tRNAGlyGCC-Derived Internal Fragment (i-tRF-GlyGCC) in Ovarian Cancer Treatment Outcome and Progression.

Epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) remains a highly-lethal gynecological malignancy, characterized by frequent recurrence, chemotherapy resistance and poor 5-year survival. Identifying novel predictive molecular markers remains an overdue challenge in the disease's clinical management. Herein, in silico analysis of TCGA-OV highlighted the tRNA-derived internal fragment (i-tRF-GlyGCC) among the most abundant tRFs in ovarian tumors, while target prediction and gene ontology (GO) enrichment analysis predicted its implication in key biological processes. Thereafter, i-tRF-GlyGCC levels were quantified in a screening EOC (n = 98) and an institutionally-independent serous ovarian cancer (SOC) validation cohort (n = 100, OVCAD multicenter study). Disease progression and patient death were used as clinical endpoints for the survival analysis. Internal validation was performed by bootstrap analysis and the clinical net benefit was estimated by decision curve analysis. The analysis highlighted the significant association of i-tRF-GlyGCC with advanced FIGO stages, suboptimal debulking and most importantly, with early progression and poor overall survival of EOC patients. The OVCAD validation cohort corroborated the unfavorable predictive value of i-tRF-GlyGCC in EOC. Ultimately, evaluation of i-tRF-GlyGCC with the established/clinically used prognostic markers offered superior patient risk-stratification and enhanced clinical benefit in EOC prognosis. In conclusion, i-tRF-GlyGCC assessment could aid towards personalized prognosis and support precision medicine decisions in EOC.

The use of lymph vessel markers to predict endometrial cancer outcome.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate lymphangiogenesis and lymph vessel space involvement in different subsets of endometrial cancer using podoplanin, a specific marker for lymphatic endothelium. METHODS: Sixty-two patients undergoing a hysterectomy with lymphadenectomy were included. Distribution of histopathologic subtypes was as follows: 30 endometrioid (48%), 18 serous (29%), 9 clear cell carcinoma (15%), and 5 carcinosarcomas (8%). Distribution of surgical stage according to the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics 2009 criteria was as follows: 33 stage I (53%), 7 stage II (11%), 1 stage IIIA (2%), 15 stage IIIC1 (24%), and 6 stage IIIC2 (10%). Tumor samples were immunostained for podoplanin and the panendothelial marker, CD31. Peritumoral and intratumoral blood vessel density and lymph vessel density were assessed using an image analysis system that calculated mean vessel cross-sectional area (in micrometer squared) and vessel density (per millimeter squared). Presence of blood vessel space involvement and lymph vessel space involvement was screened for. The findings were linked with clinical outcome using Cox regression. RESULTS: Twenty-one patients (34%) experienced recurrence, and 13 (21%) died of disease. Univariate analysis showed that blood vessel space involvement was related to worse overall survival (hazard ratio, 6.59; 95% confidence interval, 1.30-120). Multivariate analyses confirmed the prognostic importance of this variable for overall survival (hazard ratio, 7.52; 95% confidence interval, 1.32-144). CONCLUSION: Blood vessel space involvement is a prognostic marker for worse survival. Although lymph vessels were stained with the most reliable marker, podoplanin, lymph vessel density and lymphovascular space involvement do not seem to be of prognostic importance.