: Regorafenib monotherapy, a multikinase inhibitor of angiogenesis, tumor microenvironment, and tumorigenesis, showed promising results in gastric cancer. We aimed to assess the tolerability of regorafenib and paclitaxel in patients with advanced esophagogastric cancer (EGC) refractory to first-line treatment, and explore potential biomarkers. Methods: Patients received paclitaxel (80 mg/m2) on days 1, 8, and 15 of a 28-day cycle and regorafenib (80/120/160 mg) on days 1-21 in the dose-escalation cohort, and the maximum-tolerated dose (MTD) in the dose-expansion cohort. Exploratory, overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) were compared to a propensity-score matched cohort receiving standard second-/third-line systemic treatment. Paclitaxel pharmacokinetics were assessed using samples from day 1 (D1) and day 15 (D15). We performed enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay measurements of galectin-1, RNA sequencing, and shallow whole-genome sequencing of metastatic tumor biopsies for biomarker analyses. Results: In the dose-escalation cohort (n = 14), the MTD of regorafenib was 120 mg. In all, 34 patients were enrolled in the dose-expansion cohort. Most common toxicities (all grades; grade ⩾ 3) were fatigue (79%; 4%) and sensory neuropathy (63%; 4%). Best responses achieved were partial response (28%) and stable disease (54%). Median OS and PFS were 7.8 and 4.2 months, respectively (median follow-up: 7.8 months). OS (p = 0.08) and PFS (p = 0.81) were not significantly improved compared to the matched cohort. Paclitaxel concentrations were significantly increased with regorafenib (D15) compared with paclitaxel only (D1; p < 0.05); no associations were observed with toxicity or efficacy. An increase in circulating galectin-1 compared to baseline was associated with shorter OS (p < 0.01). Enrichment of angiogenesis-related gene expression was observed in short survivors measured by RNA sequencing. Chromosome 19q13.12-q13.2 amplification was associated with shorter OS (p = 0.02) and PFS (p = 0.02). Conclusion: Treatment with regorafenib and paclitaxel is tolerable and shows promising efficacy in advanced EGC refractory to first-line treatment. Galectin-1 and chromosome 19q13.12-q13.2 amplification could serve as negative predictive biomarkers for treatment response. Registration: Clinicaltrials.gov, NCT02406170, https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02406170.

A systematic review of HER2 blockade for the curative treatment of gastroesophageal adenocarcinoma: Successes achieved and opportunities ahead.

INTRODUCTION: Despite multimodality treatment for curatively-treated gastroesophageal adenocarcinoma (GEA), prognosis remains dismal. The benefit of adding trastuzumab to chemotherapy for advanced Human Epidermal Growth Factor 2 (HER2) positive GEA has been established in the ToGA trial. However, it remains unclear if HER2 inhibition might also be beneficial in the curative setting. Therefore, we conducted a systematic review to investigate the role of HER2 inhibitors for the curative treatment of GEA. METHODS: A systematic literature search was performed in PubMed, EMBASE, CENTRAL, and clinicaltrials.gov to identify clinical trials investigating HER2 inhibition for the curative treatment of GEA. Study quality was assessed using the GRADE methodology. RESULTS: From the 1825 studies retrieved, 17 were included (seven published articles; three published conference abstracts; seven ongoing studies). From the published studies, eight studies investigated single-agent HER2 inhibition. Four studies had a nonrandomized design, and two were randomized controlled trials. Two published studies were assessed as high-quality. The addition of single-agent HER2 inhibition to chemo(radio)therapy showed a pathological complete response rate (pCR) of 22.2% (range, 9.6-25%) and dual HER2 inhibition of 34.5% (34-35%). Two-year disease-free survival (DFS) was 51.0% (40-71%) with single-agent and 70.0% (70-70%) with dual HER2 therapy. DISCUSSION: Dual-agent HER2 inhibition showed promising pCR rates and DFS. Given the limited additional toxicity of the addition of HER2 targeting agents and the potential benefit of dual-targeting, further investigation is required in a phase III randomized clinical trial. Next steps include combining checkpoint inhibitors and HER2 blockade given the suggested synergism, as well as investigating new anti-HER2 agents.

A Phase II Study Demonstrates No Feasibility of Adjuvant Treatment with Six Cycles of S-1 and Oxaliplatin in Resectable Esophageal Adenocarcinoma, with ERCC1 as Biomarker for Response to SOX.

We assessed the feasibility of adjuvant S-1 and oxaliplatin following neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (nCRT) and esophagectomy. Patients treated with nCRT (paclitaxel, carboplatin) and esophagectomy received six 21-day cycles with oxaliplatin (130 mg/m2) on day 1 and S-1 (25 mg/m2 twice daily) on days 1-14. The primary endpoint was feasibility, defined as ≥50% completing treatment. We performed exploratory propensity-score matching to compare survival, ERCC1 and Thymidylate Synthase (TS) immunohistochemistry analyses, proteomics biomarker discovery and 5-FU pharmacokinetic analyses. Forty patients were enrolled and 48% completed all adjuvant cycles. Median dose intensity was 98% for S-1 and 62% for oxaliplatin. The main reason for early discontinuation was toxicity (67%). The median recurrence-free and overall survival were 28.3 months and 40.8 months, respectively (median follow-up 29.1 months). Survival was not significantly prolonged compared to a matched cohort (p = 0.09). Patients with ERCC1 negative tumor expression had significantly better survival compared to ERCC1 positivity (p = 0.01). Our protein signature model was predictive of survival [p = 0.04; Area under the curve (AUC) 0.80]. Moreover, 5-FU pharmacokinetics significantly correlated with treatment-related toxicity. To conclude, six cycles adjuvant S-1 and oxaliplatin were not feasible in pretreated esophageal adenocarcinoma. Although the question remains whether additional treatment with chemotherapy should be provided in the adjuvant setting, subgroups such as patients with ERCC1 negativity could potentially benefit from adjuvant SOX based on our exploratory biomarker research.

Health-related quality of life in curatively-treated patients with esophageal or gastric cancer: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Surgery and chemoradiotherapy can potentially cure esophageal and gastric cancer patients, although they may impact health-related quality of life (HRQoL). We aim to systemically review and meta-analyze literature to determine the effect of curative treatments on HRQoL in esophageal and gastric cancer.- A systematic search was performed identifying studies assessing HRQoL. Meta-analyses were performed on baseline and subsequent time-points.- From the 6067 articles retrieved, 49 studies were included (61 % low quality). Meta-analyses showed short-term HRQoL differences between esophageal cancer patients receiving definitive chemoradiotherapy (dCRT), neoadjuvant chemo(radio)therapy (nC(R)T), or surgery alone (p < 0.001), with better HRQoL with nC(R)T and surgery compared to dCRT. Over the course of 12 months, no HRQoL difference was identified between treatments in esophageal cancer (p = 0.633). Esophagectomy, but not gastrectomy, resulted in a clinically relevant decline in HRQoL. No long-term HRQoL differences were identified between curative treatments in esophageal and gastric cancer. More high-quality HRQoL studies are warranted.

Phase II Feasibility and Biomarker Study of Neoadjuvant Trastuzumab and Pertuzumab With Chemoradiotherapy for Resectable Human Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor 2-Positive Esophageal Adenocarcinoma: TRAP Study.

PURPOSE: Approximately 15% to 43% of esophageal adenocarcinomas (EACs) are human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) positive. Because dual-agent HER2 blockade demonstrated a survival benefit in breast cancer, we conducted a phase II feasibility study of trastuzumab and pertuzumab added to neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (nCRT) in patients with EAC. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Patients with resectable HER2-positive EAC received standard nCRT with carboplatin and paclitaxel and 41.4 Gy of radiotherapy, with 4 mg/kg of trastuzumab on day 1, 2 mg/kg per week during weeks 2 to 6, and 6 mg/kg per week during weeks 7, 10, and 13 and 840 mg of pertuzumab every 3 weeks. The primary end point was feasibility, defined as ≥ 80% completion of treatment with both trastuzumab and pertuzumab. An exploratory comparison of survival with a propensity score-matched cohort receiving standard nCRT was performed, as were exploratory pharmacokinetic and biomarker analyses. RESULTS: Of the 40 enrolled patients (78% men; median age, 63 years), 33 (83%) completed treatment with trastuzumab and pertuzumab. No unexpected safety events were observed. R0 resection was achieved in all patients undergoing surgery, with pathologic complete response in 13 patients (34%). Three-year progression-free and overall survival (OS) were 57% and 71%, respectively (median follow-up, 32.1 months). Compared with the propensity score-matched cohort, a significantly longer OS was observed with HER2 blockade (hazard ratio, 0.58; 95% CI, 0.34 to 0.97). Results of pharmacokinetic analysis and activity on [18F]fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography scans did not correlate with survival or pathologic response. Patients with HER2 3+ overexpression or growth factor receptor-bound protein 7 (Grb7) -positive tumors at baseline demonstrated significantly better survival (P = .007) or treatment response (P = .016), respectively. CONCLUSION: Addition of trastuzumab and pertuzumab to nCRT in patients with HER2-positive EAC is feasible and demonstrates potentially promising activity compared with historical controls. HER2 3+ overexpression and Grb7 positivity are potentially predictive for survival and treatment response, respectively.

Clinical Trials Targeting the Stroma in Pancreatic Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

The tumor microenvironment plays an important role in the initiation and progression of pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PDAC). In this systematic review, we provide an overview of clinical trials with stroma-targeting agents. We systematically searched MEDLINE/PubMed and the EMBASE database, using the PRISMA guidelines, for eligible clinical trials. In total, 2330 records were screened, from which we have included 106 articles. A meta-analysis could be performed on 51 articles which describe the targeting of the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) pathway, and three articles which describe the targeting of hyaluronic acid. Anti-VEGF therapies did not show an increase in median overall survival (OS) with combined hazard ratios (HRs) of 1.01 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.90-1.13). Treatment with hyaluronidase PEGPH20 showed promising results, but, thus far, only in combination with gemcitabine and nab-paclitaxel in selected patients with hyaluronic acid (HA)high tumors: An increase in median progression free survival (PFS) of 2.9 months, as well as a HR of 0.51 (95% CI 0.26-1.00). In conclusion, we found that anti-angiogenic therapies did not show an increased benefit in median OS or PFS in contrast to promising results with anti-hyaluronic acid treatment in combination with gemcitabine and nab-paclitaxel. The PEGPH20 clinical trials used patient selection to determine eligibility based on tumor biology, which underlines the importance to personalize treatment for pancreatic cancer patients.

Phase I Dose Escalation Study with Expansion Cohort of the Addition of Nab-Paclitaxel to Capecitabine and Oxaliplatin (CapOx) as First-Line Treatment of Metastatic Esophagogastric Adenocarcinoma (ACTION Study).

First-line triplet chemotherapy including a taxane may prolong survival in patients with metastatic esophagogastric cancer. The added toxicity of the taxane might be minimized by using nab-paclitaxel. The aim of this phase I study was to determine the feasibility of combining nab-paclitaxel with the standard of care in the Netherlands, capecitabine and oxaliplatin (CapOx). Patients with metastatic esophagogastric adenocarcinoma received oxaliplatin 65 mg/m2 on days 1 and 8, and capecitabine 1000 mg/m2 bid on days 1-14 in a 21-day cycle, with nab-paclitaxel on days 1 and 8 at four dose levels (60, 80, 100, and 120 mg/m2, respectively), using a standard 3 + 3 dose escalation phase, followed by a safety expansion cohort. Baseline tissue and serum markers for activated tumor stroma were assessed as biomarkers for response and survival. Twenty-six patients were included. The first two dose-limiting toxicities (i.e., diarrhea and dehydration) occurred at dose level 3. The resulting maximum tolerable dose (MTD) of 80 mg/m2 was used in the expansion cohort, but was reduced to 60 mg/m2 after three out of eight patients experienced diarrhea grade 3. The objective response rate was 54%. The median progression-free (PFS) and overall survival were 8.0 and 12.8 months, respectively. High baseline serum ADAM12 was associated with a significantly shorter PFS (p = 0.011). In conclusion, albeit that the addition of nab-paclitaxel 60 mg/m2 to CapOx may be better tolerated than other taxane triplets, relevant toxicity was observed. There is a rationale for preserving taxanes for later-line treatment. ADAM12 is a potential biomarker to predict survival, and warrants further investigation.