Improving diets requires an awareness of the need to limit foods for which excessive consumption is a health problem. Since there are limited reports on the link between this awareness and mortality risk, we examined the association between awareness of limiting food intake (energy, fat, and sweets) and all-cause mortality in a Japanese cohort study. Participants comprised 58,772 residents (27,294 men; 31,478 women) aged 35-69 years who completed baseline surveys of the Japan Multi-Institutional Collaborative Cohort Study from 2004 to 2014. Hazard ratios (HRs) for all-cause mortality and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated by sex using a Cox proportional hazard model, with adjustment for related factors. Mediation analysis with fat intake as a mediator was also conducted. The mean follow-up period was 11 years, and 2,516 people died. Estimated energy and fat intakes according to the Food Frequency Questionnaire were lower in those with awareness of limiting food intake than in those without this awareness. Women with awareness of limiting fat intake showed a significant decrease in mortality risk (HR 0.73; 95% CI, 0.55-0.94). Mediation analysis revealed that this association was due to the direct effect of the awareness of limiting fat intake and that the total effect was not mediated by actual fat intake. Awareness of limiting energy or sweets intake was not related to mortality risk reduction. Awareness of limiting food intake had a limited effect on reducing all-cause mortality risk.

Evidence suggests a possible link between diabetes and gastric cancer risk, but the findings remain inconclusive, with limited studies in the Asian population. We aimed to assess the impact of diabetes and diabetes duration on the development of gastric cancer overall, by anatomical and histological subtypes. A pooled analysis was conducted using 12 prospective studies included in the Asia Cohort Consortium. Among 558 981 participants (median age 52), after a median follow-up of 14.9 years and 10.5 years, 8556 incident primary gastric cancers and 8058 gastric cancer deaths occurred, respectively. Cox proportional hazard regression models were used to estimate study-specific hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) and pooled using random-effects meta-analyses. Diabetes was associated with an increased incidence of overall gastric cancer (HR 1.15, 95% CI 1.06-1.25). The risk association did not differ significantly by sex (women vs men: HR 1.31, 95% CI 1.07-1.60 vs 1.12, 1.01-1.23), anatomical subsites (noncardia vs cardia: 1.14, 1.02-1.28 vs 1.17, 0.77-1.78) and histological subtypes (intestinal vs diffuse: 1.22, 1.02-1.46 vs 1.00, 0.62-1.61). Gastric cancer risk increased significantly during the first decade following diabetes diagnosis (HR 4.70, 95% CI 3.77-5.86), and decreased with time (nonlinear p < .01). Positive associations between diabetes and gastric cancer mortality were observed (HR 1.15, 95% CI 1.03-1.28) but attenuated after a 2-year time lag. Diabetes was associated with an increased gastric cancer incidence regardless of sex, anatomical subsite, or subtypes of gastric cancer. The risk of gastric cancer was particularly high during the first decade following diabetes diagnosis.

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The present genome-wide association study (GWAS) aimed to reveal the genetic loci associated with folate metabolites, as well as to detect related gene-environment interactions in Japanese. We conducted the GWAS of plasma homocysteine (Hcy), folic acid (FA), and vitamin B12 (VB12) levels in the Japan Multi-Institutional Collaborative Cohort (J-MICC) Study participants who joined from 2005 to 2012, and also estimated gene-environment interactions. In the replication phase, we used data from the Yakumo Study conducted in 2009. In the discovery phase, data of 2,263 participants from four independent study sites of the J-MICC Study were analyzed. In the replication phase, data of 573 participants from the Yakumo Study were analyzed. For Hcy, MTHFR locus on chr 1, NOX4 on chr 11, CHMP1A on chr 16, and DPEP1 on chr 16 reached genome-wide significance (P < 5 × 10-8). MTHFR also associated with FA, and FUT2 on chr 19 associated with VB12. We investigated gene-environment interactions in both studies and found significant interactions between MTHFR C677T and ever drinking, current drinking, and physical activity >33% on Hcy (β = 0.039, 0.038 and -0.054, P = 0.018, 0.021 and <0.001, respectively) and the interaction of MTHFR C677T with ever drinking on FA (β = 0.033, P = 0.048). The present GWAS revealed the folate metabolism-associated genetic loci and gene-environment interactions with drinking and physical activity in Japanese, suggesting the possibility of future personalized cardiovascular disease prevention.

Abstract Background: Trastuzumab deruxtecan is a standard of care after prior chemotherapy for metastatic breast cancer with HER2 low. HER2 low recognized as a new category of breast cancer. The definition of HER2 low is IHC 1+ or IHC 2+/ISH- in invasive ductal components. We have already reported the frequency and prognosis of HER2 positive and low in invasive cancer (Breast Cancer. 2022;29:234-241), but the distribution and characteristics of HER2 low in ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) is unknown. It is also well known that HER2 expression is higher in DCIS than in invasive cancer. We focused on the frequency of HER2 low in DCIS, performed an analysis of its frequency and characteristics, and compared to DCIS with HER2 0. Methods: We retrospectively examined breast cancer patients with DCIS and invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC) who underwent surgery at our institution between 2005 and 2015. Regarding the expression status of HER2, we classified cases into three groups: HER2 0, HER2-low (defined as IHC 1+ or IHC 2+/ISH-), and HER2-positive (IHC 2+/ISH+ or IHC 3+), and investigated their frequency. We analyzed the relationship between HER2 expression and Van Nuys classification, as well as the relationship between HER2 expression and ER expression, using the chi-square test. Results: A total of 726 DCIS patients were included in this analysis. The patient demographics showed a median age of 52 years (range: 20-84), with 413 patients (56.9%) undergoing total mastectomy and 311 patients (42.8%) undergoing breast-conserving surgery (two cases had unknown surgical procedures). The expression of HER2 in DCIS patients was observed as HER2-0, low and positive in 100 (13.8%), 474 (65.3%) and 152 patients (20.9%), respectively. The expression of HER2 in IDC was observed as HER2 0, low and positive in 838 (17.1%), 3169 patients (64.4%) and 911 patients (18.5%) (Table 1). DCIS tended to have higher HER2 expression(P=0.048). Then we compared the characteristics of HER2 0 and HER2 low in DCIS. Table 2 shows the relation between Van Nuys classification and HER2 expression. Van Nuys classification was evaluated in 346 cases. Van Nuy grade 3 accounted for 4.8% of the HER2 0 cases and 15.8% of the HER2 low cases. HER2 low cases tend to have higher grades(P &amp;lt; 0.01). Table 3 shows the relation between ER expression and HER2 expression. ER negative accounted for 5% of HER2 0 cases and 8.4% of HER2 low cases. ER negatives tended to be more common in Her2 low cases(P &amp;lt; 0.01). Conclusion: HER2 low is not considered a molecular biological classification, but rather a classification of the target of treatment for Trastuzumab deruxtecan. In our study, comparing HER2 0 and HER2 low, HER2 low tended to have higher grade and lower ER expression. Further investigation including basic research is needed to clarify the biological meaning of her2 low. Table1: The frequency of HER2 expression in DCIS and IDC Table2: The relationship between Van Nuys classification and HER2 expression Table3: The relationship between ER status and HER2 expression Citation Format: Nari Kureyama, Maho Kusudo, Akira Nakakami, Rie Komaki, Yuka Endo, Kazuki Nozawa, Ayumi Kataoka, Haruru Kotani, Akiyo Yoshimura, Masaya Hattori, Masataka Sawaki, Hiroji Iwata. The comparison of HER2 low and HER2 0 in ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) for breast cancer [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2023 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2023 Dec 5-9; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(9 Suppl):Abstract nr PO5-01-01.

Abstract Background: Trastuzumab deruxtecan (T-DXd) is a standard of care as 2nd line and after prior chemotherapy for HER2 positive and low metastatic breast cancer (MBC), respectively, based on Destiny Breast03 and 04 results. However, biopsies over time during treatment have shown that HER2 expression is variable. The predictive factors of trastuzumab deruxtecan (T-DXd) for MBC with HER2 positive and low are unclear. The HER2 extracellular domain (HER2-ECD) has been confirmed as a prognosis marker and predictive marker of treatment for HER2-positive MBC. Especially, HER2-ECD is considered a promising biomarker in cases where HER2 expression in metastases is unconfirmed. We hypothesized that HER2-ECD could serve as a biomarker for T-DXd. Patients and methods: A retrospective study of consecutively treated patients in a single center between 2019-2023 with HER2-low and HER2-positive MBC was performed using chart review. HER2 status was diagnosed according to 2020 ASCO-CAP guidelines. HER2-ECD high was defined as &amp;gt;15.0 ng/ml. HER2-ECD was collected prior to T-DXd treatment. We compared overall response (ORR), progression-free survival (OFS), overall survival (OS), and disease control rate (DCR) at HER2-ECD high and low groups. Cox regression analyses were performed to assess the ORR. We used the Kaplan-Meier method to estimate the PFS and OS and the log-rank test to compare each treatment group. Results: A total of 41 MBC patients were included in this study. Patients with HER-positive and HER2-low were 34 and 7, respectively. Among HER2 positive (n=34), HER2-ECD high and low are 14 (41%) and 20 (59%) patients, respectively. Among HER2 low (n=7), HER2-ECD high and low are 3 (43%) and 4 (57%) patients, respectively. Twenty-six patients received T-DM1 prior to T-DXd treatment for MBC with HER2 positive, but no patients received CPT-11 before T-DXd for MBC with HER2 positive and low. The ORR of T-DXd was 89% and 52% in the HER2-ECD high and low groups, respectively (p&amp;lt; 0.001). All 6 cases with CR were HER2-ECD high. Among HER2 low group (n=7), ORR of T-DXd was 67% (2/3) and 25% (1/4) in HER2-ECD high and low groups, respectively. The median PFS in the HER2-ECD high group showed longer than the HER2-ECD low group, 21.8 vs. 8.0 months (HR 0.31; 95%CI, 0.13-0.78, p=0.012). Although there were no significant differences in OS, HER2 ECD high group tended to show longer OS (HR 0.23; 95%CI, 0.04-1.16, p=0.07). The DCR was 100% in the HER2 ECD high group and 87% in the low group. Conclusion: T-DXd showed significantly better response and prolonged PFS in the group with high HER2-ECD. HER2-ECD has the potential to become a biomarker for T-DXd. Further study is warranted to assess the HER2-ECD as a biomarker, especially for HER2 low MBC patients treated with T-DXd. Table. Association between the response and the HER2 status or HER2-ECD status Citation Format: Kazuki Nozawa, Maho Kusudo, Nari Kureyama, Akira Nakakami, Rie Komaki, Yuka Endo, Ayumi Kataoka, Haruru Kotani, Akiyo Yoshimura, Masaya Hattori, Masataka Sawaki, Hiroji Iwata. Impact of Serum HER2 Extracellular Domain in Metastatic Breast Cancer Patients Treated with Trastuzumab Deruxtecan (T-DXd) [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2023 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2023 Dec 5-9; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(9 Suppl):Abstract nr PO4-14-06.

Abstract Background: Vepdegestrant (ARV-471) is an oral PROTAC ER degrader that binds to and degrades wild-type ER and clinically relevant mutants. Vepdegestrant directly recruits the ubiquitin-proteasome system to degrade ER, whereas selective ER degraders (SERDs) indirectly cause ER degradation. In a first-in-human phase 1/2 study (NCT04072952), vepdegestrant monotherapy was well tolerated and showed clinical activity in heavily pretreated patients with ER+/HER2- advanced breast cancer. The phase 3 monotherapy dose (200 mg once daily [QD]) was chosen due to comparable efficacy and favorable tolerability relative to 500 mg QD and robust ER degradation in paired tumor biopsies. The global, randomized phase 3 VERITAC-2 study (NCT05654623) will compare efficacy and safety of vepdegestrant vs the SERD fulvestrant in patients with ER+/HER2- advanced breast cancer after prior combination cyclin-dependent kinase 4 and 6 (CDK4/6) inhibitor therapy and endocrine therapy (ET). Trial design: Eligible patients (aged ≥18 years) have a confirmed diagnosis of ER+/HER2- locoregional recurrent or metastatic breast cancer not amenable to surgical resection or radiation; 1 prior line of combination CDK4/6 inhibitor therapy and ET; ≤1 additional line of ET; most recent ET given for ≥6 months before disease progression; and radiological disease progression during or after the last line of therapy. Prior chemotherapy in the locally advanced or metastatic setting and prior fulvestrant are not permitted. Patients (N≈560) are randomized 1:1 to receive vepdegestrant 200 mg orally QD continuously or fulvestrant intramuscularly on days 1 and 15 in the first 28-day cycle and on day 1 in subsequent cycles; patients are stratified by ESR1 mutation status and presence of visceral disease. The primary endpoint, progression-free survival, will be assessed by blinded independent central review in the intention-to-treat population and the ESR1 mutation subpopulation. Secondary outcome measures include overall survival, antitumor activity (objective response rate, duration of response, and clinical benefit rate), safety, and quality of life assessments. Citation Format: Mario Campone, Cynthia Ma, Michelino de Laurentiis, Hiroji Iwata, Sara Hurvitz, Seth Wander, Michael Danso, Dongrui Lu, Julia Perkins Smith, Yuan Liu, Lana Tran, Sibyl Anderson, Erika Hamilton. VERITAC-2: a phase 3 study of vepdegestrant, a PROteolysis TArgeting Chimera (PROTAC) estrogen receptor (ER) degrader, vs fulvestrant in ER–positive/human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)–negative advanced breast cancer [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2023 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2023 Dec 5-9; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(9 Suppl):Abstract nr PO1-19-12.

IntroductionWe report a case of advanced testicular cancer cured by early and appropriate resumption of chemotherapy even after COVID‐19 infection during induction chemotherapy.Case presentationThe patient was a healthy 36‐year‐old male. The diagnosis was a stage IIIB nonseminoma (pT2N2M1a). On day 14 of the first chemotherapy cycle, the patient was diagnosed with mild COVID‐19. The second chemotherapy cycle was initiated with a 1‐day delay (on day 10 after the COVID‐19 diagnosis). The patient achieved remission with minimal postponement of chemotherapy.ConclusionOnly a few case reports have described the resumption of anticancer chemotherapy in patients with COVID‐19. In deciding when to resume chemotherapy after COVID‐19 infection, it is essential to consider factors such as cancer type, progression, and severity of COVID‐19 and should be tailored to individual patient needs.

Anamorelin was approved in Japan in 2021 to treat cancer cachexia associated with non-small cell lung, gastric, pancreatic, or colorectal cancers. Post-marketing surveillance is being conducted to evaluate the real-world safety and effectiveness of anamorelin. This prospective, observational surveillance registered all patients who started treatment with anamorelin after April 21, 2021. Hyperglycemia, hepatic impairment, conduction disorders, and their associated adverse events related to treatment were defined as main safety specifications. Body weight (BW) and appetite were assessed as effectiveness specifications. This analysis was based on data as of January 21, 2023. The safety and effectiveness analysis sets included 6016 and 4511 patients, respectively. Treatment-related adverse events in ≥1% of patients were hyperglycemia (3.9%) and nausea (2.6%). The incidences of hyperglycemia, hepatic impairment, conduction disorders, and their associated adverse events related to treatment were 4.8%, 1.2%, and 1.1%, respectively. The mean changes (standard error [SE]) in BW from baseline to weeks 3, 12, 24, and 52 were 0.64 (0.05) kg, 1.19 (0.12) kg, 1.40 (0.21) kg, and 1.42 (0.39) kg, respectively. The mean changes (SE) in Functional Assessment of Anorexia/Cachexia Treatment 5-item Anorexia Symptom Scale total scores from baseline to weeks 3, 12, 24, and 52 were 3.2 (0.09), 4.8 (0.18), 5.2 (0.30), and 5.3 (0.47), respectively, exceeding the clinically meaningful improvement score (2.0 points). The overall safety of anamorelin raised no new safety concerns, although continued caution may be required for hyperglycemia and nausea. Improvements in BW and appetite were also observed in real-world clinical settings.

The clinicopathological features and prognosis of primary small bowel adenocarcinoma (PSBA), excluding duodenal cancer, remain undetermined due to its rarity in Japan. We analyzed 354 patients with 358 PSBAs, between January 2008 and December 2017, at 44 institutions affiliated with the Japanese Society for Cancer of the Colon and Rectum. The median age was 67years (218 males, 61.6%). The average tumor size was 49.9 (7-100) mm. PSBA sites consisted of jejunum (66.2%) and ileum (30.4%). A total of 219 patients (61.9%) underwent diagnostic small bowel endoscopy, including single-balloon endoscopy, double-balloon endoscopy, and capsule endoscopy before treatment. Nineteen patients (5.4%) had Lynch syndrome, and 272 patients (76.8%) had symptoms at the initial diagnosis. The rates for stages 0, I, II, III, and IV were 5.4%, 2.5%, 27.1%, 26.0%, and 35.6%, respectively. The 5-year overall survival rates at each stage were 92.3%, 60.0%, 75.9%, 61.4%, and 25.5%, respectively, and the 5-year disease-specific survival (DSS) rates were 100%, 75.0%, 84.1%, 59.3%, and 25.6%, respectively. Patients with the PSBA located in the jejunum, with symptoms at the initial diagnosis or advanced clinical stage had a worse prognosis. However, multivariate analysis using Cox-hazard model revealed that clinical stage was the only significant predictor of DSS for patients with PSBA. Of the patients with PSBA, 76.8% had symptoms at the initial diagnosis, which were often detected at an advanced stage. Detection during the early stages of PSBA is important to ensure a good prognosis.