Citations

Abstract Objective The purpose of this study was to establish the psychometric properties of the 9-Item Vestibular Activities Avoidance Instrument (VAAI-9), a patient-reported outcome measure developed to identify fear avoidance beliefs in persons with vestibular disorders. Methods This prospective cohort study included 100 participants 18 years and older seeking care at a balance disorders clinic for dizziness. Participants completed the VAAI-9, the Dizziness Handicap Inventory (DHI), and other patient-reported outcomes at the initial visit and the 3-month follow-up. To measure test–retest reliability, the VAAI-9 was completed again 5 days after the initial visit and was analyzed using a 2-way mixed ICC for absolute agreement. Internal consistency was determined using the Cronbach alpha. The Spearman correlation coefficient was used to assess convergent validity of the VAAI-9 with other outcomes. Receiver operating characteristic curves were used to identify baseline VAAI-9 cutoff scores for those who reported mild (DHI ≤ 30) or moderate or severe (DHI > 30) perceived disability at the 3-month follow-up. Results The mean age of the study cohort was 49 (SD = 16) years; 73 (73%) were women. Seventy-one participants completed the 5-day follow-up, and 68 completed the 3-month follow-up. The VAAI-9 demonstrated excellent internal consistency (α = 0.91) and test–retest reliability (ICC = 0.90). Baseline VAAI-9 scores had moderate to strong associations with other outcome measures at baseline and 3 months. A baseline VAAI-9 score of 26 or higher had a sensitivity of 80.6% and a specificity of 78.4% for identifying a DHI score of >30 at 3 months (area under the curve = 0.86). Conclusions The results provide evidence of excellent reliability and validity for the 9-item VAAI in persons with vestibular disorders. A baseline VAAI-9 score of ≥26 identified individuals at risk of persistent moderate to severe disability due to dizziness. Impact Initial levels of fear avoidance beliefs measured using the VAAI-9 provided important prognostic information about outcomes for persons with vestibular symptoms.

Abstract Objective Prospective data on determinants of muscle strength impairment and quality of life in patients with various subtypes and severity of endogenous hypercortisolism are lacking. Design Single-center cross-sectional study, 2019 to 2022. Methods Patients with Cushing syndrome (CS) and mild autonomous cortisol secretion (MACS) were assessed with clinical and biochemical severity scores, muscle function (nondominant hand grip strength and sit-to-stand test), and quality of life (Short Form-36 [SF36] and CushingQoL). Referent subjects were recruited from the local population undergoing abdominal imaging for reasons other than suspected adrenal disorder. Results Of 164 patients, 81 (49%) had MACS, 14 (9%) had adrenal CS, 60 (37%) had pituitary CS, and 9 (5%) had ectopic CS. Median age was 53 years (interquartile range: 42-63 years), and 126 (77%) were women. The SF36 mental component score was similarly low in patients with MACS vs CS, but physical component score was lower in CS when compared to MACS (mean of 34.0 vs 40.5, P = .001). Compared to MACS, patients with CS had lower scores on the standardized CushingQoL (mean of 47.1 vs 34.2, P < .001). Compared to referent subjects, patients with MACS demonstrated reduced muscle strength, similar to patients with CS (mean sit to stand Z-score of −0.47 vs −0.54, P = .822). Clinical severity (r = −0.22, P = .004) but not biochemical severity was associated with sit-to-stand test performance. Conclusions Both patients with overt CS and MACS demonstrate reduced muscle strength and low quality of life. The clinical severity score utilized is associated with both physical and psychosocial components of CushingQoL and with the physical component of SF36.

Neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) increases rates of successful breast-conserving surgery (BCS) in patients with breast cancer. However, some studies suggest that BCS after NAC may confer an increased risk of locoregional recurrence (LRR). We assessed LRR rates and locoregional recurrence-free survival (LRFS) in patients enrolled on I-SPY2 (NCT01042379), a prospective NAC trial for patients with clinical stage II to III, molecularly high-risk breast cancer. Cox proportional hazards models were used to evaluate associations between surgical procedure (BCS vs mastectomy) and LRFS adjusted for age, tumor receptor subtype, clinical T category, clinical nodal status, and residual cancer burden (RCB). In 1462 patients, surgical procedure was not associated with LRR or LRFS on either univariate or multivariate analysis. The unadjusted incidence of LRR was 5.4% after BCS and 7.0% after mastectomy, at a median follow-up time of 3.5 years. The strongest predictor of LRR was RCB class, with each increasing RCB class having a significantly higher hazard ratio for LRR compared with RCB 0 on multivariate analysis. Triple-negative receptor subtype was also associated with an increased risk of LRR (hazard ratio: 2.91, 95% CI: 1.8–4.6, P < 0.0001), regardless of the type of operation. In this large multi-institutional prospective trial of patients completing NAC, we found no increased risk of LRR or differences in LRFS after BCS compared with mastectomy. Tumor receptor subtype and extent of residual disease after NAC were significantly associated with recurrence. These data demonstrate that BCS can be an excellent surgical option after NAC for appropriately selected patients.

2616 Background: Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) tissue is a valuable resource for diagnosis, treatment planning, and drug development. Current 2D histopathological techniques introduce under-sampling error (i.e., a single 5 µm section represents 0.5% of a 1 mm thick biopsy), interobserver variability, and failure to capture the biology contained within the entire tissue sample. We have developed a suite of technologies to stain, chemically clarify, image, visualize, and analyze entire, intact lung tissue samples. Herein, we present analysis methods for comprehensive 3D assessment of intact NSCLC tissue. Methods: Human NSCLC tissue, stored frozen in optimal cutting temperature (OCT) compound, was fixed in 4% paraformaldehyde, stained with nuclear (TOPRO-3) and general protein (Eosin) fluorescent dyes, and optically cleared using a modified iDISCO protocol with ethyl cinnamate as the refractive index matching solution. Twenty tissue samples measuring 1-5 mm3 in volume were imaged at 2 µm/pixel resolution with a hybrid open-top light-sheet microscope. Smaller regions of interest (ROIs) with interesting pathologic features were re-imaged at higher resolution, 0.17 µm/pixel. Visualization and analysis was performed using Aivia software, custom spatial analysis software and python scripts. Results: All NSCLC tissue samples were successfully imaged in 3D at both low and high resolution. Computational approaches, such as machine learning, were used to segment and classify tumor cells and lymphocytes within the high resolution ROIs. In one example we quantified a 0.0045 mm3 ROI containing 1x109 voxels. We segmented 1,474 unique objects, and classified 683 (46%) of the objects as lymphocytes and 309 (20%) of the cells as tumor cells. We found that on average the lymphocytes were within 12 µm of the nearest tumor cell. Additionally the tissue was broken into separate lymphocyte dense (58% of volume) and tumor dense regions (42% of volume). Further analysis is in progress to quantify more features, such as tertiary lymphoid structures, stromal cells, and fibrosis over the full 20 sample dataset. Conclusions: We successfully implemented 3D machine learning analysis pipelines using images from intact NSCLC tissue samples measuring up to 5 mm3. The imaging was performed using our custom hybrid open-top light-sheet microscope. This novel method enables us to identify and quantify key histological features such as tumor cells and lymphocytes within the tumor microenvironment. In addition, machine learning driven algorithms clustered cells into distinct tissue regions in 3D which enables a more precise assessment of disease state and heterogeneity. Further investigation is ongoing to link these results to patient outcomes.

Pharmacogenetics can improve clinical outcomes by reducing adverse drug effects and enhancing therapeutic efficacy for commonly used drugs that treat a wide range of cardiovascular diseases. One of the major barriers to the clinical implementation of cardiovascular pharmacogenetics is limited education on this field for current healthcare providers and students. The abundance of pharmacogenetic literature underscores its promise, but it can also be challenging to learn such a wealth of information. Moreover, current clinical recommendations for cardiovascular pharmacogenetics can be confusing because they are outdated, incomplete, or inconsistent. A myriad of misconceptions about the promise and feasibility of cardiovascular pharmacogenetics among healthcare providers also has halted clinical implementation. Therefore, the main goal of this tutorial is to provide introductory education on the use of cardiovascular pharmacogenetics in clinical practice. The target audience is any healthcare provider (or student) with patients that use or have indications for cardiovascular drugs. This tutorial is organized into the following 6 steps: (1) understand basic concepts in pharmacogenetics; (2) gain foundational knowledge of cardiovascular pharmacogenetics; (3) learn the different organizations that release cardiovascular pharmacogenetic guidelines and recommendations; (4) know the current cardiovascular drugs/drug classes to focus on clinically and the supporting evidence; (5) discuss an example patient case of cardiovascular pharmacogenetics; and (6) develop an appreciation for emerging areas in cardiovascular pharmacogenetics. Ultimately, improved education among healthcare providers on cardiovascular pharmacogenetics will lead to a greater understanding for its potential in improving outcomes for a leading cause of morbidity and mortality.

SummaryThere remains no one standard induction for nodal‐based peripheral T‐cell lymphoma (PTCL). We conducted a phase II study of lenalidomide plus CHOEP as a novel induction strategy. Patients received CHOEP at standard doses in combination with 10 mg of lenalidomide on days 1–10 of a 21‐day cycle for six cycles of therapy followed by observation, high‐dose therapy with autologous stem cell rescue, or maintenance lenalidomide per provider preference. Among 39 patients evaluable for efficacy, the objective response rate after six cycles was 69%, with complete response in 49%, partial response in 21%, stable disease in 0% and progressive disease in 13%. Thirty‐two patients (82%) completed full induction, and seven patients (18%) discontinued for toxicity, primarily hematologic. Any grade hematologic toxicity occurred in over 50% of patients, with grade 3 or 4 febrile neutropenia occurring in 35% of patients despite mandated growth factors. With a median followup of surviving patients of 21.3 months, the estimated 2‐year progression‐free and overall survival were 55% (95% CI 37%–70%) and 78% (95% CI 59%–89%), respectively. In sum, six cycles of lenalidomide plus CHOEP resulted in a modest response rate primarily due to hematologic toxicity, which prevented all patients from completing planned induction.

Abstract Background: T-cell immunoreceptor with immunoglobulin and immunoreceptor tyrosine-based inhibitory motif domain (TIGIT) is an inhibitory immune checkpoint receptor expressed on subsets of T-cells and natural killer (NK) cells. TIGIT inhibits T and NK cell function by binding to CD155 and CD112. SEA-TGT is an investigational human, nonfucosylated monoclonal antibody directed against TIGIT, blocking TIGIT's interaction with CD155 and CD112. SGNTGT-001 (NCT04254107) is a phase 1, open-label, multicenter study of SEA-TGT in patients (pts) with advanced malignancies (solid tumors and lymphomas). In this abstract, we present data from the dose-escalation phase (Part A). Methods: Pts received SEA-TGT ranging from 0.01 to 6.0 mg/kg of body weight intravenously every 3 weeks (Q3W). The primary objectives were to evaluate the safety and tolerability of SEA-TGT and identify the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) or the recommended dose and schedule of SEA-TGT. The optimal biological dose was defined using the Clinical Utility Index. Secondary objectives included the evaluation of antitumor activity, pharmacokinetics (PK) and immunogenicity. Antitumor activity was based on Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors version 1.1 or the Lugano classification criteria with Lymphoma Response to Immunomodulatory Therapy Criteria. Results: From June 12, 2020, to October 5, 2022, 41 pts were enrolled (2, 4, 5, 11, 12, and 7 pts in the 0.01, 0.1, 0.3, 1, 3, and 6 mg/kg cohorts, respectively). Among the 39 pts who were treated 23 pts had solid tumors and 16 had lymphomas. The median number of prior therapies across all cohorts was 5. Treatment emergent adverse events of any grade were reported in 100% of pts, and treatment-related adverse events (TRAEs) of any grade were reported in 69.2%. TRAEs seen in ≥10% of the pts were infusion-related reaction (38.5%), chills (25.6%), pyrexia (17.9%), fatigue (12.8%), maculopapular rash (12.8%), and rash (10.3%). Seven pts (17.9%) reported TRAEs grade ≥3, and rash (5.1%) was the most frequently reported. No grade 4 or 5 TRAEs were reported. One dose-limiting toxicity, pruritic rash, was observed in 1 pt in the 6 mg/kg cohort, and MTD was not exceeded. Based on the PK and pharmacodynamic data, 1 mg/kg Q3W was selected as the optimal biological dose for the expansion cohorts. One partial response was observed in a pt with gastric cancer, and 2 partial metabolic responses were seen in a pt with Hodgkin’s lymphoma and a pt with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. Conclusions: Overall, clinical data for SEA-TGT from the SGNTGT-001 trial suggest a manageable and tolerable safety profile. Preliminary antitumor activity warrants further clinical evaluation of SEA-TGT. SGNTGT-001 is ongoing and evaluating monotherapy and combination therapies. Citation Format: Elena Garralda Cabanas, Elisa Fontana, Honey Kumar Oberoi, Nataliya V. Uboha, Ecaterina E. Dumbrava, Emiliano Calvo, Giuseppe Curigliano, Diwakar Davar, Bridget K. Keenan, Vincent K. Lam, Sudhir Manda, Amitkuma Mehta, Anna Minchom, Alison Moskowitz, Ravi Paluri, Vincent Ribrag, Donald Richards, Lillian Siu, Paul Swiecicki, Trisha Wise-Draper, Jasmine Zain, Andres Forero-Torres, Ping Xu, Stephen Ansell. Phase 1 dose-escalation study of SGN-TGT monotherapy in patients with advanced malignancies [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2023; Part 2 (Clinical Trials and Late-Breaking Research); 2023 Apr 14-19; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2023;83(8_Suppl):Abstract nr CT265.

Abstract INTRODUCTION The ketogenic diet (KD) is an intriguing therapeutic candidate for Alzheimer's disease (AD) given its protective effects against metabolic dysregulation and seizures. Gut microbiota are essential for KD‐mediated neuroprotection against seizures as well as modulation of bile acids, which play a major role in cholesterol metabolism. These relationships motivated our analysis of gut microbiota and metabolites related to cognitive status following a controlled KD intervention compared with a low‐fat‐diet intervention. METHODS Prediabetic adults, either with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or cognitively normal (CN), were placed on either a low‐fat American Heart Association diet or high‐fat modified Mediterranean KD (MMKD) for 6 weeks; then, after a 6‐week washout period, they crossed over to the alternate diet. We collected stool samples for shotgun metagenomics and untargeted metabolomics at five time points to investigate individuals’ microbiome and metabolome throughout the dietary interventions. RESULTS Participants with MCI on the MMKD had lower levels of GABA‐producing microbes Alistipes sp. CAG:514 and GABA, and higher levels of GABA‐regulating microbes Akkermansia muciniphila . MCI individuals with curcumin in their diet had lower levels of bile salt hydrolase‐containing microbes and an altered bile acid pool, suggesting reduced gut motility. DISCUSSION Our results suggest that the MMKD may benefit adults with MCI through modulation of GABA levels and gut‐transit time.

Abstract Background: Treatment of estrogen receptor (ER)-positive breast cancer with selective estrogen receptor degraders (SERDs) frequently results in the loss or reduction of ER expression. Whether these changes are due to on-target effects of SERDs degrading ER or arise as a mechanism of tumor resistance with associated changes in cellular phenotypes remains unknown. It is critical to distinguish between these possibilities to accurately assess treatment response and determine the most appropriate subsequent therapy. To this end, we created and conducted molecular analyses on patient-derived organoid cultures from post-treatment tissue in patients receiving neoadjuvant SERD therapy for early-stage ER+ breast cancer in the I-SPY2 Endocrine Optimization Protocol (EOP). Methods: The I-SPY2 EOP study is a prospective, randomized substudy within the I-SPY TRIAL testing the oral SERD amcenestrant alone or in combination with letrozole or abemaciclib in stage 2/3 ER+ Her2-negative breast cancer. Enrollment is ongoing, with patients receiving amcenestrant neoadjuvantly for 6 months until the day before surgery. Tumor tissue is collected at baseline, 3 weeks, and at surgery. Organoids were generated from post-treatment surgical samples. Organoid cultures were optimized based on established methods (Dekkers et al., Nature Protocols, 2021) to assess ER levels and activity. Pre- and post-treatment tissue samples were also assessed for ER, PR, Ki67, and GATA3, a luminal marker and transcription factor that is functionally linked with ER, via immunohistochemistry. Results: In 7 patients with both pre- and post-treatment tissue samples including fresh surgical samples for organoid generation, the ER in baseline tumor tissue was &gt;=90% in all patients, PR ranged from 40-90%, and Ki67 ranged from 5-30%. In post-treatment surgical tissue from these cases, ER ranged from 0-30%, PR from 0-50%, Ki67 from &lt; 1%-10%, and GATA3 was positive in 5 of 5 cases tested to-date. The creation of organoids from residual disease at surgery was attempted for these 7 patients, with organoids successfully propagated in 5 cases thus far. 3 of 5 organoid cultures were ready for analysis and in all cases strong ER and PR expression in organoids was observed after culture for &gt; 1 month in the absence of amcenestrant. Detailed gene expression profiling (including Mammaprint/Blueprint) and gene set enrichment analyses (GSEA) to assess for intrinsic breast cancer subtype and ER activity in each sample and corresponding organoid culture are in progress and will be reported with the full dataset. Conclusion: Patient-derived organoid culturing of residual disease after neoadjuvant endocrine therapy is feasible. Neoadjuvant treatment with a SERD can render ER and PR low or absent at the time of surgical resection, which does not necessarily imply the presence of endocrine therapy resistant disease. The use of organoids and additional IHC markers (GATA3) demonstrate that receptor negativity may be an indicator of the drug hitting its target, suggesting ER signaling is still intact. In general, patient-derived tumor organoid cultures modeling residual disease states can be a useful adjunct to existing methods used to monitor the effects of neoadjuvant endocrine therapy and is being explored in the I-SPY EOP trial. Citation Format: Jennifer Rosenbluth, Christopher J. Schwartz, Tam Binh Bui, Shruti Warhadpande, Pravin Phadatare, Sigal Eini, Michael Bruck, Julissa Molina-Vega, Kami Pullakhandam, Nicole Schindler, Lamorna A. Brown Swigart, Christina Yau, Gillian Hirst, Rita Mukhtar, Karthik V. Giridhar, Olufunmilayo I. Olopade, Kevin Kalinsky, Cheryl A. Ewing, Jasmine M. Wong, Michael D. Alvarado, Laura Van’t Veer, Laura J. Esserman, Jo Chien. Characterization of residual disease after neoadjuvant selective estrogen receptor degrader (SERD) therapy using tumor organoids in the I-SPY Endocrine Optimization Protocol (EOP) [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2022 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2022 Dec 6-10; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2023;83(5 Suppl):Abstract nr P3-09-01.

Human spaceflight is associated with several health-related issues as a result of long-term exposure to microgravity, ionizing radiation, and higher levels of psychological stress. Frequent reported skin problems in space include rashes, itches, and a delayed wound healing. Access to space is restricted by financial and logistical issues; as a consequence, experimental sample sizes are often small, which limits the generalization of the results. Earth-based simulation models can be used to investigate cellular responses as a result of exposure to certain spaceflight stressors. Here, we describe the development of an in vitro model of the simulated spaceflight environment, which we used to investigate the combined effect of simulated microgravity using the random positioning machine (RPM), ionizing radiation, and stress hormones on the wound-healing capacity of human dermal fibroblasts. Fibroblasts were exposed to cortisol, after which they were irradiated with different radiation qualities (including X-rays, protons, carbon ions, and iron ions) followed by exposure to simulated microgravity using a random positioning machine (RPM). Data related to the inflammatory, proliferation, and remodeling phase of wound healing has been collected. Results show that spaceflight stressors can interfere with the wound healing process at any phase. Moreover, several interactions between the different spaceflight stressors were found. This highlights the complexity that needs to be taken into account when studying the effect of spaceflight stressors on certain biological processes and for the aim of countermeasures development.