Citations

11016 Background: A011502 is a phase 3 randomized double-blind clinical trial that enrolled high-risk nonmetastatic breast cancer (BC) patients (pts) and randomized pts to aspirin 300 mg daily vs. placebo. There was no significant difference in invasive disease-free survival (iDFS) between the two arms. A secondary objective was to determine the association of inflammation-affiliated factors (stress, depression, poor sleep quality and pain) with iDFS and overall survival (OS). We hypothesized that these baseline factors are associated with worse clinical outcomes. Methods: At baseline, 2735, 2720, 2422 and 2610 pts completed Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), Brief Pain Inventory (BPI), Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale Revised (CESD-R) respectively. Stress was categorized with PSS scores: low (0-13), moderate (14-26) or high stress (27-40). Pain was categorized with BPI scores: none/mild (0-3) or moderate/severe (≥4). Sleep quality was categorized with PSQI scores: good (0-5) or poor ( > 5).Depression was categorized with CESD-R scores: no depression (0-15) or depression (≥16). Associations between the measures of interest and outcomes were performed with multivariable Cox models controlling for age, body mass index, time since diagnosis, race, ethnicity, hormone receptor status and treatment arm. Results: Median follow up was 35 months. The associations from multivariable Cox model are shown in Table 1. Pts who reported high PSS had significantly worse iDFS and (non-significant) worse OS. Moderate/severe average (avg) pain was significantly associated with worse iDFS and OS. Poor sleep quality and depression were associated with worse iDFS and OS but not statistically significant. Conclusions: Pts reporting higher stress and pain at baseline had worse outcomes. We acknowledge that both pain and stress may be related to other non-cancer issues (chronic comorbidities). Our study highlights the need for clinical trials to consider including questionnaires to assess pt-reported outcomes. Future studies are warranted to determine if measures to decrease pain and stress would improve BC outcomes. U10CA180821, U10CA180882, UG1CA233196; https://acknowledgments.alliancefound.org . NCT02927249: Clinical trial information: NCT02927249 . [Table: see text]

PURPOSE We investigated time to pregnancy, efficacy and safety of fertility preservation, and assisted reproductive technologies (ARTs) in women with early hormone receptor–positive breast cancer (BC) desiring future pregnancy. PATIENTS AND METHODS POSITIVE is an international, single-arm, prospective trial, in which 518 women temporarily interrupted adjuvant endocrine therapy to attempt pregnancy. We evaluated menstruation recovery and factors associated with time to pregnancy and investigated if ART use was associated with achieving pregnancy. The cumulative incidence of BC-free interval (BCFI) events was estimated according to the use of ovarian stimulation at diagnosis. The median follow-up was 41 months. RESULTS Two hundred seventy-three patients (53%) reported amenorrhea at enrollment, of whom 94% resumed menses within 12 months. Among 497 patients evaluable for pregnancy, 368 (74%) reported at least one pregnancy. Young age was the main factor associated with shorter time to pregnancy with cumulative incidences of pregnancy by 1 year of 63.5%, 54.3%, and 37.7% for patients age <35, 35-39, and 40-42 years, respectively. One hundred and seventy-nine patients (36%) had embryo/oocyte cryopreservation at diagnosis, of whom 68 reported embryo transfer after enrollment. Cryopreserved embryo transfer was the only ART associated with higher chance of pregnancy (odds ratio, 2.41 [95% CI, 1.75 to 4.95]). The cumulative incidence of BCFI events at 3 years was similar for women who underwent ovarian stimulation for cryopreservation at diagnosis, 9.7% (95% CI, 6.0 to 15.4), compared with those who did not, 8.7% (95% CI, 6.0 to 12.5). CONCLUSION In POSITIVE, fertility preservation using ovarian stimulation was not associated with short-term detrimental impact on cancer prognosis. Pregnancy rates were highest among those who underwent embryo/oocyte cryopreservation followed by embryo transfer.

Regular, long-term aspirin use may act synergistically with genetic variants, particularly those in mechanistically relevant pathways, to confer a protective effect on colorectal cancer (CRC) risk. We leveraged pooled data from 52 clinical trial, cohort, and case-control studies that included 30,806 CRC cases and 41,861 controls of European ancestry to conduct a genome-wide interaction scan between regular aspirin/nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) use and imputed genetic variants. After adjusting for multiple comparisons, we identified statistically significant interactions between regular aspirin/NSAID use and variants in 6q24.1 (top hit rs72833769 ), which has evidence of influencing expression of TBC1D7 (a subunit of the TSC1-TSC2 complex, a key regulator of MTOR activity), and variants in 5p13.1 (top hit rs350047 ), which is associated with expression of PTGER4 (codes a cell surface receptor directly involved in the mode of action of aspirin). Genetic variants with functional impact may modulate the chemopreventive effect of regular aspirin use, and our study identifies putative previously unidentified targets for additional mechanistic interrogation.

530 Background: Robust biomarkers are needed to personalize treatment in early stage HER2-positive breast cancer. The TBCRC026 trial (n=83) demonstrated that early metabolic changes on FDG-PET/CT [>40% decline in SULmax at day 15 post treatment initiation (C1D15); C1D15 SULmax] were associated with response to neoadjuvant trastuzumab/pertuzumab (HP), without chemotherapy, in an ER-negative, HER2-positive cohort (NCT01937117). We investigated the association of RNA sequencing (RNAseq)-based gene expression signatures (GES) at baseline and on-treatment (C1D15), with early metabolic change on PET/CT and clinical outcomes. Methods: RNAseq (664 GES) was performed on baseline (n=56) and C1D15 (n=31) tumor biopsies (25 paired samples available). Association with pCR following HP (secondary), PET/CT parameters and survival (exploratory) was studied. Gene expression changes between baseline and C1D15 samples were tested by Wilcoxon signed-rank test. Association between GES and PET/CT parameters and GES with pCR were evaluated using logistic regression models. Cox regressions were performed to study the association between PET/CT SULmax at C1D15 and a B cell signature and relapse-free survival (RFS). The likelihood ratio test was used to compare the prognostic ability of two nested Cox models. Results: Both RNAseq and clinical outcomes were available in 53/83 patients. HER2-enriched (HER2-E) intrinsic subtype comprised 71% (40/56) of cases at baseline and 61% (19/31) at D15; basal subtype for 27% (15/56) and 39% (12/31), respectively. pCR rate was 19% (10/53) with all but one exhibiting HER2-E subtype. One basal-like sample underwent pCR, with downregulation of HER2 amplicon and IgG signatures slightly more prominent. Gene expression changes from baseline to C1D15 were analyzed; ERBB2was downregulated after HP (p = 0.007), B cell signatures, CD4, CD8, natural killer cells and Treg cells were significantly upregulated at C1D15. GES associated with 40% decline in SULmax at C1D15 included ERBB2 amplicon genes ( ERBB2, GRB7) and correlation to the HER2-E subtype, whereas basal-like signatures were significantly associated with lack of response on PET at C1D15. Univariate logistic regression analysis suggested that FOS-JUN, fibroblast and B cell GES at baseline were significantly associated with pCR (p=<0.05). Finally, the addition of a B cell signature improved the prognostic value of C1D15 SULmax on PET/CT for RFS (p < 0.05). Conclusions: In this unique cohort with ER-negative, HER2-positive breast cancer treated with neoadjuvant HP without chemotherapy, HER2-E tumors and those with increased immune signaling were more likely to respond to HER2-directed therapy. Combining C1D15 SULmax on PET/CT and a B cell signature provided improved prognostic information and should be further explored as candidate biomarkers in this setting. Clinical trial information: NCT01937117 .

Isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH) mutant gliomas are a primary malignancy of the central nervous system (CNS) malignancies, most commonly affecting adults under the age of 55. Standard of care therapy for IDH-mutant gliomas involves maximal safe resection, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy. However, despite good initial responses to multimodality treatment, recurrence is virtually universal. IDH-mutant gliomas represent a life-limiting prognosis. For this reason, there is a great need for novel treatments that can prolong survival. Uniquely for IDH-mutant gliomas, the IDH mutation is the direct driver of oncogenesis through its oncometabolite 2-hydroxygluterate. Inhibition of this mutated IDH with a corresponding reduction in 2-hydroxygluterate offers an attractive treatment target. Researchers have tested several IDH inhibitors in glioma through preclinical and early clinical trials. A phase III clinical trial of an IDH1 and IDH2 inhibitor vorasidenib yielded promising results among patients with low-grade IDH-mutant gliomas who had undergone initial surgery and no radiation or chemotherapy. However, many questions remain regarding optimal use of IDH inhibitors in clinical practice. In this review, we discuss the importance of IDH mutations in oncogenesis of adult-type diffuse gliomas and current evidence supporting the use of IDH inhibitors as therapeutic agents for glioma treatment. We also examine unresolved questions and propose potential directions for future research.

Abstract VEXAS (vacuoles, E1-ubiquitin-like modifier activating enzyme, X-linked, autoinflammatory, somatic) syndrome is a recently described autoinflammatory disorder caused by acquired UBA1 mutations in hematopoietic precursor cells. The prevalence, clinical significance, and genomic landscape of UBA1variants in patients with hematologic malignancies (HM) remains unexplored. We analyzed the genomic profiles of 86 patients carrying 17 different UBA1variants amongst an unbiased cohort of 8,976 HM patients. Specific genetic and clinical features seen more frequently in patients with UBA1 pathogenic variants (PV) versus those with variants of uncertain significance (VUS) included: marked male predominance (98% versus 80%, P=0.002), macrocytic anemia (MCV 105 ± 1.4 fl versus 96 ± 1.4 fl, p=0.01), frequent dominant clones without concurrent somatic variants (53% versus 15%, p=0.004), and association with molecularly distinct low-risk myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS; 13%) with superior overall survival (OS). Interestingly, while the genetic profiles of UBA1 PV patients resemble patients with clonal cytopenia of unknown significance (CCUS), rapid UBA1 clonal expansion predispose patients to convert to low-grade MDS with a notably hastened progression compared to UBA1 wild-type CCUS. This “clone surge to clinical stability” (CS) is a mechanism that emphasizes the unique pathobiology of UBA1mutations in VEXAS and supports it as a distinct entity.

Repair and regeneration of a diseased lung using stem cells or bioengineered tissues is an exciting therapeutic approach for a variety of lung diseases and critical illnesses. Over the past decade, increasing evidence from preclinical models suggests that mesenchymal stromal cells, which are not normally resident in the lung, can be used to modulate immune responses after injury, but there have been challenges in translating these promising findings to the clinic. In parallel, there has been a surge in bioengineering studies investigating the use of artificial and acellular lung matrices as scaffolds for three-dimensional lung or airway regeneration, with some recent attempts of transplantation in large animal models. The combination of these studies with those involving stem cells, induced pluripotent stem cell derivatives, and/or cell therapies is a promising and rapidly developing research area. These studies have been further paralleled by significant increases in our understanding of the molecular and cellular events by which endogenous lung stem and/or progenitor cells arise during lung development and participate in normal and pathological remodeling after lung injury. For the 2023 Stem Cells, Cell Therapies, and Bioengineering in Lung Biology and Diseases Conference, scientific symposia were chosen to reflect the most cutting-edge advances in these fields. Sessions focused on the integration of “omics” technologies with function, the influence of immune cells on regeneration, and the role of the extracellular matrix in regeneration. The necessity for basic science studies to enhance fundamental understanding of lung regeneration and to design innovative translational studies was reinforced throughout the conference.

Objectives: Upregulation of endothelin-1 (ET-1) and its receptors have been linked to increases in hypoxic sensitivity of the carotid chemoreceptors and the development of hypertension. As such, chemoreflex sensitization has been shown in pre-clinical models to be attenuated by ET-1 receptor blockade. Herein, we sought to assess a role for ET-1 in the maintenance of resting blood pressure (BP) in healthy young men and determine whether chemoreflex control of BP could be altered by ET-1 blockade. We hypothesized endothelin receptor antagonism with oral bosentan would lower resting BP in healthy young men as well as the acute BP response to hypoxia. Methods: Twenty-four healthy young men (31±5 yrs, 26±3 kg/m2) completed two study visits (control, bosentan) separated by a minimum of 1 week. The nonspecific endothelin receptor antagonist bosentan (62.5 mg) was taken by mouth twice daily for 3 days prior to the second study visit. On each visit, beat-by-beat BP was assessed under 3 inspiratory air conditions: 1) steady-state normoxia (FiO2 0.21), 2) chemoreflex excitation produced by acute, graded hypoxia (FiO2 0.05 – 0.21), 3) chemoreflex inhibition elicited by transient hyperoxia (FiO2 1.00). Results: Oral bosentan treatment resulted in an increase in plasma ET-1 (0.9±0.9 to 1.3±0.6 pg/mL, p=0.004), supporting receptor blockade. Resting diastolic and mean BP were reduced following 3 days of bosentan treatment compared to control (diastolic: 73±5 to 69±7 mmHg, p=0.007; mean: 93±7 to 88±7 mmHg, p=0.005) with no change in systolic BP (p=0.507). Notably, the BP response to both acute hypoxia (-0.48±0.38 to -0.25±0.31 mmHg/%, p=0.004) and hyperoxia (main effect of bosentan, p=0.025) were attenuated following bosentan. Conclusions: Acute oral bosentan treatment resulted in a reduction in resting BP in healthy young men. The effect of endothelin receptor inhibition with bosentan further attenuated the rise in BP during chemoreflex excitation via acute, graded hypoxia as well as the fall in BP during chemoreflex inhibition (transient hyperoxia). Together these data support a role for ET-1 in control of resting BP in healthy young men, possibly through a chemoreceptor-mediated mechanism. NIH HL130339 (JL), Mayo Clinic Center for Biomedical Discovery (JL, SB). This is the full abstract presented at the American Physiology Summit 2024 meeting and is only available in HTML format. There are no additional versions or additional content available for this abstract. Physiology was not involved in the peer review process.