bims-ovdlit Biomed News
on Ovarian cancer: early diagnosis, liquid biopsy and therapy
Issue of 2021‒09‒19
nine papers selected by
Lara Paracchini
Humanitas Research
  1. Lurbinectedin versus pegylated liposomal doxorubicin or topotecan in patients with platinum-resistant ovarian cancer: A multicenter, randomized, controlled, open-label phase 3 study (CORAIL).
  2. ctDNA on liquid biopsy for predicting response and prognosis in locally advanced rectal cancer: A systematic review.
  3. Association of RAD51 with Homologous Recombination Deficiency (HRD) and clinical outcomes in untreated triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC): analysis of the GeparSixto randomized clinical trial.
  4. Clinical impact of detecting low-frequency variants in cell-free DNA on treatment of castration-resistant prostate cancer.
  5. Liquid biopsy in esophageal cancer: a case report of false-positive circulating tumor DNA detection due to clonal hematopoiesis.
  6. Matter of TIME: the tumor-immune microenvironment of mesothelioma and implications for checkpoint blockade efficacy.
  7. Opposing roles of the immune system in tumors.
  8. A body-wide view of somatic mutations.
  9. Cell-free DNA TAPS provides multimodal information for early cancer detection.
  1. Gynecol Oncol. 2021 Sep 11. pii: S0090-8258(21)01330-5. [Epub ahead of print]
    Lurbinectedin versus pegylated liposomal doxorubicin or topotecan in patients with platinum-resistant ovarian cancer: A multicenter, randomized, controlled, open-label phase 3 study (CORAIL).
    Stephanie Gaillard, Ana Oaknin, Isabelle Ray-Coquard, Ignace Vergote, Giovanni Scambia, Nicoletta Colombo, Cristian Fernandez, Vicente Alfaro, Carmen Kahatt, Antonio Nieto, Ali Zeaiter, Miguel Aracil, Laura Vidal, Beatriz Pardo-Burdalo, Zsuzsanna Papai, Rebecca Kristeleit, David M O'Malley, Ivor Benjamin, Patricia Pautier, Domenica Lorusso.
      OBJECTIVE: The randomized phase 3 CORAIL trial evaluated whether lurbinectedin improved progression-free survival (PFS) compared to pegylated liposomal doxorubicin (PLD) or topotecan in patients with platinum-resistant ovarian cancer.METHODS: Patients were randomly assigned (1:1) to lurbinectedin 3.2 mg/m2 1-h i.v. infusion q3wk (experimental arm), versus PLD 50 mg/m2 1-h i.v. infusion q4wk or topotecan 1.50 mg/m2 30-min i.v. infusion Days 1-5 q3wk (control arm). Stratification factors were PS (0 vs. ≥1), prior PFI (1-3 months vs. >3 months), and prior chemotherapy lines (1-2 vs. 3). The primary endpoint was PFS by Independent Review Committee in all randomized patients. This study was registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT02421588.
    RESULTS: 442 patients were randomized: 221 in lurbinectedin arm and 221 in control arm (127 PLD and 94 topotecan). With a median follow-up of 25.6 months, median PFS was 3.5 months (95% CI, 2.1-3.7) in the lurbinectedin arm and 3.6 months (95% CI, 2.7-3.8) in the control arm (stratified log-rank p = 0.6294; HR = 1.057). Grade ≥ 3 treatment-related adverse events (AEs) were most frequent in the control arm: 64.8% vs. 47.9% (p = 0.0005), mainly due to hematological toxicities. The most common grade ≥ 3 AEs were: fatigue (7.3% of patients) and nausea (5.9%) with lurbinectedin; mucosal inflammation (8.5%) and fatigue (8.0%) in the control arm.
    CONCLUSIONS: The primary endpoint of improvement in PFS was not met. Lurbinectedin showed similar antitumor efficacy and was better tolerated than current standard of care in patients with platinum-resistant ovarian cancer.
    Keywords:  Lurbinectedin; Ovarian cancer; Phase III study; Platinum-resistant
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ygyno.2021.08.032
  2. Eur J Surg Oncol. 2021 Sep 03. pii: S0748-7983(21)00723-X. [Epub ahead of print]
    ctDNA on liquid biopsy for predicting response and prognosis in locally advanced rectal cancer: A systematic review.
    Marina Morais, Diogo Melo Pinto, José Carlos Machado, Silvestre Carneiro.
      BACKGROUND: The management of locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC) requires a multidisciplinary approach, with an increasing interest for non-operative strategies. Liquid biopsy for obtaining circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) can provide information on neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (nCRT) pathological response and cancer-specific prognosis, and therefore might be a promising guide for these treatments.METHODS: A systematic review of the studies available in literature has been performed to assess the role of ctDNA as a predictive and prognostic biomarker in LARC patients.
    RESULTS: We retrieved 21 publications, of which 17 full-text articles and 4 abstracts. Results have been labelled into two groups: predictive and prognostic. Data about the usefulness of liquid biopsy in this setting is still inconclusive. However, baseline higher levels of longer fragments of cell-free DNA and integrity index, tumor-specific mutations and certain methylated genes could predict non-responders. Also, undetectable baseline ctDNA and decrease of common rectal cancer mutations throughout treatment (dynamic monitoring) were predictive factors of pathological complete response. The continuous detection of ctDNA in different timepoints of treatment (minimal residual disease) was consistently associated with worse prognosis.
    CONCLUSIONS: ctDNA is a promising biomarker that could assist predicting treatment response to nCRT and prognosis in patients with LARC. The ideal methods and timings for the liquid biopsy still have to be defined.
    Keywords:  Chemoradiotherapy; Circulating-tumor DNA; Liquid biopsy; Rectal cancer
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejso.2021.08.034
  3. Ann Oncol. 2021 Sep 11. pii: S0923-7534(21)04478-1. [Epub ahead of print]
    Association of RAD51 with Homologous Recombination Deficiency (HRD) and clinical outcomes in untreated triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC): analysis of the GeparSixto randomized clinical trial.
    A Llop-Guevara, S Loibl, G Villacampa, V Vladimirova, A Schneeweiss, T Karn, D-M Zahm, A Herencia-Ropero, P Jank, M van Mackelenbergh, P A Fasching, F Marmé, E Stickeler, C Schem, R Dienstmann, S Florian, V Nekljudova, J Balmaña, E Hahnen, C Denkert, V Serra.
      BACKGROUND: Current genetic and genomic tests measuring homologous recombination deficiency (HRD) show limited predictive value. This study compares the performance of an immunohistology-based RAD51 test with genetic/genomic tests to identify patients with HRD primary triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) and evaluates its accuracy to select patients sensitive to platinum-based neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT).PATIENTS AND METHODS: This is a retrospective, blinded, biomarker analysis from the GeparSixto randomized clinical trial. TNBC patients received neoadjuvant paclitaxel plus Myocet-nonpegylated liposomal doxorubicin (PM) or PM plus carboplatin (PMCb), both arms including bevacizumab. Formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tumor samples were laid on tissue microarrays. RAD51, BRCA1 and γH2AX were quantified using an immunofluorescence assay. The predictive value of RAD51 was assessed by regression models. Concordance analyses were performed between RAD51 score and tumor BRCA (tBRCA) status or genomic HRD score (myChoiceHRD). Associations with pathological complete response (pCR) and survival were studied. Functional HRD was pre-defined as a RAD51 score ≤10% (RAD51-low).
    RESULTS: Functional HRD by RAD51-low was evidenced in 81/133 tumors (61%). RAD51 identified 93% tBRCA-mutated tumors and 45% non-tBRCA mutant cases as functional HRD. The concordance between RAD51 and genomic HRD was 87% (95%CI 79-93%). In patients with RAD51-high tumors, pCR was similar between treatment arms (PMCb 31% vs PM 39%, odds ratio (OR) 0.71, 0.23-2.24, p=0.56). Patients with RAD51-low tumors benefited from PMCb (pCR 66% vs 33%, OR 3.96, 1.56-10.05, p=0.004; interaction test p=0.02). This benefit maintained statistical significance in the multivariate analysis. Carboplatin addition showed similar disease-free survival in RAD51-high (hazard ratio (HR) 0.40, log-rank p=0.11) and RAD51-low (0.45, p=0.11) groups.
    CONCLUSIONS: The RAD51 test identifies tumors with functional HRD and is highly concordant with tBRCA mutation and genomic HRD. RAD51 independently predicts clinical benefit from adding Cb to NACT in TNBC. Our results support further development to incorporate RAD51 testing in clinical decision-making.
    Keywords:  BRCA; HRD biomarkers; RAD51; personalized medicine; platinum-based neoadjuvant chemotherapy; triple-negative breast cancer
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.annonc.2021.09.003
  4. Clin Cancer Res. 2021 Sep 15. pii: clincanres.2328.2021. [Epub ahead of print]
    Clinical impact of detecting low-frequency variants in cell-free DNA on treatment of castration-resistant prostate cancer.
    Kei Mizuno, Takayuki Sumiyoshi, Takatsugu Okegawa, Naoki Terada, Satoshi Ishitoya, Yu Miyazaki, Takahiro Kojima, Hiromichi Katayama, Naohiro Fujimoto, Shingo Hatakeyama, Masaki Shiota, Koji Yoshimura, Yoshiyuki Matsui, Shintaro Narita, Hiroaki Matsumoto, Ryoma Kurahashi, Hidenori Kanno, Katsuhiro Ito, Hiroko Kimura, Yuki Kamiyama, Takuro Sunada, Takayuki Goto, Takashi Kobayashi, Hitoshi Yamada, Norihiko Tsuchiya, Tomomi Kamba, Hideyasu Matsuyama, Tomonori Habuchi, Masatoshi Eto, Chikara Ohyama, Akihiro Ito, Hiroyuki Nishiyama, Hiroshi Okuno, Toshiyuki Kamoto, Akihiro Fujimoto, Osamu Ogawa, Shusuke Akamatsu.
      PURPOSE: Although cell-free DNA (cfDNA) testing is expected to drive cancer precision medicine, little is known about the significance of detecting low-frequency variants in circulating cell-free tumor DNA (ctDNA) in castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). We aimed to identify genomic profile including low-frequency variants in ctDNA from CRPC patients and investigate the clinical utility of detecting variants with variant allele frequency (VAF) below 1%.EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: This prospective, multicenter cohort study enrolled CRPC patients eligible for treatment with abiraterone or enzalutamide. We performed targeted sequencing of pre-treatment cfDNA and paired leukocyte DNA with molecular barcodes, and ctDNA variants with a VAF {greater than or equal to} 0.1% were detected using an in-house pipeline. We investigated progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) after different ctDNA fraction cutoffs were applied.
    RESULTS: One hundred patients were analyzed (median follow-up 10.7 months). We detected deleterious ATM, BRCA2, and TP53 variants even in samples with ctDNA fraction below 2%. When the ctDNA fraction cutoff value of 0.4% was applied, significant differences in PFS and OS were found between patients with and without defects in ATM or BRCA2 [hazard ratio (HR), 2.52; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.24-5.11; P = 0.0091] and TP53 (HR, 3.74; 95% CI, 1.60-8.71; P = 0.0014). However, these differences were no longer observed when the ctDNA fraction cutoff value of 2% was applied, and approximately 50% of the samples were classified as ctDNA unquantifiable.
    CONCLUSIONS: Detecting low-frequency ctDNA variants with a VAF < 1% is important to identify clinically informative genomic alterations in CRPC.
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1158/1078-0432.CCR-21-2328
  5. Ann Transl Med. 2021 Aug;9(15): 1264
    Liquid biopsy in esophageal cancer: a case report of false-positive circulating tumor DNA detection due to clonal hematopoiesis.
    Jonathan Spoor, Ben M Eyck, Peggy N Atmodimedjo, Maurice P H M Jansen, Jean C A Helmijr, John W M Martens, Berend J van der Wilk, J Jan B van Lanschot, Winand N M Dinjens.
      Circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) analysis is a promising non-invasive technique for active surveillance after chemoradiotherapy for locally advanced resectable esophageal carcinoma. In other malignancies false-positive results in ctDNA analysis have been reported due to clonal hematopoiesis. In this case, we present a 66-year-old male who had adenocarcinoma of the gastroesophageal junction for which he received neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy and underwent a transhiatal esophagectomy. Postoperatively our patient received follow-up with ctDNA analysis using next generation sequencing (NGS) and droplet digital PCR (ddPCR). This case report illustrates a number of the current challenges in ctDNA diagnostics in esophageal carcinoma. Firstly, the TP53 c.524G>A; p.R175H mutation that was found in preoperative tumor biopsies became detectable in ctDNA only after distant metastases had already been confirmed by clinical symptoms and standard imaging- and biopsy techniques. Secondly our patient repeatedly had false-positive outcomes of ctDNA analysis. Genomic analysis of white blood cells revealed that the origin of these discordant mutations lies in clonal hematopoiesis. Failure to detect TP53 c.524G>A; p.R175H in cell-free DNA (cfDNA) is most likely due to the amount of ctDNA in the cfDNA fraction being below the limit of detection for NGS and ddPCR analyses. Clinicians should be aware of the possibility of finding mutations originating from clonal hematopoiesis when using ctDNA analysis during active surveillance for esophageal carcinoma. We recommend correlation of mutations in cfDNA with mutations in tumor biopsies.
    Keywords:  Esophageal cancer; active surveillance; case report; circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA); clonal hematopoiesis
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.21037/atm-21-525
  6. J Immunother Cancer. 2021 Sep;pii: e003032. [Epub ahead of print]9(9):
    Matter of TIME: the tumor-immune microenvironment of mesothelioma and implications for checkpoint blockade efficacy.
    James Harber, Tamihiro Kamata, Catrin Pritchard, Dean Fennell.
      Malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) is an incurable cancer with a dismal prognosis and few effective treatment options. Nonetheless, recent positive phase III trial results for immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) in MPM herald a new dawn in the fight to advance effective treatments for this cancer. Tumor mutation burden (TMB) has been widely reported to predict ICB in other cancers, but MPM is considered a low-TMB tumor. Similarly, tumor programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression has not been proven predictive in phase III clinical trials in MPM. Consequently, the precise mechanisms that determine response to immunotherapy in this cancer remain unknown. The present review therefore aimed to synthesize our current understanding of the tumor immune microenvironment in MPM and reflects on how specific cellular features might impact immunotherapy responses or lead to resistance. This approach will inform stratified approaches to therapy and advance immunotherapy combinations in MPM to improve clinical outcomes further.
    Keywords:  CD8-positive T lymphocytes; immunotherapy; lymphocytes; macrophages; tumor microenvironment; tumor-infiltrating
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1136/jitc-2021-003032
  7. Science. 2021 Sep 17. 373(6561): 1306-1307
    Opposing roles of the immune system in tumors.
    Won Jin Ho, Laura D Wood.
      [Figure: see text].
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1126/science.abl5376
  8. Nat Rev Genet. 2021 Sep 14.
    A body-wide view of somatic mutations.
    Darren J Burgess.
      
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1038/s41576-021-00420-1
  9. Sci Adv. 2021 Sep 03. 7(36): eabh0534
    Cell-free DNA TAPS provides multimodal information for early cancer detection.
    Paulina Siejka-Zielińska, Jingfei Cheng, Felix Jackson, Yibin Liu, Zahir Soonawalla, Srikanth Reddy, Michael Silva, Luminita Puta, Misti Vanette McCain, Emma L Culver, Noor Bekkali, Benjamin Schuster-Böckler, Pier Francesco Palamara, Derek Mann, Helen Reeves, Eleanor Barnes, Shivan Sivakumar, Chun-Xiao Song.
      [Figure: see text].
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.abh0534
This page is being maintained by Thomas Krichel. It was last updated on 2021‒11‒15 at 09:40:58.