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Straza, Michael

https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4672-6213

Mayo Clinic

Medical College of Wisconsin

Citations 3

Modern molecular profiling recontextualizes the NRG/RTOG 0539 trial and reveals hidden high-risk and radiotherapy-resistant meningiomas
Yefet, Leeor S, Landry, Alexander , Rogers, C Leland, WANG, J, Patil, Vikas, Gui, Chloe, Ajisebutu, Andrew, Ellenbogen, Yosef , Wei, Qingxia , Singh, Olivia, Szot, Christopher, Barani, Igor J. , Straza, Michael , Shu, Hui-Kuo G, Hunter, Grant, Panet-Raymond, Valérie , Shi, Wenyin, Kavanagh, Brian D. , Gunter, Tyler, Robinson, Clifford, Pugh, Stephanie L. , Mehta, Minesh P, Chakravarti, Arnab, Nassiri, Farshad, Aldape, Kenneth, Zadeh, G Z, Gui, Chloe , Wang, Justin Z , Liu, Jeff , Gui, Chloe , Ellenbogen, Yosef , Singh, Olivia , Jordan, Richard C , Barani, Igor J , Straza, Michael W , Shu, Hui-Kuo G , Pointer, Kelli B , Hunter, Grant , Panet-Raymond, Valerie , Shi, Wenyin , Perlow, Haley K , Kavanagh, Brian D , Gunter, Tyler , Robinson, Clifford , Dicker, Adam P , Mehta, Minesh P , Chakravarti, Arnab , Aldape, Kenneth , Zadeh, Gelareh , Yefet, Leeor S. , Rogers, C. Leland, Wang, Justin Z. , Patil, Vikas , Ajisebutu, Andrew, Mansouri, Sheila , Shi, Wenyin , Perlow, Haley K. , Gunter, Tyler C., Dicker, Adam P. , Mehta, Minesh P. , Chakravarti, Arnab , Nassiri, Farshad

Neuro-Oncology | May 14, 2026 | Volume: 28 | Issue: 7 | Pages: 1727-1740

10.1093/neuonc/noag081 Get It

Abstract Background Meningiomas exhibit clinical heterogeneity. Radiotherapy (RT) remains the only adjuvant therapy, but tumor-control is variable, and biomarkers are limited. NRG/RTOG-0539 is the first prospective phase 2 trial to stratify meningioma patients for adjuvant RT based on clinical risk. Here, we apply modern molecular tools to this cohort and identify correlates of RT response. Methods Tumor tissue from 100 RTOG-0539 patients was profiled using DNA methylation arrays, RNA sequencing, and whole-exome sequencing. Recurrence scores, Molecular Groups, gene expression, and copy number alterations were compared across clinical groups and between RT responders and non-responders; non-response was defined as progression or death within 3 years. Results Modern grading criteria, including brain invasion, TERT mutation, CDKN2A/B deletion, and 1p/1q status, would reclassify 10% of tumors and alter treatment group assignment in 7%. Non-responders to RT exhibited more frequent 1p and 14q loss, and more copy number alterations. Transcriptomic and epigenetic profiling revealed immune-related signatures in responders and cell cycle–related pathways in non-responders, several of which overlapped with targets of vorinostat, a histone deacetylase inhibitor previously validated in aggressive meningioma models. The Proliferative Molecular Group was an independent predictor of post-RT recurrence in multivariable analysis, outperforming WHO grade. Conclusion Multi-omic analysis of the NRG/RTOG-0539 cohort shows that updated WHO grading criteria, incorporating molecular and cytogenetic features, improve risk stratification. However, molecular classification, particularly the Proliferative group, remains an independent and stronger predictor of RT response. These findings support integrating molecular biomarkers alongside modern grading frameworks to guide treatment and trial design in meningioma. Clinical Trial Information NCT00895622.
Basal-luminal subtyping of localized high-risk prostate cancer and benefit of adding docetaxel to definitive radiotherapy with androgen suppression in the NRG Oncology/RTOG 0521 phase III trial.
Phillips, Ryan , Proudfoot, James A. , Liu, Yang , Feng, Felix Y. , Simko, Jeff, Pollack, Alan , Patel, Samir , Straza, Michael , Shah, Amit B. , Rodgers, Joseph P., Davicioni, Elai , Spratt, Daniel E. , Den, Robert B. , Rosenthal, Seth A. , Sartor, Oliver , Sweeney, Christopher J. , Attard, Gerhardt , Efstathiou, Jason A. , Sandler, Howard M. , Tran, Phuoc T

Journal of Clinical Oncology | June 4, 2023 | Volume: 41 | Issue: 16_suppl | Pages: 5094-5094

10.1200/jco.2023.41.16_suppl.5094 Get It

5094 Background: In prior studies, basal vs. luminal differentiation portends differential response to a) androgen suppression (AS) duration for high-risk prostate cancer (PCa) (NRG-GU-TS006) and b) docetaxel chemotherapy (CT) and AS for metastatic hormone-sensitive disease (CHAARTED). In NRG-GU-TS006, basal tumors appeared to benefit the most from longer duration of AS while those with luminal subtype did not whereas, in CHAARTED, luminal subtype had greater benefit from addition of CT. Herein, we examined basal-luminal subtyping to predict differential response to the addition of CT in the setting of high-risk PCa treated with AS and definitive radiotherapy (AS + RT) in NRG/RTOG 0521. Methods: Per pre-specified and approved NCI analysis plan (Navigator #1061), we obtained available NRG biobank biopsy specimens from patients enrolled on the NRG/RTOG 0521 phase III trial, which randomized patients to AS + RT +/- CT. The highest-grade tumors were profiled on clinical-grade whole-transcriptome arrays (Veracyte, San Diego, CA). Basal-luminal subtypes were generated using a 215-gene PCa subtyping classifier (PSC), a second generation PAM50 basal-luminal model. Treatment effects in Luminal Proliferating (LP) and non-LP subtypes were examined with Cox (for overall survival, OS, and metastasis-free survival, MFS) and Fine & Gray (for distant metastasis, DM) multivariable (MVA) models adjusted for age and trial risk stratification, as well as with restricted mean survival times (RMST). Results: Of 183 samples available for analysis (91 from control and 92 from the CT arm), 52 (28%) were classified as LP subtype. Median follow-up for OS was 9.9 years. No significant differences in clinical or pathological variables were observed between LP and non-LP subtypes. In MVA, we did not detect any significant LP subtype-by-CT treatment interaction but observed evidence of non-proportional hazards (Grambsch-Therneau test, p<0.05). In unselected patients, 5- and 10-year RMST difference between the arms was 0.9 (95% CI [-1.5, 3.4], p=0.46) and 5.7 (95% CI [-2.5, 13.9], p=0.17) months of OS. Stratifying by tumor subtype, at 5 years the RMST difference in months was 3.8 (95% CI [0.3, 7.2], p=0.03) for LP and -0.2 ([-3.4, 2.9], p=0.89) for non-LP. The RMST difference in months at 10-years was 13.7 (95% CI [-0.2, 27.5], p=0.053) for LP and 2.5 ([-7.6, 12.5], p=0.63) for non-LP. Conclusions: In pre-treatment biopsy samples from a Phase 3 trial cohort of localized high-risk men, luminal-basal subtyping of tumors demonstrated differential response to docetaxel CT. Similar to results from the CHAARTED trial of metastatic disease, LP tumors may derive greater benefit from addition of CT. Validation of these findings may enable effective earlier use of CT in men with PCa.
Comprehensive genomic profiling (CGP) of fibrolamellar oncocytic hepatoma (FLO) and conventional hepatocellular carcinomas (HCC): An observational study.
Shreenivas, Aditya , George, Ben , Puckett, Lindsay , Chakrabarti, Sakti , Straza, Michael , Hall, William A. , Loy, Veronica , Rilling, William S., Hong, Johnny C. , Gamblin, T. Clark , Smolock, Amanda R. , Christians, Kathleen K. , Dougherty, Kali, Durazo, Francisco , Chakrabarti, Sakti , Thomas, James P. , Awan, Musaddiq J. , Kamgar, Mandana , Tsai, Susan , Danziger, Natalie , Ross, Jeffrey S.

Journal of Clinical Oncology | January 19, 2022 | Volume: 40 | Issue: 4_suppl | Pages: 474-474

10.1200/jco.2022.40.4_suppl.474 Get It

474 Background: FLO is a rare variant of liver cancer that disproportionately affects young adults and is frequently progressive and fatal as it is often detected in a clinically advanced stage. It is seldom associated with cirrhosis of liver, viral hepatitis or other risk factors associated with conventional HCC. Treatment options are largely limited to surgical resection, and there is dearth of effective targeted therapies for FLO. Methods: Comprehensive genomic profiling (CGP) was performed using the Foundation Medicine Inc. (FMI) data base on 63 FLO and 1,793 HCC clinically advanced cases between 6/2013-12/2020 using a hybrid capture-based assay of up to 324 genes a to detect genomic alterations (GA), tumor mutational burden (TMB) and microsatellite instability (MSI). PD-L1 expression in tumor cells (Dako 22C3) was measured by IHC and scored using the tumor proportion score (TPS) method. Results: The FLO patients (pts) were significantly younger than HCC pts (median age 20 vs. 64, respectively) and the male preponderance was similar. The HCC group featured significantly more GA/tumor than FLO group (3.74 vs 1.31 p<.0001). In the currently untargetable GA group, CTNNB1, TERT and TP53 GA were significantly more frequent in HCC than FLO. GA in potentially targetable genes were extremely uncommon in both FLO and HCC with HCC featuring slightly more MTOR pathway targets ( PTEN, TSC2, NF1). GA in DNA damage and repair (DDR) pathway including BRCA2 were infrequent in both groups. GA in targetable kinases including EGFR, ERBB2, ALK, RET and PIK3CA were extremely uncommon in both groups. GA associated with intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (IDH1, FGFR2) were extremely uncommon in these tumors. Although the mean TMB was significantly higher in HCC than FLO, overall TMB was low with very few cases having TMB > 10 mutations/Mb. PD-L1 expression was relatively low in both groups. GA in genes associated with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICPI) drug response like PBRM1, CD274, MDM2, STK11 were rarely identified in both groups. Additional details are illustrated in the table. Conclusions: Comparison of CGP of FLO with HCC illustrates the multifarious nature of these cancers. In HCC, there is a high prevalence of GA in TERT, CTNNB1 and TP53. CGP identified certain targetable GA in the MTOR and DDR pathways and TMB was higher in HCC. These findings warrant further evaluation of clinically advanced FLO and HCC pts by CGP to identify possible targetable genomic pathways. [Table: see text]