Blog Archive

Αλέξανδρος Γ. Σφακιανάκης

Sunday, January 3, 2021

Predicting positive peritoneal cytology in pancreatic cancer

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Via Cancer

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Abstract

Introduction

Positive cytology from peritoneal washings obtained prior to potential resection of pancreatic cancer is associated with grim prognosis, equivalent to M1 disease. We examine our experience with pancreatic cancer patients who underwent pre-resection lavage in an attempt to predict who would have malignant cells on peritoneal cytology.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective review of patients undergoing pancreatectomy for pancreatic adenocarcinoma at a tertiary care institution from 1995 to 2019 and had pre-resection lavage performed. Demographic and clinicopathologic data were collected. Logistic regression models were used to identify predictors of positive cytology.

Results

Three hundred ninety-nine patients underwent pancreatic resection and had lavage performed. Forty-three (10.8%) had positive peritoneal cytology. Those with positive cytology had higher median Ca19-9 value than those with negative cytology at diagnosis (368.5 vs 200 U/mL, p = 0.007) and after neoadjuvant therapy (100.3 vs 43 U/mL, p = 0.013). After controlling for preoperative therapy received, an initial Ca19-9 greater than 1220 U/mL (OR 2.72, 95% CI 1.07–6.89, p = 0.035), locally advanced disease (OR 4.86, 95% CI 1.31–18.09, p = 0.018), and BMI ≥ 25 kg/m2 (OR 2.67, 95% CI 1.04–6.97, p = 0.042) were associated with positive cytology in multivariate logistic regression model. The associated ROC curve had an AUC of 0.7507, suggesting adequate discrimination of those with positive peritoneal cytology.

Conclusion

Diagnostic laparoscopy remains an important adjunct to the workup, diagnosis, and staging of pancreatic adenocarcinoma. Patients with locally advanced disease, significantly elevated serum Ca19-9 at diagnosis, and BMI ≥ 25 kg/m2 may be at higher risk for positive peritoneal cytology, regardless of whether neoadjuvant therapy is administered.

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Experience of the pancreas duodenectomy for so-called carcinosarcoma of the common bile duct:a case report and review of literature

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Abstract

A 79-year-old man presented with malaise and jaundice at a local hospital. His blood tests showed severe inflammation, liver failure, and high expression of several tumour markers. Radiological findings revealed dilated common and intrahepatic bile ducts and a lower bile duct constricted by a soft tissue mass. Histological findings by endoscopy showed a suspected adenocarcinoma, which was determined as class IV by cytology. The patient was referred to our hospital for surgical treatment. He underwent pancreaticoduodenectomy and the final diagnosis was so-called carcinosarcoma of the bile duct. He had liver metastasis and died at 26 postoperative months.

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Pure large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma of the gallbladder, is surgical relentlessness beneficial? A case report and literature review

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Abstract

Pure large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma of the gallbladder is a rare disease. However, the prognosis of this aggressive tumor is poor with short survival after diagnosis. We are describing in this manuscript a case of pure large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma in which survival exceeded 26 months, after performing two curative surgeries. We are reporting the case of a 68-year-old woman with a history of recovered right breast carcinoma and operated 6 years later for a completely asymptomatic gallbladder tumor of 31 mm. In this case, curative surgery was performed allowing monobloc resection of the gallbladder and the hepatic segments IVb and V, a lymph node dissection was performed to. The histological examination of the specimen and immunohistochemistry confirms that the tumor was a grade 3 pure large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma of gallbladder with lymph node invasion, the hepatic and biliary surgical margins were free. Postoperative adjuvant che motherapy was administered and the evolution was eventless until the discovery at 20 months of a lymph node considered being metastatic recurrence. A second surgery was performed allowing removal of three lymph nodes. This time, a different protocol of chemotherapy was administered to our patient who remains alive and without recurrence at 26 months from her first surgery. Surgical relentlessness with free margins resections associated with appropriate chemotherapy probably improves the survival of patients suffering from this rare and aggressive tumor.

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Downregulation of lncRNA TSLNC8 promotes melanoma resistance to BRAF inhibitor PLX4720 through binding with PP1α to re-activate MAPK signaling

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Via Cancer

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Abstract

Purpose

Approximately 60% of patients with melanoma harbor BRAF mutation and targeting BRAF offers enormous advance in the treatment of those patients. Unfortunately, the efficacy of the BRAF inhibitors is usually restricted by the onset of drug resistance. Therefore, better understanding of the adaptive drug resistance mechanisms is essential for the development of alternative therapeutic strategies, and offers more promising measures to promote the short duration of response to BRAF inhibitors.

Methods

The levels of tumor suppressive long noncoding RNA on chromosome 8p12 (TSLNC8) were evaluated by qPCR. The MTT assay, colony formation assay, apoptosis assay, and in vivo xenograft tumor model were performed to assess the functions of TSLNC8 on drug resistance. Western blotting, RNA pull-down, and RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP) assays were applied to investigate the mechanisms of TSLNC8 in melanoma.

Results

Herein, our findings demonstrate that TSLNC8 is significantly downregulated in BRAF inhibitor-resistant melanoma tissues and cells. Moreover, downregulation of TSLNC8 in BRAF inhibitor sensitive cells reduces the toxicity response to BRAF inhibitor PLX4720, and inhibits apoptosis of melanoma cells-treated with PLX4720. Further assay elucidates that TSLNC8 can bind with the catalytic subunit of protein phosphatase 1α (PP1α) to regulate its distribution, and Downregulation of TSLNC8 results in PP1α cytoplasmic accumulation, thus re-activating the MAPK signaling. Eventually, the overexpression of TSLNC8 in BRAF inhibitor PLX4720-resistant melanoma cells restores the sensitive to BRAF inhibitor.

Conclusion

Collectively, our research provides a compelling rationale for resistance to BRAF inhibitor in melanoma, and the patient might benefit from the combinatorial therapy of BRAF inhibitors and lncRNA TSLNC8.

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Cytokine-chemokine network driven metastasis in esophageal cancer; promising avenue for targeted therapy

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Abstract

Esophageal cancer (EC) is a disease often marked by aggressive growth and poor prognosis. Lack of targeted therapies, resistance to chemoradiation therapy, and distant metastases among patients with advanced disease account for the high mortality rate. The tumor microenvironment (TME) contains several cell types, including fibroblasts, immune cells, adipocytes, stromal proteins, and growth factors, which play a significant role in supporting the growth and aggressive behavior of cancer cells. The complex and dynamic interactions of the secreted cytokines, chemokines, growth factors, and their receptors mediate chronic inflammation and immunosuppressive TME favoring tumor progression, metastasis, and decreased response to therapy. The molecular changes in the TME are used as biological markers for diagnosis, prognosis, and response to treatment in patients. This review highlighted the novel insights into the understanding and functional impact of deregulated cyt okines and chemokines in imparting aggressive EC, stressing the nature and therapeutic consequences of the cytokine-chemokine network. We also discuss cytokine-chemokine oncogenic potential by contributing to the Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition (EMT), angiogenesis, immunosuppression, metastatic niche, and therapeutic resistance development. In addition, it discusses the wide range of changes and intracellular signaling pathways that occur in the TME. Overall, this is a relatively unexplored field that could provide crucial insights into tumor immunology and encourage the effective application of modulatory cytokine-chemokine therapy to EC.

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Pegylated liposomal doxorubicin-induced renal toxicity in retroperitoneal liposarcoma: a case report and literature review

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Abstract

Doxorubicin is one of the most active drugs for sarcoma. Pegylated liposomal doxorubicin (PLD) is a unique formulation of doxorubicin, which carries a more favorable toxicity profile in comparison with free doxorubicin. The main toxicity of PLD is hand–foot syndrome. Unlike free doxorubicin, PLD is unlikely to cause alopecia, nausea, myelosuppression, or cardiotoxicity. Additionally, no premedications are required. We describe the case of a 50-year-old man with advanced retroperitoneal liposarcoma who developed irreversible PLD-associated progressive renal failure requiring chronic hemodialysis due to a thrombotic microangiopathy. No cardiotoxicity was noted 84 months after he initiated PLD. This case describes a lesser known toxicity of PLD and may be a toxicity of long-term treatment with other liposomal drugs.

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A new monoclonal antibody that blocks dimerisation and inhibits c-kit mutation-driven tumour growth

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Via Cancer

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Abstract

Purpose

Imatinib, a small-molecule tyrosine kinase inhibitor, has shown good clinical activity by inhibiting adenosine triphosphate (ATP) binding to the receptor. Unfortunately, majority of patients eventually develop drug resistance, which limits the long-term benefits of the tyrosine kinase inhibitors and poses a significant challenge in the clinical management of GIST. The aim of our study was to explore the feasibility of blocking KIT dimerisation upstream of the phosphorylation in imatinib-resistant GIST.

Method

KITMAb was prepared using hybridoma technique. The biological function of KITMAb was examined in KIT-dimer-expressing cells constructed by transfecting with liposomes using enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), immunohistochemistry, western blot, MTT, Annexin V/FITC, and flow cytometry assay, respectively.

Results

KIT-dimer was expressed in 293 cells transfected with c-kit mutated-type pcDNA3.1. Treatment of KIT-dimer-expressing cells with the KITMAb significantly decreased the expression of both KIT-dimer and other phosphorylated proteins of KIT downstream signalling pathway. Furthermore, KITMAb slowed down cell growth and reduced the proportion of cells in the proliferative phase (S + G2-M). Finally, we also found that KITMAb treatment accelerated cell apoptosis. These results indicate that KITMAb strongly inhibits KIT receptor dimerisation-mediated signalling pathway and cell growth responses in vitro.

Conclusions

We demonstrate c-kit mutation-driven KIT auto-dimerisation prior to tyrosine kinase phosphorylation as same as the procedure in ligand-dependent signalling pathway and describe a monoclonal antibody, KITMAb, with strong affinity to the dimerisation domain of KIT that blocks the important step in both the KIT signalling pathways. Further, the results suggest that treatment with KITMAb may be potentially therapeutic in imatinib-resistant GIST.

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Diffuse astrocytic glioma, IDH-Wildtype, with molecular features of glioblastoma, WHO grade IV: A single-institution case series and review

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Abstract

Objective

In 2018, cIMPACT-NOW update 3 concluded that WHO grade II/III IDH-wildtype diffuse astrocytomas that contain TERT promoter mutations, chromosome 7 gain/10 loss, and/or EGFR amplification, correspond to a WHO grade IV diagnosis and should be classified as Diffuse astrocytic glioma, IDH-wildtype, with molecular features of glioblastoma, WHO grade IV (DAG-G). We present a single-institution series of patients with DAG-G and IDH-mutant astrocytomas and compare their clinical, molecular, and radiographic characteristics.

Methods

Patient data was retrospectively extracted from the EMR for all patients undergoing surgical biopsy/resection of a diffuse astrocytoma at our institution from 2018 to 2020. Clinical presentation, molecular alterations, radiographic appearance, surgery, and survival were reviewed for each patient.

Results

Six DAG-G patients were identified in our cohort. All patients had diffuse disease, and presented with expansile, T2 hyperintense lesions with minimal enhancement. Compared to patients with classic IDH-mutant astrocytomas, mean age for DAG-G patients was older (68 vs 33 years, p < 0.0001), tumors were more diffuse (p = 0.02), with patients more likely to present with focal deficits and receive a biopsy only (p = 0.005). Overall survival was significantly shorter for DAG-G patients (p = 0.03).

Conclusion

Patients with DAG-G are more likely to be older than typical IDH-mutant diffuse astrocytoma patients. They are more likely to present with tumors in a diffuse pattern with focal deficits. When such patients are encountered, prompt biopsy/resection to confirm the diagnosis and immediate initiation of adjuvant therapy is recommended, as the disease progression and overall prognosis is similar to glioblastoma.

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5-ALA kinetics in meningiomas: analysis of tumor fluorescence and PpIX metabolism in vitro and comparative analyses with high-grade gliomas

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Abstract

Introduction

Although the utility 5-aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA)-mediated fluorescence-guided surgery (FGS) in meningiomas is increasingly discussed, data about the kinetics of protoporphyrin IX (PpIX) and tumor fluorescence are sparse.

Methods

PpIX kinetics after exposition to varying 5-ALA doses (12.5–150 µg/ml) was analyzed in two immortalized as well as primary WHO grade I and II meningioma and U87 high-grade glioma cell lines. Expression of FECH, ABCB6 and ABCG2 was investigated by quantitative real-time PCR.

Results

Fluorescence in Ben-Men 1 and primary WHO grade I/II meningioma increased with rising 5-ALA doses up to 100 µg/ml but then showed a saturation effect. However, decrease of fluorescence was slower after 150 than after 100 µg/ml 5-ALA. Fluorescence in U87 cells marginally increased with rising 5-ALA doses. Kinetics of the fluorescence in Ben-Men 1 cells did not differ from primary meningioma cells after 25–150 µg/ml 5-ALA (p > .05, each). No difference was found when comparing the fluorescence between primary grade I and II meningiomas after any 5-ALA dosage (p > .05, each). No relevant fluorescence was found in IOMM-Lee cells. Expression of FECH, ABCB6 and ABCG2 as well as PpIX export differed between all analyzed cell lines but were not connected to fluorescence.

Conclusions

Eligibility of established meningioma cell lines for in-vitro analyzes of tumor fluorescence significantly differs. Fluorescence in Ben-Men 1 and primary meningioma cell lines but less in IOMM Lee cells is 5-ALA dose-dependent, encouraging in-situ trials to encounter currently discussed shortcomings of FGS in meningiomas. Fluorescence is not related to expression of FECH, ABCB6 and ABCG2.

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Immunologic aspects of viral therapy for glioblastoma and implications for interactions with immunotherapies

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Abstract

Introduction

The treatment for glioblastoma (GBM) has remained unchanged for the past decade, with only minimal improvements in patient survival. As a result, novel treatments are needed to combat this devastating disease. Immunotherapies are treatments that stimulate the immune system to attack tumor cells and can be either local or systemically delivered. Viral treatments can lead to direct tumor cell death through their natural lifecycle or through the delivery of a suicide gene, with the potential to generate an anti-tumor immune response, making them interesting candidates for combinatorial treatment with immunotherapy.

Methods

We review the current literature surrounding the interactions between oncolytic viruses and the immune system as well as the use of oncolytic viruses combined with immunotherapies for the treatment of GBM.

Results

Viral therapies have exhibited preclinical efficacy as single-agents and are being investigated in that manner in clinical trials. Oncolytic viruses have significant interactions with the immune system, although this can also vary depending on the strain of virus. Combinatorial treatments using both oncolytic viruses and immunotherapies have demonstrated promising preclinical findings.

Conclusions

Studies combining viral and immunotherapeutic treatment modalities have provided exciting results thus far and hold great promise for patients with GBM. Additional studies assessing the clinical efficacy of these treatments as well as improved preclinical modeling systems, safety mechanisms, and the balance between treatment efficacy and immune-mediated viral clearance should be considered.

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Differential gene expression in peritumoral brain zone of glioblastoma: role of SERPINA3 in promoting invasion, stemness and radioresistance of glioma cells and association with poor patient prognosis and recurrence

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Abstract

Purpose

Glioblastoma (GBM) is a highly invasive tumor. Despite advances in treatment modalities, tumor recurrence is common, seen mainly in the peritumoral brain zone (PBZ). We aimed to molecularly characterize PBZ, to understand the pathobiology of tumor recurrence.

Methods/patients

We selected eight differentially regulated genes from our previous transcriptome profiling study on tumor core and PBZ. Expression of selected genes were validated in GBM (tumor core and PBZ, n = 37) and control (n = 22) samples by real time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). Serine protease inhibitor clade A, member 3 (SERPINA3) was selected for further functional characterization in vitro by gene knockdown approach in glioma cells. Its protein expression by immunohistochemistry (IHC) was correlated with other clinically relevant GBM markers, patient prognosis and tumor recurrence.

Results

The mRNA expression of selected genes from the microarray data validated in tumor core and PBZ and was similar to publicly available databases. SERPINA3 knock down in vitro showed decreased tumor cell proliferation, invasion, migration, transition to mesenchymal phenotype, stemness and radioresistance.

SERPINA3 protein expression was higher in PBZ compared to tumor core and also was higher in older patients, IDH wild type and recurrent tumors. Finally, its expression showed positive correlation with poor patient prognosis.

Conclusions

SERPINA3 expression contributes to aggressive GBM phenotype by regulating pro-tumorigenic actions in vitro and is associated with adverse clinical outcome.

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