Citations

Abstract cIMPACT‐NOW (the Consortium to Inform Molecular and Practical Approaches to CNS Tumor Taxonomy) was established to evaluate and make practical recommendations on recent advances in the field of CNS tumor classification, particularly in light of the rapid progress in molecular insights into these neoplasms. For Round 2 of its deliberations, cIMPACT‐NOW Working Committee 3 was reconstituted and convened in Utrecht, The Netherlands, for a meeting designed to review putative new CNS tumor types in advance of any future World Health Organization meeting on CNS tumor classification. In preparatory activities for the meeting and at the actual meeting, a list of possible entities was assembled and each type and subtype debated. Working Committee 3 recommended that a substantial number of newly recognized types and subtypes should be considered for inclusion in future CNS tumor classifications. In addition, the group endorsed a number of principles—relating to classification categories, approaches to classification, nomenclature, and grading—that the group hopes will also inform the future classification of CNS neoplasms.

Abstract MM has a median age at presentation of 65–68 years, rarely occurring in pts before age 40. Here, we present clinical, laboratory and survival data in the largest ever-analyzed cohort of young pts compared with pts aged ≥ 40 years. 259 pts aged < 40 and 8,296 aged ≥ 40 years were enrolled. These 8.555 pts were part of the cohort analyzed for the ISS staging project. Previously untreated pts entered into randomized trials with standard (SDT) or high dose treatment (HDT). Clinical data were available for all pts, 526 pts had karyotypic analysis and 454 pts testing for Del 13 testing by FISH. The Chi-Square test was used to identify significant prognostic factors. A maximum likelihood model was used to estimate relative excess risk (RER) for younger versus older pts treated with SDT or HDT. Observed survival was adjusted by life expectancy depending on age, gender, and nationality. Young pts had significantly lower ISS stage I than older pts (stage I; 39% vs. 28%, stage II: 28 vs. 39%, stage III 33% vs. 33%, p<. 001, p<001, p=0.863, respectively) due primarily to a lower prevalence of high ß2m levels and low albumin levels in the younger age group. Paradoxically, the younger pts more frequently presented with higher M-component levels and Durie Salmon stage III (65% vs. 54%, p<0.001). Prevalence of other important prognostic parameters like Hb, platelet count, creatinine, calcium, CRP, LDH and bone marrow PC infiltration was similar in both groups. Younger pts had more frequently good ECOG performance status (PS) (0–2), (87% vs. 81%, p<0.01). Karyotypic abnormalities and Del 13 were similarly distributed between both cohorts. Median OS was significantly longer in young pts (median: 4.8 years vs. 3.7 years; hazard ratio (HR): 1.46; 95%, CI (1.27, 1.68); p=<0.001). Better outcome in the younger cohort was seen in all three ISS stages, independent of gender. Median OS survival was significantly longer after SDT in the young cohort (median: 49 months (mos) vs. 39 mos; HR 1.49; CI (1.27, 1.75); p<0.001). Median survival: 86 mos in young and 68 mos in older pts on HDT; this did not translate into a statistical difference (HR 1.8; CI (0.81,1.44); p=0.6). Risk estimates in a maximum likelihood analysis revealed that, apart from ISS Stage, young age followed by female sex was statistical significant for a good outcome for pts treated with SDT (Age RER: 1.43, CI (1.20, 1.70), p<0.001; Sex RER: 1.07, CI (1.02, 1.14); p < 0.013). For pts treated with HDT, only ISS Stage was found to be a risk factor, but not age or gender. Conclusions: Patients < 40 have better prognosis and survival than older patients. The most important features of young patients are low SßM, normal S. Alb, and good performance status.

Abstract Introduction: Clinical development of bortezomib in multiple myeloma (MM) included pharmacogenomic gene expression profiling (GEP) of pre-treatment tumor biopsies in order to evaluate the feasibility of developing predictive classifiers in prospective clinical trials and to better define the biological pathways related to drug sensitivity. By partitioning the samples into train (n=101) and test (n=80) datasets, statistically significant classifiers of response and survival were identified and then validated [Mulligan G, et al: Blood. 2007; 109:3177–88]. Here we describe specific genes and biological pathways associated with bortezomib efficacy in relapsed MM. Methods: Using tumor GEP data from 188 patients treated with single-agent bortezomib we identified genes associated with overall survival (OS), as well as genes associated with response (R) or progressive disease (PD) after bortezomib therapy. These clinical endpoints were also analyzed with biological pathway algorithms including GSEA [Subramanian A, et al: Proc Natl Acad Sci2005; 102:15545–50] Ingenuity Pathway Analysis and Gene Ontology/GATHER. These results were then compared to GEP data from a patient subset (n=76) treated with single-agent dexamethasone and also cell lines selected for differential sensitivity to bortezomib. Results: A comparison of R and PD highlighted numerous differentially expressed genes; approximately 200 were over-expressed in R and 500 were over-expressed in PD (t-test <0.01). R-associated genes include signaling molecules like TRADD, CFLAR and TANK, while PD-associated genes included oncogenes (NRAS), apoptotic regulators (DAP3) and cancer antigens (CTAG). Pathway tools helped to integrate and extend these observations, consistently identifying NFkB activation and overexpression of adhesion pathways as R-associated. Overexpression of protein synthesis and mitochondrial pathways were PD-associated. The overexpression of pathways such as NFkB, adhesion and cytokines appear linked specifically with bortezomib and not dexamethasone sensitivity. These approaches were also applied to patient survival. In contrast to analyses of single genes, the pathway tools highlighted links between response and survival, including adhesion and inflammatory cytokine pathway expression. Conclusions: This study highlights the diversity of biological pathways expressed in MM and the utility of clinical genomics to associate pathways with activity of single-agent bortezomib.

Background: COVID-19 is a novel infectious disease caused by the severe acute respiratory distress (SARS)-coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2). Several therapeutic options are currently emerging but none with universal consensus or proven efficacy. Solid organ transplant recipients are perceived to be at increased risk of severe COVID-19 because of their immunosuppressed conditions due to chronic use of immunosuppressive drugs (ISDs). It is therefore likely that solid organ transplant recipients will be treated with these experimental antivirals. Methods: This article is not intended to provide a systematic literature review on investigational treatments tested against COVID-19; rather, the authors aim to provide recommendations for therapeutic drug monitoring of ISDs in transplant recipients infected with SARS-CoV-2 based on a review of existing data in the literature. Results: Management of drug–drug interactions between investigational anti-SARS-CoV-2 drugs and immunosuppressants is a complex task for the clinician. Adequate immunosuppression is necessary to prevent graft rejection while, if critically ill, the patient may benefit from pharmacotherapeutic interventions directed at limiting SARS-CoV-2 viral replication. Maintaining ISD concentrations within the desired therapeutic range requires a highly individualized approach that is complicated by the pandemic context and lack of hindsight. Conclusions: With this article, the authors inform the clinician about the potential interactions of experimental COVID-19 treatments with ISDs used in transplantation. Recommendations regarding therapeutic drug monitoring and dose adjustments in the context of COVID-19 are provided.

Chronic mesenteric ischaemia is a severe and incapacitating disease, causing complaints of post‐prandial pain, fear of eating and weight loss. Even though chronic mesenteric ischaemia may progress to acute mesenteric ischaemia, chronic mesenteric ischaemia remains an underappreciated and undertreated disease entity. Probable explanations are the lack of knowledge and awareness among physicians and the lack of a gold standard diagnostic test. The underappreciation of this disease results in diagnostic delays, underdiagnosis and undertreating of patients with chronic mesenteric ischaemia, potentially resulting in fatal acute mesenteric ischaemia. This guideline provides a comprehensive overview and repository of the current evidence and multidisciplinary expert agreement on pertinent issues regarding diagnosis and treatment, and provides guidance in the multidisciplinary field of chronic mesenteric ischaemia.

COPA syndrome is a newly discovered, rare genetic autoimmune disorder, which can affect the lungs, joints, and kidneys. It is difficult to recognize, and the survival benefit of lung transplantation for these patients is not yet known. We present a case of a 24-year-old woman who received bilateral lung transplant for COPA syndrome. At 15 months posttransplant, her pulmonary function is stable with no episodes of acute cellular- or antibody-mediated rejection and no evidence of disease recurrence.

Abstract Introduction: Male breast cancer (BCa) is a rare disease accounting for less than 1% of all breast cancers (BC) and 1% of all cancers in males. The clinical management is largely extrapolated from female BCa. Few studies have examined the genomic landscape of male BCas, with six male BCas included in The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). Familial studies of male BCas have shown genomic changes similar to female BCa, while a larger targeted sequencing study of 59 male breast cancers identified recurrent mutations affecting PIK3CA and GATA3. To date, there is still limited information regarding the genomic landscape of male BCas; particularly in the context of identifying targeted treatments. To reveal genomic changes that characterize male BCas in the context of known cancer driver genes linked to prognosis and targeted agents, we performed a targeted sequencing study on 248 male BCas from the International Male Breast Cancer Program. Methods: 248 primary M0, ER+ve, HER2-ve male BCas enrolled in the Part 1 (retrospective joint analysis) International Male Breast Cancer Program of 1483 patients diagnosed between 1990-2010 (Cardoso et al. Annals of Oncology, 2018) were processed for nucleic acid extraction from formalin-fixed paraffin embedded (FFPE) tissues. Using the Thermo Fisher Scientific Oncomine Comprehensive Assay v3 (OCAv3), a validated targeted sequencing panel currently used in the NCI-MATCH trial (NCT02465060), we evaluated mutational and copy number variations (CNVs) of genes that are prognostic or predictive to targeted therapies currently in use in the clinic or late-stage clinical trials. The OCAv3 DNA pan-cancer panel assays 115 genes for determining mutational status (48 full coding and 67 hotspot) as well as copy-number assessment in 43 genes. The OCAv3 uses Ampliseq-based technology linked to the Oncomine NGS workflow to identify actionable mutations and CNVs Results: Of the 248 samples assayed, 216 passed strict quality control parameters (87.1%). Using the Oncomine NGS workflow, actionable mutations at ≥5% variant allele frequency (VAF) were most frequently identified in PIK3CA (29.2%), BRCA2 (11.1%), NF1 (11.6%), indels in TP53 (10.6%), ATR (5.6%), ATRX (5.1%), indel BRCA2 (5.1%), TP53 point mutations (4.6%), MET (4.6%), ATM (4.6%), NOTCH2 (4.6%), CHEK1 (4.2%), FANCI (4.2%), PTEN (3.2%) with a number of additional genes identified at lower frequencies. Gene amplifications were most frequently detected in MYC (24.5%), FGFR1 (14.8%), CCND1 (12%), FGF3 (9.7%), FGF19 (9.7%), MDM2 (6.5%), CDK4 (1.4%), FGFR3, MDM4, ERBB2 (0.9% each), and FLT3, AR, MYCL, CDK6, IGF1R, FGFR4, KRAS, AKT3 and ESR1 (0.5% each). Although the results here describe the mutations and copy-number changes deemed to be actionable, further analysis of all non-actionable somatic mutations and CNVs will be presented and compared to female BCas previously assayed using the same panel. Conclusion: In this targeted sequencing study of the largest series of male BCas to our knowledge, we have revealed that PIK3CA continues to be a frequently altered gene in both male and female BCas. However, there is an enrichment of mutations in genes related to DNA repair in male BCs. Interestingly, while MYC is commonly amplified in female BCa, a higher frequency of amplified cases were seen in male BCas, in contrast to female BCas. Together with our previously generated transcriptional profiling data in this data set, we believe that both common and unique biological processes comprising male and female BCas will ultimately improve their clinical management and move towards the goal of precision medicine. This work has been funded by the Breast Cancer Research Foundation (BCRF). Citation Format: Jane Bayani, Coralie Poncet, Cheryl Crozier, Quang M Trinh, Megan Hopkins, Aime Lambert Uwimana, Tammy Piper, Carrie Cunningham, Monika Sobol, Stefan Aebi, Kim Benstead, Oliver Bogler, Lissandra Dal Lago, Florentine Hilbers, Ingrid Hedenfalk, Larissa Korde, Barbro Linderholm, John Martens, Lavinia Middleton, Melissa Murray, Catherine Kelly, Cecilia Nilsson, Monika Nowaczyk, Stephanie Peeters, Aleksandra Peric, Peggy Porter, Carolien Schröder, Isabel T Rubio, Kathryn J Ruddy, Christi van Asperen, Danielle Van Den Weyngaert, Carolien HM van Deurzen, Elise van Leeuwen-Stok, Joanna Vermeij, Eric Winer, Lincoln D Stein, Sharon H Giordano, Fatima Cardoso, John MS Bartlett. The genomic landscape of male breast cancers using the oncomine comprehensive assay for actionable mutations [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2019 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2019 Dec 10-14; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2020;80(4 Suppl):Abstract nr P4-10-03.

Abstract Despite advanced understanding of the biology of atherosclerosis, coronary heart disease remains the leading cause of death worldwide. Progress has been challenging as half of the individuals who suffer sudden cardiac death do not experience premonitory symptoms. Furthermore, it is well-recognized that also a plaque that does not cause a haemodynamically significant stenosis can trigger a sudden cardiac event, yet the majority of ruptured or eroded plaques remain clinically silent. In the past 30 years since the term ‘vulnerable plaque’ was introduced, there have been major advances in the understanding of plaque pathogenesis and pathophysiology, shifting from pursuing features of ‘vulnerability’ of a specific lesion to the more comprehensive goal of identifying patient ‘cardiovascular vulnerability’. It has been also recognized that aside a thin-capped, lipid-rich plaque associated with plaque rupture, acute coronary syndromes (ACS) are also caused by plaque erosion underlying between 25% and 60% of ACS nowadays, by calcified nodule or by functional coronary alterations. While there have been advances in preventive strategies and in pharmacotherapy, with improved agents to reduce cholesterol, thrombosis, and inflammation, events continue to occur in patients receiving optimal medical treatment. Although at present the positive predictive value of imaging precursors of the culprit plaques remains too low for clinical relevance, improving coronary plaque imaging may be instrumental in guiding pharmacotherapy intensity and could facilitate optimal allocation of novel, more aggressive, and costly treatment strategies. Recent technical and diagnostic advances justify continuation of interdisciplinary research efforts to improve cardiovascular prognosis by both systemic and ‘local’ diagnostics and therapies. The present state-of-the-art document aims to present and critically appraise the latest evidence, developments, and future perspectives in detection, prevention, and treatment of ‘high-risk’ plaques occurring in ‘vulnerable’ patients.

Abstract We previously identified genomic instability as a causative factor for vascular aging. In the present study, we determined which vascular aging outcomes are due to local endothelial DNA damage, which was accomplished by genetic removal of ERCC1 (excision repair cross-complementation group 1) DNA repair in mice (EC-knockout (EC-KO) mice). EC-KO showed a progressive decrease in microvascular dilation of the skin, increased microvascular leakage in the kidney, decreased lung perfusion, and increased aortic stiffness compared with wild-type (WT). EC-KO showed expression of DNA damage and potential senescence marker p21 exclusively in the endothelium, as demonstrated in aorta. Also the kidney showed p21-positive cells. Vasodilator responses measured in organ baths were decreased in aorta, iliac and coronary artery EC-KO compared with WT, of which coronary artery was the earliest to be affected. Nitric oxide-mediated endothelium-dependent vasodilation was abolished in aorta and coronary artery, whereas endothelium-derived hyperpolarization and responses to exogenous nitric oxide (NO) were intact. EC-KO showed increased superoxide production compared with WT, as measured in lung tissue, rich in endothelial cells (ECs). Arterial systolic blood pressure (BP) was increased at 3 months, but normal at 5 months, at which age cardiac output (CO) was decreased. Since no further signs of cardiac dysfunction were detected, this decrease might be an adaptation to prevent an increase in BP. In summary, a selective DNA repair defect in the endothelium produces features of age-related endothelial dysfunction, largely attributed to loss of endothelium-derived NO. Increased superoxide generation might contribute to the observed changes affecting end organ perfusion, as demonstrated in kidney and lung.

INTRODUCTION The cerebral cortex underlies our complex cognitive capabilities. Variations in human cortical surface area and thickness are associated with neurological, psychological, and behavioral traits and can be measured in vivo by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Studies in model organisms have identified genes that influence cortical structure, but little is known about common genetic variants that affect human cortical structure. RATIONALE To identify genetic variants associated with human cortical structure at both global and regional levels, we conducted a genome-wide association meta-analysis of brain MRI data from 51,665 individuals across 60 cohorts. We analyzed the surface area and average thickness of the whole cortex and 34 cortical regions with known functional specializations. RESULTS We identified 369 nominally genome-wide significant loci ( P < 5 × 10 −8 ) associated with cortical structure in a discovery sample of 33,992 participants of European ancestry. Of the 360 loci for which replication data were available, 241 loci influencing surface area and 66 influencing thickness remained significant after replication, with 237 loci passing multiple testing correction ( P < 8.3 × 10 −10 ; 187 influencing surface area and 50 influencing thickness). Common genetic variants explained 34% (SE = 3%) of the variation in total surface area and 26% (SE = 2%) in average thickness; surface area and thickness showed a negative genetic correlation ( r G = −0.32, SE = 0.05, P = 6.5 × 10 −12 ), which suggests that genetic influences have opposing effects on surface area and thickness. Bioinformatic analyses showed that total surface area is influenced by genetic variants that alter gene regulatory activity in neural progenitor cells during fetal development. By contrast, average thickness is influenced by active regulatory elements in adult brain samples, which may reflect processes that occur after mid-fetal development, such as myelination, branching, or pruning. When considered together, these results support the radial unit hypothesis that different developmental mechanisms promote surface area expansion and increases in thickness. To identify specific genetic influences on individual cortical regions, we controlled for global measures (total surface area or average thickness) in the regional analyses. After multiple testing correction, we identified 175 loci that influence regional surface area and 46 that influence regional thickness. Loci that affect regional surface area cluster near genes involved in the Wnt signaling pathway, which is known to influence areal identity. We observed significant positive genetic correlations and evidence of bidirectional causation of total surface area with both general cognitive functioning and educational attainment. We found additional positive genetic correlations between total surface area and Parkinson’s disease but did not find evidence of causation. Negative genetic correlations were evident between total surface area and insomnia, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, depressive symptoms, major depressive disorder, and neuroticism. CONCLUSION This large-scale collaborative work enhances our understanding of the genetic architecture of the human cerebral cortex and its regional patterning. The highly polygenic architecture of the cortex suggests that distinct genes are involved in the development of specific cortical areas. Moreover, we find evidence that brain structure is a key phenotype along the causal pathway that leads from genetic variation to differences in general cognitive function. Identifying genetic influences on human cortical structure. ( A ) Measurement of cortical surface area and thickness from MRI. ( B ) Genomic locations of common genetic variants that influence global and regional cortical structure. ( C ) Our results support the radial unit hypothesis that the expansion of cortical surface area is driven by proliferating neural progenitor cells. ( D ) Cortical surface area shows genetic correlation with psychiatric and cognitive traits. Error bars indicate SE. IMAGE CREDITS: (A) K. COURTNEY; (C) M. R. GLASS