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Mosalem, Osama

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3779-185X

Mayo Clinic

Saint Luke's Hospital

Citations 33

Real-world use of fruquintinib in refractory metastatic colorectal cancer in the United States.
Bansal, Vasu , Adhikari, Aakriti , Saha, Souvik , Srinivasan, Varshini , Maurya, Priyanshi, Goyal, Mayank, Al-sadi, Anas, Harris, Audrey, McConville, Haley, Mahadevia, Himil, Singh, Anmol , Al-sadi, Anas , Mahadevia, Himil , Mosalem, Osama

Journal of Clinical Oncology | May 28, 2026 | Volume: 44 | Issue: 16_suppl | Pages: No page available

10.1200/jco.2026.44.16_suppl.e15713 Get It

e15713 Background: Fruquintinib demonstrated overall survival benefit in heavily pretreated metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) in FRESCO and FRESCO-2. The FDA approved fruquintinib on Nov 8, 2023 for adult patients with mCRC after standard chemotherapy plus anti-VEGF therapy, with anti-EGFR therapy when appropriate (e.g., RAS wild-type). Observed geographic variation in post-approval uptake suggests potential disparities in the delivery of evidence-based medicine across U.S. regions. Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study using Epic Cosmos, a database of over 300 million patient records from over 1,500 hospitals nationwide. We identified adults with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) with prior standard systemic therapy exposure and recorded fruquintinib exposure following FDA approval beginning Nov 8, 2023. Fruquintinib uptake was analyzed by U.S. Census region and state, expressed as the proportion of eligible mCRC patients receiving fruquintinib within each geography. Results: Among 116,116 pre-treated mCRC patients, 6,722 (5.79%) had recorded fruquintinib exposure during the post-approval period. Uptake varied nearly five-fold across states (2.27%–11.33%) (Table). High-uptake states were disproportionately concentrated in the central U.S./Midwest, whereas multiple low-uptake states were observed in the West and Northeast, suggesting broader regional variation beyond state-to-state differences. Conclusions: In a large national EHR-derived cohort of pre-treated mCRC patients after U.S. approval, fruquintinib uptake demonstrated substantial geographic variation. These findings raise concern for inequities in delivery of evidence-based later-line therapy and highlight the need to identify modifiable system- and site-level drivers (e.g., access, referral patterns, treatment infrastructure) to promote equitable adoption. Fruquintinib uptake among eligible metastatic colorectal cancer patients by U.S. state. Rank Geography Eligible mCRC (N) Fruquintinib uptake (%) Overall Overall 116,116 5.79 Top 1 Oklahoma 1,236 11.33 2 Kansas 1,312 10.75 3 Indiana 2,448 10.70 4 Missouri 1,521 9.47 5 Connecticut 2,208 9.24 Bottom 1 Washington 1,232 2.27 2 Nevada 441 2.72 3 Rhode Island 476 2.73 4 Tennessee 1490 2.82 5 Maine 614 2.93 Fruquintinib uptake is reported as the proportion of eligible pre-treated metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) patients with recorded fruquintinib exposure following U.S. FDA approval. States are ranked by uptake percentage.
Pancreatic cancer incidence and survival in lean and obese adults with type 2 diabetes: A propensity matched analysis.
Bansal, Vasu , Maurya, Priyanshi, Chandra, Simran, Srinivasan, Varshini , Adhikari, Aakriti , Mahadevia, Himil, Raman, Anshul, Harris, Audrey, Mahadevia, Himil , Harris, Audrey, Pokhrel, Bidushi , Mosalem, Osama

Journal of Clinical Oncology | May 27, 2026 | Volume: 44 | Issue: 16_suppl | Pages: 10576-10576

10.1200/jco.2026.44.16_suppl.10576 Get It

10576 Background: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and excess adiposity are independent risk factors for pancreatic cancer. Pancreatic cancer risk within T2DM across body-mass index (BMI) strata is heterogeneous in real-world cohorts and lean T2DM individuals may represent a distinct high risk phenotype. We compared pancreatic cancer incidence and post-diagnosis survival across BMI strata. Methods: We performed a retrospective comparative outcomes analysis using the TriNetX network. Adults with T2DM (HbA1c ≥6.5%) were categorized as obese (BMI ≥30 kg/m²) or lean (BMI <25 kg/m²). The lean cohort additionally excluded any patient with prior BMI of >25 kg/m² to control for cancer associated weight loss. The index event was first T2DM diagnosis, and outcomes were evaluated after a 365-day window. Patients with pancreatic cancer prior to the outcome window were excluded. Propensity score matching was done using the following parameters: age, sex, smoking status, pancreatitis, pancreatic cysts, chronic kidney disease, gallstones, family history of pancreatic cancer, and HbA1c. Outcomes assessed were incident pancreatic cancer over 10 years and all-cause mortality among patients with pancreatic cancer and T2DM. Results: Total number of patients in the obese group was 1,759,075 with mean age of 57 ± 13.4 years and in the lean cohort were 205,193 with a mean age of 61.8 ± 16.6 years. After propensity score matching, there were 204,086 patients in each group. Mean HbA1c levels were 7.4 ± 1.8% in the obese group and 7.9 ± 2.2% in the lean BMI group. The incidence of pancreatic cancer was 0.16% (n = 335) in obese patients as compared to 0.23% in lean (n = 478) patients with a risk difference of 0.07% (p <0.001). Obesity was associated with lower pancreatic cancer risk (RR 0.692, 95% CI 0.603–0.797; p < 0.001). In the subgroup analysis of patients diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, obese patients had longer median survival (1,109 vs 651 days) with HR 0.853 (95% CI 0.793 - 0.918; p <0.001). Conclusions: Lean adults with T2DM had a higher incidence of pancreatic cancer and worse post-diagnosis survival than obese patients. These results identify lean T2DM as a distinct high-risk phenotype and demonstrate that pancreatic cancer risk within T2DM is heterogeneous and not solely attributable to excess adiposity. Further investigation is needed to elucidate the biological mechanisms underlying this association and its implications for clinical risk assessment. Pancreatic cancer incidence and associated risk estimates among obese and lean adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Cohort Pancreatic cancer incidence RD RR Obese T2DM(n = 204,086) 0.16% (n = 335) 0.07% (95% CI: 0.04 - 0.10), p < 0.001 1.44 (95% CI: 1.25 - 1.66) Lean T2DM(n = 204,086) 0.23% (n = 478) Abbreviations: CI, confidence interval; RD, risk difference; RR, relative risk; T2DM, type 2 diabetes mellitus.
Abstract 4105: Distinct age associated genomic landscapes in colorectal, pancreatic, small bowel, and anal cancers: A pan gastrointestinal analysis of 34,000 tumors from AACR Project GENIE v18.0
Ganatra, Nency, Elantably, Dina, Adeoye, Tayo, Abdel-Razeq, Nayef H., Osama, Mosalem M., Babiker, H., Abdelhakeem, Ahmed , Abdel-Razeq, Nayef , Mosalem, Osama , Babiker, Hani M.

Cancer Research | April 3, 2026 | Volume: 86 | Issue: 7_Supplement | Pages: 4105-4105

10.1158/1538-7445.am2026-4105 Get It

Abstract Background: Early-onset gastrointestinal (GI) cancers are increasing globally, yet the genomic basis for age-related differences across multiple tumor types remains poorly defined. We leveraged AACR Project GENIE v18.0 (N≈34,000 GI tumors) to characterize molecular distinctions by age in colorectal, pancreatic, small bowel, and anal cancers with sufficient early-onset representation. Methods: Clinical and genomic data were extracted and tumors classified into early-onset (&lt;50 years) and late-onset (≥50 years). Mutation frequencies were compared by cancer type and age group, focusing on recurrent drivers, DNA repair, Wnt signaling, RAS/MAPK, chromatin remodeling genes, and targetable alterations. Results: Early-onset colorectal cancer (N=5,724) showed increased Wnt/β-catenin pathway alterations: APC (+4.9%), TCF7L2 (+4.1%), and TP53 (+5.0%), while late-onset tumors (N=15,807) were enriched for BRAF (−5.4%), RNF43 (−1.9%), and GNAS (−1.1%), indicating divergent tumorigenic pathways. Early-onset pancreatic cancer (N=890) exhibited significantly lower frequencies of canonical drivers—KRAS (−24.7%), TP53 (−15.6%), CDKN2A (−6.9%), SMAD4 (−6.0%)—with enrichment of MEN1 (+3.5%), TSC2 (+3.0%), ATRX (+2.0%), DAXX (+1.9%), and CTNNB1 (+2.4%), consistent with fusion-driven, hereditary, and chromatin remodeling biology. Small bowel cancer (N=99) in early-onset patients demonstrated enrichment in DNA damage response and MAPK/RAS genes including BRCA2 (+7.2%), NF1 (+7.4%), FBXW7 (+8.8%), FLT4 (+6.5%), ARAF (+6.4%), and ALK (+5.1%), whereas late-onset tumors (N=538) were enriched for KDR (−5.1%) and MGA (−5.2%). Early-onset anal cancer (N=62) showed elevated MGA (+7.8%), WHSC1/NSD2 (+6.9%), PBRM1 (+6.2%), FANCA (+5.2%), ERCC5 (+6.2%), and MSH6 (+5.9%), highlighting chromatin remodeling and DNA repair pathways potentially related to HPV biology; late-onset tumors (N=464) had enrichment in ATM (−5.6%), PTEN (−5.5%), STK11 (−5.2%), APC (−5.2%), and KMT2C (−5.0%), reflecting age-associated genomic instability. Conclusions: This pan-GI age-stratified analysis reveals distinctive oncogenic programs in early-onset GI cancers characterized by Wnt/TP53-driven colorectal, fusion- and chromatin remodeling-driven pancreatic, DNA damage response/MAPK-driven small bowel, and chromatin-immune DDR signatures in anal cancers. These findings underscore the need for age-tailored precision oncology and support routine genomic profiling in early-onset GI malignancies to identify targetable alterations enriched in younger patients. Citation: AACR Project GENIE Consortium. AACR Project GENIE: Powering Precision Medicine Through an International Consortium. Cancer Discov. 2017;7(8):818-831. (Data: GENIE Release 18.0-public)Acknowledgement: AACR and Project GENIE registry Citation Format: Ahmed Abdelhakeem, Nency Ganatra, Dina Elantably, Tayo Adeoye, Nayef H. Abdel-Razeq, Mosalem M. Osama, Hani M. Babiker. Distinct age associated genomic landscapes in colorectal, pancreatic, small bowel, and anal cancers: A pan gastrointestinal analysis of 34,000 tumors from AACR Project GENIE v18.0 [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2026; Part 1 (Regular Abstracts); 2026 Apr 17-22; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2026;86(7 Suppl):Abstract nr 4105.
Abstract 4106: Pan cancer enrichment of homologous recombination repair (HRR) gene alterations in 101,240 tumor samples from AACR Project GENIE: Implications for tumor-agnostic PARP inhibitor expansion
Ganatra, Nency, Elantably, Dina, Adeoye, Tayo, Abdel-Razeq, Nayef , Babiker, H., Abdelhakeem, Ahmed , Elantably, Dina, Mosalem, Osama , Babiker, Hani M.

Cancer Research | April 3, 2026 | Volume: 86 | Issue: 7_Supplement | Pages: 4106-4106

10.1158/1538-7445.am2026-4106 Get It

Abstract Background: PARP inhibitors are restricted to a subset of BRCA-associated cancers, but homologous recombination repair (HRR) deficiency signifies a broader genomic vulnerability that may extend therapeutic opportunities across diverse malignancies. We utilized AACR Project GENIE v18.0-public to define the pan-cancer prevalence of HRR gene alterations. Methods: Somatic mutation and clinical sample data from GENIE v18.0-public were analyzed. HRR genes included BRCA1, BRCA2, ATM, CHEK2, PALB2, RAD51B/C/D, RAD51L1, BARD1, BRIP1, and core FANC genes. HRR alteration rates were calculated by tumor type using unique samples; only de-identified aggregate results are reported. Results: Among 101,240 tumors, HRR gene alterations were frequent in multiple non-BRCA-associated cancers. Highest rates were seen in sialoblastoma (100%), large cell medulloblastoma (50%), malignant glomus tumor (50%), lung cancer (46.0%), infantile fibrosarcoma (42.9%), liver (40%), kidney (40%), non-melanoma skin (36.9%), colorectal (36.6%), melanocytoma (34.2%), biliary tract (33.3%), bladder (31.5%), and ovarian/fallopian tube (30.2%). Notably, lung, bladder, hepatobiliary, renal, gastrointestinal, and some sarcoma subtypes showed HRR mutation prevalence equal or higher than current PARP indications, yet lack FDA approval. Conclusions: HRR alterations are widespread across solid tumors, often surpassing rates in cancers eligible for PARP treatment. These findings support expanding tumor-agnostic HRR genomic testing beyond BRCA-linked malignancies and warrant prospective trials of PARP inhibitors in HRR-enriched tumor types such as lung, bladder, hepatobiliary, renal, gastrointestinal, and pediatric/rare cancers. Impact: Large-scale genomic profiling from AACR Project GENIE demonstrates that HRR gene alterations are common across diverse solid tumors, with prevalence in multiple cancer types surpassing those currently eligible for PARP inhibitor therapy. These findings support broad implementation of HRR genomic testing in routine molecular diagnostics and provide a rationale for expanding PARP inhibitor use beyond BRCA-associated malignancies. The data justify prospective tumor-agnostic clinical trials of PARP inhibitors in HRR-enriched cancers such as lung, bladder, hepatobiliary, renal, gastrointestinal, and select pediatric and rare tumors; this could transform therapeutic decision-making and accelerate development of synthetic lethality-based targeted therapies Citation: AACR Project GENIE Consortium. Cancer Discov. 2017;7(8):818-831 Acknowledgement: AACR and Project GENIE Citation Format: Ahmed Abdelhakeem, Nency Ganatra, Dina Elantably, Tayo Adeoye, Nayef H. Abdel-Razeq, Osama M. Mosalem, Hani M. Babiker. Pan cancer enrichment of homologous recombination repair (HRR) gene alterations in 101,240 tumor samples from AACR Project GENIE: Implications for tumor-agnostic PARP inhibitor expansion [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2026; Part 1 (Regular Abstracts); 2026 Apr 17-22; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2026;86(7 Suppl):Abstract nr 4106.
Understanding gaps in molecular testing practices for metastatic prostate cancer (mPC): A statewide quality improvement initiative.
Abdel-Razeq, Nayef Hikmat, Kamatham, Saivaishnavi , Francis, Sarah E. , Schaare, Donna , Rockey, Michelle, Arias, Irene, Tan, Winston, Mosalem, Osama , Francis, Sarah, Tan, Winston

JCO Oncology Practice | October 7, 2025 | Volume: 21 | Issue: 10_suppl | Pages: 465-465

10.1200/op.2025.21.10_suppl.465 Get It

465 Background: Molecular testing is crucial in advancing precision medicine, enabling oncologists to tailor targeted treatment strategies for cancer patients (pts). The National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) and ASCO guidelines recommend comprehensive biomarker testing for pts with mPC. However, compliance can vary considerably among institutions. This study aimed to assess current practices of molecular testing in diverse healthcare settings across the state of Florida and identify opportunities for improvement to optimize outcomes for pts diagnosed with mPC. Methods: We conducted a detailed 12-question survey, distributed both electronically and in-person to evaluate the molecular testing practices of healthcare providers throughout the state. The survey assessed multiple parameters including adherence to testing, reviewing test results to guide treatment decisions, and the availability of different supportive resources in biomarker testing. This initiative was executed in partnership with the Florida Society of Clinical Oncology and industry partners. Results: A total of 40 responses were collected from 11 institutions in Florida, including 5 academic centers and 6 community-based hospitals. Notably, 22.5% of respondents reported that their institutions either do not fully comply with NCCN guidelines or lack protocols to identify eligible pts and 67.5% stated they are responsible for their own biomarker education and updates. Only 56.4% consistently review molecular testing results during disease progression to guide treatment decisions. Nearly all institutions lack clinical decision support tools in the electronic medical records (EMR) to support testing, and 82.5% receive biomarker results outside the EMR. Additionally, 38.5% lack a standard process for obtaining prior authorization for testing. Furthermore, 38.5% lack a multidisciplinary review process for genetic test results, and 76.3% reported that their biomarker testing process does not involve geneticists or genetic counselors. Conclusions: Our study identified critical gaps in adherence to biomarker testing guidelines with many practices lacking decision support tools across healthcare institutions in Florida. Potential areas for improvement include better standardization of result integration into EMR, targeted educational initiatives, and stronger multidisciplinary collaborations. The implementation of these measures aims to improve the quality of care and outcomes for pts with mPC.
Circulating Tumor DNA and Tissue Testing for Pancreatobiliary Tumors
Majeed, Umair , Patel, Jaydeepbhai, Ahmed, Ahmed , Elhariri, Ahmed , Albelal, Douaa , Rao, Nakka Naga Malleswara, Rachamala, Hari Krishnareddy, Mahadevan, Daruka , Ahn, Daniel H. , Halfdanarson, Thor R, Fonkoua, Lionel Aurelien Kankeu , Bekaii-Saab, Tanios S , Mody, Kabir , Babiker, Hani, Nakka, Naga Malleswara Rao , Ahmed, Ahmed K , Mosalem, Osama , Sonbol, Mohamad Bassam , Tran, Nguyen , Kankeu Fonkoua, Lionel A, Majeed, Umair , Mahadevia, Himil , Rao, Nakka Naga Malleswara, Rachamala, Hari Krishnareddy, Mukhopadhyay, Debabrata , Jones, Jeremy C , Borad, Mitesh J. , Tran, Nguyen, Mahipal, Amit , Wee, Wen , McWilliams, Robert R. , Bekaii‐Saab, Tanios

JAMA Network Open | September 12, 2025 | Volume: 8 | Issue: 9 | Pages: e2531373

10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2025.31373 Get It

Importance The prognosis of advanced pancreaticobiliary tumors is poor. Next-generation sequencing (NGS) of tissue samples is utilized to identify actionable alterations, but there are occasional limitations due to inadequate tissue acquisition. Circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) is an alternative method, but its correlation with tissue-based NGS remains unexplored. Objectives To assess the mutation concordance (mCR) rates between ctDNA and tissue testing for patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) and cholangiocarcinoma (CC) and to evaluate how ctDNA performs as a treatment response biomarker. Design, Setting, and Participants This retrospective cohort study was conducted among patients with PDAC and CC treated at academic institutions from January 2014 to January 2025. Patients underwent ctDNA testing using 1 platform and tissue NGS testing using 2 platforms. Main Outcomes and Measures mCR, which measures the shared gene alterations observed by both ctDNA and tissue-based NGS testing, was calculated using the Spearman correlation for PDAC and CC. The performance of ctDNA as a treatment response biomarker was assessed by comparing serial ctDNA data with restaging scans and cancer antigen 19-9 levels in patients with PDAC. Results Our cohort included 790 patients: 570 with advanced PDAC (265 [46.5%] female; median [IQR] age, 64 [33-84] years) and 220 with advanced CC (95 [43.2%] female; median [IQR] age, 66 [42-88] years). Overall, 461 patients with PDAC (80.9%) and 192 patients with CC (87.2%) underwent ctDNA testing, while 239 patients with PDAC (41.9%) and 70 patients with CC (31.8%) had tissue NGS testing. Among patients with PDAC, 85 of 130 patients (65.4%) showed shared specific gene alterations between ctDNA and tissue testing; there was a significant mCR, with a Spearman correlation of 0.47 (95% CI, 0.28-0.62; P &amp;lt; .001). For patients with CC, 32 of 48 (66.7%) had shared alterations between ctDNA and tissue testing; there was a significant mCR, with a Spearman correlation of 0.56 (95% CI, 0.35-0.70; P &amp;lt; .001). A subgroup analysis of patients with PDAC who underwent serial ctDNA testing suggested that new TP53 subclones and increased ctDNA variant allele frequency levels of TP53 and KRAS were associated with higher odds of progressive disease (eg, increased TP53 frequency: odds ratio, 7.28; 95% CI, 2.15-24.66; P = .001). Conclusions and Relevance In this cohort study of patients with pancreaticobiliary tumors, there was a significant mCR between ctDNA and tissue NGS testing. Additionally, results suggest that ctDNA might detect resistant clones and enable assessment of treatment response.
PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors as second-line therapy for advanced, unresected esophageal squamous-cell carcinoma: A series of patient-level meta-analyses.
Fahaid, Ammar , Shembesh, Rana H. , ElBeblawy, Rafik , Abdelrahim, Maen, Beshr, Mohammed S. , Ali, Mohamed E. , Elhadi, Muhammed , Mosalem, Osama

Journal of Clinical Oncology | May 28, 2025 | Volume: 43 | Issue: 16_suppl | Pages: No page available

10.1200/jco.2025.43.16_suppl.e16052 Get It

e16052 Background: Patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) who fail definitive treatment are candidates for second-line therapy. They often present with more aggressive disease and suboptimal responses to definitive treatments. In this individual patient-level meta-analysis, we aim to evaluate the efficacy of PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors as second-line treatment in advanced ESCC. Methods: A systematic search of PubMed, Scopus, and Cochrane databases (December 5, 2024) identified randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors to chemotherapy as second-line treatment for advanced ESCC. Kaplan-Meier (KM) curves were reconstructed, and individual patient data (IPD) were extracted using R scripts. A patient-level meta-analysis was performed using the reconstructed IPDs and the Cox proportional hazards regression model. The Schoenfeld residuals test and Restricted Mean Survival Time (RMST) were also applied. The following R packages were used: MASS, Splines, survival, survRM2, survminer, and dbplyr . Results: Out of 3,930 records, five RCTs met the criteria: four phase 3 trials and one phase 2 trial (ORIENT-2), all were open-label, comparing PD-1 inhibitors to chemotherapy. Overall survival (OS) improved significantly with PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors compared to chemotherapy (HR: 0.718, 95% CI: 0.650–0.793, p < 0.001). For patients with CPS ≥ 10, OS further improved (HR: 0.626, 95% CI: 0.446–0.878, p = 0.007), ), indicating an additional beneft in those with high PD-1 expression. The proportional hazards assumption was met for both OS and CPS ≥ 10 (Schoenfeld residuals test: p > 0.05). Progression-free survival (PFS) showed no significant difference (HR: 0.913, CI: 0.828–1.007, p = 0.069). However, the proportional hazards assumption was violated (Schoenfeld residuals test p < 0.001); therefore, these results should be interpreted with caution. PFS was further evaluated using RMST at 6, 12, 18, and 24 months. At 6 months, no significant difference was observed (RMST difference: -0.047, p = 0.593). However, PD-1 inhibitors showed significant differences at 12 months (0.37 months, p = 0.022), 18 months (0.74 months, p = 0.001), and 24 months (0.97 months, p < 0.001). Despite these significant differences, the magnitude of the difference is relatively small and may not be clinically meaningful. Conclusions: PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors as second-line therapy improve overall survival in patients with advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma, compared to chemotherapy. However, the improvements in progression-free survival (PFS) were modest, and the clinical significance of these PFS benefits may be limited.
Exploring survival outcomes in sarcomatoid hepatocellular carcinomas in the era of immunotherapy.
Kamatham, Saivaishnavi , Abdel-Razeq, Nayef Hikmat, Elalfy, Aya, Chiriboga, Guido , Starr, Jason S. , O’Donnell, Conor, Abdelhakeem, Ahmed , Mosalem, Osama , Babiker, Hani M. , Jones, Jeremy C , Majeed, Umair

Journal of Clinical Oncology | May 28, 2025 | Volume: 43 | Issue: 16_suppl | Pages: No page available

10.1200/jco.2025.43.16_suppl.e16330 Get It

e16330 Background: Sarcomatoid hepatocellular carcinoma (SHC) is a rare and aggressive variant of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), accounting for less than 2% of all primary liver cancers. Characterized by the presence of both epithelial and mesenchymal components, SHC demonstrates a high degree of cellular plasticity, often associated with epithelial-mesenchymal transition. This phenotypic heterogeneity contributes to its aggressive clinical behavior, including rapid tumor progression, early metastasis, and poor response to conventional therapies. As a result, patients diagnosed with SHC typically have a median survival of less than 12 months, significantly lower than that observed in patients with conventional HCC. Methods: We conducted a retrospective study at the Mayo Clinic Comprehensive Cancer Center, focusing on patients diagnosed with SHC between April 2017 and December 2023. The data collected included demographics, performance status, underlying risk factors, alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) levels, next generation sequencing (NGS) testing, and the treatment received. Results: A total of ten patients with confirmed diagnoses of SHC were included, with median age at the time of diagnosis 63.5 years (37-77), predimonantly male (9 out of 10), and identifying white (8 out of 10). Alcoholic cirrhosis was identified as an underlying risk factor in three patients, NASH cirrhosis in two, and HCV in two patients. The majority (6 out of 10) of the patients had localized disease, with 4 patients having denovo metastatic disease with abdominal lymph node involvement. Five patients had NGS testing (Tempus, Guardant 360, and ProvsSeq523), with resultant pathogenic variants including TP53 in 3 patients, NTRK3 fusion, IDH2, EGFR, TERT, MLH1, ARIS1A, and PALB2. Four patients were treated with combined Yitrrium-90 and systemic therapy. Three patient started systemic therapy, and two patients underwent surgical resection. Systemic Therapy used included combined Atezolizumab/ Bevacizuamab, Pembrolizumab/ Lenvatinib, Gemcitabine/ Docetaxel, Gemcitabine/ Cisplatin, Cabozantinib, and pembrolizumab monotherapy. The median overall survival for this group was 11.5 months; 95% confidence interval (CI): 4.66-40.1 months. Seventy percent experienced progression, with a median progression-free survival after first line of treatment of 2.5 months; 95% CI: 1-15.3 months. Conclusions: Sarcomatoid HCC remains aggressive and difficult to treat cancer with limited overall survival. Immunotherapy based regimens have limited efficacy for this HCC variant.
Safety and efficacy analysis of modified TOPAZ-1: A biweekly regimen of gemcitabine and cisplatin plus monthly durvalumab in advanced biliary tract cancer.
Kamatham, Saivaishnavi , Abdel-Razeq, Nayef Hikmat, Elalfy, Aya, Chiriboga, Guido , Fonkoua, Lionel Aurelien Kankeu , Wu, Christina, Starr, Jason S. , Ahn, Daniel H. , O’Donnell, Conor, Mosalem, Osama , Abdelhakeem, Ahmed , Jones, Jeremy C , Conboy, Caitlin B. , Sonbol, Mohamad Bassam , Babiker, Hani M. , Bekaii‐Saab, Tanios , Tran, Nguyen H. , Borad, Mitesh J. , Majeed, Umair

Journal of Clinical Oncology | May 28, 2025 | Volume: 43 | Issue: 16_suppl | Pages: No page available

10.1200/jco.2025.43.16_suppl.e16265 Get It

e16265 Background: The pivotal TOPAZ-1 trial established durvalumab plus gemcitabine and cisplatin (GC) as a new first-line standard of care for advanced biliary tract cancer (ABTC). However, weekly administration of GC can lead to significant toxicity limiting its tolerability in clinical practice. Based on previous studies, we implemented biweekly regimen of GC on days 1 and 15 together with durvalumab on day 1 of each 28-day cycle to optimize the treatment delivery and improve tolerability. Here, we report the Mayo Clinic experience with biweekly GC with monthly durvalumab in patients with ABTC. Methods: At our three-site institution, we retrospectively identified patients with ABTC between January 2021 and August 2024, who received biweekly GC with monthly durvalumab. Patient demographics, tumor characteristics, treatment details - treatment related adverse events (trAEs) graded according to the NCTCAE V5.0 were collected. Outcomes included median progression-free survival (mPFS), median overall survival (mOS) and clinically assessed overall response rate (ORR) and disease control rate (DCR). Results: 57 patients were included in our analysis, median age was 68 years (range 35-90), and 57.9% were females. 91.2% of patients had ECOG performance status of 0-1. 71.9% had intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma, 19.3% extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma and 8.7% gallbladder carcinoma. 70.2% had metastatic disease, 21 % locally advanced unresectable disease and 8.7% recurrent metastatic disease. Patients were followed for a median of 9.1 months (2.3-28.5). 91.2% of the patients received biweekly GC plus monthly durvalumab while 8.8% switched from weekly to biweekly GC plus monthly durvalumab due to treatment toxicities. Median number of treatment cycles was 5. Maintenance regimens included durvalumab (19.3%), gemcitabine/durvalumab (8.8%) and GC/durvalumab (8.8%). Median duration of follow up was 9.1 months (range 2.3 – 28.5). ORR was 36.9% and DCR was 72% (complete response 5.3%, partial response 31.6% and stable disease 35.1%). mPFS was 7.2 months, while mOS was 16 months. Grade(G) 3 or 4 trAEs included abnormal liver function tests (15.7%), infections (11.5%), anemia (8.7%), thrombocytopenia (5.2%), peripheral neuropathy (1.7%), acute kidney injury (1.7%). Immune-related AEs were noted in 6 patients (10.5%) including colitis, gastritis, hepatitis, myocarditis and hypothyroidism. There was no patient with severe neutropenia or febrile neutropenia. Only 5 patients (8.8%) stopped treatment due to trAEs. Conclusions: Biweekly GC on days 1 and 15 plus durvalumab on day 1 of each 28-day cycle is associated with a more favorable toxicity profile while maintaining efficacy similar to that observed in the TOPAZ-1 trial indicating that a de-escalation strategy is feasible with improvement in patient centered outcomes.
Applying learning science principles (LSP) through a simulation session (SIM) for oncology trainees (OT) about fertility preservation (FP) in patients (pts) with cancer and treatment (tx) of pregnant pts (TPP) with cancer.
Pai, Tanmayi , Correia, Guilherme Sacchi de Camargo, Wysokinska, Ewa , Abdel-Razeq, Nayef Hikmat, Adeoye, Oluwatayo , Aldapt, Mahmood B, Kamatham, Saivaishnavi , Tawfiq, Reema, Wolf, Emily, Rao, Rohit , Tan, Winston, Ventro, Sandra, Abdelhakeem, Ahmed , Baidoun, Firas , Elantably, Dina , Gupta, Kush , Mosalem, Osama , Wiest, Nathaniel E. , Iqbal, Madiha , Tan, Winston, Manochakian, Rami

Journal of Clinical Oncology | May 28, 2025 | Volume: 43 | Issue: 16_suppl | Pages: 9029-9029

10.1200/jco.2025.43.16_suppl.9029 Get It

9029 Background: Addressing guideline concordant FP and TPP with cancer is challenging, especially for OT. SIM, a well-known education tool, has not been traditionally used to teach these topics. As part of the hematology/oncology fellowship curriculum, we designed a SIM applying LSP to bridge this educational gap. Methods: Applying LSP of contrasting cases, elaboration, feedback, generation and just-in-time telling, chief OTs and faculty designed a SIM with 3 clinical scenarios (CS) and 3 standardized pts (SP): FP for a female pt hospitalized for acute lymphoblastic leukemia tx, FP for a male pt in clinic for germ cell tumor tx, and breast cancer tx for a pregnant pt in 2 nd trimester. OT received written educational materials (WEM) and attended a lecture 1 week and 1 day pre SIM, respectively. OT were split into 2 groups; 1 started in the FP CS and 1 in the TPP CS, and then they switched. To reduce cognitive overload, each OT participated in 1 of 2 FP CS: half in the female FP CS and half in the male. Faculty and chiefs led debriefing sessions after all CS. The FP debrief ended with a special “learner as a teacher” part, where OT who attended the female CS taught those from the male CS about their topic and vice versa. The SIM concluded with "take-home" points. Pre (after having WEM) and post SIM anonymous surveys and verbal feedback assessed OT comfort, perceptions, and knowledge. Results: A 3 hour SIM with 14 OT and 5 faculty was completed successfully. SIM ended with all OT verbally sharing a learning point and positive feedback. All OT filled pre and post SIM surveys. Pre SIM, 17% reported having prior FP education, and 42% had prior TPP education. However, only 8% and 25% felt adequately prepared for FP and TPP discussions, respectively. Post SIM survey showed major improvement in comfort and knowledge about FP and TPP (see table 1). 75% of OT favored a combination of SIM and learning by teaching over other SIM formats. 83% supported having a TPP lecture before SIM. 100% reported satisfaction with FP and TPP SIM’s quality and wanted similar activities in the future. 92% were satisfied with the learner as a teacher tool. 100% felt education about FP and TPP with cancer should be part of fellowship training. Moral/cultural concerns were discussed as possible challenges in FP education. Conclusions: The application of LSP through SIM significantly increased OTs’ comfort discussing FP and TPP with cancer, and objectively enhanced their knowledge on these topics compared to after reading WEM. The SIM was largely perceived as a successful activity to educate about challenging topics and should become part of fellowship curriculum. Pre SIM % Post SIM % Comfortable addressing FP 17 92 Comfortable addressing TPP 8 100 Correct answers about female FP 63 83 Correct answers about male FP 67 94 Correct answers about TPP with cancer 68 98