Metastasis

Most cancer-associated deaths occur due to metastasis, yet our understanding of metastasis as an evolving, heterogeneous, systemic disease and of how to effectively treat it is still emerging. Metastasis requires the acquisition of a succession of traits to disseminate, variably enter and exit dormancy, and colonize distant organs. The success of these events is driven by clonal selection, the potential of metastatic cells to dynamically transition into distinct states, and their ability to co-opt the immune environment. Here, we review the main principles of metastasis and highlight emerging opportunities to develop more effective therapies for metastatic cancer.

Classifying cGAS-STING Activity Links Chromosomal Instability with Immunotherapy Response in Metastatic Bladder Cancer

The cGAS-STING pathway serves a critical role in anticancer therapy. Particularly, response to immunotherapy is likely driven by both active cGAS-STING signaling that attracts immune cells, and by the presence of cancer neoantigens that presents as targets for cytotoxic T cells. Chromosomal instability (CIN) is a hallmark of cancer, but also leads to an accumulation of cytosolic DNA that in turn results in increased cGAS-STING signaling. To avoid triggering the cGAS-STING pathway, it is commonly disrupted by cancer cells, either through mutations in the pathway or through transcriptional silencing. Given its effect on the immune system, determining the cGAS-STING activation status prior to treatment initiation is likely of clinical relevance. Here, we used combined expression data from 2,307 tumors from five cancer types from The Cancer Genome Atlas to define a novel cGAS-STING activity score based on eight genes with a known role in the pathway. Using unsupervised clustering, four distinct categories of cGAS-STING activation were identified. In multivariate models, the cGAS-STING active tumors show improved prognosis. Importantly, in an independent bladder cancer immunotherapy-treated cohort, patients with low cGAS-STING expression showed limited response to treatment, while patients with high expression showed improved response and prognosis, particularly among patients with high CIN and more neoantigens. In a multivariate model, a significant interaction was observed between CIN, neoantigens, and cGAS-STING activation. Together, this suggests a potential role of cGAS-STING activity as a predictive biomarker for the application of immunotherapy.

Significance

The cGAS-STING pathway is induced by CIN, triggers inflammation and is often deficient in cancer. We provide a tool to evaluate cGAS-STING activity and demonstrate clinical significance in immunotherapy response.

Effect of Electronic Symptom Monitoring on Patient-Reported Outcomes Among Patients With Metastatic Cancer: A Randomized Clinical Trial

IMPORTANCE

Electronic systems that facilitate patient-reported outcome (PRO) surveys for patients with cancer may detect symptoms early and prompt clinicians to intervene.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate whether electronic symptom monitoring during cancer treatment confers benefits on quality-of-life outcomes.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS

Report of secondary outcomes from the PRO-TECT (Alliance AFT-39) cluster randomized trial in 52 US community oncology practices randomized to electronic symptom monitoring with PRO surveys or usual care. Between October 2017 and March 2020, 1191 adults being treated for metastatic cancer were enrolled, with last follow-up on May 17, 2021.

INTERVENTIONS

In the PRO group, participants (n = 593) were asked to complete weekly surveys via an internet-based or automated telephone system for up to 1 year. Severe or worsening symptoms triggered care team alerts. The control group (n = 598) received usual care.

MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES

The 3 prespecified secondary outcomes were physical function, symptom control, and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) at 3 months, measured by the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire (QLQ-C30; range, 0-100 points; minimum clinically important difference [MCID], 2-7 for physical function; no MCID defined for symptom control or HRQOL). Results on the primary outcome, overall survival, are not yet available.

RESULTS

Among 52 practices, 1191 patients were included (mean age, 62.2 years; 694 [58.3%] women); 1066 (89.5%) completed 3-month follow-up. Compared with usual care, mean changes on the QLQ-C30 from baseline to 3 months were significantly improved in the PRO group for physical function (PRO, from 74.27 to 75.81 points; control, from 73.54 to 72.61 points; mean difference, 2.47 [95% CI, 0.41-4.53]; P = .02), symptom control (PRO, from 77.67 to 80.03 points; control, from 76.75 to 76.55 points; mean difference, 2.56 [95% CI, 0.95-4.17]; P = .002), and HRQOL (PRO, from 78.11 to 80.03 points; control, from 77.00 to 76.50 points; mean difference, 2.43 [95% CI, 0.90-3.96]; P = .002). Patients in the PRO group had significantly greater odds of experiencing clinically meaningful benefits vs usual care for physical function (7.7% more with improvements of ≥5 points and 6.1% fewer with worsening of ≥5 points; odds ratio [OR], 1.35 [95% CI, 1.08-1.70]; P = .009), symptom control (8.6% and 7.5%, respectively; OR, 1.50 [95% CI, 1.15-1.95]; P = .003), and HRQOL (8.5% and 4.9%, respectively; OR, 1.41 [95% CI, 1.10-1.81]; P = .006).

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE

In this report of secondary outcomes from a randomized clinical trial of adults receiving cancer treatment, use of weekly electronic PRO surveys to monitor symptoms, compared with usual care, resulted in statistically significant improvements in physical function, symptom control, and HRQOL at 3 months, with mean improvements of approximately 2.5 points on a 0- to 100-point scale. These findings should be interpreted provisionally pending results of the primary outcome of overall survival.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03249090.

Effect of Electronic Symptom Monitoring on Patient-Reported Outcomes Among Patients With Metastatic Cancer: A Randomized Clinical Trial

IMPORTANCE

Electronic systems that facilitate patient-reported outcome (PRO) surveys for patients with cancer may detect symptoms early and prompt clinicians to intervene.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate whether electronic symptom monitoring during cancer treatment confers benefits on quality-of-life outcomes.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS

Report of secondary outcomes from the PRO-TECT (Alliance AFT-39) cluster randomized trial in 52 US community oncology practices randomized to electronic symptom monitoring with PRO surveys or usual care. Between October 2017 and March 2020, 1191 adults being treated for metastatic cancer were enrolled, with last follow-up on May 17, 2021.

INTERVENTIONS

In the PRO group, participants (n = 593) were asked to complete weekly surveys via an internet-based or automated telephone system for up to 1 year. Severe or worsening symptoms triggered care team alerts. The control group (n = 598) received usual care.

MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES

The 3 prespecified secondary outcomes were physical function, symptom control, and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) at 3 months, measured by the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire (QLQ-C30; range, 0-100 points; minimum clinically important difference [MCID], 2-7 for physical function; no MCID defined for symptom control or HRQOL). Results on the primary outcome, overall survival, are not yet available.

RESULTS

Among 52 practices, 1191 patients were included (mean age, 62.2 years; 694 [58.3%] women); 1066 (89.5%) completed 3-month follow-up. Compared with usual care, mean changes on the QLQ-C30 from baseline to 3 months were significantly improved in the PRO group for physical function (PRO, from 74.27 to 75.81 points; control, from 73.54 to 72.61 points; mean difference, 2.47 [95% CI, 0.41-4.53]; P = .02), symptom control (PRO, from 77.67 to 80.03 points; control, from 76.75 to 76.55 points; mean difference, 2.56 [95% CI, 0.95-4.17]; P = .002), and HRQOL (PRO, from 78.11 to 80.03 points; control, from 77.00 to 76.50 points; mean difference, 2.43 [95% CI, 0.90-3.96]; P = .002). Patients in the PRO group had significantly greater odds of experiencing clinically meaningful benefits vs usual care for physical function (7.7% more with improvements of ≥5 points and 6.1% fewer with worsening of ≥5 points; odds ratio [OR], 1.35 [95% CI, 1.08-1.70]; P = .009), symptom control (8.6% and 7.5%, respectively; OR, 1.50 [95% CI, 1.15-1.95]; P = .003), and HRQOL (8.5% and 4.9%, respectively; OR, 1.41 [95% CI, 1.10-1.81]; P = .006).

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE

In this report of secondary outcomes from a randomized clinical trial of adults receiving cancer treatment, use of weekly electronic PRO surveys to monitor symptoms, compared with usual care, resulted in statistically significant improvements in physical function, symptom control, and HRQOL at 3 months, with mean improvements of approximately 2.5 points on a 0- to 100-point scale. These findings should be interpreted provisionally pending results of the primary outcome of overall survival.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03249090.

Overall and progression-free survival of Afro-Caribbean men with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC)

INTRODUCTION

Several studies in the Caucasian population have shown the benefit of using docetaxel, abiraterone, or enzalutamide for patients with metastatic prostate cancer at the castration-resistant stage (mCRPC). However, there are no strong data for men of African ancestry. The objective of this study was to estimate the overall and progression-free survival of patients according to these treatments at the mCRPC stage.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

This was a monocentric retrospective study that consecutively included 211 men with mCRPC between June 1, 2009 and August 31, 2020. The primary end point was overall survival (OS). The secondary end point was progression-free survival. Kaplan-Meier survival and Cox proportional hazard analyses were performed.

RESULTS

The present study included 180 patients for analyses. There was no difference in OS (log-rank test = 0.73), with a median follow-up of 20.7 months, regardless of the treatment administered in the first line. Men with mCRPC who received hormonotherapy (abiraterone or enzalutamide) showed better progression-free survival than those who received docetaxel (log-rank test = 0.004), with a particular interest for abiraterone hazard ratio (HR) = 0.51 (95% confidence interval: 0.39-0.67). The patient characteristics were similar, except for bone lesions, irrespective of the treatment administered in the first line. After univariate then multivariate analysis, only World Health Organization status and metastases at diagnosis were significantly associated with progression.

CONCLUSION

Our results suggest the use of hormonotherapy (abiraterone or enzalutamide) with a tendency for abiraterone in first line for men with African ancestry at the mCRPC stage.

Prognostic role of 11C-choline PET/CT scan in patients with metastatic castrate resistant prostate cancer undergoing primary docetaxel chemotherapy

BACKGROUND

We sought to assess the prognostic utility of 11C-choline positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) in patients with metastatic castrate resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) undergoing primary docetaxel chemotherapy.

METHODS

We performed a single institution retrospective analysis of 77 mCRPC patients who were treated with 6 cycles of docetaxel chemotherapy, and who also underwent 11C-choline PET/CT scans at baseline (before chemotherapy), mid-course (after 3 cycles), and posttherapy (after 6 cycles). We evaluated treatment response based on percent change in blood pool-corrected maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax) of the target lesion on PET/CT, as well as percent change in serum prostate specific antigen (PSA). Logistic regression analysis was used to identify factors associated with complete treatment response. Progression free survival (PFS) analysis was performed using log-rank test and shown on Kaplan-Meier plot.

RESULTS

Percent change in blood pool-corrected SUVmax on mid-course scan was a significant predictor of complete response (odds ratio [OR]: 0.98, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.96-0.99, p = .0003), whereas percent change in PSA was not (OR: 0.99, 95% CI: 0.99-1.01, p = .6025). 57 of 77 patients (74%) achieved ≥20% reduction in blood pool-corrected SUVmax on mid-course; these patients were 3.6 times more likely to achieve complete response after full 6 cycles of docetaxel chemotherapy, compared to patients with <20% reduction in blood pool-corrected SUVmax (OR: 3.56, 95% CI: 1.04-16.52, p = .0420). Median PFS in the complete response group was 35.1 months (95% CI: 26.0-52.7 months), compared to 9.4 months (95% CI: 6.9-13.0 months) in the incomplete response group (p = .0005).

CONCLUSIONS

Our study showed that mid-course and posttherapy 11C-choline PET/CT evaluation for mCRPC patients undergoing primary docetaxel chemotherapy can predict full course treatment response and PFS, respectively. 11C-choline PET/CT imaging may provide valuable prognostic information to guide treatment choices for patients with mCRPC.

OUP accepted manuscript

Background

Complementary medicines (CM) are frequently used by patients with cancer. Controversy exists over the effectiveness and risk that CM may add to conventional cancer therapy. The incidence of CM use among patients enrolled in phase III clinical trials is unknown.

Methods

Medication lists from 6 international phase III clinical trials were retrospectively reviewed to identify patients using CM. Patients had metastatic breast, colorectal, or lung cancers. Quality of life, adverse events, overall survival, and progression-free survival were compared between CM users and non-users. Baseline differences between groups were adjusted with propensity score matching groups.

Results

Seven hundred and six of 3446 patients (20.5%) used at least one CM. CM use was highest among patients with breast cancer (35.6%). CM users had more favorable baseline prognostic factors (ECOG 0-1, non-smoking status, younger age, and fewer metastases). CM use was associated with lower rates of adverse events (50% vs. 62%, P = .002) and quality of life was similar between both groups. After adjustment with propensity score matching, CM use was also associated with longer overall survival in patients with lung cancer (adjusted hazard ratio 0.80, 95%CI, 0.68-0.94, P =.0054). However, several key control variables like EGFR status were not available.

Conclusion

One in 5 patients in phase III clinical trials report using CM. CM was not associated with worse cancer-specific outcomes. However, CM users had more favorable baseline prognostic factors, and likely other confounders that may have contributed to improved outcomes observed in the lung cohort. Physicians should monitor for CM use and potential interactions with clinical trial drugs.

Cytoreductive Surgery and Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy for Colorectal Peritoneal Metastases: A Systematic Review

BACKGROUND

Combined treatment modality of cytoreductive surgery and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy is emerging as an alternative option for colorectal peritoneal metastases, but there is ambiguity regarding patient selection, treatment protocols, and efficacy.

OBJECTIVE

To elaborate on the patient characteristics, hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy protocol and health outcomes in colorectal peritoneal metastases patients undergoing a combination of hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy and cytoreductive surgery and provide guidance for future studies.

DATA SOURCES

A Medline search for English language studies published between 2004 and 2019.

STUDY SELECTION

Medical subject headings and key terms, including: hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy, colorectal peritoneal metastases, colorectal cancer and combinations thereof as per guidelines.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Overall survival, disease-free survival, and morbidity and mortality rates.

RESULTS

Of the 26 included studies, 42% were published between 2016 and 2019. More than half of the studies were retrospective in nature and conducted in tertiary specialized centers outside of the United States. The median age range was 44 to 62 years. Mitomycin C-based therapy was seen in 50% of studies. Mean weighted median disease-free survival for 11 studies was 15 months (9 to 36 months). Median OS ranged from 12 to 63 months, with an average of 33.6 months among 20 studies. Overall morbidity varied from 11% to 56%, with a weighted mean of 29% in 18 studies. Mortality ranged from 0 to 34%, with a weighted mean of 4% in 15 studies.

LIMITATIONS

Despite careful study selection, variability in methodology of the included studies can limit review findings.

CONCLUSION

Due to study heterogeneity, and a recent large, randomized trial showing no overall benefit, use of cytoreductive surgery with hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy in colorectal peritoneal metastases patients is highly controversial. Further standardized controlled studies can help uniformly define and build consensus among the medical community on patient eligibility and the optimal hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy techniques.

PROSPERO

Registered on March 3, 2020, CRD42020146942.

Trends in Diagnosis and Treatment of Metastatic Cancer in the United States

OBJECTIVES

Metastatic cancer has historically been considered fatal; however, there is a paucity of evidence characterizing the epidemiology of incidence, treatment, and outcomes in these patients.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Incidence rates, annual percent change (APC), descriptive epidemiological statistics, and odds ratios for survival were calculated using registry data from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) and the National Cancer Database (NCDB), 1998 to 2015.

RESULTS

There were a total of 1,055,860 patients with metastatic cancer. The most frequent primary cancers were lung (42.6%), colorectal (9.5%), and ovarian (5.5%). Metastatic lung and colorectal cancer incidence decreased, APC: -1.57 (P<0.001) and APC: -1.48 (P<0.001), respectively; metastatic pancreatic cancer incidence increased, APC: 0.62 (P=0.001). The use of local therapies decreased for almost all sites, and the use of systemic therapies increased across multiple sites: single-agent chemotherapy in kidney (2.54% increase/year), female breast (1.14% increase/year), and prostate cancer (1.08% increase/year); multiagent chemotherapy, most notably in pancreas (2.23% increase/year), uterus (1.81% increase/year), and colorectal cancer (1.54% increase/year). Increased utilization of immunotherapy was observed across the majority of sites, most notably in melanoma (2.14% increase/year). Patients diagnosed from 2006 to 2010 had 17.4% higher odds of surviving at least 60 months compared with 1998 to 2002.

CONCLUSIONS

In this study, metastatic disease has been shown to have unique epidemiological patterns, and survival has improved. Continued research on metastatic disease is important in understanding and addressing the distinct health concerns of this population.

Role of Resection of the Primary in Metastatic Well-Differentiated Neuroendocrine Tumors

OBJECTIVE

Resection of the primary (RP) in metastatic neuroendocrine tumor (NET) is controversial. The aim was to evaluate survival outcomes for RP in metastatic NET patients.

METHODS

Data were obtained from US hospitals at the National Cancer Database between 2004 and 2014. χ2, analysis of variance tests, univariate, and multivariate cox proportional hazards models were evaluated. Kaplan-Meier curves and log-rank tests conducted to compare the survival difference of patient characteristics.

RESULTS

A total of 2361 patients were identified. The mean age was 62.1 years (standard deviation, 13 years), male-to-female ratio 1:1; 33% were small intestine, 26.3% pancreas, and 24.4% lung; 69.6% were well-differentiated; and 42.5% underwent RP. The 5-year overall survival (OS) was significantly improved for patients who underwent RP in small intestine (5-year OS, 63.9% vs 44.2%), lung (5-year OS, 65.4% vs 20.2%), and pancreas tumors (5-year OS, 75.6% vs 30.6%). On multivariate analysis, RP (hazard ratio, 0.46; 95% confidence interval, 0.29-0.73; P < 0.001), female, year of diagnosis 2010-2014, margin, Charlson-Deyo score less than 2, and age less than 51 years, were associated with better OS.

CONCLUSIONS

Resection of the primary in metastatic well-differentiated NET is associated with improved OS compared with no RP.

Positive electrostatic therapy of metastatic tumors: selective induction of apoptosis in cancer cells by pure charges

BACKGROUND

We discovered that pure positive electrostatic charges (PECs) have an intrinsic suppressive effect on the proliferation and metabolism of invasive cancer cells (cell lines and animal models) without affecting normal tissues.

METHODS

We interacted normal and cancer cell lines and animal tumors with PECs by connecting a charged patch to cancer cells and animal tumors. many biochemical, molecular and radiological assays were carried out on PEC treated and control samples.

RESULTS

Correlative interactions between electrostatic charges and cancer cells contain critical unknown factors that influence cancer diagnosis and treatment. Different types of cell analyses prove PEC-based apoptosis induction in malignant cell lines. Flowcytometry and viability assay depict selective destructive effects of PEC on malignant breast cancer cells. Additionally, strong patterns of pyknotic apoptosis, as well as downregulation of proliferative-associated proteins (Ki67, CD31, and HIF-1α), were observed in histopathological and immunohistochemical patterns of treated mouse malignant tumors, respectively. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction results demonstrate up/down-regulated apoptotic/proliferative transcriptomes (P21, P27, P53/CD34, integrin α5, vascular endothelial growth factor, and vascular endothelial growth factor receptor) in treated animal tumors. Expression of propidium iodide in confocal microscopy images of treated malignant tissues was another indication of the destructive effects of PECs on such cells. Significant tumor size reduction and prognosis improvement were seen in over 95% of treated mouse models with no adverse effects on normal tissues.

CONCLUSION

We discovered that pure positive electrostatic charges (PECs) have an intrinsic suppressive effect on the proliferation and metabolism of invasive cancer cells (cell lines and animal models) without affecting normal tissues. The findings were statistically and observationally significant when compared to radio/chemotherapy-treated mouse models. As a result, this nonionizing radiation may be used as a practical complementary approach with no discernible side effects after passing future human model studies.

Estimated Cost-effectiveness of Atezolizumab Plus Cobimetinib and Vemurafenib for Treatment of BRAF V600 Variation Metastatic Melanoma

IMPORTANCE

In the IMspire150 trial, triplet treatment with atezolizumab and vemurafenib plus cobimetinib significantly improved progression-free survival (PFS) compared with vemurafenib plus cobimetinib alone for treatment of BRAF V600 variation metastatic melanoma. However, considering high cost of this combination, it is unclear if the incremental cost is worth the additional survival benefit.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the cost-effectiveness of atezolizumab and vemurafenib plus cobimetinib vs vemurafenib plus cobimetinib alone in patients with newly diagnosed unresectable BRAF V600 variation metastatic melanoma from the US health care perspective.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS

This economic evaluation study used a 3-state partitioned survival model to assess the cost-effectiveness of the combination of atezolizumab with vemurafenib plus cobimetinib vs vemurafenib plus cobimetinib alone. The observed Kaplan-Meier curves for overall survival and PFS were digitized from the IMspire150 trial (January 2017-April 2018) and the long-term survivals (over a lifetime horizon) beyond the end of the trial were extrapolated using 7 different survival models. The cost and health preference data were collected from a literature review. This study was performed from March 2021 through June 2021.

MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES

The outcomes of interest were expected life-years (LYs) gained and quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs), costs, and incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER), expressed as cost per LYs and per QALYs saved.

RESULTS

Adding atezolizumab to vemurafenib and cobimetinib provided an additional 3.267 QALYs compared with the doublet regimen of vemurafenib plus cobimetinib, at an ICER of $271 669 per QALY, which is not considered cost-effective at the willingness-to-pay threshold of $150 000 per QALY. However, the scenario analyses found that atezolizumab combined with vemurafenib plus cobimetinib could be cost-effective at 20-year (ICER, $121 432 per QALY) and 30-year ($98 092 per QALY) time horizons when both strategies were stopped after 2 years of treatments, and over a lifetime horizon ($122 220 per QALY) when only immunotherapy with atezolizumab was stopped after 2 years of treatment.

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE

These findings suggest that the atezolizumab and vemurafenib plus cobimetinib regimen provides significant survival benefits over vemurafenib plus cobimetinib alone, and a price reduction would be encouraged to maximize the value of its survival gain.

Immediate family support is important to discharge home for cancer patient with bone metastasis after rehabilitation: A retrospective study

The purpose of this study is to investigate the predictive factors of home discharge for rehabilitation patients with cancer bone metastasis.Cancer patients with bone metastasis who underwent rehabilitation between April 2014 and March 2017 were retrospectively enrolled. Data on discharge destination were collected from medical records as outcomes. Multiple regression analyses were carried out to investigate the predictive factors of home discharge.Ninety-eight patients (mean age: 68.6 years, 42 females and 56 males) were included. Fifty patients were discharged home, 38 patients were discharged to other facilities, and 10 patients died. There were no skeletal-related events among these patients during their hospital stay. The receiver-operating curve for the predictive factors for home discharge of the Barthel Index at admission, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group Performance Status at admission, and number of immediate family members living at home were 60 points (area under the curve [AUC] = 0.74, sensitivity = 0.6400, 1-specificity = 0.2766), 2 score (AUC = 0.65, sensitivity = 0.5400, 1-specificity = 0.2222), and 1 family member (AUC = 0.65, sensitivity = 0.9592, 1-specificity = 0.7222), respectively.In order to plan for cancer patients with bone metastasis to be discharged home, it is important to take into consideration the patients' Barthel Index and Performance Status at the time of hospital admission and the number of immediate family members living at home.

Bilateral adrenal metastasis of renal cell carcinoma 4 years after radical nephrectomy: A case report and review of literature

RATIONALE

Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) almost metastasizes to every organ, the possibility of adrenal metastasis is relatively low in patients that have undergone radical nephrectomy, only a few cases of bilateral adrenal metastasis are reported on literature. Although surgical treatment of metastases from RCC is preferred and contributes to the rate of survival, it is considered challenging to manage such cases due to the rarity of bilateral metastasis to the adrenal glands.

PATIENT CONCERNS

A 64-year-old Manchus female presented with an incidental ultrasonic finding of a left adrenal mass 4 years after radical nephrectomy for left renal cell carcinoma.

DIAGNOSIS

Abdominal contrast enhanced CT scan revealed bilateral adrenal masses, suggesting metastatic lesion. Examinations indicated neither local recurrence nor distant metastasis anywhere have been detected by whole body Positron Emission Tomography/Computed Tomography (PET/CT) scan except high radioactive uptake in bilateral adrenal glands.

INTERVENTIONS

Metachronous bilateral adrenalectomy was taken and laparoscopic right adrenalectomy was first performed. She was discharged home on third postoperative day. Pathological examination revealed metastatic renal cell carcinoma. Two months later she was performed laparoscopic left adrenalectomy.

OUTCOMES

The patient healed without obvious complications and no tumor recurrence.

LESSONS

Bilateral metastatic adrenal recurrence from RCC is very rare. Early diagnosis of adrenal metastasis is challenging because they are usually silent both anatomically and functionally. Surgical intervention is a wise option for these patients that may improve survival, and metachronous bilateral adrenalectomy is proved to be safe and effective.

Does surgery benefit patients with oligometastatic or metastatic prostate cancer? - A retrospective cohort study and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

To evaluate long-term oncological outcomes of radical prostatectomy (RP) plus androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) in oligometastatic prostate cancer (PCa) patients.

METHODS

Our study included oligometastatic PCa patients hospitalized between January 1, 2010 and December 31, 2015, who received ADT with or without RP. We evaluated survival by employing Kaplan-Meier methods, with log-rank tests and univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses. A meta-analysis of previously published studies was additionally performed.

RESULTS

The median follow-up times of both groups were 68.4 months (interquartile range = 56.5-85.0). In this cohort study, significant statistical difference in preoperative total prostate-specific antigen (tPSA; p = .121), clinical T stage (p = .115), and N stage (p = .394) were not found between the two groups. Meanwhile, the difference in overall survival (OS) between the two groups did not reach statistical significance (p = .649). A significant difference was not observed in castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC)-free survival between two groups as well (p = .183). Numbers of metastases might be an independent prognosis factor (p = .05) for OS, and postoperative tPSA is a risk predictor for CRPC-free survival (p = .032). A meta-analysis of four relevant studies demonstrated significant statistical difference in clinical improvement with RP plus ADT over ADT alone in OS survival (p < .001; hazard ratio [HR] = 0.51; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.38-0.69) instead of CRPC-free survival (p = .42; HR = 0.86; 95% CI = 0.59-1.24).

CONCLUSION

The addition of RP to ADT for the treatment of oligometastatic PCa was associated with an improved OS instead of CRPC-free survival.

Emerging role for local therapy in oligometastatic prostate cancer

Oligometastatic prostate cancer is a subtype of metastatic disease that generally is defined by the presence of 5 or fewer metastatic lesions. Metastatic prostate cancer currently is treated with androgen deprivation therapy and additional systemic therapy, such as novel antiandrogen medications or chemotherapy. The management of metastatic prostate cancer is evolving, however, with the notion that some patients with low-burden metastatic disease may benefit from both local and systemic therapy. Local therapy of the prostate in the setting of oligometastatic prostate cancer is a new concept. Evidence from retrospective studies suggests that cytoreductive therapy, including radical prostatectomy, can improve overall survival in these patients. Ongoing randomized trials are comparing cytoreductive therapy with standard-of-care treatment options. Local therapy in the form of radiation has also been investigated in phase 2 randomized trials. In this review, we discuss the biological and clinical rationales for local therapy, review the current evidence for local therapy, and compare the clinical designs of various ongoing trials.

The effect of mitochondrial transplantation therapy from different gender on inhibiting cell proliferation of malignant melanoma

Today mitochondria are considered much more than a energy plant in cells. Mitochondrial transplantation therapy has been an active research area for treating mitochondria-associated diseases from animal studies to clinical trials. However, the specific mechanism involved in the anti-tumor activity of healthy mitochondria remain to be characterized. Here we investigate the signal mechanism and gender difference of mitochondrial transplantation therapy against malignant melanoma. In the study, we administrated intact mitochondria extracted from mouse livers respectively to the mice bearing malignantly subcutaneous and metastatic melanoma, and identified the signal mechanism responsible for the mitochondrial treatment through transcriptomic analysis. Meanwhile, the efficiency of female mitochondria and male mitochondria was compared in the cultured melanoma cells and transplanted melanoma in mice. The results suggested that the mitochondria significantly inhibited the tumor cell proliferation in vitro through cell cycle arrest and induction of cell apoptosis. In the melanoma-bearing mice, the mitochondria retard the tumor growth and lung migration, and the transcriptomic analysis indicated that general chromosome silencing was strongly associated with the mitochondria against melanoma after the mitochondrial transplantation on the metastasis melanoma. Moreover, the anti-tumor activity of mitochondria from female animals was more efficient in comparison to the males, and the female mitochondria could probably induce more persuasive mitochondria-nuclear communication than the mitochondria from male mice. The study identifies the anti-tumor mechanism of the mitochondrial transplantation therapy, and provides a novel insight into the effect of mitochondria from different gender.

Real-World Survival Outcomes Associated With First-Line Immunotherapy, Targeted Therapy, and Combination Therapy for Metastatic Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma

IMPORTANCE

Clinical trials have shown an overall survival (OS) benefit associated with first-line immunotherapy (IT) and combination targeted therapy (TT) and IT regimens compared with TT among patients with metastatic clear cell renal cell carcinoma (RCC). Generalizability of these findings in a real-world cohort outside of a clinical trial setting is unclear.

OBJECTIVE

To assess the association of first-line TT, IT, and combination TT and IT regimens with OS in a real-world cohort of patients with metastatic clear cell RCC.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS

This retrospective propensity-matched cohort study identified 5872 patients with metastatic clear cell RCC in the National Cancer Database from January 1, 2015, to December 31, 2017, who received first-line TT, IT, or combination TT and IT and were not treated on a clinical trial protocol. Patients were stratified by first-line systemic treatment. Statistical analysis was conducted from October 1 to December 1, 2020.

MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES

The primary outcome was OS from the date of diagnosis to death or censoring at last follow-up. After 1:1:1 nearest-neighbor caliper matching of propensity scores, survival analyses were conducted using Cox proportional hazards regression and Kaplan-Meier estimates.

RESULTS

The final study population included 5872 patients (TT group: n = 4755 [81%]; 3332 men [70%]; median age, 64 years [interquartile range, 57-71 years]; IT group: n = 638 [11%]; 475 men [74%]; median age, 61 years [interquartile range, 54-69 years]; and combination TT and IT group: n = 479 [8%]; 321 men [67%]; median age, 62 years [interquartile range, 55-69 years]), and the matched cohort included 1437 patients (479 per treatment group). Patients in the IT and combination TT and IT groups were younger than those in the TT group, had fewer comorbid conditions (Charlson-Deyo score of 0, 480 of 638 [75%] in the TT group, 356 of 479 [74%] in the IT group, and 3273 of 4755 [69%] in the combination TT and IT group), and were more often treated at academic centers (315 of 638 [49%], 216 of 479 [45%], and 1935 of 4755 [41%], respectively). Both first-line IT and combination TT and IT were associated with improved OS compared with first-line TT for patients with metastatic clear cell RCC (IT group: hazard ratio [HR], 0.60 [95% CI, 0.48-0.75]; P < .001; combination TT and IT group: HR, 0.74 [95% CI, 0.60-0.91]; P = .005). No survival difference was seen between the IT and combination TT and IT groups (combination TT and IT: HR, 1.24 [95% CI, 0.98-1.56]; P = .08).

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE

This study suggests that both first-line IT and combination TT and IT were associated with improved OS compared with first-line TT for patients with metastatic clear cell RCC. These findings are similar to those identified in recently reported clinical trials, lending confidence to the broader applicability of these findings outside of a clinical trial setting.

Long-term outcomes of oligometastatic breast cancer patients treated with curative intent: an updated report

BACKGROUND

Oligometastatic breast cancer (OMBC) is characterized by limited metastatic tumor numbers and sites. We have reported a 20-year overall survival (OS) rate and relapse-free rate (RFR) of 34.1% and 27.4%, respectively, in a retrospective analysis of OMBC patients treated with curative intent including a multidisciplinary approach. Metastatic breast cancer (MBC) is generally incurable; however, OMBC might be a potentially curable subset. The previous analysis included isolated locoregional recurrence (ILRR) cases, which differs from distant metastasis in treatment strategies. Therefore, in this study, we excluded ILRR cases and provided an update on clinical outcomes. We also performed a detailed subgroup analysis of OMBC patients by introducing new prognostic variables.

METHODS

Data of 73 OMBC patients, including 10 ILRR cases, treated in our institution between 1980 and 2010 were retrospectively analyzed. OMBC was defined as the presence of metastatic lesions in 1-2 organs, < 5 lesions per metastasized organ, and lesion diameter < 5 cm.

RESULTS

The median follow-up duration was 151 (range 12-350) months. Twenty-eight (44%) patients received local therapy. Excluding ILRR cases, the OS rates were 28.3% and 18.9% and RFRs were 26.7% at 20 and 25 years, respectively. In multivariate analysis, single-organ involvement and three or fewer metastatic lesions per organ were associated with a longer progression-free and relapse-free interval (RFI).

CONCLUSIONS

Relapse-free interval reached a plateau after 20 years at approximately 25% probability. Patients with long-term survival without disease relapse are considered cured. Curative-intent therapy should be considered for OMBC patients, especially those with low tumor volume.

Survival analysis and treatment strategies for limb liposarcoma patients with metastasis at presentation

Limited data exist on patients with limb liposarcoma (LLS) with metastasis at presentation Moreover, the potential prognostic factors of this patient population are poorly documented because of its rarity. Therefore, we conducted this study to evaluate the clinicopathologic characteristics and prognostic factors for patients with metastatic LLS.All patients with LLS with metastasis at presentation from 1975 to 2016 were identified by using the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database. The following clinical data were derived from this clinical database: age, sex, histologic grade, subtype, size of tumor, surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, vital status, cause of death, and survival duration. The Kaplan-Meier method was performed to calculate median survival time and draw survivorship curves. Cox-proportional hazards regression model was used to reveal the statistical independence between various variables.The present study collected 184 cases from SEER database for survival analysis. Mean age was 57.8 years with 63.6% (n = 117) men. The 3-year overall survival (OS) and cancer-specific survival (CSS) rates of this population were 27.8% and 30.1%, respectively. Univariate analysis revealed that age, tumor grade, and surgery were significantly correlated with survival. Sex and tumor size did not reach significant predictor status of survival. Multivariate analysis revealed that age at diagnosis <60, low tumor grade, and local surgery were significantly correlated with improved OS and CSS.Patients with LLS with metastasis at diagnosis experienced quite poor prognosis. Currently, surgery for the primary tumor significantly prolonged the survival of those patients, whereas chemotherapy and radiotherapy need to be further confirmed.

Exploiting bone niches: progression of disseminated tumor cells to metastasis

Many solid cancers metastasize to the bone and bone marrow (BM). This process may occur even before the diagnosis of primary tumors, as evidenced by the discovery of disseminated tumor cells (DTCs) in patients without occult malignancies. The cellular fates and metastatic progression of DTCs are determined by complicated interactions between cancer cells and BM niches. Not surprisingly, these niches also play important roles in normal biology, including homeostasis and turnover of skeletal and hematopoiesis systems. In this Review, we summarize recent findings on functions of BM niches in bone metastasis (BoMet), particularly during the early stage of colonization. In light of the rich knowledge of hematopoiesis and osteogenesis, we highlight how DTCs may progress into overt BoMet by taking advantage of niche cells and their activities in tissue turnover, especially those related to immunomodulation and bone repair.

CT-based assessment of body composition following neoadjuvant chemohormonal therapy in patients with castration-naïve oligometastatic prostate cancer

BACKGROUND

The purpose of this study is to assess the body composition changes in men with recently diagnosed oligometastatic prostate cancer following neoadjuvant chemohormonal therapy. Further, we evaluated whether CT-based body composition parameters are associated with biochemical recurrence or imaging progression.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Recently diagnosed castration-naïve oligometastatic prostate cancer patients who received neoadjuvant docetaxel chemotherapy and androgen deprivation treatment (ADT) before prostatectomy and consolidation of local and oligometastatic disease (total eradication therapy), as part of a phase-II prospective clinical trial were included. Body composition parameters including cross-sectional areas of the psoas muscle, total, visceral, and subcutaneous adipose tissue were measured on serial CT scans obtained before and following completion of neoadjuvant treatment.

RESULTS

A total of 22 prostate cancer patients were included (median age 58 years, median Gleason score 8). The median time intervals between commencement of neoadjuvant chemohormonal therapy and first and second follow-up CTs were 3 and 12 months, respectively. Compared to the baseline scan, there were significant declines in psoas muscle cross-sectional areas with estimated percentage declines of -13.9% (IQR: 7.6%-16.5%, p < .001) and -13.2% (IQR: 6%-11.2%, p < .001) on first and second follow-up CTs. There were significant increases in subcutaneous adipose tissue following neoadjuvant chemohormonal therapy with percentage increases of +8.9% (IQR: 5.1%-21.5%, p = .002) and +18.9% (IQR: 6.1%-33.8%, p < .001), respectively. The median follow-up was 34.5 months. The estimated 2-year prostate-specific antigen progression-free and radiologic progression-free survival were 95.5%. No significant association between baseline or percentage change in body composition parameters and disease progression were identified.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings showed a significant reduction in muscle mass and an increase in subcutaneous adiposity in men treated with neoadjuvant docetaxel and ADT, more pronounced on the first follow-up scan after completion of neoadjuvant treatment. Body composition parameters were not found to be significant predictors of disease progression in our cohort.

Steps in metastasis: an updated review

Metastasis is the most complex and deadly event. Tumor-stromal interface is a place where invasion of tumor cells in the form of single-cell or collective migration occurs, with the latter being less common but more efficient. Initiation of metastasis relies on the tumor cell cross-talking with stromal cells and taking an epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in single cells, and a hybrid EMT in collective migratory cells. Stromal cross-talking along with an abnormal leaky vasculature facilitate intravasation of tumor cells, here the cells are called circulating tumor cells (CTCs). Tumor cells isolated from the primary tumor exploit several mechanisms to maintain their survival including rewiring metabolic demands to use sources available within the new environments, avoiding anoikis cell death when cells are detached from extracellular matrix (ECM), adopting flow mechanic by acquiring platelet shielding and immunosuppression by negating the activity of suppressor immune cells, such as natural killer (NK) cells. CTCs will adhere to the interstituim of the secondary organ/s, within which the newly arrived disseminative tumor cells (DTCs) undergo either dormancy or proliferation. Metastatic outgrowth is under the influence of several factors, such as the activity of macrophages, impaired autophagy and secondary site inflammatory events. Metastasis can be targeted by multiple ways, such as repressing the promoters of pre-metastatic niche (PMN) formation, suppressing environmental contributors, such as hypoxia, oxidative and metabolic stressors, and targeting signaling and cell types that take major contribution to the whole process. These strategies can be used in adjuvant with other therapeutics, such as immunotherapy.

Targeting metastatic cancer

Despite recent therapeutic advances in cancer treatment, metastasis remains the principal cause of cancer death. Recent work has uncovered the unique biology of metastasis-initiating cells that results in tumor growth in distant organs, evasion of immune surveillance and co-option of metastatic microenvironments. Here we review recent progress that is enabling therapeutic advances in treating both micro- and macrometastases. Such insights were gained from cancer sequencing, mechanistic studies and clinical trials, including of immunotherapy. These studies reveal both the origins and nature of metastases and identify new opportunities for developing more effective strategies to target metastatic relapse and improve patient outcomes.

Transitioning from second-line to third-line therapy in metastatic colorectal cancer

In the setting of metastatic colorectal cancer, many gains in patient outcomes have been achieved throughout the last 2 decades. A primary driver of these gains is access to more lines of therapy. In the palliative metastatic setting, all patients ultimately progress and require continued treatment sequencing. The goal is to expose patients to all lines of available therapies. It is now possible to better select patients for each therapy. Treatment selection algorithms encompass disease factors and patient characteristics, such as overall condition and age. Appropriate molecular profiling assessments should be available early in the treatment course, to drive decision-making and allow use of alternative therapies when possible. The transition to third-line therapy can be prompted by changes in imaging scans or laboratory tests, as well as changes in the patient's symptom burden. It can be problematic to delay initiation of third-line therapy when it is clinically indicated. Many oncologists will consider rechallenging patients with the same chemotherapy that did not work earlier. Although this strategy is reasonable, it should not necessarily take precedence over use of agents with proven efficacy in later lines of therapy in randomized clinical trials, such as regorafenib and trifluridine/tipiracil. Clinicians now commonly adjust the dose of regorafenib. A delay in the initiation of these third-line agents can allow the patient's performance status to decrease, thus diminishing the opportunity for a successful outcome.

Proceedings of the ASTRO-RSNA Oligometastatic Disease Research Workshop

PURPOSE

On June 13 to 14, 2019, the American Society for Radiation Oncology and the Radiological Society of North America convened a workshop on the treatment of oligometastatic disease in Washington, DC. The workshop was initiated for several reasons. First, oligometastatic disease is of increasing academic and community interest and has been identified by the American Society for Radiation Oncology membership as a top research priority. Second, emerging imaging and diagnostic technologies are more readily defining and detecting oligometastatic disease, making contemporary discussion of oligometastatic disease especially relevant. Third, radiosurgery and radiation in general are theorized to be ideal noninvasive therapy for the treatment of oligometastatic disease. Finally, innovations in targeted therapy and immune therapy have the potential to reverse widely disseminating disease into an oligometastatic state.

METHODS AND MATERIALS

The workshop was organized into 2 keynote addresses, 6 scientific sessions, and 3 group discussions during an end-of-workshop breakout session. New scientific work was presented in the form of 4 oral presentations and a poster session. Workshop participants were charged with attempting to answer 3 critical questions: (1) Can we refine the clinical and biological definitions of oligometastatic disease; (2) how can we better treat oligometastatic disease; and (3) what clinical trials are needed?

RESULTS

Here, we present the proceedings of the workshop.

CONCLUSIONS

The clinical implications of improved treatment of oligometastatic disease are enormous and immediate. Radiation oncology and diagnostic radiology should rightly be at the forefront of the characterization and treatment of oligometastatic disease. Focused effort is required so that we can translate current efforts of large numbers of studies with few patients to larger studies of larger impact.

Cancer progression and the invisible phase of metastatic colonization

Metastatic dissemination occurs very early in the malignant progression of a cancer but the clinical manifestation of metastases often takes years. In recent decades, 5-year survival of patients with many solid cancers has increased due to earlier detection, local disease control and adjuvant therapies. As a consequence, we are confronted with an increase in late relapses as more antiproliferative cancer therapies prolong disease courses, raising questions about how cancer cells survive, evolve or stop growing and finally expand during periods of clinical latency. I argue here that the understanding of early metastasis formation, particularly of the currently invisible phase of metastatic colonization, will be essential for the next stage in adjuvant therapy development that reliably prevents metachronous metastasis.

A mathematical model of the metastatic bottleneck predicts patient outcome and response to cancer treatment

Metastases are the main reason for cancer-related deaths. Initiation of metastases, where newly seeded tumor cells expand into colonies, presents a tremendous bottleneck to metastasis formation. Despite its importance, a quantitative description of metastasis initiation and its clinical implications is lacking. Here, we set theoretical grounds for the metastatic bottleneck with a simple stochastic model. The model assumes that the proliferation-to-death rate ratio for the initiating metastatic cells increases when they are surrounded by more of their kind. For a total of 159,191 patients across 13 cancer types, we found that a single cell has an extremely low median probability of successful seeding of the order of 10-8. With increasing colony size, a sharp transition from very unlikely to very likely successful metastasis initiation occurs. The median metastatic bottleneck, defined as the critical colony size that marks this transition, was between 10 and 21 cells. We derived the probability of metastasis occurrence and patient outcome based on primary tumor size at diagnosis and tumor type. The model predicts that the efficacy of patient treatment depends on the primary tumor size but even more so on the severity of the metastatic bottleneck, which is estimated to largely vary between patients. We find that medical interventions aiming at tightening the bottleneck, such as immunotherapy, can be much more efficient than therapies that decrease overall tumor burden, such as chemotherapy.

How to incorporate a chemo-free interval into the management of metastatic colorectal cancer

Management of metastatic colorectal cancer reflects a continuum of care. The primary treatment goals are to prolong survival while maintaining the best quality of life. The recommended standard-of-care treatments in the first-line setting consist of combination chemotherapy regimens, given with or without biologic agents. Most patients will receive different lines of therapy for the rest of their life. In the context of lifelong therapy, incorporating chemo-free intervals is one strategy to help achieve these treatment goals. A principle of management is to ensure that all potentially active agents are available to patients. Third-line options for patients with an inadequate response to first-line and second-line therapy include regorafenib and trifluridine/tipiracil. These treatments should be initiated before the patient's performance status deteriorates. Patient characteristics should guide selection. The management plan now incorporates new lessons learned during the current global COVID-19 pandemic. One of the primary guiding principles underlying these recommendations is to avoid unnecessary clinic and hospital exposure. Telemedicine permits the remote management of patients who are receiving oral therapies. Many of these strategies will likely remain in place after the pandemic ends.

Engineered Niches to Analyze Mechanisms of Metastasis and Guide Precision Medicine

Cancer metastasis poses a challenging problem both clinically and scientifically, as the stochastic nature of metastatic lesion formation introduces complexity for both early detection and the study of metastasis in preclinical models. Engineered metastatic niches represent an emerging approach to address this stochasticity by creating bioengineered sites where cancer can preferentially metastasize. As the engineered niche captures the earliest metastatic cells at a nonvital location, both noninvasive and biopsy-based monitoring of these sites can be performed routinely to detect metastasis early and monitor alterations in the forming metastatic niche. The engineered metastatic niche also provides a new platform technology that serves as a tunable site to molecularly dissect metastatic disease mechanisms. Ultimately, linking the engineered niches with advances in sensor development and synthetic biology can provide enabling tools for preclinical cancer models and fosters the potential to impact the future of clinical cancer care.

Your role in early diagnosis & Tx of metastatic bone disease

This approach to the work-up and diagnosis will help you to ensure prompt treatment while maximizing your patient's quality of life.

[Progress in the treatment of oligometastatic prostate cancer]

Metastasis is an adverse factor in the recovery of prostate cancer, and oligometastatic prostate cancer is a disease different from localized and widespread metastatic prostate cancer. The patients may benefit from local treatment in terms of quality of life and survival time. Concerning the existing methods for the diagnosis and treatment of oligometastatic metastatic prostate cancer, researchers have advanced various views, such as "further elaboration of methodology", "specificity in the choice of treatment", and "better consideration of both local and systemic treatments". This review outlines recent advances in the studies of oligometastatic prostate cancer, hoping to provide some ideas benefiting the treatment of the malignancy.

Current Treatment Considerations for Osteosarcoma Metastatic at Presentation

Approximately one-fourth of osteosarcoma patients have metastases at presentation. The best treatment options for these patients include chemotherapy, surgery, and radiotherapy; however, the optimal scheme has not yet been defined. Standard chemotherapy for osteosarcoma metastatic at presentation is based on high-dose methotrexate, doxorubicin, and cisplatin (the MAP regimen), with the possible addition of ifosfamide. Surgical treatment continues to be fundamental; complete surgical resection of all sites of disease (primary and metastatic) remains essential for survival. In patients whose tumors do not respond to neoadjuvant chemotherapy, early surgical resection of the primary tumor with limb-salvage surgery or amputation and multiple metastasectomies, if feasible, after the completion of adjuvant chemotherapy is a reasonable option, as the reduction of the tumor volume could probably increase the effect of chemotherapy. Advanced radiotherapy techniques, such as carbon ion radiotherapy and stereotactic radiosurgery, and molecular targeted chemo-therapy with drugs such as pazopanib or apatinib have improved the dismal prognosis, especially for patients who are medically inoperable or who refuse surgery. Given that the presence of metastatic disease at diagnosis of a patient with osteosarcoma is a poor prognostic factor, a multidisciplinary approach by surgeons, medical oncologists, and radiotherapists is important. [Orthopedics. 2020;43(5):e345-e358.].

Unusual metastases from differentiated thyroid cancers: A multicenter study in Korea

Background

Although infrequent, distant metastasis from differentiated thyroid cancer is the main cause of mortality in patients and mostly involves the lung, bone, and brain. Distant metastases to other sites in differentiated thyroid cancer patients are rare, thus, the clinical course of unusual metastases has not been adequately researched. In the present study, the clinico-pathological findings and treatment outcomes of unusual metastases in differentiated thyroid cancer patients in Korea were evaluated.

Patients and methods

We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of differentiated thyroid cancer patients with unusual metastases in four Korean tertiary hospitals (Chonnam National University Hwasun Hospital, Asan Medical Center, Busan National University Hospital, Severance Hospital). Unusual metastases were diagnosed using (1) cytology or histology and/or (2) imaging studies including fluorodeoxyglucose F 18 positron emission tomography/computed tomography and/or iodine 131 whole body scans with simultaneously elevated serum levels of thyroglobulin. The pathological findings of primary thyroid cancer, diagnostic method for unusual metastases, and treatment responses of unusual metastases were examined.

Results

In all, 25 unusual metastatic foci of 19 patients were analyzed; 13 patients (68.4%) had papillary thyroid carcinoma including 4 follicular variant papillary thyroid carcinomas. The median time interval between the first diagnosis of primary thyroid cancer and unusual metastases diagnosis was 110 months (11.0–138.0 months). Only 4 patients (21.1%) had synchronous unusual metastases and 6 patients (31.6%) were symptomatic. Unusual metastases included 19 metastases to solid organs (6 to kidney, 5 to liver, 4 to pancreas, 3 to adrenal gland, and 1 to ovary) and 6 to the skin and muscles. Unusual metastases were pathologically proven in 10 patients (52.6%) and 11 of 16 patients (68.8%) who received iodine 131 whole body scans had radioiodine-refractory differentiated thyroid cancer. Among 5 patients treated with tyrosine kinase inhibitors, 4 treated with lenvatinib showed stable disease or a partial response at the first treatment response. Six patients (31.6%) died due to disease progression during the median 20.0-month follow-up period (11.0–55.0 months).

Conclusion

Unusual metastases from differentiated thyroid cancer are thought to be underestimated due to disease rarity and their metachronous nature with other distant metastases. The most of unusual metastases in differentiated thyroid cancer patients are existed with usual distant metastasis and clinical outcomes of those could not be significantly different from the prognosis of usual distant metastasis.

Surgical treatment of a rare case of hepatocellular carcinoma with right atrial metastasis: A case report

RATIONALE

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with intracavitary metastasis extending to the heart, also known as inferior vena cava (IVC) tumor thrombus, is an extremely rare late-stage disease with no effective treatment. In fact, the median survival is reportedly less than 2 months; thus, there is an urgent need for better treatment.

PATIENT CONCERNS

In this study, a 48-year-old patient was admitted to our hospital to seek medical treatment for advanced primary HCC with right atrial metastasis.

DIAGNOSIS

The patient was diagnosed as primary HCC with a large mass in the right lobe of the liver and intracavitary metastasis to the right atrium.

INTERVENTIONS

A new surgical treatment of right hemihepatectomy, complete resection of the involved IVC and the right atrium thrombus, plus reconstruction of the resected IVC using autologous pericardial tube graft were undertaken and successfully performed.

OUTCOMES

The patient recovered rapidly, and 14 days after the surgical procedures, he was discharged from the hospital. Notably, serum levels of alpha-fetoprotein dropped to normal range and no clinical signs of recurrence were observed during follow-up.

LESSONS

This report highlights an unusual case of right atrial metastasis from HCC. The surgical treatment appeared to be suitable and effective, together with postoperative administration of lenvatinib, a tyrosine kinase multitarget inhibitor selected by performing whole-exome sequencing. These therapies have offered favorable clinical outcomes such as prevention of recurrence and prolongation of patient survival. In addition, clinicians may benefit from our experience for their future treatment of patients with similar clinical conditions.

Foundation One Genomic Interrogation of Thyroid Cancers in Patients With Metastatic Disease Requiring Systemic Therapy

CONTEXT

Clinical applications of genomic assessment of thyroid cancers are rapidly evolving.

OBJECTIVES, DESIGN, AND SETTING

We studied tumor samples from patients with imminently threatening and rare thyroid cancers to identify genomic alterations that might correlate with outcomes and/or be productively therapeutically targetable.

PATIENT CONTEXT

Progressive and metastatic, and/or rare, thyroid cancers were studied, 2012 to 2016, at Mayo Clinic sites.

INTERVENTION

The intervention was Foundation One tumor interrogation.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Main outcome measures included genomic alterations, patient characteristics, and overall survival.

RESULTS

Samples from 55 patients were evaluated: 20 anaplastic thyroid cancers (ATCs) (36%), 25 radioactive iodine-refractory differentiated thyroid cancers (DTCs)/poorly differentiated thyroid cancers (PDTCs) (45%; 14 papillary thyroid cancer [PTCs], 6 PDTCs, 5 Hürthle cell cancers), 8 medullary thyroid cancers (MTCs) (15%), and 2 others (a spindle epithelial tumor with thymus-like differentiation, and a primary thyroid sarcoma). Overall, 72% of DTCs, 79% of ATCs, and 75% of MTCs were deemed to have potentially productively targetable alterations. The most commonly encountered mutation was of TERT promoter (56% of DTCs, 68% of ATCs)-but this is not presently targetable. Targetable BRAFV600E mutations were found in 40% of DTCs/PDTCs (83% of PTCs) and 32% of ATCs; of MTCs, 75% had targetable RET mutations, and 25% HRAS mutations. Of patient tumors with nonmutated BRAFV600E, 53% of DTC/PDTCs and 69% of ATCs had other potentially productively targetable mutations. Genomic alterations in our series of poor prognosis metastatic DTC/PDTCs also closely resembled those seen in ATC.

CONCLUSIONS

Whereas genomic interrogation of favorable prognosis thyroid cancer seems ill advised, potentially productively targetable mutations were demonstrated in the majority of tumors from patients with metastatic thyroid cancers requiring systemic therapy, suggesting a rationale for the selective application of this technology.

The dormant cancer cell life cycle

The success of targeted therapies and immunotherapies has created optimism that cancers may be curable. However, not all patients respond, drug resistance is common and many patients relapse owing to dormant cancer cells. These rare and elusive cells can disseminate early and hide in specialized niches in distant organs before being reactivated to cause disease relapse after successful treatment of the primary tumour. Despite their importance, we are yet to leverage knowledge generated from experimental models and translate the potential of targeting dormant cancer cells to prevent disease relapse in the clinic. This is due, at least in part, to the lack of adherence to consensus definitions by researchers, limited models that faithfully recapitulate this stage of metastatic spread and an absence of interdisciplinary approaches. However, the application of new high-resolution, single-cell technologies is starting to revolutionize the field and transcend classical reductionist models of studying individual cell types or genes in isolation to provide a global view of the complex underlying cellular ecosystem and transcriptional landscape that controls dormancy. In this Perspective, we synthesize some of these recent advances to describe the hallmarks of cancer cell dormancy and how the dormant cancer cell life cycle offers opportunities to target not only the cancer but also its environment to achieve a durable cure for seemingly incurable cancers.

Recent-onset bloody nodule

An antibiotic ointment failed to clear the lesion on the patient's back. A more detailed history revealed the nodule's troubling genesis.

Surgical Treatment of Port-Site Metastases After Laparoscopic Radical Resection of Gastrointestinal Tumors

Aim: This study was performed to investigate the feasibility of surgical treatment of port-site metastasis after laparoscopic radical resection of gastrointestinal tumors. Patients and Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the clinical data and follow-up data of 8 patients with port-site metastases after gastrointestinal cancer resection in our hospital from January 2014 to January 2018. Results: Six of port-site metastases occurred within 6 months after gastrointestinal tumor resection, one of port-site metastases occurred in 10 months after the operation, and one of port-site metastases occurred in 30 months after the operation. Any metastasis to the abdominal cavity or distant metastasis was ruled out before the surgical treatment of the port-site metastases, and all patients recovered well after the extended operation. No incisional infection or incisional hernia occurred. By December 2019, 4 patients had died (they had survived for 12, 13, 18, and 24 months, respectively) and 5 patients had survived. The follow-up duration ranged from 19 to 28 months. Conclusions: Surgical resection of port-site metastases is not difficult because of their superficial location. Surgical treatment can improve the prognosis of patients without abdominal metastasis or distant metastasis/recurrence.

SLFN11 inhibits hepatocellular carcinoma tumorigenesis and metastasis by targeting RPS4X via mTOR pathway

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains one of the most refractory malignancies worldwide. Schlafen family member 11 (SLFN11) has been reported to play an important role in inhibiting the production of human immunodeficiency virus 1 (HIV-1). However, whether SLFN11 also inhibits hepatitis B virus (HBV), and affects HBV-induced HCC remain to be systematically investigated. Methods: qRT-PCR, western blot and immunohistochemical (IHC) staining were conducted to investigate the potential role and prognostic value of SLFN11 in HCC. Then SLFN11 was stably overexpressed or knocked down in HCC cell lines. To further explore the potential biological function of SLFN11 in HCC, cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) assays, colony formation assays, wound healing assays and transwell cell migration and invasion assays were performed in vitro. Meanwhile, HCC subcutaneous xenograft tumor models were established for in vivo assays. Subsequently, immunoprecipitation (IP) and liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) analyses were applied to understand the molecular mechanisms of SLFN11 in HCC. Co-IP, immunofluorescence and IHC staining were used to analyze the relationship between ribosomal protein S4 X-linked (RPS4X) and SLFN11. Finally, the therapeutic potential of SLFN11 with mTOR pathway inhibitor INK128 on inhibiting HCC growth and metastasis was evaluated in vitro and in vivo orthotopic xenograft mouse models. Results: We demonstrate that SLFN11 expression is decreased in HCC, which is associated with shorter overall survival and higher recurrence rates in patients. In addition, we show that low SLFN11 expression is associated with aggressive clinicopathologic characteristics. Moreover, overexpression of SLFN11 inhibits HCC cell proliferation, migration, and invasion, facilitates apoptosis in vitro, and impedes HCC growth and metastasis in vivo, all of which are attenuated by SLFN11 knockdown. Mechanistically, SLFN11 physically associates with RPS4X and blocks the mTOR signaling pathway. In orthotopic mouse models, overexpression of SLFN11 or inhibition of mTOR pathway inhibitor by INK128 reverses HCC progression and metastasis. Conclusions: SLFN11 may serve as a powerful prognostic biomarker and putative tumor suppressor by suppressing the mTOR signaling pathway via RPS4X in HCC. Our study may therefore offer a novel therapeutic strategy for treating HCC patients with the mTOR pathway inhibitor INK128.

Hepatic Inflammatory Pseudotumor Protruding from the Liver Surface and Directly Penetrating the Colon

A 69-year-old man was diagnosed with a liver abscess and received antibiotics at a local hospital. He was referred to our hospital due to a persistent fever. He had hepatic masses protruding from the liver surface toward the transverse colon. We reached a diagnosis of inflammatory pseudotumor (IPT) by a percutaneous liver biopsy. Colonoscopy showed direct invasion of IPT to the colon. His condition improved by the intravenous administration of antibiotics. Hepatic IPT is often misdiagnosed as a malignant tumor. We should consider IPT when we encounter hepatic tumors, and a percutaneous liver biopsy is useful for avoiding unnecessary excessive treatments.

Therapeutic Targeting of Vasculature in the Premetastatic and Metastatic Niches Reduces Lung Metastasis

In the metastasis-targeted organs, angiogenesis is essential for the progression of dormant micrometastases to rapidly growing and clinically overt lesions. However, we observed changes suggesting angiogenic switching in the mouse lungs prior to arrival of tumor cells (i.e., in the premetastatic niche) in the models of breast carcinoma. This angiogenic switching appears to be caused by myeloid-derived suppressor cells recruited to the premetastatic lungs through complement C5a receptor 1 signaling. These myeloid cells are known to secrete several proangiogenic factors in tumors, including IL-1β and matrix metalloproteinase-9, and we found upregulation of these genes in the premetastatic lungs. Blockade of C5a receptor 1 synergized with antiangiogenic Listeria monocytogenes-based vaccines to decrease the lung metastatic burden by reducing vascular density and improving antitumor immunity in the lungs. This was mediated even when growth of primary breast tumors was not affected by these treatments. This work provides initial evidence that angiogenesis contributes to the premetastatic niche in rapidly progressing cancers and that inhibiting this process through immunotherapy is beneficial for reducing or even preventing metastasis.

Review ctDNA and Breast Cancer

In only few years, circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) in breast cancer has moved from purely fundamental research to nearby daily use for treatment selection and drug-resistance assessment. Indeed, technical advances and widespread use of next-generation sequencing or digital PCR allowed for detection of very low amount of tumor DNA in bloodstream. The use of ctDNA as liquid biopsy able either to monitor tumor burden under treatment or to overcome tumor heterogeneity and identify potential targetable drivers. Time has come to define how ctDNA can be implemented for early or metastatic breast cancer management. Data from retrospective analyses of prospective trials have recently highlighted the potential advantages but also the limitations of ctDNA, in particular for patients under endocrine therapy.