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Given equivocal results related to overall survival (OS) for patients with multiple primary melanomas (MPMs) compared with those with single primary melanomas (SPMs) in previous reports, the authors sought to determine whether OS differs between these 2 cohorts in their center using their UPCI-96-99 database. Secondary aims were to assess the differences in recurrence-free survival (RFS). In a subset of patients, transcriptomic profiling of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) was performed to assess disease-associated genes of interest.This retrospective case-controlled study included patients with MPMs and age-, sex-, and stage-matched controls with SPMs at a 1:1 ratio. Cox regression models were used to evaluate the effect of the presence of MPMs on death and recurrence. NanoString PanCancer Immune Profiling was used to assess peripheral blood immune status in patients.In total, 320 patients were evaluated. The mean patient age was 47 years; 43.8% were male. Patients with MPMs had worse RFS and OS (P = .023 and P = .0019, respectively). The presence of MPMs was associated with an increased risk of death (hazard ratio [HR], 4.52, P = .0006), and increased risk of disease recurrence (HR, 2.17; P = .004) after adjusting for age, sex, and stage. The degree of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) was different between the first melanoma of MPMs and SPMs. Expression of CXCL6 and FOXJ1 was increased in PBMCs isolated from patients with MPMs.Patients with MPMs had worse RFS and OS compared with patients with SPMs. Immunologic differences were also observed, including TIL content and expression of CXCL6/FOXJ1 in PBMCs of patients with MPMs, which warrant further investigation.

Treatment significantly affects the circulating immune compartment.

Representative gating strategy illustrating (A) CD4 and CD8 T cell identification (B) expression of ICOS on CD4 positive T cells (C) expression of PD-1 and Ki-67 within PD-1 positive cells and (D) expression of CD38/HLA-DR, PD-1 and KI-67 within CD8+ PD-1+ T cells is shown.

Treatment significantly affects the circulating immune compartment.

Purpose:Neoadjuvant immunotherapy may improve the clinical outcome of regionally advanced operable melanoma and allows for rapid clinical and pathologic assessment of response. We examined neoadjuvant pembrolizumab and high-dose IFNα-2b (HDI) therapy in patients with resectable advanced melanoma.Patients and Methods:Patients with resectable stage III/IV melanoma were treated with concurrent pembrolizumab 200 mg i.v. every 3 weeks and HDI 20 MU/m2/day i.v., 5 days per week for 4 weeks, then 10 MU/m2/day subcutaneously 3 days per week for 2 weeks. Definitive surgery followed, as did adjuvant combination immunotherapy, completing a year of treatment. Primary endpoint was safety of the combination. Secondary endpoints included overall response rate (ORR), pathologic complete response (pCR), recurrence-free survival (RFS), and overall survival (OS). Blood samples for correlative studies were collected throughout. Tumor tissue was assessed by IHC and flow cytometry at baseline and at surgery.Results:A total of 31 patients were enrolled, and 30 were evaluable. At data cutoff (October 2, 2019), median follow-up for OS was 37.87 months (range, 33.2–43.47). Median OS and RFS were not reached. Radiographic ORR was 73.3% [95% confidence interval (CI): 55.5–85.8], with a 43% (95% CI: 27.3–60.1) pCR rate. None of the patients with a pCR have had a recurrence. HDI and pembrolizumab were discontinued in 73% and 43% of patients, respectively. Correlative analyses suggested that intratumoral PD-1/PD-L1 interaction and HLA-DR expression are associated with pCR (P = 0.002 and P = 0.008, respectively).Conclusions:Neoadjuvant concurrent HDI and pembrolizumab demonstrated promising clinical activity despite high rates of treatment discontinuation. pCR is a prognostic indicator.See related commentary by Menzies et al., p. 4133

Intratumoral TLR9 agonists and anti-PD-1 provide durable clinical responses and broad immune activation. To evaluate efficacy and mechanisms of action of this combined treatment, we conducted a single-arm phase 2 neoadjuvant study of TLR9 agonist vidutolimod combined with anti-PD-1 nivolumab (vidu/nivo) in patients with high-risk resectable melanoma. In 30 evaluable patients, 57% (17/30) had major pathologic response (pR), with eight grade 3 treatment-related adverse events. pR was associated with lower residual viable tumor, necrosis, and melanophagocytosis with increased CD8+ tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes and plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs) in the tumor microenvironment and increased frequencies of Ki67+ CD8+ and CD4+ T cells, pDCs, and monocytes peripherally. Gene signatures associated with pR included increased pDC density, macrophage activation, and phagocytosis engulfment. Gut microbial signatures in pR were enriched for Gram-negative bacteria belonging to the Bacteroidaceae and Enterobacteriaceae families and to the small subgroup of Gram-negative Firmicutes. Our findings support that combined vidu/nivo treatment stimulates a broad antitumor immune response and is associated with a distinct baseline gut microbiome composition.

B-cell lymphoma of the central nervous system (CNS) is a rare malignancy with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) variant being most common. Although DLBCL has a high propensity to relapse locally within the CNS, only a few cases of cutaneous metastasis have been described in the literature. We present a unique case of cutaneous metastasis of a primary DLBCL of the CNS in a 79-year-old man who was in clinical remission for four years until presenting with a lesion in the left adrenal gland and cutaneous nodules on the left flank. Skin biopsy specimen revealed a diffuse dermal infiltrate of atypical B-cell lymphocytes with expression of CD20, BCL-2, BCL-6, and MUM-1, suggestive of DLBCL. For differentiation between another primary or a recurrent process, immunoglobulin kappa (IgK) light chain gene rearrangement was performed and demonstrated that the DLBCL of the skin and CNS were of the same clonal origin. Restaging CT after initiating chemotherapy and daily ibrutinib showed complete resolution of the left adrenal mass and resolving cutaneous lesions. Our case demonstrates the rare, late cutaneous metastasis of DLBCL of the CNS and highlights the importance of genetic testing for the distinction between the primary and secondary lesions. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) is a rare, life-threatening syndrome, characterized by aberrant activation of T lymphocytes and macrophages leading to hypercytokinemia. HLH can be familial or a result of various secondary etiologies. We present a case of a 46-year-old woman with a past medical history of multiple sclerosis on rituximab who presented as a transfer from an outside hospital with numerous clinical abnormalities including recurrent episodes of fever of unknown origin for 3 weeks, persistent leukocytosis, hypertriglyceridemia, and steatohepatitis. Given the uncertain nature of her illness, she underwent a random skin biopsy from the abdominal region to exclude hematolymphoid malignancy. Histopathology revealed a brisk histiocytic rich dermal infiltrate accompanied by perivascular lymphocytic infiltrate. The histiocytes were enlarged and positive for muraminadase and CD68 stains exhibiting hemophagocytosis focally. As per the HLH-2004 protocol, our patient met the diagnostic criteria of HLH. Concurrent bone marrow biopsy revealed similar rare hemophagocytosis. Cytogenetics and molecular studies were negative, supporting secondary HLH.

We sought to develop a sentinel lymph node gene expression signature score predictive of disease recurrence in patients with cutaneous melanoma. Gene expression profiling was performed on SLN biopsies using U133A 2.0 Affymetrix gene chips. The top 25 genes associated with recurrence-free survival (RFS) were selected and a penalized regression function was used to select 12 genes with a non-zero coefficient. A proportional hazards regression model was used to evaluate the association between clinical covariates, gene signature score, and RFS. Among the 45 patients evaluated, 23 (51%) had a positive SLN. Twenty-one (46.7%) patients developed disease recurrence. For the top 25 differentially expressed genes (DEG), 12 non-zero penalized coefficients were estimated (CLGN, C1QTNF3, ADORA3, ARHGAP8, DCTN1, ASPSCR1, CHRFAM7A, ZNF223, PDE6G, CXCL3, HEXIM1, HLA-DRB). This 12-gene signature score was significantly associated with RFS (p < 0.0001) and produced a bootstrap C index of 0.888. In univariate analysis, Breslow thickness, presence of primary tumor ulceration, SLN positivity were each significantly associated with RFS. After simultaneously adjusting for these prognostic factors in relation to the gene signature, the 12-gene score remained a significant independent predictor for RFS (p < 0.0001). This SLN 12-gene signature risk score is associated with melanoma recurrence regardless of SLN status and may be used as a prognostic factor for RFS.

Purpose:Neoadjuvant immunotherapy may improve the clinical outcome of regionally advanced operable melanoma and allows for rapid clinical and pathologic assessment of response. We examined neoadjuvant pembrolizumab and high-dose IFNα-2b (HDI) therapy in patients with resectable advanced melanoma.Patients and Methods:Patients with resectable stage III/IV melanoma were treated with concurrent pembrolizumab 200 mg i.v. every 3 weeks and HDI 20 MU/m2/day i.v., 5 days per week for 4 weeks, then 10 MU/m2/day subcutaneously 3 days per week for 2 weeks. Definitive surgery followed, as did adjuvant combination immunotherapy, completing a year of treatment. Primary endpoint was safety of the combination. Secondary endpoints included overall response rate (ORR), pathologic complete response (pCR), recurrence-free survival (RFS), and overall survival (OS). Blood samples for correlative studies were collected throughout. Tumor tissue was assessed by IHC and flow cytometry at baseline and at surgery.Results:A total of 31 patients were enrolled, and 30 were evaluable. At data cutoff (October 2, 2019), median follow-up for OS was 37.87 months (range, 33.2–43.47). Median OS and RFS were not reached. Radiographic ORR was 73.3% [95% confidence interval (CI): 55.5–85.8], with a 43% (95% CI: 27.3–60.1) pCR rate. None of the patients with a pCR have had a recurrence. HDI and pembrolizumab were discontinued in 73% and 43% of patients, respectively. Correlative analyses suggested that intratumoral PD-1/PD-L1 interaction and HLA-DR expression are associated with pCR (P = 0.002 and P = 0.008, respectively).Conclusions:Neoadjuvant concurrent HDI and pembrolizumab demonstrated promising clinical activity despite high rates of treatment discontinuation. pCR is a prognostic indicator.See related commentary by Menzies et al., p. 4133

Background Patients with primary cutaneous melanoma are at increased risk for subsequent new primary melanomas. Indoor tanning is a recognized risk factor for melanoma. This study was aimed at determining the association between indoor tanning and the occurrence of multiple primary melanoma. Methods This was a retrospective case-control study of cases with multiple primary melanoma and sex-matched controls with single primary melanoma retrieved at a 1:2 ratio from the Biological Sample and Nevus Bank of the Melanoma Center of the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute. Logistic regression models were used to examine the association between multiple primary melanoma and risk factors. Results In total, 330 patients (39.1% men) with a median age of 51 years were enrolled. Compared with patients who had a single primary melanoma, patients with multiple melanomas were younger at the diagnosis of their first primary melanoma and were more likely to be discovered at stage 0 or I and to have had indoor tanning exposure, a family history of melanoma, atypical moles, dysplastic nevi, and a Breslow thickness less than 1 mm. Compared with patients' first melanomas, subsequent melanomas were more likely to be thinner or in situ. The estimated probability of the locus for the second primary being the same as that for the first primary melanoma was 34%. In a multivariate analysis after adjustments for age, a family history of melanoma, the presence of atypical and dysplastic nevi, and recreational sun exposure, indoor tanning remained significantly associated with the occurrence of multiple primary melanoma (odds ratio, 2.75; 95% confidence interval, 1.07-7.08; P = .0356). Conclusions Indoor tanning is associated with an increased risk of second primary melanoma. Subsequent melanomas are more likely to be thin or in situ and to occur in different anatomic locations.

Cutaneous melanomas may demonstrate a variety of histopathological features and genetic abnormalities. Melanomas that arise in the setting of blue nevi, also known as “malignant blue nevus” or melanoma ex blue nevus (MBN), share similar histopathological and mutational profile with uveal melanoma. The majority of uveal melanomas show characteristic GNA11 or GNAQ mutations; additional BAP1 mutation or loss is associated with the highest risk for metastasis and worst prognosis. However, the significance of BAP1 loss in melanomas ex blue nevus remains unclear. We present a case of melanoma ex blue nevus arising from the scalp of a twenty-one-year-old female. The diagnosis was established on histopathological findings demonstrating a markedly atypical melanocytic proliferation with increased mitotic activity, necrosis, and a focus of angiolymphatic invasion. Immunohistochemical analysis demonstrated the absence of BAP1 nuclear expression within tumor cells. Next Generation Sequencing detected GNA11 Q209L mutation and BAP1 loss (chromosome 3p region loss), supporting the diagnosis. We reviewed another twenty-one MBN cases with reported BAP1 status from the literature. MBN with BAP1 loss presented at a younger average age (41 years versus 61 years), demonstrated larger average lesion thickness (9.0 mm versus 7.3 mm), and had a higher rate of metastasis (50% versus 33%) compared with BAP1-retained MBN. BAP1 expression studies may assist in the diagnosis and management of MBN, but further research is needed.

Becker nevus (BN) is a benign cutaneous smooth muscle hamartoma that presents with a hyperpigmented patch or plaque with or without hypertrichosis.1 BN may be associated with ipsilateral breast hypoplasia or other musculoskeletal abnormalities, an association which has been termed Becker nevus syndrome (BNS).

Mapping the human body at single cell resolution in three-dimensions (3D) is an important step toward a “digital twin” model that captures important structure and dynamics of cell-cell interactions. Current 3D imaging methods suffer from low resolution and are limited in their ability to distinguish cell types and their spatial relationships. We present a novel 3D workflow: MATRICS-A (Multiplexed Image Three-D Reconstruction and Integrated Cell Spatial - Analysis) that generates a 3D map of cells from multiplexed images and calculates cell type distance from endothelial cells and other features of interest. We applied this workflow to multiplexed data from sequential skin sections from younger and older donors (n=10; 33-72 years) with biopsies from ten anatomical regions with different sun exposure effects (mild, moderate-marked). Up to 26 sequential sections from each sample underwent multiplexed imaging with 18 biomarkers covering 12 cell types (keratinocytes (granular, spinous, basal), epithelial and myoepithelial cells, fibroblasts, macrophages, T helpers, T killers, T regs, neurons and endothelial cells, markers of DNA damage and repair (p53, DDB2) and cell proliferation (Ki67). Following cell classification, the tissue and classified cells were reconstructed into 3D volumes. A significant inverse correlation between DDB2 positive cells and age was found (corr= -0.78, adj. p=0.047). This suggests reduced capacity for repair in non-cancer older sun-exposed individuals. While absolute immune cell count did not differ by age or sun exposure, the ratio of T Helper/T Killer cells was positively correlated with age (corr=0.82, adj. p=0.048) This is the first such 3D study in skin and paves the way for cataloging more cell types and spatial relationships in aging and disease in skin and other organs.

Sarcoidosis is a granulomatous condition with diverse clinical presentations, including neurological findings. It was previously hypothesized that perineural sarcoidal granulomas in the skin may be an explanation of small-fiber neuropathy. Herein, we present a case of a 55 year old female with anesthetic cutaneous lesions mimicking leprosy clinically and histopathologically and discuss the importance of this differential diagnosis.

Background:Adipose tissue reaches cellular stasis after puberty, leaving adipocytes unable to significantly expand or renew under normal physiologic conditions. This is problematic in progressive lipodystrophies, in instances of scarring, and in soft-tissue damage resulting from lumpectomy and traum

9514 Background: A phase II study of nivo and rela was designed to evaluate the antitumor activity and mechanism of this combination and components for first-line treatment of pts with advanced melanoma. Pts received lead-in treatment with 1 cycle of nivo (480mg IV q4wk), rela (160mg IV q4wk), or nivo-rela followed by combination therapy. We assessed the effect of each lead-in treatment on immune-related pathological response (irPR) at 4-wk biopsy to develop early biomarkers of antitumor response. Methods: Core biopsy of an index lesion was performed at baseline and after 4 wk on-treatment. Immune characteristics of pathological response were assessed on H&E sections, including presence of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL), neovascularization, proliferative fibrosis, plasma cells, and lymphoid aggregates. irPR score was calculated as described by Stein JE et al Ann Oncol 2019, from 0 (no irPR features) to 3 (major pathologic response on biopsy [MPRbx], ≤10% residual viable tumor). We assessed the association between irPR and radiological response (RECIST v1.1) at 4-wk evaluations. Results: The current cohort includes 22 pts, median age = 67, male = 13. Pts were randomized to nivo = 7, rela = 7, and nivo-rela = 8 lead-in groups. Two pts had no irPR evaluation due to early progression and unscorable tumor. Among 20 evaluable pts, proliferative fibrosis, neovascularization, plasma cells, brisk TIL, and lymphoid aggregates were identified in 50%, 35%, 26.3%, 25%, and 5% of cases, respectively. Lead-in nivo (n = 2/6), rela (n = 0/6), and nivo-rela (n = 3/8) resulted in irPR = 3 in 25% of pts. Radiological response was identified as partial response (PR) = 1/22 (4.5%), stable disease (SD) = 12/22 (54.5%), and progressive disease (PD) = 9/22 (41%). Among pts with PD, 44% received rela-, 33% nivo-, and 22% nivo-rela- lead-in. Pts with irPR score = 3 had radiological PR = 1, SD = 3, and PD = 1 at 4wks. No association was found between MPRbx and radiological response at 4 wks. Conclusions: Four-wk MPRbx may serve as an early biomarker of treatment response in advanced melanoma. Lead-in treatment resulted in MPRbx of 25% and was greatest with nivo-rela lead-in. Correlations between 4 wk MPRbx and later radiological responses, survival and other endpoints will be made at completion of trial accrual. Clinical trial information: NCT03743766. [Table: see text]

Background Epithelioid fibrous histiocytoma (EFH) is an uncommon dermal neoplasm expressing anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) protein. Rarely a histopathological variant of this entity exhibits exclusively spindle cells. We report three cases of EFH that do not completely fulfill phenotypic criteria featuring spindle cell morphology and expressing ALK protein. We also analyze the fusion partner genes rearranged with ALK in these cases. Methods ALK expression and rearrangement status were evaluated by immunohistochemistry (IHC), fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), and next generation sequencing based gene fusion analysis. Results Three cases, all from females between 25 and 55 years old, have been biopsied from back, left arm, and thumb. All three cases showed tumor with exclusively spindle cell morphology without any epithelioid cells. The tumor cells exhibited strong ALK expression by IHC and FISH study confirmed ALK gene rearrangement in all three cases. DCTN1-ALK fusion was identified in two cases. Conclusion EFH is not always purely epithelioid and its spindled cell variant, spindle cell histiocytoma, should be included in the differential diagnosis of superficial dermal spindled cell neoplasms. ALK immunostain is a useful diagnostic marker for this entity and further studies may be useful to investigate whether DCTN1-ALK fusion mutations are specific to EFH with spindled cell features.

1. Daniel Loeb, MD* 2. Jonathan J. Lee, MD† 3. Silvia Song, MD† 4. Arivarasan Karunamurthy, MD† 5. Robin P. Gehris, MD‡ 6. Sharmilarani H. Nanda, MD§ 1. *Department of Pediatrics and 2. ‡Department of Pediatric Dermatology, Department of Pediatric Teledermatology, and Department of Dermatology, Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC, Pittsburgh, PA 3. †Department of Dermatology, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA 4. §University of Pittsburgh Physicians, Pittsburgh, PA Pediatrics in Review came into being as I was beginning my pediatric training. The journal encouraged and educated me through a mostly US-based career as well as during a year in Europe and six years in central Africa. The educational content of Pediatrics in Review informed my care of tens of thousands of patients, and my first contribution to the journal was published in 1993. It has been a privilege to serve a ten-year term on the editorial board and to help guide the content of Index of Suspicion. This month, I turn 65. While I am not retiring, I am transitioning away from my editorial responsibilities with the journal. May each of you be as blessed as I have been by the career-enhancing education and encouragement offered by Pediatrics in Review ! Philip R. Fischer, MDAssociate Editor, Index of Suspicion An infant girl is born via cesarean delivery at 38 weeks’ gestation to a 21-year-old gravida 2, para 1 mother whose antenatal course is complicated by a recent primary vaginal herpes simplex virus (HSV) type 2 infection detected 5 days before the onset of labor. After cesarean delivery the baby briefly receives positive pressure ventilation via bag valve mask and has Apgar scores of 8 and 8 at 1 and 5 minutes, respectively. Her birthweight is 3,015 g. She requires continuous positive airway pressure for 2 days for respiratory distress. She is treated with ampicillin and gentamicin for 7 days for suspicion of clinical sepsis and with acyclovir for 10 days due to spontaneous rupture of membranes and the presence of active maternal genital …

Bioinformatics pipelines are an integral component of next-generation sequencing (NGS). Processing raw sequence data to detect genomic alterations has significant impact on disease management and patient care. Because of the lack of published guidance, there is currently a high degree of variability in how members of the global molecular genetics and pathology community establish and validate bioinformatics pipelines. Improperly developed, validated, and/or monitored pipelines may generate inaccurate results that may have negative consequences for patient care. To address this unmet need, the Association of Molecular Pathology, with organizational representation from the College of American Pathologists and the American Medical Informatics Association, has developed a set of 17 best practice consensus recommendations for the validation of clinical NGS bioinformatics pipelines. Recommendations include practical guidance for laboratories regarding NGS bioinformatics pipeline design, development, and operation, with additional emphasis on the role of a properly trained and qualified molecular professional to achieve optimal NGS testing quality.

Monitoring patients with burn wounds for infection is standard practice because failure to rapidly and specifically identify a pathogen can result in poor clinical outcomes, including death. Therefore, a method that facilitates detection and identification of pathogens in situ within minutes of biopsy would be a significant benefit to clinicians. Mass spectrometry is rapidly becoming a standard tool in clinical settings, capable of identifying specific pathogens from complex samples. Imaging mass spectrometry (IMS) expands the information content by enabling spatial resolution of biomarkers in tissue samples as in histology, without the need for specific stains/antibodies. Herein, a murine model of thermal injury was used to study infection of burn tissue by Pseudomonas aeruginosa. This is the first use of IMS to detect P. aeruginosa infection in situ from thermally injured tissue. Multiple molecular features could be spatially resolved to infected or uninfected tissue. This demonstrates the potential use of IMS in a clinical setting to aid doctors in identifying both presence and species of pathogens in tissue.

Supplemental Digital Content is available in the text., Background: Biomaterials derived from human adipose extracellular matrix have shown promise in vitro and in animal studies as an off-the-shelf adipogenic matrix for sustained volume replacement. Herein, we report the results of a randomized prospective study conducted with allograft adipose matrix (AAM) grafted into the pannus of presurgical abdominoplasty patients 3 or 6 months before scheduled surgery. This is the first report of a longitudinal histologic analysis of AAM in clinical use. Methods: Ten healthy patients undergoing elective abdominoplasty were recruited to receive AAM before surgery. Enrolled subjects were randomized into either a 3-month follow-up cohort or a 6-month follow-up cohort. Subjects were monitored for adverse events associated with AAM grafting in addition to undergoing serial biopsy. Following surgical excision of the pannus, representative samples from the AAM surgical sites were stained and evaluated with hematoxylin and eosin for tissue morphology, Masson’s trichrome for collagen, and perilipin for adipocytes. Results: All subjects tolerated AAM with no severe adverse events reported. At 3 months following implantation, AAM remained visible within the confines of the subjects’ native surrounding adipose tissue with sparse adipocytes apparent within the matrix. By 6 months, AAM had remodeled and was primarily composed of perilipin-positive adipocytes. Histologic analysis confirmed tissue remodeling (hematoxylin and eosin), adipogenesis (perilipin), and angiogenesis (Masson’s trichrome) occurred with the presence of AAM. Conclusions: AAM is a safe, allogeneic, off-the-shelf regenerative matrix that is adipogenic and noninflammatory and promotes angiogenesis.

The tumor microenvironment presents physical, immunologic, and metabolic barriers to durable immunotherapy responses. We have recently described roles for both T cell metabolic insufficiency as well as tumor hypoxia as inhibitory mechanisms that prevent T cell activity in murine tumors, but whether intratumoral T cell activity or response to immunotherapy varies between patients as a function of distinct metabolic profiles in tumor cells remains unclear. Here, we show that metabolic derangement can vary widely in both degree and type in patient-derived cell lines and in ex vivo analysis of patient samples, such that some cells demonstrate solely deregulated oxidative or glycolytic metabolism. Further, deregulated oxidative, but not glycolytic, metabolism was associated with increased generation of hypoxia upon implantation into immunodeficient animals. Generation of murine single-cell melanoma cell lines that lacked either oxidative or glycolytic metabolism showed that elevated tumor oxygen consumption was associated with increased T cell exhaustion and decreased immune activity. Moreover, melanoma lines lacking oxidative metabolism were solely responsive to anti-PD-1 therapy among those tested. Prospective analysis of patient sample immunotherapy revealed that oxidative, but not glycolytic, metabolism was associated with progression on PD-1 blockade. Our data highlight a role for oxygen as a crucial metabolite required for the tumor-infiltrating T cells to differentiate appropriately upon PD-1 blockade, and suggest that tumor oxidative metabolism may be a target to improve immunotherapeutic response.

Background: The presence of tertiary lymphoid structures(TLS) in the melanoma microenvironment has been reported to represent a biomarker of superior patient prognosis and responsiveness to immunotherapy. Pro-inflammatory chemo-/cytokines supportive of TLS development have also been previously reported to be elevated in the serum of autoimmune patients exhibiting TLS in active sites of disease. The current study was performed to investigate serum levels of TLS-associated chemo-/cytokines as biomarkers of disease-associated variables in melanoma patients. Experimental Design: Serum concentrations of APRIL, BAFF, CCL19, CCL21, CXCL10, CXCL13, CX3CL1, lymphotoxin-alpha (LTA) were simultaneously measured by Luminex Multiplex Assay in patients with melanoma vs. healthy age/gender-matched control donors. Spearman rank correlation coefficient was used to examine the association between analytes and analytes vs. continuous variables. Wilcoxon rank-sum or Kruskal-Wallis, and Wilcoxon sign rank tests were used to evaluate associations between analyte levels and categorical variables, and treatment-induced changes, respectively. The association between target analytes and overall survival were examined using Cox proportional hazards models. Results: In total, 79 patients with melanoma and 18 healthy donors were included in the analysis. Overall, 89%, 92%, and 82% of patients exhibited serum levels of BAFF, CX3CL1 and LTA below the assay detection limit. Serum levels of CCL19 were positively correlated with APRIL and CXCL13, and CXCL10 levels were positively correlated with disease stage. In comparison to healthy controls, melanoma patients displayed significantly higher levels of serum APRIL and CCL19 but not other analytes. Males had significantly higher levels of serum CXCL10 and CXCL13 vs. females. Serum levels of APRIL and CXCL10 increased with age. Patients with a history of autoimmune disease had higher levels of serum CXCL13. In comparison to patients with superficial spreading and nodular melanoma, mucosal melanoma patients had significantly higher levels of serum CXCL10. Serum levels of TLS-associated chemokines/cytokines did not vary amongst patients with tumors exhibiting brisk, non-brisk vs. absent levels of infiltrating lymphocytes. Treatment with immunotherapy resulted in increased serum levels of APRIL, CCL19, and CXCL13, but these changes did not reach statistical significance. Using a univariate Cox model, elevated serum levels of APRIL, CCL19, and CXCL10 were associated with worse survival amongst patients with advanced-stage melanoma. Conclusion: Serum profiling of TLS-associated chemo-/cytokines revealed correlations with patient age, gender, and underlying autoimmune disease, but a lack of association with histopathologically-defined immune infiltration/organization in the limited series of melanoma sections thus far sampled. Citation Format: Lilit Karapetyan, Xi Yang, Hong Wang, Cindy Sander, Arivarasan Karunamurthy, John M. Kirkwood, Walter J. Storkus. Serum multiplex analysis of tertiary lymphoid structure-associated chemokines/cytokines in melanoma patients [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2021; 2021 Apr 10-15 and May 17-21. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2021;81(13_Suppl):Abstract nr 2683.

e21558 Background: Patients (PTs) with cutaneous melanoma (MEL) are at increased risk of developing subsequent MEL. The primary objective of the present study was to determine whether the peripheral blood gene expression profile (GEP) of PTs with multiple primary melanoma (MPM) differs from that of patients with single primary melanoma (SPM) and healthy controls (HCs). A secondary objective is to assess if the peripheral blood immune transcriptional profile varies in relation with clinical and immunopathological characteristics of MEL. Methods: Cases with MPM, SPM and HCs were retrieved from the University of Pittsburgh Human Biological Sample and Nevus Image Banking and Analysis Repository. NanoString PanCancer Immune Profiling of 770-immune related genes was used to define GEP in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). Quality control (QC), data normalization, and differential expression analyses were performed using the ROSALIND Analysis System. Genes with fold change ≥1.5 and p-value < 0.05 were considered as differentially-expressed between cohorts. Results: In total, 47 PTs including 10 with SPM, 40 with MPM, and 10 HCs, were included. GEP data from 3 cases did not meet QC requirements and were discarded. The majority of PTs had stage I/II disease (87.2%). The median Breslow thickness was 1 mm, ulceration was present in 6 (12.2%) MELs. Tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) were absent, non-brisk, and brisk in 20%, 65%, 15% of cases, respectively. The expression of IFIT1, MX1, ISG15 was decreased in PTs with MPM in comparison to HCs. In comparison to SPMs, PTs with MPM demonstrated downregulation of B-cell receptor signaling pathway genes (CD19, CD22, CD79A, BLK). 14 genes involved in TNF-alpha effects on cytokine activity, cell motility, and apoptosis, and 12 genes in the IL18 signaling pathway were differentially expressed in PTs with Breslow thickness of >1mm vs ≤1mm. The top downregulated genes in >1mm thick MELs were CD83, VEGFA and CXCL3. Ulcerated MEL had decreased expression of CCL2, CCL3, CCL3L1, CCL4. Stage III MEL had decreased expression of GZMH, MHC Class II genes HLA-DMB, HLA-DRB3, lectin receptor family genes KLRC2 and KLRD1, as well as Type-1 immune-associated biomarkers IRF1, SYK, TBX21 in comparison to Stage I/II cases. Tumors deficient in TILs exhibited decreased expression of Granzyme A and B, T-box 21, and IL18RAP (enhances IL18R-mediated signaling) in peripheral blood. Tumors with brisk TILs had increased expression of the B-cell associated transcripts CD19, CD22, CD79A in peripheral blood. Conclusions: The GEP of PBMC's from PTs with MPM was similar overall to that of PTs with SPM/HC, with only a subset of genes exhibiting differentially expression in PTs with MPM vs. PTs with SPM and HCs. GEP varied in relation to Breslow thickness, stage, ulceration, and TIL content in MELs.

Background Although the role for endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA) for metastatic lung cancer is well described, the usefulness of EBUS-TBNA for diagnosing lymphoma is less well defined. We aimed to determine the diagnostic accuracy for lymphoma of EBUS-TBNA with rapid, on-site evaluation in the evaluation of mediastinal lymphadenopathy in patients with a low-suspicion for lung cancer. Methods Medical records for all EBUS-TBNA (381 total procedures) from 2007 to 2013 were reviewed, and procedure indication, prior workup, cytologic diagnosis, histologic follow-up, and available ancillary studies were abstracted. Intraoperative rapid on-site evaluation was performed for 170 of 173 patients (98%), and evaluations for 133 (78%) were adequate for diagnosis. Results Of 381 patients, 173 (45.4%) underwent mediastinal tissue sampling to evaluate indeterminate mediastinal lymphadenopathy; 208 patients with known or suspected lung cancer were excluded. EBUS-TBNA provided a definitive diagnosis (predominantly carcinoma and granulomatous inflammation) in 71%. EBUS-TBNA was diagnostic in 8 of 16 patients (50%) where the final diagnosis of lymphoma in 16 was confirmed (9 non-Hodgkin, 6 Hodgkin, and 1 posttransplant lymphoproliferative disorder). EBUS-TBNA was indeterminate in 3 (19%), inadequate in 4 (25%), and falsely negative in 1 (6%). Histologic follow-up was available in 10 patients (63%). When the specimen was adequate for diagnosis, sensitivity for lymphoma was 89%. Conclusions EBUS-TBNA has high sensitivity and a low false-negative rate for lymphoproliferative disorders when specimens are adequate for analysis and provides alternative diagnoses in most cases, thus reducing the need for mediastinoscopy. Rapid, on-site evaluation was nondiagnostic in approximately 25% of patients; performing EBUS-TBNA in the operating room facilitated conversion to mediastinoscopy and definitive diagnosis in this setting.

TheEIF1AXgene mutations have been recently found in papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) and anaplastic thyroid carcinoma (ATC). The prevalence of these mutations in other types of thyroid cancers and benign nodules is unknown. In this study, we analyzed the occurrence ofEIF1AXmutations in exons 2, 5, and 6 of the gene in a series of 266 thyroid tumors and hyperplastic nodules by either Sanger or next-generation sequencing (ThyroSeq v.2). In addition, 647 thyroid fine-needle aspiration (FNA) samples with indeterminate cytology were analyzed. Using surgically removed samples,EIF1AXmutations were detected in 3/86 (2.3%) PTC, 1/4 (25%) ATC, 0/53 follicular carcinomas, 0/12 medullary carcinomas, 2/27 (7.4%) follicular adenomas, and 1/80 (1.3%) hyperplastic nodules. Among five mutation-positive FNA samples with surgical follow-up, one nodule was PTC and others were benign follicular adenomas or hyperplastic nodules. Overall, among 33 mutations identified, A113_splice mutation at the intron 5/exon 6 splice site ofEIF1AXwas the most common. All four carcinomas harbored A113_splice mutation and three of them had one or more coexisting mutations, typicallyRAS. All PTC carryingEIF1AXmutations were encapsulated follicular variants. In summary, this study shows thatEIF1AXmutations occur not only in thyroid carcinomas, but also in benign nodules. The most common mutation hotspot is the A113_splice, followed by a cluster of mutations in exon 2. When found in thyroid FNA samples,EIF1AXmutations confer ~20% risk of cancer; the risk is likely to be higher in nodules carrying a A113_splice mutation and whenEIF1AXcoexists withRASmutations.

While the association of the BRAF(V600E) mutation with aggressive histopathological tumor features and clinical behavior has been extensively studied in papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC), the BRAF(K601E) mutation has not been well characterized. This study reports what is currently the largest series of BRAF(K601E) mutated thyroid nodules.Histopathologic, cytologic, and molecular reports over a period of seven years (June 2007 to June 2014) were reviewed to identify thyroid cases with various types of BRAF mutations. All cases positive for the BRAF(K601E) mutation were reviewed to confirm histopathologic diagnosis and establish tumor variant, and clinical charts were reviewed to obtain clinical characteristics and follow-up information.The BRAF(K601E) mutation was identified in 39 patients and comprised 5.3% of all BRAF mutations noted in thyroidectomy specimens. Twenty-seven out of 29 nodules (93%) with BRAF(K601E) mutated tumors with surgical pathology results available for review were PTC, one (3.4%) was a follicular thyroid carcinoma, and one (3.4%) was a follicular adenoma. The majority of K601E-mutant PTCs (20 cases) were follicular variant PTC. Encapsulation was present in all but one case, and one case showed capsular invasion. Coexisting mutations overall were not identified in BRAF(K601E) mutated thyroid nodules except in a case that exhibited a complex K601E + T599I mutation and had a classic PTC phenotype. The majority of K601E mutant nodules were T1 lesions (69%) and T2 lesions (28%) by TNM staging. With a median follow-up of 19.6 months, no structural or biochemical recurrence or metastases were found in patients with an isolated BRAF(K601E) mutation.The BRAF(K601E) mutation is the second most common BRAF mutation found in thyroid nodules. Unlike BRAF(V600E), the most common mutation, K601E is strongly associated with follicular-patterned cancer, particularly with the encapsulated follicular variant of PTC, and may also be found in follicular thyroid carcinomas. Overall, BRAF(K601E) mutant tumors show better clinical outcomes than BRAF(V600E) positive tumors, and preoperative BRAF(K601E) analysis may provide important prognostic information for use in clinical management.

e22107 Background: Patients with primary cutaneous melanoma are at increased risk of subsequent new primary melanoma. Indoor tanning is a risk factor for melanoma. The primary objective of this study was to determine the association between indoor tanning and multiple primary melanoma (MPM). The secondary objective was to compare clinical and pathological characteristics of primary and secondary malignant melanoma. Methods: This retrospective case-control study of MPM and gender-matched controls with single primary melanoma retrieved at 2:1 ratio from the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute Melanoma Center Biological Sample and Nevus Bank from January 1996 through October 2019. Logistic regression models were used to examine the association between MPM and risk factors. Results: In total, 330 patients (39.1% men; median [SD] age, 51 [15] years) were enrolled, including 110 with single and 220 with MPM. Median time between diagnosis of first and second primary melanoma was 13 months. 22.7% of patients with MPM had 3 or more primary melanomas. Compared with patients who had a single primary melanoma, patients with multiple melanomas were younger at diagnosis of first melanoma (median age 46 vs 52, p = 0.006), more likely to be discovered at Stage 0 and 1 (68% vs 49%, p < 0.0001), and to have had indoor tanning exposure (34% vs 10%, p < 0.0001), family history of melanoma (18% vs 8%, p = 0.0045), atypical moles (37% vs 13%, p < 0.0001), dysplastic nevi (21% vs 5%, p < 0.0001), and Breslow thickness of less than 1 mm (61% vs 33%, p < 0.0001). Compared with the patient’s first melanoma, subsequent melanomas were more likely to be thinner (0.6mm vs 1.2mm, p = 0.0007) or in situ (24% vs 13%, p = 0.0004). The estimated probability of locus that was the same for first and second primary melanomas was 34% with (95% CI 25%, 44%). The most common location for second primary melanoma was upper extremity (34%). In univariate analysis, lifetime tanning bed exposure of > 10 sessions was associated with an increased risk of second primary melanoma OR 4.60 [95% CI, 2.52-8.42, p < 0.0001]. In multivariate analysis after adjusting for age, family history of melanoma, presence of atypical and dysplastic nevi, recreational sun exposure, indoor tanning remained significantly associated with MPM (OR 4.32 [95% CI, 1.54-12.15, p = 0.0026]). Conclusions: Indoor tanning for > 10 sessions is associated with increased risk of second primary melanoma. Subsequent melanomas are more likely to be thin or in situ, and to occur in different anatomic locations.

Purpose Objective responses are reported in 34% to 37% of patients with programmed death-1 (PD-1)–naïve advanced melanoma treated with PD-1 inhibitors. Pre-existing CD8+ T-cell infiltrate and interferon (IFN) gene signature correlate with response to PD-1 blockade. Here, we report a phase Ib/II study of pembrolizumab/pegylated (PEG)-IFN combination in PD-1–naïve advanced melanoma. Patients and Methods PEG-IFN (1, 2, and 3 μg/kg per week) was dose escalated using a modified toxicity probability interval design in three cohorts of four patients each, whereas pembrolizumab was dosed at 2 mg/kg every 3 weeks in the phase Ib portion. Thirty-one patients were enrolled in the phase II portion. Primary objectives were safety and incidence of dose-limiting toxicities. Secondary objectives included objective response rate, progression-free survival (PFS), and overall survival. Results Forty-three patients with stage IV melanoma were enrolled in the phase Ib and II portions of the study and included in the analysis. At the data cutoff date (December 31, 2017), median follow-up duration was 25 months (range, 1 to 38 months). All 43 patients experienced at least one adverse event; grade 3/4 treatment-related adverse events occurred in 21 of 43 patients (48.8%). Objective responses were seen at all three dose levels among 43 evaluable patients. The objective response rate was 60.5%, with 46.5% of patients exhibiting ongoing response. Median PFS was 11.0 months in all patients and unreached in responders, whereas median overall survival remained unreached in all patients. The 2-year PFS rate was 46%. Conclusion Pembrolizumab/PEG-IFN demonstrated an acceptable toxicity profile with promising evidence of clinical efficacy in PD-1–naïve metastatic melanoma. These results support the rationale to further investigate this pembrolizumab/PEG-IFN combination in this disease.

Cutaneous peripheral T-cell lymphoma, not otherwise specified represents a "waste basket" of all cases that cannot be put into another of the categories of mature cutaneous T-cell lymphoma. Previously, the sudden multifocal development of cutaneous CD4 tumors without preceding a patch or plaque stage was classified as d'emblee form of mycosis fungoides (MF). Currently, the term "MF" reserved only for the classic Alibert-Bazin type characterized by the evolution of patches, plaques, and tumors or for variants showing a similar clinical course. The authors describe a 75-year-old white woman who presented with a solitary skin tumor in the right supraclavicular region, with no lymph node or systemic involvement. Local external beam radiation treatment resulted in a complete response. The patient relapsed after 5 months with new tumors in the left neck and left upper chest. Biopsy of the lesions showed a dermal infiltrate of atypical small- to medium-sized T-lymphocytes, and immunohistochemical staining showed coexpression of CD4/CD8 in a subset of these cells, which was confirmed with flow cytometry of the tumor. Although the patient had no preceding patch or plaque stage, the authors herein report this extremely rare case of CD4/CD8 dual-positive peripheral T-cell lymphoma, not otherwise specified presented as MF d'emblee and discuss the seldom similar cases published previously.

Rhabdomyosarcomas (RMS) are rare, heterogeneous, soft tissue sarcomas and a common type of childhood malignancy with a distinct histomorphology. At the molecular level, alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma (ARMS), a subtype of RMS, harbors a signature genetic makeup characterized by specific translocations. The type of translocation and associated genetic aberrations correlate with disease progression, hence we used multiple molecular modalities including high-resolution array comparative genomic hybridization to explore the oncogenic gene fusion and associated copy number variations in a case of metastatic ARMS. We describe a case where traditional cytogenetic and molecular methods yielded inconclusive results in detecting the FOXO1 gene rearrangement. However, microarray analysis identified the essential FOXO1-PAX7 aberration and additional submicroscopic genomic alterations, including amplification of MYCN and MDM2 and deletion of RB1.

Multiple gene mutations in thyroid nodules are rare. The presence of several oncogenic mutations could be associated with aggressive biological behavior of tumors.A 60-year-old female presented to her physician after she felt a lump in her neck. On ultrasound, she was found to have a 1.4 cm × 0.8 cm × 1.3 cm nodule in the isthmus and a 0.5 cm × 0.6 cm × 0.6 cm nodule with irregular margins and hypoechogenicity in the right thyroid lobe, warranting fine-needle aspiration (FNA). Cytological examination of the smaller nodule yielded a diagnosis of atypia of undetermined significance (AUS/FLUS, Bethesda Category III). The aspirate was submitted for molecular testing using the next-generation sequencing ThyroSeq(®) v2 panel. The test revealed four distinct mutations: BRAF (p.V600E), TERT (C228T), PIK3CA (p.H1047R), and AKT1 (p.E17K). Presence of multiple oncogenic mutations in the FNA specimen was highly indicative of cancer, and suggestive of a cancer with propensity toward more aggressive biological behavior. Four weeks after the FNA results were available, the patient underwent total thyroidectomy. This was followed by radioactive iodine ablation after the final pathology revealed a 0.5 cm papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) with extrathyroidal extension and positive resection margins (pT3 stage).Herein, the first case of four mutations preoperatively detected in a subcentimeter thyroid nodule that was confirmed to be a PTC with aggressive biological behavior is reported.The judicious indication of FNA and use of molecular screening can potentially help in predicting aggressive behavior of small-sized thyroid cancers and in identifying patients who may benefit from early and more extensive therapy.

Rhabdomyosarcomas (RMS) are rare, heterogeneous, soft tissue sarcomas and a common type of childhood malignancy with a distinct histomorphology. At the molecular level, alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma (ARMS), a subtype of RMS, harbors a signature genetic makeup characterized by specific translocations. The type of translocation and associated genetic aberrations correlate with disease progression, hence we used multiple molecular modalities including high-resolution array comparative genomic hybridization to explore the oncogenic gene fusion and associated copy number variations in a case of metastatic ARMS. We describe a case where traditional cytogenetic and molecular methods yielded inconclusive results in detecting the FOXO1 gene rearrangement. However, microarray analysis identified the essential FOXO1-PAX7 aberration and additional submicroscopic genomic alterations, including amplification of MYCN and MDM2 and deletion of RB1.

Objectives To examine whether women who have had a hysterectomy for cervical cancer may be at an increased risk of vaginal epithelial lesions. Methods We studied 147 patients with invasive cervical carcinoma (76 squamous cell carcinomas [SCCs], 60 adenocarcinomas [ADCs], and 11 adenosquamous cell carcinomas) who were treated by hysterectomy and had vaginal pathologic follow-up for a mean period of 43.3 months. Results Of the patients, 15.0% (22/147) developed vaginal intraepithelial neoplasia (VAIN) or recurrence after hysterectomy, including two recurrent carcinomas and eight high-grade VAINs. More important, these high-grade VAINs or recurrent carcinomas were detected only in patients with cervical SCC within the first two years after hysterectomy but not in patients with cervical ADC. Eleven (23.4%) of 47 patients had at least one positive high-risk human papillomavirus (hrHPV) testing result during the follow-up period, and VAIN was detected in 54.5% (6/11) of patients with an hrHPV-positive result compared with 16.7% (6/36) with an hrHPV-negative result. Conclusions Our results indicate that women with cervical cancer are at an increased risk of VAIN besides recurrence, and women with cervical SCC are more prone to high-grade VAIN/recurrence, especially within the first two years after hysterectomy. The significantly increased detection rate of VAINs/recurrence in the hrHPV-positive group suggests vaginal cytology and HPV cotesting might be the preferred method for surveillance in these women.

BACKGROUND Endobronchial ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration (EBUS-FNA) is a minimally invasive modality for diagnosing mediastinal lesions. When determining adequacy, EBUS-FNAs are evaluated for diagnostic material or sufficient lymphoid tissue. In this study, the authors evaluated their experience with EBUS-FNAs and correlated the findings with adequacy and histologic follow-up. METHODS EBUS-FNAs were retrospectively reviewed over a 3-year period and correlated with the clinicopathologic findings, adequacy, and histologic follow-up. RESULTS In total, 593 EBUS-FNAs were obtained from 356 patients, including 420 (71%) satisfactory (SAT) cases, 107 (18%) less than optimal (LTO) cases, and 66 (11%) unsatisfactory (UNSAT) cases. The overall diagnostic yield was 71%, and the mediastinal (N2) lymph nodes had better yield (72%) than the peripheral intrapulmonary and hilar (N1) lymph nodes (64%). Histologic follow-up was available in 203 cases (34%), and malignancy was identified in 7 UNSAT cases (23%), 6 LTO-negative cases (11%), and 4 SAT cases (3%) with a negative cytologic diagnosis. In the suboptimal cases with follow-up, 79% were benign and 21% were malignant on follow-up, including 25 (14%) with fibrosis or hyalinization. The sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values in the study were 80%, 100%, 100%, and 95%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS The current data demonstrated that EBUS-FNA has good sensitivity, high specificity, and a higher diagnostic yield for N2 lymph nodes compared with N1 lymph nodes. The data also illustrate the finding that suboptimal cases have a greater risk of false-negative diagnoses and a 21% chance of malignancy, including processes with fibrosis or hyalinization. Cancer (Cancer Cytopathol) 2014;122:23–32. © 2013 American Cancer Society.