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Background Brain metastases (BM) are common among HER2+ breast cancer (BC) and prognostic stratification is crucial for optimal management. BC-GPA score and subsequent refinements (modified-GPA, updated-GPA) recapitulate prognostic factors. Since none of these indexes includes extracranial disease control, we evaluated its prognostic value in HER2+ BCBM. Methods Patients diagnosed with HER2+ BCBM at Istituto Oncologico Veneto-Padova (2002–2021) and Montpellier Cancer Institute (2001–2015) were included as exploratory and validation cohorts, respectively. Extracranial disease control at BM diagnosis (no disease/stable disease/response vs. progressive disease) was evaluated. Results In the exploratory cohort of 113 patients (median OS 12.2 months), extracranial control (n = 65, 57.5%) was significantly associated with better OS at univariate (median OS 17.7 vs. 8.7 months, p = 0.005) and multivariate analysis after adjustment for BC-GPA (HR 0.61, 95% CI 0.39–0.94), modified-GPA (HR 0.64, 95% CI 0.42–0.98) and updated-GPA (HR 0.63, 95% CI 0.41–0.98). The prognostic impact of extracranial disease control (n = 66, 56.4%) was then confirmed in the validation cohort (n = 117) at univariate (median OS 20.2 vs. 9.1 months, p Conclusions Extracranial disease control provides independent prognostic information in HER2+ BCBM beyond commonly used prognostic scores.

Background: Median survival with glioblastoma remains in the range of 12 months on population levels. Only few patients survive for more than 5 years. Patient and disease features associated with long-term survival remain poorly defined. Methods: European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) 1419 (ETERNITY) is a registry study supported by the Brain Tumor Funders Collaborative in the US and the EORTC Brain Tumor Group. Patients with glioblastoma surviving at least 5 years from diagnosis were identified at 24 sites in Europe, US, and Australia. In patients with isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH) wildtype tumours, prognostic factors were analysed using the Kaplan-Meier method and the Cox proportional hazards model. A population-based reference cohort was obtained from the Cantonal cancer registry Zurich. Results: At the database lock of July 2020, 280 patients with histologically centrally confirmed glioblastoma (189 IDH wildtype, 80 IDH mutant, 11 incompletely characterised) had been registered. In the IDH wildtype population, median age was 56 years (range 24–78 years), 96 patients (50.8%) were female, 139 patients (74.3%) had tumours with O 6-methylguanine DNA methyltransferase (MGMT) promoter methylation. Median overall survival was 9.9 years (95% confidence interval [95% CI] 7.9–11.9). Patients without recurrence experienced longer median survival (not reached) than patients with one or more recurrences (8.92 years) (p < 0.001) and had a high rate (48.8%) of MGMT promoter-unmethylated tumours. Conclusions: Freedom from progression is a powerful predictor of overall survival in long-term survivors with glioblastoma. Patients without relapse often have MGMT promoter-unmethylated glioblastoma and may represent a distinct subtype of glioblastoma.

Background The diagnosis of breast cancer (BC)-related leptomeningeal metastases (LM) relies on the detection of tumor cells in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) using conventional cytology (gold standard). However, the sensitivity of this technique is low. Our goal was to evaluate whether circulating tumor cell (CTC) detection in CSF using the CellSearch® system could be used for LM diagnosis. Methods This prospective, monocentric study included adult patients with suspected BC-related LM. The clinical sensitivity and specificity of CTC detection in CSF for LM diagnosis were calculated relative to conventional CSF cytology. Results Forty-nine eligible patients were included and 40 were evaluable (CTC detection technical failure: n = 8, eligibility criteria failure: n = 1). Cytology was positive in 18/40 patients. CTCs were detected in these 18 patients (median: 5824 CTC, range: 93 to 45052) and in 5/22 patients with negative cytology (median: 2 CTC, range: 1 to 44). The detection of ≥1 CSF CTC was associated with a clinical sensitivity of 100% (95% CI, 82.4–100) and a specificity of 77.3% (95% CI, 64.3–90.3) for LM diagnosis. HER2+ CTCs were detected in the CSF of 40.6% of patients with HER2− BC (median: 500 CTC, range: 13 to 28 320). Conclusions The clinical sensitivity of CTC detection in CSF with the CellSearch® system for LM diagnosis is higher than that of CSF cytology. CTC detection in patients with negative cytology, however, must be further investigated. The finding of HER2+ CTCs in patients with HER2− BC suggests that the HER2 status of LM should be evaluated to increase the treatment opportunities for these patients.

In patients with human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 positive (HER2+) breast cancer, leptomeningeal metastases (LM) are a rare but often a fatal clinical scenario. In this multicentric study, clinical and pathologic characteristics of patients with HER2+ breast cancer developing LM were described, as well as survival outcomes. Data were gathered retrospectively from medical records of 82 patients with advanced HER2+ breast cancer and LM treated between August 2005 and July 2020. Following LM diagnosis, 79 (96.3%) patients received at least one line of anti-HER2 therapy, 25 (30.5%) patients received intrathecal therapy and 58 (70.7%) patients received radiotherapy. Overall survival (OS) was 8.3 months (95% confidence interval [CI] 5.7-11), 1-year OS was 42%, and 2-year OS was 21%. At univariate analysis, patients who were treated after 2010, had better Karnofsky performance status, were free of neurological symptoms, had better prognostic, received chemotherapy (OS difference 9.4 months, P = .024), or monoclonal antibodies (trastuzumab ± pertuzumab; OS difference 6.1 months; P = .013) after LM diagnosis, had a statistically significantly longer OS. Presence of neurological symptoms (hazard ratio 3.32, 95% CI 1.26-8.73; P = .015) and not having received radiotherapy (hazard ratio 2.02, 95% CI 1.09-3.72; P = .024) were all associated with poorer OS at multivariate analysis. To summarize, not having neurological symptoms and receiving RT at LM diagnosis were associated with prolonged OS in our cohort. Survival seemed to be prolonged with multimodality treatment, which included targeted therapy, chemotherapy, and RT to the LM sites.

Background Primary central nervous system tumors (PCNST) among adolescents and young adults (AYA, 15–39 y) have rarely been reported. We present a nationwide report of PCNST histologically confirmed in the French AYA population between 2008 and 2013. Methods Patients were identified through the French Brain Tumor Database (FBTDB), a national dataset that includes prospectively all histologically confirmed cases of PCNST in France. Patients aged 15 to 39 years with histologically confirmed PCNST diagnosed between 2008 and 2013 were included. For each of the 143 histological subtypes of PCNST, crude rates, sex, surgery, and age distribution were provided. To enable international comparisons, age-standardized incidence rates were adjusted to the world-standard, European, and USA populations. Results For 6 years, 9661 PCNST (males/females: 4701/4960) were histologically confirmed in the French AYA population. The overall crude rate was 8.15 per 100 000 person-years. Overall, age-standardized incidence rates were (per 100 000 person-years, population of reference: world/Europe/USA): 7.64/8.07/8.21, respectively. Among patients aged 15–24 years, the crude rate was 5.13 per 100 000. Among patients aged 25–39 years, the crude rate was 10.10 per 100 000. Age-standardized incidence rates were reported for each of the 143 histological subtypes. Moreover, for each histological subtype, data were detailed by sex, age, type of surgery (surgical resection or biopsy), and cryopreserved samples. Conclusion These data represent an exhaustive report of all histologically confirmed cases of PCNST with their frequency and distribution in the French AYA population in 2008–2013. For the first time in this age group, complete histological subtypes and rare tumor identification are detailed.

Background Metastatic breast cancer (MBC) behaviour differs depending on hormone receptors (HR) and human epidermal growth factor receptor (HER2) statuses. Methods The kinetics of central nervous system (CNS) metastases (CNS metastasis-free survival, CNSM-FS) and subsequent patient’s prognosis (overall survival, OS) according to the molecular subtype were retrospectively assessed in 16703 MBC patients of the ESME nationwide multicentre MBC database (Kaplan–Meier method). Results CNS metastases occurred in 4118 patients (24.6%) (7.2% at MBC diagnosis and 17.5% later during follow-up). Tumours were HER2−/HR+ (45.3%), HER2+/HR+ (14.5%), HER2+/HR− (14.9%) and triple negative (25.4%). Median age at CNS metastasis diagnosis was 58.1 years (range: 22.8–92.0). The median CNSM-FS was 10.8 months (95% CI: 16.5–17.9) among patients who developed CNS metastases. Molecular subtype was independently associated with CNSM-FS (HR = 3.45, 95% CI: 3.18–3.75, triple-negative and HER2−/HR+ tumours). After a 30-month follow-up, median OS after CNS metastasis diagnosis was 7.9 months (95% CI: 7.2–8.4). OS was independently associated with subtypes: median OS was 18.9 months (HR = 0.57, 95% CI: 0.50–0.64) for HER2+/HR+ , 13.1 months (HR = 0.72, 95% CI: 0.65–0.81) for HER2+/HR−, 4.4 months (HR = 1.55, 95% CI: 1.42–1.69) for triple-negative and 7.1 months for HER2−/HR+ patients (p Conclusions Tumour molecular subtypes strongly impact incidence, kinetics and prognosis of CNS metastases in MBC patients. Clinical trial registration NCT03275311.

BACKGROUND Breast cancer (BC) is the most frequent cause of leptomeningeal metastases (LM). LM diagnosis is confirmed by the detection of tumor cells in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) using conventional cytology (gold standard). However, even with optimal CSF sample volume and time to the analysis, the sensitivity of this technique is low, demanding repeated samples. Here, we aimed to evaluate the value of circulating tumor cell (CTC) detection in CSF using the CellSearch® system for LM diagnosis. MATERIAL AND METHODS This prospective, monocentric study included adult BC patients with suspected LM (clinical and/or radiological signs). CSF samples from 1–3 lumbar puncture(s) were analyzed: protein level, conventional cytology (60 drops), and CTC detection with the CellSearch® system (60 drops, first lumbar puncture only). Sensitivity (Se) and specificity (Sp) were calculated, using the results of the conventional cytology as the gold-standard. RESULTS Forty-nine eligible patients were included (Jan 2017-Jan 2020): median age 51.8, 95.9% women, 20.4% HER2+ BC, 93.8% previously diagnosed with metastatic BC, 89.8% with clinical symptoms. Among them, 40 were evaluable (CTC detection failure: n=8, eligibility criteria failure: n=1). Median sample volume was 3.0 mL for conventional cytology samples (median time to analysis: 22min) and 3.3 mL for CTC samples. Of the 40 evaluable patients, 18 had a positive cytology (on CSF sample n=°1/n°2: n=16/n=2) and were therefore diagnosed with LM using the gold-standard method. Protein level was elevated in 88.2% of these patients, compared with 45.1% of patients with negative CSF cytology (p=0.005). CTCs were detected in these 18 patients (median 5824 CTCs, range 93-45052). CTCs were also detected in 5/22 patients with a negative cytology (median 2 CTCs, range 1–44). Among them, one patient (44 CTCs) was diagnosed with a cytologically-proven LM 9 months later, while there was no further argument for LM in the other 4 patients’ history (1–3 CTC), who died of the extra-cerebral disease after a median time of 5.2 months (range 0.9–25.9). The detection of at least one CTC in CSF was associated with a Se of 100.0% (IC95% 82.4–100) and a Spe of 77.3% (IC95% 64.3–90.3) for the diagnosis of LM. CONCLUSION CTCs were detected with the CellSearch® system in all patients diagnosed with a cytologically-proven LM, as well as in a few patients without a cytological confirmation of LM. The prognosis of these patients with CSF cytology-/CTCs+ needs to be further investigated in a larger cohort.

Background Glioblastoma is the most frequent primary malignant brain tumor. In daily practice and at whole country level, oncological care management for glioblastoma patients is not completely known. Objectives To describe oncological patterns of care, prognostic factors, and survival for all patients in France with newly-diagnosed and histologically confirmed glioblastoma, and evaluate the impact of extended temozolomide use at the population level. Methods Nationwide population-based cohort study including all patients with newly-diagnosed and histologically confirmed glioblastoma in France in 2008 and followed until 2015. Results Data from 2053 glioblastoma patients were analyzed (male/female ratio 1.5, median age 64 years). Median overall survival (OS) was 11.2 [95% confidence interval (CI) 10.7–11.9] months. The first-line therapy and corresponding median survival (MS, in months) were: 13% did not receive any oncological treatment (biopsy only) (MS = 1.8, 95% CI 1.6–2.1), 27% received treatment without the combination of radiotherapy (RT)–temozolomide (MS = 5.9, 95% CI 5.5–6.6), 60% received treatment including the initiation of the concomitant phase of RT–temozolomide (MS = 16.4, 95% CI 15.2–17.4) whom 44% of patients initiated the temozolomide adjuvant phase (MS = 18.9, 95% CI 18.0–19.8). Only 22% patients received 6 cycles or more of adjuvant temozolomide (MS = 25.5, 95% CI 24.0–28.3). The multivariate analysis showed that the risk of mortality was significantly higher for the non-progressive patients who stopped at 6 cycles (standard protocol) than those who continued the treatment, hazard ratio = 1.5 (95% CI 1.2–1.9). Conclusion In non-progressive patients, prolonging the adjuvant temozolomide beyond 6 cycles may improve OS. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1007/s11060-018-03065-z) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Background Diffuse low-grade gliomas (DLGGs) are rare and incurable tumors. Whereas maximal safe, functional-based surgical resection is the first-line treatment, the timing and choice of further treatments (chemotherapy, radiation therapy, or combined treatments) remain controversial. Methods An online survey on the management of DLGG patients was sent to 28 expert centers from the European Low-Grade Glioma Network (ELGGN) in May 2015. It contained 40 specific questions addressing the modalities of use of chemotherapy in these patients. Results The survey demonstrated a significant heterogeneity in practice regarding the initial management of DLGG patients and the use of chemotherapy. Interestingly, radiation therapy combined with the procarbazine, CCNU (lomustine), and vincristine regimen has not imposed itself as the gold-standard treatment after surgery, despite the results of the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group 9802 study. Temozolomide is largely used as first-line treatment after surgical resection for high-risk DLGG patients, or at progression. Conclusions The heterogeneity in the management of patients with DLGG demonstrates that many questions regarding the postoperative strategy and the use of chemotherapy remain unanswered. Our survey reveals a high recruitment potential within the ELGGN for retrospective or prospective studies to generate new data regarding these issues.

Diffuse grade II IDH−mutant gliomas are slow−growing brain tumors that progress into high−grade gliomas. They present intratumoral cell heterogeneity, and no reliable markers are available to distinguish the different cell subtypes. The molecular mechanisms underlying the formation of this cell diversity is also ill−defined. Here, we report that SOX9 and OLIG1 transcription factors, which specifically label astrocytes and oligodendrocytes in the normal brain, revealed the presence of two largely nonoverlapping tumoral populations in IDH1−mutant oligodendrogliomas and astrocytomas. Astrocyte−like SOX9+ cells additionally stained for APOE, CRYAB, ID4, KCNN3, while oligodendrocyte−like OLIG1+ cells stained for ASCL1, EGFR, IDH1, PDGFRA, PTPRZ1, SOX4, and SOX8. GPR17, an oligodendrocytic marker, was expressed by both cells. These two subpopulations appear to have distinct BMP, NOTCH1, and MAPK active pathways as stainings for BMP4, HEY1, HEY2, p−SMAD1/5 and p−ERK were higher in SOX9+ cells. We used primary cultures and a new cell line to explore the influence of NOTCH1 activation and BMP treatment on the IDH1−mutant glioma cell phenotype. This revealed that NOTCH1 globally reduced oligodendrocytic markers and IDH1 expression while upregulating APOE, CRYAB, HEY1/2, and an electrophysiologically−active Ca2+−activated apamin−sensitive K+ channel (KCNN3/SK3). This was accompanied by a reduction in proliferation. Similar effects of NOTCH1 activation were observed in nontumoral human oligodendrocytic cells, which additionally induced strong SOX9 expression. BMP treatment reduced OLIG1/2 expression and strongly upregulated CRYAB and NOGGIN, a negative regulator of BMP. The presence of astrocyte−like SOX9+ and oligodendrocyte−like OLIG1+ cells in grade II IDH1−mutant gliomas raises new questions about their role in the pathology.

Background Leptomeningeal metastasis (LM) is a rare complication of metastatic breast cancer (MBC), with high morbidity/mortality rates. Our study aimed to describe the largest-to-date real-life population of MBC patients treated with intrathecal (IT) therapy and to evaluate prognostic models. Methods The Epidemiological Strategy and Medical Economics (ESME) MBC database (NCT03275311) includes all consecutive patients who have initiated treatment for MBC since 2008. Overall survival (OS) of patients treated with IT therapy was estimated using the Kaplan–Meier method. Prognostic models were constructed using Cox proportional hazards models. Performance was evaluated using C-index and calibration plots. Results Of the 22 266 patients included in the database between 2008 and 2016, 312 received IT therapy and were selected for our analysis. Compared with non-IT-treated patients, IT-treated patients were younger at MBC relapse (median age: 52 years versus 61 years) and more often had lobular histology (23.4% versus 12.7%) or triple-negative subtype (24.7% versus 13.3%) (all P < 0.001). Median OS was 4.5 months [95% confidence interval (CI) 3.8-5.6] and 1-year survival rate was 25.6%. Significant prognostic factors associated with poorer outcome on multivariable analysis were triple-negative subtype (hazard ratio 1.81, 95% CI 1.32-2.47), treatment line ≥3 (hazard ratio 1.88, 95% CI 1.30-2.73), ≥3 other metastatic sites (hazard ratio 1.33, 95% CI 1.01-1.74) and IT cytarabine or thiotepa versus methotrexate (hazard ratio 1.68, 95% CI 1.28-2.22), while concomitant systemic therapy was associated with better OS (hazard ratio 0.47, 95% CI 0.35-0.62) (all P < 0.001). We validated two previously published prognostic scores, the Curie score and the Breast-graded prognostic assessment, both with C-index of 0.57. Conclusions MBC patients with LM treated with IT therapy have a poor prognosis. We could identify a subgroup of patients with better prognosis, when concomitant systemic therapy and IT methotrexate were used., Highlights • The outcome of BC patients with IT-treated LM is poor, with a median OS of 4.5 months. • Concomitant systemic therapy may improve the outcome in IT-treated patients. • Patients treated with IT methotrexate had better outcome than those treated with IT cytarabine/thiotepa. • The Curie and Breast-graded prognostic assessment scores were prognostic for IT-treated patients.

Simple Summary Diffuse grade II IDH-mutant gliomas are rare brain tumors mainly affecting young patients. These tumors are composed of different populations of tumoral cells. Little is known of these cells and how they are generated. These different cells may show different sensitivity to treatments, so our aim was to study them in detail by directly using patient resections. We identified two clearly distinct tumoral populations and defined reliable markers for them. We also uncovered part of the molecular mechanisms that generate them. Finally, we found that the two cell types have different electrical activity. This article provides unique data and new issues on these rare tumors, which need to be further investigated to develop innovative treatments. Abstract Diffuse grade II IDH-mutant gliomas are slow-growing brain tumors that progress into high-grade gliomas. They present intratumoral cell heterogeneity, and no reliable markers are available to distinguish the different cell subtypes. The molecular mechanisms underlying the formation of this cell diversity is also ill-defined. Here, we report that SOX9 and OLIG1 transcription factors, which specifically label astrocytes and oligodendrocytes in the normal brain, revealed the presence of two largely nonoverlapping tumoral populations in IDH1-mutant oligodendrogliomas and astrocytomas. Astrocyte-like SOX9+ cells additionally stained for APOE, CRYAB, ID4, KCNN3, while oligodendrocyte-like OLIG1+ cells stained for ASCL1, EGFR, IDH1, PDGFRA, PTPRZ1, SOX4, and SOX8. GPR17, an oligodendrocytic marker, was expressed by both cells. These two subpopulations appear to have distinct BMP, NOTCH1, and MAPK active pathways as stainings for BMP4, HEY1, HEY2, p-SMAD1/5 and p-ERK were higher in SOX9+ cells. We used primary cultures and a new cell line to explore the influence of NOTCH1 activation and BMP treatment on the IDH1-mutant glioma cell phenotype. This revealed that NOTCH1 globally reduced oligodendrocytic markers and IDH1 expression while upregulating APOE, CRYAB, HEY1/2, and an electrophysiologically-active Ca2+-activated apamin-sensitive K+ channel (KCNN3/SK3). This was accompanied by a reduction in proliferation. Similar effects of NOTCH1 activation were observed in nontumoral human oligodendrocytic cells, which additionally induced strong SOX9 expression. BMP treatment reduced OLIG1/2 expression and strongly upregulated CRYAB and NOGGIN, a negative regulator of BMP. The presence of astrocyte-like SOX9+ and oligodendrocyte-like OLIG1+ cells in grade II IDH1-mutant gliomas raises new questions about their role in the pathology.

Background Breast cancer (BC) is the most frequent cause of leptomeningeal metastases (LM). LM diagnosis is confirmed by the detection of tumor cells in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) using conventional cytology (gold standard). However, even with optimal CSF sample volume and time to the analysis, the sensitivity of this technique is low, demanding repeated samples. Here, we aimed to evaluate the value of circulating tumor cell (CTC) detection in CSF using the CellSearch® system for LM diagnosis. Materials and Methods This prospective, monocentric study included adult BC patients with suspected LM (clinical and/or radiological signs). CSF samples from 1-3 lumbar puncture(s) were analyzed: protein level, conventional cytology (60 drops), and CTC detection with the CellSearch® system (60 drops, first lumbar puncture only). Sensitivity (Se) and specificity (Sp) were calculated, using the results of the conventional cytology as the gold-standard. Results Forty-nine eligible patients were included (Jan 2017-Jan 2020): median age 51.8, 95.9% women, 20.4% HER2+ BC, 93.8% previously diagnosed with metastatic BC, 89.8% with clinical symptoms. Among them, 40 were evaluable (CTC detection failure: n=8, eligibility criteria failure: n=1). Median sample volume was 3.0 mL for conventional cytology samples (median time to analysis: 22min) and 3.3 mL for CTC samples. Of the 40 evaluable patients, 18 had a positive cytology (on CSF sample n=°1/n°2: n=16/n=2) and were therefore diagnosed with LM using the gold-standard method. Protein level was elevated in 88.2% of these patients, compared with 45.1% of patients with negative CSF cytology (p=0.005). CTCs were detected in these 18 patients (median 5824 CTCs, range 93-45052). CTCs were also detected in 5/22 patients with a negative cytology (median 2 CTCs, range 1-44). Among them, one patient (44 CTCs) was diagnosed with a cytologically-proven LM 9 months later, while there was no further argument for LM in the other 4 patients’ history (1-3 CTC), who died of the extra-cerebral disease after a median time of 5.2 months (range 0.9-25.9). The detection of at least one CTC in CSF was associated with a Se of 100.0% (IC95% 82.4-100) and a Spe of 77.3% (IC95% 64.3-90.3) for the diagnosis of LM. Considering the number of CTC as a quantitative value, we determined the cut-off maximizing the Youden index using the ROC analysis (93 CTC). The detection of at least 93 CTC in CSF was associated with a Se and a Spe of 100.0% for the diagnosis of LM (area under the curve [AUC]: 1.0). Conclusion CTCs were detected with the CellSearch® system in all patients diagnosed with a cytologically-proven LM, as well as in a few patients without a cytological confirmation of LM. The prognosis of these patients with CSF cytology-/CTCs+ needs to be further investigated in a larger cohort. Citation Format: Amélie Darlix, Stéphane Pouderoux, Simon Thezenas, Alexis Bievelez, William Jacot, Laure Cayrefourcq, Nicolas Menjot-de-Champfleur, Cristina Leaha, Catherine Alix-Panabières. Detection of circulating tumor cells in cerebrospinal fluid for patients with suspected breast cancer leptomeningeal metastases: A prospective study [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2021 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2021 Dec 7-10; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2022;82(4 Suppl):Abstract nr P2-01-12.

Introduction: Leptomeningeal metastasis (LM) is a severe complication of many solid tumors generally associated with dismal prognosis. Limited therapeutic options are available in this setting and assessment of response to treatment currently lacks validated tools. In 2017, the Response Assessment in Neuro-Oncology (RANO) LM Working Group proposed a standardized scorecard to aid in the evaluation of MRI findings in LM, which was revised and simplified in a subsequent 2019 version. To date, the prognostic impact of response to treatment evaluated according to these criteria has not been assessed in breast cancer (BC). In this study, we aim to validate this tool in a multicentric cohort of BC patients (pts) diagnosed with LM.Methods: Pts with LM from BC diagnosed at Istituto Oncologico Veneto (Padova, Italy) and Montpellier Regional Cancer Institute (Montpellier, France) between December 2005 and June 2018 were identified. Clinicopathological characteristics were collected from medical charts. Baseline and follow-up MRI scans were centrally reviewed by a dedicated radiologist and response assessment was evaluated according to the 2019 revised RANO LM response criteria (Le Rhun E. et al., Neuro-Oncology 2019).Results: A total of 225 pts diagnosed with BC-related LM were identified; among these, 142 had an available baseline brain MRI imaging and were included in the present study. Among these 142 pts, 78 had a positive cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) cytology and were classified as type I according to EANO-ESMO classification (41 type IA, 9 type IB, 28 type IC); for 64 pts CSF cytology was negative (N=25) or not performed (N=39), and were classified as type II (28 type IIA, 4 type IIB, 32 type IIC). At the time of last follow-up, 138 out of 142 pts had died and median overall survival (OS) from baseline MRI was 5.0 months (95% CI 3.4-6.7). Presence/absence of positive CSF cytology did not impact OS (median OS 5.3 versus 5.2 months, log-rank p=0.406). A total of 60 pts (positive/negative/not done CSF cytology: N=36/9/15) had an evaluable follow-up MRI imaging, with drop-off mainly due to deteriorating performance status or death. In this selected subgroup of pts, a longer OS was observed (median OS 15.2 months; 95% CI 9.5-21.0). Treatment administered for BC-related LM was heterogeneous and several pts received more than one treatment modality: systemic chemotherapy (N=44), endocrine therapy (N=27), HER2-targeted treatment (N=16), intrathecal chemotherapy (N=37) and radiotherapy (N=24). Response to treatment at time of first disease re-evaluation by brain MRI imaging was as follows: complete response for 2 pts, partial response for 12 pts, stable disease for 33 pts, and progression of disease for 13 pts. Response according to 2019 RANO criteria was significantly associated with OS (p=0.029, Table 1). Conclusions: Response assessment in pts with LM is challenging. In our study, the 2019 RANO revised response score was associated with OS in patients with LM from BC, thus validating these criteria in a real-world cohort. Response according to 2019 RANO LM criteriaMedian OS (months)OS 95% CI (months)Univariate Cox Hazard RatioUnivariate Cox Hazard Ratio 95% CIp-valueComplete Response31.1NE-NE0.100.01-0.780.028Partial Response16.10.0-37.40.410.17-0.970.043Stable Disease17.98.3-27.50.450.22-0.910.026Progression of Disease9.55.9-13.1Ref.Ref.Ref. Citation Format: Gaia Griguolo, Vittoria Aldegheri, Michele Bottosso, Francesca Caumo, Stéphane Pouderoux, Federica Miglietta, William Jacot, Maria Vittoria Dieci, Amélie Darlix, Valentina Guarneri. Response according to revised RANO criteria is associated with overall survival in breast cancer patients with leptomeningeal metastasis [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2021 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2021 Dec 7-10; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2022;82(4 Suppl):Abstract nr PD4-01.

Background Neurosurgical resection represents an important treatment option in the modern, multimodal therapy approach of brain metastases (BM). Guidelines for perioperative imaging exist for primary brain tumors to guide postsurgical treatment. Optimal perioperative imaging of BM patients is so far a matter of debate as no structured guidelines exist. Methods A comprehensive questionnaire about perioperative imaging was designed by the European Association of Neuro-Oncology (EANO) Youngsters Committee. The survey was distributed to physicians via the EANO network to perform a descriptive overview on the current habits and their variability on perioperative imaging. Chi square test was used for dichotomous variables. Results One hundred twenty physicians worldwide responded to the survey. MRI was the preferred preoperative imaging method (93.3%). Overall 106/120 (88.3%) physicians performed postsurgical imaging routinely including MRI alone (62/120 [51.7%]), postoperative CT (29/120 [24.2%]) and MRI + CT (15/120 [12.5%]). No correlation of postsurgical MRI utilization in academic vs. non-academic hospitals (58/89 [65.2%] vs. 19/31 [61.3%], p = 0.698) was found. Early postoperative MRI within ≤72 h after resection is obtained by 60.8% of the participants. The most frequent reason for postsurgical imaging was to evaluate the extent of tumor resection (73/120 [60.8%]). In case of residual tumor, 32/120 (26.7%) participants indicated to adjust radiotherapy, 34/120 (28.3%) to consider re-surgery to achieve complete resection and 8/120 (6.7%) to evaluate both. Conclusions MRI was the preferred imaging method in the preoperative setting. In the postoperative course, imaging modalities and timing showed high variability. International guidelines for perioperative imaging with special focus on postoperative MRI to assess residual tumor are warranted to optimize standardized management and adjuvant treatment decisions for BM patients.

The aims of the present study were to describe treatment patterns and survival outcomes in patients with central nervous system metastases (CNSM) selected among metastatic breast cancer (MBC) patients included in a retrospective study from the Epidemiological Strategy and Medical Economics (ESME) MBC cohort.Neurological progression-free survival (NPFS) and overall survival (OS) were estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method. Significant contributors to NPFS were determined using a multivariate Cox proportional hazards model.After a median follow-up of 42.8 months, of 16 701 patients included in the ESME MBC database, CNSM were diagnosed in 24.6% of patients. The most frequent treatments after diagnosis of CNSM were whole-brain radiotherapy (WBRT) (45.2%) and systemic treatment (59.3%). Median OS and NPFS were 7.9 months (95% CI: 7.2-8.4) and 5.5 months (95% CI: 5.2-5.8), respectively. In multivariate analysis, age70 years (vs50 years; HR = 1.40; 95% CI: 1.24-1.57), triple-negative tumours (vs HER2-/HR+; HR = 1.87; 95% CI: 1.71-2.06), HER2+/HR-tumours (vs HER2-/HR+; HR = 1.14; 95% CI: 1.02-1.27), ≥3 metastatic sites (vs 3; HR = 1.32; 95% CI: 1.21-1.43) and ≥3 previous treatment lines (vs 3; HR = 1.75; 95% CI: 1.56-1.96) were detrimental for NPFS. A time interval between selection and CNSM diagnosis superior to 18 months (vs9 months; HR = 0.88; 95% CI: 0.78-0.98) was associated with longer NPFS.This study describes current treatment patterns of MBC patients in a "real life" setting. Despite advances in stereotactic radiation therapy, most of the patients still received WBRT. More research is warranted to identify patient subsets for tailored treatment strategies.

Background Breast cancer (BC) is one of the solid tumors most commonly associated with leptomeningeal disease (LMD). LMD carries a devastating prognosis; however, disease presentation and prognostic factors are uncertain. Subjects, Materials, and Methods In order to describe patient characteristics, treatment patterns, and factors associated with survival in a contemporary multicentric cohort, 153 consecutive BC patients diagnosed with LMD at two European institutions (2002–2017) were included. Time to LMD and overall survival (OS) after LMD diagnosis were evaluated using the Kaplan-Meier method and Cox proportional hazards models. Results Median age at LMD diagnosis was 58 years (25–84). Tumor phenotype distribution was as follows: hormone receptor (HR) positive (HR+)/human epidermal growth receptor 2 (HER2) negative 51.0%, triple-negative 15.0%, HR+/HER2 positive (HER2+) 13.1% and HR negative/HER2+ 7.2%. Most patients received active anticancer treatments (radiation therapy [RT] n = 42, systemic therapy n = 110, intrathecal treatment n = 103). Median OS was 3.9 months (95% confidence interval [CI] 2.4–5.5). Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status (ECOG PS) >2, high white blood cells count, low glucose, and high protein in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) were poor prognostic factors. Having received RT or systemic treatment was associated with better prognosis. In multivariate analysis, ECOG PS (hazard ratio 2.22, 95% CI 1.25–3.94), CSF glucose levels (hazard ratio 1.74, 95% CI 1.05–2.88), and having received systemic treatment (hazard ratio 0.17, 95% CI 0.09–0.32) were confirmed as independent prognostic factors. In HER2+ BC patients, having received systemic HER2-targeted therapy was the only factor maintaining independent prognostication (hazard ratio 0.12, 95% CI 0.02–0.67) in multivariate analysis. Conclusion Despite being limited by their retrospective nature, these results highlight the need for clinical trials in BC LMD, stratified on tumor biology. Implications for Practice Leptomeningeal disease (LMD) is a devastating complication of breast cancer (BC), and its optimal therapy is still not defined. Here, patient characteristics, treatment patterns, and prognostic factors from a contemporary cohort of 153 BC-related LMD patients are reported. In multivariate analysis, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status, cerebrospinal fluid glucose levels, and having received systemic treatment were confirmed as independent prognostic factors in the overall population, whereas in human epidermal growth receptor 2 (HER2) positive BC patients, having received systemic HER2-targeted therapy was the only factor maintaining independent prognostication in multivariate analysis. These results highlight the need to consider stratification on tumor biology in the treatment of BC LMD.

Background: Among solid tumors, breast cancer (BC) is one of the most common cause of leptomeningeal metastases. Leptomeningeal disease (LMD) typically carries a devastating prognosis; however, disease presentation and prognostic factors are still uncertain. The aim of this study was to characterize clinical features of LMD in relation to BC histology and subtypes. Patients and Methods:104 patients (pts) with LMD from BC diagnosed between 2002 and 2017 at two European institutions were included. LMD diagnosis was based on the presence of neoplastic cells on cerebrospinal fluid examination and/or radiological evidence of LMD. Patients' characteristics and their associations with time from LMD to death or last follow up were evaluated by the Kaplan-Meier method, log-rank tests, and Cox proportional hazard models. Results: Median age at LMD diagnosis was 56 yrs (range 26-75). Tumor histology (n=102) was ductal in 72 pts (70.6%), lobular in 22 (21.6%) and other histology in 8 (7.8%, including mixed ductal and lobular tumors). Tumor phenotype distribution was as follows: hormone receptor (HR)+/HER2- 54.8%, triple-negative (TN) 14.4%, HR+/HER2+ 12.5%, HR-/HER2+ 6.7% and unknown 11.5%. LMD diagnosis was cytologically proven (n=64, 62.7%) and/or radiologically proven (n=88, 85.4%). At time of LMD diagnosis, 63 pts (58.9%) had an ECOG performance status (PS) ≤ 2. 91 pts (87.5%) had extra-CNS disease localizations and 20 (18.7%) had a history of known BC brain metastasis (BM) (predating LMD diagnosis of more than 30 days). In lobular BC, LMD diagnosis was more frequently made in the absence of a known history of BM compared with ductal BC (95.5% vs 73.3%, Fisher test p=0.036). A majority of pts was treated with intrathecal (n=59, 55.1%) or systemic treatment (n=73, 68.2%) after LMD diagnosis, while only a minority underwent radiotherapy (n=28, 26.2%) or surgical derivation procedures (n=14, 13%). Median overall survival (OS) from LMD diagnosis was 3.2 months (95% CI, 1.9-4.4 months). No significant difference was observed across tumor phenotypes, with HER2+ subgroups experiencing better outcomes (median OS: 2.9, 1.6, 6.6 and 12.9 months in HR+HER2-, TN, HR+HER2+ and HR-HER2+ subgroups; p=0.54). In univariate analysis, ECOG PS ≤ 2 at LMD diagnosis, intrathecal treatment and systemic treatment after LDM diagnosis were significantly associated with an improved OS (see table). Multivariate analysis showed that only ECOG PS ≤ 2 and systemic treatment after LMD diagnosis were independent factors associated with OS (see table). Updated results on an extended cohort of about 150 patients total will be presented at the meeting. UnivariateMultivariatePrognostic factorsMedian OS in months (95%CI)HR (95%CI)pHR (95%CI)pECOG PS 0-25.9 (2.1-9.7)0.43 (0.27-0.66)0.0010.64 (0.4-1.0)0.06≥31.7 (1.2-2.3)ref ref Intrathecal treatment Yes5.3 (1.9-8.7)0.65 (0.43-0.98)0.0370.89 (0.57-1.38)0.6No1.9 (0.5-3.3)ref ref Systemic treatment Yes7.3 (4.7-9.8)0.13 (0.08-0.22) Conclusions: LMD carries a dismal prognosis. The results of this series highlight that patient-related features and treatments (in particular the use of systemic treatment) contribute to modulate the prognosis of BC pts with LMD. Citation Format: Griguolo G, Pouderoux S, Dieci MV, Jacot W, Bourgier C, Miglietta F, Firmin N, Conte P, Viala M, Guarneri V, Darlix A. Clinical presentation and outcome of leptomeningeal metastasis in patients with breast cancer in relation to histology and tumor subtypes [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2017 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2017 Dec 5-9; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2018;78(4 Suppl):Abstract nr P1-17-04.

International audience; BACKGROUND:Several prognostic scores have been developed to estimate survival of breast cancer (BC) patients with brain metastases (BM). Modified Breast Graded Prognostic Assessment (GPA), based on a single-institution cohort of 1552 patients, has been proposed as refinement of Breast-GPA. In addition to age, tumour subtype and KPS, Modified Breast-GPA comprises number of BM. This study was designed to validate Modified Breast-GPA.PATIENTS AND METHODS:Clinical data of 668 BC patients diagnosed with BM at four institutions between 1996 and 2016 were reviewed. Patients were classified by Breast-GPA and Modified Breast-GPA. Overall survival (OS) was calculated from time of BM diagnosis to death or last follow-up. Cox proportional models were used to calculate hazard-ratios and their 95% CI. The performances of Breast-GPA and Modified Breast-GPA were compared using Harrell's concordance index.RESULTS:Median age at BM diagnosis was 56 years (range 24-85). At last follow-up, 632 patients (94.6%) had died. Median OS was 8.1 months (95% CI 6.9-9.4). The number of BM (1-3 vs. >3) was significantly associated with OS in univariate analysis (p < 0.001) and having >3 BM was identified as a negative prognostic factor in multivariate analysis. Both Breast-GPA and Modified Breast-GPA accurately predicted OS (p < 0.001 for both scores). Performance of Modified Breast-GPA was better: concordance indices were 0.6390 (95% CI, 0.6381 to 0.6399) and 0.6647 (95% CI, 0.6639 to 0.6655) for Breast-GPA and Modified Breast-GPA, respectively (p < 0.001).CONCLUSIONS:This work provides the first external independent validation of Modified Breast-GPA and confirms its better performance as compared to Breast-GPA.

BACKGROUND There is a need to develop new treatments in IDH-mutant high-grade gliomas recurring after radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Based on preclinical studies showing that IDH-mutant tumors could be vulnerable to PARP inhibition we launched a phase II study to test the efficacy of olaparib (Lynparza) monotherapy in this population. METHODS Adults with recurrent high-grade IDH-mutant gliomas after radiotherapy and at least one line of alkylating chemotherapy (PCV or TMZ), KPS > 60, normal organ function were enrolled. The primary endpoint was 6 months PFS according to RANO criteria. Patients were treated with olaparib 300 mg twice daily. We used a single-stage Fleming design with p0 = 30%, p1 = 50%, a type I unilateral error rate of 5% and a power of 80%. RESULTS 35 patients with recurrent IDH-mutant gliomas (IDH1R132H-mutant n = 32, other IDH mutation n = 3, 1p/19 codeleted n = 16, 1p/19q non-codeleted n = 14) were enrolled (malignantly transformed low-grade gliomas n = 21, anaplastic gliomas n = 8, glioblastomas n = 6). Median time since diagnosis was 7.4 years (1–22 years), median time since radiotherapy was 2.8 years (0.6–18 years), median number of previous chemotherapy lines was 2 (1–5). With a median follow-up of 11 months, 30 patients had stopped treatment due to tumor progression and 2 patients were still on treatment 16 to 18 months after treatment start. At 6 months, 11/35 patients were progression-free (31 %). According to RANO criteria, based on local investigator analysis, 2 patients (5%) had a partial response and 14 patients a stable disease (37%) with a median duration of response of 9 months (4–18+). Median PFS and OS were 2.3 and 15.9 months and were similar in 1p/19q codeleted and non-codeleted patients. A grade 3 olaparib-related adverse event was observed in 5 patients (14%, lymphopenia n = 3, fatigue n = 2, diarrhea n = 1) and a grade 2 in 15 patients (43%), most frequently consisting in fatigue (23%), gastrointestinal disorders (20%) and lymphopenia (20%). No patient definitively stopped olaparib due to side effects. CONCLUSIONS In this heavily pre-treated population of recurrent IDH-mutant gliomas, olaparib monotherapy was well tolerated and resulted in some activity supporting its evaluation in association with alkylating chemotherapy in recurrent IDH-mutant gliomas in future studies.

Diffuse low-grade glioma form a rare entity affecting young people. Despite advances in surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy, diffuse low-grade glioma are still incurable. According to current guidelines, maximum safe resection, when feasible, is the first line of treatment. Apart from surgery, all other treatment modalities (temozolomide, procarbazine-CCNU-vincristine regimen, and radiation therapy) are handled very differently among different teams, and this in spite of recent results of several phase 3 studies. Based on a European survey, this paper aimed to get a picture of this heterogeneity in diffuse low-grade glioma management, to identify clinically relevant questions raised by this heterogeneity of practice, and to propose new methodological frameworks to address these questions.

BACKGROUND Diffuse low-grade gliomas (DLGG) are defined by a continuous growth and an unavoidable malignant transformation. Foci of malignant transformation may be found within DLGG samples obtained from surgical resections. As the medical management is classically based on the higher tumor grade, an immediate adjuvant treatment is usually proposed (radiotherapy [RT] with Temozolomide or PCV), whatever the extent of resection. Yet, early RT has no impact on overall survival compared with late RT, and is associated with cognitive toxicity. An alternative approach consists in postponing the medical treatment in selected patients. MATERIAL AND METHODS We conducted a monocentric retrospective analysis of a consecutive series of patients managed with this conservative approach. Inclusion criteria were: DLGG (WHO 2016 grade II) with at least one focus of malignant transformation (grade III-IV); no previous chemotherapy or RT; no less than a subtotal resection of the FLAIR tumor volume; no intention of treating with immediate adjuvant therapy; at least two years of postoperative follow-up. The time interval to the next medical treatment (chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy) was assessed, as well as the functional and survival results. RESULTS Forty-five DLGG patients, of median age 36.5 years, were included in the analysis (median time interval from diagnosis: 7.3 months). The histo-molecular diagnosis was diffuse astrocytoma, IDH mutant in 46.7% of cases, astrocytoma, IDH wild-type in 13.3% and oligodendroglioma, IDH mutant and 1p/19q codeleted in 40.0%. Ten tumors presented with grade IV foci. The quality of resection was subtotal (FLAIR tumor residue ≤15 cm3) in 73.3%, total (no FLAIR tumor residue) in 24.4% and supratotal in 2.2%. After surgery, patients were managed with regular clinical and radiological follow-up. With a median postoperative follow-up of 6.3 years, 75.5% of patients received a subsequent medical treatment, after a median time interval of 3.7 years. The first treatment after surgery consisted of repeated surgery in 11 patients, Temozolomide in 28 patients, RT in one patient. At the time of analysis, 19 patients (42.2%) had been treated with RT, after a median time interval of 9.5 years. Nine patients (20.0%) had died (median overall survival not reached, 5-years and 7-years survival rates: 95.2% and 67.0%). Most surviving patients were still active professionally (69.4%), with a median Karnofsky performance status of 90, and no or rare seizures. CONCLUSION In this series, total or subtotal resection of DLGG with a least one focus of grade III-IV glioma radically changed the natural history of these tumors and allowed delaying the following medical treatment by several years. This strategy is feasible in selected patients and should be considered on a case-by-case basis in patients with foci of malignant transformation following total or subtotal resection.

BACKGROUND: Neurosurgical resection is an important treatment option in the multimodal therapy of brain metastases (BM). Perioperative imaging is established in primary brain tumors to assess the extent of resection. However, structured guidelines on the use of perioperative imaging for BM patients are so far missing. METHODS: The European Association of Neuro-Oncology (EANO) Youngsters committee designed a comprehensive questionnaire on the use of perioperative imaging. The survey was distributed to physicians with neuro-oncologic focus via the EANO and the European Association of Neurosurgical Societies (EANS) network. RESULTS: 120 physicians from non-European countries and European countries responded to the survey. 76/120 neurosurgeons, 18/120 radiation oncologists and 17/120 neurologists participated. 89/120 participants worked at academic hospitals and 39/40 participants worked in high patient volume centers as defined by >50 BM cases per year. Local standard operating procedures for perioperative imaging were applied by 94/120 physicians. The preferred preoperative imaging method represented MRI for 112/120 (93.3%) participants. Postsurgical imaging was routinely performed by 106/120 physicians. 77/120 participants indicated MRI as the preferred postoperative imaging method, however, only 71/120 performed postoperative MRI imaging within 72 hours after resection. No correlation of postsurgical MRI and localization at an academic hospital (58/79 [73.4%] vs. 19/27 [70.4%], p>0.05) or patient volume (49/71 [69%] vs 25/40 [62.5%], p>0.05) was evident. The most frequently indicated reason for postsurgical imaging was the assessment of extent of resection as participants indicated to adjust the radiotherapy plan or even considered re-surgery to achieve complete resection. CONCLUSIONS: This EANO survey indicates that preoperative MRI is the preferred imaging technique for the majority of physicians, whereas a high variability of postoperative neuroimaging routines including CT and MRI was observed. International guidelines for perioperative imaging with special focus on postoperative MRI are warranted in order to optimize perioperative treatment modalities for BM patients.

BACKGROUND: The main objective of this study was to explore the patterns of alternative therapy use, in parallel to the standard treatment, in glioma patients in France. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Questionnaires were distributed during visits at hospital and filled in and returned anonymously by adult patients with histologically confirmed glioma and with an ECOG performance score of 0–2. The protocol was approved by the French authorities on April 13th, 2016. Descriptive analyses of the population as well as correlation analysis according to gender, age, WHO grade IV versus other, recurrent disease as declared by the patients versus none, were conducted. RESULTS: Two hundred questionnaires were collected. Patients were male in 65% of the cases. Median age was 46 (range 18–85). Forty-six patients had glioblastoma, 83 patients declared having recurrent disease. Patients declared taking a complementary treatment in 46.5% (mainly vitamins and other food supplements), having modified their diet (ketogenic diet, Servent-Schreiber diet, addition of curcuma) in 48%, and using another alternative medicine approach (mainly magnetism, acupuncture, sophrology), in 34%. In total, 69% of the patients declared using at least one of these approaches. No difference was observed according to gender, age or occurrence of a recurrence, however, glioblastoma patients used significantly more often at least one approach (p

BACKGROUND Diffuse low-grade gliomas (DLGG) are characterized by a continuous growth and an unavoidable anaplastic transformation. IDH mutation and 1p19q codeletion have been integrated to the 2016 WHO classification to define the oligodendroglioma entity. Whenever feasible, neurosurgical resection is the first treatment option. At recurrence, a second surgical resection is proposed in selected cases. The consistency of molecular patterns (IDH mutation, 1p19q codeletion) at recurrence has been poorly studied in DLGG. MATERIAL AND METHODS We conducted a retrospective study on consecutive DLGG patients treated at our institution with repeated surgery (2006–2017). Clinical and biological data were collected for both the initial and subsequent surgery. Additional immunohistochemistry (including tumor morphology, ATRX and p53) and genetic analyses (TERT promoter mutation, CIC mutation, CGHa) were also performed on tumors with joint loss of IDH mutation and of 1p19q codeletion at recurrence. RESULTS A total of 71 patients were identified. Analyses were carried out on 56 patients (molecular data missing: n=15). Nine patients (16.1%) presented with a loss of their IDH mutation at second surgery. Five of them (8.9%) had an additional loss of their 1p19q codeletion. These five cases (3 men, median age 36.6 years) were all treated with surgery as the first oncological treatment. The first surgery revealed in all cases tumors with morphological oligodendroglial features, IDH mutation and 1p19q codeletion. Further molecular analysis strengthened the diagnosis of oligodendroglioma (TERT promoter and CIC mutations, no ATRX loss, no expression of p53). Four patients were followed-up after the first surgery; one patient received Temozolomide 14 months later due to FLAIR tumor volume growth. Because of the regrowth of the residual FLAIR tumor volume, a second surgery was performed in all patients, after a median time of 38.9 months. The morphological oligodendroglial features were lost, and the genetic analyses revealed in all cases no IDH mutation, no 1p19q codeletion, no ATRX loss and no expression of p53. No evidence of anaplasia was found histologically or by CGHa analysis in these recurrent tumors. CONCLUSION We describe five DLGG patients with a shared histo-molecular evolution characterized by the loss of the initial IDH mutation and of oligodendroglial features at second surgery. While rare, this possible evolution must be acknowledged as it can impact the subsequent therapeutic strategy. This observation is the first of a loss of founder alterations in DLGG genesis (i.e. IDH mutation and 1p19q codeletion); the involved mechanism likely differs from the previously described oligoclonal selection caused by spontaneous tumor genetic drift and/or pressure of chemotherapy, and could be linked with the Darwinian selection of a subpopulation of tumor cells after the first surgery.

International audience; Background The European Low-Grade Glioma network indicated a need to better understand common practices regarding the managing of diffuse low-grade gliomas. This area has experienced great advances in recent years. Method A general survey on the managing of diffuse lowgrade gliomas was answered by 21 centres in 11 European countries. Here we focused on specific questions regarding perioperative and intraoperative cognitive assessments. Results More centres referred to the same speech and language therapist and/or neuropsychologist across all assessments; a core of assessment tools was routinely used across centres; fluency tasks were commonly used in the perioperative stages, and object naming during surgery; tasks that tapped on attention, executive functions, visuospatial awareness, calculation and emotions were sparsely administered; preoperative assessments were performed 1 month or 1 week before surgery; timing for postoperative assessments varied; finally, more centres recommended early rehabilitation, whenever needed. Conclusions There is an emerging trend towards following similar practices for the management of low-grade gliomas in Europe. Our results are descriptive and formalise current discussions in our group. Also, they contribute towards the development of a European assessment protocol.

International audience

International audience; The origins of diffuse low-grade gliomas (DLGG) are unknown. Beyond some limited data on their temporal and cellular origins, the mechanisms and risk factors involved are poorly known. First, based on strong relationships between DLGG development and the eloquence of brain regions frequently invaded by these tumors, we propose a "functional theory" to explain the origin of DLGG. Second, the biological pathways involved in DLGG genesis may differ according to tumor location (anatomo-molecular correlations). The cellular and molecular mechanisms of such "molecular theory" will be reviewed. Third, the geographical distribution of diffuse WHO grade II-III gliomas within populations is heterogeneous, suggesting possible environmental risk factors. We will discuss this "environmental theory". Finally, we will summarize the current knowledge on genetic susceptibility in gliomas ("genetic predisposition theory"). These crucial issues illustrate the close relationships between the pathophysiology of gliomagenesis, the anatomo-functional organization of the brain, and personalized management of DLGG patients.

International audience; Breast cancer (BC) is the second most common cause of brain metastases (BM). Predictive factors for BM have been widely studied in metastatic BC; however, there is no known serum tumor marker to accurately predict BM. Elevated serum S100ß protein and neuron-specific enolase (NSE) could reflect the brain damages induced by BM. Matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP-9) is involved in tumor invasion and metastatic dissemination, including BM. Also, HER2-amplified BC were shown to have a particular tropism for central nervous system (CNS). This study evaluated the correlation of these biomarkers with the presence of BM in metastatic BC patients. In this case-control study, 88 consecutive metastatic BC patients with BM (BM group) treated in our institution (2008-2015) were retrospectively selected, based on the availability of frozen serum samples for tumor marker determination. Patients were matched by age, tumor biology and number of previous metastatic chemotherapy lines to 162 metastatic BC patients without CNS involvement (control group). Serum NSE, MMP-9 and HER2 extracellular domain (ECD) levels were significantly higher in the BM group (p = 0.0051, p = 0.0062 and p = 0.0057, respectively). In multivariate analysis, serum HER2 and MMP-9 levels accurately discriminated patients with BM: odds ratios 4.4 (p < 0.001; 95%CI: 1.9-9.6) for HER2 ECD and 3.5 (p = 0.005; 95%CI: 1.5-8.4) for MMP-9. In multivariate analysis, HER2 ECD and NSE serum levels were independent prognostic factors in patients with BM. Serum HER2 ECD and MMP-9 appear to be associated with BM in metastatic BC patients. Their predictive value for BM still needs to be evaluated in further prospective studies.

International audience; Diffuse WHO grade II gliomas are diffusively infiltrative brain tumors characterized by an unavoidable anaplastic transformation. Their management is strongly dependent on their location in the brain due to interactions with functional regions and potential differences in molecular biology. In this paper, we present the construction of a probabilistic atlas mapping the preferential locations of diffuse WHO grade II gliomas in the brain. This is carried out through a sparse graph whose nodes correspond to clusters of tumors clustered together based on their spatial proximity. The interest of such an atlas is illustrated via two applications. The first one correlates tumor location with the patient's age via a statistical analysis, highlighting the interest of the atlas for studying the origins and behavior of the tumors. The second exploits the fact that the tumors have preferential locations for automatic segmentation. Through a coupled decomposed Markov Random Field model, the atlas guides the segmentation process, and characterizes which preferential location the tumor belongs to and consequently which behavior it could be associated to. Leave-one-out cross validation experiments on a large database highlight the robustness of the graph, and yield promising segmentation results.

Background and purposeThis work aimed at prospectively record all primary central nervous system tumor (PCNST) cases in France, for which histological diagnosis was available. The objectives were to (i) create a national database and network to perform epidemiological studies, (ii) implement clinical and basic research protocols, and (iii) harmonize the health care of patients affected by PCNST.MethodsThe methodology is based on a multidisciplinary national network already established by the French Brain Tumor DataBase (FBTDB) (Recensement national histologique des tumeurs primitives du système nerveux central [RnhTPSNC]), and the active participation of the Scientific Societies involved in neuro-oncology in France.ResultsFrom 2004 to 2009, 43,929 cases of newly diagnosed and histologically confirmed PCNST have been recorded. Histological diagnoses included gliomas (42,4%), all other neuroepithelial tumors (4,4%), tumors of the meninges (32,3%), nerve sheath tumors (9,2%), lymphomas (3,4%) and others (8,3%). Cryopreservation was reported for 9603 PCNST specimens. Tumor resections were performed in 78% cases, while biopsies accounted for 22%. Median age at diagnosis, sex, percentage of resections and number of cryopreserved tumors were detailed for each histology, according to the WHO classification.Discussion/conclusionMany current applications and perspectives for the FBTDB are illustrated in the discussion. To our knowledge, this work is the first database in Europe, dedicated to PCNST, including clinical, surgical and histological data (with also cryopreservation of the specimens), and which may have major epidemiological, clinical and research implications.RésuméObjectifCe travail a pour objectif de recenser de manière prospective l’ensemble des cas de tumeurs primitives du système nerveux central (TPSNC), ayant un diagnostic histologique, en France. Les buts sont de créer une base de données et un réseau national pour favoriser la mise en place d’études épidémiologiques, biologiques et cliniques, et d’harmoniser la prise en charge des patients atteints de TPSNC.MéthodeLa méthodologie est basée sur l’existence d’un réseau national multidisciplinaire déjà établi par le Recensement national histologique des tumeurs primitives du système nerveux central (RnhTPSNC) (French Brain Tumor DataBase [FBTDB]), et la participation active des sociétés savantes impliquées en neuro-oncologie.RésultatsDe 2004 à 2009, 43 929 cas incidents de TPSNC ayant une confirmation histologique ont été recensés : gliomes (42,4 %), ensemble des autres tumeurs neuroépithéliales (4,4 %), tumeurs des méninges (32,3 %), tumeurs des nerfs intracrâniens et/ou intrarachidiens (9,2 %), lymphomes (3,4 %), et autres (8,3 %). La cryopréservation a été notée pour 9603 cas de TPSNC. Une intervention d’exérèse a été réalisée dans 78 % des cas, et une biopsie dans 22 %. L’âge médian au diagnostic, le sexe, le pourcentage de tumeurs réséquées, et le nombre de cas cryopréservés sont détaillés pour chaque histologie.Discussion/conclusionLes principales applications actuelles et futures du RnhTPSNC sont présentées dans la discussion. À notre connaissance, ce travail constitue la première base de données en Europe, dédiée aux TPSNC, qui recense des données cliniques, chirurgicales et histologiques (incluant la cryopréservation), et ses applications et perspectives sont très nombreuses.

BACKGROUND: The assessment of Bevacizumab efficacy in high-grade gliomas (HGG) depends on the response criteria used, with discrepancies between T1 Gadolinium-enhanced sequences, T2 sequences and neurological outcome. The aim was to compare McDonald's, RANO and RECIST 1.1 criteria to the clinical outcome in a consecutive series of HGG patients. METHODS: HGG patients treated at the Montpellier Cancer Institute were retrospectively selected. Patients with a Performance Status (PS) 20% of the product of perpendicular diameters. CONCLUSIONS: The high correlation between McDonald's and RANO criteria demonstrates the importance of accurately assessing changes in steroids and neurological state, as well as imaging response, in order to avoid concluding to a false efficacy on imaging only, when using the McDonald's criteria. These results raise the question of the value of the FLAIR assessment when McDonald's criteria are rigorously applied.

This work aimed to prospectively record all primary central nervous system tumor (PCNST) cases in France, for which histological diagnosis is available. The objectives were to (i) create a national registry and a network to perform epidemiological studies; (ii) implement clinical and basic research protocols; and (iii) harmonize the health care of patients affected by PCNST. For 5 years, 25 756 cases of newly diagnosed and histologically confirmed PCNST have been recorded. Histological diagnoses included glioma (48.9%), all other neuroepithelial tumors (5%), meningioma (28.8%), nerve sheath tumors (8.4%), lymphoma (3.2%) and others (5.7%). Cryopreservation was reported for 6018 PCNST specimens. Tumor resections (R) were performed in 78% cases, while biopsies accounted for 22%. Median age (MA), sex, percentage R and number of cryopreserved tumors were detailed for each histology; for example, out of 6053 glioblastomas (MA 63 years, male 59.4%, R 62%, 1611 were cryopreserved), and out of 37 atypical teratoid/rhabdoid tumors (MA 2 years, male 56.8%, R 94%, 17 were cryopreserved). This database or databank dedicated to PCNST cases contains detailed data on clinical, histological and other characteristics, such as the inclusion of data on cryopreserved specimens that are not available in other European registries. Therefore, this is a valuable resource that can be used for planning future epidemiological and clinical research.

Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most common malignant primary brain tumor. Its incidence continues to increase in the elderly because the older segment of the population is growing faster than any other age group. Most clinical studies exclude elderly patients, and "standards of care" do not exist for GBM patients aged >70 years. We review epidemiology, tumor biology/molecular factors, prognostic factors (clinical, imaging data, therapeutics), and their assessments as well as classic and specific endpoints plus recent and ongoing clinical trials for elderly GBM patients. This work includes perspectives and personal opinions on this topic. Although there are no standards of care for elderly GBM patients, we can hypothesize that (i) Karnofsky performance status (KPS), probably after steroid treatment, is one of the most important clinical factors for determining our oncological strategy; (ii) resection is superior to biopsy, at least in selected patients (depending on location of the tumor and associated comorbidities); (iii) specific schedules of radiotherapy yield a modest but significant improvement; (iv) temozolomide has an acceptable tolerance, even when KPS

Radiotherapy with concomitant and adjuvant temozolomide (six cycles) is the standard treatment after surgery in glioblastoma patients. Few studies have assessed the impact of additional cycles of temozolomide on survival.We conducted a bi-centric retrospective study comparing survival and toxicity according to the number of cycles of adjuvant temozolomide.Fifty-eight patients were included. All patients received radiotherapy with concomitant temozolomide. Thirty-eight patients received six cycles, while 20 received nine or more (median=14) cycles. The risk of recurrence was significantly higher in the group receiving six cycles compared to the other group. Prolonged treatment improved progression-free survival (p=0.03) and overall survival (p=0.01) in multivariate analysis without a significant increase in toxicity.Prolonged administration of temozolomide seems to improve progression-free and overall survival, without increased toxicity. Prospective studies in larger populations are needed to better-define the population to whom it can be proposed and its optimal duration.