Citations

Abstract Purpose: The heterogeneity of androgen receptor (AR)-activity (AR-A) is well-characterized in heavily treated metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC). However, the diversity and clinical implications of AR-A in treatment-naïve primary prostate cancer is largely unknown. We sought to characterize AR-A in localized prostate cancer and understand its molecular and clinical implications. Experimental Design: Genome-wide expression profiles from prostatectomy or biopsy samples from 19,470 patients were used, all with independent pathology review. This was comprised of prospective discovery (n = 5,239) and validation (n = 12,728) cohorts, six retrospective institutional cohorts with long-term clinical outcomes data (n = 1,170), and The Cancer Genome Atlas (n = 333). Results: A low AR-active subclass was identified, which comprised 9%–11% of each cohort, and was characterized by increased immune signaling, neuroendocrine expression, and decreased DNA repair. These tumors were predominantly ERG and basal subtype. Low AR-active tumors had significantly more rapid development of recurrence or metastatic disease across cohorts, which was maintained on multivariable analysis [HR, 2.61; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.22–5.60; P = 0.014]. Low AR-active tumors were predicted to be more sensitive to PARP inhibition, platinum chemotherapy, and radiotherapy, and less sensitive to docetaxel and androgen-deprivation therapy. This was validated clinically, in that low AR-active tumors were less sensitive to androgen-deprivation therapy (OR, 0.41; 95% CI, 0.21–0.80; P = 0.008). Conclusions: Leveraging large-scale transcriptomic data allowed the identification of an aggressive subtype of treatment-naïve primary prostate cancer that harbors molecular features more analogous to mCRPC. This suggests that a preexisting subgroup of patients may have tumors that are predisposed to fail multiple current standard-of-care therapies and warrant dedicated therapeutic investigation.

Small bowel adenocarcinoma (SBA) is a rare malignancy of the gastrointestinal tract that has increased in incidence across recent years. Often diagnosed at an advanced stage, outcomes for SBA are worse on average than for other related malignancies, including colorectal cancer. Due to the rarity of this disease, few studies have been done to direct optimal treatment, although recent data have shown that SBA responds to treatment differently than colorectal cancer, necessitating a separate approach to treatment. The NCCN Guidelines for Small Bowel Adenocarcinoma were created to establish an evidence-based standard of care for patients with SBA. These guidelines provide recommendations on the workup of suspected SBA, primary treatment options, adjuvant treatment, surveillance, and systemic therapy for metastatic disease. Additionally, principles of imaging and endoscopy, pathologic review, surgery, radiation therapy, and survivorship are described.

Abstract Background: Most patients with advanced OC relapse after initial standard platinum-based chemotherapy, and eventually the disease becomes platinum-resistant. Niraparib (ZEJULA®) was the first selective poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase inhibitor (PARPi) approved in the United States and Europe for maintenance treatment in patients with recurrent OC regardless of BRCA mutation status. Preclinical evidence suggests that niraparib activates the stimulator of interferon genes pathway to increase immune cell infiltration and synergizes with anti-PD-1 therapy. Additionally, hypoxia induces contextual synthetic lethality by impairing homologous recombination, and therefore induction of hypoxia by inhibition of angiogenesis could lead to synergy with PARPi. In the TOPACIO/KEYNOTE-162 trial, niraparib in combination with pembrolizumab has shown efficacy in recurrent, platinum-resistant OC. Niraparib in combination with the anti-angiogenic agent bevacizumab is under study for the treatment of recurrent platinum-sensitive OC (AVANOVA trial) and advanced OC following response on frontline platinum-based chemotherapy (OVARIO trial). TSR-042 is an anti-PD-1 humanized monoclonal antibody that has shown clinical activity as monotherapy in early phase trials. Cohort A of the OPAL trial will evaluate the novel triple combination of the PARPi niraparib, angiogenesis inhibitor bevacizumab, and PD-1 inhibitor TSR-042 in patients with platinum-resistant OC who are naïve to PARPi therapy. Methods: Eligible patients will have high-grade recurrent epithelial ovarian, fallopian tube, or primary peritoneal cancer of the ovary and progressed ≤6 months from completion of ≥4 cycles of platinum-based chemotherapy. Additional key eligibility criteria include 1-2 prior lines of anticancer therapy for OC, no prior therapy with an anti-PD-1 or anti-PD-L1 antibody, and no prior therapy for OC with a PARPi. Patients will receive a combination regimen of 500 mg TSR-042 on day 1 of each 3-week cycle for 4 cycles, then 1000 mg on day 1 of every other cycle beginning on cycle 5 until progression or toxicity, 15 mg/kg bevacizumab on day 1 of each 3-week cycle for up to 15 months, and niraparib 300 mg or 200 mg (for patients <77 kg or platelet count <150,000/µL at screening) daily until disease progression or toxicity. The primary endpoint is to evaluate treatment efficacy by confirmed objective response rate per investigator-assessed RECIST v1.1 criteria. Secondary objectives are evaluation of progression-free survival, overall survival, duration of response, and disease control rate. Exploratory objectives are to identify potential biomarkers of tumor response, including BRCA status and homologous recombination repair gene status and to evaluate the evolution of the molecular profile of the tumor and tumor microenvironment in response to treatment. Clinical trial identification: NCT03574779 Citation Format: Joyce Liu, Camille Gunderson, Andrea Wahner Hendrickson, Elena Ratner, Elisabeth Diver, John Moroney, Rebecca C. Arend, Melinda Louie-Gao, Sarah Wang, Katarina Luptakova, Gottfried E. Konecny. An open-label Phase II study of combination of TSR-042, bevacizumab, and niraparib in patients with platinum-resistant ovarian cancer (OC): Cohort A of the OPAL trial [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2019; 2019 Mar 29-Apr 3; Atlanta, GA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2019;79(13 Suppl):Abstract nr CT157.

The NCCN Guidelines for Survivorship provide screening, evaluation, and treatment recommendations for consequences of cancer and cancer treatment to aid healthcare professionals who work with survivors of adult-onset cancer. Guidance is also provided to help promote physical activity, weight management, and proper immunizations in survivors and to facilitate care coordination to ensure that all needs are addressed. These NCCN Insights summarize some of the topics discussed by the NCCN Survivorship Panel during the 2019 update of the guidelines, including the survivorship population addressed, ways to improve care coordination, and pain management.

Case Report.Aspergillusosteomyelitis is a destructive and progressive infection that has been described both in immunosuppressed and in immunocompetent hosts. We describe a case of lumbar vertebral osteomyelitis in a 61-year-old immunocompetent patient due toAspergillus nidulansthat was successfully treated with a combination of extensive surgical debridement, spinal stabilization, and a prolonged course of antifungal therapy. Imaging demonstrated findings consistent with L3 discitis. The biopsy grewAspergillusfungus and was treated with vorconizole. Imaging showed progressive destructive osteomyelitis at L3-L4. Patient underwent anterior L3 and L4 partial corpectomies, anterior interbody fusion L3-L5, and posterior T11-S2 pedicle screw and rod fixation. Antifungal treatment resulted in resolution of infection.Aspergillusmarkers remain negative. One year following definitive treatment, the patient’s back pain remains resolved.Conclusion. Definitive surgical resection of the infection, spinal stabilization, and aggressive antifungal therapy were required to eradicate the infection.

Abstract Purpose: Protein kinases are known to play a prominent role in oncogenic progression across multiple cancer subtypes, yet their role in prostate cancer progression remains underexplored. The purpose of this study was to identify kinases that drive prostate cancer progression. Experimental Design: To discover kinases that drive prostate cancer progression, we investigated the association between gene expression of all known kinases and long-term clinical outcomes in tumor samples from 545 patients with high-risk disease. We evaluated the impact of genetic and pharmacologic inhibition of the most significant kinase associated with metastatic progression in vitro and in vivo. Results: DNA-dependent protein kinase (DNAPK) was identified as the most significant kinase associated with metastatic progression in high-risk prostate cancer. Inhibition of DNAPK suppressed the growth of both AR-dependent and AR-independent prostate cancer cells. Gene set enrichment analysis nominated Wnt as the top pathway associated with DNAPK. We found that DNAPK interacts with the Wnt transcription factor LEF1 and is critical for LEF1-mediated transcription. Conclusions: Our data show that DNAPK drives prostate cancer progression through transcriptional regulation of Wnt signaling and is an attractive therapeutic target in aggressive prostate cancer.