bims-tumhet Biomed News
on Tumor Heterogeneity
Issue of 2022–02–27
fiveteen papers selected by
Sergio Marchini, Humanitas Research
  1. Expression Profiling in Ovarian Cancer Reveals Coordinated Regulation of BRCA1/2 and Homologous Recombination Genes.
  2. DNA methylation marker to estimate ovarian cancer cell fraction.
  3. Natural Killer Cells: the Missing Link in Effective Treatment for High-Grade Serous Ovarian Carcinoma.
  4. Copy number alteration signatures as biomarkers in cancer: a review.
  5. Longitudinal single-cell RNA-seq analysis reveals stress-promoted chemoresistance in metastatic ovarian cancer.
  6. An update on the safety of olaparib for treating ovarian cancer.
  7. Low-Grade Serous Carcinoma of the Ovary: The Current Status.
  8. Phase 2 Trial (POLA Study) of Lurbinectedin plus Olaparib in Patients with Advanced Solid Tumors: Results of Efficacy, Tolerability, and the Translational Study.
  9. Therapeutic strategies to overcome cisplatin resistance in ovarian cancer.
  10. Clinical analysis of pathologic complete responders in advanced-stage ovarian cancer.
  11. Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors in Tumors Harboring Homologous Recombination Deficiency: Challenges in Attaining Efficacy.
  12. Recommendations for a practical implementation of circulating tumor DNA mutation testing in metastatic non-small-cell lung cancer.
  13. Residual tumor and primary debulking surgery vs interval debulking surgery in stage IV epithelial ovarian cancer.
  14. Endometrial Cancer: Transitioning from Histology to Genomics.
  15. p53 Signaling on Microenvironment and Its Contribution to Tissue Chemoresistance.
  1. Biomedicines. 2022 Jan 18. pii: 199. [Epub ahead of print]10(2):
    Expression Profiling in Ovarian Cancer Reveals Coordinated Regulation of BRCA1/2 and Homologous Recombination Genes.
    Noélia Custódio, Rosina Savisaar, Célia Carvalho, Pedro Bak-Gordon, Maria I Ribeiro, Joana Tavares, Paula B Nunes, Ana Peixoto, Carla Pinto, Carla Escudeiro, Manuel R Teixeira, Maria Carmo-Fonseca.
      Predictive biomarkers are crucial in clarifying the best strategy to use poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase inhibitors (PARPi) for the greatest benefit to ovarian cancer patients. PARPi are specifically lethal to cancer cells that cannot repair DNA damage by homologous recombination (HR), and HR deficiency is frequently associated with BRCA1/2 mutations. Genetic tests for BRCA1/2 mutations are currently used in the clinic, but results can be inconclusive due to the high prevalence of rare DNA sequence variants of unknown significance. Most tests also fail to detect epigenetic modifications and mutations located deep within introns that may alter the mRNA. The aim of this study was to investigate whether quantitation of BRCA1/2 mRNAs in ovarian cancer can provide information beyond the DNA tests. Using the nCounter assay from NanoString Technologies, we analyzed RNA isolated from 38 ovarian cancer specimens and 11 normal fallopian tube samples. We found that BRCA1/2 expression was highly variable among tumors. We further observed that tumors with lower levels of BRCA1/2 mRNA showed downregulated expression of 12 additional HR genes. Analysis of 299 ovarian cancer samples from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) confirmed the coordinated expression of BRCA1/2 and HR genes. To facilitate the routine analysis of BRCA1/2 mRNA in the clinical setting, we developed a targeted droplet digital PCR approach that can be used with FFPE samples. In conclusion, this study underscores the potential clinical benefit of measuring mRNA levels in tumors when BRCA1/2 DNA tests are negative or inconclusive.
    Keywords:  BRCA1/2 mRNA; ddPCR; homologous recombination; nCounter assay; ovarian cancer
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.3390/biomedicines10020199
  2. Med Oncol. 2022 Feb 23. 39(5): 78
    DNA methylation marker to estimate ovarian cancer cell fraction.
    Takahiro Ebata, Satoshi Yamashita, Hideyuki Takeshima, Hiroshi Yoshida, Yoshiko Kawata, Nao Kino, Toshiharu Yasugi, Yasuhisa Terao, Kan Yonemori, Tomoyasu Kato, Toshikazu Ushijima.
      Evaluation of a cancer cell fraction is important for accurate molecular analysis, and pathological analysis is the gold standard for evaluation. Despite the potential convenience, no established molecular markers for evaluation are available. In this study, we aimed to identify ovarian cancer cell fraction markers using DNA methylation highly specific to ovarian cancer cells. Using genome-wide DNA methylation data, we screened candidate marker genes methylated in 30 ovarian cancer FFPE samples and 12 high-grade serous ovarian cancer cell lines, and unmethylated in two female leucocytes and two normal fallopian epithelial cell samples. Methylation levels of two genes, SIM1, and ZNF154, showed high correlation with pathological cancer cell fractions among the 30 ovarian cancer FFPE samples (R = 0.61 for SIM1, 0.71 for ZNF154). For cost-effective analysis of FFPE samples, pyrosequencing primers were designed, and successfully established for SIM1 and ZNF154. Correlation between a pathological cancer cell fraction and methylation levels obtained by pyrosequencing was confirmed to be high (R = 0.53 for SIM1, 0.64 for ZNF154). Finally, an independent validation cohort of 29 ovarian cancer FFPE samples was analyzed. ZNF154 methylation showed a high correlation with the pathological cancer cell fraction (R = 0.77, P < 0.0001). Therefore, the ZNF154 methylation level was considered to be useful for the estimation of ovarian cancer cell fraction, and is expected to help accurate molecular analysis.
    Keywords:  Biomarker; DNA methylation; Epigenetic; Serous ovarian cancer
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1007/s12032-022-01679-y
  3. Curr Treat Options Oncol. 2022 Feb 22.
    Natural Killer Cells: the Missing Link in Effective Treatment for High-Grade Serous Ovarian Carcinoma.
    Morgan Pugh-Toole, Anna P Nicolela, Sarah Nersesian, Brendan M Leung, Jeanette E Boudreau.
       OPINION STATEMENT: Ovarian cancer (OC), especially high-grade serous cancer (HGSC), is a highly heterogeneous malignancy with limited options for curative treatment and a high frequency of relapse. Interactions between OC and the immune system may permit immunoediting and immune escape, and current standard of care therapies can influence immune cell infiltration and function within the tumor microenvironment. Natural killer (NK) cells are involved in cancer immunosurveillance and immunoediting and can be activated by therapy, but deliberate approaches to maximize NK cell reactivity for treatment of HGSC are in their infancy. NK cells may be the ideal target for immunotherapy of HGSC. The diverse functions of NK cells, and their established roles in immunosurveillance, make them attractive candidates for more precise and effective HGSC treatment. NK cells' functional capabilities differ because of variation in receptor expression and genetics, with meaningful impacts on their anticancer activity. Studying HGSC:NK cell interactions will define the features that predict the best outcomes for patients with the disease, but the highly diverse nature of HGSC will likely require combination therapies or approaches to simultaneously target multiple, co-existing features of the tumor to avoid tumor escape and relapse. We expect that the ideal therapy will enable NK cell infiltration and activity, reverse immunosuppression within the tumor microenvironment, and enable effector functions against the diverse subpopulations that comprise HGSC.
    Keywords:  Combination therapy; High-grade serous carcinoma; Immunotherapy; Natural killer cells; Ovarian cancer
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1007/s11864-021-00929-x
  4. Biomark Med. 2022 Feb 23.
    Copy number alteration signatures as biomarkers in cancer: a review.
    Conor Giles Doran, Stephen R Pennington.
      Within certain cancers, extensive copy number alterations (CNAs) contribute to a complex and heterogenic genomic profile. This makes it difficult to understand and unravel the distinct molecular dynamics shaping the disease while preventing clinically effective patient stratification. CNA signature analysis represents a novel genomic stratification tool for probing this complexity, offering an intricate framework for deriving CNA patterns at the molecular level. This allows the underlying genomic mechanisms of specific cancers to be revealed, leading to the potential identification of therapeutic targets and prognostic associations. This review outlines the molecular and methodological basis of CNA signatures and focuses on recent advances highlighting their clinical utility, limitations and prospective future as novel diagnostic and prognostic cancer biomarkers.
    Keywords:  biomarkers; cancer; copy number; genomics; precision medicine; signatures; stratification
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.2217/bmm-2021-0476
  5. Sci Adv. 2022 Feb 25. 8(8): eabm1831
    Longitudinal single-cell RNA-seq analysis reveals stress-promoted chemoresistance in metastatic ovarian cancer.
    Kaiyang Zhang, Erdogan Pekcan Erkan, Sanaz Jamalzadeh, Jun Dai, Noora Andersson, Katja Kaipio, Tarja Lamminen, Naziha Mansuri, Kaisa Huhtinen, Olli Carpén, Sakari Hietanen, Jaana Oikkonen, Johanna Hynninen, Anni Virtanen, Antti Häkkinen, Sampsa Hautaniemi, Anna Vähärautio.
      Chemotherapy resistance is a critical contributor to cancer mortality and thus an urgent unmet challenge in oncology. To characterize chemotherapy resistance processes in high-grade serous ovarian cancer, we prospectively collected tissue samples before and after chemotherapy and analyzed their transcriptomic profiles at a single-cell resolution. After removing patient-specific signals by a novel analysis approach, PRIMUS, we found a consistent increase in stress-associated cell state during chemotherapy, which was validated by RNA in situ hybridization and bulk RNA sequencing. The stress-associated state exists before chemotherapy, is subclonally enriched during the treatment, and associates with poor progression-free survival. Co-occurrence with an inflammatory cancer-associated fibroblast subtype in tumors implies that chemotherapy is associated with stress response in both cancer cells and stroma, driving a paracrine feed-forward loop. In summary, we have found a resistant state that integrates stromal signaling and subclonal evolution and offers targets to overcome chemotherapy resistance.
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.abm1831
  6. Expert Opin Drug Saf. 2022 Feb 25.
    An update on the safety of olaparib for treating ovarian cancer.
    Kelsi Cottrell, Caroline L Clark, Richard T Penson.
       INTRODUCTION: PARP inhibitors have dramatically improved outcomes for ovarian cancer patients, transforming oncologists' armamentarium and fueling hope for more cures and longer survival.
    AREAS COVERED: The recent PARP inhibitor randomized trials of FDA approved PARP inhibitors for ovarian cancer, olaparib, rucaparib and niraparib, and implications for clinical care are discussed with a focus on toxicity and risks. PARP adds NAD polymers to DNA-binding proteins, improving survival of cells after DNA damage, and acting as a scaffold for important DNA Damage Response (DDR) enzymes. If this system is inhibited, PARP activation cannot support DNA repair when there is synthetic lethality from BRCA mutations or homologous repair dysfunction (HRD), and the accumulation of DNA damage can kill cancer and lead to the catastrophic complications of MDS/AML. Although the risk of AML can be a <1% risk, the incidence of MDS/AML presently approaches 10% in patients with BRCA mutations, multiple prior lines of platinum therapy, and protracted exposure to PARP inhibitors.
    EXPERT OPINION: PARP inhibitors are a well-tolerated and exciting new class of agents that improve survival despite the risk of AML. Understanding of the biology has led to optimal use and potential new strategies for overcoming PARP resistance.
    Keywords:  BRCA 1/2; PARP inhibitor; acute myeloid leukemia; homologous recombination deficiency; olaparib; ovarian cancer
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1080/14740338.2022.2047176
  7. Diagnostics (Basel). 2022 Feb 10. pii: 458. [Epub ahead of print]12(2):
    Low-Grade Serous Carcinoma of the Ovary: The Current Status.
    Abdulaziz Babaier, Hanan Mal, Waleed Alselwi, Prafull Ghatage.
      Low-grade serous carcinoma (LGSC) of the ovary is a rare histological subtype of epithelial ovarian carcinoma. It has distinct clinical behavior and a specific molecular profile. Compared with high-grade serous carcinoma, this tumor presents at a younger age, has an indolent course, and is associated with prolonged survival. LGSC can arise de novo or originate following a serous borderline tumor (SBT). Pathological differentiation between LGSC and other ovarian carcinoma histological subtypes is fundamental. Several factors might influence the overall outcome, such as the age at diagnosis, current smoking, elevated body mass index, mutational status, hormonal receptors' expression, and Ki-67 proliferation index. Surgery is the main treatment option in LGSC, and efforts must be maximized to achieve a microscopic residual in metastatic disease. Despite being relatively chemo-resistant, adjuvant platinum-based chemotherapy remains the standard of care in LGSC. Hormonal maintenance therapy after adjuvant chemotherapy results in improved outcomes. Treatment options for disease recurrence include secondary cytoreductive surgery, chemotherapy, hormonal therapy, targeted therapy, and clinical trials. Advancements in genomic studies and targeted therapies are expected to change the treatment landscape in LGSC.
    Keywords:  cytoreductive surgery; grading system; low-grade serous ovarian carcinoma; molecular profile; prognostic factors; targeted therapy
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.3390/diagnostics12020458
  8. Cancers (Basel). 2022 Feb 12. pii: 915. [Epub ahead of print]14(4):
    Phase 2 Trial (POLA Study) of Lurbinectedin plus Olaparib in Patients with Advanced Solid Tumors: Results of Efficacy, Tolerability, and the Translational Study.
    Andres Poveda, Raquel Lopez-Reig, Ana Oaknin, Andres Redondo, Maria Jesus Rubio, Eva Guerra, Lorena Fariñas-Madrid, Alejandro Gallego, Victor Rodriguez-Freixinos, Antonio Fernandez-Serra, Oscar Juan, Ignacio Romero, Jose A Lopez-Guerrero.
      We hypothesized that the combination of olaparib and lurbinectedin maximizes DNA damage, thus increasing its efficacy. The POLA phase 1 trial established the recommended phase 2 dose of lurbinectedin as being 1.5 mg (day 1) and that of olaparib as being 250 mg/12 h (days 1-5) for a 21-day cycle. In phase 2, we explore the efficacy of the combination in terms of clinical response and its correlation with mutations in the HRR genes and the genomic instability (GI) parameters. Results: A total of 73 patients with high-grade ovarian (n = 46), endometrial (n = 26), and triple-negative breast cancer (n = 1) were treated with lurbinectedin and olaparib. Most patients (62%) received ≥3 lines of prior therapy. The overall response rate (ORR) and disease control rate (DCR) were 9.6% and 72.6%, respectively. The median progression-free survival (PFS) was 4.54 months (95% CI 3.0-5.2). Twelve (16.4%) patients were considered long-term responders (LTR), with a median PFS of 13.3 months. No clinical benefit was observed for cases with HRR gene mutation. In ovarian LTRs, although a direct association with GI and a total loss of heterozygosity (LOH) events was observed, the association did not reach statistical significance (p = 0.055). Globally, the total number of LOHs might be associated with the ORR (p =0.074). The most common grade 3-4 toxicities were anemia and thrombocytopenia, in 6 (8.2%) and 3 (4.1%) patients, respectively. Conclusion: The POLA study provides evidence that the administration of lurbinectedin and olaparib is feasible and tolerable, with a DCR of 72.6%. Different GI parameters showed associations with better responses.
    Keywords:  endometrial cancer; genomic instability; lurbinectedin; olaparib; ovarian cancer
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers14040915
  9. Eur J Med Chem. 2022 Feb 17. pii: S0223-5234(22)00107-6. [Epub ahead of print]232 114205
    Therapeutic strategies to overcome cisplatin resistance in ovarian cancer.
    Mengdi Song, Mingxiao Cui, Kehai Liu.
      Ovarian cancer (OC) is one of the most common gynecologic tumors worldwide and one with the highest mortality. Cisplatin (DDP) is the first platinum-based complex approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat patients with OC. Despite a good initial response rate, most patients receiving DDP treatment will ultimately develop resistance via various complicated mechanisms, leading to therapeutic failure and increased mortality. Multiple resistance pathways have been identified as potentially key areas of intervention. In this review, chemotherapeutic drugs and phytochemicals developed to overcome cisplatin-resistance ovarian cancer (CROC) were discussed. Targeted inhibition or specific drugs are effective against the DDP-resistance phenotype by inhibiting resistance or increasing cytotoxic efficacy. Phytochemicals as chemosensitizers offer novel treatment strategies for CROC patients by reducing chemoresistance and increasing drug efficacy. Due to the complexity of the DDP-resistance mechanism, the treatment of OC needs to improve specificity and effectiveness, and multi-path cooperative therapy is undoubtedly one of the best options. We discuss extensively the role of combination therapy in reversing DDP-resistance in OC and the significance of using a nanoparticle delivery system in this context. Suggestions for potential therapeutic strategies for CROC treatment will help discover more effective and specific regimens to overcome DDP-resistance.
    Keywords:  Cisplatin; Combination therapy; Drug resistance; New agents; Ovarian cancer; Phytochemicals; Targeted therapy
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejmech.2022.114205
  10. Gynecol Oncol. 2022 Feb 22. pii: S0090-8258(22)00090-7. [Epub ahead of print]
    Clinical analysis of pathologic complete responders in advanced-stage ovarian cancer.
    Christopher J LaFargue, Katelyn F Handley, Nicole D Fleming, Alpa M Nick, Anca Chelariu-Raicu, Bryan Fellman, Tara Castellano, Aiko Ogasawara, Marianne Hom-Tedla, Erin A Blake, Alexandre A B A da Costa, Aleia K Crim, Alejandro Rauh-Hain, Shannon N Westin, Robert L Coleman, Koji Matsuo, Glauco Baiocchi, Kosei Hasegawa, Kathleen Moore, Anil K Sood.
       OBJECTIVE: To determine the clinical characteristics of patients who attained pathologic complete response (pCR) after neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) and to identify specific predictive or prognostic factors associated with pCR.
    METHODS: Two distinct populations of patients who underwent NACT followed by interval tumor reductive surgery (TRS) were used in this retrospective study. The first contained 472 patients from a single institution. The second contained only pCR patients (67); those identified from population one, plus 44 obtained through collaborative institutions. Cox analysis and log-rank tests were performed to assess associations between clinical characteristics and pCR outcome, recurrence-free survival (RFS), and overall survival (OS).
    RESULTS: The median RFS and OS in our pCR-only population was 24.2 and 80.8 months, respectively, with a median follow-up time of 32.4 months. In our single institution population, 23 patients attained pCR (4.9%) and had longer RFS compared to non-pCR patients with viable microscopic, optimal, or suboptimal residual disease (24.3 vs. 12.1 vs. 11.6 vs. 9.6 months, p = 0.025, 0.012, 0.008, respectively), and longer OS compared to those with optimal or suboptimal residual disease (54.5 vs. 29.4 vs. 25.7 months, p = 0.027, 0.007, respectively). Patients were more than three-fold likely to attain pCR if their CA125 value was normal at the time of surgery (OR 3.54, 95% CI: 1.14-11.05, p = 0.029).
    CONCLUSIONS: Women with pCR after NACT have significantly longer RFS compared to those with residual viable tumor at the time of interval tumor-reductive surgery, and CA125 is plausible biomarker for identifying these extreme responders preoperatively.
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ygyno.2022.02.006
  11. Front Immunol. 2022 ;13 826577
    Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors in Tumors Harboring Homologous Recombination Deficiency: Challenges in Attaining Efficacy.
    Saulo Brito Silva, Carlos Wagner S Wanderley, Leandro Machado Colli.
      Cancer cells harbor genomic instability due to accumulated DNA damage, one of the cancer hallmarks. At least five major DNA Damage Repair (DDR) pathways are recognized to repair DNA damages during different stages of the cell cycle, comprehending base excision repair (BER), nucleotide excision repair (NER), mismatch repair (MMR), homologous recombination (HR), and non-homologous end joining (NHEJ). The unprecedented benefits achieved with immunological checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) in tumors with mismatch repair deficiency (dMMR) have prompted efforts to extend this efficacy to tumors with HR deficiency (HRD), which are greatly sensitive to chemotherapy or PARP inhibitors, and also considered highly immunogenic. However, an in-depth understanding of HRD's molecular underpinnings has pointed to essential singularities that might impact ICIs sensitivity. Here we address the main molecular aspects of HRD that underlie a differential profile of efficacy and resistance to the treatment with ICIs compared to other DDR deficiencies.
    Keywords:  DNA damage repair; homologous recombination; immune checkpoint inhibitors; mismatch repair; oncology
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.3389/fimmu.2022.826577
  12. ESMO Open. 2022 Feb 21. pii: S2059-7029(22)00020-5. [Epub ahead of print]7(2): 100399
    Recommendations for a practical implementation of circulating tumor DNA mutation testing in metastatic non-small-cell lung cancer.
    E Heitzer, D van den Broek, M G Denis, P Hofman, M Hubank, F Mouliere, L Paz-Ares, E Schuuring, H Sültmann, G Vainer, E Verstraaten, L de Visser, D Cortinovis.
       BACKGROUND: Liquid biopsy (LB) is a rapidly evolving diagnostic tool for precision oncology that has recently found its way into routine practice as an adjunct to tissue biopsy (TB). The concept of LB refers to any tumor-derived material, such as circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) or circulating tumor cells that are detectable in blood. An LB is not limited to the blood and may include other fluids such as cerebrospinal fluid, pleural effusion, and urine, among others.
    PATIENTS AND METHODS: The objective of this paper, devised by international experts from various disciplines, is to review current challenges as well as state-of-the-art applications of ctDNA mutation testing in metastatic non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). We consider pragmatic scenarios for the use of ctDNA from blood plasma to identify actionable targets for therapy selection in NSCLCs.
    RESULTS: Clinical scenarios where ctDNA mutation testing may be implemented in clinical practice include complementary tissue and LB testing to provide the full picture of patients' actual predictive profiles to identify resistance mechanism (i.e. secondary mutations), and ctDNA mutation testing to assist when a patient has a discordant clinical history and is suspected of showing intertumor or intratumor heterogeneity. ctDNA mutation testing may provide interesting insights into possible targets that may have been missed on the TB. Complementary ctDNA LB testing also provides an option if the tumor location is hard to biopsy or if an insufficient sample was taken. These clinical use cases highlight practical scenarios where ctDNA LB may be considered as a complementary tool to TB analysis.
    CONCLUSIONS: Proper implementation of ctDNA LB testing in routine clinical practice is envisioned in the near future. As the clinical evidence of utility expands, the use of LB alongside tissue sample analysis may occur in the patient cases detailed here.
    Keywords:  ctDNA mutation testing; non-small-cell lung cancer; patient scenario; precision oncology
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.esmoop.2022.100399
  13. Acta Obstet Gynecol Scand. 2022 Feb 21.
    Residual tumor and primary debulking surgery vs interval debulking surgery in stage IV epithelial ovarian cancer.
    Sarah Mejer Sørensen, Claus Høgdall, Berit Jul Mosgaard, Maya Isabella Riise Dalgaard, Mai Partridge Jensen, Katrine Fuglsang, Tine Henrichsen Schnack.
       INTRODUCTION: It is debated whether women with FIGO (International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics) Stage IV epithelial ovarian cancer should be offered primary debulking surgery (PDS) or interval debulking surgery (IDS). Furthermore, the impact of complete resection of intra-abdominal disease (R0) despite their extra-abdominal metastases is questioned. The objective of this study was to investigate the impact of intra-abdominal residual tumor, Stage IVA vs IVB, the localization and number of metastases defining Stage IV disease on overall survival (OS) comparing PDS and IDS in FIGO Stage IV epithelial ovarian cancer.
    MATERIAL AND METHODS: We included 2091 women registered with Stage IIIC-IV ovarian cancer in the Danish Gynecological Cancer Database during 2009-2016. The impact of residual tumor was evaluated using univariate and multivariate analyses.
    RESULTS: In total, 681 patients had stage IV disease, of whom 26% underwent PDS, 38% IDS, and 36% chemotherapy only. Overall survival for PDS and IDS were similar. Patients achieving R0 at PDS showed a tendency towards a higher OS than patients achieving R0 at IDS, though the difference was non-significant. In women with Stage IVA and IVB disease there was a survival benefit in achieving R0 both when treated with PDS and IDS. Women with Stage IVB disease treated with chemotherapy only had a significantly lower OS than patients achieving R0 at both PDS and IDS. Malignant pleural effusion and having five metastatic sites compared with having one was associated with a poorer OS.
    CONCLUSIONS: Our study shows similar OS in patients with Stage IV disease treated with IDS compared with PDS. Complete intra-abdominal tumor resection improves the prognosis in both PDS and IDS in Stage IV ovarian cancer. Malignant pleural effusion seems to be a negative prognostic factor and should have more focus in future studies.
    Keywords:  gynecological oncology; malignant pleural exudate; ovarian cancer; residual tumor
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1111/aogs.14319
  14. Curr Oncol. 2022 Jan 31. 29(2): 741-757
    Endometrial Cancer: Transitioning from Histology to Genomics.
    Cristina Mitric, Marcus Q Bernardini.
      Endometrial carcinoma (EC) is traditionally treated with surgery and adjuvant treatment depending on clinicopathological risk factors. The genomic analysis of EC in 2013 and subsequent studies using immunohistochemistry have led to the current EC molecular classification into: polymerase epsilon mutated (POLEmut), p53 abnormal (p53abn), mismatch repair deficient (MMRd), and no specific molecular profile (NSMP). The four groups have prognostic value and represent a promising tool for clinical decision-making regarding adjuvant treatment. Molecular classification was integrated into the recent European Society of Gynecologic Oncology (ESGO) management guidelines. POLEmut EC has favorable outcomes and retrospective studies found that omitting adjuvant treatment is safe in this group; two prospective clinical trials, PORTEC-4 and TAPER, are ongoing to assess this. p53 abn is associated with increased recurrence, decreased survival, and benefitted from chemotherapy in the PORTEC-3 subgroup molecular analysis. The clinical trials PORTEC-4a and CANSTAMP will prospectively assess this. MMRd and NSMP groups have intermediate prognosis and will likely continue to rely closely on clinicopathological features for adjuvant treatment decisions. In addition, the molecular classification has led to exploring novel treatments such as checkpoint inhibitors. Overall, the molecular perspective on EC and associated clinical trials will likely refine EC risk stratification to optimize care and avoid overtreatment.
    Keywords:  POLE; adjuvant treatment; endometrial carcinoma; endometrial neoplasm; mismatch repair; molecular classification; p53
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.3390/curroncol29020063
  15. Membranes (Basel). 2022 Feb 09. pii: 202. [Epub ahead of print]12(2):
    p53 Signaling on Microenvironment and Its Contribution to Tissue Chemoresistance.
    Leonel Cardozo de Menezes E Souza, Anderson Faletti, Carla Pires Veríssimo, Mariana Paranhos Stelling, Helena Lobo Borges.
      Chemoresistance persists as a significant, unresolved clinical challenge in many cancer types. The tumor microenvironment, in which cancer cells reside and interact with non-cancer cells and tissue structures, has a known role in promoting every aspect of tumor progression, including chemoresistance. However, the molecular determinants of microenvironment-driven chemoresistance are mainly unknown. In this review, we propose that the TP53 tumor suppressor, found mutant in over half of human cancers, is a crucial regulator of cancer cell-microenvironment crosstalk and a prime candidate for the investigation of microenvironment-specific modulators of chemoresistance. Wild-type p53 controls the secretion of factors that inhibit the tumor microenvironment, whereas altered secretion or mutant p53 interfere with p53 function to promote chemoresistance. We highlight resistance mechanisms promoted by mutant p53 and enforced by the microenvironment, such as extracellular matrix remodeling and adaptation to hypoxia. Alterations of wild-type p53 extracellular function may create a cascade of spatial amplification loops in the tumor tissue that can influence cellular behavior far from the initial oncogenic mutation. We discuss the concept of chemoresistance as a multicellular/tissue-level process rather than intrinsically cellular. Targeting p53-dependent crosstalk mechanisms between cancer cells and components of the tumor environment might disrupt the waves of chemoresistance that spread across the tumor tissue, increasing the efficacy of chemotherapeutic agents.
    Keywords:  cell-nonautonomous function; drug resistance; extracellular vesicles; mutant p53; p53 signaling; secretome; tumor microenvironment
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.3390/membranes12020202
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