AGR2-mediated unconventional secretion of 14-3-3ε and α-actinin-4, responsive to ER stress and autophagy, drives chemotaxis in canine mammary tumor cells.

BACKGROUND: Canine mammary tumors (CMTs) in intact female dogs provide a natural model for investigating metastatic human cancers. Our prior research identified elevated expression of Anterior Gradient 2 (AGR2), a protein disulfide isomerase (PDI) primarily found in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), in CMT tissues, highly associated with CMT progression. We further demonstrated that increased AGR2 expression actively influences the extracellular microenvironment, promoting chemotaxis in CMT cells. Unraveling the underlying mechanisms is crucial for assessing the potential of therapeutically targeting AGR2 as a strategy to inhibit a pro-metastatic microenvironment and impede tumor metastasis. METHODS: To identify the AGR2-modulated secretome, we employed proteomics analysis of the conditioned media (CM) from two CMT cell lines ectopically expressing AGR2, compared with corresponding vector-expressing controls. AGR2-regulated release of 14-3-3ε (gene: YWHAE) and α-actinin 4 (gene: ACTN4) was validated through ectopic expression, knockdown, and knockout of the AGR2 gene in CMT cells. Extracellular vesicles derived from CMT cells were isolated using either differential ultracentrifugation or size exclusion chromatography. The roles of 14-3-3ε and α-actinin 4 in the chemotaxis driven by the AGR2-modulated CM were investigated through gene knockdown, antibody-mediated interference, and recombinant protein supplement. Furthermore, the clinical relevance of the release of 14-3-3ε and α-actinin 4 was assessed using CMT tissue-immersed saline and sera from CMT-afflicted dogs. RESULTS: Proteomics analysis of the AGR2-modulated secretome revealed increased abundance in 14-3-3ε and α-actinin 4. Ectopic expression of AGR2 significantly increased the release of 14-3-3ε and α-actinin 4 in the CM. Conversely, knockdown or knockout of AGR2 expression remarkably reduced their release. Silencing 14-3-3ε or α-actinin 4 expression diminished the chemotaxis driven by AGR2-modulated CM. Furthermore, AGR2 controls the release of 14-3-3ε and α-actinin 4 primarily via non-vesicular routes, responding to the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and autophagy activation. Knockout of AGR2 resulted in increased α-actinin 4 accumulation and impaired 14-3-3ε translocation in autophagosomes. Depletion of extracellular 14-3-3ε or α-actinin 4 reduced the chemotaxis driven by AGR2-modulated CM, whereas supplement with recombinant 14-3-3ε in the CM enhanced the CM-driven chemotaxis. Notably, elevated levels of 14-3-3ε or α-actinin 4 were observed in CMT tissue-immersed saline compared with paired non-tumor samples and in the sera of CMT dogs compared with healthy dogs. CONCLUSION: This study elucidates AGR2's pivotal role in orchestrating unconventional secretion of 14-3-3ε and α-actinin 4 from CMT cells, thereby contributing to paracrine-mediated chemotaxis. The insight into the intricate interplay between AGR2-involved ER stress, autophagy, and unconventional secretion provides a foundation for refining strategies aimed at impeding metastasis in both canine mammary tumors and potentially human cancers.

Clinical practice consensus for the diagnosis and management of melanoma in Taiwan.

Melanoma is rare in Taiwan. Asian melanoma is distinct from Western melanoma because acral and mucosal melanoma accounts for the majority of melanoma cases, leading to distinct tumor behaviors and genetic profiling. With consideration of the clinical guidelines in Western countries, Taiwanese experts developed a local clinical practice consensus guideline. This consensus includes diagnosis, staging, and surgical and systemic treatment, based only on clinical evidence, local epidemiology, and available resources evaluated by experts in Taiwan. This consensus emphasizes the importance of surgical management, particularly for sentinel lymph node biopsies. In addition, molecular testing for BRAF is mandatory for patients before systemic treatment. Furthermore, immunotherapy and targeted therapy are prioritized for systemic treatment. This consensus aimed to assist clinicians in Taiwan in diagnosing and treating patients according to available evidence.

Children with chronic myeloid leukaemia treated with front-line imatinib have a slower molecular response and comparable survival compared with adults: a multicenter experience in Taiwan.

BACKGROUND: The direct comparison of molecular responses of front-line imatinib (IM) monitored at the same laboratory between children and adults with chronic phase (CP) of chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML) had not been reported. In this multicenter study, we compared the landmark molecular responses and outcomes of paediatric and adult CML-CP cohorts treated with front-line IM in whom the BCR::ABL1 transcript levels were monitored at the same accredited laboratory in Taiwan. METHODS: Between June 2004 and July 2020, 55 newly diagnosed paediatric and 782 adult CML-CP patients, with molecular diagnosis and monitoring at the same reference laboratory in Taiwan, were enrolled. The criteria of 2020 European LeukemiaNet were applied to evaluate the molecular responses. RESULTS: By year 5, the cumulative incidences of IS <1%, MMR, MR4.0 and MR4.5 of paediatric patients were all significantly lower than those of adult patients (58 vs 75%, 48 vs 66%, 25 vs 44%, 16 vs 34%, respectively). The 10-year progression-free survival (PFS) (90%) and overall survival (OS) (94%) of paediatric patients did not differ from those (92%) of adult patients. CONCLUSIONS: We demonstrated the paediatric cohort had slower molecular responses to front-line IM and similar outcomes in 10-year PFS and OS in real-world practice.

Comparison of molecular responses and outcomes between BCR::ABL1 e14a2 and e13a2 transcripts in chronic myeloid leukemia.

Several studies have compared the molecular responses between e14a2 and e13a2 BCR::ABL1 transcripts in chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) patients treated with front-line imatinib, but there were very limited studies on nilotinib or dasatinib-treated patients. We retrospectively analyzed the molecular responses in 1124 CML patients with the e14a2 or e13a2 transcript receiving front-line imatinib, nilotinib or dasatinib treatment. Patients with the e14a2 transcript had higher optimal response rates than those with the e13a2 transcript at 12 months in the imatinib-treated group, and 6 and 12 months in the nilotinib-treated group. The optimal response rates were not significantly different between the two transcripts in the dasatinib-treated group at landmark molecular responses. With a median follow-up time of 48.4 months, higher cumulative incidences of BCR::ABL1 International Scale ≤1% and major molecular response were observed in patients with the e14a2 rather than the e13a2 transcript receiving front-line imatinib or nilotinib treatment, but not in dasatinib-treated patients. The progression-free survival and overall survival did not differ between the two transcripts in all three treatment groups. In view of the speed and depth of molecular responses, BCR::ABL1 transcript subtypes might provide helpful information in selecting a front-line tyrosine kinase inhibitor for individual young patients with future potential treatment-free remission.

Afatinib alone and in combination with vinorelbine or paclitaxel, in patients with HER2-positive breast cancer who failed or progressed on prior trastuzumab and/or lapatinib (LUX-Breast 2): an open-label, multicenter, phase II trial.

PURPOSE: Resistance to HER2 (ErbB2)-targeted therapy may be mediated by other members of the ErbB family. We investigated the efficacy and safety of the irreversible ErbB family blocker, afatinib, alone as first-line therapy in the advanced setting and in combination with vinorelbine or paclitaxel for those who progressed on afatinib monotherapy, in female patients with metastatic breast cancer who had failed or progressed on prior HER2-targeted therapy in the early disease setting. METHODS: In this phase II, single-arm, two-part study (ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT01271725), patients in part A received afatinib 40 mg/day in 21-day cycles until disease progression or intolerable adverse events (AEs). Patients with progressive disease could then receive afatinib plus weekly vinorelbine 25 mg/m2 or paclitaxel 80 mg/m2 until disease progression or intolerable AEs (part B). The primary endpoint was confirmed objective response rate (RECIST v1.1). RESULTS: Eighty-seven patients were enrolled and 74 were treated in part A (median age: 51 years [range 27-76]; 31 [42%] estrogen receptor-positive, 26 [35%] progesterone receptor-positive). Of these, 39 (53%) patients went on to receive afatinib plus vinorelbine (13 patients) or paclitaxel (26 patients) in part B. Thirteen (18%) and 12 (31%) patients achieved an objective response in parts A and B, respectively. The most common treatment-related AEs with afatinib monotherapy (any/grade ≥ 3) were diarrhea (68%/8%) and rash (49%/4%). Combination therapy was generally well tolerated, with no additive toxicity observed. CONCLUSION: Afatinib treatment, alone or in combination with vinorelbine or paclitaxel, was associated with objective responses in ≥ 18% of patients with metastatic breast cancer for whom prior HER2-targeted therapy has failed. Treatment-related AEs were generally manageable, with few grade ≥ 3 AEs reported. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT01271725, registered 1 July 2011.

Trastuzumab emtansine (T-DM1) versus trastuzumab in Chinese patients with residual invasive disease after neoadjuvant chemotherapy and HER2-targeted therapy for HER2-positive breast cancer in the phase 3 KATHERINE study.

PURPOSE: In the KATHERINE study (NCT01772472), patients with HER2-positive early breast cancer (EBC) and residual invasive disease after neoadjuvant chemotherapy plus HER2-targeted therapy who were treated with adjuvant trastuzumab emtansine (T-DM1) had a 50% reduction in the risk of an invasive disease-free survival (IDFS) event compared to patients treated with adjuvant trastuzumab. In metastatic disease, T-DM1 has resulted in higher rates of thrombocytopenia in Asian versus non-Asian patients. Here, we report safety and efficacy in Chinese patients from KATHERINE. METHODS: Patients with HER2-positive EBC and residual invasive disease after taxane- and trastuzumab-containing neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by surgery were randomized 1:1 to 14 cycles of adjuvant T-DM1 or trastuzumab. The primary endpoint was time to an IDFS event. RESULTS: Among Chinese patients (T-DM1 n = 51, trastuzumab n = 50), T-DM1 treatment resulted in a 43% reduction in risk of an IDFS event compared to trastuzumab (HR = 0.57; 95% CI 0.25-1.31), with similar results for secondary endpoints. As in the global population, Chinese patients receiving T-DM1 versus trastuzumab had more grade ≥ 3 adverse events (AEs; 39.2% versus 4.1%) and AEs leading to treatment discontinuation (27.5% versus 0%). The most common grade ≥ 3 AE with T-DM1 was thrombocytopenia (21.6%), a frequency higher than the frequency in the global population (5.7%). Grade ≥ 3 hemorrhage was reported in 1 patient (T-DM1 arm). CONCLUSIONS: In the KATHERINE study, T-DM1 demonstrated increased efficacy compared to trastuzumab in Chinese patients. Consistent with previous data in Asian patients, T-DM1 was associated with more grade ≥ 3 AEs, and AEs leading to discontinuation, which was driven by an increase in thrombocytopenia.

Pertuzumab and trastuzumab as adjuvant treatment for HER2-positive early breast cancer: outcomes in Chinese patients in the APHINITY study.

BACKGROUND: The addition of pertuzumab to trastuzumab plus standard chemotherapy as adjuvant therapy following surgery significantly improved invasive disease-free survival (IDFS) in patients with HER2-positive early breast cancer in the multinational randomized APHINITY trial (NCT01358877, BIG 4-11/BO25126/TOC4939G). We analyzed clinical outcomes in the subgroup of patients recruited at Chinese sites. METHODS: Patients were randomized to standard adjuvant chemotherapy plus 1 year of trastuzumab with pertuzumab or placebo. Patients recruited in mainland China, Hong Kong and Taiwan are included in this descriptive analysis. RESULTS: Chinese patients had similar demographic characteristics to the global population, but a higher proportion had nodal involvement. Although this subgroup analysis was not powered to detect statistical significance, a numerical improvement in IDFS was observed with the addition of pertuzumab to trastuzumab in Chinese patients (hazard ratio, 0.69; 95% confidence interval: 0.39-1.19; 3-year IDFS event-free estimates 92.5% [pertuzumab] and 91.7% [placebo]), which was consistent with the primary analysis of the global population. Further subgroup analyses showed numerical improvements in the Chinese node-positive, hormone receptor-negative and -positive subgroups, although confidence intervals were wide due to the low number of events. The incidence of diarrhea was higher in the pertuzumab arm, and no primary cardiac events occurred in Chinese patients in either arm. CONCLUSIONS: Pertuzumab, used in combination with trastuzumab and chemotherapy in APHINITY, is effective as an adjuvant treatment regimen for Chinese patients with HER2-positive early breast cancer in a setting with curative intent. The safety profile in Chinese patients was consistent with that of the global population.

A multi-national, randomised, open-label, parallel, phase III non-inferiority study comparing NK105 and paclitaxel in metastatic or recurrent breast cancer patients.

BACKGROUND: NK105 is a novel nanoparticle drug delivery formulation that encapsulates paclitaxel (PTX) in polymeric micelles. We conducted an open-label phase III non-inferiority trial to compare the efficacy and safety of NK105 and PTX in metastatic or recurrent breast cancer. METHODS: Patients were randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to receive either NK105 (65 mg/m2) or PTX (80 mg/m2) on days 1, 8 and 15 of a 28-day cycle. The primary endpoint was progression-free survival (PFS), with a non-inferiority margin of 1.215. RESULTS: A total of 436 patients were randomised and 211 patients in each group were included in the efficacy analysis. The median PFS was 8.4 and 8.5 months for NK105 and PTX, respectively (adjusted hazard ratio: 1.255; 95% confidence interval: 0.989-1.592). The median overall survival and overall response rates were 31.2 vs. 36.2 months and 31.6% vs. 39.0%, respectively. The two groups exhibited similar safety profiles. The incidence of peripheral sensory neuropathy (PSN) was 1.4% vs. 7.5% (≥Grade 3) for NK105 and PTX, respectively. The patient-reported outcomes of PSN were significantly favourable for NK105 (P < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: The primary endpoint was not met, but NK105 had a better PSN toxicity profile than PTX. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT01644890.

Epstein-Barr virus-positive diffuse large B cell lymphoma arising from a chronic lymphocytic leukemia: Overlapping features with classical Hodgkin lymphoma.

A small proportion of patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) may progress to large cell lymphoma, or Richter syndrome (RS). The large cells of RS may arise through transformation of the original CLL clone (clonally related) or represent a new neoplasm (clonally unrelated), which might be Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-associated. We present a 61-year-old male with 5-year history of CLL who developed RS on bilateral adrenal glands. The tumor showed a vague nodular growth pattern separated by thick fibrous bands and the tumor cells were large and pleomorphic, with focal sheet-like growth pattern, in a background of small B and T-lymphocytes. The large tumor cells were positive for CD15, CD19, CD20 (intensely and diffusely), CD30, fascin, PAX5, MUM1, OCT2, and LMP-1 by immunohistochemical stains, and EBV by in situ hybridization. The tumor was diagnosed as EBV-positive diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL), with overlapping features of classic Hodgkin lymphoma (CHL). The patient received salvage chemotherapy and was free of disease 2 years after adrenalectomy. We speculated that our case was a clonally unrelated tumor with his underlying CLL and discussed the differential diagnoses between EBV-positive DLBCL and CHL in the setting of RS.

Thalassemia Phenotypes and Genotypes in Taiwan: A Retrospective Study Based on Thalassemia Screening of Young Men for Military Conscription.

Prenatal thalassemia studies from Taiwan show that one-third of fetuses with genetic abnormalities have ß-thalassemia major (ß-TM). However, the phenotypes and genotypes of adult thalassemia warrant further investigation. From September 2006 to April 2014, 741 male candidates drafted for military service with mean corpuscular volume (MCV) <80 fL and serum ferritin >20 µg/L were analyzed. The results showed that the detection rates of α- and ß-thalassemia (α- an ß-thal) were 50.20% (372/741) and 49.12% (364/741), respectively. Only five patients (0.67%) were diagnosed with both α- and ß-thal. The - -(SEA)/αα mutation was found in 76.88% (286/372) of α-thal patients. Heterozygous mutations in IVS-II-654 (C > T) and codons 41/42 (-TCTT) accounted for 55.77% (203/364) of ß-thal cases. The leukocyte counts for α- and ß-thal were 6241.74 ± 1552.99 and 6622.87 ± 1814.41 × 10(9)/L, respectively (p = 0.007). The α-thal patients had lower red blood cell (RBC) mass (5.85 ± 0.44 × 10(12)/L vs. 6.09 ± 0.45 × 10(12)/L; p < 0.001) and higher hemoglobin (Hb) (12.82 ± 0.72 vs. 12.35 ± 0.71 g/dL; p < 0.001) than ß-thal patients. Mean serum ferritin values were 169.67 and 241.36 µg/L, respectively, in α- and ß-thal patients (p < 0.001), indicating more profound ineffective erythropoiesis in ß-thal. Only four of the 741 patients underwent further hematological follow-up. Our study suggests that iron overload might be a potential problem in ß-thal patients; therefore, regular follow-up is highly recommended.

Lymphoma-associated hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis: experience in adults from a single institution.

Lymphoma-associated hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) is a rare but fatal disease. Differences between B cell and T cell lymphoma-associated HLH remain unclear, specifically clinical characteristics and survival. We retrospectively analyzed 30 lymphoma-associated HLH patients from July 2004 to October 2012. Patients were divided into B cell (n = 13) and T cell (n = 17) lymphoma groups. Patients' age, performance status, presence of Epstein-Barr virus infection, international prognostic index, presence of disseminated intravascular coagulopathy, serum triglyceride, fibrinogen, and lactate dehydrogenase levels were not significantly different between B cell and T cell lymphoma groups. HLH was an indicator for treatment resistance in patients with B cell (p = 0.048), but not T cell (p = 0.217), lymphoma. Patients in the T cell lymphoma group, however, had higher serum ferritin levels than patients in the B cell lymphoma group (11,525.6 versus 3,790.6 ng/mL; p = 0.043). The median survival time for patients in the B cell and T cell lymphoma groups was 330 and 96 days, respectively. Although the difference was not statistically significant (p = 0.273), our results suggested a trend toward a better overall survival time in patients with B cell lymphoma. This survival advantage could be at least partially due to use of rituximab (p = 0.045) for the treatment of patients with B cell lymphoma. Our results also suggested that allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation could possibly provide survival benefits to T cell lymphoma-associated HLH by graft-versus-lymphoma effect.

Surgical decompression improves recovery from neurological deficit and may provide a survival benefit in patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma-associated spinal cord compression: a case-series study.

BACKGROUND: Malignancy-associated spinal cord compression is generally treated by surgical decompression, radiotherapy or a combination of both. Since diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is highly sensitive to both chemotherapy and radiotherapy, the role of surgical decompression in the treatment of DLBCL-associated spinal cord compression remains unclear. We therefore conducted a retrospective review to investigate the impact of surgical decompression on recovery from neurological deficit caused by DLBCL-associated spinal cord compression and patients' overall survival. METHODS: Between March 2001 and September 2011, 497 newly diagnosed DLBCL patients were reviewed, and 11 cases had DLBCL-associated spinal cord compression. Six cases were treated surgically and five cases nonsurgically. RESULTS: The rates of complete recovery from neurological deficit were 100% (6/6) and 20% (1/5) for patients in the surgical and nonsurgical groups, respectively (P = 0.015), while the median survival for patients in the surgical and nonsurgical groups was 48.6 months and 17.8 months, respectively (P = 0.177). CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that surgical decompression can improve recovery from neurological deficit in patients with DLBCL-associated spinal cord compression, possibly providing these patients a survival benefit.

Systemic treatments in pancreatic cancer: Taiwan pancreas society recommendation.

Pancreatic cancer is a highly aggressive malignancy with a poor prognosis. Over the past decade, significant therapeutic advancements have improved the survival rates of patients with pancreatic cancer. One of the primary factors contributing to these positive outcomes is the evolution of chemotherapy, from monotherapy to doublet or triplet regimens, and the integration of multimodal approaches. Additionally, targeted agents tailored to patients with specific genetic alterations and the development of cell therapies show promise in benefiting certain subpopulations. This article focuses on examining pivotal studies that explore the role of chemotherapy in neoadjuvant, adjuvant, maintenance, and salvage settings; highlights interesting findings related to cell therapy; and provides an overview of ongoing trials concerning metastatic settings. This review primarily aimed to offer recommendations based on therapeutic evidence, recent advancements in new treatment combinations, and the most innovative approaches. A unique aspect of this review is the inclusion of published papers on clinical trials and real-world data in Taiwan, thus adding a valuable perspective to the overall analysis.

The Implication of Serum Autoantibodies in Prognosis of Canine Mammary Tumors.

Canine mammary tumor (CMT) is the most prevalent neoplasm in female dogs. Tumor recurrence and metastasis occur in malignant CMT (MMT) dogs after surgery. Identification of serum prognostic biomarkers holds the potential to facilitate prediction of disease outcomes. We have identified CMT-associated autoantibodies against thymidylate synthetase (TYMS), insulin-like growth factor-binding protein 5 (IGFBP5), hyaluronan and proteoglycan link protein 1 (HAPLN1), and anterior gradient 2 (AGR2), i.e., TYMS-AAb, IGFBP5-AAb, HAPLN1-AAb, and AGR2-AAb, respectively, by conducting serological enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA). Herein we assessed serum AAb levels in 11 MMT dogs before and after surgery, demonstrating that IGFBP5-AAb and HAPLN1-AAb significantly decrease at 3- and 12-months post-surgery (p < 0.05). We evaluated the correlation between the presurgical AAb level and overall survival (OS) of 90 CMT dogs after surgery. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis reveals that IGFBP5-AAbHIgh and TYMS-AAbHigh are significantly correlated with worse OS (p = 0.017 and p = 0.029, respectively), while AGR2-AAbLow is correlated with somewhat poorer OS (p = 0.086). Areas under a time-dependent receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) of IGFBP5-AAb and TYMS-AAb in predicting OS of MMT dogs are 0.611 and 0.616, respectively. Notably, MMT dogs presenting TYMS-AAbHigh/IGFBP5-AAbHigh/AGR2-AAbLow have worst OS (p = 0.0004). This study reveals an association between the serum AAb level and CMT prognosis.

Significant association of serum autoantibodies to TYMS, HAPLN1 and IGFBP5 with early stage canine malignant mammary tumours.

Canine mammary tumours (CMTs) are the most prevalent neoplasms in female dogs. Despite the high incidence of such tumours, a lack of easily accessible biomarkers still impedes early diagnosis of malignant CMTs. Herein we identify thymidylate synthetase (TYMS), hyaluronan and proteoglycan link protein 1 (HAPLN1) and insulin-like growth factor-binding protein 5 (IGFBP5) as CMT antigens eliciting corresponding autoantibodies in CMT cases. We establish enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) to detect autoantibodies to TYMS (TYMS-AAb), HAPLN1 (HAPLN1-AAb) and IGFBP5 (IGFBP5-AAb) in sera from 81 dogs with malignant CMTs (41 in Stage I), 24 with benign CMTs and 35 healthy controls. Levels of all the three autoantibodies are elevated in the malignant group compared with the healthy or the benign group; notably, the elevated autoantibody levels significantly correlate with the stage-I CMTs. For discriminating malignant CMTs from healthy control, the area under curve (AUC) of TYMS-AAb is 0.694 with specificity of 82.9% and sensitivity of 50.6%. The AUC of utilising HAPLN1-AAb for distinguishing the stage-I CMTs from healthy controls is 0.711 with specificity of 77.1% and sensitivity of 58.5%. In differentiating malignant CMTs from the benign, the AUC of IGFBP5-AAb reaches 0.696 with specificity of 70.8% and sensitivity of 67.9%, and a combination of IGFBP5-AAb and TYMS-AAb increases the AUC to 0.72. Finally, the AUC of combined HAPLN1-AAb and IGFBP5-AAb in discriminating the stage-I CMTs from the benign achieves 0.731. Collectively, this study highlights a significant association of the three serum autoantibodies with early stage malignant CMTs.

A Phase Ib Study of Alpelisib or Buparlisib Combined with Tamoxifen Plus Goserelin in Premenopausal Women with HR-Positive HER2-Negative Advanced Breast Cancer.

PURPOSE: This study reports the MTD, recommended phase 2 dose (RP2D), and preliminary efficacy of alpelisib or buparlisib used in combination with tamoxifen plus goserelin in premenopausal patients with hormone receptor-positive (HR+), HER2-negative (HER2-) advanced breast cancer (ABC). PATIENTS AND METHODS: This study enrolled premenopausal women with HR+, HER2- ABC. Patients received tamoxifen (20 mg once daily) and goserelin acetate (3.6 mg every 28 days) with either alpelisib (350 mg once daily; n = 16) or buparlisib (100 mg once daily; n = 13) in 28-day cycles until MTD was observed. RESULTS: The criteria for MTD were not met for both alpelisib and buparlisib. The RP2D of alpelisib and buparlisib in combination with tamoxifen and goserelin were 350 mg and 100 mg, respectively. Both combinations met protocol-specified criteria for tolerability. The most common grade 3/4 treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAE) were hypokalemia (12.5%), hyperglycemia (6.3%), and rash (6.3%) for alpelisib and alanine aminotransferase increase (30.8%), aspartate aminotransferase increase (23.1%), and anxiety (15.4%) for buparlisib. TEAEs led to treatment discontinuation in 18.8% and 53.8% of alpelisib- and buparlisib-treated patients, respectively. Progression-free survival was 25.2 months in the alpelisib group and 20.6 months in the buparlisib group. CONCLUSIONS: The RP2Ds of alpelisib and buparlisib were 350 mg and 100 mg, respectively. No unexpected safety findings were reported. Although an early-phase study, data suggest that alpelisib plus endocrine therapy may be a potentially efficacious treatment that warrants further evaluation for premenopausal patients with HR+, HER2- ABC.See related commentary by Clark et al., p. 371.

The Efficacy of Pegylated Liposomal Doxorubicin-Based Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy in Breast Cancer: A Retrospective Case-Control Study in Taiwan.

Breast cancer is a global issue regarding women's health, and high incident rates remain in the Taiwanese female population. Chemotherapy, using anthracycline-based chemotherapeutic agents in neoadjuvant settings, has been introduced as a promising new therapeutic option for treatment of invasive breast cancer. Set apart from conventional anthracycline regimens such as epirubicin, pegylated liposomal doxorubicin (Lipo-Dox®, PLD) was introduced for providing a justifiable treatment effect, while offering a favorable toxicity profile for breast cancer patients in a metastatic setting. However, the efficacy of PLD in neoadjuvant settings for breast cancer patients has not yet been sufficiently reported. This study aims to investigate the efficacy of PLD-based neoadjuvant chemotherapy in breast cancer patients using a retrospective matched case-control study. A total of 183 PLD cases and 183 epirubicin-based controls were included after a 1 : 1 ratio case-control matching procedure was held, according to the matching criteria. These criteria included the patient's preoperative clinical stage, molecular subtype, chemotherapy regimen with taxanes prior to surgery, and histological grade. All data were collected according to an institutional review board approved protocol. The study results reported that the PLD and epirubicin groups both obtained similar outcomes in pathologic complete response (pCR), recurrence, and overall survival rate with no statistically significant differences. Overall, the study results demonstrate that PLD-based neoadjuvant chemotherapy offers a similar effect of treatment with a favorable toxicity profile within the study follow-up duration, when compared with conventional epirubicin-based neoadjuvant chemotherapy.

Cryptococcal liver abscess: a case report of successful treatment with amphotericin-B and literature review.

Cryptococcus neoformans usually involves the central nervous system and the respiratory tract. We report a case of disseminated cryptococcosis with a liver abscess and meningoencephalitis in a patient with myelodysplastic syndrome. Computed tomography of the abdomen showed a 3-cm low-attenuated lesion in the left lobe of liver. Cultures from specimens of blood, the liver abscess, and the cerebrospinal fluid all yielded C. neoformans. The cryptococcal antigen titers for the serum and cerebral fluid were both 1:32. The patient was successfully treated with 1,335 mg of amphotericin-B followed by fluconazole. Most cryptococcal liver infections present as hepatitis, cholangitis, or microabscesses.

Effects of a walking intervention on fatigue-related experiences of hospitalized acute myelogenous leukemia patients undergoing chemotherapy: a randomized controlled trial.

The purpose of this randomized, controlled clinical trial was to preliminarily examine the effects of a three-week walking exercise program (WEP) on fatigue-related experiences of acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) patients receiving chemotherapy. Eligible AML patients were randomly assigned to either an experimental group (n=11), which received 12 minutes of WEP per day, five days per week for three consecutive weeks, or to a control group (n=11), which received standard ward care. Effects of the WEP were assessed by seven indicators: worst and average fatigue intensities, fatigue interference with patients' daily life, 12-minute walking distance, overall symptom distress, anxiety, and depressive status. All patients were evaluated four times: before chemotherapy (baseline or Day 1), Day 7, Day 14, and Day 21 of chemotherapy. Data were analyzed by Generalized Estimating Equation and revealed that AML patients in the three-week WEP group had a significantly greater increase in 12-minute walking distance than the control group. Patients in the WEP also had lower levels of fatigue intensity and interference, symptom distress, anxiety, and depressive status than the control group. Although preliminary, our results strongly suggest that three weeks of systematic walking exercise is clinically feasible for AML patients undergoing chemotherapy and can effectively improve their fatigue-related experiences.

Clinical features and outcome of lymphoma patients with pre-existing autoimmune diseases.

AIMS: Previous epidemiological studies have shown that autoimmune diseases increase the risk of lymphoma development. However, whether autoimmune diseases deteriorate the outcomes for lymphoma patients remains unclear. This study aimed to identify the clinical features of lymphoma patients with pre-existing autoimmune diseases. Whether pre-existing autoimmune diseases impacted progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) in lymphoma patients was further investigated. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed medical records of 913 newly diagnosed lymphoma patients from January 2008 to November 2016. Thirty-four lymphoma patients with pre-existing autoimmune disorders were identified. Six of these 34 patients were lost to follow-up; their data was used to examine baseline clinical characteristics but not survival. Therefore, 28 lymphoma patients with autoimmune diseases were included in the autoimmune disease group for comparing the remission rate, PFS and OS to lymphoma patients without autoimmune diseases (control group; n = 56). RESULTS: Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma was the most common histological subtype (18/34; 52.94%). Complete remission rates in the autoimmune disease and control groups were 72.0% and 83.3%, respectively (P = 0.178). Patients with and without autoimmune diseases had similar PFS (45.4 ± 59.9 months vs. 51.5 ± 42.8 months; P = 0.398) and OS (46.4 ± 52.6 months vs. 50.1 ± 47.3 months; P = 0.352). By univariate analysis, pre-existing autoimmune diseases were not associated with inferior PFS (P = 0.326) or OS (P = 0.627). CONCLUSIONS: Lymphoma patients with and without autoimmune disorders had comparable outcomes. Autoimmune diseases are not an obstacle to lymphoma treatment.