Atezolizumab plus bevacizumab and chemotherapy for metastatic, persistent, or recurrent cervical cancer (BEATcc): a randomised, open-label, phase 3 trial.

BACKGROUND: The GOG240 trial established bevacizumab with chemotherapy as standard first-line therapy for metastatic or recurrent cervical cancer. In the BEATcc trial (ENGOT-Cx10-GEICO 68-C-JGOG1084-GOG-3030), we aimed to evaluate the addition of an immune checkpoint inhibitor to this standard backbone. METHODS: In this investigator-initiated, randomised, open-label, phase 3 trial, patients from 92 sites in Europe, Japan, and the USA with metastatic (stage IVB), persistent, or recurrent cervical cancer that was measurable, previously untreated, and not amenable to curative surgery or radiation were randomly assigned 1:1 to receive standard therapy (cisplatin 50 mg/m2 or carboplatin area under the curve of 5, paclitaxel 175 mg/m2, and bevacizumab 15 mg/kg, all on day 1 of every 3-week cycle) with or without atezolizumab 1200 mg. Treatment was continued until disease progression, unacceptable toxicity, patient withdrawal, or death. Stratification factors were previous concomitant chemoradiation (yes vs no), histology (squamous cell carcinoma vs adenocarcinoma including adenosquamous carcinoma), and platinum backbone (cisplatin vs carboplatin). Dual primary endpoints were investigator-assessed progression-free survival according to Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumours version 1.1 and overall survival analysed in the intention-to-treat population. This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03556839, and is ongoing. FINDINGS: Between Oct 8, 2018, and Aug 20, 2021, 410 of 519 patients assessed for eligibility were enrolled. Median progression-free survival was 13·7 months (95% CI 12·3-16·6) with atezolizumab and 10·4 months (9·7-11·7) with standard therapy (hazard ratio [HR]=0·62 [95% CI 0·49-0·78]; p<0·0001); at the interim overall survival analysis, median overall survival was 32·1 months (95% CI 25·3-36·8) versus 22·8 months (20·3-28·0), respectively (HR 0·68 [95% CI 0·52-0·88]; p=0·0046). Grade 3 or worse adverse events occurred in 79% of patients in the experimental group and in 75% of patients in the standard group. Grade 1-2 diarrhoea, arthralgia, pyrexia, and rash were increased with atezolizumab. INTERPRETATION: Adding atezolizumab to a standard bevacizumab plus platinum regimen for metastatic, persistent, or recurrent cervical cancer significantly improves progression-free and overall survival and should be considered as a new first-line therapy option. FUNDING: F Hoffmann-La Roche.

Retrospective multicenter study of elderly patients with platinum-sensitive relapsed ovarian cancer treated with trabectedin and pegylated liposomal doxorubicin (pld) in a real-world setting: a geico study.

BACKGROUND: Trabectedin in combination with pegylated liposomal doxorubicin (PLD) is approved for the treatment of patients with platinum-sensitive relapsed ovarian cancer. Nevertheless, there is currently limited information regarding this treatment in elderly patients with ovarian cancer in a real-world setting. METHODS: This observational and multicentric study retrospectively evaluated trabectedin plus PLD in a real-world setting treatment of elderly patients diagnosed with platinum-sensitive relapsed ovarian cancer, treated according to the Summary of Product Characteristics (SmPC) from 15 GEICO-associated hospitals. Patients ≥ 70 years old at the time of treatment initiation and platinum-free intervals ≥ 6 months were considered eligible. RESULTS: Forty-three patients with a median age of 74.0 years were treated between January 1st, 2015, and December 31st, 2019 in 15 Spanish centers. Four patients achieved complete response (9.3%), 14 (32.6%) partial response, and 13 (30.2%) stable disease as the best radiological response. In the analysis of biological overall response according to CA125 serum levels (i.e., Rustin criteria), 14 responded to the treatment (32.6%), 11 responded and normalized (25.6%), three patients stabilized (7.0%) and three progressed (7.0%). Median progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) in the study population were 7.7 and 19.5 months, respectively. The most common grade 3/4 adverse events were neutropenia (n = 8, 18.7%) and asthenia (n = 5, 11.6%). CONCLUSIONS: This analysis demonstrated that trabectedin combined with PLD is a feasible and effective treatment in elderly patients with platinum-sensitive relapsed ovarian cancer, showing an acceptable safety profile, which is crucial in the palliative treatment of these patients.

Long-term follow-up of efficacy and safety of selinexor maintenance treatment in patients with TP53wt advanced or recurrent endometrial cancer: A subgroup analysis of the ENGOT-EN5/GOG-3055/SIENDO study.

OBJECTIVE: To report long-term efficacy and safety of selinexor maintenance therapy in adults with TP53 wild-type (TP53wt) stage IV or recurrent endometrial cancer (EC) who achieved partial remission (PR) or complete remission (CR) following chemotherapy. METHODS: Analysis of the prespecified, exploratory subgroup of patients with TP53wt EC from the phase 3 SIENDO study was performed. Progression-free survival (PFS) benefit in patients with TP53wt EC and across other patient subgroups were exploratory endpoints. Safety and tolerability were also assessed. RESULTS: Of the 263 patients enrolled in the SIENDO trial, 113 patients had TP53wt EC; 70/113 (61.9%) had TP53wt/proficient mismatch repair (pMMR) EC, and 29/113 (25.7%) had TP53wt/deficient mismatch repair (dMMR) EC. As of April 1, 2024, the median PFS (mPFS) for TP53wt patients who received selinexor compared with placebo was 28.4 versus 5.2 months (36.8-month follow-up, HR 0.44; 95% CI 0.27-0.73). A benefit in mPFS was seen with selinexor versus placebo regardless of MMR status (patients with TP53wt/pMMR EC: 39.5 vs 4.9 months, HR 0.36; 95% CI 0.19-0.71; patients with TP53wt/dMMR EC: 13.1 vs 3.7 months, HR 0.49; 95% CI 0.18-1.34). Selinexor treatment was generally manageable, with no new safety signals identified. CONCLUSION: In the phase 3 SIENDO study, selinexor maintenance therapy showed a promising efficacy signal and a manageable safety profile in the prespecified subgroup of patients with TP53wt EC who achieved a PR or CR following chemotherapy. These results are being further evaluated in an ongoing randomized phase 3 trial (NCT05611931).

ETV6::NTRK3 Fusion-Positive Wild-Type Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumor (GIST) with Abundant Lymphoid Infiltration (TILs and Tertiary Lymphoid Structures): A Report on a New Case with Therapeutic Implications and a Literature Review.

Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) are the most common mesenchymal tumors of the gastrointestinal tract, with proto-oncogene, receptor tyrosine kinase (c-kit), or PDGFRα mutations detected in around 85% of cases. GISTs without c-kit or platelet-derived growth factor receptor alpha (PDGFRα) mutations are considered wild-type (WT), and their diverse molecular alterations and biological behaviors remain uncertain. They are usually not sensitive to tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs). Recently, some molecular alterations, including neurotrophic tyrosine receptor kinase (NTRK) fusions, have been reported in very few cases of WT GISTs. This novel finding opens the window for the use of tropomyosin receptor kinase (TRK) inhibitor therapy in these subtypes of GIST. Herein, we report a new case of NTRK-fused WT high-risk GIST in a female patient with a large pelvic mass (large dimension of 20 cm). The tumor was removed, and the histopathology displayed spindle-predominant morphology with focal epithelioid areas, myxoid stromal tissue, and notable lymphoid infiltration with tertiary lymphoid structures. Ten mitoses were quantified in 50 high-power fields without nuclear pleomorphism. DOG1 showed strong and diffuse positivity, and CD117 showed moderate positivity. Succinate dehydrogenase subunit B (SDHB) was retained, Pan-TRK was focal positive (nuclear pattern), and the proliferation index Ki-67 was 7%. Next-generation sequencing (NGS) detected an ETV6::NTRK3 fusion, and this finding was confirmed by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), which showed NTRK3 rearrangement. In addition, an RB1 mutation was found by NGS. The follow-up CT scan revealed peritoneal nodules suggestive of peritoneal dissemination, and Entrectinib (a TRK inhibitor) was administered. After 3 months of follow-up, a new CT scan showed a complete response. Based on our results and the cases from the literature, GISTs with NTRK fusions are very uncommon so far; hence, further screening studies, including more WT GIST cases, may increase the possibility of finding additional cases. The present case may offer new insights into the potential introduction of TRK inhibitors as treatments for GISTs with NTRK fusions. Additionally, the presence of abundant lymphoid infiltration in the present case may prompt further research into immunotherapy as a possible additional therapeutic option.

Multiple energy X-ray imaging of metal oxide particles inside gingival tissues.

BACKGROUND: Periodontal disease affects over 50% of the global population and is characterized by gingivitis as the initial sign. One dental health issue that may contribute to the development of periodontal disease is foreign body gingivitis (FBG), which can result from exposure to some kinds of foreign metal particles from dental products or food. OBJECTIVE: We design a novel, portable, affordable, multispectral X-ray and fluorescence optical microscopic imaging system dedicated to detecting and differentiating metal oxide particles in dental pathological tissues. A novel denoising algorithm is applied. We verify the feasibility and optimize the performance of the imaging system with numerical simulations. METHODS: The designed imaging system has a focused X-ray tube with tunable energy spectra and thin scintillator coupled with an optical microscope as detector. A simulated soft tissue phantom is embedded with 2-micron thick metal oxide discs as the imaged object. GATE software is used to optimize the systematic parameters such as energy bandwidth and X-ray photon number. We have also applied a novel denoising method, Noise2Sim with a two-layer UNet structure, to improve the simulated image quality. RESULTS: The use of an X-ray source operating with an energy bandwidth of 5 keV, X-ray photon number of 108, and an X-ray detector with a 0.5 micrometer pixel size in a 100 by 100-pixel array allowed for the detection of particles as small as 0.5 micrometer. With the Noise2Sim algorithm, the CNR has improved substantially. A typical example is that the Aluminum (Al) target's CNR is improved from 6.78 to 9.72 for the case of 108 X-ray photons with the Chromium (Cr) source of 5 keV bandwidth. CONCLUSIONS: Different metal oxide particles were differentiated using Contrast-to-Noise ratio (CNR) by utilizing four different X-ray spectra.

Genomic landscapes of ovarian clear cell carcinoma from latin countries reveal aberrations linked to survival and progression.

BACKGROUND: Ovarian clear cell carcinomas (OCCCs) are rare, aggressive and chemoresistant tumors. Geographical and ethnic differences in the incidence of OCCC have been reported with a higher incidence in Asiatic countries. There is a paucity of information regarding OCCC in Latin America (LA) and other countries. METHODS: Here, we characterized two cohorts of 33 patients with OCCC from LA (24 from Brazil and 9 from Costa Rica) and a cohort of 27 patients from Spain. Genomic analysis was performed for 26 OCCC using the OncoScan platform. Tumors were classified according to their genomic landscapes into subgroups. Clinical parameters were related to the frequency of genomic aberrations. RESULTS: The median overall survival (OS) was not significantly different between the cohorts. Genomic landscapes were characterized by different homologous recombination deficiency (HRD) levels. No difference in the distribution of genomic landscapes profiles was detected between patients from the different cohorts. OCCCs with MYC-amplified tumors harboring a concomitant loss of a region in chromosome 13q12-q13 that includes the BRCA2 gene had the longest OS. In contrast, patients carrying a high number (> 30) of total copy number (CN) aberrations with no concomitant alterations in MYC and BRCA2 genes presented the shortest OS. Furthermore, amplification of the ASH1L gene was also associated with a shorter OS. Initial-stage OCCCs with early progression were characterized by gains in the JNK1 and MKL1 genes. CONCLUSIONS: Our results provide new data from understudied OCCC populations and reveal new potential markers for OCCCs.

Improved organ sparing using auto-planned Stanford volumetric modulated arc therapy for total body irradiation technique.

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVES: To evaluate dosimetric differences between auto-planned volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) total body irradiation (TBI) technique and two-dimensional radiotherapy using anterior-posterial/posterio-anterial beams (2D AP/PA) TBI technique. METHODS: Ten pediatric patients treated with VMAT-TBI on Varian c-arm linac were included in this study. VMAT-TBI plans were generated using our in-house developed and publicly shared auto-planning scripts. For each VMAT-TBI plan, a 2D AP/PA plan was created replicating the institution's clinical setup with the patient positioned at extended source to skin distance (SSD) with a compensator to account for differences in patient thickness, 50% transmission daily lung blocks, and electron chest wall boosts prescribed to 50% of the photon prescription. Clinically relevant metrics were analyzed and compared between the VMAT and 2D plans. RESULTS: All VMAT-TBI plans achieved planned target volume (PTV) D90% ≥ 100% of prescription. VMAT-TBI PTV D90% significantly increased (7.1% ± 2.9%, p < .001) compared to the 2D technique, whereas no differences were observed in global Dmax (p < .2) and PTV V110% (p < .4). Compared to the 2D plans, significant decreases in the Dmean to the lungs (-25.6% ± 11.5%, p < .001) and lungs-1 cm (-34.1% ± 10.1%, p < .001) were observed with the VMAT plans. The VMAT technique also enabled decrease of dose to other organs: kidneys Dmean (-32.5% ± 5.0%, p < .001) and lenses Dmax (-5.3% ± 8.1%, p = .03); and in addition, for 2 Gy prescription: testes/ovaries Dmean (-41.5% ± 11.5%, p < .001), brain Dmean (-22.6% ± 5.4%, p = .002), and thyroid Dmean (-18.2% ± 16.0%, p = .03). CONCLUSIONS: Superior lung sparing with improved target coverage and similar global Dmax were observed with the VMAT plans as compared to 2D plans. In addition, VMAT-TBI plans provided greater dose reductions in gonads, kidneys, brain, thyroid, and lenses.

Safety and activity of anti-mesothelin antibody-drug conjugate anetumab ravtansine in combination with pegylated-liposomal doxorubicin in platinum-resistant ovarian cancer: multicenter, phase Ib dose escalation and expansion study.

OBJECTIVES: Anetumab ravtansine is an antibody-drug conjugate consisting of a fully human anti-mesothelin monoclonal antibody conjugated to cytotoxic maytansinoid tubulin inhibitor DM4. Mesothelin is highly expressed in ovarian cancer. This phase Ib study determines the safety, pharmacokinetics, and anti-tumor activity of anetumab ravtansine and pegylated liposomal doxorubicin in mesothelin-expressing platinum-resistant ovarian cancer. METHODS: Anetumab ravtansine (5.5 or 6.5 mg/kg) and pegylated liposomal doxorubicin (30 mg/m2) were administered intravenously every 3 weeks to 65 patients with platinum-resistant epithelial ovarian cancer. Mesothelin expression was assessed by central immunohistochemistry. Adverse events, tumor response (RECIST 1.1), and progression-free survival were determined. Biomarker samples were assessed by ELISA and next-generation sequencing. RESULTS: In dose escalation, nine patients received anetumab ravtansine across two doses (5.5 or 6.5 mg/kg). The maximum tolerated dose of anetumab ravtansine was 6.5 mg/kg every 3 weeks and no dose-limiting toxicities were observed. In dose expansion, 56 patients were treated at the maximum tolerated dose. The most common treatment-emergent adverse events of any grade were nausea (47.7%), decreased appetite (43.1%), fatigue (38.5%), diarrhea (32.3%), and corneal disorder (29.2%). In all treated patients the objective response rate was 27.7% (95% CI 17.3% to 40.2%), including one complete (1.5%) and 17 partial responses (26.2%), with median duration of response of 7.6 (95% CI 3.3 to 10.2) months and median progression-free survival of 5.0 (95% CI 3.2 to 6.0) months. In an exploratory analysis of a sub-set of patients (n=19) with high mesothelin expression who received ≤3 prior lines of systemic therapy, the objective response rate was 42.1% (95% CI 20.3% to 66.5%) with a median duration of response of 8.3 (95% CI 4.1 to 12.0) months and median progression-free survival of 8.5 (95% CI 4.0 to 11.4) months. CONCLUSIONS: Anetumab ravtansine and pegylated liposomal doxorubicin showed tolerability and promising clinical activity. These results established the dose schedule and the mesothelin-positive target population of this combination for a phase III study in platinum-resistant ovarian cancer. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT02751918.

The Prognostic Significance of Tumor-Infiltrating Lymphocytes, PD-L1, BRCA Mutation Status and Tumor Mutational Burden in Early-Stage High-Grade Serous Ovarian Carcinoma-A Study by the Spanish Group for Ovarian Cancer Research (GEICO).

Early stages are under-represented in studies on the molecular and immune features of high-grade serous ovarian carcinoma (HGSOC), and specific studies focused on early-stage HGSOC are required for a better prognostic stratification and to personalize chemotherapy. The aim of this study was to determine the prognostic significance of CD8+ and CD4+ tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs), tumoral cell PD-L1 expression, BRCA mutational status and tumor mutation burden (TMB) in early-stage HGSOC. A retrospective study was performed on stage I and II HGSOC from the Molecular Reclassification of Early Stages of Ovarian Cancer (RECLAMO) cohort from the Spanish Group of Ovarian Cancer Research (GEICO). Centralized histological typing was performed based on morphological and immunohistochemical features. Intraepithelial (i) and stromal (s) CD8+ and CD4+ T cells and PD-L1 were evaluated on tissue microarrays by immunohistochemistry. BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutation status and TMB were analyzed in tumor DNA using next-generation sequencing. The study included 124 tumors. High iCD8+ (>20 TILs/core), low/intermediate CD4+ (<20 TILs/core) and high CD8+/CD4+ ratio (>35/core) were associated with favorable outcomes. Tumor cell PD-L1 expression (TPS ≥ 1) was present in only 8% of tumors. In total, 11 (16%) and 6 (9%) out of 69 HGSOC tested carried pathogenic or likely pathogenic BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutations, respectively. Median TMB of 40 tumors analyzed was 5.04 mutations/Mb and only 6 tumors had 10 or more mutations/Mb. BRCA status and TMB were not associated with TILs or prognosis. When compared with studies on advanced HGSOC, our results suggested that prognostic variables differed according to stage and that more studies focused on early stages of HGSOC are needed to better stratify these tumors.

Correlation between X-ray tube current exposure time and X-ray photon number in GATE.

BACKGROUND: X-ray image quality relies heavily on the emitted X-ray photon number which depends on X-ray tube current and exposure time. To accurately estimate the absorbed dose in an imaging protocol, it is better to simulate the X-ray imaging with a Monte Carlo platform such as GATE (Geant4 Application for Tomographic Emission). Although input of GATE is the X-ray photon number of the simulated X-ray tube, it lacks a good way to setup the photon number for a desired X-ray tube current setting. OBJECTIVE: To provide a method to correlate the experimental X-ray tube current exposure time and the X-ray photon number in GATE. METHODS: The accumulated radiation dose of a micro-computed tomography (CT) X-ray tube was recorded at different current exposure times with a general-purpose ion chamber. GATE was used to model the experimental microCT imaging system and calculate the total absorbed dose (cGy) in the sensitive volume of the ion chamber with different X-ray photon numbers. Linear regression models are used to establish a correlation between the estimated X-ray photon number and the X-ray tube settings. At first, one model establishes the relationship between the experimentally measured dose and the X-ray tube setting. Then, another model establishes a relationship between the simulated dose and the X-ray number in GATE. At last, by correlating these two models, a regression model to estimate the X-ray output number from an experimental X-ray tube setting (mAs) is obtained. RESULTS: For a typical micro-CT scan, the X-ray tube is operated at 50 kVp and 0.5 mA for a 500 ms exposure time per projection (0.25 mAs). For these X-ray imaging parameters, the X-ray number per projection is estimated to be 3.613×106 with 1.0 mm Al filter. CONCLUSION: The findings of this work provide an approach to correlate the experimental X-ray tube current exposure time to the X-ray photon number in the GATE simulation of the X-ray tube to more accurately determine radiation dose for an imaging protocol.

Cerebral cavernous malformations form an anticoagulant vascular domain in humans and mice.

Cerebral cavernous malformations (CCMs) are common brain vascular dysplasias that are prone to acute and chronic hemorrhage with significant clinical sequelae. The pathogenesis of recurrent bleeding in CCM is incompletely understood. Here, we show that central nervous system hemorrhage in CCMs is associated with locally elevated expression of the anticoagulant endothelial receptors thrombomodulin (TM) and endothelial protein C receptor (EPCR). TM levels are increased in human CCM lesions, as well as in the plasma of patients with CCMs. In mice, endothelial-specific genetic inactivation of Krit1 (Krit1 ECKO ) or Pdcd10 (Pdcd10 ECKO ), which cause CCM formation, results in increased levels of vascular TM and EPCR, as well as in enhanced generation of activated protein C (APC) on endothelial cells. Increased TM expression is due to upregulation of transcription factors KLF2 and KLF4 consequent to the loss of KRIT1 or PDCD10. Increased TM expression contributes to CCM hemorrhage, because genetic inactivation of 1 or 2 copies of the Thbd gene decreases brain hemorrhage in Pdcd10 ECKO mice. Moreover, administration of blocking antibodies against TM and EPCR significantly reduced CCM hemorrhage in Pdcd10 ECKO mice. Thus, a local increase in the endothelial cofactors that generate anticoagulant APC can contribute to bleeding in CCMs, and plasma soluble TM may represent a biomarker for hemorrhagic risk in CCMs.

Doxorubicin plus lurbinectedin in patients with advanced endometrial cancer: results from an expanded phase I study.

OBJECTIVE: Second-line treatment of endometrial cancer is an unmet medical need. We conducted a phase I study evaluating lurbinectedin and doxorubicin intravenously every 3 weeks in patients with solid tumors. The aim of this study was to characterise the efficacy and safety of lurbinectedin and doxorubicin for patients with endometrial cancer. METHODS: Thirty-four patients were treated: 15 patients in the escalation phase (doxorubicin 50 mg/m2 and lurbinectedin 3.0-5.0 mg) and 19 patients in the expansion cohort (doxorubicin 40 mg/m2 and lurbinectedin 2.0 mg/m2). All histological subtypes were eligible and patients had received one to two prior lines of chemotherapy for advanced disease. Antitumor activity was evaluated every two cycles according to the Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors version 1.1. Adverse events were graded according to the National Cancer Institute-Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events version 4. RESULTS: Median age (range) was 65 (51-78) years. Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status was up to 1 in 97% of patients. In the escalation phase, 4 (26.7%) of 15 patients had confirmed response: two complete and two partial responses (95% CI 7.8% to 55.1%). Median duration of response was 19.5 months. Median progression-free survival was 7.3 (2.5 to 10.1) months. In the expansion cohort, confirmed partial response was reported in 8 (42.1%) of 19 patients (95% CI 20.3% to 66.5%). Median duration of response was 7.5 (6.4 to not reached) months, median progression-free survival was 7.7 (2.0 to 16.7) months and median overall survival was 14.2 (4.5 to not reached) months. Fatigue (26.3% of patients), and transient and reversible myelosuppression (neutropenia, 78.9%; febrile neutropenia, 21.1%; thrombocytopenia, 15.8%) were the main grade 3 and higher toxicities in the expanded cohort. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with recurrent advanced endometrial cancer treated with doxorubicin and lurbinectedin, response rates (42%) and duration of response (7.5 months) were favorable. Further evaluation of doxorubicin and lurbinectedin is warranted in this patient population.

A feasibility study of time of flight cone beam computed tomography imaging.

BACKGROUND: The time of flight (TOF) cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) was recently shown to reduce the X-ray scattering effects by 95% and improve the image CNR by 110% for large volume objects. The advancements in X-ray sources like in compact Free Electron Lasers (FEL) and advancements in detector technology show potential for the TOF method to be feasible in CBCT when imaging large objects. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the feasibility and efficacy of TOF CBCT in imaging smaller objects with different targets such as bones and tumors embedded inside the background. METHODS: The TOF method used in this work was verified using a 24 cm phantom. Then, the GATE software was used to simulate the CBCT imaging of an 8 cm diameter cylindrical water phantom with two bone targets using a modeled 20 keV quasi-energetic FEL source and various TOF resolutions ranging from 1 to 1000 ps. An inhomogeneous breast phantom of similar size with tumor targets was also imaged using the same system setup. RESULTS: The same results were obtained in the 24 cm phantom, which validated the applied CBCT simulation approach. For the case of 8 cm cylindrical phantom and bone target, a TOF resolution of 10 ps improved the image contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) by 57% and reduced the scatter-to-primary ratio (SPR) by 8.63. For the case of breast phantom and tumor target, image CNR was enhanced by 12% and SPR was reduced by 1.35 at 5 ps temporal resolution. CONCLUSIONS: This study indicates that a TOF resolution below 10 ps is required to observe notable enhancements in the image quality and scatter reduction for small objects around 8 cm in diameter. The strong scattering targets such as bone can result in substantial improvements by using TOF CBCT.

Radiation dose estimation for pencil beam X-ray luminescence computed tomography imaging.

BACKGROUND: Pencil beam X-ray luminescence computed tomography (XLCT) imaging provides superior spatial resolution than other imaging geometries like sheet beam and cone beam geometries. However, the pencil beam geometry suffers from long scan times, resulting in concerns overdose which discourages the use of pencil beam XLCT. OBJECTIVE: The dose deposited in pencil beam XLCT imaging was investigated to estimate the dose from one angular projection scan with three different X-ray sources. The dose deposited in a typical small animal XLCT imaging was investigated. METHODS: A Monte Carlo simulation platform, GATE (Geant4 Application for Tomographic Emission) was used to estimate the dose from one angular projection scan of a mouse leg model with three different X-ray sources. Dose estimations from a six angular projection scan by three different X-ray source energies were performed in GATE on a mouse trunk model composed of muscle, spine bone, and a tumor. RESULTS: With the Sigray source, the bone marrow of mouse leg was estimated to have a radiation dose of 44 mGy for a typical XLCT imaging with six angular projections, a scan step size of 100 micrometers, and 106 X-ray photons per linear scan. With the Sigray X-ray source and the typical XLCT scanning parameters, we estimated the dose of spine bone, muscle tissues, and tumor structures of the mouse trunk were 38.49 mGy, 15.07 mGy, and 16.87 mGy, respectively. CONCLUSION: Our results indicate that an X-ray benchtop source (like the X-ray source from Sigray Inc.) with high brilliance and quasi-monochromatic properties can reduce dose concerns with the pencil beam geometry. Findings of this work can be applicable to other imaging modalities like X-ray fluorescence computed tomography if the imaging protocol consists of the pencil beam geometry.

Poly(adenosine diphosphate ribose) polymerase inhibitors induce autophagy-mediated drug resistance in ovarian cancer cells, xenografts, and patient-derived xenograft models.

BACKGROUND: Poly(adenosine diphosphate ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibitors exhibit promising activity against ovarian cancers, but their efficacy can be limited by acquired drug resistance. This study explores the role of autophagy in regulating the sensitivity of ovarian cancer cells to PARP inhibitors. METHODS: Induction of autophagy was detected by punctate LC3 fluorescence staining, LC3I to LC3II conversion on Western blot analysis, and electron microscopy. Enhanced growth inhibition and apoptosis were observed when PARP inhibitors were used with hydroxychloroquine, chloroquine (CQ), or LYS05 to block the hydrolysis of proteins and lipids in autophagosomes or with small interfering RNA against ATG5 or ATG7 to prevent the formation of autophagosomes. The preclinical efficacy of the combination of CQ and olaparib was evaluated with a patient-derived xenograft (PDX) and the OVCAR8 human ovarian cancer cell line. RESULTS: Four PARP inhibitors (olaparib, niraparib, rucaparib, and talazoparib) induced autophagy in a panel of ovarian cancer cells. Inhibition of autophagy with CQ enhanced the sensitivity of ovarian cancer cells to PARP inhibitors. In vivo, olaparib and CQ produced additive growth inhibition in OVCAR8 xenografts and a PDX. Olaparib inhibited PARP activity, and this led to increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) and an accumulation of γ-H2AX. Inhibition of autophagy also increased ROS and γ-H2AX and enhanced the effect of olaparib on both entities. Treatment with olaparib increased phosphorylation of ATM and PTEN while decreasing the phosphorylation of AKT and mTOR and inducing autophagy. CONCLUSIONS: PARP inhibitor-induced autophagy provides an adaptive mechanism of resistance to PARP inhibitors in cancer cells with wild-type BRCA, and a combination of PARP inhibitors with CQ or other autophagy inhibitors could improve outcomes for patients with ovarian cancer.

An olaparib window-of-opportunity trial in patients with early-stage endometrial carcinoma: POLEN study.

OBJECTIVE: Olaparib is a potent inhibitor of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP)-1, 2, and 3 with potential activity in endometrial cancer (EC). METHODS: In this window-of-opportunity trial, women with operable type 1 EC received olaparib oral tablets (300mg) twice daily for 28days before surgery. The primary objective was to evaluate the effects of olaparib on EC in tissue samples taken at baseline and at treatment completion. Signal of activity was defined as significant changes in the expression of the cell cycle-related proteins cyclin D1, Ki67, and cleaved caspase-3. RESULTS: A total of 31 patients were included in the biomarker analysis. The median time of olaparib exposure was 24 days (1-39). Significant inhibition was found for cyclin D1 (p < 0.01), but not for Ki67 and active caspase 3 immunostaining. PARP-1 levels positively correlated with cyclin D1 levels (rho = 0.661, p = 0.0001). Both PARP-1 and cyclin D1 levels were significantly lower (p = 0.022 and p = 0.004, respectively) in patients with ARID1A[-] tumors than ARID1A[+] tumors. A significant relationship between plasma olaparib concentrations and decreased GLUT1 activity was observed (r = -0.5885; p < 0.05). Drug-related toxicity consisted mostly of gastrointestinal and grade 1 or 2 adverse events. CONCLUSIONS: Olaparib reduced expression of cyclin D1, which positively correlated with PARP-1 levels. This effect was more evident in ARID1A-deficient tumors. Olaparib further induced inhibition of GLUT1 plasma activity. Our findings could have noteworthy implications in predicting which patients with EC would benefit from olaparib-based strategies.

Morphological and molecular heterogeneity of epithelial ovarian cancer: Therapeutic implications.

Ovarian epithelial cancer (OEC) is the most lethal gynecologic malignancy. Despite current chemotherapeutic and surgical options, this high lethality can be attributed to multiple factors, including late-stage presentation. In order to optimize OEC treatment, it is important to highlight that it is composed of five main subtypes: high-grade serous ovarian carcinoma (HGSOC), low-grade serous ovarian carcinoma (LGSOC), endometrioid ovarian carcinoma (EOC), ovarian clear cell carcinoma (CCOC), and mucinous ovarian carcinoma (MOC). These subtypes differ in their precursor lesions, as well as in epidemiological, morphological, molecular and clinical features. OEC is one of the tumours in which most pathogenic germline mutations have been identified. Accordingly, up to 20% OC show alterations in BRCA1/2 genes, and also, although with a lower frequency, in other low penetrance genes associated with homologous recombination deficiency (HRD), mismatch repair genes (Lynch syndrome) and TP53. The most important prognostic factor is the 2014 FIGO staging, while older age is also associated with worse survival. HGSOC in all stages and CCC and MOC in advanced stages have the worse prognosis among histological types. Molecular markers have emerged as prognostic factors, particularly mutations in BRCA1/2, which are associated with a better outcome. Regarding treatment, whereas a proportion of HGSOC is sensible to platinum-based treatment and PARP inhibitors due to HRD, the rest of the histological types are relatively chemoresistant. New treatments based in specific molecular alterations are being tested in different histological types. In addition, immunotherapy could be an option, especially for EOC carrying mismatch repair deficiency or POLE mutations.

Magnetization transfer saturation imaging of human calf muscle: Reproducibility and sensitivity to regional and sex differences.

BACKGROUND: Magnetization transfer saturation (MTsat ) derives a semiquantitative index of magnetization transfer in faster acquisition times than quantitative magnetization transfer; the potential of MTsat for muscle imaging has not yet been explored. PURPOSE: To evaluate the potential of MTsat to identify regional and sex differences in calf muscle. STUDY TYPE: Prospective cohort study. PHANTOM/SUBJECTS: Vials with different agar and nickel nitrate concentrations providing a range of macromolecular fraction and T1 . Seven male subjects (25 ± 7 years) and seven female subjects (28 ± 14 years); three subjects were scanned in three separate sessions to assess reproducibility. FIELD STRENGTH/SEQUENCE: 3T, 3D fast low angle shot (FLASH) sequence with and without a magnetization transfer pulse; acquisition time of 4.12 minutes. ASSESSMENT: The effectiveness of two methods of fat suppression was evaluated using the fat unsuppressed sequence as the reference and MTsat maps derived with and without transmit field inhomogeneity corrections were compared. Statistical evaluation of MTsat differences between calf muscles and between male and female cohorts was made. STATISTICAL TESTS: Bland-Altman plots were used to assess fat suppression and B1+ correction. The coefficient of variation (CV) and the repeatability coefficient (RC) were calculated from the repeat sessions. Sex and regional differences were assessed using two-way factorial analyses of variance (ANOVAs) with Bonferroni-adjusted independent sample t-tests for post-hoc analyses. RESULTS: In phantoms, MTsat increased linearly with agar concentration and MTsat was independent of T1 (P = 0.229) evaluated in phantoms with two T1 s. The CV and RC of MTsat ranged between 2.65 to 5.03% and 0.13 to 0.38, respectively, in the different calf muscles. MTsat of the tibialis anterior was significantly higher than other muscles (P < 0.05). MTsat in male subjects was significantly higher than in female subjects (P = 0.009). DATA CONCLUSION: MTsat maps of calf muscle acquired under 5 minutes may have the potential to detect regional and sex differences. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 2 Technical Efficacy: Stage 2 J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2019;50:1227-1237.

Cannabidiol Enhances the Passage of Lipid Nanocapsules across the Blood-Brain Barrier Both in Vitro and in Vivo.

Diseases affecting the central nervous system (CNS) should be regarded as a major health challenge due to the current lack of effective treatments given the hindrance to brain drug delivery imposed by the blood-brain barrier (BBB). Since efficient brain drug delivery should not solely rely on passive targeting, active targeting of nanomedicines into the CNS is being explored. The present study is devoted to the development of lipid nanocapsules (LNCs) decorated with nonpsychotropic cannabinoids as pioneering nonimmunogenic brain-targeting molecules and to the evaluation of their brain-targeting ability both in vitro and in vivo. Noticeably, both the permeability experiments across the hCMEC/D3 cell-based in vitro BBB model and the biodistribution experiments in mice consistently demonstrated that the highest brain-targeting ability was achieved with the smallest-sized cannabinoid-decorated LNCs. Importantly, the enhancement in brain targeting achieved with the conjugation of cannabidiol to LNCs outperformed by 6-fold the enhancement observed for the G-Technology (the main brain active strategy that has already entered clinical trials for the treatment of CNS diseases). As the transport efficiency across the BBB certainly determines the efficacy of the treatments for brain disorders, small cannabinoid-decorated LNCs represent auspicious platforms for the design and development of novel therapies for CNS diseases.

Multicenter retrospective study to evaluate the impact of trabectedin plus pegylated liposomal doxorubicin on the subsequent treatment in women with recurrent, platinum-sensitive ovarian cancer.

Debulking surgery, followed by taxane/platinum-based chemotherapy has traditionally been the first-line treatment for advanced ovarian cancer. However, most patients will experience recurrence afterwards, and receive subsequent lines of therapy. It has been proposed that extending the treatment-free interval of platinum can improve the response to a subsequent platinum-based chemotherapy, and reduce associated toxicities in women with recurrent, platinum-sensitive ovarian cancer. The aim was to determine the impact, in clinical practice, of trabectedin with pegylated liposomal doxorubicin (trabectedin/PLD) on the subsequent platinum-based therapy in these patients, and to explore the prognosis for breast cancer gene status and the expression of diverse genes. This was a multicenter, retrospective, postauthorization study that involved 79 patients. Germline or somatic mutations of breast cancer gene 1/2 were present in 21.5%. The median time between trabectedin/PLD and the onset of the subsequent treatment was 6.7 months. The overall response rate during the trabectedin/PLD period was 36.7%. In the subsequent first-line platinum-based therapy, the overall response rate was 51.4%. Progression-free survival and overall survival were 11.8 and 25.4 months, respectively, from the onset of trabectedin/PLD treatment. Partially platinum-sensitive (between 6 and 12 months) and platinum-sensitive patients (treatment-free interval of platinum≥12 months) showed no differences in progression-free survival and overall survival. Grade 3 neutropenia and asthenia were reported in 15.2 and 10.1% of patients, respectively. Most frequent adverse events in more than 10% of patients were neutropenia (45.6%), asthenia (43.0%), nausea (25.3%), and anemia (13.9%). The intercalation with a nonplatinum regimen may improve the response to a subsequent platinum-based therapy in women with recurrent, platinum-sensitive ovarian cancer.