Clinicopathologic and molecular correlates to neoadjuvant chemotherapy-induced pathologic response in breast angiosarcoma.

Both primary and secondary breast angiosarcoma (AS) are characterized by multifocal presentation and aggressive behavior. Despite multimodality therapy, local and distant relapse rates remain high. Therefore, neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) is employed to improve the R0 resection rates and survival, but its benefits remain controversial. Herein, we investigate pathologic and molecular correlates to NACT-induced histologic response in a group of 29 breast AS, 4 primary and 25 radiation-associated (RA). The two NACT regimens applied were anthracycline- and non-anthracycline-based. The pathologic response grade was defined as: I: ≤ 50%, II: 51%-90%, III: 91%-99%, and IV: 100%. An additional 45 primary AS and 102 RA-AS treated by surgery alone were included for survival comparison. The genomic landscape was analyzed in a subset of cases and compared to a cohort of AS without NACT on a paired tumor-normal targeted DNA NGS platform. All patients were females, with a median age of 31 years in primary AS and 68 years in RA-AS. All surgical margins were negative in NACT group. The NACT response was evenly divided between poor (Grades I-II; n = 15) and good responders (Grades III-IV; n = 14). Mitotic count >10/mm2 was the only factor inversely associated with pathologic response. By targeted NGS, all 10 post-NACT RA-AS demonstrated MYC amplification, while both primary AS harbored KDR mutations. TMB or other genomic alterations did not correlate with pathologic response. All four patients with Grade IV response remained free of disease. The good responders had a significantly better disease-specific survival (p = 0.04). There was no survival difference with NACT status or the NACT regimens applied. However, NACT patients with MYC-amplified tumors showed better disease-free survival (p = 0.04) compared to MYC-amplified patients without NACT. The overall survival of NACT group correlated with size >10 cm (p = 0.02), pathologic response (p = 0.04), and multifocality (p = 0.01) by univariate, while only size >10 cm (p = 0.03) remained significant by multivariate analysis.

NF1-Driven Rhabdomyosarcoma Phenotypes: A Comparative Clinical and Molecular Study of NF1-Mutant Rhabdomyosarcoma and NF1-Associated Malignant Triton Tumor.

PURPOSE: Alterations of the NF1 tumor suppressor gene is the second most frequent genetic event in embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma (ERMS), but its associations with clinicopathologic features, outcome, or coexisting molecular events are not well defined. Additionally, NF1 alterations, mostly in the setting of neurofibromatosis type I (NF1), drive the pathogenesis of most malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor with divergent RMS differentiation (also known as malignant triton tumor [MTT]). Distinguishing between these entities can be challenging because of their pathologic overlap. This study aims to comprehensively analyze the clinicopathologic and molecular spectrum of NF1-mutant RMS compared with NF1-associated MTT for a better understanding of their pathogenesis. METHODS: We investigated the clinicopathologic and molecular landscape of a cohort of 22 NF1-mutant RMS and a control group of 13 NF1-associated MTT. Cases were tested on a matched tumor-normal hybridization capture-based targeted DNA next-generation sequencing. RESULTS: Among the RMS group, all except one were ERMS, with a median age of 17 years while for MTT the mean age was 39 years. Three MTTs were misdiagnosed as ERMS, having clinical impact in one. The most frequent coexisting alteration in ERMS was TP53 abnormality (36%), being mutually exclusive from NRAS mutations (14%). MTT showed coexisting CDKN2A/B and PRC2 complex alterations in 38% cases and loss of H3K27me3 expression. Patients with NF1-mutant RMS exhibited a 70% 5-year survival rate, in contrast to MTT with a 33% 5-year survival. All metastatic NF1-mutant ERMS were associated with TP53 alterations. CONCLUSION: Patients with NF1-mutant ERMS lacking TP53 alterations may benefit from dose-reduction chemotherapy. On the basis of the diagnostic challenges and significant treatment and prognostic differences, molecular profiling of challenging tumors with rhabdomyoblastic differentiation is recommended.

GLI1 Coamplification in Well-Differentiated/Dedifferentiated Liposarcomas: Clinicopathologic and Molecular Analysis of 92 Cases.

GLI1(12q13.3) amplification is identified in a subset of mesenchymal neoplasms with a distinct nested round cell/epithelioid phenotype. MDM2 and CDK4 genes are situated along the oncogenic 12q13-15 segment, amplification of which defines well-differentiated liposarcoma (WDLPS)/dedifferentiated liposarcoma (DDLPS). The 12q amplicon can occasionally include GLI1, a gene in close proximity to CDK4. We hereby describe the first cohort of GLI1/MDM2/CDK4 coamplified WD/DDLPS. The departmental database was queried retrospectively for all cases of WD/DDLPS having undergone next-generation (MSK-IMPACT) sequencing with confirmed MDM2, CDK4, and GLI1 coamplification. Clinicopathologic data was obtained from a review of the medical chart and available histologic material. Four hundred eighty-six WD/DDLPS cases underwent DNA sequencing, 92 (19%) of which harbored amplification of the GLI1 locus in addition to that of MDM2 and CDK4. These included primary tumors (n = 60), local recurrences (n = 29), and metastases (n = 3). Primary tumors were most frequently retroperitoneal (47/60, 78%), mediastinal (4/60, 7%), and paratesticular (3/60, 5%). Average age was 63 years, with a male:female ratio of 3:2. The cohort was comprised of DDLPS (86/92 [93%], 6 of which were WDLPS with early dedifferentiation) and WDLPS without any longitudinal evidence of dedifferentiation (6/92, 7%). One-fifth (13/86, 17%) of DDLPS cases showed no evidence of a well-differentiated component in any of the primary, recurrent, or metastatic specimens. Dedifferentiated areas mostly showed high-grade undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma-like (26/86,30%) and high-grade myxofibrosarcoma-like (13/86,16%) morphologies. A disproportionately increased incidence of meningothelial whorls with/without osseous metaplasia was observed as the predominant pattern in 16/86 (19%) cases, and GLI1-altered morphology as described was identified in a total of 10/86 (12%) tumors. JUN (1p32.1), also implicated in the pathogenesis of WD/DDLPS, was coamplified with all 3 of MDM2, CDK4, and GLI1 in 7/91 (8%) cases. Additional loci along chromosomal arms 1p and 6q, including TNFAIP3, LATS1, and ESR1, were also amplified in a subset of cases. In this large-scale cohort of GLI1 coamplified WD/DDLPS, we elucidate uniquely recurrent features including meningothelial whorl-like and GLI-altered morphology in dedifferentiated areas. Assessment of tumor location (retroperitoneal or mediastinal), identification of a well-differentiated liposarcoma component, and coamplification of other spatially discrete genomic segments (1p and 6q) might aid in distinction from tumors with true driver GLI1 alterations.

Developing Novel Genomic Risk Stratification Models in Soft Tissue and Uterine Leiomyosarcoma.

PURPOSE: Leiomyosarcomas (LMS) are clinically and molecularly heterogeneous tumors. Despite recent large-scale genomic studies, current LMS risk stratification is not informed by molecular alterations. We propose a clinically applicable genomic risk stratification model. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: We performed comprehensive genomic profiling in a cohort of 195 soft tissue LMS (STLMS), 151 primary at presentation, and a control group of 238 uterine LMS (ULMS), 177 primary at presentation, with at least 1-year follow-up. RESULTS: In STLMS, French Federation of Cancer Centers (FNCLCC) grade but not tumor size predicted progression-free survival (PFS) or disease-specific survival (DSS). In contrast, in ULMS, tumor size, mitotic rate, and necrosis were associated with inferior PFS and DSS. In STLMS, a 3-tier genomic risk stratification performed well for DSS: high risk: co-occurrence of RB1 mutation and chr12q deletion (del12q)/ATRX mutation; intermediate risk: presence of RB1 mutation, ATRX mutation, or del12q; low risk: lack of any of these three alterations. The ability of RB1 and ATRX alterations to stratify STLMS was validated in an external AACR GENIE cohort. In ULMS, a 3-tier genomic risk stratification was significant for both PFS and DSS: high risk: concurrent TP53 mutation and chr20q amplification/ATRX mutations; intermediate risk: presence of TP53 mutation, ATRX mutation, or amp20q; low risk: lack of any of these three alterations. Longitudinal sequencing showed that most molecular alterations were early clonal events that persisted during disease progression. CONCLUSIONS: Compared with traditional clinicopathologic models, genomic risk stratification demonstrates superior prediction of clinical outcome in STLMS and is comparable in ULMS.

Phase 1 trial of TPI 287, a microtubule stabilizing agent, in combination with bevacizumab in adults with recurrent glioblastoma.

Background: Recurrent glioblastoma (rGBM) has limited treatment options. This phase 1 protocol was designed to study the safety and preliminary efficacy of TPI 287, a central nervous system penetrant microtubule stabilizer, in combination with bevacizumab (BEV) for the treatment of rGBM. Methods: GBM patients with up to 2 prior relapses without prior exposure to anti-angiogenic therapy were eligible. A standard 3 + 3 design was utilized to determine the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) of TPI 287. Cohorts received TPI 287 at 140-220 mg/m2 every 3 weeks and BEV 10 mg/kg every 2 weeks during 6-week cycles. An MRI was performed after each cycle, and treatment continued until progression as determined via response assessment in neuro-oncology criteria. Results: Twenty-four patients were enrolled at 6 centers. Treatment was generally well tolerated. Fatigue, myelosuppression, and peripheral neuropathy were the most common treatment emergent adverse events. Dose-limiting toxicity was not observed, thus the MTD was not determined. Twenty-three patients were evaluable for median and 6-month progression-free survival, which were 5.5 months (mo) and 40%, respectively. Median and 12-month overall survival were 13.4 mo and 64%, respectively. The optimal phase 2 dose was determined to be 200 mg/m2. Conclusions: TPI 287 can be safely combined with BEV for the treatment of rGBM and preliminary efficacy supports further investigation of this combination.

Connectome-guided initiation of dopamine agonists facilitates cognitive recovery after frontal lobe resection: A case report.

Abulia is a common problem that manifests following various brain conditions, including brain surgeries. Abulia is felt to be related to dysfunction with the brain's dopamine-dependent circuitry. The role of default mode network (DMN) in its pathogenesis is crucial. In this case report, we detail the presentation of abulia in an elderly woman following surgical resection of a right frontal glioblastoma involving the DMN. Connectomic imaging was used pre-operatively and post-operatively, demonstrating disruption of regions integral to the DMN and the central executive network. We observed a significant cognitive improvement following the administration of levodopa and carbidopa. Preoperative assessment of both anatomical and functional networks can help ensure surgical safety and predict postoperative deficits. This evaluation not only enhances preparedness and facilitates early case diagnosis but also expedites the initiation of prompt and potentially targeted treatments. This case highlights the potential efficacy of levodopa and carbidopa in addressing DMN dysfunction and broadly suggests the potential for connectomics-guided post-operative therapies.

PDGFRß Signaling Cooperates with ß-Catenin to Modulate c-Abl and Biologic Behavior of Desmoid-Type Fibromatosis.

PURPOSE: This study sought to identify ß-catenin targets that regulate desmoid oncogenesis and determine whether external signaling pathways, particularly those inhibited by sorafenib (e.g., PDGFRß), affect these targets to alter natural history or treatment response in patients. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: In vitro experiments utilized primary desmoid cell lines to examine regulation of ß-catenin targets. Relevance of results was assessed in vivo using Alliance trial A091105 correlative biopsies. RESULTS: CTNNB1 knockdown inhibited hypoxia-regulated gene expression in vitro and reduced levels of HIF1α protein. ChIP-seq identified ABL1 as a ß-catenin transcriptional target that modulated HIF1α and desmoid cell proliferation. Abrogation of either CTNNB1 or HIF1A inhibited desmoid cell-induced VEGFR2 phosphorylation and tube formation in endothelial cell co-cultures. Sorafenib inhibited this activity directly but also reduced HIF1α protein expression and c-Abl activity while inhibiting PDGFRß signaling in desmoid cells. Conversely, c-Abl activity and desmoid cell proliferation were positively regulated by PDGF-BB. Reduction in PDGFRß and c-Abl phosphorylation was commonly observed in biopsy samples from patients after treatment with sorafenib; markers of PDGFRß/c-Abl pathway activation in baseline samples were associated with tumor progression in patients on the placebo arm and response to sorafenib in patients receiving treatment. CONCLUSIONS: The ß-catenin transcriptional target ABL1 is necessary for proliferation and maintenance of HIF1α in desmoid cells. Regulation of c-Abl activity by PDGF signaling and targeted therapies modulates desmoid cell proliferation, thereby suggesting a reason for variable biologic behavior between tumors, a mechanism for sorafenib activity in desmoids, and markers predictive of outcome in patients.

Therapy-Induced Senescence Contributes to the Efficacy of Abemaciclib in Patients with Dedifferentiated Liposarcoma.

PURPOSE: We conducted research on CDK4/6 inhibitors (CDK4/6i) simultaneously in the preclinical and clinical spaces to gain a deeper understanding of how senescence influences tumor growth in humans. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We coordinated a first-in-kind phase II clinical trial of the CDK4/6i abemaciclib for patients with progressive dedifferentiated liposarcoma (DDLS) with cellular studies interrogating the molecular basis of geroconversion. RESULTS: Thirty patients with progressing DDLS enrolled and were treated with 200 mg of abemaciclib twice daily. The median progression-free survival was 33 weeks at the time of the data lock, with 23 of 30 progression-free at 12 weeks (76.7%, two-sided 95% CI, 57.7%-90.1%). No new safety signals were identified. Concurrent preclinical work in liposarcoma cell lines identified ANGPTL4 as a necessary late regulator of geroconversion, the pathway from reversible cell-cycle exit to a stably arrested inflammation-provoking senescent cell. Using this insight, we were able to identify patients in which abemaciclib induced tumor cell senescence. Senescence correlated with increased leukocyte infiltration, primarily CD4-positive cells, within a month of therapy. However, those individuals with both senescence and increased TILs were also more likely to acquire resistance later in therapy. These suggest that combining senolytics with abemaciclib in a subset of patients may improve the duration of response. CONCLUSIONS: Abemaciclib was well tolerated and showed promising activity in DDLS. The discovery of ANGPTL4 as a late regulator of geroconversion helped to define how CDK4/6i-induced cellular senescence modulates the immune tumor microenvironment and contributes to both positive and negative clinical outcomes. See related commentary by Weiss et al., p. 649.

Postoperative stereotactic radiosurgery for intracranial solitary fibrous tumors: systematic review and pooled quantitative analysis.

BACKGROUND: Intracranial solitary fibrous tumors (SFTs), formerly hemangiopericytomas (HPCs), are rare, aggressive dural-based mesenchymal tumors. While adjuvant radiation therapy has been suggested to improve local tumor control (LTC), especially after subtotal resection, the role of postoperative stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) and the optimal SRS dosing strategy remain poorly defined. METHODS: PubMed, EMBASE, and Web of Science were systematically searched according to PRISMA guidelines for studies describing postoperative SRS for intracranial SFTs. The search strategy was defined in the authors' PROSPERO protocol (CRD42023454258). RESULTS: 15 studies were included describing 293 patients harboring 476 intracranial residual or recurrent SFTs treated with postoperative SRS. At a mean follow-up of 21-77 months, LTC rate after SRS was 46.4-93% with a mean margin SRS dose of 13.5-21.7 Gy, mean maximum dose of 27-39.6 Gy, and mean isodose at the 42.5-77% line. In pooled analysis of individual tumor outcomes, 18.7% of SFTs demonstrated a complete SRS response, 31.7% had a partial response, 18.9% remained stable (overall LTC rate of 69.3%), and 30.7% progressed. When studies were stratified by margin dose, a mean margin dose > 15 Gy showed an improvement in LTC rate (74.7% versus 65.7%). CONCLUSIONS: SRS is a safe and effective treatment for intracranial SFTs. In the setting of measurable disease, our pooled data suggests a potential dose response of improving LTC with increasing SRS margin dose. Our improved understanding of the aggressive biology of SFTs and the tolerated adjuvant SRS parameters supports potentially earlier use of SRS in the postoperative treatment paradigm for intracranial SFTs.

Kinase Mutations and Imatinib Response in Patients With Metastatic Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumor.

PURPOSE: Most gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) express constitutively activated mutant isoforms of KIT or kinase platelet-derived growth factor receptor alpha (PDGFRA) that are potential therapeutic targets for imatinib mesylate. The relationship between mutations in these kinases and clinical response to imatinib was examined in a group of patients with advanced GIST. PATIENTS AND METHODS: GISTs from 127 patients enrolled onto a phase II clinical study of imatinib were examined for mutations of KIT or PDGFRA. Mutation types were correlated with clinical outcome. RESULTS: Activating mutations of KIT or PDGFRA were found in 112 (88.2%) and six (4.7%) GISTs, respectively. Most KIT mutations involved exon 9 (n = 23) or exon 11 (n = 85). All KIT mutant isoforms, but only a subset of PDGFRA mutant isoforms, were sensitive to imatinib, in vitro. In patients with GISTs harboring exon 11 KIT mutations, the partial response rate (PR) was 83.5%, whereas patients with tumors containing an exon 9 KIT mutation or no detectable mutation of KIT or PDGFRA had PR rates of 47.8% (P = .0006) and 0.0% (P < .0001), respectively. Patients whose tumors contained exon 11 KIT mutations had a longer event-free and overall survival than those whose tumors expressed either exon 9 KIT mutations or had no detectable kinase mutation. CONCLUSION: Activating mutations of KIT or PDGFRA are found in the vast majority of GISTs, and the mutational status of these oncoproteins is predictive of clinical response to imatinib. PDGFRA mutations can explain response and sensitivity to imatinib in some GISTs lacking KIT mutations.

An interpretable AI model for recurrence prediction after surgery in gastrointestinal stromal tumour: an observational cohort study.

Background: There are several models that predict the risk of recurrence following resection of localised, primary gastrointestinal stromal tumour (GIST). However, assessment of calibration is not always feasible and when performed, calibration of current GIST models appears to be suboptimal. We aimed to develop a prognostic model to predict the recurrence of GIST after surgery with both good discrimination and calibration by uncovering and harnessing the non-linear relationships among variables that predict recurrence. Methods: In this observational cohort study, the data of 395 adult patients who underwent complete resection (R0 or R1) of a localised, primary GIST in the pre-imatinib era at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (NY, USA) (recruited 1982-2001) and a European consortium (Spanish Group for Research in Sarcomas, 80 sites) (recruited 1987-2011) were used to train an interpretable Artificial Intelligence (AI)-based model called Optimal Classification Trees (OCT). The OCT predicted the probability of recurrence after surgery by capturing non-linear relationships among predictors of recurrence. The data of an additional 596 patients from another European consortium (Polish Clinical GIST Registry, 7 sites) (recruited 1981-2013) who were also treated in the pre-imatinib era were used to externally validate the OCT predictions with regard to discrimination (Harrell's C-index and Brier score) and calibration (calibration curve, Brier score, and Hosmer-Lemeshow test). The calibration of the Memorial Sloan Kettering (MSK) GIST nomogram was used as a comparative gold standard. We also evaluated the clinical utility of the OCT and the MSK nomogram by performing a Decision Curve Analysis (DCA). Findings: The internal cohort included 395 patients (median [IQR] age, 63 [54-71] years; 214 men [54.2%]) and the external cohort included 556 patients (median [IQR] age, 60 [52-68] years; 308 men [55.4%]). The Harrell's C-index of the OCT in the external validation cohort was greater than that of the MSK nomogram (0.805 (95% CI: 0.803-0.808) vs 0.788 (95% CI: 0.786-0.791), respectively). In the external validation cohort, the slope and intercept of the calibration curve of the main OCT were 1.041 and 0.038, respectively. In comparison, the slope and intercept of the calibration curve for the MSK nomogram was 0.681 and 0.032, respectively. The MSK nomogram overestimated the recurrence risk throughout the entire calibration curve. Of note, the Brier score was lower for the OCT compared to the MSK nomogram (0.147 vs 0.564, respectively), and the Hosmer-Lemeshow test was insignificant (P = 0.087) for the OCT model but significant (P < 0.001) for the MSK nomogram. Both results confirmed the superior discrimination and calibration of the OCT over the MSK nomogram. A decision curve analysis showed that the AI-based OCT model allowed for superior decision making compared to the MSK nomogram for both patients with 25-50% recurrence risk as well as those with >50% risk of recurrence. Interpretation: We present the first prognostic models of recurrence risk in GIST that demonstrate excellent discrimination, calibration, and clinical utility on external validation. Additional studies for further validation are warranted. With further validation, these tools could potentially improve patient counseling and selection for adjuvant therapy. Funding: The NCI SPORE in Soft Tissue Sarcoma and NCI Cancer Center Support Grants.

Novel Genomic Risk Stratification Model for Primary Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors (GIST) in the Adjuvant Therapy Era.

PURPOSE: Traditional risk stratification schemes in gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST) were defined in the pre-imatinib era and rely solely on clinicopathologic metrics. We hypothesize that genomic-based risk stratification is prognostically relevant in the current era of tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) therapeutics. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: Comprehensive mutational and copy-number profiling using MSK-IMPACT was performed. We integrated clinicopathologic and genomic parameters and utilized an elastic-net penalized Cox proportional hazards machine learning model for outcome risk stratification. RESULTS: A 3-tier genomic risk stratification model for recurrence-free survival (RFS) in 152 primary localized gastric and 80 small bowel GISTs was proposed. Gastric GISTs were classified as high risk if chr1p deletion or SDHB loss was present, and intermediate risk if chr14q deletion was present or KIT exon 11 mutation was absent. Small bowel GISTs were classified as high risk if MAX/MGA/MYC, CDKN2A, or RB1 alterations were present, and intermediate risk if chr1p deletion or chr5q amplification was present. Compared with conventional risk stratification, genomic risk stratification both upgrades and downgrades, suggesting that conventional risk stratification may underestimate or overtreat some high-risk and low-risk patients, respectively. Longitudinal sequencing detected most KIT-independent genomic alterations at baseline. Subanalysis in 26 SDH-deficient GISTs revealed that presence of TP53 mutations or chr1q amplifications portends worse RFS and disease-free survival. CONCLUSIONS: We developed a novel, next-generation genomic risk stratification model for primary gastric and small bowel GISTs, complementing traditional clinicopathologic models. Future independent validation of our model in external cohorts is essential.

EBV-positive PCNSL in older patients: incidence, characteristics, tumor pathology, and outcomes across a large multicenter cohort.

The objective of this multicenter retrospective study was to examine the incidence, patient characteristics, pathology, and outcomes associated with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-related CNS lymphoma (CNSL) in older patients. Among 309 CNSL patients aged ≥60, 11.7% had EBV + tumors of which 72.2% were solid organ transplant (SOT)-related post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorders (PTLD). Younger age, SOT or autoimmune disease, and immunosuppressive treatment correlated highly with EBV-positivity. EBV + tumors were associated with absent C-MYC and BCL6 expression. EBV + PTLD was more likely to be associated with the absence of CD5 expression. EBV + non-PTLD had better median OS (not reached) compared to EBV + PTLD (10.8 months) and EBV-negative patients (43 months). Multivariable Cox regression analysis showed that age, performance status, and PTLD were negative predictors of OS. EBV status and immunosuppressive treatment were not correlated with OS. Our findings merit further investigation of EBV + PCNSL tumors and EBV-directed therapies.

Older patients with primary central nervous system lymphoma: Survival and prognostication across 20 U.S. cancer centers.

There is a paucity of large-scale data delineating outcomes and prognostication of older patients with primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL). We retrospectively analyzed 539 newly-diagnosed PCNSL patients ages ≥60 years across 20 U.S. academic centers. The median age was 70 years (range 60-88); at least one geriatric syndrome was present in 46%; the median Cumulative Index Ratings Scale-Geriatrics (CIRS-G) score was 6 (range, 0-27); and 36% had impairment in activities of daily living (ADL). The most common induction regimens were high-dose methotrexate (HD-MTX) ± rituximab; methotrexate, temozolomide, rituximab (MTR); and rituximab, methotrexate, procarbazine, vincristine (R-MPV). Overall, 70% of patients achieved remission, with 14% undergoing consolidative autologous stem cell transplant (ASCT) and 24% receiving maintenance. With 58-month median follow-up, median progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were 17 months (95% CI 13-22 months) and 43 months (95% CI 31-56 months), respectively. Three-year PFS and OS were highest with MTR (55% and 74%, respectively). With single-agent methotrexate ± rituximab, 3-year PFS and OS were 30% (p = .0002) and 47% (p = .0072). On multivariate analysis, increasing age at diagnosis and Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status (PS) was associated with inferior PFS; age, hypoalbuminemia, higher CIRS-G score, and ECOG PS adversely affected OS. Among patients receiving maintenance, 3-year PFS was 65% versus 45% without maintenance (p = 0.02), with 3-year OS of 84% versus 61%, respectively (p = .0003). Altogether, outcomes in older PCNSL patients appeared optimized with HD-MTX combination induction regimens and maintenance therapy. Furthermore, several prognostic factors, including geriatric measures, were associated with inferior outcomes.

A Phase II Study of Epacadostat and Pembrolizumab in Patients with Advanced Sarcoma.

PURPOSE: Epacadostat, an indole 2,3 dioxygenase 1 (IDO1) inhibitor, proposed to shift the tumor microenvironment toward an immune-stimulated state, showed early promise in melanoma but has not been studied in sarcoma. This study combined epacadostat with pembrolizumab, which has modest activity in select sarcoma subtypes. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This phase II study enrolled patients with advanced sarcoma into five cohorts including (i) undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma (UPS)/myxofibrosarcoma, (ii) liposarcoma (LPS), (iii) leiomyosarcoma (LMS), (iv) vascular sarcoma, including angiosarcoma and epithelioid hemangioendothelioma (EHE), and (v) other subtypes. Patients received epacadostat 100 mg twice daily plus pembrolizumab at 200 mg/dose every 3 weeks. The primary endpoint was best objective response rate (ORR), defined as complete response (CR) and partial response (PR), at 24 weeks by RECIST v.1.1. RESULTS: Thirty patients were enrolled [60% male; median age 54 years (range, 24-78)]. The best ORR at 24 weeks was 3.3% [PR, n = 1 (leiomyosarcoma); two-sided 95% CI, 0.1%-17.2%]. The median PFS was 7.6 weeks (two-sided 95% CI, 6.9-26.7). Treatment was well tolerated. Grade 3 treatment-related adverse events occurred in 23% (n = 7) of patients. In paired pre- and post-treatment tumor samples, no association was found between treatment and PD-L1 or IDO1 tumor expression or IDO-pathway-related gene expression by RNA sequencing. No significant changes in serum tryptophan or kynurenine levels were observed after baseline. CONCLUSIONS: Combination epacadostat and pembrolizumab was well tolerated and showed limited antitumor activity in sarcoma. Correlative analyses suggested that inadequate IDO1 inhibition was achieved.

Undifferentiated and Dedifferentiated Metastatic Melanomas Masquerading as Soft Tissue Sarcomas: Mutational Signature Analysis and Immunotherapy Response.

The distinction between undifferentiated melanoma (UM) or dedifferentiated melanoma (DM) from undifferentiated or unclassifiable sarcoma can be difficult and requires the careful correlation of clinical, pathologic, and genomic findings. In this study, we examined the utility of mutational signatures to identify patients with UM/DM with particular attention as to whether this distinction matters for treatment because the survival of patients with metastatic melanoma has dramatically improved with immunologic therapy, whereas durable responses are less frequent in sarcomas. We identified 19 cases of UM/DM that were initially reported as unclassified or undifferentiated malignant neoplasm or sarcoma and submitted for targeted next-generation sequencing analysis. These cases were confirmed as UM/DM by harboring melanoma driver mutations, UV signature, and high tumor mutation burden. One case of DM showed melanoma in situ. Meanwhile, 18 cases represented metastatic UM/DM. Eleven patients had a prior history of melanoma. Thirteen of 19 (68%) of the tumors were immunohistochemically completely negative for 4 melanocytic markers (S100, SOX10, HMB45, and MELAN-A). All cases harbored a dominant UV signature. Frequent driver mutations involved BRAF (26%), NRAS (32%), and NF1 (42%). In contrast, the control cohort of undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcomas (UPS) of deep soft tissue exhibited a dominant aging signature in 46.6% (7/15) without evidence of UV signature. The median tumor mutation burden for DM/UM vs UPS was 31.5 vs 7.0 mutations/Mb (P < .001). A favorable response to immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy was observed in 66.6% (12/18) of patients with UM/DM. Eight patients exhibited a complete response and were alive with no evidence of disease at the last follow-up (median 45.5 months). Our findings support the usefulness of the UV signature in discriminating DM/UM vs UPS. Furthermore, we present evidence suggesting that patients with DM/UM and UV signatures can benefit from immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy.

Expanding the Molecular Diversity of CIC-Rearranged Sarcomas With Novel and Very Rare Partners.

Capicua transcriptional repressor (CIC)-rearranged sarcoma represents a distinct pathologic entity and constitutes the second most prevalent category of undifferentiated round cell sarcomas (URCSs) after Ewing sarcoma. The 2 most common translocations are t(4;19) and t(10;19), resulting in CIC fusions with either DUX4 and DUX4L paralog, respectively; however, other rare variant fusions have also been reported. In this study, we expand the molecular spectrum of CIC-gene partners, reporting on 5 cases of URCSs showing CIC fusions with AXL, CITED1, SYK, and LEUTX by targeted RNA or DNA sequencing. There were 4 female patients and 1 male patient with a wide age range (12-70 years; median, 36 years). Four cases occurred in the deep soft tissues (lower extremity, 3; neck, 1) and 1 case in the central nervous system (midbrain/thalamus). All cases showed similar histologic findings within the spectrum of URCSs. Immunohistochemistry, showed variable positivity for ETV4 in 4 of the 4 cases and positive results for ERG in 3 of the 4 cases and for WT1 in 1 of the 4 cases. CD31 showed positivity in 2 of the 3 cases, including one coexpressing ERG. Unsupervised clustering of methylation profiles by T-distributed stochastic neighborhood embedding performed in 4 cases showed that all clustered tightly together and along the CIC sarcoma methylation class. RNA-sequencing data showed consistent upregulation of ETV1 and ETV4 mRNA in all cases examined, at similar levels to CIC::DUX4 URCSs. Our study expands the molecular diversity of CIC-rearranged URCSs to include novel and rare partners, providing morphologic, immunohistochemical, gene expression, and methylation evidence supporting their classification within the family of tumors harboring the more common DUX4/DUX4L partner genes.

Genomic Profiling Reveals Differences in Primary Central Nervous System Lymphoma and Large B-Cell Lymphoma, With Subtyping Suggesting Sensitivity to BTK Inhibition.

BACKGROUND: B-cell primary central nervous system (CNS) lymphoma (PCL) is diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) confined to the CNS. Less than 50% of patients with PCL achieve complete remission with current therapies. We describe the findings from comprehensive genomic profiling (CGP) of a cohort of 69 patients with PCL, 36 cases of secondary CNS lymphoma (SCL), and 969 cases of DLBCL to highlight their differences and characterize the PCL cohort. In addition, we highlight the differences in frequency of germinal center B-cell like (GCB) and non-GCB subtypes and molecular subtypes, particularly MCD and EZH subtypes, between PCL and DLBCL. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sixty-nine cases of B-cell PCL, 36 cases of secondary CNS lymphoma (SCL), and 969 cases of DLBCL were evaluated by CGP of 405 genes via DNAseq and 265 genes via RNAseq for fusions (FoundationOne Heme). Tumor mutational burden (TMB) was calculated from 1.23 Mb of sequenced DNA. RESULTS: Genomic alterations with significant differences between PCL and DLBCL included MYD88, ETV6, PIM1, PRDM1, CXCR4, TP53, and CREBBP, while only MYD88 was significantly different between SCL and DLBCL. PCL cases were significantly enriched for the MCD molecular subtypes, which have an excellent response to BTKi. We report a patient with a durable complete response to BTKi consistent with their genomic profile. EBV status, CD274 amplification, and TMB status suggest that 38% of PCL patients may benefit from ICPI; however further study is warranted. CONCLUSION: CGP of PCLs reveals biomarkers, genomic alterations, and molecular classifications predictive of BTKi efficacy and potential ICPI efficacy. Given the limitations of standard of care for PCL, CGP is critical to identify potential therapeutic approaches for patients in this rare form of lymphoma.

TRAF7-mutated Fibromyxoid Spindle Cell Tumors Are Associated With an Aggressive Clinical Course and Harbor an Undifferentiated Sarcoma Methylation Signature: A Molecular and Clinicopathologic Study of 3 Cases.

TRAF7 somatic mutations are rare and have been reported in meningiomas, intraneural perineuriomas, and mesotheliomas. Triggered by an index case of an unclassified low-grade mesenchymal tumor with TRAF7 mutation as the only genetic alteration, we searched our files and identified 2 additional cases with similar features. The tumors arose in 2 females and 1 male, aged 63 to 75 years old (median: 67 y). They were infiltrative deep soft tissue masses involving the shoulder, chest wall, and thigh, measuring 7.0 to 9.1 cm in greatest dimensions. One tumor was locally aggressive, and 2 were associated with lung and bone metastases. The tumors displayed alternating fibrous and myxoid stroma with mild to moderate cellularity and consisted of uniform spindle cells with open chromatin, inconspicuous nucleoli and scant cytoplasm. Significant mitotic activity or necrosis were not present. However, the metastatic tumor of 1 case showed an epithelioid morphology and brisk mitotic activity. Immunohistochemically, the tumors showed nonspecific and focal smooth muscle actin or CD34 expression. By DNA sequencing, all 3 cases harbored TRAF7 missense mutations involving the C-terminal WD40 domains as the only somatic mutations, showed nonrecurrent focal copy number alterations, and were negative for gene fusions by targeted RNA sequencing. On methylation profiling, the tumors clustered with the undifferentiated sarcoma and myxofibrosarcoma methylation classes and were distinct from morphologic mimics. On follow-up (5 to 36 mo), 2 patients died of disease following aggressive chemotherapeutic regimens. We describe a novel TRAF7- mutated mesenchymal tumor characterized by aggressive clinical behavior despite the histologic appearance of a low-grade fibromyxoid spindle cell tumor.

Histopathologic Grading Is of Prognostic Significance in Primary Angiosarcoma of Breast: Proposal of a Simplified 2-tier Grading System.

Despite a wide spectrum of clinical presentations, including primary or secondary, most angiosarcomas are considered high grade. One exception is primary breast angiosarcoma, where historically, histologic grading has shown to predict outcome using the Rosen 3-tier system. However, more recent studies have challenged this concept suggesting that even in this specific clinical context angiosarcomas should be considered high grade. This study aimed to critically reevaluate the impact of histologic grade in a clinically uniform cohort managed at a single institution using a newly proposed grading system. Our study included 49 primary breast angiosarcomas diagnosed during 1994 to 2022 (median follow-up: 33 mo), classified as low grade (29%), intermediate grade (20%), and high grade (51%), based on mitotic count, extent of solid components, and necrosis. At last follow-up, 22% patients developed locoregional recurrences, 63% distant metastases, and 47% patients died of disease. As patients with low and intermediate-grade angiosarcomas had relatively similar outcomes, our cohort was further analyzed using a 2-tier system (low grade and high grade). Targeted-DNA next-generation sequencing (505 cancer gene panel) performed in 11 cases found KDR mutations in 78% and PIK3CA mutations in 44% of high-grade lesions. Histologic grade, by either 3-tier or 2-tier grading systems, had a strong impact on survival, with the 2-tier system being an independent predictor of disease-specific survival and overall survival. Based on 2-tier system, the 5-year overall survival was 38% for high-grade angiosarcoma and 74% for low-grade angiosarcoma. PIK3CA mutations alone or concurrent with KDR alterations were identified in angiosarcomas with worse prognosis.