The role of indocyanine green fluorescence in endoscopic endonasal skull base surgery and its imaging correlations

OBJECTIVE

The use of endoscope-integrated indocyanine green (E-ICG) has recently been introduced in skull base surgery. The quantitative correlation between E-ICG and T1-weighted gadolinium-enhanced (T1WGd) images for skull base tumors has not been previously assessed, to the authors' knowledge. In this study, the authors investigated the indications for use and the limitations of E-ICG and sought to correlate the endoscopic fluorescence pattern with MRI contrast enhancement.

METHODS

Following IRB approval, 20 patients undergoing endoscopic endonasal skull base surgery between June 2017 and August 2018 were enrolled in the study. Tumor fluorescence was measured using a blue color value and blood fluorescence as a control. Signal intensities (SIs) of tumor T1WGd images were measured and the internal carotid artery (ICA) SI was used as a control. For pituitary adenoma, the pituitary gland fluorescence was also measured. The relationships between ICG fluorescence and MRI enhancement measurements were analyzed.

RESULTS

Data showed that in pituitary adenoma there was a strong correlation between the ratios of gland/blood fluorescence to gland/ICA SI (n = 8; r = 0.92; p = 0.001) and tumor/blood fluorescence to tumor/ICA SI (n = 9; r = 0.82; p = 0.006). In other pathologies there was a strong correlation between the ratios of tumor/blood fluorescence and tumor/ICA SI (n = 9; r = 0.74; p = 0.022). The ICG fluorescence allowed perfusion assessment of the pituitary gland as well as of the nasoseptal flaps. Visualization of the surrounding vasculature was also feasible.

CONCLUSIONS

Defining the indications and understanding the limitations are critical for the effective use of E-ICG. Tumor fluorescence seems to correlate with preoperative MRI contrast enhancement.

Transdermal Buprenorphine Use for Pain Management in Palliative Care

Cancer related pain is prevalent among patients with a cancer diagnosis, occurring from the tumor itself or as a result of treatment. Many patients require opioid therapy to manage pain and providers must balance efficacy with side effects. Transdermal buprenorphine (TDB) has shown promise for pain management, however, the maximum dose available in the US is considered low, resulting in doubts of efficacy. This study set out to assess if the patch strengths available in the US (5-20 mcg/hour) are able to provide analgesia for patients with cancer in a palliative medicine clinic. This retrospective chart review analyzed patient charts for outpatient TDB use within a palliative medicine clinic in the United States. Patients had to have a follow up visit with the clinic in order to be included. Sixty-eight patients were included for analysis with 54 (79%) continuing at least 28 days and 37 (54%) continuing for at least 84 days. The median change in pain score was 0, though 25 (46%) of patients reported a decrease of 1 or more points at the first follow up. TDB is a viable option for cancer related pain for select patients, demonstrated by duration of use and stable reporting of pain.

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Genetic Access Program: Paving the Way for Genetic Characterization of ALS in the Clinic

Objective

To report the frequency of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) genetic variants in a nationwide cohort of clinic-based patients with ALS with a family history of ALS (fALS), dementia (dALS), or both ALS and dementia (fALS/dALS).

Methods

A multicenter, prospective cohort of 573 patients with fALS, dALS, or fALS/dALS, underwent genetic testing in the ALS Genetic Access Program (ALS GAP), a clinical program for clinics of the Northeast ALS Consortium. Patients with dALS underwent C9orf72 hexanucleotide repeat expansion (HRE) testing; those with fALS or fALS/dALS underwent C9orf72 HRE testing, followed by sequencing of SOD1, FUS, TARDBP, TBK1, and VCP.

Results

A pathogenic (P) or likely pathogenic (LP) variant was identified in 171/573 (30%) of program participants. About half of patients with fALS or fALS/dALS (138/301, 45.8%) had either a C9orf72 HRE or a P or LP variant identified in SOD1, FUS, TARDBP, TBK1, or VCP. The use of a targeted, 5-gene sequencing panel resulted in far fewer uncertain test outcomes in familial cases compared with larger panels used in other in clinic-based cohorts. Among dALS cases 11.8% (32/270) were found to have the C9orf72 HRE. Patients of non-Caucasian geoancestry were less likely to test positive for the C9orf72 HRE, but were more likely to test positive on panel testing, compared with those of Caucasian ancestry.

Conclusions

The ALS GAP program provided a genetic diagnosis to ∼1 in 3 participants and may serve as a model for clinical genetic testing in ALS.

Survival outcomes in patients with IDC and ILC breast cancer: A well matched single institution study

e13056

Background: Invasive lobular carcinoma (ILC) accounts for only 10-15% of all invasive breast cancers but has distinct clinicopathologic characteristics and genomic profiles. In particular, metastatic lobular cancers (mILC) have unique sites of metastasis and it is unclear if the response to initial endocrine therapy differs from metastatic ductal cancers (mIDC). Therefore we have undertaken a single-institution, retrospective analysis to compare overall outcomes and response to initial endocrine therapy (ET) in patients (pts) with metastatic ILC and IDC. Methods: An IRB approved retrospective review of medical records was conducted evaluating pts treated for metastatic IDC and ILC at The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center from January 1, 2004 to December 31, 2014. Pts diagnosed with mIDC were matched on age, year of diagnosis, estrogen receptor/progesterone receptor and HER2 status and site of metastasis 2:1 to patients diagnosed with mILC. Overall survival (OS) was defined as the time from metastasis to death or last known follow-up. Progression-free survival (PFS) was defined as time from metastasis to progression on first-line ET. Time to chemotherapy (TTC) was defined as time from starting ET for metastasis to initiation of chemotherapy. Kaplan Meier (KM) methods were used to calculate median OS, PFS and TTC. Results: A total of one hundred sixty one pts with metastatic breast cancer were included in this analysis. The demographic features between the two groups were well balanced and included in the table below. The median OS was 2.6 yrs (95% CI: 1.55, 3.22) for mILC and 2.2 yrs (95% CI: 1.95, 2.62) for mIDC. A subset of 111 patients who started on endocrine therapy were used in the PFS and TTC analyses. The median PFS following first-line ET was 2.2 yrs (95% CI: 0.1.0, 2.7) for mILC and 1.4 yrs (95% CI: 0.91, 1.90) for mIDC. Median TTC was 2.1 yrs (95% CI: 1.71, 4.92) for mILC and 2.4 yrs (95% CI: 1.90, 4.77) for mIDC. There was no statistically significant difference in outcomes between the two groups. Conclusions: Outcomes in patients with ILC and IDC have been varied, with several studies reporting that patients with ILC have worse outcomes and response to chemotherapy. Our retrospective study examining outcomes in mILC in comparison with mIDC showed no difference in OS. Given the concern of resistance to conventional therapies in patients with lobular cancers, it is reassuring to see that the median PFS on first line ET and TTC was similar to metastatic ductal cancers.[Table: see text]

Perioperative do-not-resuscitate orders: Trainee experiential learning in preserving patient autonomy and knowledge of professional guidelines

Anesthesiologists and surgeons have demonstrated a lack of familiarity with professional guidelines when providing care for surgical patients with a do-not-resuscitate (DNR) order. This substantially infringes on patient's self-autonomy; therefore, leading to substandard care particularly for palliative surgical procedures. The interventional nature of surgical procedures may create a different mentality of surgical "buy-in," that may unintentionally prioritize survivability over maintaining patient self-autonomy. While previous literature has demonstrated gains in communication skills with simulation training, no specific educational curriculum has been proposed to specifically address perioperative code status discussions. We designed a simulated standardized patient actor (SPA) encounter at the beginning of post-graduate year (PGY) 2, corresponding to the initiation of anesthesiology specific training, allowing residents to focus on the perioperative discussion in relation to the SPA's DNR order.Forty four anesthesiology residents volunteered to participate in the study. PGY-2 group (n = 17) completed an immediate post-intervention assessment, while PGY-3 group (n = 13) completed the assessment approximately 1 year after the educational initiative to ascertain retention. PGY-4 residents (n = 14) did not undergo any specific educational intervention on the topic, but were given the same assessment. The assessment consisted of an anonymized survey that examined familiarity with professional guidelines and hospital policies in relation to perioperative DNR orders. Subsequently, survey responses were compared between classes.Study participants that had not participated in the educational intervention reported a lack of prior formalized instruction on caring for intraoperative DNR patients. Second and third year residents outperformed senior residents in being aware of the professional guidelines that detail perioperative code status decision-making (47%, 62% vs 21%, P = .004). PGY-3 residents outperformed PGY-4 residents in correctly identifying a commonly held misconception that institutional policies allow for automatic perioperative DNR suspensions (85% vs 43%; P = .02). Residents from the PGY-3 class, who were 1 year removed the educational intervention while gaining 1 additional year of clinical anesthesiology training, consistently outperformed more senior residents who never received the intervention.Our training model for code-status training with anesthesiology residents showed significant gains. The best results were achieved when combining clinical experience with focused educational training.

A prospective observational cohort study to evaluate patients' experience during sequential cataract surgery under monitored anesthesia care and topical anesthesia

Cataract surgery is the most common ambulatory surgery at our outpatient surgery center. Several studies have shown that patients with bilateral cataracts may experience different levels of anxiety, pain, and awareness during the first and second cataract extraction.A prospective observational cohort study was conducted at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center Eye and Ear Institute in order to compare anxiety, general comfort, awareness, and pain levels in patients undergoing sequential cataract surgeries. Likert and numerical rating scale were used to assess the outcomes. Patients receiving monitored anesthesia care and topical anesthesia were included.A total of 198 patients were enrolled in this study, 116 patients (59%) were female and 157 patients (78%) were Caucasians with a median age of 67 years among participants. Patients with rating "no anxiety" or feeling "somewhat anxious" were significantly higher during surgery 2 (P =< .001). Most of the patients felt "extremely comfortable" during surgery 1 when compared to surgery 2 (54% vs 42.9%; P = .08). No significant differences were found between surgeries regarding intraoperative awareness (P = .16). Overall, patients experienced mild pain during both procedures (92.4% in surgery 1 compared to 90.4% in surgery 2; P = .55). During the postoperative visit, 54% of the patients associated surgery 2 with less anxiety levels, 53% with no differences in general comfort, 60% felt more aware, and 59% had no differences in pain levels.Previous exposure to surgery could have been associated with a significant reduction in anxiety levels reported during surgery 2. Non-pharmacological strategies aiming to reduce perioperative anxiety may be considered an alternative or additional approach to premedication in patients undergoing consecutive cataract surgeries.

The effect of supplemental high Fidelity simulation training in medical students

BACKGROUND

Simulation-based education (SBE) with high-fidelity simulation (HFS) offers medical students early exposure to the clinical environment, allowing development of clinical scenarios and management. We hypothesized that supplementation of standard pulmonary physiology curriculum with HFS would improve the performance of first-year medical students on written tests of pulmonary physiology.

METHODS

This observational pilot study included SBE with three HFS scenarios of patient care that highlighted basic pulmonary physiology. First-year medical students' test scores of their cardio-pulmonary curriculum were compared between students who participated in SBE versus only lecture-based education (LBE). A survey was administered to the SBE group to assess their perception of the HFS.

RESULTS

From a class of 188 first-year medical students, 89 (47%) participated in the SBE and the remaining 99 were considered as the LBE group. On their cardio-pulmonary curriculum test, the SBE group had a median score of 106 [IQR: 97,110] and LBE group of 99 [IQR: 89,105] (p < 0.001). For the pulmonary physiology subsection, scores were also significantly different between groups (p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Implementation of supplemental SBE could be an adequate technique to improve learning enhancement and overall satisfaction in preclinical medical students.

Clinical impact of interruption in adjuvant Trastuzumab therapy in patients with operable HER-2 positive breast cancer

BACKGROUND

Trastuzumab-induced cardiotoxicity (TIC) can lead to early discontinuation of adjuvant therapy, however there is limited evidence on long-term survival outcomes in patients with operable human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-positive breast cancer (BC) experiencing treatment interruption or discontinuation.

METHODS

The primary objective of the study was to evaluate disease-free survival (DFS) in non-metastatic, HER2-positive, female BC patients who experienced treatment interruption or early discontinuation of trastuzumab therapy. Clinical and histopathological data were collected on 400 patients at The Ohio State University, an NCI-designated comprehensive cancer center between January 2005 and December 2015. Treatment interruption was defined as any delay of ≥2 weeks during trastuzumab therapy, including permanent cessation prior to completing planned therapy. TIC was defined as LVEF < 50% or > 15 points decline from baseline as evaluated by 2D echocardiogram after initiation of (neo) adjuvant therapy. DFS was defined as the time from diagnosis to first recurrence (loco-regional or distant recurrence) including second primary BC or death. Overall survival (OS) was defined as the time from diagnosis to death or last known follow up. OS/DFS estimates were generated using Kaplan-Meier methods and compared using Log-rank tests. Cox proportional hazard models were used to calculate adjusted hazard ratios (aHR) for OS/DFS.

RESULTS

A total of 369 patients received trastuzumab therapy; 106 (29%) patients experienced treatment interruption at least once and 42 (11%) permanently discontinued trastuzumab prior to completing planned therapy. TIC was the most common reason for interruption (66 patients, 62%). The median duration of trastuzumab in patients with treatment interruption was 11.3 months (range: 0.5-16.9) with 24 (23%) patients receiving ≤6 months of therapy. This duration includes the time delay related to treatment interruption. Patients with any treatment interruption had worse DFS (aHR: 4.4, p = 0.001) and OS (aHR: 4.8, p < 0.001) after adjusting for age, stage, grade, ER, node status and TIC.

CONCLUSIONS

Treatment interruption or early discontinuation of trastuzumab therapy in early HER2-positive BC, most often from TIC, is an independent prognostic marker for worse DFS and OS in operable HER2-positive BC. Future prospective studies should consider targeting at-risk populations and optimizing cardiac function to avoid interruption in trastuzumab therapy.

Trends in Acute Pain Management for Renal Colic in the Emergency Department at a Tertiary Care Academic Medical Center

Introduction: Renal colic secondary to kidney stone disease is a common reason for emergency department (ED) visits and often leads to patients receiving narcotic medications. The objective of this study was to describe longitudinal analgesia prescribing patterns for kidney stone patients acutely managed in the ED. Methods: This was a retrospective chart review of patients who presented to the ED between 2013 and 2018 and were subsequently diagnosed with a kidney stone. Encounters during which opioids and nonopioids were administered in the ED and prescribed at discharge were stratified by year, race, ethnicity, insurance status, gender, and location of ED (main academic campus and community-based campus). Patients were excluded if they required hospital admission or a stone-related procedure related to the ED encounter. Results: We reviewed 1620 total encounters for 1376 unique patients. Frequency of patients receiving opioids in the ED decreased from 81% in 2013 to 57% in 2018 (p < 0.001). During the same time period, nonopioid administration in the ED remained relatively unchanged (64% vs 67%). The proportion of patients prescribed opioids at discharge decreased from 77% to 59% (p < 0.001), while nonopioid prescriptions at discharge increased from 32% to 41% (p = 0.010). Frequency of administering both a narcotic and non-narcotic during the same ED encounter decreased over the 5-year period from 27% to 8% (p < 0.001). Conclusion: Opioids are being given less both during the ED encounter and at discharge for acute renal colic, while nonopioid prescribing is increasing. These trends may be due to increasing physician awareness to opioid addiction, or as a result of stricter legislation prohibiting opioid prescribing.

Novel heterozygous truncating titin variants affecting the A-band are associated with cardiomyopathy and myopathy/muscular dystrophy

BACKGROUND

Variants in TTN are frequently identified in the genetic evaluation of skeletal myopathy or cardiomyopathy. However, due to the high frequency of TTN variants in the general population, incomplete penetrance, and limited understanding of the spectrum of disease, interpretation of TTN variants is often difficult for laboratories and clinicians. Currently, cardiomyopathy is associated with heterozygous A-band TTN variants, whereas skeletal myopathy is largely associated with homozygous or compound heterozygous TTN variants. Recent reports show pathogenic variants in TTN may result in a broader phenotypic spectrum than previously recognized.

METHODS

Here we report the results of a multisite study that characterized the phenotypes of probands with variants in TTN. We investigated TTN genotype-phenotype correlations in probands with skeletal myopathy and/or cardiomyopathy. Probands with TTN truncating variants (TTNtv) or pathogenic missense variants were ascertained from two academic medical centers. Variants were identified via clinical genetic testing and reviewed according to the American College of Medical Genetics criteria. Clinical and family history data were documented via retrospective chart review. Family studies were performed for probands with atypical phenotypes.

RESULTS

Forty-nine probands were identified with TTNtv or pathogenic missense variants. Probands were classified by clinical presentation: cardiac (n = 30), skeletal muscle (n = 12), or both (cardioskeletal, n = 7). Within the cardioskeletal group, 5/7 probands had heterozygous TTNtv predicted to affect the distal (3') end of the A-band. All cardioskeletal probands had onset of proximal-predominant muscle weakness before diagnosis of cardiovascular disease, five pedigrees support dominant transmission.

CONCLUSION

Although heterozygous TTNtv in the A-band is known to cause dilated cardiomyopathy, we present evidence that these variants may in some cases cause a novel, dominant skeletal myopathy with a limb-girdle pattern of weakness. These findings emphasize the importance of multidisciplinary care for patients with A-band TTNtv who may be at risk for multisystem disease.

Features, Outcomes, and Management Strategies of Male Breast Cancer: A Single Institution Comparison to Well-Matched Female Controls

Objective

The primary objective of this study was to delineate differences in management, overall and distant disease-free survival in males diagnosed with breast cancer and treated at The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center as compared to comprehensively matched female subjects. Secondary objectives included assessment of clinical and histopathologic features and recurrence score, as measured by Oncotype DX and the modified Magee equation #2.

Materials and Methods

This single institution retrospective study compared male and comprehensively matched female patients (1:2) with stage I-III breast cancer between 1994 and 2014. Recurrence risk was estimated using a modified Magee equation. Overall survival and distant disease-free survival were estimated and compared using Kaplan-Meier and Log-rank methods.

Results

Forty-five male breast cancer patients were included (stage I: 26.7%; stage II: 53.3%; stage III: 20.0%; hormone receptor positive: 97.8%; human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 negative: 84.4%) with a median age of 63.8 (43.0-79.4) years at diagnosis. Intermediate and low recurrence scores were most common in male and female patients respectively; mean score was similar between groups (20.3 vs. 19.8). The proportion of male breast cancer patients treated with adjuvant chemotherapy and post-mastectomy radiation was lower compared to female patients (42.2% vs. 65.3%, p=0.013; 22.7% vs. 44.4%, p=0.030, respectively). Overall survival and distant disease-free survival between male and female patients were similar.

Conclusion

Male breast cancer patient outcomes were similar compared to well-matched female patients suggesting that breast cancer specific factors are more prognostic than gender.

The Effects of Patient Positioning on the Outcome During Posterior Cranial Fossa and Pineal Region Surgery

Background: Surgery on posterior cranial fossa (PCF) and pineal region (PR) carries the risks of intraoperative trauma to the brainstem structures, blood loss, venous air embolism (VAE), cardiovascular instability, and other complications. Success in surgery, among other factors, depends on selecting the optimal patient position. Our objective was to find associations between patient positioning, incidence of intraoperative complications, neurological recovery, and the extent of surgery.

Methods: This observational study was conducted in two medical centers: The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center (USA) and The Burdenko Neurosurgical Institute (Russian Federation). Patients were distributed in two groups based on the surgical position: sitting position (SP) or horizontal position (HP). The inclusion criteria were adult patients with space-occupying or vascular lesions requiring an open PCF or PR surgery. Perioperative variables were recorded and summarized using descriptive statistics. The post-treatment survival, functional outcome, and patient satisfaction were assessed at 3 months.

Results: A total of 109 patients were included in the study: 53 in SP and 56 in HP. A higher proportion of patients in the HP patients had >300 mL intraoperative blood loss compared to the SP group (32 vs. 13%; p = 0.0250). Intraoperative VAE was diagnosed in 40% of SP patients vs. 0% in the HP group (p < 0.0001). However, trans-esophageal echocardiographic (TEE) monitoring was more common in the SP group. Intraoperative hypotension was documented in 28% of SP patients compared to 9% in HP group (p = 0.0126). A higher proportion of SP patients experienced a new neurological symptom compared to the HP group (49 vs. 29%; p = 0.0281). The extent of tumor resection, postoperative 3-months survival, functional outcome, and patient satisfaction were not different in the groups.

Conclusions: The SP was associated with, less intraoperative bleeding, increased intraoperative hypotension, VAE, and postoperative neurological deficit. More HP patients experienced macroglossia and increased blood loss. At 3 months, there was no difference of parameters between the two groups.

Clinical Trial Registration:ClinicalTrials.gov: registration number NCT03364283.

Abstract P2-20-07: Assessment of leptomeningeal carcinomatosis management and outcomes in patients with advanced breast cancer from 2005 to 2015: A single institution experience

Background Leptomeningeal carcinomatosis (LMC) is a complication of advanced malignancies wherein metastatic disease invades the meninges of the central nervous system via contiguous spread from bone or brain metastases or hematogenous spread from systemic disease. Breast cancer is the most common solid tumor etiology of LMC. Approximately 5% of patients (pts) with breast cancer develop LMC. LMC has a median survival of 4 weeks when untreated and 8-16 weeks with treatment. The diagnosis of LMC remains challenging with only 60% of pts having cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) positive for malignant cells. There is no generally accepted standard of care for treatment of LMC but it may involve intrathecal or systemic chemotherapy, whole brain or spinal radiotherapy, or a combination of modalities. We aimed to assess detection and treatment strategies of LMC in pts with breast cancer treated at the Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center-James (OSUCCC-James) to better characterize the disease and guide clinical care. Methods An IRB-approved single-institution retrospective protocol was developed. Medical records of 469 pts who had undergone a procedure related to LMC diagnosis or treatment were identified and reviewed to determine study eligibility. Comprehensive data was obtained through information warehouse and chart review was performed for the eligible 69 pts with breast cancer diagnosed with LMC and treated at the OSUCCC-James between January 1, 2005 and December 31, 2015. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize demographic and clinical characteristics. Overall survival (OS) was defined as time from LMC diagnosis to death or last known follow-up, and was generated using Kaplan Meier methods. Comparisons in OS between groups were analyzed using Log-rank tests. Results Sixty-nine female pts were included in the analysis with the following characteristics: median age 55.7 years (range: 48-60.6 years), Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status of 0-2 (86%; N=59), and Caucasian (78%; N=54). They had the following subtypes hormone receptor positive (HR +), and human epidermal growth factor receptor (HER2) negative (61%, N=42), triple negative (25%, N=17) and HER2 positive (10%, N=7). The most common sites of metastases included bone (42%), brain (28%), and lung (12%). The median time between the diagnosis of first metastasis and LMC was 0.9 years (range: 0-3.2 years). Of the 40 (58%) pts who underwent lumbar puncture, 21 (52%) pts had positive CSF cytology. Sixty-eight pts (99%) had MRI findings suggestive of LMC. The most common treatment modalities were systemic chemotherapy (N=14, 41%), radiotherapy (N=12, 35%), and intrathecal chemotherapy (N=14, 35%). Fifty-six pts (81%) had a change in systemic chemotherapy agent after diagnosis. The median OS of all pts was 2.4 months (95% confidence interval: 1.2-4.4). Pts with ER+/PR+/HER2- had a better OS (4.4 months, 95%CI 1.5, 6.1)) compared to those with HER2+ (1.3 months, 95%CI 0.2, 1.9) or ER-/PR-/HER2- (0.6 months, 95%CI 0.0, 15.8) subtypes (p-value=0.004). Pts with negative CSF cytology had a greater OS compared to those with positive CSF cytology (9.8 vs. 0.7 months, p=0.026) and pts who had a change in systemic treatment had a greater OS compared with patients who had no new treatment (2.5 months vs. 1.2 months, p =0.039). No significant difference was seen in OS between ECOG performance status groups. Conclusions LMC is a relatively rare yet devastating complication of breast cancer. Based on our institutional experience, LMC remains a clinical challenge and is associated with poor OS. Pts with triple negative and HER2 positive disease and those with high disease burden fare worse. Pts who had change in systemic therapy fare better. Dedicated clinical trials are urgently needed to improve outcomes.

Citation Format: Hannah Rinehardt, Nicole Williams, Evan Morgan, Mahmooud Kassem, Marilly Palettas, Abdul Miah, Iyad Alnahhas, Pilar Guillermo Prieto Eibl, Anupama Suresh, Vinay Puduvalli, Pierre Giglio, Maryam Lustberg, Robert Wesolowski, Sagar Sardesai, Daniel Stover, Jeffrey VanDeusen, Jose Bazan, Bhuvaneswari Ramswamy, Anne Noonan. Assessment of leptomeningeal carcinomatosis management and outcomes in patients with advanced breast cancer from 2005 to 2015: A single institution experience [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 P2-20-07.

Assessment of outcomes and novel immune biomarkers in metaplastic breast cancer: a single institution retrospective study

BACKGROUND

Metaplastic breast cancer remains poorly characterized given its rarity and heterogeneity. The majority of metaplastic breast cancers demonstrate a phenotype of triple-negative breast cancer; however, differences in clinical outcomes between metaplastic breast cancer and triple-negative breast cancer in the era of third-generation chemotherapy remain unclear.

METHODS

We compared the clinical outcomes between women with metaplastic breast cancer and women with triple-negative breast cancer diagnosed between 1994 and 2014. Metaplastic breast cancer patients were matched 1:3 to triple-negative breast cancer patients by stage and age at diagnosis. Distant disease-free survival (DDFS) and overall survival (OS) were estimated using Kaplan Meier methods and Cox proportional hazard regression models. Immune checkpoint markers were characterized by immunohistochemistry in a subset of samples.

RESULTS

Forty-four metaplastic breast cancer patients (stage I 14%; stage II 73%; stage III 11%; stage IV 2%) with an average age of 55.4 (± 13.9) years at diagnosis. Median follow-up for the included metaplastic breast cancer and triple-negative breast cancer patients (n = 174) was 2.8 (0.1-19.0) years. The DDFS and OS between matched metaplastic breast cancer and triple-negative breast cancer patients were similar, even when adjusting for clinical covariates (DDFS: HR = 1.64, p = 0.22; OS: HR = 1.64, p = 0.26). Metaplastic breast cancer samples (n = 27) demonstrated greater amount of CD163 in the stroma (p = 0.05) and PD-L1 in the tumor (p = 0.01) than triple-negative breast cancer samples (n = 119), although more triple-negative breast cancer samples were positive for CD8 in the tumor than metaplastic breast cancer samples (p = 0.02).

CONCLUSIONS

Patients with metaplastic breast cancer had similar outcomes to those with triple-negative breast cancer based on DDFS and OS. The immune checkpoint marker profile of metaplastic breast cancers in this study may prove useful in future studies attempting to demonstrate an association between immune profile and survival.

Incidence of pathogenic, likely pathogenic, and uncertain ALS variants in a clinic cohort

Objective

To determine the incidence of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) genetic variants in a clinic-based population.

Methods

A prospective cohort of patients with definite or probable ALS was offered genetic testing using a testing algorithm based on family history and age at onset.

Results

The incidence of pathogenic (P) or likely pathogenic (LP) variants was 56.0% in familial ALS (fALS); 11.8% in patients with ALS with a family history of dementia, and 6.8% in sporadic ALS (p < 0.001). C9orf72 expansions accounted for the majority (79%) of P or LP variants in fALS cases. Variants of uncertain significance were identified in 20.0% of fALS cases overall and in 35.7% of C9orf72-negative cases. P or LP variants were detected in 18.5% of early-onset cases (onset age <50 years); the incidence of P or LP variants was not significantly different between family history types in this group.

Conclusions

Our data suggest that the incidence of P and LP variants in genes other than C9orf72 is lower than expected in Midwestern fALS cases compared with research cohorts and highlights the challenge of variant interpretation in ALS. An accurate understanding of the incidence of pathogenic variants in clinic-based ALS populations is necessary to prioritize targets for therapeutic intervention and inform clinical trial design.

Clevidipine use after first-line treatment failure for perioperative hypertension in neurosurgical patients: A single-center experience

Perioperative hypertension is a common occurrence in the neurosurgical population, where 60% to 90% of the patients require treatment for blood pressure (BP) control. Nicardipine and clevidipine have been commonly used in neurocritical settings. This retrospective, observational study assessed the effectivity of the administration of clevidipine after nicardipine treatment failure in neurosurgical patients.We retrospectively reviewed the medical charts of adult patients who were admitted to our neurosurgical department and received clevidipine after nicardipine treatment failure for the control of BP. The primary effectivity outcome was the comparison of the percentage of time spent at targeted SBP goals during nicardipine and clevidipine administration, respectively.A total of 12 adult patients treated with clevidipine after nicardipine treatment failure and were included for data analysis. The median number of events that required dose-titration was 20.5 vs 17 during the administration of nicardipine and clevidipine, respectively (P = .534). The median percentage of time spent at targeted SBP goal was 76.2% during the administration of nicardipine and 93.4% during the administration of clevidipine (P = .123).Our study suggests that clevidipine could be an alternative effective drug with an acceptable benefit/risk ratio in the neurosurgical population that fails to achieve BP control with nicardipine treatment.

HTLV-1 CTCF-binding site is dispensable for in vitro immortalization and persistent infection in vivo

BACKGROUND

Human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1) is the etiologic agent of adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATL) and the neurological disorder HTLV-1-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP). The exact mechanism(s) through which latency and disease progression are regulated are not fully understood. CCCTC-binding factor (CTCF) is an 11-zinc finger, sequence-specific, DNA-binding protein with thousands of binding sites throughout mammalian genomes. CTCF has been shown to play a role in organization of higher-order chromatin structure, gene expression, genomic imprinting, and serve as a barrier to epigenetic modification. A viral CTCF-binding site (vCTCF-BS) was previously identified within the overlapping p12 (sense) and Hbz (antisense) genes of the HTLV-1 genome. Thus, upon integration, HTLV-1 randomly inserts a vCTCF-BS into the host genome. vCTCF-BS studies to date have focused primarily on HTLV-1 chronically infected or tumor-derived cell lines. In these studies, HTLV-1 was shown to alter the structure and transcription of the surrounding host chromatin through the newly inserted vCTCF-BS. However, the effects of CTCF binding in the early stages of HTLV-1 infection remains unexplored. This study examines the effects of the vCTCF-BS on HTLV-1-induced in vitro immortalization and in vivo viral persistence in infected rabbits.

RESULTS

HTLV-1 and HTLV-1∆CTCF LTR-transactivation, viral particle production, and immortalization capacity were comparable in vitro. The total lymphocyte count, proviral load, and Hbz gene expression were not significantly different between HTLV-1 and HTLV-1∆CTCF-infected rabbits throughout a 12 week study. However, HTLV-1∆CTCF-infected rabbits displayed a significantly decreased HTLV-1-specific antibody response compared to HTLV-1-infected rabbits.

CONCLUSIONS

Mutation of the HTLV-1 vCTCF-BS does not significantly alter T-lymphocyte transformation capacity or early in vivo virus persistence, but results in a decreased HTLV-1-specific antibody response during early infection in rabbits. Ultimately, understanding epigenetic regulation of HTLV-1 gene expression and pathogenesis could provide meaningful insights into mechanisms of immune evasion and novel therapeutic targets.

An Ambulatory Care Clinic and Community Pharmacy Collaboration to Address Prescription Abandonment

Purpose

The purpose of this research is to evaluate a collaborative workflow aimed at decreasing prescription abandonment.

Setting

A federally qualified health center and a 340B contracted grocery store-based community pharmacy.

Practice Workflow

An ambulatory care clinic with an established partnership with a community pharmacy chain identified a need to decrease prescription abandonment rates. A process was developed whereby an ambulatory care pharmacy technician received a report from the pharmacy of prescriptions filled for at least 7 days since the initial fill date and at risk for abandonment at the community pharmacy. The pharmacy technician identified health-system barriers, attempted to remedy any identified barriers, and conducted patient reminder phone calls. Health-system barriers were classified by the following categories: incorrect contact information at the community pharmacy, incorrect 340B copayment, incorrect insurance information at the community pharmacy, and need for prior authorization.

Evaluation

A prospective cohort study was conducted from February 2016 to April 2016 in order to evaluate the effectiveness of this workflow.

Results

551 prescriptions and 350 patients were included in this cohort. Of the 551 prescriptions, 362 had at least one identified barrier that may have led to prescription abandonment. There were 111 health-system identified barriers, and 96 of these barriers were acted upon. Additionally, there were 459 patient identified barriers, and 179 of these barriers were acted upon. When a pharmacy technician was able to identify and act upon at least one barrier, 106 prescriptions (46.9%) were picked-up from the pharmacy.

Conclusion

From the information gathered in this quality improvement project, operational changes have been implemented at the ambulatory care clinic and community pharmacy as a means to further decrease modifiable health-system barriers that may lead to prescription abandonment.

LPTO-10. ASSESSMENT OF LEPTOMENINGEAL CARCINOMATOSIS DIAGNOSIS AND OUTCOMES FROM 2005 TO 2015 AT THE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY

BACKGROUND: Leptomeningeal carcinomatosis (LMC) is a complication of solid tumor malignancies where tumors metastasize to the leptomeninges. LMC complicates 4–15% of malignancies with incidence increasing as survival of patients with advanced cancer improves. Diagnostic methods include magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) cytology. We assessed detection methods, incidence, and outcomes of LMC at The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center from 2005–2015. METHODS: This was a single-institution retrospective study of 160 patients with confirmed diagnosis of LMC. Patients with hematologic and central nervous system malignancies were excluded. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize demographic and clinical characteristics. Overall survival (OS) was defined as time from LMC diagnosis to death or last known follow-up, and was generated using Kaplan-Meier methods. RESULTS: Median age of LMC diagnosis was 55.8 years (range: 48, 62.5). 69 (43%) patients had primary breast cancer, 41 (26%) had lung cancer, and 17 (11%) had melanoma. 73 patients (46%) presented with stage IV disease at initial diagnosis of the primary cancer, 41 (26%) with stage III disease, and 26 (16%) with stage II disease. Median time from diagnosis of primary cancer to diagnosis of LMC was 2 years (range: 0, 31.2). 158 (99%) patients had metastases at the time of LMC diagnosis, predominantly in bone (36%) or brain (36%). Median OS was 1.9 months (CI: 1.3, 2.5). 160 (100%) patients had an MRI of the brain or spine and 155 (97%) had MRI findings consistent with LMC. 75 (47%) patients underwent lumbar puncture, and 39 (52%) had CSF cytology positive for malignancy. CONCLUSIONS: Despite treatment, prognosis remains poor and confirmation of diagnosis can be challenging. This study highlights the need for novel therapeutics and improved diagnostic techniques for patients with LMC.

Abrupt involution induces inflammation, estrogenic signaling, and hyperplasia linking lack of breastfeeding with increased risk of breast cancer

Background

A large collaborative analysis of data from 47 epidemiological studies concluded that longer duration of breastfeeding reduces the risk of developing breast cancer. Despite the strong epidemiological evidence, the molecular mechanisms linking prolonged breastfeeding to decreased risk of breast cancer remain poorly understood.

Methods

We modeled two types of breastfeeding behaviors in wild type FVB/N mice: (1) normal or gradual involution of breast tissue following prolonged breastfeeding and (2) forced or abrupt involution following short-term breastfeeding. To accomplish this, pups were gradually weaned between 28 and 31 days (gradual involution) or abruptly at 7 days postpartum (abrupt involution). Mammary glands were examined for histological changes, proliferation, and inflammatory markers by immunohistochemistry. Fluorescence-activated cell sorting was used to quantify mammary epithelial subpopulations. Gene set enrichment analysis was used to analyze gene expression data from mouse mammary luminal progenitor cells. Similar analysis was done using gene expression data generated from human breast samples obtained from parous women enrolled on a tissue collection study, OSU-2011C0094, and were undergoing reduction mammoplasty without history of breast cancer.

Results

Mammary glands from mice that underwent abrupt involution exhibited denser stroma, altered collagen composition, higher inflammation and proliferation, increased estrogen receptor α and progesterone receptor expression compared to those that underwent gradual involution. Importantly, when aged to 4 months postpartum, mice that were in the abrupt involution cohort developed ductal hyperplasia and squamous metaplasia. Abrupt involution also resulted in a significant expansion of the luminal progenitor cell compartment associated with enrichment of Notch and estrogen signaling pathway genes. Breast tissues obtained from healthy women who breastfed for < 6 months vs ≥ 6 months showed significant enrichment of Notch signaling pathway genes, along with a trend for enrichment for luminal progenitor gene signature similar to what is observed in BRCA1 mutation carriers and basal-like breast tumors.

Conclusions

We report here for the first time that forced or abrupt involution of the mammary glands following pregnancy and lack of breastfeeding results in expansion of luminal progenitor cells, higher inflammation, proliferation, and ductal hyperplasia, a known risk factor for developing breast cancer.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1186/s13058-019-1163-7) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Assessment of Leptomeningeal Carcinomatosis Diagnosis and Outcomes from 2005 to 2015 at Ohio State University

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Background: Leptomeningeal carcinomatosis (LMC) is a complication of advanced malignancies wherein primary tumors metastasize to the leptomeninges surrounding brain and spinal cord. LMC complicates 4-15% of malignant solid tumors with incidence increasing as survival of patients with advanced cancer improves. Diagnostic methods include magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) cytology. MRI findings may be nonspecific, and the gold standard of diagnosis is malignant cytology on CSF analysis. We assessed detection methods, incidence, and outcomes of LMC at The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center from 2005-2015. Methods: This was an IRB-approved single-institution retrospective study of 160 patients with confirmed diagnosis of LMC who were treated at the OSUCCC-James between Jan 1, 2005 and Dec 31, 2015. Patients with hematologic and central nervous system malignancies were excluded. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize demographic and clinical characteristics. Overall survival (OS) was defined as time from LMC diagnosis to death or last known follow-up, and was generated using Kaplan-Meier methods. Results: Median age of LMC diagnosis was 55.8 years (range: 48, 62.5). 69 (43%) patients had primary breast cancer, 41 (26%) had lung cancer, and 17 (11%) had melanoma. 73 patients (46%) presented with stage IV disease at initial diagnosis of the primary cancer, 41 (26%) with stage III disease, and 26 (16%) with stage II disease. Median time from diagnosis of primary cancer to diagnosis of LMC was 2 years (range: 0, 31.2). 158 (99%) patients had metastases at the time of LMC diagnosis, predominantly in bone (36%) or brain (36%). Median OS was 1.9 months (CI: 1.3, 2.5). 160 (100%) patients had an MRI of the brain or spine and 155 (97%) had MRI findings consistent with LMC. 75 (47%) patients underwent lumbar puncture, and 39 (52%) had CSF cytology positive for malignancy. Conclusions: Patients with LMC commonly presented with stage IV breast cancer, lung cancer, or melanoma with metastases to the brain or bone. Despite treatment, prognosis remains poor and confirmation of diagnosis can be challenging. Clinicians should have a low threshold for investigating LMC in high risk patients presenting with neurologic signs or symptoms.

Survival outcomes by hormone receptor expression in early-stage HER2-positive breast cancer

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Background: The clinical heterogeneity seen in HER 2 positive breast cancer (BC), mostly related to hormone receptor (HR) expression has been suggested to underlie the variability of response not only to endocrine treatments, but also to anti-HER-2 therapies. Herein, we describe our single institution experience with clinical outcomes by HR expression in early HER 2 positive BC. Methods: An IRB-approved single-institution retrospective analysis was performed for 400 consecutive patients with non-metastatic HER 2 + BC treated at the Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center from 2005-2015. Medical records were reviewed for clinic-pathologic, treatment, and survival information. Disease Free Survival (DFS) was defined as time from diagnosis to first recurrence (loco-regional or distant recurrence) including second primary BC or death. Overall survival (OS) was defined as time from diagnosis to death or last known follow up. OS and DFS estimates were generated using Kaplan Meier methods and compared using Log-rank tests. Cox proportional hazard models were used to calculate univariate and multivariate hazard ratios for OS and DFS. Results: a total of 180/400(45%) patients were diagnosed with HR positive disease. The mean age was 54.1y and patients were predominately white (267, 84%), post-menopausal (190, 60%) and presented with invasive ductal cancer (293, 92%). HR negative disease was significantly associated with high tumor grade (72% vs. 52%, p <0.0001) and lower BMI (27.6 vs 30.1, p 0.0218) compared to HR + tumors. The frequency of CNS metastases was not significantly different between both groups (8 (4%) in HR + vs. 8(6%) in HR –, p 0.9909). 173(96%) of HR + patients received anti-estrogen therapy with median duration of therapy of 40.9 months and 22(13%) received adjuvant ovarian suppression. There was no significant difference between the DFS and OS by hormone receptor expression (P= 0.7459 and 0.6518 respectively). However, higher number of HR negative patients undergoing neoadjuvant therapy achieved a complete pathologic response (pCR, 64% vs 44%, p 0.0092). pCR was prognostic for both DFS(p 0.0002) and OS (p 0.0008) in HR negative subgroup and not in HR + subgroup. Conclusions: The triple positive phenotype represents a distinct clinical subtype of HER 2 positive breast cancer associated with low tumor grade and lower frequency of pCR. Consistent with other studies, pCR was not prognostic of long term survival in triple positive disease. Future trials investigating the ER/ HER 2 cross talk are needed for this patient population.

CLO19-027: Assessment of Metastatic Invasive Lobular Carcinoma Management and Outcomes From 2004-2014: A Single Institution Experience

Background: Invasive lobular carcinoma (ILC) accounts for 5%–15% of all invasive breast cancer cases. ILC has the propensity for distant late recurrence with widespread metastatic disease. To our knowledge, there is limited data on the clinical outcomes and treatment strategies of metastatic ILC. This retrospective study evaluates the overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) in the metastatic ILC population at a single institution, focusing on first line treatment received in the metastatic setting. Methods: A retrospective chart review was performed on patients (Pts) diagnosed with metastatic ILC diagnosed at The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center between January 1, 2004 and December 31, 2014 using an IRB approved protocol. Patient demographics, clinical characteristics, and treatment modalities were summarized with descriptive statistics. OS (time from metastasis to death or last known follow-up) and PFS (time from diagnosis of metastasis to progression) were compared between types of first-line treatment: endocrine therapy (ET), chemotherapy (chemo), chemo followed by ET, ET plus CDK 4/6 inhibitor, or other treatments. OS and PFS estimates were generated using Kaplan Meier methods and compared using Log-rank tests. Results: 60 female pts were included in this study. The median age was 59 years (24–78). 45 (75%) pts were postmenopausal, 44 (73%) ER+/PR+, 14 (23%) ER+/PR-, and 2 (3%) ER-PR-, 28 (47%) with only bone metastases, 19 (32%) with visceral and bone metastases, and 13 (22%) with liver metastases. Twenty-eight (47%) pts received first line ET therapy, 12 (20%) received ET + CDK 4/6 inhibitor, 7 (12%) received chemo alone, 4 (7%) received chemo followed by ET, and 9 (15%) received other types of first line therapy. The median OS was 3.0 years, and the median PFS was 1.4 years. No difference in the Kaplan-Meier curves was found between first-line treatment groups in OS or PFS (OS: P=.247; PFS: P=.436). Discussion: ILC is a histologically distinct disease from invasive ductal cancer. It has been previously shown that invasive lobular cancer may not be as sensitive to adjuvant chemotherapy. We showed that in the metastatic setting there was no difference in PFS and OS among first line treatment groups. ET remains preferred treatment option; however, based on our data, chemotherapy can be considered in patient with metastatic ILC in the appropriate clinical context such as visceral crisis.