1
|
Barsouk A, Elghawy O, Stone S, Singh A. Patient with mediastinal carcinoma of unknown primary with RET fusion achieves durable response with RET inhibition. Anticancer Drugs 2024:00001813-990000000-00277. [PMID: 38696710 DOI: 10.1097/cad.0000000000001618] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/04/2024]
Abstract
Selective RET inhibitors have shown promise in thyroid cancer (TC) and nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC) harboring RET fusions on next-generation sequencing (NGS), although rarity of the rearrangement has led to limited data for certain tumor types, such as carcinoma of unknown primary. We present a 65-year-old female with no history of malignancy, smoking or radiation exposure, who was found to have an anterior mediastinum malignancy of unknown primary, with metastases to supraclavicular lymph nodes. Core biopsy of the mediastinum revealed poorly differentiated carcinoma, while a biopsy of the thyroid revealed atypia of indeterminate significance (Bethesda III). PD-L1 immunohistochemistry was positive (90%), and liquid NGS revealed mutations in TP53 and the TERT promoter (c.-124C>T), as well as a CCDC6-RET fusion. This genetic profile resembled an anaplastic TC vs. NSCLC primary, although thymic primary and poorly differentiated TC remained on the differential. The patient was initiated on selpercatinib, which was held after 3 weeks due to thrombocytopenia and hypertension. At a reduced dosage, patient developed transaminitis, and selpercatinib was switched to pralsetinib. Brain MRI showed a nonenhancing temporal lobe signal abnormality, which on biopsy proved to be glioblastoma (GBM) with TERT promoter c.-124C>T mutation and FGFR3-TACC3 fusion by NGS. Pralsetinib was held during adjuvant chemoradiation for the GBM, and again for 4 weeks due to pneumonitis that resolved with steroids, and pralsetinib was restarted at a reduced dose. The patient has since demonstrated a stable reduction of the mediastinal mass for >15 months with RET inhibition therapy, despite several treatment interruptions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Adam Barsouk
- Department of Medical Oncology, Abramson Cancer Center, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania
| | - Omar Elghawy
- Department of Medical Oncology, Abramson Cancer Center, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania
| | - Sara Stone
- Department of Pathology, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Aditi Singh
- Department of Medical Oncology, Abramson Cancer Center, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Lorkowski SW, Dermawan JK, Rubin BP. The practical utility of AI-assisted molecular profiling in the diagnosis and management of cancer of unknown primary: an updated review. Virchows Arch 2024; 484:369-375. [PMID: 37999736 DOI: 10.1007/s00428-023-03708-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2023] [Revised: 11/07/2023] [Accepted: 11/14/2023] [Indexed: 11/25/2023]
Abstract
Cancer of unknown primary (CUP) presents a complex diagnostic challenge, characterized by metastatic tumors of unknown tissue origin and a dismal prognosis. This review delves into the emerging significance of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) in transforming the landscape of CUP diagnosis, classification, and treatment. ML approaches, trained on extensive molecular profiling data, have shown promise in accurately predicting tissue of origin. Genomic profiling, encompassing driver mutations and copy number variations, plays a pivotal role in CUP diagnosis by providing insights into tumor type-specific oncogenic alterations. Mutational signatures (MS), reflecting somatic mutation patterns, offer further insights into CUP diagnosis. Known MS with established etiology, such as ultraviolet (UV) light-induced DNA damage and tobacco exposure, have been identified in cases of dedifferentiated/transdifferentiated melanoma and carcinoma. Deep learning models that integrate gene expression data and DNA methylation patterns offer insights into tissue lineage and tumor classification. In digital pathology, machine learning algorithms analyze whole-slide images to aid in CUP classification. Finally, precision oncology, guided by molecular profiling, offers targeted therapies independent of primary tissue identification. Clinical trials assigning CUP patients to molecularly guided therapies, including targetable alterations and tumor mutation burden as an immunotherapy biomarker, have resulted in improved overall survival in a subset of patients. In conclusion, AI- and ML-driven approaches are revolutionizing CUP management by enhancing diagnostic accuracy. Precision oncology utilizing enhanced molecular profiling facilitates the identification of targeted therapies that transcend the need to identify the tissue of origin, ultimately improving patient outcomes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Shuhui Wang Lorkowski
- Department of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Sciences, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, 44195, USA
| | - Josephine K Dermawan
- Robert J. Tomsich Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, 44195, USA
| | - Brian P Rubin
- Robert J. Tomsich Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, 44195, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Ma W, Wu H, Chen Y, Xu H, Jiang J, Du B, Wan M, Ma X, Chen X, Lin L, Su X, Bao X, Shen Y, Xu N, Ruan J, Jiang H, Ding Y. New techniques to identify the tissue of origin for cancer of unknown primary in the era of precision medicine: progress and challenges. Brief Bioinform 2024; 25:bbae028. [PMID: 38343328 PMCID: PMC10859692 DOI: 10.1093/bib/bbae028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2023] [Revised: 12/10/2023] [Accepted: 01/11/2024] [Indexed: 02/15/2024] Open
Abstract
Despite a standardized diagnostic examination, cancer of unknown primary (CUP) is a rare metastatic malignancy with an unidentified tissue of origin (TOO). Patients diagnosed with CUP are typically treated with empiric chemotherapy, although their prognosis is worse than those with metastatic cancer of a known origin. TOO identification of CUP has been employed in precision medicine, and subsequent site-specific therapy is clinically helpful. For example, molecular profiling, including genomic profiling, gene expression profiling, epigenetics and proteins, has facilitated TOO identification. Moreover, machine learning has improved identification accuracy, and non-invasive methods, such as liquid biopsy and image omics, are gaining momentum. However, the heterogeneity in prediction accuracy, sample requirements and technical fundamentals among the various techniques is noteworthy. Accordingly, we systematically reviewed the development and limitations of novel TOO identification methods, compared their pros and cons and assessed their potential clinical usefulness. Our study may help patients shift from empirical to customized care and improve their prognoses.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Wenyuan Ma
- Department of Medical Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Hui Wu
- Department of Medical Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yiran Chen
- Department of Surgical Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Hongxia Xu
- Zhejiang University-University of Edinburgh Institute (ZJU-UoE Institute), Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Haining, China
| | - Junjie Jiang
- Department of Gastroenterology, Affiliated Hangzhou First People's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Bang Du
- Real Doctor AI Research Centre, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Mingyu Wan
- Department of Medical Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xiaolu Ma
- Department of Medical Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xiaoyu Chen
- Department of Medical Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Lili Lin
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xinhui Su
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xuanwen Bao
- Department of Medical Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yifei Shen
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, the First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Nong Xu
- Department of Medical Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jian Ruan
- Department of Medical Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Haiping Jiang
- Department of Medical Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yongfeng Ding
- Department of Medical Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Ren M, Cai X, Jia L, Bai Q, Zhu X, Hu X, Wang Q, Luo Z, Zhou X. Comprehensive analysis of cancer of unknown primary and recommendation of a histological and immunohistochemical diagnostic strategy from China. BMC Cancer 2023; 23:1175. [PMID: 38041048 PMCID: PMC10691136 DOI: 10.1186/s12885-023-11563-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2023] [Accepted: 10/24/2023] [Indexed: 12/03/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Previous studies on cancer of unknown primary (CUP) mainly focus on treatment and prognosis in western populations and lacked clinical evaluation of different IHC markers, so this study aimed to evaluate characteristics of CUP and recommend a diagnostic strategy from a single center in China. METHODS AND RESULTS Data of 625 patients with CUP were retrospectively collected and reviewed. The patients ranged in age from 20 to 91 years, with a female-to-male ratio of 1.3:1. The predominant histological type was poor or undifferentiated adenocarcinomas (308; 49.3%). The results of Canhelp-Origin molecular testing for the identification of the tissue of origin in 262 of 369 patients (71.0%) were considered predictable (similarity score > 45), with the most common predicted primary tumor site being the breast (57, 21.8%). Unpredictable molecular results correlated with more aggressive clinical parameters and poor survival. Thee positivity rates of several targeted antibodies (GATA3, GCDFP15, TTF1, Napsin A, and PAX8), based on the clinically predicted site, were lower than those reported for the corresponding primary tumors. Nonetheless, TRPS1 and INSM1 were reliable markers of predicted breast carcinoma (75.0%) and neuroendocrine tumors (83.3%), respectively. P16 expression, as well as HPV and EBER testing contributed significantly to the diagnosis of squamous cell carcinomas. Survival analysis revealed that older ages (> 57), ≥ 3 metastatic sites, non-squamous cell carcinomas, bone/liver/lung metastases, unpredictable molecular results, and palliative treatment correlated with poor overall survival. CONCLUSIONS We recommend a CUP diagnostic strategy involving the use of targeted antibody panels as per histological findings that is potentially applicable in clinical practice. The markers TRPS1, INSM1, and P16 expression, as well as HPV and EBER testing are particularly valuable in this aspect. Molecular testing is also predictive of survival rates.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Min Ren
- Department of Pathology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, 270 Dong'an Road, Shanghai, 200032, China
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
- Institute of Pathology, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Xu Cai
- Department of Pathology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, 270 Dong'an Road, Shanghai, 200032, China
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
- Institute of Pathology, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Liqing Jia
- Department of Pathology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, 270 Dong'an Road, Shanghai, 200032, China
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
- Institute of Pathology, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Qianming Bai
- Department of Pathology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, 270 Dong'an Road, Shanghai, 200032, China
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
- Institute of Pathology, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Xiaoli Zhu
- Department of Pathology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, 270 Dong'an Road, Shanghai, 200032, China
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
- Institute of Pathology, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Xichun Hu
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
- Department of Medical Oncology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Qifeng Wang
- Department of Pathology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, 270 Dong'an Road, Shanghai, 200032, China.
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China.
- Institute of Pathology, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China.
| | - Zhiguo Luo
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China.
- Department of Medical Oncology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, 200032, China.
| | - Xiaoyan Zhou
- Department of Pathology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, 270 Dong'an Road, Shanghai, 200032, China.
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China.
- Institute of Pathology, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China.
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Huang X, Ren D, Sun Q, Xu X, Ding Y. Exceptional response to immunotherapy monotherapy in a patient with an unfavorable subset of cancer of unknown primary. Quant Imaging Med Surg 2023; 13:8832-8838. [PMID: 38106245 PMCID: PMC10722074 DOI: 10.21037/qims-23-284] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2023] [Accepted: 09/08/2023] [Indexed: 12/19/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Xiangzhong Huang
- Department of Interventional Radiology, Jiangyin Hospital Affiliated to Nantong University, Jiangyin, China
| | - Dongqing Ren
- Department of Interventional Radiology, Jiangyin Hospital Affiliated to Nantong University, Jiangyin, China
| | - Qiulian Sun
- Department of Radiology, The Fifth People’s Hospital of Suzhou, Suzhou, China
| | - Xinjian Xu
- Department of Interventional Radiology, Jiangyin Hospital Affiliated to Nantong University, Jiangyin, China
| | - Yiwen Ding
- Department of Interventional Radiology, Jiangyin Hospital Affiliated to Nantong University, Jiangyin, China
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Zhang S, He S, Zhu X, Wang Y, Xie Q, Song X, Xu C, Wang W, Xing L, Xia C, Wang Q, Li W, Zhang X, Yu J, Ma S, Shi J, Gu H. DNA methylation profiling to determine the primary sites of metastatic cancers using formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissues. Nat Commun 2023; 14:5686. [PMID: 37709764 PMCID: PMC10502058 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-41015-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2022] [Accepted: 08/18/2023] [Indexed: 09/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Identifying the primary site of metastatic cancer is critical to guiding the subsequent treatment. Approximately 3-9% of metastatic patients are diagnosed with cancer of unknown primary sites (CUP) even after a comprehensive diagnostic workup. However, a widely accepted molecular test is still not available. Here, we report a method that applies formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissues to construct reduced representation bisulfite sequencing libraries (FFPE-RRBS). We then generate and systematically evaluate 28 molecular classifiers, built on four DNA methylation scoring methods and seven machine learning approaches, using the RRBS library dataset of 498 fresh-frozen tumor tissues from primary cancer patients. Among these classifiers, the beta value-based linear support vector (BELIVE) performs the best, achieving overall accuracies of 81-93% for identifying the primary sites in 215 metastatic patients using top-k predictions (k = 1, 2, 3). Coincidentally, BELIVE also successfully predicts the tissue of origin in 81-93% of CUP patients (n = 68).
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Shirong Zhang
- Translational Medicine Research Center, Hangzhou First People's Hospital, 310006, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China
- Key Laboratory of Clinical Cancer Pharmacology and Toxicology Research of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou First People's Hospital, 310006, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Shutao He
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 200031, Shanghai, China
- Institute of Biotechnology and Health, Beijing Academy of Science and Technology, 100089, Beijing, China
| | - Xin Zhu
- Key Laboratory of Head & Neck Cancer Translational Research of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang Cancer Hospital, 310022, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Yunfei Wang
- Zhejiang ShengTing Biotech Co. Ltd, 310018, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Qionghuan Xie
- Zhejiang ShengTing Biotech Co. Ltd, 310018, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Xianrang Song
- Shandong Cancer Hospital and Institute, Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, 250117, Jinan, Shandong Province, China
| | - Chunwei Xu
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, Jinling Hospital, Nanjing University School of Medicine, 210002, Nanjing, Jiangshu Province, China
| | - Wenxian Wang
- Key Laboratory of Head & Neck Cancer Translational Research of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang Cancer Hospital, 310022, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Ligang Xing
- Shandong Cancer Hospital and Institute, Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, 250117, Jinan, Shandong Province, China
| | - Chengqing Xia
- Zhejiang ShengTing Biotech Co. Ltd, 310018, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Qian Wang
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Jiangsu Province Hospital of Chinese Medicine, 210029, Nanjing, Jiangshu Province, China
| | - Wenfeng Li
- Department of Medical Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, 325000, Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Xiaochen Zhang
- Department of Medical Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 310006, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Jinming Yu
- Shandong Cancer Hospital and Institute, Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, 250117, Jinan, Shandong Province, China
| | - Shenglin Ma
- Translational Medicine Research Center, Hangzhou First People's Hospital, 310006, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China.
- Department of Oncology, Hangzhou Cancer Hospital, 310006, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China.
| | - Jiantao Shi
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 200031, Shanghai, China.
| | - Hongcang Gu
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Medical Physics and Technology, Institute of Health and Medical Technology, Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 230031, Hefei, Anhui Province, China.
- Hefei Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 230031, Hefei, Anhui Province, China.
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Darmofal M, Suman S, Atwal G, Chen JF, Chang JC, Toomey M, Vakiani E, Varghese AM, Rema AB, Syed A, Schultz N, Berger M, Morris Q. Deep Learning Model for Tumor Type Prediction using Targeted Clinical Genomic Sequencing Data. MEDRXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR HEALTH SCIENCES 2023:2023.09.08.23295131. [PMID: 37732244 PMCID: PMC10508812 DOI: 10.1101/2023.09.08.23295131] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/22/2023]
Abstract
Tumor type guides clinical treatment decisions in cancer, but histology-based diagnosis remains challenging. Genomic alterations are highly diagnostic of tumor type, and tumor type classifiers trained on genomic features have been explored, but the most accurate methods are not clinically feasible, relying on features derived from whole genome sequencing (WGS), or predicting across limited cancer types. We use genomic features from a dataset of 39,787 solid tumors sequenced using a clinical targeted cancer gene panel to develop Genome-Derived-Diagnosis Ensemble (GDD-ENS): a hyperparameter ensemble for classifying tumor type using deep neural networks. GDD-ENS achieves 93% accuracy for high-confidence predictions across 38 cancer types, rivalling performance of WGS-based methods. GDD-ENS can also guide diagnoses on rare type and cancers of unknown primary, and incorporate patient-specific clinical information for improved predictions. Overall, integrating GDD-ENS into prospective clinical sequencing workflows has enabled clinically-relevant tumor type predictions to guide treatment decisions in real time.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Madison Darmofal
- Computational and Systems Biology Program, Sloan Kettering Institute, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center; New York, NY 10065, USA
- Tri-Institutional Training Program in Computational Biology and Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine; New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Shalabh Suman
- Department of Pathology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center; New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Gurnit Atwal
- Computational Biology Program, Ontario Institute for Cancer Research; Toronto, ON M5G 0A3, Canada
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto; Toronto, ON M5S 1A8, Canada
- Vector Institute; Toronto, ON M5G 1M1, Canada
| | - Jie-Fu Chen
- Department of Pathology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center; New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Jason C. Chang
- Department of Pathology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center; New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Michael Toomey
- Computational and Systems Biology Program, Sloan Kettering Institute, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center; New York, NY 10065, USA
- Tri-Institutional Training Program in Computational Biology and Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine; New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Efsevia Vakiani
- Department of Pathology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center; New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Anna M Varghese
- Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center; New York, NY 10065, USA
| | | | - Aijazuddin Syed
- Department of Pathology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center; New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Nikolaus Schultz
- Marie-Josée and Henry R. Kravis Center for Molecular Oncology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center; New York, NY 10065, USA
- Human Oncology and Pathogenesis Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center; New York, NY 10065, USA
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Michael Berger
- Department of Pathology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center; New York, NY 10065, USA
- Marie-Josée and Henry R. Kravis Center for Molecular Oncology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center; New York, NY 10065, USA
- Human Oncology and Pathogenesis Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center; New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Quaid Morris
- Computational and Systems Biology Program, Sloan Kettering Institute, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center; New York, NY 10065, USA
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Schmidt M, Hinterleitner C, Singer S, Lauer UM, Zender L, Hinterleitner M. Diagnostic Approaches for Neuroendocrine Neoplasms of Unknown Primary (NEN-UPs) and Their Prognostic Relevance-A Retrospective, Long-Term Single-Center Experience. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:4316. [PMID: 37686593 PMCID: PMC10486951 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15174316] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2023] [Revised: 08/18/2023] [Accepted: 08/25/2023] [Indexed: 09/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Neuroendocrine neoplasms (NENs) represent a rare and heterogenous group of tumors with predominantly gastroenteropancreatic or pulmonary origin. Despite numerous diagnostic efforts, the primary tumor site remains unknown in up to 20% of the patients diagnosed with NEN. In this subgroup of NEN patients, a standard diagnostic algorithm has not yet been integrated into clinical routine. Of note, an undetermined primary tumor site in NENs is associated with an impaired clinical outcome by at least "formally" limiting treatment options exclusively approved for NENs of a certain histological origin. In this retrospective study, a patient cohort of 113 patients initially diagnosed with NEN of unknown primary (NEN-UP) was analyzed. In 13 patients (11.5%) a primary tumor site could be identified subsequently, amongst others, by performing somatostatin receptor (SSTR)-PET-based imaging, which was irrespective of the initial clinical or demographic features. Diagnostic work-up and therapeutic regimens did not differ significantly between patients with an identified or unidentified primary tumor site; only a detailed immunohistochemical assessment providing additional information on the tumor origin proved to be significantly associated with the detection of a primary tumor site. Our study revealed that a profound diagnostic work-up, particularly including SSTR-PET-based imaging, leads to additional treatment options, finally resulting in significantly improved clinical outcomes for patients with NEN-UPs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Moritz Schmidt
- Department of Medical Oncology & Pneumology (Internal Medicine VIII), University Hospital Tuebingen, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany
- ENETS Center of Excellence, University Hospital Tuebingen, Otfried-Mueller-Str. 14, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany;
- DFG Cluster of Excellence 2180 ‘Image-Guided and Functional Instructed Tumor Therapy’ (iFIT), University of Tuebingen, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Clemens Hinterleitner
- Department of Medical Oncology & Pneumology (Internal Medicine VIII), University Hospital Tuebingen, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany
- ENETS Center of Excellence, University Hospital Tuebingen, Otfried-Mueller-Str. 14, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany;
- DFG Cluster of Excellence 2180 ‘Image-Guided and Functional Instructed Tumor Therapy’ (iFIT), University of Tuebingen, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany
- Cancer Biology and Genetics, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Stephan Singer
- ENETS Center of Excellence, University Hospital Tuebingen, Otfried-Mueller-Str. 14, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany;
- Department of Pathology, University Hospital Tuebingen, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Ulrich M. Lauer
- Department of Medical Oncology & Pneumology (Internal Medicine VIII), University Hospital Tuebingen, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany
- ENETS Center of Excellence, University Hospital Tuebingen, Otfried-Mueller-Str. 14, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany;
- DFG Cluster of Excellence 2180 ‘Image-Guided and Functional Instructed Tumor Therapy’ (iFIT), University of Tuebingen, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), 72076 Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Lars Zender
- Department of Medical Oncology & Pneumology (Internal Medicine VIII), University Hospital Tuebingen, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany
- ENETS Center of Excellence, University Hospital Tuebingen, Otfried-Mueller-Str. 14, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany;
- DFG Cluster of Excellence 2180 ‘Image-Guided and Functional Instructed Tumor Therapy’ (iFIT), University of Tuebingen, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), 72076 Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Martina Hinterleitner
- Department of Medical Oncology & Pneumology (Internal Medicine VIII), University Hospital Tuebingen, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany
- ENETS Center of Excellence, University Hospital Tuebingen, Otfried-Mueller-Str. 14, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany;
- DFG Cluster of Excellence 2180 ‘Image-Guided and Functional Instructed Tumor Therapy’ (iFIT), University of Tuebingen, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Omar RM, Ismail IA, Yasin MM, Affandi KA, Hasbullah HH, Ali NDM. The Elusive Primary: Metastatic Adenocarcinoma of the Breast Presenting Solely as a Hard Sternal Mass. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF CASE REPORTS 2023; 24:e940594. [PMID: 37608536 PMCID: PMC10578501 DOI: 10.12659/ajcr.940594] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2023] [Revised: 07/17/2023] [Accepted: 06/28/2023] [Indexed: 08/24/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Carcinoma of unknown primary (CUP) is a diverse category of malignancies diagnosed in patients who have metastatic disease but without an identifiable primary tumor at initial presentation. CASE REPORT We report a case of CUP which was later diagnosed to be metastatic adenocarcinoma of the breast in a 62-year-old woman. The patient initially presented to a primary care clinic with an incidental finding of a small hard mass in the middle of the sternum, with no other clinical findings in the breast or axillary lymph nodes. Chest X-ray, ultrasound, and CT scan of the sternum suggested a benign sternal lesion, and a mammogram was normal. Due to the persistence of the mass, a biopsy was performed. The histopathological findings revealed a metastatic adenocarcinoma, most likely from breast origin, with positive estrogen receptor (ER) and mammaglobin on immunohistochemistry studies. The patient subsequently underwent PET scan, repeat mammogram, and MRI of the breast. Following high uptake in the rectum on PET, a colonoscopy was performed, revealing a suspicious rectal mass. The mass was surgically excised, and the final histopathological examination concluded the mass was a second primary adenocarcinoma of the rectum. Genetic analyses for BRCA1 and BRCA2 were negative. CONCLUSIONS This is a rare case of an isolated bone-like lesion on the sternum due to metastatic adenocarcinoma of the breast in a patient with no prior history of breast cancer and lacking any clinical or radiological evidence of breast or axillary lymph node lesions on presentation. The patient was also subsequently diagnosed with 2 primary carcinomas. Thorough clinical examination, extensive radiological investigations, laboratory investigations, histopathological examination, and a multidisciplinary approach are essential in managing CUP.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rozaliekah Mohd Omar
- Department of Primary Care Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), Sungai Buloh, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Ilham Ameera Ismail
- Department of Primary Care Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), Sungai Buloh, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Mazapuspavina Md Yasin
- Department of Primary Care Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), Sungai Buloh, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Khairunisa Ahmad Affandi
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM), Kuantan, Pahang, Malaysia
| | - Harissa Husainy Hasbullah
- Department of Oncology, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), Sungai Buloh, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Norliana Dalila Mohamad Ali
- Department of Radiology, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), Sungai Buloh, Selangor, Malaysia
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Huang Y, Pfeiffer SM, Zhang Q. Primary tumor type prediction based on US nationwide genomic profiling data in 13,522 patients. Comput Struct Biotechnol J 2023; 21:3865-3874. [PMID: 37593720 PMCID: PMC10432138 DOI: 10.1016/j.csbj.2023.07.036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2022] [Revised: 07/16/2023] [Accepted: 07/25/2023] [Indexed: 08/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Timely and accurate primary tumor diagnosis is critical, and misdiagnoses and delays may cause undue health and economic burden. To predict primary tumor types based on genomics data from a de-identified US nationwide clinico-genomic database (CGDB), the XGBoost-based Clinico-Genomic Machine Learning Model (XC-GeM) was developed to predict 13 primary tumor types based on data from 12,060 patients in the CGDB, derived from routine clinical comprehensive genomic profiling (CGP) testing and chart-confirmed electronic health records (EHRs). The SHapley Additive exPlanations method was used to interpret model predictions. XC-GeM reached an outstanding area under the curve (AUC) of 0.965 and Matthew's correlation coefficient (MCC) of 0.742 in the holdout validation dataset. In the independent validation cohort of 955 patients, XC-GeM reached 0.954 AUC and 0.733 MCC and made correct predictions in 77% of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), 86% of colorectal cancer, and 84% of breast cancer patients. Top predictors for the overall model (e.g. tumor mutational burden (TMB), gender, and KRAS alteration), and for specific tumor types (e.g., TMB and EGFR alteration for NSCLC) were supported by published studies. XC-GeM also achieved an excellent AUC of 0.880 and positive MCC of 0.540 in 507 patients with missing primary diagnosis. XC-GeM is the first algorithm to predict primary tumor type using US nationwide data from routine CGP testing and chart-confirmed EHRs, showing promising performance. It may enhance the accuracy and efficiency of cancer diagnoses, enabling more timely treatment choices and potentially leading to better outcomes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Qing Zhang
- Genentech, Inc., 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, CA 94080, United States
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Normanno N, De Luca A, Abate RE, Morabito A, Milella M, Tabbò F, Curigliano G, Masini C, Marchetti P, Pruneri G, Guarneri V, Frassineti GL, Fasola G, Adamo V, Daniele B, Berardi R, Feroce F, Maiello E, Pinto C. Current practice of genomic profiling of patients with advanced solid tumours in Italy: the Italian Register of Actionable Mutations (RATIONAL) study. Eur J Cancer 2023; 187:174-184. [PMID: 37167765 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejca.2023.03.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2023] [Revised: 03/23/2023] [Accepted: 03/23/2023] [Indexed: 04/03/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The Italian Register of Actionable Mutations (RATIONAL) is a multicentric, observational study collecting next-generation sequencing (NGS)-based tumour profiling data of patients with advanced solid tumours. METHODS The study enrols patients who had available an NGS-based tumour profiling (Pathway-A) or undergo comprehensive genomic profiling (CGP) with FoundationOne CDx assays within the trial (Pathway-B). The primary endpoint was the rate of actionable mutations identified. RESULTS Sequencing data were available for 738 patients in Pathway-A (218) and -B (520). In Pathway-A, 154/218 (70.6%) tests were performed using NGS panels ≤52 genes, and genomic alterations (GAs) were found in 164/218 (75.2%) patients. In Pathway-B, CGP revealed GAs in 512/520 (98.5%) patients. Levels I/II/III actionable GAs according to the European Society of Medical Oncology Scale for Clinical Actionability of molecular Targets (ESCAT) were identified in 254/554 (45.8%) patients with non-small-cell lung cancer, cholangiocarcinoma, colorectal, gastric, pancreatic and breast cancer. The rate of patients with level I GAs was similar in Pathways A and B (69 versus 102). CGP in Pathway-B revealed a higher number of patients with level II/III GAs (99 versus 20) and potentially germline pathogenic/likely pathogenic variants (58 versus 15) as compared with standard testing in Pathway-A. In patients with cancer of unknown primary, CGP detected OncoKB levels 3B/4 GAs in 31/58 (53.4%) cases. Overall, 67/573 (11.7%) of patients received targeted therapy based on genomic testing. CONCLUSION The Italian Register of Actionable Mutations represents the first overview of genomic profiling in Italian current clinical practice and highlights the utility of CGP for identifying therapeutic targets in selected cancer patients.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nicola Normanno
- Cell Biology and Biotherapy Unit, Istituto Nazionale Tumori - IRCCS - Fondazione G. Pascale, Napoli, Italy.
| | - Antonella De Luca
- Cell Biology and Biotherapy Unit, Istituto Nazionale Tumori - IRCCS - Fondazione G. Pascale, Napoli, Italy
| | - Riziero Esposito Abate
- Cell Biology and Biotherapy Unit, Istituto Nazionale Tumori - IRCCS - Fondazione G. Pascale, Napoli, Italy
| | - Alessandro Morabito
- Thoracic Department, Istituto Nazionale Tumori - IRCCS - Fondazione G. Pascale, Napoli, Italy
| | - Michele Milella
- U.O.C. Oncology, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Integrata, University and Hospital Trust of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Fabrizio Tabbò
- Department of Oncology, Università degli Studi di Torino, AOU San Luigi, Orbassano, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Curigliano
- Department of Oncology and Hemato-Oncology, University of Milano, Milano, Italy; Division of Early Drug Development, European Institute of Oncology IRCCS, Milano, Italy
| | - Cristina Masini
- Medical Oncology, Comprehensive Cancer Centre IRCCS - AUSL Reggio Emilia, Reggio Emilia, Italy
| | - Paolo Marchetti
- Istituto Dermopatico dell'Immacolata (IDI-IRCCS), Roma, Italy
| | - Giancarlo Pruneri
- Department of Pathology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori di Milano, Milano, Italy
| | - Valentina Guarneri
- Department of Surgery, Oncology and Gastroenterology, University of Padova, Padova, Italy; Oncology 2, Istituto Oncologico Veneto (IOV) IRCCS, Padova, Italy
| | - Giovanni L Frassineti
- Department of Medical Oncology-IRCCS Istituto Romagnolo per lo Studio dei Tumori (IRST) "Dino Amadori", Meldola, Italy
| | - Gianpiero Fasola
- Department of Medical Oncology, University Hospital of Udine, Udine, Italy
| | - Vincenzo Adamo
- Scientific Direction Oncology Department, Papardo Hospital, Messina, Italy
| | | | | | - Florinda Feroce
- Surgical Pathology Unit, Istituto Nazionale Tumori - IRCCS - Fondazione G. Pascale, Napoli, Italy
| | - Evaristo Maiello
- Oncology Unit, Fondazione Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza IRCCS, San Giovanni Rotondo, Italy
| | - Carmine Pinto
- Medical Oncology, Comprehensive Cancer Centre IRCCS - AUSL Reggio Emilia, Reggio Emilia, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Bhatt A, Mishra S, Glehen O. Histopathological Evaluation and Molecular Diagnostic Tests for Peritoneal Metastases with Unknown Primary Site-a Review. Indian J Surg Oncol 2023; 14:15-29. [PMID: 37359927 PMCID: PMC10284789 DOI: 10.1007/s13193-022-01612-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2022] [Accepted: 07/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer of unknown primary (CUP) is a well-studied entity with guidelines available for the management of patients with CUP. The peritoneum represents one of the metastatic sites in CUP, and peritoneal metastases (PM) could present as CUP. PM of unknown origin remains a poorly studied clinical entity. There is only one series of 15 cases, one population-based study, and few other case reports on this subject. Studies on CUP, in general, cover some common tumour histological types like adenocarcinomas and squamous carcinomas. Some of these tumours may have a good prognosis though majority have high-grade disease with a poor long-term outcome. Some of the histological tumour types commonly seen in the clinical scenario of PM like mucinous carcinoma have not been studied. In this review, we divide PM into five histological types-adenocarcinomas, serous carcinomas, mucinous carcinomas, sarcomas and other rare varieties. We provide algorithms to identify the primary tumour site using immunohistochemistry when imaging, and endoscopy fails to establish the primary tumour site. The role of molecular diagnostic tests for PM or unknown origin is also discussed. Current literature on site-specific systemic therapy based on gene expression profiling does not show a clear benefit of this approach over empirical systemic therapies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Aditi Bhatt
- Dept. of Surgical Oncology, Zydus Hospital, Thaltej, Ahmedabad 380054 India
| | - Suniti Mishra
- Dept. of Pathology, Sparsh Hospital, Bangalore, India
| | - Olivier Glehen
- Dept. of Surgical Oncology, Centre Hospitalier Lyon-Sud, Lyon, France
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Brundu S, Napolitano V, Franzolin G, Lo Cascio E, Mastrantonio R, Sardo G, Cascardi E, Verginelli F, Sarnataro S, Gambardella G, Pisacane A, Arcovito A, Boccaccio C, Comoglio PM, Giraudo E, Tamagnone L. Mutated axon guidance gene PLXNB2 sustains growth and invasiveness of stem cells isolated from cancers of unknown primary. EMBO Mol Med 2023; 15:e16104. [PMID: 36722641 PMCID: PMC9994481 DOI: 10.15252/emmm.202216104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2022] [Revised: 12/28/2022] [Accepted: 01/11/2023] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
The genetic changes sustaining the development of cancers of unknown primary (CUP) remain elusive. The whole-exome genomic profiling of 14 rigorously selected CUP samples did not reveal specific recurring mutation in known driver genes. However, by comparing the mutational landscape of CUPs with that of most other human tumor types, it emerged a consistent enrichment of changes in genes belonging to the axon guidance KEGG pathway. In particular, G842C mutation of PlexinB2 (PlxnB2) was predicted to be activating. Indeed, knocking down the mutated, but not the wild-type, PlxnB2 in CUP stem cells resulted in the impairment of self-renewal and proliferation in culture, as well as tumorigenic capacity in mice. Conversely, the genetic transfer of G842C-PlxnB2 was sufficient to promote CUP stem cell proliferation and tumorigenesis in mice. Notably, G842C-PlxnB2 expression in CUP cells was associated with basal EGFR phosphorylation, and EGFR blockade impaired the viability of CUP cells reliant on the mutated receptor. Moreover, the mutated PlxnB2 elicited CUP cell invasiveness, blocked by EGFR inhibitor treatment. In sum, we found that a novel activating mutation of the axon guidance gene PLXNB2 sustains proliferative autonomy and confers invasive properties to stem cells isolated from cancers of unknown primary, in EGFR-dependent manner.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Virginia Napolitano
- Department of Life Sciences and Public HealthUniversità Cattolica del Sacro CuoreRomeItaly
| | | | - Ettore Lo Cascio
- Department of Biotechnological Sciences and Intensive CareUniversità Cattolica del Sacro CuoreRomeItaly
| | - Roberta Mastrantonio
- Department of Life Sciences and Public HealthUniversità Cattolica del Sacro CuoreRomeItaly
| | | | - Eliano Cascardi
- Candiolo Cancer InstituteFPO‐IRCCSTurinItaly
- Department of Medical SciencesUniversity of TurinTurinItaly
| | | | | | - Gennaro Gambardella
- Telethon Institute of Genetic and MedicinePozzuoliItaly
- Department of Electrical Engineering and Information TechnologyUniversity of Naples Federico IINaplesItaly
| | | | - Alessandro Arcovito
- Department of Biotechnological Sciences and Intensive CareUniversità Cattolica del Sacro CuoreRomeItaly
- Fondazione Policlinico Gemelli (FPG) – IRCCSRomeItaly
| | - Carla Boccaccio
- Candiolo Cancer InstituteFPO‐IRCCSTurinItaly
- Department of OncologyUniversity of TurinTurinItaly
| | | | - Enrico Giraudo
- Candiolo Cancer InstituteFPO‐IRCCSTurinItaly
- Department of Science and Drug TechnologyUniversity of TurinTurinItaly
| | - Luca Tamagnone
- Department of Life Sciences and Public HealthUniversità Cattolica del Sacro CuoreRomeItaly
- Fondazione Policlinico Gemelli (FPG) – IRCCSRomeItaly
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Loharkar S, Basu S. Imaging Recommendations for Diagnosis, Staging, and Management of Carcinoma of Unknown Origin (Lymph Node, Pulmonary, Liver, Skeletal, and Brain) with Emphasis on the Current Position of PET-CT in Carcinoma of Unknown Origin (CUP). Indian J Med Paediatr Oncol 2023. [DOI: 10.1055/s-0042-1760311] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/05/2023] Open
Abstract
AbstractMost of the established guidelines mention and recommend the use of FDG-PET/CT (fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography) in carcinoma of unknown primary (CUP) especially in head–neck squamous cell carcinoma; as described in this article, this forms a powerful one-stop shop in diagnosing and staging modality and has multiple applications in difficult situations of CUPs. Although not used as a screening modality, FDG-PET/CT is recommended as the primary imaging modality in the evaluation of primary, staging, and response evaluation for CUP with histology known to demonstrate FDG avidity, especially patients presenting with lymph nodal disease. It should be remembered that many histological types do not concentrate on FDG and FDG also shows false-positive results in many other conditions like infection-inflammation; however, at the same time, it delivers high negative predictive values, an important consideration when employing FDG-PET/CT in the CUP scenario. SSTR-based PET/CT plays a pivotal role in primary diagnosis, staging, therapy planning, and response assessment in CUPs with neuroendocrine tumor or neuroendocrine neoplasm histology. The last two decades has witnessed great advancement in PET instrumentation and radiopharmaceuticals: particularly techniques like PET/magnetic resonance imaging and radiopharmaceuticals like FAPI (fibroblast-activation protein inhibitor)-based PET tracers. Hence, the role of PET/CT is expected to expand its reach in the coming years in line with accruing literature evidence, thereby upgrading its role and reliability in oncological practice strategies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sarvesh Loharkar
- Radiation Medicine Centre, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Tata Memorial Hospital Annexe, Parel, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
- Homi Bhabha National Institute, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
| | - Sandip Basu
- Radiation Medicine Centre, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Tata Memorial Hospital Annexe, Parel, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
- Homi Bhabha National Institute, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Tang C, Hang J, Hung Y, Chiu N, Lai J, Chen M, Liu C, Yang M, Chao Y, Chang PM. A generational comparison for unfavorable cancer of unknown primary in a single institute over 20 years. Cancer Med 2023; 12:1090-1101. [PMID: 35781808 PMCID: PMC9883408 DOI: 10.1002/cam4.4960] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2022] [Revised: 05/19/2022] [Accepted: 06/09/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The prognosis of unfavorable cancer of unknown primary is extremely poor. This is the first report to compared the treatment results between generations of CUP and examined prognostic factors. METHODS This retrospective single-center cohort study enrolled 68 patients with newly diagnosed unfavorable cancer of unknown primary at Taipei Veteran General Hospital from 2017 to 2020 as study cohort and 167 patients from 2000 to 2009 as historical cohort. RESULTS The median overall survival was 4.3 months in the study cohort (95% CI, 2.7-6.2 months) and 4.5 months in the historical cohort (95% CI, 3.0-5.5 months; p = 0.858). Eleven patients in the study cohort received immunotherapy. The disease control rates were 45%. Multivariate analysis showed that an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group score > 1 and a C-reactive protein level > 1 correlated with poor survival. A new prognostic stratification model was constructed by using Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group score and C-reactive protein values. The good-, intermediate-, and poor-risk groups had distinct median overall survival of 18.3, 7.0 and 1.2 months, respectively (area under the curve, 0.817; p < 0.001). CONCLUSION The outcome of unfavorable cancer of unknown primary has not changed much over the last 20 years. The application of a new prognostic stratification model can further stratify unfavorable cancer of unknown primary.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Cheng‐Yu Tang
- Division of Medical Oncology, Department of OncologyTaipei Veterans General HospitalTaipeiTaiwan
- School of MedicineNational Yang Ming Chiao Tung UniversityTaipeiTaiwan
| | - Jen‐Fan Hang
- School of MedicineNational Yang Ming Chiao Tung UniversityTaipeiTaiwan
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory MedicineTaipei Veterans General HospitalTaipeiTaiwan
| | - Yi‐Ping Hung
- Division of Medical Oncology, Department of OncologyTaipei Veterans General HospitalTaipeiTaiwan
- School of MedicineNational Yang Ming Chiao Tung UniversityTaipeiTaiwan
| | - Nai‐Chi Chiu
- School of MedicineNational Yang Ming Chiao Tung UniversityTaipeiTaiwan
- Department of RadiologyTaipei Veterans General HospitalTaipeiTaiwan
| | - Jiun‐I Lai
- Division of Medical Oncology, Department of OncologyTaipei Veterans General HospitalTaipeiTaiwan
- School of MedicineNational Yang Ming Chiao Tung UniversityTaipeiTaiwan
- Institute of Clinical MedicineNational Yang Ming Chiao Tung UniversityTaipeiTaiwan
| | - Ming‐Huang Chen
- Division of Medical Oncology, Department of OncologyTaipei Veterans General HospitalTaipeiTaiwan
- School of MedicineNational Yang Ming Chiao Tung UniversityTaipeiTaiwan
| | - Chun‐Yu Liu
- Division of Medical Oncology, Department of OncologyTaipei Veterans General HospitalTaipeiTaiwan
- School of MedicineNational Yang Ming Chiao Tung UniversityTaipeiTaiwan
| | - Muh‐Hwa Yang
- Division of Medical Oncology, Department of OncologyTaipei Veterans General HospitalTaipeiTaiwan
- Institute of Clinical MedicineNational Yang Ming Chiao Tung UniversityTaipeiTaiwan
- Genomics Research Center, Academia SinicaTaipeiTaiwan
- Genome Research CenterNational Yang‐Ming Chiao Tung UniversityTaipeiTaiwan
| | - Yee Chao
- Division of Medical Oncology, Department of OncologyTaipei Veterans General HospitalTaipeiTaiwan
- School of MedicineNational Yang Ming Chiao Tung UniversityTaipeiTaiwan
| | - Peter Mu‐Hsin Chang
- Division of Medical Oncology, Department of OncologyTaipei Veterans General HospitalTaipeiTaiwan
- School of MedicineNational Yang Ming Chiao Tung UniversityTaipeiTaiwan
- Institute of Biopharmaceutical SciencesNational Yang Ming Chiao Tung UniversityTaipeiTaiwan
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Posner A, Prall OW, Sivakumaran T, Etemadamoghadam D, Thio N, Pattison A, Balachander S, Fisher K, Webb S, Wood C, DeFazio A, Wilcken N, Gao B, Karapetis CS, Singh M, Collins IM, Richardson G, Steer C, Warren M, Karanth N, Wright G, Williams S, George J, Hicks RJ, Boussioutas A, Gill AJ, Solomon BJ, Xu H, Fellowes A, Fox SB, Schofield P, Bowtell D, Mileshkin L, Tothill RW. A comparison of DNA sequencing and gene expression profiling to assist tissue of origin diagnosis in cancer of unknown primary. J Pathol 2023; 259:81-92. [PMID: 36287571 PMCID: PMC10099529 DOI: 10.1002/path.6022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2022] [Revised: 10/02/2022] [Accepted: 10/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Cancer of unknown primary (CUP) is a syndrome defined by clinical absence of a primary cancer after standardised investigations. Gene expression profiling (GEP) and DNA sequencing have been used to predict primary tissue of origin (TOO) in CUP and find molecularly guided treatments; however, a detailed comparison of the diagnostic yield from these two tests has not been described. Here, we compared the diagnostic utility of RNA and DNA tests in 215 CUP patients (82% received both tests) in a prospective Australian study. Based on retrospective assessment of clinicopathological data, 77% (166/215) of CUPs had insufficient evidence to support TOO diagnosis (clinicopathology unresolved). The remainder had either a latent primary diagnosis (10%) or clinicopathological evidence to support a likely TOO diagnosis (13%) (clinicopathology resolved). We applied a microarray (CUPGuide) or custom NanoString 18-class GEP test to 191 CUPs with an accuracy of 91.5% in known metastatic cancers for high-medium confidence predictions. Classification performance was similar in clinicopathology-resolved CUPs - 80% had high-medium predictions and 94% were concordant with pathology. Notably, only 56% of the clinicopathology-unresolved CUPs had high-medium confidence GEP predictions. Diagnostic DNA features were interrogated in 201 CUP tumours guided by the cancer type specificity of mutations observed across 22 cancer types from the AACR Project GENIE database (77,058 tumours) as well as mutational signatures (e.g. smoking). Among the clinicopathology-unresolved CUPs, mutations and mutational signatures provided additional diagnostic evidence in 31% of cases. GEP classification was useful in only 13% of cases and oncoviral detection in 4%. Among CUPs where genomics informed TOO, lung and biliary cancers were the most frequently identified types, while kidney tumours were another identifiable subset. In conclusion, DNA and RNA profiling supported an unconfirmed TOO diagnosis in one-third of CUPs otherwise unresolved by clinicopathology assessment alone. DNA mutation profiling was the more diagnostically informative assay. © 2022 The Authors. The Journal of Pathology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of The Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Atara Posner
- Department of Clinical Pathology and Centre for Cancer Research, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Owen Wj Prall
- Department of Pathology, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Tharani Sivakumaran
- Department of Medical Oncology, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.,Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | | | - Niko Thio
- Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Andrew Pattison
- Department of Clinical Pathology and Centre for Cancer Research, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Shiva Balachander
- Department of Clinical Pathology and Centre for Cancer Research, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Krista Fisher
- Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Samantha Webb
- Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Colin Wood
- Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Anna DeFazio
- The Westmead Institute for Medical Research, Sydney, NSW, Australia.,Department of Gynaecological Oncology, Westmead Hospital, Sydney, NSW, Australia.,The Daffodil Centre, The University of Sydney, a joint venture with Cancer Council NSW, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Nicholas Wilcken
- Department of Medical Oncology, Crown Princess Mary Cancer Centre, Westmead Hospital, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Bo Gao
- Department of Medical Oncology, Crown Princess Mary Cancer Centre, Westmead Hospital, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Christos S Karapetis
- Department of Medical Oncology, Flinders University and Flinders Medical Centre, Adelaide, SA, Australia
| | - Madhu Singh
- Department of Medical Oncology, Barwon Health Cancer Services, Geelong, VIC, Australia
| | - Ian M Collins
- Department of Medical Oncology, SouthWest HealthCare, Warrnambool and Deakin University, Geelong, VIC, Australia
| | - Gary Richardson
- Department of Medical Oncology, Cabrini Health, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Christopher Steer
- Border Medical Oncology, Albury Wodonga Regional Cancer Centre, Albury, NSW, Australia
| | - Mark Warren
- Department of Medical Oncology, Bendigo Health, Bendigo, VIC, Australia
| | - Narayan Karanth
- Division of Medicine, Alan Walker Cancer Centre, Darwin, NT, Australia
| | - Gavin Wright
- Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, St Vincent's Hospital, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Scott Williams
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Joshy George
- Department of Computational Sciences, The Jackson Laboratory, Farmington, Connecticut, USA
| | - Rodney J Hicks
- The St Vincent's Hospital Department of Medicine, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Alex Boussioutas
- Department of Medicine, Royal Melbourne Hospital, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Anthony J Gill
- Cancer Diagnosis and Pathology Group, Kolling Institute of Medical, Research and Sydney Medical School, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Benjamin J Solomon
- Department of Medical Oncology, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Huiling Xu
- Department of Pathology, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Andrew Fellowes
- Department of Pathology, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Stephen B Fox
- Department of Pathology, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.,Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Penelope Schofield
- Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.,Department of Psychology, and Iverson Health Innovation Research Institute, Swinburne University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.,Behavioural Sciences Unit, Health Services Research and Implementation Sciences, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - David Bowtell
- Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.,Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Linda Mileshkin
- Department of Medical Oncology, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.,Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Richard W Tothill
- Department of Clinical Pathology and Centre for Cancer Research, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.,Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Sheng J, Pan H, Han W. Immunochemotherapy achieved a complete response for metastatic adenocarcinoma of unknown primary based on gene expression profiling: a case report and review of the literature. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1181444. [PMID: 37153561 PMCID: PMC10154565 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1181444] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2023] [Accepted: 04/04/2023] [Indexed: 05/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Cancer of unknown primary (CUP) is a malignant and aggressive tumor whose primary origin is still unknown despite thorough evaluation. CUP can be life-threatening with a median overall survival of less than 1 year based on empirical chemotherapy. Gene detection technology advances the driver gene detection of malignant tumors and the appropriate precise therapy. Immunotherapy has ushered in a new era in cancer therapy, changing the way advanced tumors, including CUP, are treated. Combined with comprehensive clinical and pathological investigations, molecular analysis of the original tissue and detection of potential driver mutations may provide therapeutic recommendations for CUP. Case presentation A 52-year-old female was admitted to hospital for dull abdominal pain, with peripancreatic lesions below the caudate lobe of the liver and posterior peritoneal lymph nodes enlargement. Conventional biopsy under endoscopic ultrasonography and laparoscopic biopsy both revealed poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma based on immunohistochemical series. To help identify tumor origin and molecular characteristics, 90-gene expression assay, tumor gene expression profiling with Next-generation sequencing (NGS) method and Immunohistochemical expression of PD-L1 were employed. Although no gastroesophageal lesions discovered by gastroenteroscopy, the 90-gene expression assay yielded a similarity score and prompted the most likely primary site was gastric/esophagus cancer. NGS revealed high TMB (19.3mutations/Mb) but no druggable driver genes identified. The Dako PD-L1 22C3 assay IHC assay for PD-L1 expression revealed a tumor proportion score (TPS) of 35%. Given the presence of negative predictive biomarkers for immunotherapy, including adenomatous polyposis coli (APC) c.646C>T mutation at exon 7 and Janus kinase 1(JAK1), the patient received immunochemotherapy instead of immunotherapy alone. She was successfully treated with nivolumab plus carboplatin and albumin-bound nanoparticle paclitaxel for six cycles and nivolumab maintenance, which achieved a complete response (CR) maintained for 2 years without severe adverse events. Conclusions This case highlights the value of multidisciplinary diagnosis and individual precision treatment in CUP. Further investigation is needed as an individualized treatment approach combining immunotherapy and chemotherapy based on tumor molecular characteristics and immunotherapy predictors is expected to improve the outcome of CUP therapy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jin Sheng
- Department of Medical Oncology, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Biotherapy of Zhejiang Province, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Hongming Pan
- Department of Medical Oncology, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Biotherapy of Zhejiang Province, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Weidong Han
- Department of Medical Oncology, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Biotherapy of Zhejiang Province, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- *Correspondence: Weidong Han,
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Shreenivas AV, Kato S, Hu J, Skefos C, Sicklick J, Kurzrock R. Carcinoma of unknown primary: Molecular tumor board-based therapy. CA Cancer J Clin 2022; 72:510-523. [PMID: 36006378 PMCID: PMC10180180 DOI: 10.3322/caac.21748] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2022] [Revised: 05/20/2022] [Accepted: 06/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Aditya V Shreenivas
- Division of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Medical College of Wisconsin Cancer Center, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Shumei Kato
- Medical Oncology, Department of Medicine, Moores Cancer Center, University of California-San Diego, San Diego, California, USA
| | - Jingjing Hu
- Department of Pathology, Moores Cancer Center, University of California-San Diego, San Diego, California, USA
| | - Catherine Skefos
- Clinical Cancer Genetics Program, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Jason Sicklick
- Division of Surgical Oncology, Moores Cancer Center, University of California-San Diego, San Diego, California, USA
| | - Razelle Kurzrock
- Division of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Medical College of Wisconsin Cancer Center, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
- Genomic Sciences and Precision Medicine Center, Medical College of Wisconsin Cancer Center, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Nishikawa K, Hironaka S, Inagaki T, Komori A, Otsu S, Mitsugi K, Makiyama A, Watanabe K, Tamura S, Okumura Y, Kusaba H, Esaki T, Baba E, Shirao K. A multicentre retrospective study comparing site-specific treatment with empiric treatment for unfavourable subset of cancer of unknown primary site. Jpn J Clin Oncol 2022; 52:1416-1422. [PMID: 36047806 DOI: 10.1093/jjco/hyac143] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2021] [Accepted: 08/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Patients with cancer of unknown primary site are divided into two distinct groups, favourable and unfavourable subsets. For the unfavourable subset, empiric treatment or site-specific treatment is recommended, but limited knowledge exists about the efficacy of site-specific treatment compared with empiric treatment in clinical practice. METHODS In this multicentre retrospective study, we reviewed the medical records of patients with cancer of unknown primary site treated with chemotherapy (or chemoradiotherapy) as first-line treatment from eight institutions during 2006-18. We investigated the workup modality and categorized the patients into favourable and unfavourable subsets, which were further divided into site-specific and empiric treatment groups. Site-specific treatment is defined as a standard chemotherapy for an estimated primary site. We examined the efficacy in the favourable and unfavourable subsets and performed multivariable analysis for estimating the overall survival in the unfavourable subset. RESULTS Of 177 patients with cancer of unknown primary site, 33 and 144 were categorized into favourable and unfavourable subsets, respectively. In the unfavourable subset, 84 patients (58.3%) received empiric therapy, and 60 patients (41.7%) received site-specific treatment. Median overall survival was 10.0 and 10.1 months in site-specific and empiric treatment groups, respectively, with no significant difference (hazard ratio 1.01, 95% confidence interval 0.70-1.45, P = 0.95). Multivariable analysis revealed performance status, number of metastatic sites and hypoalbuminaemia as independent prognostic factors for overall survival in the unfavourable subset. CONCLUSIONS Overall survival in site-specific and empiric treatment groups was similar in the unfavourable cancer of unknown primary site subset in this study. Further research is needed to prolong overall survival in patients in the unfavourable cancer of unknown primary site subset.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kazuo Nishikawa
- Department of Medical Oncology and Hematology, Oita University Faculty of Medicine, Yufu, Japan
| | - Shuichi Hironaka
- Department of Medical Oncology and Hematology, Oita University Faculty of Medicine, Yufu, Japan
| | - Takashi Inagaki
- Department of Medical Oncology and Hematology, Oita University Faculty of Medicine, Yufu, Japan
| | - Azusa Komori
- Department of Medical Oncology and Hematology, Oita University Faculty of Medicine, Yufu, Japan
| | - Satoshi Otsu
- Department of Medical Oncology and Hematology, Oita University Faculty of Medicine, Yufu, Japan
| | - Kenji Mitsugi
- Department of Medical Oncology, Hamanomachi Hospital, Fukuoka, Japan
| | - Akitaka Makiyama
- Department of Hematology/Oncology, Japan Community Healthcare Organization Kyushu Hospital, Kitakyushu, Japan
| | - Koichiro Watanabe
- Department of Medical Oncology, Oitaken Koseiren Tsurumi Hospital, Beppu, Japan
| | - Shingo Tamura
- Department of Medical Oncology, Clinical Research Institute, National Hospital Organization Kyushu Medical Center, Fukuoka, Japan
| | - Yuta Okumura
- Department of Internal medicine, Kyushu University Beppu Hospital, Beppu, Japan
| | - Hitoshi Kusaba
- Department of Hematology, Oncology & Cardiovascular medicine, Kyushu University Hospital, Fukuoka, Japan
| | - Taito Esaki
- Department of Gastrointestinal and Medical Oncology, National Hospital Organization Kyushu Cancer Center, Fukuoka, Japan
| | - Eishi Baba
- Department of Oncology and Social Medicine, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan
| | - Kuniaki Shirao
- Department of Medical Oncology and Hematology, Oita University Faculty of Medicine, Yufu, Japan
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Comprehensive genomic and epigenomic analysis in cancer of unknown primary guides molecularly-informed therapies despite heterogeneity. Nat Commun 2022; 13:4485. [PMID: 35918329 PMCID: PMC9346116 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-31866-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2021] [Accepted: 07/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
The benefit of molecularly-informed therapies in cancer of unknown primary (CUP) is unclear. Here, we use comprehensive molecular characterization by whole genome/exome, transcriptome and methylome analysis in 70 CUP patients to reveal substantial mutational heterogeneity with TP53, MUC16, KRAS, LRP1B and CSMD3 being the most frequently mutated known cancer-related genes. The most common fusion partner is FGFR2, the most common focal homozygous deletion affects CDKN2A. 56/70 (80%) patients receive genomics-based treatment recommendations which are applied in 20/56 (36%) cases. Transcriptome and methylome data provide evidence for the underlying entity in 62/70 (89%) cases. Germline analysis reveals five (likely) pathogenic mutations in five patients. Recommended off-label therapies translate into a mean PFS ratio of 3.6 with a median PFS1 of 2.9 months (17 patients) and a median PFS2 of 7.8 months (20 patients). Our data emphasize the clinical value of molecular analysis and underline the need for innovative, mechanism-based clinical trials. The identification of molecular biomarkers in cancer of unknown primary site (CUP) cases may enable the improvement of prognosis in these patients. Here, the authors integrate whole genome/exome, transcriptome and methylome data in 70 CUP patients, recommend therapies based on their analysis and report clinical outcome data.
Collapse
|
21
|
New Genetic Technologies in Diagnosis and Treatment of Cancer of Unknown Primary. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14143429. [PMID: 35884492 PMCID: PMC9318615 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14143429] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2022] [Revised: 06/28/2022] [Accepted: 07/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary The NGS and other molecular techniques creates huge hopes for effective CUP patients treatment and to select them for molecularly targeted therapies (agnostic therapies) and immunotherapy. Development of diagnostic technologies and biologically targeted therapies could make CUP’ patients access to modern therapies and change their outcome. Abstract Cancer of unknown primary (CUP) represents a rare oncological and heterogeneous disease in which one or more metastases are present, but the location of the primary site is unknown. Pathological diagnosis, using immunohistochemistry, of such metastatic materials is challenging and frequently does not allow for determining the tissue of origin (ToO). The selection of systemic therapy in patients with CUP is usually based on empiric grounds, and the prognosis is generally unfavourable. New molecular techniques could identify the tissue of origin and be used to select systemic agnostic therapies in various malignancies with specific molecular abnormalities. Targetable driver mutations or gene rearrangements in cancer cells may be identified using various molecular assays, of which particularly valuable are next-generation sequencing techniques. These assays may identify tumour sources and allow personalized treatments. However, current guidelines for CUP management do not recommend routine testing of gene expression and epigenetic factors. This is mainly due to the insufficient evidence supporting the improvement of CUP’s prognosis by virtue of this approach. This review summarizes the advantages and disadvantages of new genetic techniques in CUP diagnostics and proposes updating the recommendations for CUP management.
Collapse
|
22
|
Blecua P, Davalos V, de Villasante I, Merkel A, Musulen E, Coll-SanMartin L, Esteller M. Refinement of computational identification of somatic copy number alterations using DNA methylation microarrays illustrated in cancers of unknown primary. Brief Bioinform 2022; 23:6582004. [PMID: 35524475 PMCID: PMC9487591 DOI: 10.1093/bib/bbac161] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2021] [Revised: 03/30/2022] [Accepted: 04/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
High-throughput genomic technologies are increasingly used in personalized cancer medicine. However, computational tools to maximize the use of scarce tissues combining distinct molecular layers are needed. Here we present a refined strategy, based on the R-package 'conumee', to better predict somatic copy number alterations (SCNA) from deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) methylation arrays. Our approach, termed hereafter as 'conumee-KCN', improves SCNA prediction by incorporating tumor purity and dynamic thresholding. We trained our algorithm using paired DNA methylation and SNP Array 6.0 data from The Cancer Genome Atlas samples and confirmed its performance in cancer cell lines. Most importantly, the application of our approach in cancers of unknown primary identified amplified potentially actionable targets that were experimentally validated by Fluorescence in situ hybridization and immunostaining, reaching 100% specificity and 93.3% sensitivity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Pedro Blecua
- Josep Carreras Leukaemia Research Institute (IJC), Badalona, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Veronica Davalos
- Josep Carreras Leukaemia Research Institute (IJC), Badalona, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Izar de Villasante
- Josep Carreras Leukaemia Research Institute (IJC), Badalona, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Angelika Merkel
- Josep Carreras Leukaemia Research Institute (IJC), Badalona, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Eva Musulen
- Josep Carreras Leukaemia Research Institute (IJC), Badalona, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.,Department of Pathology, Hospital Universitari General de Catalunya-Grupo Quirónsalud, Sant Cugat del Vallès, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Laia Coll-SanMartin
- Josep Carreras Leukaemia Research Institute (IJC), Badalona, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Manel Esteller
- Josep Carreras Leukaemia Research Institute (IJC), Badalona, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Cancer (CIBERONC), Madrid, Spain.,Institucio Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats (ICREA), Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.,Physiological Sciences Department, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Barcelona (UB), Catalonia, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Wang Z, Zhang T, Wu W, Wu L, Li J, Huang B, Liang Y, Li Y, Li P, Li K, Wang W, Guo R, Wang Q. Detection and Localization of Solid Tumors Utilizing the Cancer-Type-Specific Mutational Signatures. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2022; 10:883791. [PMID: 35547159 PMCID: PMC9081532 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2022.883791] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2022] [Accepted: 04/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Accurate detection and location of tumor lesions are essential for improving the diagnosis and personalized cancer therapy. However, the diagnosis of lesions with fuzzy histology is mainly dependent on experiences and with low accuracy and efficiency. Here, we developed a logistic regression model based on mutational signatures (MS) for each cancer type to trace the tumor origin. We observed MS could distinguish cancer from inflammation and healthy individuals. By collecting extensive datasets of samples from ten tumor types in the training cohort (5,001 samples) and independent testing cohort (2,580 samples), cancer-type-specific MS patterns (CTS-MS) were identified and had a robust performance in distinguishing different types of primary and metastatic solid tumors (AUC:0.76 ∼ 0.93). Moreover, we validated our model in an Asian population and found that the AUC of our model in predicting the tumor origin of the Asian population was higher than 0.7. The metastatic tumor lesions inherited the MS pattern of the primary tumor, suggesting the capability of MS in identifying the tissue-of-origin for metastatic cancers. Furthermore, we distinguished breast cancer and prostate cancer with 90% accuracy by combining somatic mutations and CTS-MS from cfDNA, indicating that the CTS-MS could improve the accuracy of cancer-type prediction by cfDNA. In summary, our study demonstrated that MS was a novel reliable biomarker for diagnosing solid tumors and provided new insights into predicting tissue-of-origin.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ziyu Wang
- Jiangsu Cancer Hospital, Jiangsu Institute of Cancer Research, The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
- Department of Bioinformatics, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
- Institute for Brain Tumors, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Personalized Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Tingting Zhang
- Jiangsu Cancer Hospital, Jiangsu Institute of Cancer Research, The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
- Department of Bioinformatics, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
- Institute for Brain Tumors, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Personalized Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Wei Wu
- Jiangsu Cancer Hospital, Jiangsu Institute of Cancer Research, The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
- Department of Bioinformatics, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
- Institute for Brain Tumors, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Personalized Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Lingxiang Wu
- Jiangsu Cancer Hospital, Jiangsu Institute of Cancer Research, The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
- Department of Bioinformatics, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
- Institute for Brain Tumors, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Personalized Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Jie Li
- Jiangsu Cancer Hospital, Jiangsu Institute of Cancer Research, The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
- Department of Bioinformatics, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
- Institute for Brain Tumors, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Personalized Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Bin Huang
- Jiangsu Cancer Hospital, Jiangsu Institute of Cancer Research, The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
- Department of Bioinformatics, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
- Institute for Brain Tumors, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Personalized Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Yuan Liang
- Jiangsu Cancer Hospital, Jiangsu Institute of Cancer Research, The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
- Department of Bioinformatics, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
- Institute for Brain Tumors, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Personalized Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Yan Li
- Jiangsu Cancer Hospital, Jiangsu Institute of Cancer Research, The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
- Department of Bioinformatics, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
- Institute for Brain Tumors, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Personalized Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Pengping Li
- Jiangsu Cancer Hospital, Jiangsu Institute of Cancer Research, The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
- Department of Bioinformatics, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
- Institute for Brain Tumors, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Personalized Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Kening Li
- Jiangsu Cancer Hospital, Jiangsu Institute of Cancer Research, The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
- Department of Bioinformatics, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
- Institute for Brain Tumors, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Personalized Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
- *Correspondence: Kening Li, ; Wei Wang, ; Renhua Guo, ; Qianghu Wang,
| | - Wei Wang
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
- *Correspondence: Kening Li, ; Wei Wang, ; Renhua Guo, ; Qianghu Wang,
| | - Renhua Guo
- Department of Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
- *Correspondence: Kening Li, ; Wei Wang, ; Renhua Guo, ; Qianghu Wang,
| | - Qianghu Wang
- Jiangsu Cancer Hospital, Jiangsu Institute of Cancer Research, The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
- Department of Bioinformatics, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
- Institute for Brain Tumors, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Personalized Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
- *Correspondence: Kening Li, ; Wei Wang, ; Renhua Guo, ; Qianghu Wang,
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Chakravarty D, Johnson A, Sklar J, Lindeman NI, Moore K, Ganesan S, Lovly CM, Perlmutter J, Gray SW, Hwang J, Lieu C, André F, Azad N, Borad M, Tafe L, Messersmith H, Robson M, Meric-Bernstam F. Somatic Genomic Testing in Patients With Metastatic or Advanced Cancer: ASCO Provisional Clinical Opinion. J Clin Oncol 2022; 40:1231-1258. [PMID: 35175857 DOI: 10.1200/jco.21.02767] [Citation(s) in RCA: 76] [Impact Index Per Article: 38.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE An ASCO provisional clinical opinion offers timely clinical direction to ASCO's membership following publication or presentation of potentially practice-changing data from major studies. This provisional clinical opinion addresses the appropriate use of tumor genomic testing in patients with metastatic or advanced solid tumors. CLINICAL CONTEXT An increasing number of therapies are approved to treat cancers harboring specific genomic biomarkers. However, there is a lack of clarity as to when tumor genomic sequencing should be ordered, what type of assays should be performed, and how to interpret the results for treatment selection. PROVISIONAL CLINICAL OPINION Patients with metastatic or advanced cancer should undergo genomic sequencing in a certified laboratory if the presence of one or more specific genomic alterations has regulatory approval as biomarkers to guide the use of or exclusion from certain treatments for their disease. Multigene panel-based assays should be used if more than one biomarker-linked therapy is approved for the patient's disease. Site-agnostic approvals for any cancer with a high tumor mutation burden, mismatch repair deficiency, or neurotrophic tyrosine receptor kinase (NTRK) fusions provide a rationale for genomic testing for all solid tumors. Multigene testing may also assist in treatment selection by identifying additional targets when there are few or no genotype-based therapy approvals for the patient's disease. For treatment planning, the clinician should consider the functional impact of the targeted alteration and expected efficacy of genomic biomarker-linked options relative to other approved or investigational treatments.Additional information is available at www.asco.org/assays-and-predictive-markers-guidelines.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Neal I Lindeman
- Brigham and Womens' Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Fabrice André
- PRISM, Precision Medicine Center, Institut Gustave Roussy, Villejuif, France
| | | | | | - Laura Tafe
- Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center and The Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Darmouth, NH
| | | | - Mark Robson
- Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York City, NY
| | | |
Collapse
|
25
|
Losa F, Fernández I, Etxaniz O, Giménez A, Gomila P, Iglesias L, Longo F, Nogales E, Sánchez A, Soler G. SEOM-GECOD clinical guideline for unknown primary cancer (2021). Clin Transl Oncol 2022; 24:681-692. [PMID: 35320504 PMCID: PMC8986666 DOI: 10.1007/s12094-022-02806-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Cancer of unknown primary site (CUP) is defined as a heterogeneous group of tumors that appear as metastases, and of which standard diagnostic work-up fails to identify the origin. It is considered a separate entity with a specific biology, and nowadays molecular characteristics and the determination of actionable mutations may be important in a significant group of patients. In this guide, we summarize the diagnostic, therapeutic, and possible new developments in molecular medicine that may help us in the management of this unique disease entity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ferrán Losa
- Hospital de Sant Joan Despí Moisés Broggi-ICO Hospitalet, Barcelona, Spain.
| | | | - Olatz Etxaniz
- Hospital Germans Trias I Pujol -ICO Badalona, Barcelona, Spain
| | | | - Paula Gomila
- Hospital Miguel Servet (Zaragoza)/H, de Barbastro, Spain
| | | | - Federico Longo
- Hospital Universitario Ramón y Cajal, IRYCIS, CIBERONC, Madrid, Spain
| | | | - Antonio Sánchez
- Hospital Universitario Puerta de Hierro Majadahonda, Madrid, Spain
| | - Gemma Soler
- Hospital Durán i Reynals-ICO Hospitalet, Barcelona, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
Hussen BM, Abdullah ST, Salihi A, Sabir DK, Sidiq KR, Rasul MF, Hidayat HJ, Ghafouri-Fard S, Taheri M, Jamali E. The emerging roles of NGS in clinical oncology and personalized medicine. Pathol Res Pract 2022; 230:153760. [PMID: 35033746 DOI: 10.1016/j.prp.2022.153760] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2021] [Revised: 12/29/2021] [Accepted: 01/06/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Next-generation sequencing (NGS) has been increasingly popular in genomics studies over the last decade, as new sequencing technology has been created and improved. Recently, NGS started to be used in clinical oncology to improve cancer therapy through diverse modalities ranging from finding novel and rare cancer mutations, discovering cancer mutation carriers to reaching specific therapeutic approaches known as personalized medicine (PM). PM has the potential to minimize medical expenses by shifting the current traditional medical approach of treating cancer and other diseases to an individualized preventive and predictive approach. Currently, NGS can speed up in the early diagnosis of diseases and discover pharmacogenetic markers that help in personalizing therapies. Despite the tremendous growth in our understanding of genetics, NGS holds the added advantage of providing more comprehensive picture of cancer landscape and uncovering cancer development pathways. In this review, we provided a complete overview of potential NGS applications in scientific and clinical oncology, with a particular emphasis on pharmacogenomics in the direction of precision medicine treatment options.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Bashdar Mahmud Hussen
- Department Pharmacognosy, College of Pharmacy, Hawler Medical University, Kurdistan Region, Erbil, Iraq; Center of Research and Strategic Studies, Lebanese French University, Kurdistan Region, Erbil, Iraq
| | - Sara Tharwat Abdullah
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, Hawler Medical University, Erbil, Iraq
| | - Abbas Salihi
- Center of Research and Strategic Studies, Lebanese French University, Kurdistan Region, Erbil, Iraq; Department of Biology, College of Science, Salahaddin University, Kurdistan Region, Erbil, Iraq
| | - Dana Khdr Sabir
- Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Charmo University, Kurdistan Region, Iraq
| | - Karzan R Sidiq
- Department of Biology, College of Education, University of Sulaimani, Sulaimani 334, Kurdistan, Iraq
| | - Mohammed Fatih Rasul
- Department of Medical Analysis, Faculty of Applied Science, Tishk International University, Kurdistan Region, Erbil, Iraq
| | - Hazha Jamal Hidayat
- Department of Biology, College of Education, Salahaddin University, Kurdistan Region, Erbil, Iraq
| | - Soudeh Ghafouri-Fard
- Department of Medical Genetics, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mohammad Taheri
- Institute of Human Genetics, Jena University Hospital, Jena, Germany; Urology and Nephrology Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
| | - Elena Jamali
- Skull Base Research Center, Loghman Hakim Hospital, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
| |
Collapse
|
27
|
Fusco MJ, Knepper TC, Balliu J, Del Cueto A, Laborde JM, Hooda SM, Brohl AS, Bui MM, Hicks JK. OUP accepted manuscript. Oncologist 2022; 27:e9-e17. [PMID: 35305098 PMCID: PMC8842368 DOI: 10.1093/oncolo/oyab014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2021] [Accepted: 11/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Cancer of unknown primary (CUP) comprises a heterogeneous collection of malignancies that are typically associated with a poor prognosis and a lack of effective treatment options. We retrospectively evaluated the clinical utility of targeted next-generation sequencing (NGS) among CUP patients to assist with diagnosis and identify opportunities for molecularly guided therapy. Patients and Methods Patients with a CUP at Moffitt Cancer Center who underwent NGS between January 1, 2014 and December 31, 2019, were eligible for study inclusion. Next-generation sequencing results were assessed to determine the frequency of clinically actionable molecular alterations, and chart reviews were performed to ascertain the number of patients receiving molecularly guided therapy. Results Ninety-five CUP patients were identified for analysis. Next-generation sequencing testing identified options for molecularly guided therapy for 55% (n = 52) of patients. Among patients with molecularly guided therapy options, 33% (n = 17) were prescribed a molecularly guided therapy. The median overall survival for those receiving molecularly guided therapy was 23.6 months. Among the evaluable patients, the median duration of treatment for CUP patients (n = 7) receiving molecular-guided therapy as a first-line therapy was 39 weeks. The median duration of treatment for CUP patients (n = 8) treated with molecularly guided therapy in the second- or later-line setting was 13 weeks. Next-generation sequencing results were found to be suggestive of a likely primary tumor type for 15% (n = 14) of patients. Conclusion Next-generation sequencing results enabled the identification of treatment options in a majority of patients and assisted with the identification of a likely primary tumor type in a clinically meaningful subset of patients.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Michael J Fusco
- Department of Individualized Cancer Management, Section for Precision Oncology, Moffitt Comprehensive Cancer Center, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - Todd C Knepper
- Department of Individualized Cancer Management, Section for Precision Oncology, Moffitt Comprehensive Cancer Center, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - Juliana Balliu
- Department of Individualized Cancer Management, Section for Precision Oncology, Moffitt Comprehensive Cancer Center, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - Alex Del Cueto
- Department of Individualized Cancer Management, Section for Precision Oncology, Moffitt Comprehensive Cancer Center, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - Jose M Laborde
- Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Moffitt Comprehensive Cancer Center, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - Sharjeel M Hooda
- Department of Satellite and Community Oncology, Moffitt Comprehensive Cancer Center, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - Andrew S Brohl
- Sarcoma Department, Moffitt Comprehensive Cancer Center, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - Marilyn M Bui
- Department of Pathology, Moffitt Comprehensive Cancer Center, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - J Kevin Hicks
- Department of Individualized Cancer Management, Section for Precision Oncology, Moffitt Comprehensive Cancer Center, Tampa, FL, USA
- Corresponding author: J. Kevin Hicks, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center, 12902 Magnolia Drive, MRC-CANCONT, Tampa, FL 33612, USA. Tel: +1 813 745 4673;
| |
Collapse
|
28
|
Real-world data analysis of patients with cancer of unknown primary. Sci Rep 2021; 11:23074. [PMID: 34845302 PMCID: PMC8630084 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-02543-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2021] [Accepted: 10/15/2021] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Cancer of unknown primary (CUP) is a heterogeneous malignancy in which the primary site of the tumor cannot be identified through standard work-up. The survival outcome of CUP is generally poor, and there is no consensus for treatment. Here, we comprehensively analyzed the real-world data of 218 patients with CUP (median age, 62 years [range, 19–91]; male, 62.3%). Next-generation sequencing was conducted in 22 (10%) patients, one of whom showed level 1 genetic alteration. Most (60.3%) patients were treated with empirical cytotoxic chemotherapy, and two patients received targeted therapy based on the NGS results. The median OS was 8.3 months (95% confidence interval [CI] 6.2–11.4), and the median progression-free survival of patients treated with chemotherapy was 4.4 months (95% CI 3.4–5.3). In multivariate Cox regression analysis, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status (ECOG PS) of 0 or 1 and localized disease were significantly associated with favorable survival outcomes. Collectively, we found that CUP patients had a poor prognosis after standard treatment, and those with localized disease who received local treatment and those with better PS treated with multiple lines of chemotherapy had better survival outcomes. Targeted therapies based on NGS results are expected to improve survival outcomes.
Collapse
|
29
|
Genomic alterations and possible druggable mutations in carcinoma of unknown primary (CUP). Sci Rep 2021; 11:15112. [PMID: 34302033 PMCID: PMC8302572 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-94678-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2021] [Accepted: 07/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Carcinoma of Unknown Primary (CUP) is a heterogeneous and metastatic disease where the primary site of origin is undetectable. Currently, chemotherapy is the only state-of-art treatment option for CUP patients. The molecular profiling of the tumour, particularly mutation detection, offers a new treatment approach for CUP in a personalized fashion using targeted agents. We analyzed the mutation and copy number alterations profile of 1709 CUP samples deposited in the AACR Project Genomics Evidence Neoplasia Information Exchange (GENIE) cohort and explored potentially druggable mutations. We identified 52 significant mutated genes (SMGs) among CUP samples, in which 13 (25%) of SMGs were potentially targetable with either drugs are approved for the know primary tumour or undergoing clinical trials. The most variants detected were TP53 (43%), KRAS (19.90%), KMT2D (12.60%), and CDKN2A (10.30%). Additionally, using pan-cancer analysis, we found similar variants of TERT promoter in CUP and NSCLC samples, suggesting that these mutations may serve as a diagnostic marker for identifying the primary tumour in CUP. Taken together, the mutation profiling analysis of the CUP tumours may open a new way of identifying druggable targets and consequently administrating appropriate treatment in a personalized manner.
Collapse
|
30
|
Laprovitera N, Salamon I, Gelsomino F, Porcellini E, Riefolo M, Garonzi M, Tononi P, Valente S, Sabbioni S, Fontana F, Manaresi N, D’Errico A, Pantaleo MA, Ardizzoni A, Ferracin M. Genetic Characterization of Cancer of Unknown Primary Using Liquid Biopsy Approaches. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:666156. [PMID: 34178989 PMCID: PMC8222689 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.666156] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2021] [Accepted: 05/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancers of unknown primary (CUPs) comprise a heterogeneous group of rare metastatic tumors whose primary site cannot be identified after extensive clinical-pathological investigations. CUP patients are generally treated with empirical chemotherapy and have dismal prognosis. As recently reported, CUP genome presents potentially druggable alterations for which targeted therapies could be proposed. The paucity of tumor tissue, as well as the difficult DNA testing and the lack of dedicated panels for target gene sequencing are further relevant limitations. Here, we propose that circulating tumor cells (CTCs) and circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) could be used to identify actionable mutations in CUP patients. Blood was longitudinally collected from two CUP patients. CTCs were isolated with CELLSEARCH® and DEPArrayTM NxT and Parsortix systems, immunophenotypically characterized and used for single-cell genomic characterization with Ampli1TM kits. Circulating cell-free DNA (ccfDNA), purified from plasma at different time points, was tested for tumor mutations with a CUP-dedicated, 92-gene custom panel using SureSelect Target Enrichment technology. In parallel, FFPE tumor tissue was analyzed with three different assays: FoundationOne CDx assay, DEPArray LibPrep and OncoSeek Panel, and the SureSelect custom panel. These approaches identified the same mutations, when the gene was covered by the panel, with the exception of an insertion in APC gene. which was detected by OncoSeek and SureSelect panels but not FoundationOne. FGFR2 and CCNE1 gene amplifications were detected in single CTCs, tumor tissue, and ccfDNAs in one patient. A somatic variant in ARID1A gene (p.R1276∗) was detected in the tumor tissue and ccfDNAs. The alterations were validated by Droplet Digital PCR in all ccfDNA samples collected during tumor evolution. CTCs from a second patient presented a pattern of recurrent amplifications in ASPM and SEPT9 genes and loss of FANCC. The 92-gene custom panel identified 16 non-synonymous somatic alterations in ccfDNA, including a deletion (I1485Rfs∗19) and a somatic mutation (p. A1487V) in ARID1A gene and a point mutation in FGFR2 gene (p.G384R). Our results support the feasibility of non-invasive liquid biopsy testing in CUP cases, either using ctDNA or CTCs, to identify CUP genetic alterations with broad NGS panels covering the most frequently mutated genes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Noemi Laprovitera
- Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine (DIMES), University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
- Department of Life Sciences and Biotechnologies, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Irene Salamon
- Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine (DIMES), University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
- Center for Applied Biomedical Research (CRBA), University of Bologna, Italy
| | - Francesco Gelsomino
- Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine (DIMES), University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
- Divisione di Oncologia Medica, IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Elisa Porcellini
- Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine (DIMES), University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Mattia Riefolo
- Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine (DIMES), University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
- Pathology Unit, Sant’Orsola Hospital, IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | | | - Paola Tononi
- Menarini Silicon Biosystems S.p.A, Bologna, Italy
| | - Sabrina Valente
- Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine (DIMES), University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Silvia Sabbioni
- Center for Applied Biomedical Research (CRBA), University of Bologna, Italy
| | | | | | - Antonia D’Errico
- Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine (DIMES), University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
- Pathology Unit, Sant’Orsola Hospital, IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Maria A. Pantaleo
- Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine (DIMES), University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
- Divisione di Oncologia Medica, IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Andrea Ardizzoni
- Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine (DIMES), University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
- Divisione di Oncologia Medica, IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Manuela Ferracin
- Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine (DIMES), University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
31
|
Laprovitera N, Riefolo M, Porcellini E, Durante G, Garajova I, Vasuri F, Aigelsreiter A, Dandachi N, Benvenuto G, Agostinis F, Sabbioni S, Berindan Neagoe I, Romualdi C, Ardizzoni A, Trerè D, Pichler M, D'Errico A, Ferracin M. MicroRNA expression profiling with a droplet digital PCR assay enables molecular diagnosis and prognosis of cancers of unknown primary. Mol Oncol 2021; 15:2732-2751. [PMID: 34075699 PMCID: PMC8486570 DOI: 10.1002/1878-0261.13026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2021] [Revised: 04/30/2021] [Accepted: 05/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Metastasis is responsible for the majority of cancer‐related deaths. Particularly, challenging is the management of metastatic cancer of unknown primary site (CUP), whose tissue of origin (TOO) remains undetermined even after extensive investigations and whose therapy is rather unspecific and poorly effective. Molecular approaches to identify the most probable TOO of CUPs can overcome some of these issues. In this study, we applied a predetermined set of 89 microRNAs (miRNAs) to infer the TOO of 53 metastatic cancers of unknown or uncertain origin. The miRNA expression was assessed with droplet digital PCR in 159 samples, including primary tumors from 17 tumor classes (reference set) and metastases of known and unknown origin (test set). We combined two different statistical models for class prediction to obtain the most probable TOOs: the nearest shrunken centroids approach of Prediction Analysis of Microarrays (PAMR) and the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) models. The molecular test was successful for all formalin‐fixed paraffin‐embedded samples and provided a TOO identification within 1 week from the biopsy procedure. The most frequently predicted origins were gastrointestinal, pancreas, breast, lung, and bile duct. The assay was applied also to multiple metastases from the same CUP, collected from different metastatic sites: The predictions showed a strong agreement, intrinsically validating our assay. The final CUPs' TOO prediction was compared with the clinicopathological hypothesis of primary site. Moreover, a panel of 13 miRNAs proved to have prognostic value and be associated with overall survival in CUP patients. Our study demonstrated that miRNA expression profiling in CUP samples could be employed as diagnostic and prognostic test. Our molecular analysis can be performed on request, concomitantly with standard diagnostic workup and in association with genetic profiling, to offer valuable indications about the possible primary site, thereby supporting treatment decisions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Noemi Laprovitera
- Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine (DIMES), University of Bologna, Italy.,Department of Life Sciences and Biotechnologies, University of Ferrara, Italy
| | - Mattia Riefolo
- Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine (DIMES), University of Bologna, Italy.,Pathology Unit, IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna, Italy
| | - Elisa Porcellini
- Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine (DIMES), University of Bologna, Italy
| | - Giorgio Durante
- Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine (DIMES), University of Bologna, Italy
| | | | - Francesco Vasuri
- Pathology Unit, IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna, Italy
| | - Ariane Aigelsreiter
- Diagnostic and Research Institute of Pathology, Medical University of Graz, Austria
| | - Nadia Dandachi
- Division of Oncology, Medical University of Graz, Austria
| | | | | | - Silvia Sabbioni
- Department of Life Sciences and Biotechnologies, University of Ferrara, Italy
| | - Ioana Berindan Neagoe
- Research Center for Functional Genomics, Biomedicine and Translational Medicine, "Iuliu Hatieganu" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | | | - Andrea Ardizzoni
- Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine (DIMES), University of Bologna, Italy.,Division of Medical Oncology, IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna, Italy
| | - Davide Trerè
- Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine (DIMES), University of Bologna, Italy
| | - Martin Pichler
- Division of Oncology, Medical University of Graz, Austria
| | - Antonietta D'Errico
- Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine (DIMES), University of Bologna, Italy.,Pathology Unit, IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna, Italy
| | - Manuela Ferracin
- Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine (DIMES), University of Bologna, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
32
|
Sugiyama K, Izumika A, Iwakoshi A, Nishibori R, Sato M, Shiraishi K, Hattori H, Nishimura R, Kitagawa C. Successful Alectinib Treatment for Carcinoma of Unknown Primary with EML4-ALK Fusion Gene: A Case Report. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2021; 28:1938-1945. [PMID: 34064158 PMCID: PMC8161847 DOI: 10.3390/curroncol28030180] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2021] [Revised: 05/15/2021] [Accepted: 05/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/02/2022]
Abstract
Gene alteration in anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) is rare, and the efficacy of ALK inhibitors in the treatment of carcinoma of unknown primary (CUP) with ALK alteration remains unclear. The patient was a 56-year-old woman who presented with cervical lymph node swelling. Computed tomography revealed paraaortic, perigastric, and cervical lymph node swelling; ascites; a liver lesion; and a left adrenal mass. A cervical lymph node biopsy was performed, and pathological diagnosis of an undifferentiated malignant tumor was conducted. Finally, the patient was diagnosed with CUP and treated with chemotherapy. To evaluate actionable mutations, we performed a multigene analysis, using a next-generation sequencer (FoundationOne® CDx). It revealed that the tumor harbored an echinoderm microtubule-associated protein-like 4 (EML4) and ALK fusion gene. Additionally, immunohistochemistry confirmed ALK protein expression. Alectinib, a potent ALK inhibitor, was recommended for the patient at a molecular oncology conference at our institution. Accordingly, alectinib (600 mg/day) was administered, and the multiple lesions and symptoms rapidly diminished without apparent toxicity. The administration of alectinib continued for a period of 10 months without disease progression. Thus, ALK-tyrosine kinase inhibitors should be considered in patients with CUP harboring the EML4-ALK fusion gene.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Keiji Sugiyama
- Department of Medical Oncology, Nagoya Medical Center, 4-1-1 Sannomaru, Naka-Ku, Nagoya 460-0001, Japan; (A.I.); (R.N.); (M.S.); (K.S.); (C.K.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +81-529-511-111
| | - Ai Izumika
- Department of Medical Oncology, Nagoya Medical Center, 4-1-1 Sannomaru, Naka-Ku, Nagoya 460-0001, Japan; (A.I.); (R.N.); (M.S.); (K.S.); (C.K.)
| | - Akari Iwakoshi
- Department of Pathology, Nagoya Medical Center, 4-1-1 Sannomaru, Naka-Ku, Nagoya 460-0001, Japan; (A.I.); (R.N.)
| | - Riko Nishibori
- Department of Medical Oncology, Nagoya Medical Center, 4-1-1 Sannomaru, Naka-Ku, Nagoya 460-0001, Japan; (A.I.); (R.N.); (M.S.); (K.S.); (C.K.)
| | - Mariko Sato
- Department of Medical Oncology, Nagoya Medical Center, 4-1-1 Sannomaru, Naka-Ku, Nagoya 460-0001, Japan; (A.I.); (R.N.); (M.S.); (K.S.); (C.K.)
| | - Kazuhiro Shiraishi
- Department of Medical Oncology, Nagoya Medical Center, 4-1-1 Sannomaru, Naka-Ku, Nagoya 460-0001, Japan; (A.I.); (R.N.); (M.S.); (K.S.); (C.K.)
| | - Hiroyoshi Hattori
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Nagoya Medical Center, 4-1-1 Sannomaru, Naka-Ku, Nagoya 460-0001, Japan;
| | - Rieko Nishimura
- Department of Pathology, Nagoya Medical Center, 4-1-1 Sannomaru, Naka-Ku, Nagoya 460-0001, Japan; (A.I.); (R.N.)
| | - Chiyoe Kitagawa
- Department of Medical Oncology, Nagoya Medical Center, 4-1-1 Sannomaru, Naka-Ku, Nagoya 460-0001, Japan; (A.I.); (R.N.); (M.S.); (K.S.); (C.K.)
| |
Collapse
|
33
|
Cancer of unknown primary stem-like cells model multi-organ metastasis and unveil liability to MEK inhibition. Nat Commun 2021; 12:2498. [PMID: 33941777 PMCID: PMC8093243 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-22643-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2020] [Accepted: 03/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancers of unknown primary (CUPs), featuring metastatic dissemination in the absence of a primary tumor, are a biological enigma and a fatal disease. We propose that CUPs are a distinct, yet unrecognized, pathological entity originating from stem-like cells endowed with peculiar and shared properties. These cells can be isolated in vitro (agnospheres) and propagated in vivo by serial transplantation, displaying high tumorigenicity. After subcutaneous engraftment, agnospheres recapitulate the CUP phenotype, by spontaneously and quickly disseminating, and forming widespread established metastases. Regardless of different genetic backgrounds, agnospheres invariably display cell-autonomous proliferation and self-renewal, mostly relying on unrestrained activation of the MAP kinase/MYC axis, which confers sensitivity to MEK inhibitors in vitro and in vivo. Such sensitivity is associated with a transcriptomic signature predicting that more than 70% of CUP patients could be eligible to MEK inhibition. These data shed light on CUP biology and unveil an opportunity for therapeutic intervention. Cancer of unknown primary (CUP) is a mysterious malignancy featuring metastatic dissemination in the absence of a recognizable primary tumor. By characterizing CUP cancer stem cells we show that self-sustained long-term propagation and sensitivity to MEK inhibition are CUP common features.
Collapse
|
34
|
Abstract
Next generation sequencing (NGS) technology has revealed the heterogeneity of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) from a mutation perspective. Accordingly, the conventional cell of origin-based classification of DLBCL has changed to a mutation-based classification. Mutation analysis delineates that B-cell receptor pathway activation, EZH2 mutation, and NOTCH mutations are distinctive drivers of DLBCL. Moreover, the combination of RNA expression data and DNA mutation results suggests similarity between DLBCL subtypes and other non-Hodgkin lymphomas. NGS-based dissection of DLBCL would be the cornerstone for precision treatment in this heterogeneous disease in the near future.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Youngil Koh
- Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Korea
| |
Collapse
|
35
|
Raghav K, Hwang H, Jácome AA, Bhang E, Willett A, Huey RW, Dhillon NP, Modha J, Smaglo B, Matamoros A, Estrella JS, Jao J, Overman MJ, Wang X, Greco FA, Loree JM, Varadhachary GR. Development and Validation of a Novel Nomogram for Individualized Prediction of Survival in Cancer of Unknown Primary. Clin Cancer Res 2021; 27:3414-3421. [PMID: 33858857 DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.ccr-20-4117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2020] [Revised: 12/23/2020] [Accepted: 04/09/2021] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Prognostic uncertainty is a major challenge for cancer of unknown primary (CUP). Current models limit a meaningful patient-provider dialogue. We aimed to establish a nomogram for predicting overall survival (OS) in CUP based on robust clinicopathologic prognostic factors. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN We evaluated 521 patients with CUP at MD Anderson Cancer Center (MDACC; Houston, TX; 2012-2016). Baseline variables were analyzed using Cox regression and nomogram developed using significant predictors. Predictive accuracy and discriminatory performance were assessed by calibration curves, concordance probability estimate (CPE ± SE), and concordance statistic (C-index). The model was subjected to bootstrapping and multi-institutional external validations using two independent CUP cohorts: V1 [MDACC (2017), N = 103] and V2 (BC Cancer, Vancouver, Canada and Sarah Cannon Cancer Center/Tennessee Oncology, Nashville, TN; N = 302). RESULTS Baseline characteristics of entire cohort (N = 926) included: median age (63 years), women (51%), Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status (ECOG PS) 0-1 (64%), adenocarcinomas (52%), ≥3 sites of metastases (30%), and median follow-up duration and OS of 40.1 and 14.7 months, respectively. Five independent prognostic factors were identified: gender, ECOG PS, histology, number of metastatic sites, and neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio. The resulting model predicted OS with CPE of 0.69 [SE: ± 0.01; C-index: 0.71 (95% confidence interval: 0.68-0.74)] outperforming Culine/Seve prognostic models (CPE: 0.59 ± 0.01). CPE for external validation cohorts V1 and V2 were 0.67 (± 0.02) and 0.70 (± 0.01), respectively. Calibration curves for 1-year OS showed strong agreement between nomogram prediction and actual observations in all cohorts. CONCLUSIONS Our user-friendly CUP nomogram integrating commonly available baseline factors provides robust personalized prognostication which can aid clinical decision making and selection/stratification for clinical trials.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kanwal Raghav
- Department of Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | - Hyunsoo Hwang
- Department of Biostatistics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | - Alexandre A Jácome
- Department of Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | - Eric Bhang
- BC Cancer, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Anneleis Willett
- Department of Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | - Ryan W Huey
- Department of Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | - Nishat P Dhillon
- Department of Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | - Jignesh Modha
- Department of Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | - Brandon Smaglo
- Department of Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | - Aurelio Matamoros
- Diagnostic Imaging, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | | | - Justin Jao
- BC Cancer, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Michael J Overman
- Department of Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | - Xuemei Wang
- Department of Biostatistics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | - F Anthony Greco
- Sarah Cannon Cancer Center/Tennessee Oncology, Nashville, Tennessee
| | | | - Gauri R Varadhachary
- Department of Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas.
| |
Collapse
|
36
|
Redefining cancer of unknown primary: Is precision medicine really shifting the paradigm? Cancer Treat Rev 2021; 97:102204. [PMID: 33866225 DOI: 10.1016/j.ctrv.2021.102204] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2021] [Revised: 03/27/2021] [Accepted: 03/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The concept of Cancer of Unknown Primary (CUP) has evolved with the advent of medical oncology. CUP can be difficult to diagnose and represents 2 to 5% of new cancers, therefore not exceptionally rare. Within CUPs can be identified a subset of favourable prognosis tumours, however the vast majority of CUP patients belongs to a poor prognosis group. CUP features significant oncological challenges, such as unravelling biological and transversal issues, and most importantly, improving patient's outcomes. In that regard, CUP patients' outcomes regrettably showed minimal improvement for decades and CUP remains a cancer group of very poor prognosis. The biology of CUP has two main hypotheses. One is that CUP is a subgroup of a given primary cancer, where the primary is present but cannot be seen due to its small size. The other, the "true" CUP hypothesis, states that CUP share features that make them a specific entity, whatever their tissue of origin. A true biological signature has not yet been described, but chromosomal instability is a hallmark of poor prognosis CUP group. Precision oncology, despite achieving identifying the putative origin of the CUP, so far failed to globally improve outcomes of patients. Targeting molecular pathways based on molecular analysis in CUP management is under investigation. Immunotherapy has not shown ground-breaking results, to date. Accrual is also a crucial issue in CUP trials. Herein we review CUP history, biological features and remaining questions in CUP biology, the two main approaches of molecular oncology in CUP management, in order to draw perspectives in the enormous challenge of improving CUP patient outcomes.
Collapse
|
37
|
Kato S, Alsafar A, Walavalkar V, Hainsworth J, Kurzrock R. Cancer of Unknown Primary in the Molecular Era. Trends Cancer 2021; 7:465-477. [PMID: 33516660 DOI: 10.1016/j.trecan.2020.11.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2020] [Revised: 10/21/2020] [Accepted: 11/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Cancer of unknown primary (CUP) is a rare malignancy that presents with metastatic disease and no identifiable site of origin. Most patients have unfavorable features and attempts to treat based on tissue-of-origin identification have not yielded a survival advantage compared with empiric chemotherapy. Next-generation sequencing has revealed genomic alterations that can be targeted in selected cases, suggesting that CUP represents a unique malignancy in which the genomic aberrations may be integral to the diagnosis. Recent trials focusing on tailored combination therapy matched to the genomic alterations in each cancer are providing new avenues of clinical investigation. Here, we discuss recent findings on molecular aberrations in CUP and how the genomic and immune landscape can be leveraged to optimize therapy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Shumei Kato
- Center for Personalized Cancer Therapy and Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, UC San Diego Moores Cancer Center, La Jolla, CA, USA.
| | - Ahmed Alsafar
- Center for Personalized Cancer Therapy and Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, UC San Diego Moores Cancer Center, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Vighnesh Walavalkar
- Department of Pathology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - John Hainsworth
- Tennessee Oncology, PLLC, Nashville, TN, USA; Sarah Cannon Research Institute, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Razelle Kurzrock
- Center for Personalized Cancer Therapy and Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, UC San Diego Moores Cancer Center, La Jolla, CA, USA
| |
Collapse
|
38
|
Laprovitera N, Riefolo M, Ambrosini E, Klec C, Pichler M, Ferracin M. Cancer of Unknown Primary: Challenges and Progress in Clinical Management. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13030451. [PMID: 33504059 PMCID: PMC7866161 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13030451] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2020] [Revised: 11/30/2020] [Accepted: 01/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Patients with cancer of unknown primary site suffer the burden of an uncertain disease, which is characterized by the impossibility to identify the tissue where the tumor has originated. The identification of the primary site of a tumor is of great importance for the patient to have access to site-specific treatments and be enrolled in clinical trials. Therefore, patients with cancer of unknown primary have reduced therapeutic opportunities and poor prognosis. Advancements have been made in the molecular characterization of this tumor, which could be used to infer the tumor site-of-origin and thus broaden the diagnostic outcome. Moreover, we describe here the novel therapeutic opportunities that are based on the genetic and immunophenotypic characterization of the tumor, and thus independent from the tumor type, which could provide most benefit to patients with cancer of unknown primary. Abstract Distant metastases are the main cause of cancer-related deaths in patients with advanced tumors. A standard diagnostic workup usually contains the identification of the tissue-of-origin of metastatic tumors, although under certain circumstances, it remains elusive. This disease setting is defined as cancer of unknown primary (CUP). Accounting for approximately 3–5% of all cancer diagnoses, CUPs are characterized by an aggressive clinical behavior and represent a real therapeutic challenge. The lack of determination of a tissue of origin precludes CUP patients from specific evidence-based therapeutic options or access to clinical trial, which significantly impacts their life expectancy. In the era of precision medicine, it is essential to characterize CUP molecular features, including the expression profile of non-coding RNAs, to improve our understanding of CUP biology and identify novel therapeutic strategies. This review article sheds light on this enigmatic disease by summarizing the current knowledge on CUPs focusing on recent discoveries and emerging diagnostic strategies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Noemi Laprovitera
- Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine (DIMES), University of Bologna, 40126 Bologna, Italy; (N.L.); (M.R.); (E.A.)
- Department of Life Sciences and Biotechnologies, University of Ferrara, 44121 Ferrara, Italy
| | - Mattia Riefolo
- Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine (DIMES), University of Bologna, 40126 Bologna, Italy; (N.L.); (M.R.); (E.A.)
| | - Elisa Ambrosini
- Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine (DIMES), University of Bologna, 40126 Bologna, Italy; (N.L.); (M.R.); (E.A.)
| | - Christiane Klec
- Division of Oncology, Medical University of Graz, 8036 Graz, Austria; (C.K.); (M.P.)
| | - Martin Pichler
- Division of Oncology, Medical University of Graz, 8036 Graz, Austria; (C.K.); (M.P.)
| | - Manuela Ferracin
- Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine (DIMES), University of Bologna, 40126 Bologna, Italy; (N.L.); (M.R.); (E.A.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +39-051-209-4714
| |
Collapse
|
39
|
Abstract
Cancers of unknown primary (CUPs) are histologically confirmed, metastatic malignancies with a primary tumor site that is unidentifiable on the basis of standard evaluation and imaging studies. CUP comprises 2-5% of all diagnosed cancers worldwide and is characterized by early and aggressive metastasis. Current standard evaluation of CUP requires histopathologic evaluation and identification of favorable risk subtypes that can be more definitively treated or have superior outcomes. Current standard treatment of the unfavorable risk subtype requires assessment of prognosis and consideration of empiric chemotherapy. The use of molecular tissue of origin tests to identify the likely primary tumor site has been extensively studied, and here we review the rationale and the evidence for and against the use of such tests in the assessment of CUPs. The expanding use of next generation sequencing in advanced cancers offers the potential to identify a subgroup of patients who have actionable genomic aberrations and may allow for further personalization of therapy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Michael S Lee
- Department of Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Hanna K Sanoff
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| |
Collapse
|
40
|
Dermawan JK, Rubin BP. The role of molecular profiling in the diagnosis and management of metastatic undifferentiated cancer of unknown primary ✰: Molecular profiling of metastatic cancer of unknown primary. Semin Diagn Pathol 2020; 38:193-198. [PMID: 33309276 DOI: 10.1053/j.semdp.2020.12.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2020] [Revised: 11/24/2020] [Accepted: 12/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Cancer of unknown primary (CUP) refers to metastatic tumors for which the primary tumor of origin cannot be determined at the time of diagnosis, despite extensive clinicopathologic investigations. Molecular profiling is increasingly able to predict a probable primary tumor type for CUP when clinicopathologic workup is inconclusive. Numerous studies have explored the use of various molecular profiling techniques for identification of site/tissue of origin of CUP. These techniques include gene expression profiling utilizing microarray, reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction, RNA-sequencing, somatic gene mutation profiling with next-generation DNA sequencing, and epigenomics including DNA methylation profiling. Despite the generally poor prognosis of CUP, a minority of patients can expect to benefit from targeted therapy despite being agnostic to the tissue of origin. Studies have explored the use of various molecular profiling techniques to predict prognostic and therapeutic biomarkers, with the goal of improving outcome for patients with CUP. However, discordant results between non-randomized and randomized clinical trials in evaluating tumor-type specific therapies raise uncertainties of the benefits of molecularly-predicted tissue of origin-based treatment in routine clinical use. Nevertheless, the current overall trend is in favor of using molecular tools to refine the diagnosis and clinical management of patients with CUP. More large-cohort, randomized prospective studies are needed to assess and validate the utility and feasibility of molecular profiling to uncover potentially targetable genetic alterations. These efforts will also yield further biological insights into the biology and pathogenesis of CUP (Graphical Abstract).
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Josephine K Dermawan
- Robert J. Tomsich Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH 44195, United States
| | - Brian P Rubin
- Robert J. Tomsich Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH 44195, United States.
| |
Collapse
|
41
|
Mitani Y, Kanai M, Kou T, Kataoka S, Doi K, Matsubara J, Ohashi S, Matsumoto S, Muto M. Cancer of unknown primary with EGFR mutation successfully treated with targeted therapy directed by clinical next-generation sequencing: a case report. BMC Cancer 2020; 20:1177. [PMID: 33267781 PMCID: PMC7709432 DOI: 10.1186/s12885-020-07640-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2019] [Accepted: 11/16/2020] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cancer of unknown primary (CUP) is usually treated with nonselective and empirical chemotherapy; however, its prognosis is generally poor, with a median survival of less than a year. Thus, clinicians eagerly await the development of more effective treatment strategies. In recent years, advances in next-generation sequencing (NGS) have made it possible to analyze comprehensively the genome of individual cancers. NGS has identified many genomic alterations, some of which are potential molecular targets of specific agents. We report a case of CUP that was successfully treated with targeted therapy directed by the genomic data obtained from an NGS-based multiplex assay. CASE PRESENTATION A 52-year-old Asian woman with right hip joint pain underwent fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography/computed tomography, which showed multiple metastatic tumors in her right hip joint, thyroid gland, lung, and vertebrae. Brain magnetic resonance imaging showed multiple cerebral metastases. Additional tests, including pathology examination and conventional epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) gene mutation analysis (single-strand conformation polymorphism assay), could not identify the primary origin of the tumors, so the patient was diagnosed with CUP. After empirical chemotherapy for CUP, an NGS-based multiplex assay performed using a resected specimen of thyroid tumor detected the EGFR mutation c.2573 T > G p.Leu858Arg (L858R). Her treatment was changed to erlotinib, an EGFR tyrosine-kinase inhibiter, which dramatically shrank the tumors and decreased her serum carcinoembryonic antigen level. She achieved long-term disease control and survived for 2 years and 9 months from the first diagnosis. CONCLUSION This case might support the strategy that NGS-based multiplex assays could identify actionable molecular targets for individual patients with CUP.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yosuke Mitani
- Department of Therapeutic Oncology, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, 54 Shogoin Kawahara-cho, Kyoto, Sakyo-ku, 606-8507, Japan
| | - Masashi Kanai
- Department of Therapeutic Oncology, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, 54 Shogoin Kawahara-cho, Kyoto, Sakyo-ku, 606-8507, Japan
| | - Tadayuki Kou
- Department of Therapeutic Oncology, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, 54 Shogoin Kawahara-cho, Kyoto, Sakyo-ku, 606-8507, Japan
| | - Shigeki Kataoka
- Department of Therapeutic Oncology, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, 54 Shogoin Kawahara-cho, Kyoto, Sakyo-ku, 606-8507, Japan
| | - Keitaro Doi
- Department of Therapeutic Oncology, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, 54 Shogoin Kawahara-cho, Kyoto, Sakyo-ku, 606-8507, Japan
| | - Junichi Matsubara
- Department of Therapeutic Oncology, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, 54 Shogoin Kawahara-cho, Kyoto, Sakyo-ku, 606-8507, Japan
| | - Shinya Ohashi
- Department of Therapeutic Oncology, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, 54 Shogoin Kawahara-cho, Kyoto, Sakyo-ku, 606-8507, Japan
| | - Shigemi Matsumoto
- Department of Therapeutic Oncology, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, 54 Shogoin Kawahara-cho, Kyoto, Sakyo-ku, 606-8507, Japan
| | - Manabu Muto
- Department of Therapeutic Oncology, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, 54 Shogoin Kawahara-cho, Kyoto, Sakyo-ku, 606-8507, Japan.
| |
Collapse
|
42
|
Hayashi H, Takiguchi Y, Minami H, Akiyoshi K, Segawa Y, Ueda H, Iwamoto Y, Kondoh C, Matsumoto K, Takahashi S, Yasui H, Sawa T, Onozawa Y, Chiba Y, Togashi Y, Fujita Y, Sakai K, Tomida S, Nishio K, Nakagawa K. Site-Specific and Targeted Therapy Based on Molecular Profiling by Next-Generation Sequencing for Cancer of Unknown Primary Site: A Nonrandomized Phase 2 Clinical Trial. JAMA Oncol 2020; 6:1931-1938. [PMID: 33057591 DOI: 10.1001/jamaoncol.2020.4643] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Importance Although profiling of gene expression and gene alterations by next-generation sequencing (NGS) to predict the primary tumor site and guide molecularly targeted therapy might be expected to improve clinical outcomes for cancer of unknown primary site (CUP), to our knowledge, no clinical trial has previously evaluated this approach. Objective To assess the clinical use of site-specific treatment, including molecularly targeted therapy based on NGS results, for patients with CUP. Design, Setting, and Participants This phase 2 clinical trial was conducted at 19 institutions in Japan and enrolled 111 previously untreated patients with the unfavorable subset of CUP between March 2015 and January 2018, with 97 patients being included in the efficacy analysis. Eligibility criteria included a diagnosis of unfavorable CUP after mandatory examinations, including pathological evaluation by immunohistochemistry, chest-abdomen-pelvis computed tomography scans, and a positron emission tomography scan. Interventions RNA and DNA sequencing for selected genes was performed simultaneously to evaluate gene expression and gene alterations, respectively. A newly established algorithm was applied to predict tumor origin based on these data. Patients received site-specific therapy, including molecularly targeted therapy, according to the predicted site and detected gene alterations. Main Outcomes And Measures The primary end point was 1-year survival probability. Secondary end points included progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), objective response rate, safety, efficacy according to predicted site, and frequency of gene alterations. Results Of 97 participants, 49 (50.5%) were women and the median (range) age was 64 (21-81) years. The cancer types most commonly predicted were lung (21 [21%]), liver (15 [15%]), kidney (15 [15%]), and colorectal (12 [12%]) cancer. The most frequent gene alterations were in TP53 (45 [46.4%]), KRAS (19 [19.6%]), and CDKN2A (18 [18.6%]). The 1-year survival probability, median OS, and median PFS were 53.1% (95% CI, 42.6%-62.5%), 13.7 months (95% CI, 9.3-19.7 months), and 5.2 months (95% CI, 3.3-7.1 months), respectively. Targetable EGFR mutations in tumor specimens were detected in 5 patients with predicted non-small-cell lung cancer (5.2%), 4 of whom were treated with afatinib; 2 of these patients achieved a durable PFS of longer than 6 months. Conclusions and Relevance This study's findings suggest that site-specific treatment, including molecularly targeted therapy based on profiling gene expression and gene alterations by NGS, can contribute to treating patients with the unfavorable subset of CUP. Trial Registration UMIN Identifier: UMIN000016794.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hidetoshi Hayashi
- Department of Medical Oncology, Kindai University Faculty of Medicine, Osaka-Sayama, Japan
| | - Yuichi Takiguchi
- Department of Medical Oncology, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan
| | - Hironobu Minami
- Division of Medical Oncology/Hematology, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, Kobe, Japan
| | - Kohei Akiyoshi
- Department of Medical Oncology, Osaka City General Hospital, Osaka, Japan
| | - Yoshihiko Segawa
- Department of Medical Oncology, International Medical Center, Saitama Medical University, Hidaka, Japan
| | - Hiroki Ueda
- Third Department of Internal Medicine, Wakayama Medical University, Wakayama, Japan
| | - Yasuo Iwamoto
- Department of Medical Oncology, Hiroshima City Hospital Organization, Hiroshima City Hiroshima Citizens Hospital, Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Chihiro Kondoh
- Department of Medical Oncology, Toranomon Hospital, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Koji Matsumoto
- Medical Oncology Division, Hyogo Cancer Center, Akashi, Japan
| | - Shin Takahashi
- Department of Medical Oncology, Tohoku University Hospital, Sendai, Japan
| | - Hisateru Yasui
- Department of Medical Oncology, Kobe City Medical Center General Hospital, Kobe, Japan
| | - Toshiyuki Sawa
- Department of Respiratory Medicine and Medical Oncology, Gifu Municipal Hospital, Gifu, Japan
| | - Yusuke Onozawa
- Division of Clinical Oncology, Shizuoka Cancer Center, Shizuoka, Japan
| | - Yasutaka Chiba
- Clinical Research Center, Kindai University Hospital, Osaka-Sayama, Japan
| | | | - Yoshihiko Fujita
- Department of Genome Biology, Kindai University Faculty of Medicine, Osaka-Sayama, Japan
| | - Kazuko Sakai
- Department of Genome Biology, Kindai University Faculty of Medicine, Osaka-Sayama, Japan
| | - Shuta Tomida
- Center for Comprehensive Genomic Medicine, Okayama University Hospital, Okayama, Japan
| | - Kazuto Nishio
- Department of Genome Biology, Kindai University Faculty of Medicine, Osaka-Sayama, Japan
| | - Kazuhiko Nakagawa
- Department of Medical Oncology, Kindai University Faculty of Medicine, Osaka-Sayama, Japan
| |
Collapse
|
43
|
Adding cetuximab to paclitaxel and carboplatin for first-line treatment of carcinoma of unknown primary (CUP): results of the Phase 2 AIO trial PACET-CUP. Br J Cancer 2020; 124:721-727. [PMID: 33235314 PMCID: PMC7884392 DOI: 10.1038/s41416-020-01141-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2020] [Revised: 10/01/2020] [Accepted: 10/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Patients with carcinoma of unknown primary (CUP) have a dismal prognosis, even when treated with multi-agent chemotherapy. We hypothesised that adding the epidermal growth-factor receptor (EGFR) inhibitor cetuximab to standard first-line chemotherapy with paclitaxel and carboplatin would improve PFS and RR in unfavourable CUP. Methods This open-labelled, multicentre Phase 2 study included patients with unfavourable, untreated adeno- or undifferentiated CUP. Patients were randomised to receive either paclitaxel/carboplatin (group A) or paclitaxel/carboplatin plus cetuximab (group B) every 3 weeks for a maximum of 6 cycles followed by cetuximab maintenance in group B. The primary endpoint was PFS in the two groups. Secondary endpoints were RR, toxicity and overall survival (OS). Results One-hundred-and-fifty patients were randomised (group A = 72, group B = 78). The median PFS and OS for all patients were 3.8 and 8.1 months (95% confidence interval (CI): 2.9–4.8 and 6.8–9.5). There was no significant difference in PFS (3.7 vs 4.6 months, HR 0.98) or OS (8.1 vs 7.4, HR 1.1) between the two treatment groups. Response rate tended to be better for chemotherapy plus cetuximab compared to chemotherapy alone (22% vs 15%). Adverse events grade ≥3 were comparable between the two groups, except for significantly increased skin toxicity in the cetuximab arm. Conclusions Cetuximab plus paclitaxel/carboplatin did not improve PFS, OS and RR in metastatic CUP compared to paclitaxel/carboplatin alone. Addition of cetuximab resulted in additional skin toxicity. Clinical trial registration The study was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT00894569.
Collapse
|
44
|
Zhao Y, Pan Z, Namburi S, Pattison A, Posner A, Balachander S, Paisie CA, Reddi HV, Rueter J, Gill AJ, Fox S, Raghav KPS, Flynn WF, Tothill RW, Li S, Karuturi RKM, George J. CUP-AI-Dx: A tool for inferring cancer tissue of origin and molecular subtype using RNA gene-expression data and artificial intelligence. EBioMedicine 2020; 61:103030. [PMID: 33039710 PMCID: PMC7553237 DOI: 10.1016/j.ebiom.2020.103030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2020] [Revised: 09/10/2020] [Accepted: 09/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cancer of unknown primary (CUP), representing approximately 3-5% of all malignancies, is defined as metastatic cancer where a primary site of origin cannot be found despite a standard diagnostic workup. Because knowledge of a patient's primary cancer remains fundamental to their treatment, CUP patients are significantly disadvantaged and most have a poor survival outcome. Developing robust and accessible diagnostic methods for resolving cancer tissue of origin, therefore, has significant value for CUP patients. METHODS We developed an RNA-based classifier called CUP-AI-Dx that utilizes a 1D Inception convolutional neural network (1D-Inception) model to infer a tumor's primary tissue of origin. CUP-AI-Dx was trained using the transcriptional profiles of 18,217 primary tumours representing 32 cancer types from The Cancer Genome Atlas project (TCGA) and International Cancer Genome Consortium (ICGC). Gene expression data was ordered by gene chromosomal coordinates as input to the 1D-CNN model, and the model utilizes multiple convolutional kernels with different configurations simultaneously to improve generality. The model was optimized through extensive hyperparameter tuning, including different max-pooling layers and dropout settings. For 11 tumour types, we also developed a random forest model that can classify the tumour's molecular subtype according to prior TCGA studies. The optimised CUP-AI-Dx tissue of origin classifier was tested on 394 metastatic samples from 11 tumour types from TCGA and 92 formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) samples representing 18 cancer types from two clinical laboratories. The CUP-AI-Dx molecular subtype was also independently tested on independent ovarian and breast cancer microarray datasets FINDINGS: CUP-AI-Dx identifies the primary site with an overall top-1-accuracy of 98.54% in cross-validation and 96.70% on a test dataset. When applied to two independent clinical-grade RNA-seq datasets generated from two different institutes from the US and Australia, our model predicted the primary site with a top-1-accuracy of 86.96% and 72.46% respectively. INTERPRETATION The CUP-AI-Dx predicts tumour primary site and molecular subtype with high accuracy and therefore can be used to assist the diagnostic work-up of cancers of unknown primary or uncertain origin using a common and accessible genomics platform. FUNDING NIH R35 GM133562, NCI P30 CA034196, Victorian Cancer Agency Australia.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yue Zhao
- The Jackson Laboratory for Genomic Medicine, 10 Discovery Drive, Farmington, CT, USA
| | - Ziwei Pan
- The Jackson Laboratory for Genomic Medicine, 10 Discovery Drive, Farmington, CT, USA; Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, CT, USA
| | - Sandeep Namburi
- The Jackson Laboratory for Genomic Medicine, 10 Discovery Drive, Farmington, CT, USA
| | - Andrew Pattison
- Department of Clinical Pathology and Centre for Cancer Research, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Atara Posner
- Department of Clinical Pathology and Centre for Cancer Research, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Shiva Balachander
- Department of Clinical Pathology and Centre for Cancer Research, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Carolyn A Paisie
- The Jackson Laboratory for Genomic Medicine, 10 Discovery Drive, Farmington, CT, USA
| | - Honey V Reddi
- The Jackson Laboratory for Genomic Medicine, 10 Discovery Drive, Farmington, CT, USA; The Jackson Laboratory Cancer Center, Bar Harbor, ME, USA
| | - Jens Rueter
- The Jackson Laboratory Cancer Center, Bar Harbor, ME, USA
| | - Anthony J Gill
- Cancer Diagnosis and Pathology Group, Kolling Institute of Medical Research, Royal North Shore Hospital, St Leonards, New South Wales 2065 Australia; NSW Health Pathology, Department of Anatomical Pathology, Royal North Shore Hospital, Sydney, New South Wales 2065 Australia; Department of Anatomical Pathology, Douglass Hanly Moir Pathology, Macquarie Park, New South Wales 2113 Australia; University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales 2006 Australia
| | - Stephen Fox
- Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Department of Pathology, University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Kanwal P S Raghav
- Department of Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology, Division of Cancer Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - William F Flynn
- The Jackson Laboratory for Genomic Medicine, 10 Discovery Drive, Farmington, CT, USA
| | - Richard W Tothill
- Department of Clinical Pathology and Centre for Cancer Research, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Melbourne, Australia; Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Parkville, Melbourne, Australia.
| | - Sheng Li
- The Jackson Laboratory for Genomic Medicine, 10 Discovery Drive, Farmington, CT, USA; The Jackson Laboratory Cancer Center, Bar Harbor, ME, USA; Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, CT, USA; Department of Computer Science and Engineering, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, USA.
| | - R Krishna Murthy Karuturi
- The Jackson Laboratory for Genomic Medicine, 10 Discovery Drive, Farmington, CT, USA; The Jackson Laboratory Cancer Center, Bar Harbor, ME, USA; Department of Computer Science and Engineering, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, USA.
| | - Joshy George
- The Jackson Laboratory for Genomic Medicine, 10 Discovery Drive, Farmington, CT, USA; The Jackson Laboratory Cancer Center, Bar Harbor, ME, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
45
|
Huang W, Tang X, Malysz J, Han B, Yang Z. The spectrum of pathological diagnoses in non-sentinel axillary lymph node biopsy: A single institution's experience. Ann Diagn Pathol 2020; 49:151646. [PMID: 33126152 DOI: 10.1016/j.anndiagpath.2020.151646] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2020] [Accepted: 10/09/2020] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Although axillary lymphadenopathy is a common clinical encounter, systemic evaluation of non-sentinel lymph node biopsy is sparse. We reviewed our institution's 15-year experience to delineate the spectrum of diagnoses in non-sentinel axillary lymph nodes. 1165 non-sentinel axillary lymph node biopsies were retrieved and the diagnosis and relevant clinical information was reviewed. This spectrum of diagnoses was further stratified by gender, age, and oncologic history. The spectrum of diagnoses included: breast carcinoma (27.6%), lymphoma (29.2%), melanoma (3.5%), other carcinoma (2.9%), sarcoma (0.4%), and benign changes (36.3%). The most common diagnoses in men were lymphoma (61.8%) and benign changes (23.6%); while in women they were benign change (41.2%), breast carcinoma (37.8%) and lymphoma (16.7%). Besides benign changes, lymphoma and breast carcinoma were most common in women younger and older than 30 years, respectively. In patients with a history of malignancy, the most common diagnoses were metastasis from the known tumor and benign change; while in patients with a negative oncologic history and female patients without a history of breast cancer, the diagnosis was generally either lymphoma or benign change. Anaplastic large cell lymphoma was rare but may be mistaken as metastatic carcinoma thus a high index of suspicion is warranted. Thus through retrospective review of a large cohort of non-sentinel axillary lymph node biopsies, we described the spectrum of pathological entities based on the gender, age, and clinical history, which could provide valuable information for further work-up of axillary lymph node biopsy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Wei Huang
- Department of Pathology, Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, PA 17033, United States of America
| | - Xiaoyu Tang
- Department of Pathology, Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, PA 17033, United States of America
| | - Jozef Malysz
- Department of Pathology, Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, PA 17033, United States of America
| | - Bing Han
- Department of Pathology, Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, PA 17033, United States of America
| | - Zhaohai Yang
- Department of Pathology, Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, PA 17033, United States of America.
| |
Collapse
|
46
|
Ye Q, Wang Q, Qi P, Chen J, Sun Y, Jin S, Ren W, Chen C, Liu M, Xu M, Ji G, Yang J, Nie L, Xu Q, Huang D, Du X, Zhou X. Development and Clinical Validation of a 90-Gene Expression Assay for Identifying Tumor Tissue Origin. J Mol Diagn 2020; 22:1139-1150. [PMID: 32610162 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmoldx.2020.06.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2019] [Revised: 05/19/2020] [Accepted: 06/01/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The accurate identification of tissue origin in patients with metastatic cancer is critical for effective treatment selection but remains a challenge. The aim of this study is to develop a gene expression assay for tumor molecular classification and integrate it with clinicopathologic evaluations to identify the tissue origin for cancer of uncertain primary (CUP). A 90-gene expression signature, covering 21 tumor types, was identified and validated with an overall accuracy of 89.8% (95% CI, 0.87-0.92) in 609 tumor samples. More specifically, the classification accuracy reached 90.4% (95% CI, 0.87-0.93) for 323 primary tumors and 89.2% (95% CI, 0.85-0.92) for 286 metastatic tumors, with no statistically significant difference (P = 0.71). Furthermore, in a real-life cohort of 141 CUP patients, predictions by the 90-gene expression signature were consistent or compatible with the clinicopathologic features in 71.6% of patients (101/141). Findings suggest that this novel gene expression assay could efficiently predict the primary origin for a broad spectrum of tumor types and support its diagnostic utility of molecular classification in difficult-to-diagnose metastatic cancer. Additional studies are ongoing to further evaluate the clinical utility of this novel gene expression assay in predicting primary site and directing therapy for CUP patients.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Qing Ye
- Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, Department of Pathology, The First Affiliated Hospital of University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, People's Republic of China; Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, Intelligent Pathology Institute, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, People's Republic of China; Department of Pathology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, The Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing, People's Republic of China; Cancer of Unknown Primary Group, Pathology Committee, Chinese Research Hospital Association, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Qifeng Wang
- Cancer of Unknown Primary Group, Pathology Committee, Chinese Research Hospital Association, Shanghai, People's Republic of China; Department of Pathology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, People's Republic of China; Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Peng Qi
- Department of Pathology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, People's Republic of China; Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Jinying Chen
- Canhelp Genomics Research Center, Hangzhou, Canhelp Genomics Co., Ltd., People's Republic of China
| | - Yifeng Sun
- Canhelp Genomics Research Center, Hangzhou, Canhelp Genomics Co., Ltd., People's Republic of China
| | - Shichai Jin
- Canhelp Genomics Research Center, Hangzhou, Canhelp Genomics Co., Ltd., People's Republic of China
| | - Wanli Ren
- Canhelp Genomics Research Center, Hangzhou, Canhelp Genomics Co., Ltd., People's Republic of China
| | - Chengshu Chen
- Canhelp Genomics Research Center, Hangzhou, Canhelp Genomics Co., Ltd., People's Republic of China
| | - Mei Liu
- Canhelp Genomics Research Center, Hangzhou, Canhelp Genomics Co., Ltd., People's Republic of China
| | - Midie Xu
- Cancer of Unknown Primary Group, Pathology Committee, Chinese Research Hospital Association, Shanghai, People's Republic of China; Department of Pathology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, People's Republic of China; Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Gang Ji
- Department of Pathology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, People's Republic of China; Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Jun Yang
- Department of Pathology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, The Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing, People's Republic of China
| | - Ling Nie
- Department of Pathology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, The Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing, People's Republic of China
| | - Qinghua Xu
- Cancer of Unknown Primary Group, Pathology Committee, Chinese Research Hospital Association, Shanghai, People's Republic of China; Canhelp Genomics Research Center, Hangzhou, Canhelp Genomics Co., Ltd., People's Republic of China; Institute of Machine Learning and Systems Biology, College of Electronics and Information Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai, People's Republic of China.
| | - Deshuang Huang
- Institute of Machine Learning and Systems Biology, College of Electronics and Information Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiang Du
- Cancer of Unknown Primary Group, Pathology Committee, Chinese Research Hospital Association, Shanghai, People's Republic of China; Department of Pathology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, People's Republic of China; Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiaoyan Zhou
- Cancer of Unknown Primary Group, Pathology Committee, Chinese Research Hospital Association, Shanghai, People's Republic of China; Department of Pathology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, People's Republic of China; Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, People's Republic of China.
| |
Collapse
|
47
|
Shao Y, Liu X, Hu S, Zhang Y, Li W, Zhou X, Wang Q, Hou Y, Chen Y, Wang Y, Wang Y, Luo Z, Hu X. Sentinel node theory helps tracking of primary lesions of cancers of unknown primary. BMC Cancer 2020; 20:639. [PMID: 32646508 PMCID: PMC7350562 DOI: 10.1186/s12885-020-07042-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2019] [Accepted: 06/04/2020] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Sentinel lymph node is the first stop of lymphatic spreading of cancer with known primary. The lymph node metastasis pattern of cancer of unknown primary (CUP) is unclear and has been presumed to follow the same pathway. To test this hypothesis, data of all 716 patients clinically diagnosed as CUP in our center were collected. Methods Diagnoses of lymph node metastasis were established by 18F-FDG PET-CT and/or biopsy pathology. Three hundred and forty-seven cases meeting the criteria were divided into three groups: pathology-confirmed primary with invasive biopsy or surgery of the suspicious lesion (group A, n = 64), primary still unknown even with invasive biopsy or surgery of the suspicious lesion (group B, n = 204), and others with no suspicious lesion or lesions who had not been sampled due to medical or other reasons (group C, n = 79). We assessed the clinicopathological features between these groups, and the relationship between lymph node metastasis pattern and confirmed primary site. Results In group A, the primary sites of 61 cases were compatible with sentinel node theory, resulting in a positive predictive value of 95%. No significant differences in age, sex, bone metastasis, or visceral metastasis observed between group A and group B, except that group A had a higher ratio of differentiated carcinoma (94% vs. 77%, P = 0.003). Conclusion To our knowledge, this is the first evidence indicating that the majority of clinical CUP cases follow the sentinel node theory to spread in lymph nodes, which helps tracking the primary, especially for differentiated carcinoma.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yilin Shao
- Department of Medical Oncology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, 270 Dong-an Rd, Shanghai, 200032, China.,Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Xin Liu
- Department of Medical Oncology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, 270 Dong-an Rd, Shanghai, 200032, China.,Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Silong Hu
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Yingjian Zhang
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Wentao Li
- Department of Medical Oncology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, 270 Dong-an Rd, Shanghai, 200032, China.,Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Xiaoyan Zhou
- Department of Pathology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Qifeng Wang
- Department of Pathology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Yifeng Hou
- Department of Medical Oncology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, 270 Dong-an Rd, Shanghai, 200032, China.,Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Yong Chen
- Department of Medical Oncology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, 270 Dong-an Rd, Shanghai, 200032, China.,Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Yanli Wang
- Department of Pathology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Yaohui Wang
- Department of Medical Oncology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, 270 Dong-an Rd, Shanghai, 200032, China.,Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Zhiguo Luo
- Department of Medical Oncology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, 270 Dong-an Rd, Shanghai, 200032, China. .,Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China.
| | - Xichun Hu
- Department of Medical Oncology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, 270 Dong-an Rd, Shanghai, 200032, China. .,Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China.
| |
Collapse
|
48
|
Benvenuti S, Milan M, Geuna E, Pisacane A, Senetta R, Gambardella G, Stella GM, Montemurro F, Sapino A, Boccaccio C, Comoglio PM. Cancer of Unknown Primary (CUP): genetic evidence for a novel nosological entity? A case report. EMBO Mol Med 2020; 12:e11756. [PMID: 32511869 PMCID: PMC7338804 DOI: 10.15252/emmm.201911756] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2019] [Revised: 05/08/2020] [Accepted: 05/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer of unknown primary (CUP) is an obscure disease characterized by multiple metastases in the absence of a primary tumor. No consensus has been reached whether CUPs are simply generated from cancers that cannot be detected or whether they are the manifestation of a still unknown nosological entity. Here, we report the complete expression and genetic analysis of multiple synchronous metastases harvested at warm autopsy of a patient with CUP. The expression profiles were remarkably similar and astonishingly singular. The whole exome analysis yielded a high number of mutations present in all metastases (fully shared), additional mutations (partially shared) accumulated one after another in a series, and few private mutations were unique to each metastasis. Surprisingly, the phylogenetic trajectory linking CUP metastases was atypical, depicting a common "stream", sprouting a series of linear "brooks", at variance from the extensive branched evolution observed in metastases from most cancers of known origin. The distinctive genetic and evolutionary features depicted suggest that CUP is a novel nosological entity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Silvia Benvenuti
- Molecular Therapeutics and Exploratory Research Laboratory, Candiolo Cancer Institute, FPO - IRCCS, Candiolo (Turin), Italy
| | - Melissa Milan
- Molecular Therapeutics and Exploratory Research Laboratory, Candiolo Cancer Institute, FPO - IRCCS, Candiolo (Turin), Italy
| | - Elena Geuna
- Oncology Outpatient Clinic, Candiolo Cancer Institute, FPO - IRCCS, Candiolo (Turin), Italy
| | - Alberto Pisacane
- Pathology Unit, Candiolo Cancer Institute, FPO - IRCCS, Candiolo (Turin), Italy
| | - Rebecca Senetta
- Department of Medical Sciences, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Gennaro Gambardella
- Telethon Institute of Genetics and Medicine (TIGEM), Pozzuoli (Naples), Italy.,University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Giulia M Stella
- Department of Medical Sciences and Infectious Diseases, Unit of Respiratory System Diseases, IRCCS Fondazione Policlinico San Matteo, Pavia, Italy
| | - Filippo Montemurro
- Oncology Outpatient Clinic, Candiolo Cancer Institute, FPO - IRCCS, Candiolo (Turin), Italy
| | - Anna Sapino
- Pathology Unit, Candiolo Cancer Institute, FPO - IRCCS, Candiolo (Turin), Italy.,Department of Medical Sciences, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Carla Boccaccio
- Laboratory of Cancer Stem Cells, Candiolo Cancer Institute, FPO - IRCCS, Candiolo (Turin), Italy.,Department of Oncology, University of Turin Medical School, Candiolo (Turin), Italy
| | - Paolo M Comoglio
- Molecular Therapeutics and Exploratory Research Laboratory, Candiolo Cancer Institute, FPO - IRCCS, Candiolo (Turin), Italy
| |
Collapse
|
49
|
Lombardo R, Tosi F, Nocerino A, Bencardino K, Gambi V, Ricotta R, Spina F, Siena S, Sartore-Bianchi A. The Quest for Improving Treatment of Cancer of Unknown Primary (CUP) Through Molecularly-Driven Treatments: A Systematic Review. Front Oncol 2020; 10:533. [PMID: 32457826 PMCID: PMC7225282 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2020.00533] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2019] [Accepted: 03/25/2020] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: Carcinomas of unknown primary (CUP) account for 3–5% of all malignancy and, despite a reduction in incidence, the overall survival has not improved over the last decade. Chemotherapy regimens have not provided encouraging results. New diagnostic technologies, such as next generation sequencing (NGS), could represent a chance to identify potentially targetable genomic alterations in order to personalize treatment of CUP and provide insights into tumor biology. Methods: A systematic review of studies of patients with CUP, whose tumor specimen was evaluated through a NGS panel, has been performed on June 10th, 2019 according to PRISMA criteria from PubMed, ASCO meeting library and Clinicaltrial.gov. We have identified potentially targetable alterations for which approved/off-label/in clinical trials drugs are available. Moreover, we have included case reports about CUP patients treated with targeted therapies driven by NGS results in order to explore the clinical role of NGS in this setting. Results: We have evaluated 15 publications of which eleven studies (9 full-text articles and 2 abstracts) have analyzed the genomic profiling of CUPs through NGS technology, with different platforms and with different patients cohorts, ranging from 16 to 1,806 patients. Among all these studies, 85% of patients demonstrated at least one molecular alteration, the most frequent involving TP53 (41.88%), KRAS (18.81%), CDKN2A (8.8%), and PIK3CA (9.3%). A mean of 47.3% of patients harbored a potentially targetable alteration for which approved/off-label/in clinical trials drugs were available. Furthermore, we have identified 4 case reports in order to evaluate the clinical relevance of a specific targeted therapy identified through NGS. Conclusions: NGS may represent a tool to improve diagnosis and treatment of CUP by identifying therapeutically actionable alterations and providing insights into tumor biology.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Roberta Lombardo
- Niguarda Cancer Center, Grande Ospedale Metropolitano Niguarda, Milan, Italy.,Department of Oncology and Hemato-Oncology, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Federica Tosi
- Niguarda Cancer Center, Grande Ospedale Metropolitano Niguarda, Milan, Italy.,Department of Oncology and Hemato-Oncology, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Annunziata Nocerino
- Niguarda Cancer Center, Grande Ospedale Metropolitano Niguarda, Milan, Italy
| | - Katia Bencardino
- Niguarda Cancer Center, Grande Ospedale Metropolitano Niguarda, Milan, Italy
| | - Valentina Gambi
- Niguarda Cancer Center, Grande Ospedale Metropolitano Niguarda, Milan, Italy
| | - Riccardo Ricotta
- Niguarda Cancer Center, Grande Ospedale Metropolitano Niguarda, Milan, Italy
| | - Francesco Spina
- Niguarda Cancer Center, Grande Ospedale Metropolitano Niguarda, Milan, Italy
| | - Salvatore Siena
- Niguarda Cancer Center, Grande Ospedale Metropolitano Niguarda, Milan, Italy.,Department of Oncology and Hemato-Oncology, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Andrea Sartore-Bianchi
- Niguarda Cancer Center, Grande Ospedale Metropolitano Niguarda, Milan, Italy.,Department of Oncology and Hemato-Oncology, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
50
|
Wang S, Zhou X, Liang C, Bao M, Tian Y, Zhu J, Zhang T, Yang J, Wang Z. ALDH1A3 serves as a predictor for castration resistance in prostate cancer patients. BMC Cancer 2020; 20:387. [PMID: 32375698 PMCID: PMC7201787 DOI: 10.1186/s12885-020-06899-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2020] [Accepted: 04/23/2020] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Aldehyde dehydrogenase 1A3 (ALDH1A3) has been implicated in the survival and proliferation of prostate cancer cells. Methods We retrospectively reviewed our patients with advanced disease on adjuvant hormonal therapy after prostatectomy. Time to castration resistance stage was documented. And Immunohistochemistry analysis for ALDH1A3 was performed for those patient samples on tissue microarray. Bioinformatics anslysis was used for RNA sequencing data of both primary prostate cancer and metastatic castration resistance prostate cancer (mCRPC) from online datasets. Crispr-Cas9 was used to knock out ALDH1A3 in prostate cancer luminal cells, and morphologic analysis as well as the Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA) were facilitated to discover the mechanisms of the resistance phenotype. Results We found that the patients with ALDH1A3 low expression had shorter time to progression to castration resistance compared with those of higher expression group on adjuvant hormonal therapy after radical prostatectomy. The ALDH1A3 knockout cells gradually acquired resistance to androgen deprivation therapy, a few cells have been found in knockout group showing as that the spindle-like luminal cells in charcoal stripped medium. Furthermore, PI3K pathway activation has been confirmed by Western blot. The PI3K pathway inhibitor BEZ235 has been demonstrated that the acquired ADT resistance by ALDH1A3 down regulation could be rescued by PI3K pathway inhibitor. Conclusion These results suggested a novel function for ALDH1A3 in development of mCRPC, and indicated PI3K pathway inhibitor has the potential in the treatment of a subgroup of mCRPC patients.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Shangqian Wang
- Department of Urology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 300 Guangzhou Road, Nanjing, 210029, China
| | - Xiang Zhou
- Department of Urology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 300 Guangzhou Road, Nanjing, 210029, China
| | - Chao Liang
- Department of Urology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 300 Guangzhou Road, Nanjing, 210029, China
| | - Meiling Bao
- Department of Pathology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Ye Tian
- Department of Urology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 300 Guangzhou Road, Nanjing, 210029, China
| | - Jundong Zhu
- Department of Urology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, The First People's Hospital of Changzhou, Changzhou, China
| | - Tongtong Zhang
- Department of Urology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 300 Guangzhou Road, Nanjing, 210029, China
| | - Jie Yang
- Department of Urology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 300 Guangzhou Road, Nanjing, 210029, China.
| | - Zengjun Wang
- Department of Urology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 300 Guangzhou Road, Nanjing, 210029, China.
| |
Collapse
|