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Post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorders (PTLD) represent a broad spectrum of lymphoid proliferations, frequently associated with Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV) infection. The molecular profile of pediatric monomorphic PTLDs (mPTLD) has not been elucidated and it is unknown whether they display similar genetic features as their counterpart in adult and immunocompetent (IMC) pediatric patients. In this study, we investigated 31 pediatric mPTLD after solid organ transplantation, including 24 diffuse large B-cell lymphomas (DLBCL), mostly classified as activated B-cell, and seven Burkitt lymphoma (BL), 93% of which were EBV positive. We performed an integrated molecular approach, including fluorescence in situ hybridization, targeted gene sequencing and copy-number (CN) arrays. Overall, PTLD-BL carried mutations in MYC,ID3, DDX3X, ARID1A or CCND3 resembling IMC-BL, higher mutational burden than PTLD-DLBCL and less CN alterations than IMC-BL. PTLD-DLBCL showed a very heterogeneous genomic profile with fewer mutations and CN alterations than IMC-DLBCL. Epigenetic modifiers and genes of Notch pathway were the most recurrently mutated in PTLD-DLBCL (both 28%). Mutations in cell cycle and Notch pathways correlated with worse outcome. All seven PTLD-BL were alive after treatment with pediatric B-cell Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma protocols, whereas 54% of DLBCL patients were cured with immunosuppression reduction, rituximab and/or low-dose chemotherapy. These findings highlight the low complexity of pediatric PTLD-DLBCL, their good response to low intensity treatment and the shared pathogenesis between PTLD-BL and EBV+ IMC-BL. We also suggest new potential parameters that could help in the diagnosis and the design of better therapeutic strategies for these patients.

Intravascular large B-cell lymphoma (IVLBCL) is an uncommon lymphoma with an aggressive clinical course characterized by selective growth of tumor cells within the vessels. Its pathogenesis is still uncertain and there is little information on the underlying genomic alterations. In this study, we performed a clinicopathologic and next-generation sequencing analysis of 15 cases of IVLBCL using a custom panel for the detection of alterations in 68 recurrently mutated genes in B-cell lymphomagenesis. Six patients had evidence of hemophagocytic syndrome. Four patients presented concomitantly a solid malignancy. Tumor cells outside the vessels were observed in 7 cases, 2 with an overt diffuse large B-cell cell lymphoma. In 4 samples, tumor cells infiltrated lymphatic vessel in addition to blood capillaries. Programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) was positive in tumor cells in 4 of 11 evaluable samples and in macrophages intermingled with tumor cells in 8. PD-L1 copy number gains were identified in a higher proportion of cases expressing PD-L1 than in negative tumors. The most frequently mutated gene was PIM1 (9/15, 60%), followed by MYD88L265P and CD79B (8/15, 53% each). In 6 cases, MYD88L265P and CD79B mutations were detected concomitantly. We also identified recurrent mutations in IRF4, TMEM30A, BTG2, and ETV6 loci (4/15, 27% each) and novel driver mutations in NOTCH2, CCND3, and GNA13, and an IRF4 translocation in 1 case each. The mutational profile was similar in patients with and without evidence of hemophagocytic syndrome and in cases with or without dissemination of tumor cells outside the vessels. Our results confirm the relevance of mutations in B-cell receptor/nuclear factor-κB signaling and immune escape pathways in IVLBCL and identify novel driver alterations. The similar mutational profile in tumors with extravascular dissemination suggests that these cases may also be considered in the spectrum of IVLBCL.

Purpose:To assess palbociclib in combination with trastuzumab with or without endocrine therapy in patients with HER2-positive advanced breast cancer.Patients and Methods:PATRICIA is a prospective, open-label, multicenter phase II trial. Patients had received 2–4 prior lines of anti-HER2–based regimens. Treatment consisted of palbociclib 200 mg daily for 2 weeks and 1 week off plus trastuzumab. The study was based on a Simon two-stage design comprising three cohorts: estrogen receptor (ER)-negative (cohort A), ER-positive (cohort B1), and ER-positive with letrozole (cohort B2). ER-positive patients were randomized to cohorts B1 or B2. Primary endpoint was progression-free survival rate at 6 months (PFS6). Secondary objectives included safety and evaluation of the PAM50 intrinsic subtypes.Results:Seventy-one patients were recruited (n = 15 in cohort A and 28 in each cohort B). The PFS6 rate in cohorts A, B1, and B2 was 33.3% (5/15), 42.8% (12/28), and 46.4% (13/28), respectively. Regarding safety, grade 1–2 and 3–4 toxicities occurred in 97.7% and 84.4% of patients, respectively. The most common grade 3–4 toxicities were neutropenia (66.4%) and thrombocytopenia (11.3%). Regarding PAM50, 59 (83.1%) tumors were profiled. Luminal disease defined by PAM50 was found independently associated with longer PFS compared with non-luminal disease (10.6 vs. 4.2 months median PFS; adjusted hazard ratio = 0.40; P = 0.003).Conclusions:Palbociclib in combination with trastuzumab is safe and exhibits promising survival outcomes in trastuzumab pretreated ER-positive/HER2-positive advanced breast cancer with a PAM50 Luminal A or B subtype. The enrollment was stopped prematurely, and a new randomized cohort was opened in this population.

Although the introduction of immunotherapy has improved outcomes for follicular lymphoma (FL) patients, histological transformation (HT) and early relapse still confer a poor prognosis. We sought to describe the patterns of change in treatment, response, and outcome of FL patients at our institution over the last four decades. Seven hundred and twenty-seven patients (389 F/338 M; median age, 57 years) consecutively diagnosed with grade 1-3a FL between 1980 and 2017, categorized into four decades according to the time of diagnosis, constituted the study population. Clinical characteristics, treatment, response, absolute and relative survival, HT, second malignancies (SM), and causes of death were assessed. Median OS for the entire cohort was 17.6 years. From decade 1 to 4, there was an increase in the complete response rate (48 to 70%), progression-free survival (40 to 56% at 5 years), OS (77 to 86% at 5 years), and relative survival ratio (0.83 to 0.94 at 5 years), with no significant differences in the risk of HT or SM. Lymphoma remained the most common cause of death in all four decades. These findings illustrate the overall improvement in outcome for FL patients, but support the need for further research into risk stratification and management.

Pediatric large B-cell lymphomas (LBCLs) share morphological and phenotypic features with adult types but have better prognosis. The higher frequency of some subtypes such as LBCL with IRF4 rearrangement (LBCL-IRF4) in children suggests that some age-related biological differences may exist. To characterize the genetic and molecular heterogeneity of these tumors, we studied 31 diffuse LBCLs (DLBCLs), not otherwise specified (NOS); 20 LBCL-IRF4 cases; and 12 cases of high-grade B-cell lymphoma (HGBCL), NOS in patients ≤25 years using an integrated approach, including targeted gene sequencing, copy-number arrays, and gene expression profiling. Each subgroup displayed different molecular profiles. LBCL-IRF4 had frequent mutations in IRF4 and NF-κB pathway genes (CARD11, CD79B, and MYD88), losses of 17p13 and gains of chromosome 7, 11q12.3-q25, whereas DLBCL, NOS was predominantly of germinal center B-cell (GCB) subtype and carried gene mutations similar to the adult counterpart (eg, SOCS1 and KMT2D), gains of 2p16/REL, and losses of 19p13/CD70. A subset of HGBCL, NOS displayed recurrent alterations of Burkitt lymphoma–related genes such as MYC, ID3, and DDX3X and homozygous deletions of 9p21/CDKN2A, whereas other cases were genetically closer to GCB DLBCL. Factors related to unfavorable outcome were age >18 years; activated B-cell (ABC) DLBCL profile, HGBCL, NOS, high genetic complexity, 1q21-q44 gains, 2p16/REL gains/amplifications, 19p13/CD70 homozygous deletions, and TP53 and MYC mutations. In conclusion, these findings further unravel the molecular heterogeneity of pediatric and young adult LBCL, improve the classification of this group of tumors, and provide new parameters for risk stratification.

Pediatric nodal marginal zone lymphoma (PNMZL) is an uncommon B-cell neoplasm affecting mainly male children and young adults. This indolent lymphoma has distinct characteristics that differ from those of conventional nodal marginal zone lymphoma (NMZL). Clinically, it exhibits overlapping features with pediatric-type follicular lymphoma (PTFL). To explore the differences between PNMZL and adult NMZL and its relationship to PTFL, a series of 45 PNMZL cases were characterized morphologically and genetically by using an integrated approach; this approach included whole-exome sequencing in a subset of cases, targeted next-generation sequencing, and copy number and DNA methylation arrays. Fourteen cases (31%) were diagnosed as PNMZL, and 31 cases (69%) showed overlapping histologic features between PNMZL and PTFL, including a minor component of residual serpiginous germinal centers reminiscent of PTFL and a dominant interfollicular B-cell component characteristic of PNMZL. All cases displayed low genomic complexity (1.2 alterations per case) with recurrent 1p36/TNFRSF14 copy number-neutral loss of heterozygosity alterations and copy number loss (11%). Similar to PTFL, the most frequently mutated genes in PNMZL were MAP2K1 (42%), TNFRSF14 (36%), and IRF8 (34%). DNA methylation analysis revealed no major differences between PTFL and PNMZL. Genetic alterations typically seen in conventional NMZL were absent in PNMZL. In summary, overlapping clinical, morphologic, and molecular findings (including low genetic complexity; recurrent alterations in MAP2K1, TNFRSF14, and IRF8; and similar methylation profiles) indicate that PNMZL and PTFL are likely part of a single disease with variation in the histologic spectrum. The term "pediatric-type follicular lymphoma with and without marginal zone differentiation" is suggested.Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0), permitting only noncommercial, nonderivative use with attribution. All other rights reserved.

AIMS The clinical implications of the programmed cell death 1 (PD1)/programmed cell death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) axis in patients with post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorders are largely unknown, and its association with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) status and PD-L1 copy number alterations (CNAs) has not been thoroughly studied. METHODS AND RESULTS PD1/PD-L1 expression was studied in 50 adult post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorders, and the correlations with PD-L1 CNAs, EBV, clinicopathological features and outcome were evaluated. Thirty-seven (74%) cases were classified as diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), nine (18%) cases were classified as polymorphic, and four (8%) cases were classified as classic Hodgkin lymphoma. Thirty-four cases were EBV-positive, with 29 of 34 (85%) having latency II or III, and 15 of 34 (44%) having viral replication. PD-L1 expression in tumour cells and tumour-associated macrophages was observed in 30 (60%) and 37 (74%) cases, respectively. PD1 positivity was seen in 16 (32%) cases. PD-L1 expression was associated with EBV with latency II or III (P = 0.001) and organ rejection (P = 0.04), and, in DLBCL, with non-germinal centre type DLBCL (P

AIMS Mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) is a heterogeneous disease with an aggressive behaviour in most cases, which is associated with expression of sex determining region-Y-box11 (SOX11). Experimental studies have shown that SOX11 expression is associated with an angiogenic switch characterised by increased expression of angiogenic-related signatures and vascularisation of murine tumours. However, the relationship between angiogenesis and SOX11 expression in primary tumours is not well understood. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the development of microvascular angiogenesis in primary MCL in relation to SOX11 expression and its potential prognostic value. METHODS AND RESULTS Fifty-six patients diagnosed with MCL, 38 SOX11-positive and 18 SOX11-negative, were studied. The relative intratumoral microvascular area (MVA) and microvessel density (MVD) (number of intratumoral microvessels/μm2 ) were measured on CD34-stained slides using a computerised image analysis system. SOX11-positive MCL showed a significant higher microvascular development than negative tumours (median MVA = 14.5 × 10-3 versus 5.0 × 10-3 P

Background: The expression of ER, PR and HER2 in breast cancer is determined by routine pathology assessment to indicate systemic treatment. Here, we investigated the ability of a standardized mRNA-based assay to predict ER, PR and HER2 status and treatment response. Methods: ESR1, PGR and ERBB2 expression was analyzed from the standardized nCounter-based PAM50 assay in 1,544 FFPE breast tumors obtained from 13 independent studies (NeoEribulin, GEICAM 2012-09, TBCRC023/006, LPT109096, EGF117165, PAMELA, PerELISA, GEICAM 2003-11, VENTANA, IBIMA and HCB). All immunohistochemical and in situ hybridization analyses followed ASCO/CAP criteria and were performed in central labs except for Neoeribulin and VENTANA studies. To explore the best cutoff for each gene, we used Monte Carlo cross validation (repeated 1000 times, 2/3 training, 1/3 testing) to achieve the highest kappa values when gene expression was compared to pathology assessment. Receiver operating characteristic analysis and area under the ROC curve (AUC) was used to evaluate the performance of each gene to predict ER, PR and HER2 status. Finally, the association of each gene (using the pre-established cutoffs) with pathological complete response (pCR) was evaluated using univariate logistic regression analyses in 2 neoadjuvant cohorts: 1) A combined HER2+ cohort using 191 tumor samples from PAMELA/PerELISA phase II trials, where patients received neoadjuvant dual HER2 blockade without chemotherapy for 15-18 weeks and 2) a combined cohort of hormone receptor-positive/HER2-negative using 205 tumor samples from IBIMA/HCB consecutive series, where patients received anthracycline/taxane-based chemotherapy. Results: Concordance between ESR1 and ER was 95.3% (95% confidence interval [95CI] 94.0-96.4%; AUC=0.98). ER+ and ER- cases were classified as ESR1- and ESR1+ in 5.5% and 4.8% of the cases, respectively. Concordance between PR and PGR was 85.2% (95CI 83.1-87.1%; AUC=0.95), and between ERBB2 and HER2 was 92.8% (95CI 91.4-94.1%; AUC=0.95). HER2+ and HER2- cases were classified ERBB2- and ERBB2+ in 16.7% and 2.9% of the cases, respectively. In the neoadjuvant HER2+ cohort, the pCR rates were 44.6% in ESR1- and 18.8% in ESR1+ (odds ratio [OR] 3.9; 95CI 1.9-8.4; p Conclusion: ESR1, PGR and ERBB2 standardized mRNA levels show high concordance with ER, PR and HER2, and might provide a more objective and quantitative prediction of response to chemotherapy and anti-HER2 therapy. The level of concordance between GE and pathology-based assessments is similar to 2 FDA 510(k) cleared pathology-based ER assays (e.g. SP1 versus 6F11 antibody clones), local versus central HER2 testing, and ER or PR status when determined by the ligand-binding assay versus immunohistochemistry. Citation Format: Pascual T, Tsai YS, Martín M, Lluch A, Cortes J, Llombart A, Conte P, Guarneri V, Rimawi MF, Alba E, Ruiz-Borrego M, Rojo F, de la Haba J, Schiff R, Adamo B, Vidal M, Paré L, Chic N, Muñoz M, Galvan P, Gonzalez-Farre B, Brauer HA, Sullivan A, Nuciforo P, Parker JS, Prat A. Standardized nCounter-based determination of estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR) and HER2 receptor status in breast cancer [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2018 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2018 Dec 4-8; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2019;79(4 Suppl):Abstract nr P2-08-06.

Background: The TIS is a clinical research gene expression-based assay that enriches for response to anti-PD1 monotherapy in multiple cancer-types (Ayers et al. JCI 2017). However, the expression of the TIS in mTNBC and its relationship with other biological classifications and overall survival (OS) is currently unknown. Methods: A comprehensive RNA-based characterization of 45 patients with mTNBC treated at 2 SOLTI sites was performed. RNA from metastatic biopsies was analyzed on the nCounter system using the Breast Cancer 360TM panel, which includes 752 breast cancer-related genes, including the TIS and the PAM50 and TNBCtype subtype classifications. The 1ary objective was to estimate the proportion of TIS-high tumors (defined as a score above its median expression in the PanCancer TCGA dataset) within PAM50 Basal-like disease. 2ary objectives were 1) to explore TIS distribution across the other molecular subtypes, 2) to evaluate the distribution of the PAM50 and TNBCtype subtype classifications in mTNBC, 3) to explore the association between OS and TIS, subtypes and 38 additional signatures tracking multiple tumor biological processes. OS was defined as the time from the date of metastatic diagnosis to death or last follow-up. Descriptive statistics, log-rank tests and univariate cox models were performed using R code. Results: Most tumor samples (77.3%) were obtained at first recurrence or diagnosis of metastatic disease. Metastatic biopsies were obtained from 10 different sites, being skin (31.3%), breast (22.2%) and lung (8.9%) the most frequent. PAM50 subtype distribution was as follows: Basal-like (73.3%), Luminal A (13.3%), HER2-enriched (11.1%) and Luminal B (2.2%). Similarly, all the TNBCtype subtypes were identified: Mesenchymal (MSL, 48.8%), Basal-like Immune-activated (31.2%), Luminal Androgen Receptor (LAR, 15.6%) and Basal-like Immune-Suppressed (4.4%). The vast majority of non-Basal-like tumors were identified as LAR or MSL (81.8%). The proportion of TIS-high within Basal-like disease was 73% (95% confidence interval [CI] 59-84%) and similar to the proportion of TIS-high within TNBC from TCGA (70%, CI 61-78%). The proportion of TIS-high was similar across the PAM50 and TNBCtype molecular subtypes. The median OS was 25.3 months (CI 19.2-36.8). TIS, PAM50 and TNBCtype subtypes were not found associated with OS. Among the 41 biological classifications, expression of 6 signatures were found significantly associated with OS: CES (hazard ratio [HR] 0.44; p=0.015), Basal-like score (HR=5.52; p=0.011), FOXA1 (HR=0.83; p=0.014), mast cells (HR=0.77; p=0.017), differentiation score (HR=0.63; p=0.039) and Luminal A score (HR=0.27; p=0.039). Compared to tumors with a CES-low score, tumors with a CES-high score were found enriched for luminal-related genes, including AR. Conclusions:˜50% of mTNBC tumors are PAM50 Basal-like and are enriched for the TIS. Future studies should determine the ability of this biomarker to predict response to anti-PD1 monotherapy or in combination with chemotherapy. In addition, mTNBC with a high luminal-profile or CES might help identify patients who might benefit from anti-androgen therapies alone or in combination with immunotherapy. Citation Format: Pascual T, Pernaut C, Tolosa P, Galvan P, Bárcena C, Vidal M, Manso L, Adamo B, Dueñas M, Muñoz M, Chic N, Gonzalez-Farre B, Villagrasa P, Ciruelos E, Prat A. Tumor inflammation signature (TIS), intrinsic subtypes and chemo-endocrine score (CES) in metastatic triple-negative breast cancer (mTNBC): A SOLTI biomarker program study [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2018 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2018 Dec 4-8; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2019;79(4 Suppl):Abstract nr P2-08-17.

Burkitt-like lymphoma with 11q aberration is characterized by pathological features and gene expression profile resembling those of Burkitt lymphoma but lacks the MYC rearrangement and carries an 11q-arm aberration with proximal gains and telomeric losses. Whether this lymphoma is a distinct category or a particular variant of other recognized entities is controversial. To improve the understanding of Burkitt-like lymphoma with 11q aberration we performed an analysis of copy number alterations and targeted sequencing of a large panel of B-cell lymphomarelated genes in 11 cases. Most patients had localized nodal disease and a favorable outcome after therapy. Histologically, they were high grade B-cell lymphoma, not otherwise specified (8 cases), diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (2 cases) and only one was considered as atypical Burkitt lymphoma. All cases had a germinal center B-cell signature and phenotype with frequent LMO2 expression. The patients with Burkitt-like lymphoma with 11q aberration had frequent gains of 12q12-q21.1 and losses of 6q12.1-q21, and lacked common Burkitt lymphoma or diffuse large B-cell lymphoma alterations. Potential driver mutations were found in 27 genes, particularly involving BTG2, DDX3X, ETSI , EP300, and GNA13. However, ID3, TCF3, or CCND3 mutations were absent in all cases. These results suggest that Burkitt-like lymphoma with 11q aberration is a germinal center-derived lymphoma closer to high-grade B-cell lymphoma or diffuse large B-cell lymphoma than to Burkitt lymphoma. This work was supported by Asociacion Espanola Contra el Cancer (AECC CICPFI6025SALA), Fondo de Investigaciones Sanitarias Instituto de Salud Carlos III (Miguel Servet program CP13/00159 and PI15/00580, to IS), Spanish Ministerio de Economia y Competitividad, Grant SAF2015-64885-R (EC), Generalitat de Catalunya Suport Grups de Recerca (2017-SGR-1107 I.S. and 2017-SGR-1142 to EC), and the European Regional Development Fund "Una manera de fer Europa". JERZ was supported by a fellowship from the Generalitat de Catalunya AGAUR FI-DGR 2017 (2017 FI_B01004). EC is an Academia Researcher of the "Institucio Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avancats" (ICREA) of the Generalitat de Catalunya. This work was developed at the Centro Esther Koplowitz, Barcelona, Spain. The group is supported by Accio Instrumental d'Incorporacio de Cientifics i Tecnolegs PERIS 2016 (SLT002/16/00336) from the Generalitat de Catalunya.

Follicular lymphoma (FL) is an indolent disease characterized by long survival but frequent relapses. Before the introduction of rituximab, the clinical course of these patients showed a shorter response duration (RD) after each relapse. In this study, we analysed if this pattern of shortened responses remains in patients treated in the rituximab era. We selected 348 patients newly diagnosed with FL in two institutions between 2001 and 2014 that received chemoimmunotherapy. After a median follow-up of 6 center dot 3 years, 10-year progression-free and overall survivals were 53% and 72%, respectively. All patients received first-line, 111 second-line and 41 third-line treatments, with a 5-year RD of 62%, 39% and 24%, respectively (P < 0 center dot 0001). Variables predicting longer RD after first-line treatment were normal beta 2microglobulin, complete remission achievement and maintenance with rituximab. Patients with longer RD after first-line showed significantly longer RD after second-line therapy. Autologous stem-cell transplantation after second-line therapy did not significantly impact RD. Median survival after first, second and third therapies was not reached, 7 center dot 6 and 4 center dot 8 years, respectively, whereas relative survival with respect to a sex- and age-matched Spanish population, the decrease in the life expectancy at 10 years was 17%, 45% and 79%, respectively. Thus, RD still shortens after each relapse in patients with FL treated in first line with rituximab combinations.

We investigated the clinicopathological features and prognostic factors of patients with peripheral T-cell lymphoma (PTCL) in 13 sites across Spain. Relevant clinical antecedents, CD30 expression and staining pattern, prognostic indices using the International Prognostic Index and the Intergruppo Italiano Linfomi system, treatments, and clinical outcomes were examined. A sizeable proportion of 175 patients had a history of immune-related disorders (autoimmune 16%, viral infections 17%, chemo/radiotherapy-treated carcinomas 19%). The median progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were 7·9 and 15·8 months, respectively. Prognostic indices influenced PFS and OS, with a higher number of adverse factors resulting in shorter survival (P 15% of cells were positive in anaplastic lymphoma kinase-positive and -negative anaplastic large-cell lymphoma and extranodal natural killer PTCL groups. We observed PTCL distribution across subtypes based on haematopathological re-evaluation. Poor prognosis, effect of specific prognostic indices, relevance of histopathological sub-classification, and response level to first-line treatment on outcomes were confirmed. Immune disorders amongst patients require further examination involving genetic studies and identification of associated immunosuppressive factors., This study was sponsored by Takeda.

Càncer de mama; Genòmica del càncer; Recerca translacional Cáncer de mama; Genómica del cáncer; Investigación traslacional Breast cancer; Cancer genomics; Translational research Novel antibody-drug conjugates against HER2 are showing high activity in HER2-negative breast cancer (BC) with low HER2 expression (i.e., 1+ or 2+ and lack of ERBB2 amplification). However, the clinical and molecular features of HER2-low BC are yet to be elucidated. Here, we collected retrospective clinicopathological and PAM50 data from 3,689 patients with HER2-negative disease and made the following observations. First, the proportion of HER2-low was higher in HR-positive disease (65.4%) than triple-negative BC (TNBC, 36.6%). Second, within HR-positive disease, ERBB2 and luminal-related genes were more expressed in HER2-low than HER2 0. In contrast, no gene was found differentially expressed in TNBC according to HER2 expression. Third, within HER2-low, ERBB2 levels were higher in HR-positive disease than TNBC. Fourth, HER2-low was not associated with overall survival in HR-positive disease and TNBC. Finally, the reproducibility of HER2-low among pathologists was suboptimal. This study emphasizes the large biological heterogeneity of HER2-low BC, and the need to implement reproducible and sensitive assays to measure low HER2 expression. This work was supported by the grants from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Programme under Grant agreement No. 847912 (to A.P.), the Instituto de Salud Carlos III-PI16/00904 (to A.P.), Pas a Pas (to A.P.), Save the Mama (to A.P.), Breast Cancer Now-2018NOVPCC1294 (to A.P.), Fundación Científica Asociación Española Contra el Cáncer-Ayuda Postdoctoral AECC 2017 (to F.B.-M.), Fundación SEOM, Becas FSEOM para Formación en Investigación en Centros de Referencia en el Extranjero 2018 (to T.P.) and PhD4MD - Departament de Salut expedient SLT008/18/00122 (to N.C.).

Plasmablastic lymphoma (PBL) is an aggressive B-cell lymphoma with an immunoblastic/large-cell morphology and terminal B-cell differentiation. The differential diagnosis from Burkitt lymphoma, plasma cell myeloma and some variants of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma may be challenging because of the overlapping morphological, genetic and immunophenotypic features. Furthermore, the genomic landscape in PBL is not well known. To characterize the genetic and molecular heterogeneity of these tumors, we investigated 34 cases of PBL using an integrated approach, including fluorescence in situ hybridization, targeted sequencing of 94 B-cell lymphoma-related genes, and copy-number arrays. PBL were characterized by high genetic complexity including MYC translocations (87%), gains of 1q21.1-q44, trisomy 7, 8q23.2- q24.21, 11p13-p11.2, 11q14.2-q25, 12p and 19p13.3-p13.13, losses of 1p33, 1p31.1-p22.3, 13q and 17p13.3-p11.2, and recurrent mutations of STAT3 (37%), NRAS and TP53 (33%), MYC and EP300 (19%) and CARD11, SOCS1 and TET2 (11%). Pathway enrichment analysis suggested a cooperative action between MYC alterations and MAPK (49%) and JAK-STAT (40%) signaling pathways. Of note, Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-negative PBL cases had higher mutational and copy-number load and more frequent TP53, CARD11 and MYC mutations, whereas EBVpositive PBL tended to have more mutations affecting the JAK-STAT pathway. In conclusion, these findings further unravel the distinctive molecular heterogeneity of PBL identifying novel molecular targets and the different genetic profile of these tumors in relation to EBV infection.

Fifty-five cases of t(14;18)− follicular lymphoma (FL) were genetically characterized by targeted sequencing and copy number (CN) arrays. t(14;18)− FL predominated in women (M/F 1:2); patients often presented during early clinical stages (71%), and had excellent prognoses. Overall, t(14;18)− FL displayed CN alterations (CNAs) and gene mutations carried by conventional t(14;18)+ FL (cFL), but with different frequencies. The most frequently mutated gene was STAT6 (57%) followed by CREBBP (49%), TNFRSF14 (39%), and KMT2D (27%). t(14;18)− FL showed significantly more STAT6 mutations and lacked MYD88, NOTCH2, MEF2B, and MAP2K1 mutations compared with cFL, nodal marginal zone lymphoma (NMZL), and pediatric-type FL (PTFL). We identified 2 molecular clusters. Cluster A was characterized by TNFRSF14 mutations/1p36 alterations (96%) and frequent mutations in epigenetic regulators, with recurrent loss of 6q21-24 sharing many features with cFL. Cluster B showed few genetic alterations; however, a subgroup with STAT6 mutations concurrent with CREBBP mutations/16p alterations without TNFRSF14 and EZH2 mutations was noted (65%). These 2 molecular clusters did not distinguish cases by inguinal localization, growth pattern, or presence of STAT6 mutations. BCL6 rearrangements were demonstrated in 10 of 45 (22%) cases and did not cluster together. Cases with predominantly inguinal presentation (20 of 50; 40%) had a higher frequency of diffuse growth pattern, STAT6 mutations, CD23 expression, and a lower number of CNAs, in comparison with noninguinal cases (5.1 vs 9.1 alterations per case; P < .05). STAT6 mutations showed a positive correlation with CD23 expression (P < .001). In summary, t(14;18)− FL is genetically a heterogeneous disorder with features that differ from cFL, NMZL, and PTFL.

Background A previous phase 2 study in metastatic breast cancer demonstrated a statistically significant improvement in overall survival (OS) in patients treated with pelareorep (pela) in combination with paclitaxel (PTX) versus PTX alone.1 Given that pela is an intravenously delivered immuno-oncolytic reovirus, we hypothesized that the OS benefit from pela + PTX may be attributed to an adaptive T cell response triggered by pela. To examine if pela can mediate the priming of an anti-tumor immune response, we are conducting together with the SOLTI group the AWARE-1 study (a window-of-opportunity study of pela in early breast cancer), which is currently enrolling and for which initial translational research results are presented. Methods AWARE-1 is a window-of-opportunity study to evaluate the safety and effect of pela ± atezolizumab on the tumor microenvironment (TME) in 38 women with early breast cancer. Patients are treated with pela on days 1, 2, 8, and 9, while atezolizumab is administered on day 3. Tumor biopsies are collected at diagnosis, day 3, and day ~21. Five cohorts will be examined: Cohort 1: HR+/HER2-neg (10 patients) receiving pelareorep + letrozole; Cohort 2: HR+/HER2-neg (10 patients) receiving pelareorep + letrozole + atezolizumab; Cohort 3: TNBC (6 patients) receiving pelareorep + atezolizumab; Cohort 4: HER2+/HR+ (6 patients) receiving pelareorep + trastuzumab + atezolizumab; Cohort 5: HER2+/HR- (6 patients) receiving pelareorep + trastuzumab + atezolizumab. The primary endpoint of the study is CelTIL score [2], a metric for quantifying the changes in tumor cellularity and infiltration of TILs, where an increase in CelTIL is associated with a favorable response to treatment. Tumor tissue is being examined for pela replication, and changes to the TME are being assessed by immunohistochemistry and T cell receptor sequencing (TCR-seq). Peripheral blood is also being examined by TCR-seq. Results Detailed TCR-seq results from peripheral blood and tumor tissue are presented for the ten-patients enrolled into Cohort 1 who received pela and letrozole. In tumor tissue, T cell clonality increased in day 21 biopsies relative to baseline biopsies, with similar increases in T cell fraction (the number of T cells) in the majority of patients. In general, most of the tissue-expanded T cell clones were also seen in the peripheral blood. Conclusions Overall, these preliminary data from cohort 1 of AWARE-1 demonstrate that pela mediates priming of a T cell-based immune response that occurs both systemically and within breast cancer tissue. Trial Registration NCT04102618 Ethics Approval This study was approved by the Spanish Health Authority, protocol number 2018-003345-42. References Bernstein V, et al. A randomized phase II study of weekly paclitaxel with or without pelareorep in patients with metastatic breast cancer: final analysis of Canadian Cancer Trials Group IND.213. Breast Cancer Res Treat 2018;167(2):485-493. Nuciforo P, et al. A predictive model of pathologic response based on tumor cellularity and tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (CelTIL) in HER2-positive breast cancer treated with chemo-free dual HER2 blockade. Ann Oncol 2018;29(1):170-177.

Targeting Notch signaling has emerged as a promising therapeutic strategy for chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), particularly in NOTCH1-mutated patients. We provide first evidence that the Notch ligand DLL4 is a potent stimulator of Notch signaling in NOTCH1-mutated CLL cells while increases cell proliferation. Importantly, DLL4 is expressed in histiocytes from the lymph node, both in NOTCH1-mutated and -unmutated cases. We also show that the DLL4-induced activation of the Notch signaling pathway can be efficiently blocked with the specific anti-Notch1 antibody OMP-52M51. Accordingly, OMP-52M51 also reverses Notch-induced MYC, CCND1, and NPM1 gene expression as well as cell proliferation in NOTCH1-mutated CLL cells. In addition, DLL4 stimulation triggers the expression of protumor target genes, such as CXCR4, NRARP, and VEGFA, together with an increase in cell migration and angiogenesis. All these events can be antagonized by OMP-52M51. Collectively, our results emphasize the role of DLL4 stimulation in NOTCH1-mutated CLL and confirm the specific therapeutic targeting of Notch1 as a promising approach for this group of poor prognosis CLL patients., Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación (SAF2015-31242-R and RTI2018-094584-B-I00 to DC and SAF2016-75442-R to MLT), Departament de Salut (SLT002-16-00350) to DC, the ISCII-Sub-Directorate General for Evaluation (PM15/00007), which are part of Plan Nacional de I+D+I and are co-financed by and the European Regional Development Fund (FEDER-“Una manera de hacer Europa”), Generalitat de Catalunya (2014SGR967 and 2017SGR1009) and CIBERONC (CB16/12/00334, CB16/12/00225 and CB16/12/00236

Brief communicationCirculating tumor DNA (ctDNA) levels may predict response to anticancer drugs1, including CDK4/6 inhibitors and endocrine therapy combinations (CDK4/6i+ET)2; however, critical questions remain unanswered such as which assay or statistical method to use3. Here, we obtained paired plasma samples at baseline and week 4 in 45 consecutive patients with advanced breast cancer treated with CDK4/6i+ET. ctDNA was detected in 96% of cases using the 74-gene Guardant360 assay4,5. A variant allele fraction ratio (VAFR) was calculated for each of the 79 detected mutations between both time-points. Mean of all VAFRs (mVAFR) was computed for each patient. In our dataset, mVAFR was significantly associated with progression-free survival (PFS). Baseline VAF, on-treatment VAF or absolute changes in VAF were not associated with PFS. These findings demonstrate that ctDNA dynamics using a standardized multi-gene panel and a unique methodological approach predicts treatment outcome. Clinical trials in patients with an unfavorable ctDNA response are needed.

Background In early-stage HER2-positive breast cancer, escalation or de-escalation of systemic therapy is a controversial topic. As an aid to treatment decisions, we aimed to develop a prognostic assay that integrates multiple data types for predicting survival outcome in patients with newly diagnosed HER2-positive breast cancer. Methods We derived a combined prognostic model using retrospective clinical-pathological data on stromal tumourinfiltrating lymphocytes, PAM50 subtypes, and expression of 55 genes obtained from patients who participated in the Short-HER phase 3 trial. The trial enrolled patients with newly diagnosed, node-positive, HER2-positive breast cancer or, if node negative, with at least one risk factor (ie, tumour size >2 cm, histological grade 3, lymphovascular invasion, Ki67 >20%, age

The clinical behavior of FL patients is heterogeneous. The levels of sIL-2R have been correlated with tumor burden and outcome in FL. However, the impact of IL-6 and TNF-α in this disease is unclear. We studied 253 patients diagnosed with grade 1-3a FL between 2002 and 2018, with available information on serum levels of sIL-2R, IL-6, and TNF-α at diagnosis. Patients with cytokine levels above the cutoff had features of a higher tumor burden and higher-risk disease. Levels of any of the studied cytokines above the cutoff and a higher number of cytokines above the cutoff impacted on a shorter PFS and OS. TNF-α levels were an independent predictor of a poorer PFS. No differences were observed in the risk of histological transformation or second malignancies. The determination of cytokine levels in FL patients is feasible in clinical practice, and elevated levels are associated with a higher tumor burden and poorer survival.

Background: HER2-positive (HER2+) breast cancer (BC) comprises all the four PAM50 molecular subtypes. Among these, the HER2-Enriched (HER2-E) appear to be associated with higher pathological complete response (pCR) rates following anti-HER2-based regimens. Here, we present a meta-analysis to validate the association of the HER2-E subtype with pCR following anti-HER2-based neoadjuvant treatments with or without chemotherapy (CT). Methods: A systematic literature search was performed in February 2019. The primary objective was to compare the association between HER2-E subtype (versus others) and pCR. Selected secondary objectives were to compare the association between 1) HER2-E subtype and pCR in CT-free studies, 2) HER2-E subtype within hormone receptor (HR)-negative and HR+ disease and 3) HR-negative disease (versus HR+) and pCR in all patients and within HER2-E subtype. A random-effect model was applied. The Higgins��� I2 was used to quantify heterogeneity. Results: Sixteen studies were included, 5 of which tested CT-free regimens. HER2-E subtype was significantly associated with pCR in all patients (odds ratio [OR] = 3.50, p < 0.001, I2 = 33%), in HR+ (OR = 3.61, p < 0.001, I2 = 1%) and HR-negative tumors (OR = 2.28, p = 0.01, I2 = 47%). In CT-free studies, HER2-E subtype was associated with pCR in all patients (OR = 5.52, p < 0.001, I2 = 0%) and in HR + disease (OR = 4.08, p = 0.001, I2 = 0%). HR-negative status was significantly associated with pCR compared to HR + status in all patients (OR = 2.41, p < 0.001, I2 = 30%) and within the HER2-E subtype (OR = 1.76, p < 0.001, I2 = 0%). Conclusions: The HER2-E biomarker identifies patients with a higher likelihood of achieving a pCR following neoadjuvant anti-HER2-based therapy beyond HR status and CT use. Future trial designs to escalate or de-escalate systemic therapy in HER2+ disease should consider this genomic biomarker.

Trastuzumab emtansine (T-DM1) is approved for the treatment of human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-positive (HER2+) metastatic breast cancer (BC) and for residual disease after neoadjuvant therapy, however, not all patients benefit. Here, we hypothesized that the heterogeneity in the response seen in patients is partly explained by the levels of human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 gene (ERBB2) mRNA. We analyzed ERBB2 expression using a clinically applicable assay in formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tumors (primary or metastatic) from a retrospective series of 77 patients with advanced HER2+ BC treated with T-DM1. The association of ERBB2 levels and response was further validated in 161 baseline tumors from the West German Study (WGS) Group ADAPT phase II trial exploring neoadjuvant T-DM1 and 9 in vitro BC cell lines. Finally, ERBB2 expression was explored in 392 BCs from an in-house dataset, 368 primary BCs from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) dataset and 10,071 tumors representing 33 cancer types from the PanCancer TCGA dataset. High ERBB2 mRNA was found associated with better response and progression-free survival in the metastatic setting and higher rates of pathological complete response in the neoadjuvant setting. ERBB2 expression also correlated with in vitro response to T-DM1. Finally, our assay identified 0.20&ndash, 8.41% of tumors across 15 cancer types as ERBB2-high, including gastric and esophagus adenocarcinomas, urothelial carcinoma, cervical squamous carcinoma and pancreatic cancer. In particular, we identified high ERBB2 mRNA in a patient with HER2+ advanced gastric cancer who achieved a long-lasting partial response to T-DM1. Our study demonstrates that the heterogeneity in response to T-DM1 is partly explained by ERBB2 levels and provides a clinically applicable assay to be tested in future clinical trials of breast cancer and other cancer types.

PurposeThe therascreenPIK3CAmutation assay and the alpha-specific PI3K inhibitor alpelisib are FDA-approved for identifying and treating patients with advancedPIK3CA-mutated (PIK3CAmut) breast cancer (BC). However, it is currently unknown to what extend this assay detects mostPIK3CAmutations in BC. This information is critical as patients and clinicians are using this and other genomic assays to indicate alpelisib.MethodsData from 6338 patients with BC was explored across 10 publicly available studies. The primary objective was to evaluate the proportion and distribution ofPIK3CAmutations in BC. Secondary objectives were (1) to evaluate in silico the spectrum ofPIK3CAmutations in BC that would be captured by the therascreen panel; (2) to evaluate the proportion and distribution ofPIK3CAmutations in hormone receptor-positive/HER2-negative (HR+/HER2−), HER2+, and triple-negative BC (TNBC); and (3) to explore the identification ofPIK3CAmutations in a cohort of 48 HR+/HER2− advanced BC patients by the Guardant B360 circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) assay.ResultsPatients withPIK3CAmut tumors represented 35.7% (2261/6338). FivePIK3CAmutations comprised 73% of allPIK3CAmutations: H1047R (35%), E545K (17%), E542K (11%), N345K (6%), and H1047L (4%). Therascreen gene list would capture 72% of allPIK3CAmutations and 80% of patients with a knownPIK3CAmut BC. Among patients with doublePIK3CAmut tumors (12% of allPIK3CAmut), the therascreen panel would capture 78% as harboring 1 singlePIK3CAmutation, 17% asPIK3CAmut undetected, and 5% asPIK3CAdouble-mut.PIK3CAmutation rates were lower in TNBC (16%) compared to HR+/HER2 (42%) and HER2+ (31%) BC; however, the distribution of the 4 mainPIK3CAmutations across subtypes was similar. Finally, 28% ofPIK3CAmutations identified in ctDNA in 48 patients with advanced HR+/HER2− BC were not part of the therascreen panel.ConclusionPIK3CAmutations in BC are heterogenous and ~ 20% of patients with a knownPIK3CAmutation, and 95% with a known doublePIK3CAmut tumor, would not be captured by the therascreen panel. Finally, the clinical utility ofPIK3CAmutations not present in the therascreen companion diagnostic assay or identified by other sequencing-based assays needs further investigation.

The increased risk of Richter transformation (RT) in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) due to Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) reactivation during immunosuppressive therapy with fludarabine other targeted agents remains controversial. Among 31 RT cases classified as diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), seven (23%) showed EBV expression. In contrast to EBV- tumours, EBV+ DLBCLs derived predominantly from IGVH-hypermutated CLL, and they also showed CLL-unrelated IGVH sequences more frequently. Intriguingly, despite having different cellular origins, clonally related and unrelated EBV+ DLBCLs shared a previous history of immunosuppressive chemo-immunotherapy, a non-germinal centre DLBCL phenotype, EBV latency programme type II or III, and very short survival. These data suggested that EBV reactivation during therapy-related immunosuppression can transform either CLL cells or non-tumoural B lymphocytes into EBV+ DLBCL. To investigate this hypothesis, xenogeneic transplantation of blood cells from 31 patients with CLL and monoclonal B-cell lymphocytosis (MBL) was performed in Rag2-/- IL2γc-/- mice. Remarkably, the recipients' impaired immunosurveillance favoured the spontaneous outgrowth of EBV+ B-cell clones from 95% of CLL and 64% of MBL patients samples, but not from healthy donors. Eventually, these cells generated monoclonal tumours (mostly CLL-unrelated but also CLL-related), recapitulating the principal features of EBV+ DLBCL in patients. Accordingly, clonally related and unrelated EBV+ DLBCL xenografts showed indistinguishable cellular, virological and molecular features, and synergistically responded to combined inhibition of EBV replication with ganciclovir and B-cell receptor signalling with ibrutinib in vivo. Our study underscores the risk of RT driven by EBV in CLL patients receiving immunosuppressive therapies, and provides the scientific rationale for testing ganciclovir and ibrutinib in EBV+ DLBCL. Copyright © 2018 Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Background Chemotherapy efficacy in early-stage hormone receptor-positive (HR+) breast cancer (BC) according to menopausal status needs a biological explanation. Methods We compared early-stage HR+ BC biological features before and after (neo)adjuvant chemotherapy or endocrine therapy (ET), and assessed oestrogen receptor (ER) pathway activity in both pre- and post-menopausal patients. The nCounter platform was used to detect gene expression levels. Findings In 106 post-menopausal patients with HR+/HER2-negative BC randomized to neoadjuvant chemotherapy or ET (letrozole+ribociclib), a total of 19 oestrogen-regulated genes, including progesterone receptor (PGR), were found downregulated in the ET-based arm-only. We confirmed this finding in an independent dataset of 20 letrozole-treated post-menopausal patients and found, conversely, an up-regulation of the same signature in HR+/HER2-negative MCF7 cell line treated with estradiol. PGR was found down-regulated by 2 weeks of ET+anti-HER2 therapy in pre-/post-menopausal patients with HR+/HER2-positive (HER2+) BC, while anti-HER2 therapy alone increased PGR expression in HR-negative/HER2+ BC. In 88 pre- and post-menopausal patients with newly diagnosed HR+/HER2-negative BC treated with chemotherapy, the 19 oestrogen-regulated genes were found significantly downregulated only in pre-menopausal patients. In progesterone receptor (PR)+/HER2-negative BC treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy (n=40), tumours became PR-negative in 69.2% of pre-menopausal patients and 14.8% of post-menopausal patients (p=0.001). Finally, a mean decrease in PGR levels was only observed in pre-menopausal patients undergoing anti-HER2-based multi-agent chemotherapy. Interpretation Chemotherapy reduces the expression of ER-regulated genes in pre-menopausal women suffering from hormone-dependent BC by supressing ovarian function. Further studies should test the value of chemotherapy in this patient population when ovarian function is suppressed by other methods. Funding Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Breast Cancer Now, the Breast Cancer Research Foundation, the American Association for Cancer Research, Fundacio La Marato TV3, the European Union's Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Programme, Pas a Pas, Save the Mama, Fundacion Cientifica Asociacion Espanola Contra el Cancer, PhD4MDgrant of “Departament de Salut”, exp SLT008/18/00122, Fundacion SEOM and ESMO. Any views, opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this material are those solely of the author(s).

Background: A previous phase 2 study in metastatic breast cancer demonstrated a statistically significant improvement in overall survival (OS) in patients treated with pelareorep (pela), an intravenously delivered immuno-oncolytic reovirus, given in combination with paclitaxel (PTX) versus PTX alone [1]. We hypothesized that the OS benefit from pela + PTX may be attributed to an adaptive T cell response triggered by pela. To examine if pela can mediate the priming of an anti-tumor immune response, and the impact of checkpoint blockade therapy on this response, we and SOLTI research group are conducting the AWARE-1 study (NCT04102618) in patients with early breast cancer. The initial translational research results from this study are presented here. Methods: AWARE-1 is a window-of-opportunity study to evaluate the safety and effect of pela ± atezolizumab on the tumor microenvironment (TME) in 38 women with early breast cancer. Patients are treated with pela on days 1, 2, 8, and 9, and atezolizumab is administered on day 3. Tumor biopsies are collected at diagnosis, day 3, and day ~21. Five patient cohorts are being examined: Cohort 1: HR+/HER2-neg (10 patients) receiving pelareorep + letrozole (without atezolizumab); Cohort 2: HR+/HER2-neg (10 patients) receiving pelareorep + letrozole + atezolizumab; Cohort 3: TNBC (6 patients) receiving pelareorep + atezolizumab; Cohort 4: HR+/HER2+ (6 patients) receiving pelareorep + trastuzumab + atezolizumab; Cohort 5: HR-neg/HER+ (6 patients) receiving pelareorep + trastuzumab + atezolizumab. The primary endpoint is CelTIL score [2], a metric for quantifying changes in tumor cellularity and the number of tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs), where an increase in CelTIL score has been associated with a favorable response to treatment. Tumor tissue is being examined for pela replication, changes to the TME by immunohistochemistry (IHC), PD-L1 expression by the Ventana SP142 assay used as the atezolizumab companion diagnostic, and T cell clonality by T cell receptor sequencing (TCR-seq). Peripheral blood is also being examined by TCR-seq. Results: Changes in the TME by IHC demonstrate that treatment with pela in the presence of atezolizumab increases the CD8/Treg ratio, a predictor of greater therapeutic efficacy, similar to preclinical breast cancer mouse models [3, 4]. Detailed TCR-seq, Ventana PD-L1 assay results, and IHC analysis will be presented, focusing on differences between patients receiving pela in the absence or presence of atezolizumab (Cohorts 1 and 2, respectively), and between CelTIL scores of responders and non-responders. Overall, these data demonstrate that pela can promote an inflamed tumor phenotype that allows for synergy with checkpoint blockade therapy in breast cancer. References: [1] Bernstein, V., et al. Breast Cancer Res Treat, 2018. 167(2): p. 485-493. [2] Nuciforo, P., et al. Ann Oncol, 2018. 29(1): p. 170-177. [3] Mostafa, A.A., et al. Cancers (Basel), 2018. 10(6). [4] Lee, J., et al. Cancer Research, 2020. 80(16 Supplement): p. 2206-2206. Citation Format: Luis Manso, Fernando Salvador, Patricia Villagrasa, Nuria Chic, Begoña Bermejo, Juan M. Cejalvo, Yann Izarzugaza, Blanca Cantos, Salvador Blanch, Mireia Margeli, Jose L. Alonso, Alejandro Martínez, Rafael Villanueva, Juan A. Guerra, Raquel Andrés, Pilar Zamora, Esteban Nogales, Manel Juan, Blanca Gonzalez-Farre, Grey A. Wilkinson, Thomas C. Heineman, Gerard Nuovo, Houra Loghmani, Matt Coffey, Azucena Gonzalez, Débora Martínez, Laia Paré, Tomás Pascual, Xavier Gonzalez, Aleix Prat, Joaquín Gavilá. A window-of-opportunity study with atezolizumab and the oncolytic virus pelareorep in early breast cancer (AWARE-1) [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 CT191.

Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is an aggressive lymphoma with heterogeneous outcomes. To improve accuracy of the international prognostic index score, new biological variables are being investigated. The aim of this study was to determine the prognostic significance of serum levels of different cytokines, namely soluble interleukin-2 receptor (sIL2-R), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF). We analyzed 197 de novo DLBCL patients (91 M/106 F; median age 66 years) treated with immunochemotherapy in a single institution. Serum cytokine determination was performed with ELISA, using the upper normal values as cut-offs. sIL-2R, IL-6 and TNF were elevated in 133, 130 and 144 cases, respectively. Elevation of each of these cytokines correlated with worse performance status, presence of B symptoms, advanced stage, elevated LDH and β2-microglobulin (P

Pediatric-type follicular lymphoma (PTFL) is a B-cell lymphoma with distinctive clinicopathological features. Recently, recurrent genetic alterations of potential importance for its pathogenesis that disrupt pathways associated with the germinal center reaction (TNFRSF14, IRF8), immune escape (TNFRSF14), and anti-apoptosis (MAP2K1) have been described. In an attempt to shed more light onto the pathogenesis of PTFL, an integrative analysis of these mutations was undertaken in a large cohort of 43 cases previously characterized by targeted next-generation sequencing and copy number array. Mutations in MAP2K1 were found in 49% (20/41) of the cases, second in frequency to TNFRSF14 alterations (22/41; 54%), and all together were present in 81% of the cases. Immunohistochemical analysis of the MAP2K1 downstream target extracellular signal-regulated kinase demonstrated its phosphorylation in the evaluable cases and revealed a good correlation with the allelic frequency of the MAP2K1 mutation. The IRF8 p.K66R mutation was present in 15% (6/39) of the cases and was concomitant with TNFRSF14 mutations in 4 cases. This hot spot seems to be highly characteristic for PTFL. In conclusion, TNFRSF14 and MAP2K1 mutations are the most frequent genetic alterations found in PTFL and occur independently in most cases, suggesting that both mutations might play an important role in PTFL lymphomagenesis.

Plasmacytic cell differentiation is a common type of maturation in low grade B-cell lymphomas, such as follicular lymphoma (FL), mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) and chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). D...

Human herpesvirus 8 (HHV8)-associated lymphoid proliferations are uncommon and poorly characterized disorders mainly affecting immunosuppressed patients, especially with HIV infection. They encompass different diseases with overlapping features that complicate their classification. In addition, the role of HHV8 in reactive lymphoid hyperplasia is not well known. To analyze the clinicopathological spectrum of these lesions, we have reviewed 66 biopsies of 61 patients with HHV8 infection. All cases were also investigated for Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and HIV infection. We identified 13 (20%) cases of HHV8-related reactive lymphoid hyperplasia, 2 (3%) HHV8 plasmablastic proliferations of the splenic red pulp, 28 (42%) multicentric Castleman disease, 6 (9%) germinotropic lymphoproliferative disorders, and 17 (26%) HHV8-related lymphomas. As expected, the pathologic subtype was predictive of overall survival (P

Introduction Outcomes for follicular lymphoma (FL) patients are generally good. Clinical and biological variables have been studied to identify patients at higher risk of early relapse, which markedly impacts survival. However, the genetic landscape of FL according to its clinical behavior (need of treatment and timing of relapse) is not well characterized, which was the aim of the present study. Patients and Methods We included 67 samples from 55 grade 1-3A FL patients from a single institution [55 samples at diagnosis (D), and 12 at relapse (R)]. Five groups were defined according to their clinical behavior: never required treatment after >5 years (y) of follow-up [never treated (NT), n=7]; treated and did not relapse after >9 y of follow-up, [non-relapsed (NR), n=19]; treated and relapsed beyond 24 months of frontline therapy [late relapse (LR), n=14]; treated and relapsed within 24 months of frontline treatment [early relapse (ER), n=11]; and primary refractory (PR, n=4). Of the 48 treated patients, 96% received R-CHOP. Patients developing histologic transformation were not included. DNA was extracted from FFPE tissue biopsies. Copy number alterations (CNA) were assessed in 50 D and 11 R samples [OncoScan CNV Assay (Thermofisher)], and single nucleotide variants (SNV) and insertions/deletions (indels) in 51 D and 10 R samples using a B-cell malignancy NGS panel examining 121 genes (SureSelectXT, Agilent Technologies). Genes and genomic regions were considered altered if they harbored SNV/indels and/or CNA. For comparisons and plotting, only the 52 D samples with both NGS and CNA data were considered. Non-parametric statistical tests were used. Results Median age was 56 y (range, 26−79), and 30 patients (55%) were female. Forty-two patients (76%) had stage III-IV disease, without significant differences among groups. Thirteen patients (25%) had a high-risk FLIPI score, a percentage that was higher in the LR and PR groups (50 and 67%, respectively, P=0.02). With a median follow-up of 12.9 y, 10-y overall survival estimates were 71, 100, 74, 82, and 0% for NT, NR, LR, ER, and PR patients, respectively. We detected CNA in all samples, with a median number of 7 (range, 1−27) for D samples, and of 6 (2−19) for R samples. We also identified SNV/indels in all samples, with a median number of 10 (1−23) for D samples, and of 9 (3−18) for R samples. The most commonly altered genes at diagnosis were KMT2D (82%), CREBBP (73%), SPEN (38%), TNFRSF14 (38%), ARID1A (33%), and BCL2 (33%) (Figure). There were no significant differences in the number of altered genes/regions among the five groups. Genes or regions with significantly different alteration frequency among groups were: CARD11 (57, 12, 0, 9, and 0% for NT, NR, LR, ER, and PR, respectively, P=0.014), CD70 (12% for NR, 50% for PR, and 0 for the remaining groups P=0.026), HIST1H1B (29% for NT, and 0% for the remaining groups, P=0.020), HVCN1 (43, 6, 0, 18, and 0% for NT, NR, LR, ER, and PR, respectively, P=0.048), KLHL6 (12% for NR, 75% for PR, and 0 for the remaining groups, P=0.002), PRKCB (0, 6, 0, 18, 50%, P=0.037), and 13q14.2-q14.3 loss (DLEU1/DLEU2) (24% for NR, 50% for PR, and 0 for the remaining groups, P=0.015). Two genes had a significantly lower alteration rate comparing the cases with a favorable (NT, NR, LR) and more aggressive (ER, PR) clinical behavior: CIITA (22 vs. 53%, P=0.043), and PRKCB (3 vs. 27%, P=0.044). Of the 51 patients for which the m7-FLIPI was calculated, six (12%) had a high-risk score. Of note, none of the high-risk patients belonged to the NT or NR groups. No significant differences were found in the number of altered genes/regions between D and R, or in the alteration frequency of each gene/region. We identified the presence of an ancestral common precursor cell with a divergent evolution in all paired cases. The median percentage of shared alterations between D and R was 50% (range 28−63%). Conclusions In this comprehensive genetic analysis of 55 FL patients, categorized into five groups according to their clinical behavior, alterations in the chromatin modifying genes KMT2D and CREBBP were the most frequent, and CIITA and PRKCB were more frequently altered in cases with a shorter duration of response. These data warrant further study of the mechanisms underlying these mutations, mutual exclusivity/co-occurrence, and relationships with B-cell biology and the tumor microenvironment. Disclosures Nadeu: Janssen: Honoraria. Giné:Gilead: Research Funding; Janssen: Research Funding; Roche: Research Funding. Armando:Janssen: Research Funding; Roche: Consultancy, Research Funding; Gilead: Consultancy, Research Funding; Celgene: Consultancy, Research Funding.

Mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) is characterized by the t(11;14)(q13;q32) translocation resulting in overexpression of cyclin D1. However, a small subset of cyclin D1− MCL has been recognized, and approximately one-half of them harbor CCND2 translocations while the primary event in cyclin D1−/D2− MCL remains elusive. To identify other potential mechanisms driving MCL pathogenesis, we investigated 56 cyclin D1−/SOX11+ MCL by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), whole-genome/exome sequencing, and gene-expression and copy-number arrays. FISH with break-apart probes identified CCND2 rearrangements in 39 cases (70%) but not CCND3 rearrangements. We analyzed 3 of these negative cases by whole-genome/exome sequencing and identified IGK (n = 2) and IGL (n = 1) enhancer hijackings near CCND3 that were associated with cyclin D3 overexpression. By specific FISH probes, including the IGK enhancer region, we detected 10 additional cryptic IGK juxtapositions to CCND3 (6 cases) and CCND2 (4 cases) in MCL that overexpressed, respectively, these cyclins. A minor subset of 4 cyclin D1− MCL cases lacked cyclin D rearrangements and showed upregulation of CCNE1 and CCNE2. These cases had blastoid morphology, high genomic complexity, and CDKN2A and RB1 deletions. Both genomic and gene-expression profiles of cyclin D1− MCL cases were indistinguishable from cyclin D1+ MCL. In conclusion, virtually all cyclin D1− MCLs carry CCND2/CCND3 rearrangements with immunoglobulin genes, including a novel IGK/L enhancer hijacking mechanism. A subset of cyclin D1−/D2−/D3− MCL with aggressive features has cyclin E dysregulation. Specific FISH probes may allow the molecular identification and diagnosis of cyclin D1− MCL.

Long non‐coding RNA s (lncRNA s) comprise a family of non‐coding transcripts that are emerging as relevant gene expression regulators of different processes, including tumour development. To determine the possible contribution of lncRNA to the pathogenesis of follicular lymphoma (FL ) we performed RNA ‐sequencing at high depth sequencing in primary FL samples ranging from grade 1‐3A to aggressive grade 3B variants using unpurified (n = 16) and purified (n = 12) tumour cell suspensions from nodal samples. FL grade 3B had a significantly higher number of differentially expressed lncRNA s (dif‐lncRNA s) with potential target coding genes related to cell cycle regulation. Nine out of the 18 selected dif‐lncRNA s were validated by quantitative real time polymerase chain reaction in an independent series (n = 43) of FL . RP 4‐694A7.2 was identified as the top deregulated lncRNA potentially involved in cell proliferation. RP 4‐694A7.2 silencing in the WSU ‐FSCCL FL cell line reduced cell proliferation due to a block in the G1/S phase. The relationship between RP 4‐694A7.2 and proliferation was confirmed in primary samples as its expression levels positively related to the Ki‐67 proliferation index. In summary, lncRNA s are differentially expressed across the clinico‐biological spectrum of FL and a subset of them, related to cell cycle, may participate in cell proliferation regulation in these tumours. Fil: Roisman, Alejandro. Lymphoid Neoplasm Programme, Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer; España. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Medicina Experimental. Academia Nacional de Medicina de Buenos Aires. Instituto de Medicina Experimental; Argentina Fil: Castellano, Giancarlo. Universidad de Barcelona; España Fil: Navarro, Alba. Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Cáncer; España. Lymphoid Neoplasm Programme, Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer; España Fil: Gonzalez Farre, Blanca. Lymphoid Neoplasm Programme, Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer; España. Universidad de Barcelona; España Fil: Pérez Galan, Patricia. Lymphoid Neoplasm Programme, Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer; España Fil: Esteve Codina, Anna. Universitat Pompeu Fabra; España. Barcelona Institute Of Science And Technology.; España Fil: Dabad, Marc. Barcelona Institute Of Science And Technology.; España. Universitat Pompeu Fabra; España Fil: Heath, Simon. Universitat Pompeu Fabra; España. Barcelona Institute Of Science And Technology.; España Fil: Gut, Marta. Universitat Pompeu Fabra; España. Barcelona Institute Of Science And Technology.; España Fil: Bosio, Mattia. Barcelona Supercomputing Center - Centro Nacional de Supercomputacion; España Fil: Bellot, Pau. Barcelona Institute Of Science And Technology. Institut Català D'investigació Química.; España Fil: Salembier, Philippe. Universidad Politécnica de Catalunya; España Fil: Oliveras, Albert. Universidad Politécnica de Catalunya; España Fil: Slavutsky, Irma Rosa. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Medicina Experimental. Academia Nacional de Medicina de Buenos Aires. Instituto de Medicina Experimental; Argentina Fil: Magnano, Andrea Laura. Hospital Clínico de Barcelona; España. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina Fil: Horn, Heike. Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen.; Alemania Fil: Rosenwald, Andreas. University of Würzburg; Alemania Fil: Ott, German. Department of Clinical Pathology; Alemania Fil: Aymerich, Marta. Lymphoid Neoplasm Programme, Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer; España Fil: López Guillermo, Armando. Hospital Clínico de Barcelona; España Fil: Jares, Pedro. Universidad de Barcelona; España. Lymphoid Neoplasm Programme, Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer; España Fil: Martín Subero, José I.. Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Cáncer; España. Lymphoid Neoplasm Programme, Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer; España Fil: Campo, Elías. Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Cáncer; España. Lymphoid Neoplasm Programme, Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer; España. Hospital Clínico de Barcelona; España Fil: Hernández, Luis. Lymphoid Neoplasm Programme, Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer; España. Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Cáncer; España

Breast cancer is a biologically and clinically heterogeneous disease, and patients with similar clinical stage have markedly different outcomes. Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is defined by the lack of expression of estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor, and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2).1,2 This subtype represents 15% to 20% of all breast cancers and is associated with the worst outcome of all subtypes, with greater tendency to distant recurrence in general and visceral metastasis in particular, including brain metastasis.3,4 To date, chemotherapy remains the standard of care for TNBC