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BACKGROUND: Specific components of lipid profile seem to differently impact on immune activity against cancer and unraveling their prognostic role in patients with solid cancer treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) is needed. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively collected baseline clinicopathological characteristics including circulating lipid profile (total cholesterol [TC], triglycerides [TG], low-density lipoproteins [LDL], high-density lipoproteins [HDL]) of patients with consecutive solid cancer treated with ICIs, and we investigated their role in predicting clinical outcomes. RESULTS: At a median follow-up of 32.9 months, among 430 enrolled patients, those with TCâ ≥â 200 mg/dl showed longer median progression-free survival (mPFS; 6.6 vs. 4.7 months, Pâ =â .4), although not reaching statistical significance, and significantly longer median overall survival (mOS; 19.4 vs. 10.8 months, Pâ =â .02) compared to those with TCâ <â 200 mg/dl. Conversely, patients with TG ≥150 mg/dl displayed shorter PFS (3.4 vs. 5.1 months, Pâ =â .02) and OS (7.1 vs. 12.9 months, Pâ =â .009) compared to those with TG <150 mg/dl. TC and TG were then combined in a "LIPID score" identifying three subgroups: good-risk (GR) (TC ≥200 mg/dl and TG <150 mg/dl), intermediate-risk (IR) (TC <200 mg/dl and TG <150 mg/dl or TC ≥200 mg/dl and TG ≥150 mg/dl) and poor-risk (PR) (TC <200 mg/dl and TG ≥150 mg/dl). The mPFS of GR, IR, and PR groups was 7.8, 4.3, and 2.5 months, respectively (Pâ =â .005); mOS of GR, IR, and PR was 20.4, 12.4, and 5.3 months, respectively (Pâ <â .001). At multivariable analysis, the PR profile represented an independent poor prognostic factor for both PFS and OS. CONCLUSIONS: We developed a lipid score that defined subgroups of patients with cancer who differently benefit from ICIs. Further mechanistic insights are warranted to clarify the prognostic and predictive role of lipid profile components in patients treated with ICIs.
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Inibidores de Checkpoint Imunológico , Neoplasias , Humanos , Estudos Retrospectivos , Prognóstico , Lipídeos , Triglicerídeos , Neoplasias/tratamento farmacológicoRESUMO
The combination of BRAF and MEK inhibitors demonstrated significant clinical benefit in patients with BRAF-mutant non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, the molecular mechanisms of acquired resistance to BRAF and MEK inhibition in NSCLC are still unknown. Herein, we report a case of a 76-year-old man with a history of smoking who was diagnosed with BRAF V600E-mutant lung adenocarcinoma (PD-L1â >â 50%) and subsequently candidate to first-line therapy with pembrolizumab. After 18â months since the start of immunotherapy, computed tomography scan showed disease progression and a second-line therapy with dabrafenib and trametinib was initiated. Seven months later, due to a suspect disease progression, a left supraclavicular lymphadenectomy was performed and next-generation sequencing analysis revealed the appearance of MET exon 14 skipping mutation, while fluorescence in situ hybridization analysis showed MET amplification. The patient is still on BRAF and MEK inhibitor treatment. Our case highlights the relevance of performing tumor tissue rebiopsy at the time of progression during treatment with BRAF/MEK inhibition with the aim of identifying putative mechanisms of resistance.
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Protocolos de Quimioterapia Combinada Antineoplásica , Carcinoma Pulmonar de Células não Pequenas , Resistencia a Medicamentos Antineoplásicos , Imidazóis , Neoplasias Pulmonares , Mutação , Oximas , Proteínas Proto-Oncogênicas B-raf , Proteínas Proto-Oncogênicas c-met , Piridonas , Pirimidinonas , Humanos , Piridonas/administração & dosagem , Pirimidinonas/administração & dosagem , Masculino , Oximas/administração & dosagem , Idoso , Proteínas Proto-Oncogênicas B-raf/genética , Imidazóis/administração & dosagem , Neoplasias Pulmonares/tratamento farmacológico , Neoplasias Pulmonares/genética , Neoplasias Pulmonares/patologia , Carcinoma Pulmonar de Células não Pequenas/tratamento farmacológico , Carcinoma Pulmonar de Células não Pequenas/genética , Carcinoma Pulmonar de Células não Pequenas/patologia , Proteínas Proto-Oncogênicas c-met/genética , Protocolos de Quimioterapia Combinada Antineoplásica/uso terapêuticoRESUMO
INTRODUCTION: Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) became the standard of care for several solid tumors. A limited fraction of patients (pts) achieves a long-term benefit. Plasmatic and intracellular cholesterol levels have emerged as promising biomarkers. The aim of the present study was to determine whether cholesterol efflux capacity (CEC), mediated by serum transporters (ABCA1 and ABCG1) and passive diffusion (PD), impacts on clinical outcome of advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) pts treated with ICIs. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We retrospectively enrolled advanced NSCLC and mRCC pts consecutively treated with ICIs between October 2013 and October 2018. CEC and cholesterol loading capacity (CLC) were assessed by well-established specific cell models. As primary endpoint, CEC, PD and CLC were correlated with overall survival (OS) while the effects of these parameters on progression-free survival (PFS) and clinical benefit (CB), defined as complete/partial response or stable disease, represented secondary endpoints. RESULTS: NSCLC accounted for 94.2% of 70 enrolled cases, and serum sample suitable for CEC and PD determination was available in 68. Blood cholesterol and serum ABCA1, ABCG1, PD and CLC were associated with outcomes (OS, PFS and CB) at univariate analysis. At the multivariate analysis, only PD confirmed its positive prognostic value in terms of OS, PFS and CB. CONCLUSION: The favorable impact of cholesterol PD on clinical outcome might reflect its main conformation in mature HDL particles which potentially shape an inflamed context, ultimately promoting ICI efficacy. Further prospective studies are needed to support our findings and uncover targetable pathways.
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Carcinoma Pulmonar de Células não Pequenas , Carcinoma de Células Renais , Neoplasias Renais , Neoplasias Pulmonares , Humanos , Carcinoma Pulmonar de Células não Pequenas/patologia , Neoplasias Pulmonares/patologia , Inibidores de Checkpoint Imunológico/uso terapêutico , Estudos Retrospectivos , Carcinoma de Células Renais/tratamento farmacológico , Biomarcadores Tumorais/análise , Neoplasias Renais/tratamento farmacológico , ColesterolRESUMO
BCR-ABL1 kinase domain mutation testing in tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI)-resistant Philadelphia chromosome-positive (Ph+) acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) patients is routinely performed by Sanger sequencing (SS). Recently, next-generation sequencing (NGS)-based approaches have been developed that afford greater sensitivity and straightforward discrimination between compound and polyclonal mutations. We performed a study to compare the results of SS and NGS in a consecutive cohort of 171 Ph+ ALL patients. At diagnosis, 0/44 and 3/44 patients were positive for mutations by SS and NGS respectively. Out of 47 patients with haematologic resistance, 45 had mutations according to both methods, but in 25 patients NGS revealed additional mutations undetectable by SS. Out of 80 patients in complete haematologic response but with BCR-ABL1 ≥0·1%, 28 (35%) and 52 (65%) were positive by SS and NGS respectively. Moreover, in 12 patients positive by SS, NGS detected additional mutations. NGS resolved clonal complexity in 34 patients with multiple mutations at the same or different codons and identified 35 compound mutations. Our study demonstrates that, in Ph+ ALL on TKI therapy, NGS enables more accurate assessment of mutation status both in patients who fail therapy and in patients with minimal residual disease above 0·1%.
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Resistencia a Medicamentos Antineoplásicos/genética , Proteínas de Fusão bcr-abl/genética , Sequenciamento de Nucleotídeos em Larga Escala/métodos , Neoplasia Residual/genética , Leucemia-Linfoma Linfoblástico de Células Precursoras/genética , Adulto , Idoso , Tomada de Decisão Clínica , Feminino , Humanos , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Mutação/genética , Neoplasia Residual/epidemiologia , Cromossomo Filadélfia/efeitos dos fármacos , Leucemia-Linfoma Linfoblástico de Células Precursoras/diagnóstico , Leucemia-Linfoma Linfoblástico de Células Precursoras/tratamento farmacológico , Inibidores de Proteínas Quinases/uso terapêuticoRESUMO
Osimertinib is a third-generation epidermal growth factor receptor-tyrosine kinase inhibitor (EGFR-TKI) used both as the first-line treatment of EGFR-mutated non-small cell lung cancer patients and in second-line after T790M-positive disease progression to first- or second-generation TKIs. Unfortunately, patients unavoidably experience disease progression to osimertinib and the current research is focused on resistance mechanisms and the relative therapeutic strategy. We report the case of a patient with advanced EGFR-mutated (exon 19 deletion and T790M-positive) non-small cell lung cancer who developed disease progression to osimertinib characterized by the loss of T790M concurrently with the emergence of G724S EGFR mutation, which was tackled by subsequent afatinib treatment. Next-generation sequencing molecular study of rebiopsy at time of progression to osimertinib revealed the persistence of EGFR exon 19 deletion, loss of T790M with a new G724S EGFR mutation; other concomitant mechanisms were excluded. Retrospective analysis of cell-free DNA revealed the emergence of G724S EGFR mutation four months before the radiologically-proven disease progression. The patient, after chemotherapy, was treated with afatinib with clinical and radiological benefit. Our case report contributes to increase the knowledge on acquired resistance mechanisms to osimertinib treatment, and it shows, for the first time, the efficacy of afatinib in the case of T790M loss and emergence of G724S EGFR mutation.
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Afatinib/uso terapêutico , Carcinoma Pulmonar de Células não Pequenas/tratamento farmacológico , Neoplasias Pulmonares/tratamento farmacológico , Inibidores de Proteínas Quinases/uso terapêutico , Acrilamidas/uso terapêutico , Compostos de Anilina/uso terapêutico , Carcinoma Pulmonar de Células não Pequenas/genética , Resistencia a Medicamentos Antineoplásicos/efeitos dos fármacos , Resistencia a Medicamentos Antineoplásicos/genética , Receptores ErbB/genética , Éxons , Humanos , Neoplasias Pulmonares/genética , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-IdadeRESUMO
Benign metastasizing leiomyoma (BML) is a rare disease characterized by extrauterine benign leiomyomatosis in patients with a previous or concomitant history of uterine leiomyoma. Currently, there are no specific criteria to predict the metastasizing ability of the uterine leiomyoma and the risk of malignant degeneration of pulmonary BML, and these are the aims of this study. We analyzed 10 uterine (three leiomyomas, four leiomyomas that gave rise to lung BML, three healthy tissues) and 11 pulmonary tissue samples (eight lung BML, three healthy tissues). Interestingly, one of the BML lesions exceptionally evolved into a leiomyosarcoma (case 2). Uterine leiomyoma microvascular density (MVD) was higher in the patients with uterine leiomyomas that gave rise to lung BML, reaching a peak in case 2. Strong positivity for the estrogen (ER) and progesterone (PR) receptors and a low proliferation index (Ki67 < 1%) were discovered both in patients with uterine leiomyoma and in patients with BML. Interestingly, in case 2, the last dedifferentiated leiomyosarcoma showed a weaker ER and PR positivity with a higher proliferation index (Ki67:30%). Regarding the uterine miRNA-126, a trend toward a hypo-expression between uterine leiomyoma and uterine leiomyoma that gave rise to lung BML was discovered, reaching the lowest level in case 2. Considering the pulmonary samples, we observed a higher miRNA-221 and a lower miRNA-126 expression in the leiomyosarcoma. We tried to better elucidate the biological behaviour of this rare disease. The analysis of the miRNA-221 and miRNA-126 could offer new diagnostic, prognostic and therapeutic perspectives.
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Biomarcadores Tumorais/genética , Leiomioma/genética , Neoplasias Pulmonares/genética , MicroRNAs/genética , Neoplasias Uterinas/patologia , Adulto , Idoso , Idoso de 80 Anos ou mais , Biomarcadores Tumorais/metabolismo , Feminino , Humanos , Leiomioma/metabolismo , Leiomioma/patologia , Neoplasias Pulmonares/metabolismo , Neoplasias Pulmonares/patologia , Neoplasias Pulmonares/secundário , MicroRNAs/metabolismo , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Receptores de Estrogênio/metabolismo , Receptores de Progesterona/metabolismoRESUMO
OPINION STATEMENT: The quest for immunotherapy (IT) biomarkers is an element of highest clinical interest in both solid and hematologic tumors. In non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients, besides PD-L1 expression evaluation with its intrinsic limitations, tissue and circulating parameters, likely portraying the tumor and its stromal/immune counterparts, have been proposed as potential predictors of IT responsiveness. STK11 mutations have been globally labeled as markers of IT resistance. After a thorough literature review, STK11 mutations condition the prognosis of NSCLC patients receiving ICI-containing regimens, implying a relevant biological and clinical significance. On the other hand, waiting for prospective and solid data, the putative negative predictive value of STK11 inactivation towards IT is sustained by less evidence. The physiologic regulation of multiple cellular pathways performed by STK11 likely explains the multifaceted modifications in tumor cells, stroma, and tumor immune microenvironment (TIME) observed in STK11 mutant lung cancer, particularly explored in the molecular subgroup of KRAS co-mutation. IT approaches available thus far in NSCLC, mainly represented by anti-PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors, are not promising in the case of STK11 inactivation. Perceptive strategies aimed at modulating the TIME, regardless of STK11 status or specifically addressed to STK11-mutated cases, will hopefully provide valid therapeutic options to be adopted in the clinical practice.
Assuntos
Carcinoma Pulmonar de Células não Pequenas/etiologia , Carcinoma Pulmonar de Células não Pequenas/patologia , Imunomodulação , Neoplasias Pulmonares/etiologia , Neoplasias Pulmonares/patologia , Microambiente Tumoral/imunologia , Quinases Proteína-Quinases Ativadas por AMP/genética , Quinases Proteína-Quinases Ativadas por AMP/metabolismo , Animais , Antineoplásicos Imunológicos/farmacologia , Antineoplásicos Imunológicos/uso terapêutico , Biomarcadores , Biomarcadores Tumorais , Carcinoma Pulmonar de Células não Pequenas/metabolismo , Carcinoma Pulmonar de Células não Pequenas/terapia , Gerenciamento Clínico , Suscetibilidade a Doenças , Metabolismo Energético , Regulação Neoplásica da Expressão Gênica , Humanos , Imunomodulação/genética , Imunoterapia , Neoplasias Pulmonares/metabolismo , Neoplasias Pulmonares/terapia , Proteínas de Membrana/genética , Proteínas de Membrana/metabolismo , Mutação , Prognóstico , Transdução de Sinais , Resultado do Tratamento , Evasão Tumoral/genética , Microambiente Tumoral/efeitos dos fármacos , Microambiente Tumoral/genéticaRESUMO
Osimertinib is an irreversible, third-generation epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitor that is highly selective for EGFR-activating mutations as well as the EGFR T790M mutation in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with EGFR oncogene addiction. Despite the documented efficacy of osimertinib in first- and second-line settings, patients inevitably develop resistance, with no further clear-cut therapeutic options to date other than chemotherapy and locally ablative therapy for selected individuals. On account of the high degree of tumour heterogeneity and adaptive cellular signalling pathways in NSCLC, the acquired osimertinib resistance is highly heterogeneous, encompassing EGFR-dependent as well as EGFR-independent mechanisms. Furthermore, data from repeat plasma genotyping analyses have highlighted differences in the frequency and preponderance of resistance mechanisms when osimertinib is administered in a front-line versus second-line setting, underlying the discrepancies in selection pressure and clonal evolution. This review summarises the molecular mechanisms of resistance to osimertinib in patients with advanced EGFR-mutated NSCLC, including MET/HER2 amplification, activation of the RAS-mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) or RAS-phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) pathways, novel fusion events and histological/phenotypic transformation, as well as discussing the current evidence regarding potential new approaches to counteract osimertinib resistance.
Assuntos
Acrilamidas/farmacologia , Compostos de Anilina/farmacologia , Carcinoma Pulmonar de Células não Pequenas/tratamento farmacológico , Neoplasias Pulmonares/tratamento farmacológico , Acrilamidas/uso terapêutico , Compostos de Anilina/uso terapêutico , Carcinoma Pulmonar de Células não Pequenas/enzimologia , Carcinoma Pulmonar de Células não Pequenas/genética , Resistencia a Medicamentos Antineoplásicos , Receptores ErbB/antagonistas & inibidores , Receptores ErbB/genética , Receptores ErbB/metabolismo , Humanos , Neoplasias Pulmonares/enzimologia , Neoplasias Pulmonares/genética , Mutação , Inibidores de Proteínas Quinases/farmacologia , Ensaios Clínicos Controlados Aleatórios como AssuntoRESUMO
BACKGROUND: Circulating cell-free DNA (cfDNA) may help understand the molecular response to pharmacologic treatment and provide information on dynamics of clonal heterogeneity. Therefore, this study evaluated the correlation between treatment outcome and activating EGFR mutations (act-EGFR) and T790M in cfDNA in patients with advanced NSCLC given osimertinib. METHODS: Thirty-four NSCLC patients resistant to first/second-generation EGFR-TKIs, positive for both act-EGFR and T790M in cfDNA at the time of progression were enrolled in this study. Plasma samples were obtained at osimertinib baseline and after 3 months of therapy; cfDNA was analyzed by droplet digital PCR and results were expressed as mutant allele frequency (MAF). RESULTS: At baseline, act-EGFR MAF was significantly higher than T790M (p < 0.0001). act-EGFR MAF and T790M/act-EGFR MAF ratio were significantly correlated with disease response (p = 0.02). Cut-off values of act-EGFR MAF and T790M/act-EGFR ratio of 2.6% and 0.22 were found, respectively. The PFS of patients with act-EGFR MAF of > 2.6% and < 2.6%, were 10 months vs. not reached, respectively (p = 0.03), whereas patients with T790M/act-EGFR ≤ 0.22 had poorer PFS than patients with a value of > 0.22 (6 months vs. not reached, respectively, p = 0.01). CONCLUSION: act-EGFR MAF and T790M/act-EGFR MAF ratio are potential markers of outcome in patients treated with osimertinib.
Assuntos
Acrilamidas/uso terapêutico , Compostos de Anilina/uso terapêutico , Antineoplásicos/uso terapêutico , Carcinoma Pulmonar de Células não Pequenas/tratamento farmacológico , Ácidos Nucleicos Livres/sangue , Ácidos Nucleicos Livres/genética , Neoplasias Pulmonares/tratamento farmacológico , Mutação , Adulto , Idoso , Idoso de 80 Anos ou mais , Carcinoma Pulmonar de Células não Pequenas/sangue , Carcinoma Pulmonar de Células não Pequenas/genética , Receptores ErbB/genética , Feminino , Humanos , Neoplasias Pulmonares/sangue , Neoplasias Pulmonares/genética , Masculino , Resultado do TratamentoRESUMO
Targeted therapies are revolutionizing the treatment of advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The discovery of key oncogenic events mainly in lung adenocarcinoma, like EGFR mutations or ALK rearrangements, has changed the treatment landscape while improving the prognosis of lung cancer patients. Inevitably, virtually all patients initially treated with targeted therapies develop resistance because of the emergence of an insensitive cellular population, selected by pharmacologic pressure. Diverse mechanisms of resistance, in particular to EGFR, ALK and ROS1 tyrosine-kinase inhibitors (TKIs), have now been discovered and may be classified in three different groups: (1) alterations in the target (such as EGFR T790M and ALK or ROS1 mutations); (2) activation of alternative pathways (i.e. MET amplification, KRAS mutations); (3) phenotype transformation (to small cell lung cancer, epithelial-mesenchymal transition). These basic mechanisms are informing the development of novel therapeutic strategies to overcome resistance in the clinic. Novel-generation molecules include osimertinib, for EGFR-T790M-positive patients, and new ALK-TKIs. Nevertheless, the possible concomitant presence of multiple resistance mechanisms, as well as their heterogeneity among cells and disease localizations, makes research in this field particularly arduous. In this chapter, available evidence and perspectives concerning precise mechanisms of escape to pharmacological inhibition in oncogene-addicted NSCLC are reported for single targets, including but not limited to EGFR and ALK.
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Antineoplásicos/farmacologia , Carcinoma Pulmonar de Células não Pequenas/tratamento farmacológico , Resistencia a Medicamentos Antineoplásicos , Neoplasias Pulmonares/tratamento farmacológico , Inibidores de Proteínas Quinases/farmacologia , Quinase do Linfoma Anaplásico , Receptores ErbB , Humanos , Terapia de Alvo Molecular , Mutação , Proteínas Tirosina Quinases , Proteínas Proto-OncogênicasRESUMO
The human luteinizing hormone/chorionic gonadotropin receptor (LHCGR) plays a fundamental role in male and female reproduction. In males, loss-of-function mutations in LHCGR have been associated with distinct degrees of impairment in pre- and postnatal testosterone secretion resulting in a variable phenotypic spectrum, classified as Leydig cell hypoplasia (LCH) type 1 (complete LH resistance and disorder of sex differentiation) and type 2 (partial LH resistance with impaired masculinization and fertility). Here, we report the case of an adolescent who came to the pediatric endocrinologist at the age of 12 years old for micropenis and cryptorchidism. Testis biopsy showed profound LCH and absent germinal line elements (Sertoli-only syndrome). The sequence analysis of the LHCGR gene showed the presence of a compound heterozygosity, being one variation, c.1847C>A p.S616Y, already described in association to Hypergonadotropic Hypogonadism, and the other, c.29 C>T p.L10P, a new identified variant in the putative signal peptide (SP) of LHCGR. Functional and structural studies provide first evidence that LHCGR have a functional and cleavable SP required for receptor biogenesis. Moreover, we demonstrate the pathogenic role of the novel p.L10P allelic variant, which has to be considered a loss-of-function mutation significantly contributing, in compound heterozygosity with p.S616Y, to the LCH type 2 observed in our patient.
Assuntos
Transtorno 46,XY do Desenvolvimento Sexual/genética , Mutação , Sinais Direcionadores de Proteínas/genética , Receptores do LH/genética , Testículo/anormalidades , Animais , Criança , Criptorquidismo/genética , Análise Mutacional de DNA , Doenças dos Genitais Masculinos/genética , Humanos , Hipospadia/genética , Masculino , Pênis/anormalidades , Receptores do LH/biossínteseRESUMO
Osimertinib, a tyrosine kinase inhibitor targeting mutant EGFR, has received approval for initial treatment in patients with Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC). While effective in both first- and second-line treatments, patients eventually develop acquired resistance. Metabolic reprogramming represents a strategy through which cancer cells may resist and adapt to the selective pressure exerted by the drug. In the current study, we investigated the metabolic adaptations associated with osimertinib-resistance in NSCLC cells under low glucose culture conditions. We demonstrated that, unlike osimertinib-sensitive cells, osimertinib-resistant cells were able to survive under low glucose conditions by increasing the rate of glucose and glutamine uptake and by shifting towards mitochondrial metabolism. Inhibiting glucose/pyruvate contribution to mitochondrial respiration, glutamine deamination to glutamate, and oxidative phosphorylation decreased the proliferation and survival abilities of osimertinib-resistant cells to glucose starvation. Our findings underscore the remarkable adaptability of osimertinib-resistant NSCLC cells in a low glucose environment and highlight the pivotal role of mitochondrial metabolism in mediating this adaptation. Targeting the metabolic adaptive responses triggered by glucose shortage emerges as a promising strategy, effectively inhibiting cell proliferation and promoting cell death in osimertinib-resistant cells.
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INTRODUCTION: Germline pathogenic mutations in TP53 gene are associated with a cancer predisposition syndrome known as Li Fraumeni syndrome. Albeit infrequently, non-small cell lung cancer, especially as oncogene-addicted disease, may be diagnosed in young patients with Li Fraumeni syndrome. CASE DESCRIPTION: We report three cases of patients affected by Li Fraumeni syndrome who developed non-small cell lung cancer with EGFR or HER2 exon 20 insertions. The first patient suffered from liposarcoma and, then, brain metastases from HER2-mutated non-small cell lung cancer: after stereotactic radiotherapy, he benefited from enrollment in a clinical trial with a HER2-targeted therapy. The second young patient was a female with personal history of rhabdomyosarcoma, diagnosed with brain metastases from EGFR-mutated non-small cell lung cancer: enrollment in a clinical trial led to a temporary clinical benefit. The last case was a female diagnosed with breast carcinoma, ovarian granulosa cell tumor and advanced EGFR-mutated non-small cell lung cancer at a young age. CONCLUSIONS: Young patients affected by oncogene-addicted non-small cell lung cancer and with a positive familial cancer history should be referred for an accurate genetic counselling to look for Li Fraumeni syndrome. The underlying molecular connection between TP53 and HER family receptor tyrosine kinases remains unclear, but an extensive molecular characterization of tumors from patients with Li Fraumeni syndrome should always be performed, to offer patients a personalized therapeutic approach.
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PURPOSE: This study aims to determine whether longitudinal changes in CT radiomic features (RFs) and systemic inflammatory indices outperform single-time-point assessment in predicting survival in advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively acquired pretreatment (T0) and first disease assessment (T1) RFs and systemic inflammatory indices from a single-center cohort of stage IV NSCLC patients and computed their delta (Δ) variation as [(T1-T0)/T0]. RFs from the primary tumor were selected for building baseline-radiomic (RAD) and Δ-RAD scores using the linear combination of standardized predictors detected by LASSO Cox regression models. Cox models were generated using clinical features alone or combined with baseline and Δ blood parameters and integrated with baseline-RAD and Δ-RAD. All models were 3-fold cross-validated. A prognostic index (PI) of each model was tested to stratify overall survival (OS) through Kaplan-Meier analysis. RESULTS: We included 90 ICI-treated NSCLC patients (median age 70 y [IQR=42 to 85], 63 males). Δ-RAD outperformed baseline-RAD for predicting OS [c-index: 0.632 (95%CI: 0.628 to 0.636) vs. 0.605 (95%CI: 0.601 to 0.608) in the test splits]. Integrating longitudinal changes of systemic inflammatory indices and Δ-RAD with clinical data led to the best model performance [Integrated-Δ model, c-index: 0.750 (95% CI: 0.749 to 0.751) in training and 0.718 (95% CI: 0.715 to 0.721) in testing splits]. PI enabled significant OS stratification within all the models (P-value <0.01), reaching the greatest discriminative ability in Δ models (high-risk group HR up to 7.37, 95% CI: 3.9 to 13.94, P<0.01). CONCLUSION: Δ-RAD improved OS prediction compared with single-time-point radiomic in advanced ICI-treated NSCLC. Integrating Δ-RAD with a longitudinal assessment of clinical and laboratory data further improved the prognostic performance.
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The study investigated the relationship between serum proinflammatory cytokine levels, cholesterol metabolism, and clinical outcome in cancer patients undergoing immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). Peripheral blood was collected before therapy from ICI-treated advanced cancer patients. We retrospectively assessed plasma total cholesterol (TC), ABCA1- and ABCG1-mediated cholesterol efflux (CE), passive diffusion (PD), cholesterol loading capacity (CLC), and serum IL-6, IL-10, and TNF-α. The association between blood cholesterol parameters and inflammatory cytokines and their effect on overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), and clinical benefit (CB) from ICIs were statistically assessed. Among 70 consecutively enrolled patients (nonsmall cell lung cancer: 94%; renal cell carcinoma: 6%), TC, CLC, and cholesterol PD resulted significantly higher in IL-6low and IL-10low cases (P<0.05), whereas ABCA1-mediated CE was increased in IL-10high patients (P=0.018). Uni- and multivariable analysis revealed meaningfully longer OS and PFS in IL-6low (HR 2.13 and 2.97, respectively) and IL-10low (HR 3.17 and 2.62) groups. At univariate analysis all cholesterol-related indices significantly correlated with OS and PFS, whereas at multivariate only high PD was validated as a protection factor (OS, HR 0.75; PFS, HR 0.84). Finally, uni- and multivariable showed a statistically significant inverse association of CB with ABCG1-CE (OR 0.62), as with IL-6 (OR 0.13) and IL-10 (OR 0.10). In-depth characterization of the interplay between blood cholesterol metabolism and immune-inflammatory cytokines might provide novel insights into the complex relationship among cancer, inflammation, lipids profile, and response to immunotherapy.
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INTRODUCTION: Several biomarkers are currently available to address targeted treatments in cancer patients, with lung malignancies representing one of the best examples. CASE DESCRIPTION: We report the case of a patient affected by advanced non-small cell lung cancer with an uncommon histology and a complex biology. The use of a large next-generation sequencing (NGS) NGS panel allowed us to identify an extremely rare BRAF mutation (V600Q), a MET amplification, a high tumor mutational burden, a germline pathogenetic BRCA1 mutation and a homologous recombination deficiency through RAD51 assay. The treatment decision was driven by the abundance of molecular information. CONCLUSIONS: This case highlights that an attentive and critical evaluation of molecular reports is key for the tailoring of treatment algorithms at the patient-level scale.
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The EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor osimertinib has been approved for the first-line treatment of EGFR-mutated Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC) patients. Despite its efficacy, patients develop resistance. Mechanisms of resistance are heterogeneous and not fully understood, and their characterization is essential to find new strategies to overcome resistance. Ceramides are well-known regulators of apoptosis and are converted into glucosylceramides (GlcCer) by glucosylceramide synthase (GCS). A higher content of GlcCers was observed in lung pleural effusions from NSCLC patients and their role in osimertinib-resistance has not been documented. The aim of this study was to determine the therapeutic potential of inhibiting GCS in NSCLC EGFR-mutant models resistant to osimertinib in vitro and in vivo. Lipidomic analysis showed a significant increase in the intracellular levels of glycosylceramides, including GlcCers in osimertinib resistant clones compared to sensitive cells. In resistant cells, the GCS inhibitor PDMP caused cell cycle arrest, inhibition of 2D and 3D cell proliferation, colony formation and migration capability, and apoptosis induction. The intratumoral injection of PDMP completely suppressed the growth of OR xenograft models. This study demonstrated that dysregulation of ceramide metabolism is involved in osimertinib-resistance and targeting GCS may be a promising therapeutic strategy for patients progressed to osimertinib.
Assuntos
Acrilamidas , Carcinoma Pulmonar de Células não Pequenas , Glucosiltransferases , Indóis , Neoplasias Pulmonares , Pirimidinas , Humanos , Compostos de Anilina/uso terapêutico , Carcinoma Pulmonar de Células não Pequenas/tratamento farmacológico , Linhagem Celular Tumoral , Resistencia a Medicamentos Antineoplásicos , Receptores ErbB , Neoplasias Pulmonares/tratamento farmacológico , Neoplasias Pulmonares/genética , Mutação , Inibidores de Proteínas Quinases/farmacologia , Inibidores de Proteínas Quinases/uso terapêuticoRESUMO
Germline variants occurring in BRCA1 and BRCA2 give rise to hereditary breast and ovarian cancer (HBOC) syndrome, predisposing to breast, ovarian, fallopian tube, and peritoneal cancers marked by elevated incidences of genomic aberrations that correspond to poor prognoses. These genes are in fact involved in genetic integrity, particularly in the process of homologous recombination (HR) DNA repair, a high-fidelity repair system for mending DNA double-strand breaks. In addition to its implication in HBOC pathogenesis, the impairment of HR has become a prime target for therapeutic intervention utilizing poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibitors. In the present review, we introduce the molecular roles of HR orchestrated by BRCA1 and BRCA2 within the framework of sensitivity to PARP inhibitors. We examine the genetic architecture underneath breast and ovarian cancer ranging from high- and mid- to low-penetrant predisposing genes and taking into account both germline and somatic variations. Finally, we consider higher levels of complexity of the genomic landscape such as polygenic risk scores and other approaches aiming to optimize therapeutic and preventive strategies for breast and ovarian cancer.
Assuntos
Genes BRCA2 , Neoplasias Ovarianas , Feminino , Humanos , Neoplasias Ovarianas/patologia , Inibidores de Poli(ADP-Ribose) Polimerases/farmacologia , Inibidores de Poli(ADP-Ribose) Polimerases/uso terapêutico , Reparo de DNA por Recombinação , Quebras de DNA de Cadeia Dupla , Poli(ADP-Ribose) Polimerases/genéticaRESUMO
OBJECTIVES: Liquid biopsy with next-generation sequencing (NGS) has emerged as a promising tool for tumor mutation profiling. In this study, we describe the genomic profile of Italian lung cancer patients tested with blood-based comprehensive genomic profiling (CGP) to assess the genomic landscape complexity and its impact on enhancing treatment options for patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between January 2021 and December 2021, a total of 229 lung cancer patients were profiled by FoundationOne®Liquid CDx (F1LCDx®) assay on circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA). F1LCDx® reports alterations across 324 cancer-related genes and genomic signatures, including tumor fraction (TF) and blood-based tumor mutational burden (bTMB). Detected variants were classified according to the ESMO Scale of Clinical Actionability for molecular Targets (ESCAT). RESULTS: 90.4% of patients had at least one detectable alteration in plasma. The most frequently mutated genes were TP53 (47.6%), DNMT3A (33.2%), EGFR (20.1%), and KRAS (15.7%). Elevated TF was detected in 18.3% of patients, suggesting high reliability of test results. According to the ESCAT classification, potentially actionable alterations (Tier I-II) were identified in 27.1% of samples. An additional 5.2% harbored an alteration for which an approved drug is available in other cancer types (Tier III). Furthermore, 13.1% of tumors exhibited high bTMB, which may predict response to immunotherapy. Overall, 156 (68.1%) patients were eligible for enrolment in clinical trials. CONCLUSION: Liquid biopsy NGS is a viable and valuable approach to guide personalized therapy. The use of blood-based CGP may help identify a larger number of actionable mutations and increase chances of enrolment in clinical trials.
RESUMO
INTRODUCTION: This study aimed to evaluate a potential relationship between the diffusing capacity of the lung for carbon monoxide (DLCO) and the aggressiveness of lung adenocarcinoma (ADC). METHODS: Patients who underwent radical surgery for lung ADC between 2001 and 2018 were retrospectively reviewed. DLCO values were dichotomized into DLCOlow (<80% of predicted) and DLCOnormal (≥80%). Relationships between DLCO and ADC histopathological features, clinical features, as well as with overall survival (OS), were evaluated. RESULTS: Four-hundred and sixty patients were enrolled, of which 193 (42%) were included in the DLCOlow group. DLCOlow was associated with smoking status, low FEV1, micropapillary and solid ADC, tumour grade 3, high tumour lymphoid infiltrate and presence of tumour desmoplasia. In addition, DLCO values were higher in low-grade ADC and progressively decreased in intermediate and high-grade ADC (p=0.024). After adjusting for clinical variables, at multivariable logistic regression analysis, DLCOlow still showed a significant correlation with high lymphoid infiltrate (p=0.017), presence of desmoplasia (p=0.065), tumour grade 3 (p=0.062), micropapillary and solid ADC subtypes (p=0.008). To exclude the association between non-smokers and well-differentiated ADC, the relationship between DLCO and histopathological ADC patterns was confirmed in the subset of 377 former and current smokers (p=0.021). At univariate analysis, gender, DLCO, FEV1, ADC histotype, tumour grade, stage, pleural invasion, tumour necrosis, tumour desmoplasia, lymphatic and blood invasion were significantly related with OS. At multivariate analysis, only gender (p<0.001), tumour stage (p<0.001) and DLCO (p=0.050) were significantly related with the OS. CONCLUSIONS: We found a relationship between DLCO and ADC patterns as well as with tumour grade, tumour lymphoid infiltrate and desmoplasia, suggesting that lung damage may be associated with tumour aggressiveness.