Periprostatic Fat Adipokines Expression Correlated with Prostate Cancer Aggressiveness in Men Undergoing Radical Prostatectomy for Clinically Localised Disease

Objectives: To investigate relationship between periprostatic adipose tissue (PPAT) adipokines expression and PCa aggressiveness using both pathological features of radical prostatectomy (RP) and multiparametric MRI parameters.Patients and Methods: Sixty-nine men were recruited to assess immunohistochemical expression of TNFα- and VEGF of periprostatic fat of radical prostate specimens. Percent immunopositivity was quantified on scanned slides using Aperio Positive Pixel Count algorithm for PPAT TNFα, VEGF and androgen receptors. Periprostatic fat volume (PFV) was segmented on contiguous T 1 -weighted axial MRI slices from the level of the prostate base to apex. PFV was normalised to prostate volume (PV) to account for variations in PV (NPFV=PFV/PV). MRI quantitative values (K ep , K trans, and ADC) were measured from PCa primary lesion using OleaSphere software. Patients were stratified into three groups according to RP GS: ≤6, 7(3+4) and 7(4+3) or more. Results: The mean rank of VEGF and TNFα were significantly different between the groups [H(2)= 11.038, p=0.004] and [H(2)=13.086, p=0.001], respectively. Patients with stage pT 3 had higher TNFα (18.2±8.95) positivity than patients with stage pT 2 (13.27±10.66), t (67) =-2.03, p=0.047. TNFα expression significantly correlated with K trans (ρ=0.327, p=0.023). TNFα (p=0.043) and VEGF (p= 0.02) correlates with high-grade PCa (GS≥7) in radical prostatectomy specimens and correlated significantly with upgradation of Gleason score from biopsy to radical prostatectomy histology. Conclusions: Expression level of TNFα and VEGF on immunostaining significantly correlated with aggressivity of PCa. As biomarkers, these suggest the risk of having high-grade PCa in men undergoing RP. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.</p

First-in-human study of FAZ053, an anti-programmed death-ligand 1 (anti-PD-L1) monoclonal antibody, alone and in combination with spartalizumab (anti-PD-1), in patients with advanced malignancies

Advanced alveolar soft part sarcoma; Chordoma; SpartalizumabSarcoma alveolar de partes blandas avanzado; Cordoma; EspartalizumabSarcoma alveolar de parts toves avançat; Cordoma; EspartalizumabBackground FAZ053 triggers an antitumor response by targeting programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1), thereby activating effector T cells and negatively regulating T cells. This study assessed the safety, tolerability, and preliminary efficacy of FAZ053 monotherapy and in combination with spartalizumab (anti-PD-1) in patients with advanced solid tumors. Methods This phase I, multicenter, open-label study (NCT02936102) included dose escalation and dose expansion. The primary objectives were safety and tolerability; secondary objectives were pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, and preliminary antitumor activity. Results Of the 154 patients treated, 49 (52.7%) patients receiving FAZ053 monotherapy experienced at least one treatment-related adverse event (TRAE), of whom 6 (6.5%) experienced grade ≥3 TRAEs; 35 patients (57.4%) receiving combination therapy experienced TRAEs, of whom 3 (4.9%) experienced grade ≥3 TRAEs. One patient who received FAZ053 1600 mg every 6 weeks (Q6W) and one who received FAZ053 20 mg every 3 weeks (Q3W) with spartalizumab 300 mg Q3W experienced dose-limiting toxicities of grade 4 creatinine increase and grade 3 liver function test increased, respectively. The median duration of exposure was 105 days for monotherapy and 85 days for combination therapy. During dose escalation, response was observed in 3 (5.1%) and 3 (4.9%) patients receiving FAZ053 monotherapy and combination therapy, respectively. In dose expansion, response was observed in 2 (50%) patients with advanced alveolar soft part sarcoma (ASPS) and 3 (30%) patients with advanced chordoma receiving FAZ053 monotherapy. FAZ053 demonstrated a dose-proportional pharmacokinetic profile with a terminal half-life of 20.6 days at 1200 mg Q3W. Biomarker analysis showed increased immune gene expression following FAZ053 treatment. The recommended dose for expansion was 1200 mg Q3W. Conclusion FAZ053 monotherapy was well tolerated and effective in maintaining disease control in various tumors including ASPS and chordoma. The anticipated synergistic effect of combined programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) and PD-L1 inhibition was not observed. These findings contribute to the growing evidence that rare, phenotypically ‘immune cold’ sarcomas, such as ASPS and chordoma, can become responsive to immune checkpoint inhibitors.This work was supported by Novartis Pharmaceuticals

Molecular targets in the discovery and development of novel antimetastatic agents: current progress and future prospects

Tumour invasion and metastasis have been recognized as major causal factors in the morbidity and mortality among cancer patients. Many advances in the knowledge of cancer metastasis have yielded an impressive array of attractive drug targets, including enzymes, receptors and multiple signalling pathways. The present review summarizes the molecular pathogenesis of metastasis and the identification of novel molecular targets used in the discovery of antimetastatic agents. Several promising targets have been highlighted, including receptor tyrosine kinases, effector molecules involved in angiogenesis, matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), urokinase plasminogen activator, adhesion molecules and their receptors, signalling pathways (e.g. phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase, phospholipase Cγ1, mitogen-activated protein kinases, c-Src kinase, c-Met kinases and heat shock protein. The discovery and development of potential novel therapeutics for each of the targets are also discussed in this review. Among these, the most promising agents that have shown remarkable clinical outcome are anti-angiogenic agents (e.g. bevacizumab). Newer agents, such as c-Met kinase inhibitors, are still undergoing preclinical studies and are yet to have their clinical efficacy proven. Some therapeutics, such as first-generation MMP inhibitors (MMPIs; e.g. marimastat) and more selective versions of them (e.g. prinomastat, tanomastat), have undergone clinical trials. Unfortunately, these drugs produced serious adverse effects that led to the premature termination of their development. In the future, third-generation MMPIs and inhibitors of signalling pathways and adhesion molecules could form valuable novel classes of drugs in the anticancer armamentarium to combat metastasis

Male breast cancer: a disease distinct from female breast cancer

Purpose: Male breast cancer (BC) is rare, representing approximately 1% of cancers that occur in men and approximately 1% of all BCs worldwide. Because male BC is rare, not much is known about the disease, and treatment recommendations are typically extrapolated from data available from clinical trials enrolling female BC patients. Methods: We review the epidemiology, risk factors, prognosis, and the varied molecular and clinicopathologic features that characterize male BC. In addition, we summarize the available data for the use of systemic therapy in the treatment of male BC and explore the ongoing development of targeted therapeutic agents for the treatment of this subgroup of BCs. Results: There are important biological differences between male and female BC. Male BC is almost exclusively hormone receptor positive (+), including the androgen receptor (AR), and is associated with an increased prevalence of BRCA2 germline mutations, especially in men with increased risk for developing high-risk BC. Additional research is warranted to better characterize male BC. To accomplish this, a multi-national consortium approach, such as the International Male Breast Cancer Program, is needed in response to the scarcity of patients. This approach allows the pooling of information from a large number of men with BC and the creation of registries for future therapeutic-focused clinical trials. Conclusions: Given the unique biology of BC in men, promising new therapeutic targets are currently under investigation, including the use of poly-ADP-ribose polymerase inhibitors or AR-targeted agents either as monotherapy or in combination with other agents

The Selective Personalized Radio-Immunotherapy for Locally Advanced NSCLC Trial (SPRINT)

Purpose/Objective(s): Standard therapy for unresectable locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer (LA-NSCLC) is concurrent chemoradiotherapy (chemoRT), which is usually followed by adjuvant durvalumab. We performed a prospective trial testing sequential pembrolizumab and risk-adapted radiotherapy without chemotherapy for biomarker-selected LA-NSCLC patients. Materials/Methods: Patients with AJCC version 8 stage III NSCLC or unresectable stage II NSCLC and ECOG performance status 0-1 were eligible for this trial. Subjects with PD-L1 tumor proportion score (TPS) ≥ 50% received three cycles of induction pembrolizumab (200 mg, every 21 days), underwent restaging FDG-PET/CT, received risk-adapted thoracic radiotherapy (55 Gy delivered to tumors or lymph nodes with metabolic tumor volume exceeding 20 cc and 48 Gy delivered to smaller lesions, all in 20 daily fractions), and then received up to 13 cycles of additional pembrolizumab. Subjects with PD-L1 TPS \u3c 50% received concurrent chemoRT, and adjuvant durvalumab was recommended for patients without disease progression. The primary study endpoint was one-year progression-free survival (PFS) for subjects treated with pembrolizumab and radiotherapy (pembroRT), which we hypothesized would exceed 65%. Other study endpoints included 1-year overall survival (OS) and rates of clinician-scored (CTCAE v. 4.03) and patient-reported (PRO-CTCAE) adverse events observed over one year. Results: Twenty-five subjects with PD-L1 TPS ≥ 50% and 12 subjects with PD-L1 TPS \u3c 50% from three institutions were enrolled between August 2018 and November 2021. Median age was 70. Twenty-four subjects had stage II-IIIA disease, and 13 had stage IIIB-IIIC disease. Except for PD-L1 TPS, subject characteristics did not differ significantly across treatment groups. Ten out of the 12 subjects with ChemoRT received adjuvant durvalumab, and one received adjuvant osimertinib for EGFR mutation. The median follow-up duration is 15 months. Compared to patients treated with chemoRT, treatment with pembroRT has yielded numerically higher 1-year PFS (72% v. 46%, log rank p=0.232) and OS (91% v. 73%, log rank p=0.213) rates. Similar rates of grade 3 physician-scored adverse events have been observed with pembroRT (24%) and chemoRT (25%). Less severe patient-reported adverse events occurred with pembroRT compared to chemoRT (See Table). Conclusion: Treatment with pembrolizumab and risk-adapted radiotherapy without chemotherapy is a promising approach for LA-NSCLC patients with PD-L1 TPS ≥ 50%. In addition to yielding high disease control rates, this strategy appears to reduce patient-reported adverse events compared to standard chemoRT and adjuvant therapy

Adjuvant enzalutamide for the treatment of early-stage androgen-receptor positive, triple-negative breast cancer: a feasibility study.

PURPOSE: Chemotherapy with or without immunotherapy remains the mainstay of treatment for triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). A subset of TNBCs express the androgen receptor (AR), representing a potential new therapeutic target. This study assessed the feasibility of adjuvant enzalutamide, an AR antagonist, in early-stage, AR-positive (AR +) TNBC. METHODS: This study was a single-arm, open-label, multicenter trial in which patients with stage I-III, AR ≥ 1% TNBC who had completed standard-of-care therapy were treated with enzalutamide 160 mg/day orally for 1 year. The primary objective of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of 1 year of adjuvant enzalutamide, defined as the treatment discontinuation rate of enzalutamide due to toxicity, withdrawal of consent, or other events related to tolerability. Secondary endpoints included disease-free survival (DFS), overall survival (OS), safety, and genomic features of recurrent tumors. RESULTS: Fifty patients were enrolled in this study. Thirty-five patients completed 1 year of therapy, thereby meeting the prespecified trial endpoint for feasibility. Thirty-two patients elected to continue with an optional second year of treatment. Grade ≥ 3 treatment-related adverse events were uncommon. The 1-year, 2-year, and 3-year DFS were 94%, 92% , and 80%, respectively. Median OS has not been reached. CONCLUSION: This clinical trial demonstrates that adjuvant enzalutamide is a feasible and well-tolerated regimen in patients with an early-stage AR + TNBC. Randomized trials in the metastatic setting may inform patient selection through biomarker development; longer follow-up is needed to determine the effect of anti-androgens on DFS and OS in this patient population

Phase 1 study of seviteronel, a selective CYP17 lyase and androgen receptor inhibitor, in women with estrogen receptor-positive or triple-negative breast cancer

Purpose: Seviteronel (INO-464) is an oral, selective cytochrome P450c17a (CYP17) 17,20-lyase (lyase) and androgen receptor inhibitor with in vitro and in vivo anti-tumor activity. This open-label phase 1 clinical study evaluated safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics (PK), and activity of once-daily (QD) seviteronel in women with locally advanced or metastatic TNBC or ER+ breast cancer. Methods: Seviteronel was administered in de-escalating 750, 600, and 450 mg QD 6-subject cohorts. The 750 mg QD start dose was a phase 2 dose determined for men with castration-resistant prostate cancer in (Shore et al. J Clin Oncol 34, 2016). Enrollment at lower doses was initiated in the presence of dose-limiting toxicities (DLTs). The primary objective of this study was to determine seviteronel safety, tolerability, and MTD. The secondary objectives included description of its PK in women and its initial activity, including clinical benefit rate at 4 (CBR16) and 6 months (CBR24). Results: Nineteen women were enrolled. A majority of adverse events (AEs) were Grade (Gr) 1/2, independent of relationship; the most common were tremor (42%), nausea (42%), vomiting (37%), and fatigue (37%). Four Gr 3/4 AEs (anemia, delirium, mental status change, and confusional state) deemed possibly related to seviteronel occurred in four subjects. DLTs were observed at 750 mg (Gr 3 confusional state with paranoia) and 600 mg (Gr 3 mental status change and Gr 3 delirium) QD, with none at 450 mg QD. The recommended phase 2 dose (RP2D) was 450 mg QD, and at the RP2D, 4 of 7 subjects reached at least CBR16 (2 TNBC subjects and 2 ER+ subjects achieved CBR16 and CBR24, respectively); no objective tumor responses were reported. Conclusions: Once-daily seviteronel was generally well tolerated in women with and 450 mg QD was chosen as the RP2D

Glycogen-rich Clear Cell Carcinoma of the Breast: A Comprehensive Review.

Glycogen-rich clear cell carcinoma (GRCC) is a very rare form of primary breast cancer (<0.1% of all breast cancers). It is characterized by the presence of neoplastic cells with a glycogen-abundant clear cytoplasm (the Periodic Acid Schiff-positive, diastase-sensitive). The expression of steroid receptors (estrogen and progesterone receptors) has been variably reported (35% to 100% of the cases), whereas most studies reported low human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 positivity in GRCC. High androgen receptor positivity without androgen receptor splice variant-7 was reported in one recent study. Although sparse, the preliminary theranostic data on GRCC indicate the potential of targeted treatments in selected cases (antiandrogen, PIK3CA, and immune checkpoint inhibitors). Because of its rarity, the prognosis for GRCC patients remains controversial. Herein, we comprehensively appraise the epidemiological, morphologic, molecular, and clinical characteristics of this rare mammary malignancy