RB1 Mutations Research Articles

Whole genome sequencing elucidates etiological differences in MCPyV-negative Merkel cell carcinoma

Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is an aggressive neuroendocrine neoplasm of the skin. Immunosuppression, ultraviolet radiation and the integration of Merkel cell polyomavirus (MCPyV) have all been shown to be involved in the pathogenesis of this malignancy. We performed whole genome sequencing on two MCPyV-negative cases of MCC that demonstrated very different clinical presentations and outcomes, and mutational profiles. The first case exhibited a highly aggressive clinical course, absence of UV-signature mutations and a low tumor mutational burden. A rearrangement in the tumor suppressor gene SUFU was identified, a likely driver and potential target of the Hedgehog signaling pathway. Meanwhile, the second case exhibited a less aggressive behavior, harbored UV-signature mutations, and a high mutational burden including mutations in TP53 and RB1.

Large-cell Basaloid Adenocarcinoma of the Lung: A Clinicopathologic Study of 12 Cases of a Distinctive Form of Lung Cancer Often Mistaken for Large-cell Neuroendocrine Carcinoma.

A distinctive form of lung adenocarcinoma that closely mimics large-cell neuroendocrine carcinoma is described. The tumors arose in 6 women and 6 men aged 46-86 years (mean=58.4). They presented as peripheral subpleural masses measuring 2-12cm (mean=6.5cm). Histologically they were characterized by islands or anastomosing and serpiginous strands of large, atypical cells showing striking peripheral palisading of nuclei, with high mitotic activity and prominent comedo-like areas of necrosis. Because of the striking resemblance to neuroendocrine tumors, some of the cases were initially diagnosed as large-cell neuroendocrine carcinoma despite the absence of neuroendocrine markers. Immunohistochemistry showed positivity of the tumor cells for TTF1 and napsin-A, and negative staining for p40. The tumors were also uniformly negative for multiple neuroendocrine markers, including chromogranin, synaptophysin, CD56, and INSM1. Electron microscopy performed in 2 cases was negative for membrane-bound dense core neurosecretory granules. Pathogenic alterations were detected in 5 of 8 tumors tested by next-generation sequencing. Point mutations in KRAS and TP53 were identified in 5 patients. Low-level amplification of GNAS, KIT, and FGFR1 was present in 2 patients. No RB1 mutations were identified. Clinical follow-up in 10 cases showed that 2 patients died of their tumors, 2 experienced distant metastases, and 6 were alive and well from 1 to 13 years after diagnosis (median=7.1y). Large-cell basaloid adenocarcinoma is an unusual variant of lung cancer that is easily confused with large-cell neuroendocrine carcinoma. Awareness of this unusual variant of lung adenocarcinoma is important for treatment and prognosis and for avoiding misdiagnosis.

Comprehensive mutational profiling identifies new driver events in cutaneous leiomyosarcoma.

Cutaneous leiomyosarcoma (cLMS) is a rare soft tissue neoplasm, showing smooth muscle differentiation, that arises from the mesenchymal cells of the dermis. To-date, genetic investigation of these tumours has involved studies with small sample sizes and limited analyses that identified recurrent somatic mutations in RB1 and TP53, copy number gain of MYCOD and IGF1R, and copy number loss of PTEN. To better understand the molecular pathogenesis of cLMS, we comprehensively explored the mutational landscape of these rare tumours to identify candidate driver events. In this retrospective, multi-institutional study, we performed whole-exome sequencing and RNA sequencing on 38 cases of cLMS. TP53 and RB1 were identified as significantly mutated, thus, represent validated driver genes of cLMS. COSMIC mutational signatures SBS7a/b and DBS1 were recurrent, thus, ultraviolet light exposure may be an aetiological factor driving cLMS. Analysis of significantly recurrent somatic copy number alterations, which represent candidate driver events, found focal (<10Mb) deletions encompassing TP53 and KDM6B, and amplifications encompassing ZMYM2, MYOCD, MAP2K4 and NCOR1. A larger (24 Mb) recurrent deletion encompassing CYLD was also identified as significant. Significantly recurrent broad copy number alterations, involving at least half of a chromosome arm, included deletions of 6p/q, 10p/q, 11q, 12q, 13q and 16p/q, and amplification of 15q. Notably PTEN is located on 10q, RB1 on 13q and IGFR1 on 15q. Fusion gene analysis identified recurrent CRTC1/3::MAML2 fusions, as well as many novel fusions in individual samples. Our analysis of the largest number of cLMS cases to-date highlights the importance of large cohort sizes and the exploration beyond small targeted gene panels when performing molecular analyses, as it allowed a comprehensive exploration of the mutational landscape of these tumours and identification of novel candidate driver events. It also uniquely afforded the opportunity to compare the molecular phenotype of cLMS with LMS of other tissue types, such as uterine and soft tissue LMS. Given that molecular profiling has resulted in the development of novel targeted treatment approaches for uterine and soft tissue LMS, our study now allows the same opportunities to become available for patients with cLMS.

Rapid Evolution of Metastases in Patients with Treated G3 Neuroendocrine Tumors Associated with NEC-Like Transformation and TP53 Mutation.

Little is known about the morphomolecular features of G3 neuroendocrine tumors (G3NETs) under prolonged systemic treatments, although rapid progression is increasingly observed. This longitudinal study aims to elucidate the course and morphomolecular features of metastasized G3NETs with high-grade transformation. Clinical and histological findings in 40 patients with metastasized and treated G3NETs, which were histologically examined at least twice with an interval time of more than 6 months (median 27), were reviewed and the morphomolecular changes recorded and assigned to treatment. Neuroendocrine carcinoma (NEC)-like histology defined by high-grade atypia, diffuse growth pattern, and/or necrosis was identified in nine (22%) G3NETs (seven pancreatic, two rectal) patients. All NEC-like tumors showed a significantly higher Ki67 increase and longer interval time betweenfirst and last examination than non-NEC-like G3NETs (53 vs. 19% and 60 vs. 24 months, respectively). Moreover, all NEC-like G3NETs had TP53 (100%), but rarely RB1 (12%) mutations, and retained NET-typical mutations such as MEN1 or DAXX (five of the pancreatic NETs). The last treatments received prior to the NEC-like transformation included PRRT (n = 3), somatostatin analog, everolimus, sunitinib (n = 1 each), and alkylating agents (n = 2). Abrupt clinical progression in patients with metastasized G3NETs is associated with a significant increase in Ki67, accelerated growth, and NEC-like histology. These findings are most likely attributable to the novel TP53 mutation, which was detected in all nine cases at the last evaluation. However, none of the cases exhibited a complete transformation to a typical NEC, as the tumors retained partial histological and genetic features of NETs.

Epigenetic Reprogramming and Inheritance of the Cellular Differentiation Status Following Transient Expression of a Nonfunctional Dominant-Negative Retinoblastoma Mutant in Murine Mesenchymal Stem Cells.

The retinoblastoma gene product (Rb1), a master regulator of the cell cycle, plays a prominent role in cell differentiation. Previously, by analyzing the differentiation of cells transiently overexpressing the ΔS/N DN Rb1 mutant, we demonstrated that these cells fail to differentiate into mature adipocytes and that they constitutively silence Pparγ2 through CpG methylation. Here, we demonstrate that the consequences of the transient expression of ΔS/N DN Rb1 are accompanied by the retention of Cebpa promoter methylation near the TSS under adipogenic differentiation, thereby preventing its expression. The CGIs of the promoters of the Rb1, Ezh2, Mll4, Utx, and Tet2 genes, which are essential for adipogenic differentiation, have an unmethylated status regardless of the cell differentiation state. Moreover, Dnmt3a, a de novo DNA methyltransferase, is overexpressed in undifferentiated ΔS/N cells compared with wild-type cells and, in addition to Dnmt1, Dnmt3a is significantly upregulated by adipogenic stimuli in both wild-type and ΔS/N cells. Notably, the chromatin modifier Ezh2, which is also involved in epigenetic reprogramming, is highly induced in ΔS/N cells. Overall, we demonstrate that two major genes, Pparγ2 and Cebpa, which are responsible for terminal adipocyte differentiation, are selectively epigenetically reprogrammed to constitutively silent states. We hypothesize that the activation of Dnmt3a, Rb1, and Ezh2 observed in ΔS/N cells may be a consequence of a stress response caused by the accumulation and malfunctioning of Rb1-interacting complexes for the epigenetic reprogramming of Pparγ2/Cebpa and prevention of adipogenesis in an inappropriate cellular context. The failure of ΔS/N cells to differentiate and express Pparγ2 and Cebpa in culture following the expression of the DN Rb1 mutant may indicate the creation of epigenetic memory for new reprogrammed epigenetic states of genes.

B-191 Genomic Profile of Circulating Tumor DNA in Advanced Lung Cancer: Comparison with Tissue DNA

Abstract Background The most common cancer in Korea is thyroid cancer, followed by lung cancer, and the most common cancer in men is lung cancer. The cancer with the highest mortality rate is lung cancer. Recently, the precision medical approach is becoming a major treatment strategy for lung cancer. For precision medical approach, the usefulness of next-generation sequencing (NGS) analysis targeting circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) is being emphasized. Therefore, in this study, NGS analysis was performed on blood and tissues of advanced lung cancer patients to compare and analyze genetic mutation patterns to confirm the usefulness of ctDNA NGS assay. Methods A total of 101 patients with advanced lung cancer (stage 3 or 4) were recruited, and ctDNA NGS assays were performed on their plasma using a Pan100 panel (Dxome). Tissues from primary lung cancer, metastatic lymph nodes, or metastatic organs of 22 patients were analyzed using ONCOaccuPanel (NGeneBio). All variants were classified into four tiers based on the level of clinical significance, according to the standards and guidelines established by the Association for Molecular Pathology, American Society of Clinical Oncology, and College of American Pathologists. Results In the ctDNA NGS assay of 101 patients, 70 (69.3%) harbored 154 tier 1 or 2 variants. Mutations in TP53 (45, 29.2%) and EGFR (23, 14.9%) were the most frequently detected, followed by mutations in RB1, CHEK2, ATM, JAK2, ATR, DNMT3A, and KRAS. Among the 22 patients whose tissue was examined, tier 1 or 2 variants were detected in both the plasma and tissue of 14 patients and only in the tissue of six patients. All genes for these variants were targeted using both methods. Identical variants were detected in the plasma and tissue of six of the 14 patients, and discordant results were observed in the remaining eight patients. Twenty copy number variations were detected in 13 of the 101 patients, with copy number gain of EGFR being the most common (6, 30%). Fusion genes were detected in five of the 101 patients, two of which were not detected in the tissue. Overall, 74 (73.3%) of the 101 patients had positive ctDNA NGS assay results. Conclusions Although the NGS assay with ctDNA is less sensitive than that with tissue DNA, some genetic alterations are detected only in ctDNA NGS assays; therefore, it is useful to apply the ctDNA NGS assay as a complement.

HPV is an essential driver in recurrence of cervical cancer

IntroductionHigh-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) has been detected in distant metastases from cervical cancer (CC) patients, suggesting a role of HPV. Material and methodsHere, we included 26 patients with recurrence of CC (2019-2023). With next generation sequencing (NGS) and immunohistochemical staining, primary and recurrent tissues were analyzed for HPV DNA and HPV RNA, p16INK4a expression, and somatic TP53 and RB1 mutations. ResultsAll primary and corresponding recurrent tissues were HPV DNA and HPV RNA positive. Within the same tissue, we found complete DNA/RNA agreement in 25/26 (96.2%) primary and 25/25 (100%) recurrent tissues, and partial agreement in the remaining sample. There was complete agreement between primary and recurrent tissue in 23/26 (88.5%) and 23/25 (92.0%) patients on DNA and RNA, respectively, whereas the remaining showed partial agreement with two genotypes detected in primary and only one of these in recurrent tissue. Except for one sample, all samples from high-risk HPV-positive patients were p16INK4a positive. The low-risk HPV11-positive patient was p16INK4a negative and had a pathogenic TP53 mutation, while the remaining samples were TP53/RB1 mutation negative. ConclusionIn high-risk HPV-positive CC patients, HPV seems to play a role in recurrent disease. Our findings support ongoing research on targeting HPV oncogenes in CC, also in metastatic disease.

Cell Senescence and the Genetics of Melanoma Development.

Cutaneous malignant melanoma is an aggressive skin cancer with an approximate lifetime risk of 1 in 38 in the UK. While exposure to ultraviolet radiation is a key environmental risk factor for melanoma, up to ~10% of patients report a family history of melanoma, and ~1% have a strong family history. The understanding of causal mutations in melanoma has been critical to the development of novel targeted therapies that have contributed to improved outcomes for late-stage patients. Here, we review current knowledge of the genes affected by familial melanoma mutations and their partial overlap with driver genes commonly mutated in sporadic melanoma development. One theme linking a set of susceptibility loci/genes is the regulation of skin pigmentation and suntanning. The largest functional set of susceptibility variants, typically with high penetrance, includes CDKN2A, RB1, and telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) mutations, associated with attenuation of cell senescence. We discuss the mechanisms of action of these gene sets in the biology and progression of nevi and melanoma.

Monoallelic loss of RB1 Enhances Osteogenic Differentiation and Delays DNA Repair Without Inducing Tumorigenicity

The Retinoblastoma (RB1) gene plays a pivotal role in osteogenic differentiation. Our previous study, employing temporal gene expression analysis using quantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR), revealed the deregulation of osteogenic differentiation in patient-derived heterozygous RB1 mutant orbital adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (OAMSCs). The study revealed increased Alizarin Red staining, suggesting heightened mineralization without a corresponding increase in osteogenic lineage-specific gene expression. In this study, we performed high-throughput RNA sequencing on RB1+/+ and RB1+/- patient-derived OAMSCs differentiated towards the osteogenic lineage to investigate the pathways and molecular mechanisms. The pathway analysis revealed significant differences in cell proliferation, DNA repair, osteoblast differentiation, and cancer-related pathways in RB1+/- OAMSC-derived osteocytes. These findings were subsequently validated through functional assays. The study revealed that osteogenic differentiation is increased in RB1+/- cells, along with enhanced proliferation of the osteocytes. There were delayed but persistent DNA repair mechanisms in RB1+/- osteocytes, which were sufficient to maintain genomic integrity, thereby preventing or delaying the onset of tumors. This contrasts with our earlier observation of increased mineralization without corresponding gene expression changes, emphasizing the importance of high-throughput analysis over preselected gene set analysis in comprehending functional assay results.

A biomarker exploration in small-cell lung cancer for brain metastases risk and prophylactic cranial irradiation therapy efficacy

BackgroundSmall-cell lung cancer (SCLC) is an aggressive malignancy with a poor prognosis. Limited-stage (LS)-SCLC comprises only one-third of SCLC cases, resulting in limited molecularly targeted therapies and treatment options. Despite advances in thoracic and cranial irradiation leading to improved outcomes, a notable proportion of patients develop brain metastasis (BM), highlighting the importance of identifying high-risk patients for tailored screening and treatment strategies. Materials and MethodsWe analyzed baseline tumor biopsies from 180 LS-SCLC patients who received frontline definitive chemoradiotherapy (dCRT) using a 474-gene pan-cancer panel. The cumulative incidence of BM was calculated with death scored as a competing risk. Independent prognostic factors for BM risk were identified using the Fine-Gray model. ResultsAlterations in the cell cycle pathway, particularly RB1 mutations, were more common in patients with BM, while FLT4 mutations were more frequent in those without BM (P=0.002 and P=0.021, respectively). Significant risk factors for BM include smoking (subdistribution hazard ratio [SHR]: 1.73; 95 % confidence interval [CI]: 1.11–2.70; P=0.016), RB1 mutations (SHR: 2.19; 95 % CI: 1.27–3.81; P=0.005), and BCL3 amplification (SHR: 2.27; 95 % CI: 1.09–4.71; P=0.028). Conversely, prophylactic cranial irradiation (PCI) (SHR: 0.39; 95 % CI: 0.25–1.60; P<0.001), FLT4 mutations (SHR: 0.26; 95 % CI: 0.07–0.98; P=0.047), and NOTCH pathway alterations (SHR: 0.65; 95 % CI: 0.43–1.00; P=0.049) were associated with a lower incidence of BM in LS-SCLC. Notably, consolidation PCI therapy did not reduce the BM risk in patients with baseline RB1 mutations, with BM occurrence probabilities of 34.7 % at 20 months and 62.6 % at 40 months. ConclusionOur study yields valuable insights into the genetic characteristics of LS-SCLC patients with and without BM, aiding the development of personalized treatment strategies. Identifying risk factors associated with the incidence and timing of BM, within the standard regimen of dCRT followed by PCI, may help optimize clinical decision-making for LS-SCLC.

Evaluating RB1 and p53 as diagnostic markers in treatment-related neuroendocrine prostate cancer through immunohistochemistry and genomic analysis of RB1 and TP53.

The diagnosis of treatment-related neuroendocrine prostate cancer (t-NEPC) often involves a pathological assessment and immunohistochemistry (IHC) for neuroendocrine markers. Genomic alterations in RB1 and TP53 are frequently observed in NEPC and are believed to play a crucial role in the transformation of adenocarcinoma to NEPC. In this study, we examined the clinicopathologic, immunohistochemical, and genetic features of patients with t-NEPC to better understand their prognosis and diagnostic utility. This retrospective study reviewed the records of patients diagnosed with t-NEPC at Kobe University Hospital between October 2018 and December 2022. Clinical data, including age, serum neuroendocrine marker levels, and treatment history, were collected. IHC was performed for conventional neuroendocrine markers (synaptophysin, chromogranin A, and CD56) and RB1 and p53 expression. Next-generation sequencing (NGS) was conducted using FoundationOne® CDx to identify mutations in RB1 and TP53. This study included 20 patients with t-NEPC. The median time from ADT initiation to development was 42.8 months. IHC revealed RB1 loss in 75% of cases and p53 abnormalities in 75% of cases. NGS identified RB1 mutations in 55% and TP53 mutations in 75% of cases. The concordance between NGS and IHC results was high, with 70% (14/20) agreement for RB1/RB1 and 80% (16/20) for p53/TP53. The immunostaining and genomic analysis of RB1/RB1 and p53/TP53 showed abnormal findings for the four negative cases for conventional neuroendocrine markers. This study indicated high concordance between IHC and NGS findings for RB1/RB1 and p53/TP53 in t-NEPC. We provide a comprehensive benchmark of NGS performance compared with IHC, and these findings may help increase the diagnostic sensitivity of t-NEPC.

RB1 circulating-tumor DNA in the blood of Retinoblastoma patients increases in untreated patients.

Circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) in plasma has been identified in many cancers, including retinoblastoma at diagnosis. We have previously shown that with treatment (enucleation or ophthalmic artery chemosurgery (OAC)) all ctDNA disappears; and if there is persistent plasma ctDNA after treatment metastases develop. The purpose of this study was to determine how the ctDNA RB1 variant allele frequency (VAF) changes in patients with retinoblastoma who have delayed treatment. Circulating tumor DNA RB1 was detected and VAF was measured at diagnosis and again prior to any intervention at some time later ranging from 2 to 28 days. Four patients with five ctDNA RB1 mutations were detected at diagnosis and VAF was increased on re-evaluation of the same RB1 mutations in ctDNA. In this small cohort, every patient (4) and every RB1 mutation (5) plasma level VAF% increased when measured at two time periods before treatment was instituted suggesting that growing tumors demonstrate increasing plasma ctDNA.

Combination of Cytologic Findings and Circulating Tumor DNA From Cerebrospinal Fluid Revealed SCLC Transformation in Patients With Leptomeningeal Metastases of Lung Adenocarcinoma

IntroductionTransformation to SCLC is a resistance mechanism to tyrosine kinase inhibitor in EGFR-mutated lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD). Nevertheless, the clinical and molecular features of SCLC transformation in LUAD with leptomeningeal metastases (LM) are scarce. MethodsWe retrospectively collected 237 patients with NSCLC who underwent lumbar puncture owing to suggestion of LM. All SCLC transformation in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) was confirmed by two experienced pathologists using cytologic evaluation. CSF circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) was tested by next-generation sequencing. ResultsTumor cells in CSF samples were found in 111 patients (111 of 237, 46.8%), and eight cases (eight of 111, 7.2%) were identified as having SCLC cells in CSF. Seven patients carried the EGFR mutation, including four patients with EGFR exon 19 deletion and three patients with EGFRexon21 L858R mutation. Another patient harbored ERBB2 insertion. Seven of these patients were resistant to targeted therapy. CSF ctDNA analysis reported that TP53 and RB1 mutations were common. The median time from the diagnosis of advanced NSCLC to SCLC transformation found in CSF was 9.7 months (95% confidence interval [CI]: 4.0–17.5 mo). The median overall survival since the initial diagnosis of metastatic NSCLC was 15.3 months (95% CI: 1.2–29.4 mo). The median overall survival after SCLC transformation detected in CSF was 5.0 months (95% CI: 4.0–5.9 mo). ConclusionsSCLC transformation may be revealed in CSF by both cytologic evaluation and ctDNA, not just in tissue that underwent rebiopsy. SCLC transformation of CSF is informative for resistance mechanism in patients with LUAD with LM on tyrosine kinase inhibitor progression, which was associated with poor survival.

PD-L1 and nectin-4 expression and genomic characterization of bladder cancer with divergent differentiation.

Bladder cancer with divergent differentiation (BCDD) comprises a heterogenous group of tumors with a poor prognosis, and differential expression of nectin-4 and programmed death ligand-1 (PD-L1) has been reported in BCDD. Importantly, nectin-4 expression in bladder cancer is associated with response to enfortumab vedotin, and PD-L1 expression is associated with responses to immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). The authors conducted a retrospective review identifying 117 patients with advanced or metastatic BCDD who were treated at Winship Cancer Institute from 2011 to 2021. They performed immunohistochemistry staining for nectin-4 and PD-L1 expression by histologic subtype as well as genomic analysis of these patients, including RNA sequencing, whole-exome sequencing, and fusion detection analysis as well as a subgroup genomic analysis of patients with BCDD who received ICIs. The results indicated that nectin-4 expression was highest in the groups who had the squamous and plasmacytoid subtypes, whereas the group that had the sarcomatoid subtype (70.8%) had the highest proportion of PD-L1-positive patients. Genomic analysis yielded several key findings, including a 50% RB1 mutation rate in patients who had small cell BCDD, targetable PIK3CA mutations across multiple subtypes of BCDD, and significantly higher expression of TEC in responders to ICIs. In this study, the authors identified clinically relevant data on nectin-4 and PD-L1 expression in patients with rare bladder tumors. They also identified several novel findings in the genomic analysis that highlight the role of precision medicine in this population of patients. Larger, prospective studies are needed to validate these hypothesis-generating data.

Endometrial endometrioid adenocarcinoma with a malignant squamous component: is the unusual metastatic pattern unique of these tumors?

The FIGO scheme is currently applied for tumor grading of endometrioid adenocarcinoma. The current report presents a series of ten cases of endometrioid carcinomas that when applying the FIGO grading does not fully convey the true biological nature of the disease. The squamous component of these tumors is malignant; it constitutes the predominant invasive component, and it often metastasizes to unconventional sites. Half of the cohort developed distant disease recurrence within 2 years, even those with early-stage disease. Somatic mutations were analyzed, targeting 101 genes in all ten cases, and mutations in PTEN, MMR, PIK3CA, ATM, RB1, and TP53 genes were detected, often multiple mutations in the same case. None of the cases revealed unique molecular signatures or previously unreported gene mutations. Immunohistochemical staining for beta-catenin showed aberrant nuclear staining in eight of ten cases and remaining two showed cytoplasmic and membranous staining. Aggressive behavior and unusual sites of metastases are observed in this series even in low-grade tumor. The FIGO grading on smaller samples may be deceptive for these cases. Even if FIGO is applied, the pathology report should emphasize the malignant squamous component and its potential significance so that the gynecologic oncology team can formulate appropriate adjuvant treatment upfront. This case series argues that this histology should be regarded as a high-grade endometrioid carcinoma and can show unusual metastatic patterns. Further research is needed with more cases within this histologic subtype to guide recommendations on adjuvant therapies for this aggressive tumor type.

Subset of retinoblastoma tumours is associated with BRCA1/2 mutations

BackgroundWe investigated the potential association between pathogenic BRCA1/2 variants and retinoblastoma pathogenicity.MethodsIn this single-centre, retrospective case series, we performed hereditary cancer panel tests using blood samples for patients with retinoblastoma...

Alisertib in patients with extensive-stage small-cell lung cancer: The phase 2 ALISCA-Lung1 study.

TPS8128 Background: Treatment options are limited for patients (pts) with small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) whose disease has progressed on or after platinum-based chemotherapy. Therefore, there is an urgent need for evaluation of novel agents in this setting. Aurora kinase A (AURKA) is a key regulator of mitosis and AURKA expression is associated with worse prognosis in multiple solid tumor types. Alisertib is a highly selective, reversible, ATP-competitive, orally administered, small-molecule AURKA inhibitor under investigation for treating SCLC. Phase 1/2 clinical trials of alisertib as either monotherapy or in combination with paclitaxel for relapsed/refractory solid tumors (including SCLC) reported response rates of 21–22%. The most common treatment-related grade ≥3 AEs were neutropenia, febrile neutropenia, and leukopenia. Preclinically, greater alisertib sensitivity has been reported in models with high c-Myc expression and/or loss of RB1 function. In a clinical study of alisertib + paclitaxel vs placebo + paclitaxel in SCLC, either c-Myc expression or mutation in RB1, RBL1, RBL2, or CDK6 showed strong correlation with an improvement in both PFS and OS in the alisertib arm. Methods: ALISCA-Lung1(NCT06095505) is a phase 2 study to determine whether there is a biomarker-defined population of pts with extensive-stage SCLC that derives increased benefit from alisertib monotherapy. Key inclusion criteria: ≥18 years of age; progression on or after first-line treatment with platinum-based chemotherapy + anti-PD-L1 immunotherapy; ≥1 measurable lesion per RECIST v1.1; availability of tissue sample for retrospective biomarker evaluation. Key exclusion criteria: prior treatment with AURKA-specific or pan-Aurora-targeted agents; active infection; immunocompromise; unstable brain metastases; inability/unwillingness to swallow tablets. Primary objective: to determine whether any biomarker(s) correlate with increased benefit to alisertib monotherapy. Biomarkers will be assessed by next-generation sequencing, mRNA expression analysis, and immunohistochemistry. Candidate biomarkers include, but are not limited to, RB1 loss of function, c-Myc expression, TP53mutation, AURKA expression, and SCLC molecular subtype. Secondary objectives: to determine investigator-assessed efficacy, survival, safety, and population pharmacokinetics. Eligible pts will receive alisertib 50 mg orally BID d1−7 q21d (including primary prophylaxis with G-CSF) until disease progression, unacceptable toxicity, or withdrawal of consent. All pts will undergo sparse pharmacokinetic sampling. Recruitment is underway and up to 60 pts will be enrolled at ~20 centers in the USA. Findings are anticipated to identify a biomarker-defined pt population that derives the greatest clinical benefit from alisertib. Future development of alisertib in SCLC is anticipated to focus on this biomarker-defined population. Clinical trial information: NCT06095505 .

Association of chr11q13 amplification with survival and recurrence in patients with surgically treated hepatocellular carcinoma.

e16253 Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a highly lethal and aggressive malignant tumor characterized by high rates of recurrence and metastasis, and low survival outcomes. The current treatments available for HCC have shown limited success, and the prevalence of genomic characterization and their association with survival and recurrence in HCC patients are largely unknown. Methods: The investigation enrolled 1,221 Chinese individuals diagnosed with primary HCC. This study collected samples including tumor and paired tumor-free tissues and clinical characteristics. Among them, 348 patients' clinical outcome data, including overall survival (OS) and recurrence-free survival (RFS) were gathered. Genomic analysis was conducted through panel sequencing by OrigiMed. Hazard ratios were calculated employing both univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression models. The log-rank test and Kaplan-Meier plots were used to assess comparison of clinical outcomes by various prognostic factors. For other statistical analyses, a two-tailed unpaired t-test and Fisher's exact test were applied. Results: With a median age of 54, 87% of the cases were male. Pertaining to risk factors, 74% cases had HBV infection and 62% cases were cirrhosis. Meanwhile, serum AFP levels greater (or less) than 400 ng/mL were present in 299 cases (or 485 cases). Panel sequencing identified the most prevalent mutations ( &gt; 10%, excluding copy number variations) in TP53 (60%), TERT (40%), CTNNB1 (21%), AXIN1 (14%), LRP1B (14%), ARID1A (13%), RB1 (12%) and TSC2 (11%). The most frequently amplified genes were located at chr11q13, including CCND1 (9%), FGF19 (9%), FGF4 (7%) and FGF3 (7%). Survival analysis indicated that patients with Chr11q13 amp had significantly shorter OS and RFS. Further studies revealed a higher incidence of Chr11q13 amp in patients at advanced stages III/IV (64/564, 11%) compared to early-stage I/II (38/523, 7%), and in patients with vascular invasion (31/220, 14%) versus those without (44/599, 7%). No significant differences were observed in tumor mutational burden and HLA-I evolutionary divergence between patients with various Chr11q13 amp statuses. Furthermore, multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression models were utilized to examine the relationship between Chr11q13 amp status, characteristics and outcomes. Among the 248 patients with comprehensive clinical characteristics and available OS and RFS data, analyses indicated significant negative correlations between Chr11q13 amp and embolus with both OS and RFS. Conclusions: Our study elucidates that the presence of Chr11q13 amp was significantly associated with worse survival and increased risk of recurrence among a large cohort of Chinese patients with HCC. This discovery yields important insights into the understanding of HCC and has the potential to benefit personalized therapy.

Heterozygous RB1 mutation enhanced ATP production in human iPSC-derived retinal organoids.

Recent in vitro studies using RB1+/- fibroblasts and MSCs have shown molecular and functional disruptions without the need for biallelic loss of RB1. However, this was not reflected in the recent in vitro studies employing RB1+/- retinal organoids. To gain further insights into the molecular disruptions in the RB1+/- retinal organoids, we performed a high throughput RNA sequencing analysis. iPSCs were generated from RB1+/+ and RB1+/- OAMSCs derived from retinoblastoma patients. RB1+/+ and RB1+/- iPSCs were subjected to a step-wise retinal differentiation protocol. Retinal differentiation was evaluated by Real-time PCR and flow cytometry analysis of the retinal markers. To gain further insights into the molecular differences in RB1+/- retinal organoids, a high throughput RNA sequencing followed by differential gene expression analysis and gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) was performed. The analysis revealed a shift from the regular metabolic process of glycolysis to oxidative phosphorylation in the RB1+/- retinal organoids. To investigate further, we performed assays to determine the levels of pyruvate, lactate and ATP in the retinal organoids. The results revealed significant increase in ATP and pyruvate levels in RB1+/- retinal organoids of day 120 compared to that of the RB1+/+. The results thus revealed enhanced ATP production in the RB1+/- retinal organoids. The study provides novel insights into the metabolic phenotype of heterozygous RB1 mutant suggesting dysregulation of energy metabolism and glycolytic pathways to be first step even before the changes in cellular proliferation or other phenotypic consequences ensue.

Abstract PO1-14-08: Real-world clinical genomics study of HR+/HER2- metastatic breast cancers treated by CDK4/6i plus endocrine therapies revealed a drug resistant tumor segment characterized by ER independence

Abstract Background CDK4/6 inhibitors (CDK4/6i) plus endocrine therapies (ET) are the standard-of-care for hormone receptor–positive/human epidermal receptor 2–negative metastatic breast cancer (HR+/HER2− mBC). However, drug resistance remains a major unmet need. Investigations of drug resistance mechanisms has been hampered by a dearth of tumor molecular profiling data from the post-treatment setting. To address this challenge, we have conducted a real-world clinical genomics study to better understand the molecular mechanism of CDK4/6i resistance as well as to stratify patients based on integrated multi-omics profiles. Methods We retrospectively analyzed a multi-omics dataset of 400 HR+/HER2- mBC patients who had received CDK4/6i plus ET and developed progressive disease (PD) from the de-identified Tempus database. Pre-treatment and post-progression biopsies were taken  1 year prior to starting the CDK4/6i treatment or following PD respectively. Tempus xT next-generation sequencing (DNA-seq of 648 genes) and RNA sequencing assays were performed on 427 tumor FFPE samples, including 200 pre-treatment, 227 post-progression and 26 longitudinal pairs. Results The median age of the patients was 57 (54.9-57.4) and median progression free survival (PFS) is 379 (341-433) days. Two genes were found to harbor a significant increase in genomic alteration frequencies (GAF) after adjusting for FDR at post-progression vs. pre-treatment – ESR1 (41.9% vs. 15%, p=5.4e-10), RB1 (13.2% vs. 3%, p=8.5e-05). ESR1 and RB1 also harbored high frequencies of acquired genomic alterations among 26 paired samples at 34.6% and 11.5% respectively. TP53 mutation at baseline was significantly associated with shorter PFS at baseline (p=4.23e-05, HR=2.081) and TP53 GAF significantly increased after PD (37% vs. 28.5%, p=0.039). BRCA1/2 pathogenic mutations (p=1.63e-04, HR=3.066), APOBEC mutation signature S13 (p=0.0125, HR=1.55) and CCNE1 gene expression (p=0.024, HR=1.46) were significantly associated with shorter PFS. APOBEC signature (p=0.0035) and CCNE1 expression (p=1.33e-06) also significantly increased post-progression. Among the top molecular features associated with longer PFS were markers of estrogen signaling such as PGR gene expression (p=6.76e-04, HR=0.565) and the Hallmark estrogen response signature (p=0.021, HR=0.679). Applying a multi-omics pattern recognition algorithm, we identified a molecularly distinct cluster (IC1) characterized by down-regulation of estrogen signaling. IC1 is significantly associated with shorter PFS (p=3.72e-05, HR=0.22) and increased from 4% pre-treatment to 23% post-progression (p=7.3e-08). Further, IC1 is strongly enriched in markers previously implicated in CDK4/6i resistance including CCNE1 expression, RB1 mutation and MYC/E2F activation. We then developed machine learning models to predict gene-level dependency trained on cancer cell line expression and CRISPR-KO screen data. These models predicted decreased dependency on ESR1 and CDK4 and increased dependency on CDK2 in IC1, strengthening the association between ER independence and CDK4/6i resistance. Conclusions Our real-world clinical genomics study identified a comprehensive list of biomarkers associated with resistance to CDK4/6i plus ET and estimated patient prevalence for these markers in the post-treatment setting. Integrated and machine-learning analyses identified a subset of aggressive tumors with estrogen independence characteristics that are implicated in CDK4/6i resistance and suggested new therapeutic strategies. Citation Format: Zhengyan Kan, Ji Wen, Jennifer Webster, Vinicius Bonato, Whijae Roh, Xinmeng Jasmine Mu, Paul Rejto, Jadwiga Bienkowska. Real-world clinical genomics study of HR+/HER2- metastatic breast cancers treated by CDK4/6i plus endocrine therapies revealed a drug resistant tumor segment characterized by ER independence [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 PO1-14-08.