Citations

1527 Background: Prospective Registry of Multiplex Testing (PROMPT) is an online registry for individuals who have had multiplex panel testing for cancer susceptibility. The main objective of this registry is to ascertain families to allow penetrance calculations for mutations in less well characterized genes. Methods: Since September 2014, health care providers and commercial laboratories have given PROMPT information with the test results to eligible individuals. Participants with pathogenic mutations or variants of unknown significance in cancer susceptibility genes have self-enrolled in PROMPT. We have sent annual follow-up surveys to participants to capture updated personal and family histories, additional genetic testing in the family, and changes in cancer screening patterns. Results: To date, 5800 participants have enrolled in PROMPT and 2321 follow-up surveys are completed. Of those eligible for follow-up, 1980 (44%) have completed at least one survey. 134 (5.8%) reported a new cancer diagnosis since baseline. Breast cancer (37, 27.6%) and non-Melanoma skin cancer (35, 26.2%) were the most commonly reported new diagnoses. 5.7% of participants with an ATM variant, 5.2% of those with a BRCA2 variant, and 4.3% of those with a CHEK2 variant and at least one follow-up survey have reported a new primary cancer diagnosis (excluding non-Melanoma skin cancer). In addition, 70 (3%) participants reported a cancer recurrence since time of last follow-up. Bone (9, 12.9%) and liver (8, 11.4%) were the most common recurrence sites. 12.7% of those with a TP53 variant, 7.1% of those with a BARD1 variant, and 3.3% of those with an ATM variant and at least one follow-up survey have reported a recurrence. 59 (2.5%) participants had additional clinical genetic testing, and 555 (24%) participants reported clinical genetic testing of family members. Conclusions: PROMPT collects updated health information from participants to achieve the primary goal of determining cancer incidence among carriers of different mutations. Moreover, PROMPT has increased participant contacts through use of annual follow-up surveys and gene-specific surveys with subsets of participants. Ongoing efforts include obtaining pathology reports of new and recurrent cancer diagnoses on study.

The rarity of primary subglottic malignancies, along with the varied definitions of the anatomic confines of this region, have limited our understanding of the patterns of tumor spread within the subglottis. We conducted a retrospective chart review to analyze clinical and pathologic data in patients with subglottic carcinoma. A pattern of disease progression was identified, which is defined by the cartilaginous laryngeal framework, with the fibroelastic barriers susceptible to tumor invasion. We conclude that although cartilaginous laryngeal structures are preserved until late in the disease course, the ability of tumors to invade the fibroelastic membranes provides them with an insidious means of escape. Specifically, tumor progression occurs primarily within the paraglottic space and extralaryngeal compartments; the potential for mucosal spread is limited. The lack of mucosal disease in patients whose cartilaginous laryngeal structures are intact may present a facade of normality in patients with advanced disease, and perhaps delay the early diagnosis of subglottic malignancies by physical and radiologic examination.

Abstract Background and study aims This preliminary study was conducted to determine the feasibility and safety of endoscopic augmentation of the gastroesophageal junction (GEJ) using the Apollo OverStitch endoscopic suturing system in patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) symptoms. Patients and methods Endoscopic augmentation of GEJ was performed on 10 consecutive patients and the data were analyzed retrospectively. Using a double-channel gastroscope affixed to the endoscopic suturing platform, interrupted sutures were placed on the gastric side of the GEJ in 2 layers in order to create a narrowed and elongated GEJ. Results Technical success was achieved in all patients, including those with a history of previous antireflux procedures (n = 7) and those with a hiatal hernia (n = 6). The median follow-up duration was 5 mo (range: 2 – 12). The median pre-procedure GERD-Health Related Quality of Life Questionnaire improved from 20 (range: 11 – 45) to a post-procedure score of 6 (range: 3 – 25) (P = 0.001). The median duration of GERD symptom improvement after the procedure was 1 mo (range: 0.5 – 4). Adverse events were limited to 1 patient who developed nausea and vomiting, which was self-limited. Conclusions The use of a novel endoscopic suturing technique for the treatment of GERD is feasible and safe. The procedure resulted in short-term GERD symptom improvement. Further prospective studies using refined techniques are currently underway to improve durability and to prove efficacy.

INTRODUCTION: Leiomyomas are benign uterine smooth muscle tumors. After menopause, most women have a reduction in size and number of leiomyomas. Conversely, uterine sarcomas present as a rapidly enlarging pelvic mass in postmenopausal women. The distinction of uterine leiomyoma from sarcoma is difficult and definitive diagnosis requires pathologic examination. METHODS: A 74 year-old multiparous female with a history of ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) of the breast presented with significant postmenopausal bleeding, requiring blood transfusion, and a rapidly enlarging pelvic mass. Abdominal imaging including ultrasound and computerized tomography confirmed a 15 cm uterine mass. The patient underwent a total abdominal hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy with concern for uterine sarcoma. Grossly, the uterus contained a 15.5 cm well demarcated intramural mass. Microscopically, the tumor was a spindle cell neoplasm with anastomosing fascicles interrupted by thick-walled blood vessels or fibrous regions. The cells exhibited uniformly mild to moderate cytologic atypia. Immunohistochemically, the tumor strongly and diffusely expressed desmin and h-caldesmon and exhibited patchy, strong expression of CD10. RNA-seq, confirmed by RT-PCR and Sanger sequencing, revealed a gene fusion involving KAT6B and KANSL1. The fusion joins exon 3 of KAT6B to exons 11 and 12 of KANSL1. The final diagnosis was a benign uterine leiomyoma. The patient remains without evidence of disease six months post-operatively. CONCLUSION: This is the first case, to our knowledge, that has identified the KAT6B-KANSL1 fusion in a uterine leiomyoma. Further efforts to classify the pathologic characteristics and prevalence of this fusion may contribute to understanding of tumorigenesis of uterine smooth muscle tumors.

SUMMARY Volumetric laser endomicroscopy (VLE) uses optical coherence tomography (OCT) for real-time, microscopic cross-sectional imaging. A US-based multi-center registry was constructed to prospectively collect data on patients undergoing upper endoscopy during which a VLE scan was performed. The objective of this registry was to determine usage patterns of VLE in clinical practice and to estimate quantitative and qualitative performance metrics as they are applied to Barrett's esophagus (BE) management. All procedures utilized the NvisionVLE Imaging System (NinePoint Medical, Bedford, MA) which was used by investigators to identify the tissue types present, along with focal areas of concern. Following the VLE procedure, investigators were asked to answer six key questions regarding how VLE impacted each case. Statistical analyses including neoplasia diagnostic yield improvement using VLE was performed. One thousand patients were enrolled across 18 US trial sites from August 2014 through April 2016. In patients with previously diagnosed or suspected BE (894/1000), investigators used VLE and identified areas of concern not seen on white light endoscopy (WLE) in 59% of the procedures. VLE imaging also guided tissue acquisition and treatment in 71% and 54% of procedures, respectively. VLE as an adjunct modality improved the neoplasia diagnostic yield by 55% beyond the standard of care practice. In patients with no prior history of therapy, and without visual findings from other technologies, VLE-guided tissue acquisition increased neoplasia detection over random biopsies by 700%. Registry investigators reported that VLE improved the BE management process when used as an adjunct tissue acquisition and treatment guidance tool. The ability of VLE to image large segments of the esophagus with microscopic cross-sectional detail may provide additional benefits including higher yield biopsies and more efficient tissue acquisition. Clinicaltrials.gov NCT02215291

Background Patient satisfaction with therapy is an important metric of care quality and has been associated with greater medication persistence. We evaluated the association of patient satisfaction with warfarin therapy to other metrics of anticoagulation care quality and clinical outcomes among patients with atrial fibrillation ( AF ). Methods and Results Using data from the ORBIT ‐ AF (Outcomes Registry for Better Informed Treatment of Atrial Fibrillation) registry, patients were identified with AF who were taking warfarin and had completed an Anti‐Clot Treatment Scale ( ACTS ) questionnaire, a validated metric of patient‐reported burden and benefit of oral anticoagulation. Multivariate regressions were used to determine association of ACTS burden and benefit scores with time in therapeutic international normalized ratio range ( TTR ; both ≥75% and ≥60%), warfarin discontinuation, and clinical outcomes (death, stroke, major bleed, and all‐cause hospitalization). Among 1514 patients with AF on warfarin therapy (75±10 years; 42% women; CHA 2 DS 2 ‐ VAS c 3.9±1.7), those most burdened with warfarin therapy were younger and more likely to be women, have paroxysmal AF , and to be treated with antiarrhythmic drugs. After adjustment for covariates, ACTS burden scores were independent of TTR ( TTR ≥75%: odds ratio, 1.01 [95% CI , 0.99–1.03]; TTR ≥60%: odds ratio, 1.01 [95% CI , 0.98–1.05]), warfarin discontinuation (odds ratio, 0.99; 95% CI , 0.97–1.01), or clinical outcomes. ACTS benefit scores were also not associated with TTR , warfarin discontinuation, or clinical outcomes. Conclusions In a large registry of patients with AF taking warfarin, ACTS scores provided independent information beyond other traditional metrics of oral anticoagulation care quality and identified patient groups at high risk for dissatisfaction with warfarin therapy.

Abstract Purpose: Choriocarcinoma is most commonly gestational (androgenetic or biparental) but can be of germ cell origin or can develop as a component of a somatic neoplasm (genetically related to the patient). The latter type are aggressive neoplasms for which the underlying genetic alterations are not well characterized. Experimental Design: To investigate the relationship between the different components of somatic neoplasms with choriocarcinomatous elements, the genetic differences between gestational and nongestational tumors, and identify potential targetable alterations, we analyzed 23 samples from 11 tumors, including five gynecologic-type somatic neoplasms with choriocarcinomatous differentiation (two to three different components each) and six pure choriocarcinomas, for somatic mutations, single-nucleotide polymorphisms, and PD-L1 expression. Results: In mixed tumors, gynecologic-type carcinoma components demonstrated lineage-characteristic and lineage-specific alterations, with choriocarcinomatous components sharing some of these as well as demonstrating novel alterations, supporting a clonal relationship with divergent differentiation of the choriocarcinoma from the somatic carcinoma. TP53 mutation only occurred in nongestational tumors. Diffuse PD-L1 expression was characteristic of choriocarcinoma in both pure and mixed tumors but not seen in the gynecologic-type carcinoma components. Conclusions: Given that the somatic carcinomatous and choriocarcinomatous components of mixed tumors have distinct genetic alterations and biomarker expression, separate analysis of these components is required to guide targeted therapy. High PD-L1 expression suggests a role for checkpoint inhibitor–based immunotherapy in tumors with a choriocarcinoma component. The underlying mechanisms by which cancer stem cells reprogram and initiate trophoblastic retrodifferentiation in some somatic tumors warrant further investigation.

Bevacizumab‐pemetrexed/cisplatin ( BEV ‐ PEM / CIS ) is a first‐line therapeutic for advanced nonsquamous non‐small cell lung cancer. Bevacizumab potentiates PEM / CIS cytotoxicity by inducing transient tumor vasculature normalization. BEV ‐ PEM / CIS has a narrow therapeutic window. Therefore, it is an attractive target for administration schedule optimization. The present study leverages our previous work on BEV ‐ PEM / CIS pharmacodynamic modeling in non‐small cell lung cancer–bearing mice to estimate the optimal gap in the scheduling of sequential BEV ‐ PEM / CIS . We predicted the optimal gap in BEV ‐ PEM / CIS dosing to be 2.0 days in mice and 1.2 days in humans. Our simulations suggest that the efficacy loss in scheduling BEV ‐ PEM / CIS at too great of a gap is much less than the efficacy loss in scheduling BEV ‐ PEM / CIS at too short of a gap.