The management of hepatocellular carcinoma. Current expert opinion and recommendations derived from the 24th ESMO/World Congress on Gastrointestinal Cancer, Barcelona, 2022

This article summarises expert discussion on the management of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), which took place during the 24th World Gastrointestinal Cancer Congress (WGICC) in Barcelona, July 2022. A multidisciplinary approach is mandatory to ensure an optimal diagnosis and staging of HCC, planning of curative and therapeutic options, including surgical, embolisation, ablative strategies, or systemic therapy. Furthermore, in many patients with HCC, underlying liver cirrhosis represents a challenge and influences the therapeutic options.

Abstract P1-11-14: Efficacy and quality of life analysis of palonosetron vs ondansetron for high and moderate emetogenic chemotherapy for breast cancer

Background: Nausea and vomiting are common complications on the chemotherapy (CINV) and can affect the quality of life of the patients. There are various antiemetic regiments that varies in both cost and effectiveness. The aim of this trial is to evaluate the efficacy in acute and delayed CINV of ondansetron vs palonosetron.

Patients and methods: In his was a randomized, open label trial, we included breast cancer patients' candidate to (AC, TC, TCH regimens); arm A received palonosetron, dexamethasone and fosaprepitant and arm B ondansetron, dexamethasone, fosaprepitant; patients who had received previously any chemotherapy or radiotherapy were excluded.Presence of CINV were investigated, as well the ER visits due for CINV and QoL (EORTC QLQ 30 and EORTC B-23) were analyzed during the first cycle of treatment. Local ethics committee approved the trial.

Results: 262 patients were included, 87% received AC and 13% TC; acute control was achieved in 87% and 94% respectively, p=ns and delayed control was achieved in 76% and 86% p=ns, toxicity was similar in both arms. QoL analysis showed no differences in family interaction, social life and financial troubles. ER visits due to severe symptoms were similar p=ns

Conclusions: Palonosetron or ondansetron are equally effective in prevention acute and delayed CINV and they also maintain similar quality of life.

Citation Format: Arce-Salinas C, Deneken-Hernandez Z, Flores-Diaz D, Gonzalez-Serrano JP, Matus-Santos JA, Ruiz-Garcia E, Calderillo-Ruiz G, Macedo O, Santamaría-Galicia J, Aguilar-Ponce JL, Reynoso-Noverón N. Efficacy and quality of life analysis of palonosetron vs ondansetron for high and moderate emetogenic chemotherapy for breast cancer [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2018 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2018 Dec 4-8; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2019;79(4 Suppl):Abstract nr P1-11-14.

Oncobiome at the Forefront of a Novel Molecular Mechanism to Understand the Microbiome and Cancer

The microbiome comprises all the genetic material within a microbiota, that represents tenfold higher than that of our cells. The microbiota it includes a wide variety of microorganisms such as bacteria, viruses, protozoans, fungi, and archaea, and this ecosystem is personalized in any body space of every individual. Balanced microbial communities can positively contribute to training the immune system and maintaining immune homeostasis. Dysbiosis is a change in the normal microbiome composition that can initiate chronic inflammation, epithelial barrier breaches, and overgrowth of harmful bacteria. The next-generation sequencing methods have revolutionized the study of the microbiome. Bioinformatic tools to manage large volumes of new information, it became possible to assess species diversity and measure dynamic fluctuations in microbial communities. The burden of infections that are associated to human cancer is increasing but is underappreciated by the cancer research community. The rich content in microbes of normal and tumoral tissue reflect could be defining diverse physiological or pathological states. Genomic research has emerged a new focus on the interplay between the human microbiome and carcinogenesis and has been termed the 'oncobiome'. The interactions among the microbiota in all epithelium, induce changes in the host immune interactions and can be a cause of cancer. Microbes have been shown to have systemic effects on the host that influence the efficacy of anticancer drugs. Metagenomics allows to investigate the composition of microbial community. Metatranscriptome analysis applies RNA sequencing to microbial samples to determine which species are present. Cancer can be caused by changes in the microbiome. The roles of individual microbial species in cancer progression have been identified long ago for various tissue types. The identification of microbiomes of drug resistance in the treatment of cancer patients has been the subject of numerous microbiome studies. The complexity of cancer genetic alterations becomes irrelevant in certain cancers to explain the origin, the cause or the oncogenic maintenance by the oncogene addiction theory.

Gene expression profiling identifies Fibronectin 1 and CXCL9 as candidate biomarkers for breast cancer screening

BACKGROUND

There is a need to develop blood-based bioassays for breast cancer (BC) screening. In this study, differential gene expression between BC samples and benign tumours was used to identify candidate biomarkers for blood-based screening.

METHODS

We identified two proteins (Fibronectin 1 and CXCL9) from a gene expression data set that included 120 BC samples and 45 benign lesions. These proteins fulfil the following criteria: differential gene expression between cancer and benign lesion, protein released in the extracellular medium and stable in the serum, commercially available ELISA kit, ELISA accuracy in a feasibility study. Protein concentrations were determined by ELISA. Blood samples were from normal volunteers (n=119) and early BC patients (n=133).

RESULTS

Seventy-three per cent of patients had cT1-T2 tumour. Patients had higher CXCL9 and Fibronectin 1 concentrations than volunteers. CXCL9 mean concentration was 851 and 635 pg ml(-1) for patients and volunteers respectively (P=0.013). CXCL9 concentration was significantly higher in patients with estrogen receptor (ER)-negative compared with volunteers (P=0.003), data consistent with gene expression profile. Fibronectin 1 mean concentration was 190 microg ml(-1) for patients and 125 microg ml(-1) for volunteers (P<0.001). Areas under the curve for BC diagnosis were 0.78 and 0.62 for Fibronectin 1 and CXCL9 respectively. A combined score including Fibronectin 1 and CXCL9 dosages presented 53% of sensitivity and 98% of specificity. Similar performances were observed for ER-negative tumours.

CONCLUSIONS

This study suggests that Fibronectin 1/CXCL9 dosage in serum could screen a significant rate of BC, including ER-negative, and that differential gene expression analysis is a good approach to select candidate biomarkers to set up blood assays cancer screening.

Biomarker analysis by tissue microarray technology of Bik, Bcl-2, Bax, ER-α, ER-β, Her2/neu, PCNA, P53, pRB proteins and apoptotic index (by TUNEL) in breast cancer Mexican biopsies

Abstract #4043

Background: &#x2028; The development and progression of epithelial cancers are the results of changes in many genetic networks. Through massive analysis techniques various prognostic factors have been studied to determine proteins implicated in cancer. A new technology used is tissue microarray (TMAs), which allows the assessment of several patients at different stages in a single slide.&#x2028; Methods:&#x2028; TMA blocks with up to 128 cylinders were made by using 1.5-mm diameter tissue cores from each paraffin block. In a series of 70 formalin-fixed carcinomas, we analyzed the immuno-expression of Bik, Bcl-2, Bax, ER-α, ER-β, Her2, PCNA, P53 and RB proteins. For apoptosis detection the TUNEL technique was used. Expression profiles for these tumors were generated with an unsupervised clustering and a T Test analysis.&#x2028; Results:&#x2028; We developed TMAs with samples from Mexican women with breast cancer at different stages (type I, II and III) and compared these with those of non affected breast tissue of the same women's samples. Through a hierarchical cluster we found three subgroups of tumors according to protein expression behavior. The apoptotic process was found in low grade 4.28%; moderate grade 90% and high grade 5.71% of samples. Statistical analysis revealed that Bax gene (p=0.000) expression was significantly increased in samples stage I and underexpressed in samples stage IIIA. The Bcl-2 gene was under-expressed in the majority of samples of the stage II. Even when the Bik gene was detected the protein level was over-expressed in 44.29% of the cases with noa significant correlation with apoptosis (TUNEL) (p=0.006). The samples where there were more alterations of the studied proteins were understood in the stages IIA (T2N0M0) and IIB (T2N1M0).&#x2028; &#x2028; Conclusions:&#x2028; The analysis of specimens of several patients in different stages of the disease turns out to be useful to establish a better diagnosis and prognosis. Differential regulation of these genes, especially Bik and Bax, may contribute to the biological nature of a clinically more aggressive and highly proliferative breast cancers.

Citation Information: Cancer Res 2009;69(2 Suppl):Abstract nr 4043.

Outcomes associated with retinoblastoma and c-myc gene expression in patients with testicular cancer: A ten-year experience

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Purpose: To determine and correlate the protein and mRNA expression of c-myc and Rb genes in normal testicular tissue and testicular cancer as possible markers of pharmacological response. Methods: Eleven fresh testicular cancer surgical specimens were obtained from untreated patients with histological diagnosis of seminoma (9/11) and non seminoma (2/11) during the period of 1992 to 1995. Age patient average was 35 (16–74). Two normal human testicular tissues also were evaluated as control. Single and double immunohistochemical assay was performed with peroxidase anti-peroxidase system using polyclonal antibody anti-pRb C-15 and monoclonal antibody anti- c-myc 1. Non radioactive in situ hybridization with cRNA probes was performed with cDNA from Rb (exons 2–27) and c-myc (exons 2,3). All seminomas were stage I and were treated with radiotherapy. Non-seminomas were stage III and were treated with chemotherapy. Results: Histological findings: Rb protein was expressed in mature cells toward the lumen of normal testicular tissue while c-myc was located in basal cells but decreasing the expression toward the lumen. High correlation between mRNA and protein levels for both genes was observed in normal testicular tissue. Rb protein and mRNA was absent in 6/11 (55%) tumors while the remaining showed a low level expression (45%). A high c-myc expression was observed in 6/11 (55%) seminomas specimens correlating in a few cases with absent Rb expression. Percentage of positive cells to c-myc gene expression (mRNA and protein) was highly increased in tumoral samples. Clinical findings: All patients with seminoma (9/11) and one of non seminoma (1/11) are alive and without tumoral activity a ten years of the diagnosis. A non-seminoma patient (1/11) have 11-year survival, a high expression of c-myc gene and absent retinoblastoma expression was observed in this case. Conclusion: The semiquantitative differences observed on c-myc and Rb gene expression in seminoma and non-seminoma tumors might correlate with the biological behavior including their high proliferation rate and the chemosensitivity.

No significant financial relationships to disclose.