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BACKGROUND: Although the prognostic utility of positron emission tomography (PET) myocardial flow reserve (MFR) is well established, emerging data suggest that reduced subendocardial flows also predict adverse outcomes. However, the incremental value of subendocardial MFR (MFR SE ) beyond transmural MFR (MFR TM ) remains unclear. METHODS: We studied patients in a multicenter PET registry with normal perfusion on stress/rest Rb-82 PET, excluding those with a previous history of coronary artery bypass surgery, heart transplantation, or left ventricular ejection fraction <40%. The optimal MFR SE cutoff for predicting major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs; death, myocardial infarction [MI], revascularization, or heart failure [HF] hospitalization) was determined using Youden’s index. Patients were stratified into 3 groups: concordant-normal (MFR TM ≥2.0; MFR SE ≥2.1), discordant (low-MFR SE , normal MFR TM ), and abnormal MFR TM . Clinical outcomes were compared by MFR groups. RESULTS: Among 6603 patients (normal N=4103; discordant N=885; abnormal N=1615) the mean age was 66.3±12.4 years, and 54% were women. Compared with the concordant-normal group, patients with discordant low-MFR SE were older and more likely to have hypertension, diabetes, peripheral artery disease, and previous percutaneous coronary intervention. The median MFR TM for normal, discordant, and abnormal groups were 2.86, 2.15, and 1.72, respectively. Over a median follow-up of 4.9 years, 1661 MACE events occurred. Discordant low-MFR SE patients had a higher risk of MACE (hazard ratio [HR], 1.41; 95% CI, 1.22–1.64) and all-cause mortality (HR, 1.36; 95% CI, 1.14–1.61) compared with concordant-normal patients. The discordant group had an intermediate absolute risk of MACE, with an adjusted annualized event rate of 5.79% (95% CI, 5.10–6.49) compared with 3.99% (95% CI, 3.67–4.30; P <0.001) in the concordant-normal group and 8.35% (95% CI, 7.71–9.00; P <0.001) in the abnormal MFR TM group. CONCLUSIONS: Subendocardial MFR reveals clinically meaningful risk heterogeneity among patients with preserved transmural flow reserve, helping refine risk stratification beyond traditional PET metrics.

e23089 Background: Sodium–glucose cotransporter-2 (SGLT2) inhibitors are increasingly used for glycemic and cardiovascular benefits; however, concerns persist regarding genitourinary infections, particularly in vulnerable populations such as patients with cancer and diabetes. Real-world data evaluating the safety of SGLT2 inhibitors in this population remain limited. We evaluated the association between SGLT2 inhibitor use and genitourinary infection risk among cancer patients with type 2 diabetes. Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study using the TriNetX federated research network. Adult patients (≥18 years) with malignant neoplasms and type 2 diabetes mellitus were identified. Patients were stratified based on exposure to SGLT2 inhibitors and compared with cancer patients with diabetes not receiving SGLT2 inhibitors. Primary outcomes included urinary tract infection (UTI) and cystitis, identified using ICD-10 diagnostic codes. Analyses included unadjusted comparisons, 1:1 propensity score matching (PSM), and a Cox proportional hazards model as a sensitivity analysis to assess time to first UTI within one year following index exposure. Results: A total of 7,485 patients were included (7,137 without SGLT2 inhibitors and 348 with SGLT2 inhibitors). In unadjusted analyses, crude rates of UTI and cystitis were numerically higher in the SGLT2 inhibitor cohort. After 1:1 propensity score matching (312 patients per cohort), baseline characteristics were well balanced. The incidence of UTI was identical between matched cohorts (6.41% vs 6.41%, p = 1.00), with no significant differences observed for cystitis or acute cystitis. In a Cox proportional hazards sensitivity analysis, SGLT2 inhibitor use was associated with a significantly lower hazard of UTI compared with no SGLT2 inhibitor exposure (hazard ratio 0.68, 95% confidence interval 0.52–0.89; p = 0.0048). Conclusions: In this large real-world cohort of cancer patients with diabetes, SGLT2 inhibitor use was not associated with an increased risk of genitourinary infections. Propensity-matched analyses demonstrated no difference in absolute infection risk, while time-to-event analysis suggested a lower hazard of UTI among patients receiving SGLT2 inhibitors. These findings support the genitourinary safety of SGLT2 inhibitors in cancer patients with diabetes and may inform clinical decision-making in this high risk population.

e22604 Background: Heart, pericardial, and mediastinal tumors are rare neoplasms with potential sex-specific disparities. Despite their clinical significance, long-term temporal trends stratified by sex remain poorly characterized. Methods: We conducted a population-based analysis using data from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database, evaluating annual case counts from 1975 to 2022, stratified by sex. Temporal trends in total, male, and female cases were assessed using linear regression models. Results: A total of 657 cases were reported over the study period (445 males; 212 females). Total case counts showed a significant upward trend, increasing by 1.25 cases per year (p < 0.001, R² = 0.59). Male cases increased by 0.85 cases/year (p < 0.001), nearly twice the increase observed in females (0.40 cases/year, p < 0.001). Male predominance persisted throughout the study period, with both sexes showing a gradual upward trend, reflecting a consistent sex disparity in these tumors. Conclusions: The occurrence of heart, pericardial, and mediastinal tumors has increased steadily over the past five decades, disproportionately affecting males. These findings highlight persistent sex-based disparities and underscore the need for further sex-specific research to elucidate underlying risk factors and inform targeted surveillance and early detection strategies.

e16598 Background: Brain metastases occur in a substantial proportion of patients with renal cell carcinoma (RCC) and are associated with poor prognosis. Stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) is frequently used for intracranial disease control; however, contemporary real-world survival outcomes and the influence of systemic therapy exposure and metastatic burden remain incompletely characterized. Methods: We conducted a retrospective observational study using the TriNetX global federated health research network. Adult patients (≥18 years) with RCC and documented brain metastases who underwent stereotactic radiosurgery between January 2013 and December 2023 were identified. The index date was defined as the date of first SRS. Baseline demographics, comorbidities, and prior systemic therapy exposure including immune checkpoint inhibitors and VEGF-targeted therapies within 6 months before SRS were assessed. Metastatic burden was approximated using the number of distinct extracranial metastatic organ sites (single-organ vs multi-organ involvement). Overall survival (OS) was evaluated using Kaplan–Meier methods. Results: A total of 232 patients with RCC and brain metastases treated with SRS were included. Mean age was 61.2 ± 10.6 years, and 72% were male. Common comorbidities included hypertension (53%), diabetes mellitus (30%), chronic kidney disease (28%), and cerebrovascular disease (26%). Prior to SRS, 78% of patients received systemic therapy, including immune checkpoint inhibitors (49%) and VEGF-targeted therapies (46%). Using organ-site count as a proxy for disease burden, 59% demonstrated single-organ extracranial metastatic involvement. During follow-up, 95 patients (40.9%) experienced all-cause mortality. Median overall survival was 967 days (31.8 months). Estimated long-term survival probability at maximum follow-up was 21.2%. Kaplan–Meier analysis demonstrated early survival attrition followed by prolonged survival in a subset of patients. Patients receiving immunotherapy and those with limited extracranial metastatic burden demonstrated more favorable survival patterns. Conclusions: In this large contemporary real-world cohort of RCC patients with brain metastases treated with stereotactic radiosurgery, median overall survival exceeded 2.5 years, providing important modern survival benchmarks. Favorable outcomes were observed among patients receiving systemic immunotherapy and those with limited metastatic burden, supporting the continued role of SRS within multidisciplinary management strategies for selected patients with metastatic RCC.

PURPOSE Integrating external control data into clinical trial designs and analyses has the potential to accelerate drug development processes. We reanalyzed the three experimental arms of the Individual Screening Trial of Innovative Glioblastoma Therapy (INSIGhT), a randomized phase II platform trial in newly diagnosed O 6 -methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase-unmethylated glioblastoma (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT02977780 ). To evaluate the validity of using external data sets, we compared treatment effect estimates based on internal INSIGhT control data and matched external control data. METHODS The three experimental arms of INSIGhT (abemaciclib [n = 72], neratinib [n = 80], and CC-115 [n = 12]) did not improve survival compared with internal controls (standard chemoradiation [n = 70]). We derived external control patient-level data from multiple real-world and clinical trial data sets. We applied propensity score matching and Cox proportional hazards models to estimate treatment effects with external controls. Additionally, using this glioblastoma (GBM) data collection, we specified simulation scenarios to evaluate trial designs that integrate external controls. RESULTS After matching to external controls, no survival benefit was observed for patients receiving abemaciclib (hazard ratio [HR], 1.00 [95% CI, 0.75 to 1.34]), neratinib (HR, 0.93 [95% CI, 0.70 to 1.24]), or CC-115 (HR, 0.88 [95% CI, 0.41 to 1.88]). Simulations, together with the INSIGhT data and a collection of GBM data sets, allowed us to examine efficiencies and risks of clinical trial designs that leverage external control data. CONCLUSION The use of carefully matched external controls, to replace or augment the internal controls of INSIGhT, produced treatment effect estimates that were similar to previously published analyses. Single-arm trial designs and hybrid randomized designs incorporating propensity score–matched external control data evaluated treatment effects in the early-phase testing of experimental therapies in newly diagnosed GBM. The validity of this approach and risks of bias depended on the availability of comprehensive and accurate data on all potential confounders, in the absence of unmeasured confounding.

Abstract Background Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a leading cause of morbidity in India. Newly available 2025 ambient PM2.5 snapshots and expanding Health Management Information System (HMIS) reporting to examine how current exposure and TB burden map to COPD disease burden. Methods We combined publicly reported January-May 2025 PM2.5 monthly averages from the CREA/CPCB snapshots (state capital/city aggregates) with state-level COPD DALY estimates from published India state-level disease burden reports (PHFI/IHME GBD summaries) and GBD TB incidence, where available. We harmonized state names and matched capital/city PM2.5 to their states to create a state-level table. Spearman rank correlation assessed associations between mean PM2.5 (Jan-May 2025) and COPD DALYs per 100,000; TB incidence was examined as a secondary covariate. (See Methods note below for data provenance and limitations.) Results 2025 PM2.5 snapshots indicate widespread exceedance of WHO and national guidelines, with northern/industrial states showing the highest monthly means (e.g., Delhi &gt;150 µg/m³ in Jan 2025 on CREA snapshots). In an illustrative state-level aggregation using CREA’s Jan-May 2025 capital-city PM2.5 summaries merged with public GBD/PHFI COPD DALY estimates, PM2.5 and COPD DALYs were strongly positively associated (Spearman ρ ≈ 0.99, p &lt; 0.001 using the illustrative aggregation provided). TB incidence showed a moderate positive correlation with COPD DALYs in this aggregation (Spearman ρ ≈ 0.39, p ≈ 0.16). The accompanying figure (two panels) visualizes state COPD DALY burden and the PM2.5-DALY relationship; the CSV shows the aggregated values used. Limitations Ecological aggregation may overstate the strength of observed associations due to unmeasured confounders (e.g., age, smoking, urbanization). Individual-level causality cannot be inferred; further cohort and longitudinal studies are warranted. Policy Implications These findings underscore the urgency of PM2.5 mitigation in high-burden states and advocate scaling up systematic post-TB spirometry, alongside strengthened COPD surveillance via HMIS. Actionable priorities include strict industrial emission controls, targeted clean air campaigns in megacities, and regional COPD-TB risk screenings. Conclusions State-level 2025 PM2.5 exposure and TB burden map onto regions of higher COPD burden, suggesting that current air-quality conditions and TB sequelae remain important, interacting drivers of COPD morbidity in India. These late-breaking snapshots support urgent policies to reduce PM2.5 and implement systematic post-TB spirometry and strengthened COPD surveillance through HMIS. This abstract is funded by: None

Abstract Rationale Type-1 inflammation in asthma leads to significant airway level changes independent of Type-2 inflammation and may underlie the severity seen in combined Type1/2 high disease. As IFNs can cause airway epithelial injury and impaired repair, we applied a novel interpretable machine learning algorithm, SLIDE, to analyze the transcriptome of airway epithelial brushings of mild-moderate (MMA) and severe asthma (SA) participants in the Immune Mechanisms in Severe Asthma (IMSA) cohort to identify latent/hidden factors of disease that associate with disease severity. Methods The expression of genes identified by SLIDE as part of a co-expression program was assessed in the full IMSA cohort by severity and in an independent cohort of the NHLBI Severe Asthma Research Program (SARP). We also examined associations of these genes with clinical asthma outcomes in both cohorts. Results SLIDE identified aberrant increased expression of membrane-tethered mucin genes, MUC1 and MUC4. MUC1 appeared in each of 5 significant latent factors associated with greater severity and MUC4 in 2/5. Standard DGE analysis also identified the gene CEACAM5 as a predictor of severity. Pathway analysis of latent factor genes revealed airway keratinization which may contribute to airway remodeling and worsening obstruction over time. Expression of MUC1, MUC4, and CEACAM5 were increased in SA compared to HC in both the full IMSA and separate SARP cohorts (p &lt; 0.001 for all genes in both cohorts). Expression in MMA was consistently lower than in SA in both cohorts, reaching significance in IMSA (p &lt; 0.01) but not consistently in SARP (MUC1 p = 0.04, MUC4 p = 0.27, CEACAM5 p = 0.27). Protein analysis of endobronchial biopsies by immunofluorescence staining showed a trend towards increased MUC1 protein content with evidence of secretion. MUC1, MUC4 and CEACAM5 were negatively correlated with FEV1 % predicted in both cohorts (IMSA: MUC1 r=-0.47, p &lt; 0.01, MUC4 r=-0.47, p &lt; 0.01, CEACAM5 r=-0.62, p &lt; 0.01; SARP: MUC1 r=-0.19, p = 0.05, MUC4 r=-0.29, p &lt; 0.01, CEACAM5 r=-0.51, p &lt; 0.01). All three genes positively correlated with prospective exacerbations in both cohorts (IMSA: MUC1 r = 0.345, p = 0.01, MUC4 r = 0.216, p = 0.08, CEACAM5 r = 0.368, p &lt; 0.01; SARP: MUC1 r = 0.22, p = 0.02, MUC4 r = 0.32, p &lt; 0.01, CEACAM5 r = 0.38, p &lt; 0.01). Conclusions The expression of MUC1, MUC4 and CEACAM5 increased with asthma severity in the airway epithelium and correlated with both prospective exacerbations and obstruction. As pathway analysis of genes in the significant latent factors were associated with airway keratinization aberrant expression of these mucins (with known signaling functions) may contribute to maladaptive repair and airway remodeling that drives obstruction over time, contributing to worse asthma outcomes. This abstract is funded by: NIH

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.

Abstract Background Glioblastoma (GBM) is driven, in part, by glioma stem cells (GSCs), which sustain therapeutic resistance and recurrence. OLIG2 is a key regulator of GSC programs but the signaling pathways that cooperate with Oligodendrocyte transcription factor 2 (OLIG2) to maintain GSC states remain incompletely defined. Although Signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT) signaling has been implicated in GSC biology, work to date has focused primarily on STAT3, and the contribution of STAT5 remains poorly defined. Here, we investigated whether STAT5B functionally cooperates with OLIG2 in sustaining GSC phenotypes. Methods Transcriptomic analyses, proximity ligation assays and biochemical studies were utilized to define OLIG2-STAT5B interactions in patient-derived GSCs. Functional consequences of OLIG2, STAT5B, BIRC5, and NUSAP1 suppression were assessed using small interfering RNA/short hairpin RNA-knockdown, stemness, and migration assays in EGFRvIII-expressing GSCs. In vivo tumor growth studies were performed using orthotopic xenograft models. Results OLIG2 and STAT5B expression were positively correlated in GBM datasets and patient-derived models. OLIG2 physically associated with STAT5B in EGFRvIII-expressing GSCs, and loss of OLIG2 reduced STAT5 activation, supporting a functional link between these factors. OLIG2 or STAT5B suppression induced convergent transcriptional changes, including downregulation of genes associated with GSC maintenance and proliferation, notably stemness regulators BIRC5 and NUSAP1. Silencing BIRC5 or NUSAP1 impaired GSC self-renewal and migration. In orthotopic models, STAT5B knockdown prolonged survival and phenocopied OLIG2 suppression and stemness loss. Conclusions These findings identify STAT5B as a functional partner of OLIG2 in GBM and define anOLIG2-STAT5B transcriptional axis that sustains GSC maintenance and malignant behavior. Targeting this axis may represent a therapeutic strategy to disrupt treatment-refractory glioma cell states.

Objective Positive α‐synuclein seed amplification assay (SAA) is a biomarker found in most people with Parkinson's disease (PD). We explored if free‐water (FW) imaging detects microstructural differences in the brains of patients with early PD with SAA+ or SAA– status. Methods We studied patients with PD with baseline diffusion imaging and α‐synuclein SAA data from the Parkinson's Progression Markers Initiative (PPMI). We compared FW, FW corrected fractional anisotropy (FA T ), and clinical characteristics between SAA+ and SAA– groups. We also applied the Automated Imaging Differentiation for Parkinsonism (AIDP) at baseline to classify PD versus atypical parkinsonism, stratified by SAA status. Results Among 462 participants (41 SAA– and 421 SAA+), individuals with SAA+ had hyposmia and shorter motor symptom duration before baseline magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). AIDP identified PD in 92.4% (n = 427, 91.6% had SAA+) and classified 7.6% as atypical parkinsonism (n = 35, 85.7% had SAA+). At baseline, SAA+ individuals had lower FW in the superior cerebellar peduncle, compared to SAA– (pFDR < 0.05). No significant differences in FA T were found between groups. Interpretation Positive α‐synuclein SAA was associated with focal microstructural differences but did not distinguish broader diffusion MRI (dMRI) changes across FW and FA T metrics. These findings indicate that molecular confirmation of synuclein aggregation (via SAA) provides limited stratification of neurodegeneration detected by FW imaging in early PD. ANN NEUROL 2026;100:295–304