M-C Mathieu

Prognostic value of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes on residual disease after primary chemotherapy for triple-negative breast cancer: a retrospective multicenter study

BACKGROUND There is a need to develop surrogates for treatment efficacy in the neoadjuvant setting to speed-up drug development and stratify patients according to outcome. Preclinical studies showed that chemotherapy induces an antitumor immune response. In order to develop new surrogates for drug efficacy, we assessed the prognostic value of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL) on residual disease after neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) in patients with triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). PATIENTS AND METHODS Three hundred four TNBC patients with residual disease after NACT were retrospectively identified in three different hospitals. Hematoxylin and eosin-stained slides from surgical postchemotherapy specimens were evaluated for intratumoral (It-TIL) and stromal (Str-TIL) TIL. Cases were classified as High-TIL if It-TIL and/or Str-TIL >60%. RESULTS TIL were assessable for 278 cases. Continuous It-TIL and Str-TIL variables were strong prognostic factors in the multivariate model, both for metastasis-free [hazard ratio (HR) 0.86, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.77-0.96, P = 0.01 and HR 0.85, 95% CI 0.75-0.98, P = 0.02 for Str-TIL and It-TIL, respectively] and overall survival (HR 0.86, 95% CI 0.77-0.97, P = 0.01 and HR 0.86, 95% CI 0.75-0.99, P = 0.03 for Str-TIL and It-TIL, respectively). The 5-year overall survival rate was 91% (95% CI 68% to 97%) for High-TIL patients (n = 27) and 55% (95% CI 48% to 61%) for Low-TIL patients (HR 0.19, 95% CI 0.06-0.61, log-rank P = 0.0017). The major prognostic impact of TIL was seen for patients with large tumor burden following NACT (residual tumor >2 cm and/or node metastasis). In all but one High-TIL case, It-TIL and Str-TIL values were lower on the prechemotherapy sample. CONCLUSIONS The presence of TIL in residual disease after NACT is associated with better prognosis in TNBC patients. This parameter may represent a new surrogate of drug efficacy to test investigational agents in the neoadjuvant setting and a new prognostic marker to select patients at high risk of relapse.BACKGROUND There is a need to develop surrogates for treatment efficacy in the neoadjuvant setting to speed-up drug development and stratify patients according to outcome. Preclinical studies showed that chemotherapy induces an antitumor immune response. In order to develop new surrogates for drug efficacy, we assessed the prognostic value of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL) on residual disease after neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) in patients with triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). PATIENTS AND METHODS Three hundred four TNBC patients with residual disease after NACT were retrospectively identified in three different hospitals. Hematoxylin and eosin-stained slides from surgical postchemotherapy specimens were evaluated for intratumoral (It-TIL) and stromal (Str-TIL) TIL. Cases were classified as High-TIL if It-TIL and/or Str-TIL >60%. RESULTS TIL were assessable for 278 cases. Continuous It-TIL and Str-TIL variables were strong prognostic factors in the multivariate model, both for metastasis-free [hazard ratio (HR) 0.86, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.77-0.96, P = 0.01 and HR 0.85, 95% CI 0.75-0.98, P = 0.02 for Str-TIL and It-TIL, respectively] and overall survival (HR 0.86, 95% CI 0.77-0.97, P = 0.01 and HR 0.86, 95% CI 0.75-0.99, P = 0.03 for Str-TIL and It-TIL, respectively). The 5-year overall survival rate was 91% (95% CI 68% to 97%) for High-TIL patients (n = 27) and 55% (95% CI 48% to 61%) for Low-TIL patients (HR 0.19, 95% CI 0.06-0.61, log-rank P = 0.0017). The major prognostic impact of TIL was seen for patients with large tumor burden following NACT (residual tumor >2 cm and/or node metastasis). In all but one High-TIL case, It-TIL and Str-TIL values were lower on the prechemotherapy sample. CONCLUSIONS The presence of TIL in residual disease after NACT is associated with better prognosis in TNBC patients. This parameter may represent a new surrogate of drug efficacy to test investigational agents in the neoadjuvant setting and a new prognostic marker to select patients at high risk of relapse.

Array CGH and PIK3CA/AKT1 mutations to drive patients to specific targeted agents: A clinical experience in 108 patients with metastatic breast cancer

Breast cancer includes high number of molecular entities targetable by specific agents. In this study, array CGH and PIK3CA/AKT1 mutations were used to drive patients into targeted therapy. A prospective molecular analysis was offered to metastatic breast cancer patients for whom samples were collected prospectively or retrospectively either from frozen or paraffin-embedded tissue. Analyses were performed using array CGH (Agilent platform) and PIK3CA (exon 10 and 21) and AKT1 mutations were explored by standard Sanger sequencing. One hundred and eight patients were included. Good quality CGH was obtained in 79% cases and was better for frozen samples. Genomic alterations were identified in 50% of patients including 11 PIK3CA and 8 AKT1 mutations. Eighteen treatments (17 patients) were administered according to their molecular profile with evidence of activity in nine. Reasons for not providing a genomic-driven treatment included absence of progressive disease (38%), investigators choice (9%), rapid PD (19%), and no drug access (21%). Array CGH correctly identified Her2 status in 97% cases; failures were related to low % of tumour cells. Our study showed that array CGH is feasible in the context of daily practice and, in combination with PIK3CA/AKT1 mutations, identifies a significant number of actionable molecular alterations that allow driving patients into specific targeted agents.

Diagnosis of HER2 gene amplification in breast carcinoma

Amplification of the HER2 gene, mapping to 17q21.1, is present in about 20 % of breast carcinomas. Amplification leads to an overexpression of the protein that made it possible to develop a targeted therapy by the monoclonal antibody trastuzumab (Herceptin). A good response to the treatment requires a stringent assessment of the gene status in tumours; only patients whose tumour shows a high expression of the protein or an amplification of the gene are eligible. Cases with intermediate level expression are checked by in situ hybridization, mainly by FISH, to identify amplifications in this subset of tumours. Results are sometimes difficult to interpret due to the frequent aneuploidy of the tumours. Moreover, copy number cut-offs of the gene for defining an amplification are variable according to the studies. A tumour is considered now as amplified when showing more than six HER2 copies per nucleus, or a ratio HER2 to centromere 17 greater than 2.2. The phenomenon of HER2 amplification in breast cancers is discussed in this paper, and distinguished from gene overrepresentation. It is recommended that tumours showing six to seven copies of HER2 are assessed with a kit including the centromere 17. Clusters of signals are characteristic of amplifications. The process designed for the assessment of HER2 is a model of strategies that will be used for the evaluation of markers involved in future targeted therapies.

Diagnostic de l’amplification du gène HER2 dans les cancers du sein: Le point de vue génétique

Amplification of the HER2 gene, mapping to 17q21.1, is present in about 20 % of breast carcinomas. Amplification leads to an overexpression of the protein that made it possible to develop a targeted therapy by the monoclonal antibody trastuzumab (Herceptin). A good response to the treatment requires a stringent assessment of the gene status in tumours; only patients whose tumour shows a high expression of the protein or an amplification of the gene are eligible. Cases with intermediate level expression are checked by in situ hybridization, mainly by FISH, to identify amplifications in this subset of tumours. Results are sometimes difficult to interpret due to the frequent aneuploidy of the tumours. Moreover, copy number cut-offs of the gene for defining an amplification are variable according to the studies. A tumour is considered now as amplified when showing more than six HER2 copies per nucleus, or a ratio HER2 to centromere 17 greater than 2.2. The phenomenon of HER2 amplification in breast cancers is discussed in this paper, and distinguished from gene overrepresentation. It is recommended that tumours showing six to seven copies of HER2 are assessed with a kit including the centromere 17. Clusters of signals are characteristic of amplifications. The process designed for the assessment of HER2 is a model of strategies that will be used for the evaluation of markers involved in future targeted therapies.

Diagnostic de l’amplification du gène HER2 dans les cancers du sein

Amplification of the HER2 gene, mapping to 17q21.1, is present in about 20 % of breast carcinomas. Amplification leads to an overexpression of the protein that made it possible to develop a targeted therapy by the monoclonal antibody trastuzumab (Herceptin). A good response to the treatment requires a stringent assessment of the gene status in tumours; only patients whose tumour shows a high expression of the protein or an amplification of the gene are eligible. Cases with intermediate level expression are checked by in situ hybridization, mainly by FISH, to identify amplifications in this subset of tumours. Results are sometimes difficult to interpret due to the frequent aneuploidy of the tumours. Moreover, copy number cut-offs of the gene for defining an amplification are variable according to the studies. A tumour is considered now as amplified when showing more than six HER2 copies per nucleus, or a ratio HER2 to centromere 17 greater than 2.2. The phenomenon of HER2 amplification in breast cancers is discussed in this paper, and distinguished from gene overrepresentation. It is recommended that tumours showing six to seven copies of HER2 are assessed with a kit including the centromere 17. Clusters of signals are characteristic of amplifications. The process designed for the assessment of HER2 is a model of strategies that will be used for the evaluation of markers involved in future targeted therapies.

Le ganglion sentinelle dans le cancer du sein. Est-ce la fin du curage pour les petites tumeurs NO ?

Sentinel node (SN) biopsy in breast cancer is still in a crucial stage of evaluation. Many teams have obtained excellent results using this method, with a detection rate always higher than 90% and a false negative rate between 0 and 8%, in prospective series. The main question is to know if lymphadenectomy can now be avoided when the SN is negative. The answer will come from the results of the two ongoing trials comparing sentinel node biopsy to axillary lymphadenectomy. But their results will be available only in two or three years. However, many teams, as at Institute Gustave Roussy, are now applying the technique routinely, because of the excellent results obtained during their learning curve. But there are some methodological differences between teams, which can influence the detection and false negative rates. Thus, several methodological standards remain to be defined. This review enable us to clarify a certain number of questions. Today, SN biopsy can only be performed by trained teams, with prospective evaluation of their results or participation in phase III trials.

P1-06-16: BRCA2 Mutation Carriers Respond Poorly to Conventional Anthracylins/Taxanes-Based Neo-Adjuvant Chemotherapy.

Background: BRCA2 carriers typically develop luminal B-type breast cancers. Their exact sensitivity to conventional chemotherapy remains unclear. Promising drugs such as parp inhibitors are currently being developed in this indication. We attempted to evaluate pathological response rates of BRCA2 carriers in current the routine setting. Patients and methods: we screened our database of all patients seen at our genetic clinic over the past 15 years who were completely tested for BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutation and had received primary anthracyclines/taxanes-based chemotherapy (6-8 cycles) for invasive breast cancer as primary care. The pathological responses of pts who tested positive for BRCA2 were compared to those of BRCA1 and BRCA2-negative patients who had been diagnosed with luminal breast cancer (ER-positive, Her2-negative). Results: Among 155 BRCA2-carriers and 503 wild-type patients, 24 BRCA2 pts and 58 pts with luminal B-type breast cancer have received primary standard anthracyclin/taxane-based chemotherapy. Median age was 38 for both populations. Median tumor size was 45 and 40 mm respectively among carriers and WT pts. 60% of BRCA2 and 100% of WT luminal B pts had ER-positive disease. A pathological complete response occurred in 18% of BRCA2 carriers and of 39% of luminal B Wt-pts. 65% of BRCA2 and 51% of WT-pts pts remained node-positive. Conclusion: Deleterious germline mutations of BRCA2 are associated with a low probability of complete pathological response and a high risk of axillary invasion after conventional primary chemotherapy. Alternative treatments are highly expected. Citation Information: Cancer Res 2011;71(24 Suppl):Abstract nr P1-06-16.

High Resolution Oligonucleotide Array-CGH and Hot Spot Mutations To Select Patients for Targeted Therapies.

Background. A high number of genomic alterations (gene amplification, mutations) have been reported in breast cancers, and could potentially be targeted in early clinical trials. In the present molecular screening program, we aim at performing CGH array and hot spot mutations for 200 patients with metastatic breast cancer, in order to drive these patients in specific early clinical trials.Patients and Methods. Patients were selected to present a metastatic breast cancer under treatment in four French Centers. DNA was extracted by Qiagen method from either primary breast cancer or metastatic lesions. The hybridizations were done on 4*44K Agilent Array CGH. The analysis was done with Analytics v3.4.40 software. The file reported amplified zones (log2ratio>0.84 for biopsy, 1.58 for FNA) and focused on predefined genes that encode a candidate target. Hot spot mutations cover PI3K, AKT, PTEN genes. The primary endpoint was to determine how many patients were driven to a specific clinical trial because of molecular analyses. The secondary endpoints included PFS and response rates.Results. As june 12 th , 109 patients were included in the molecular screening program. CGH array was feasible and could be interpreted within one month in 85 (78%) patients. Array-CGH identified high level amplification in 57 patients (67%). As expected, the two most frequent amplicons included ERBB2 (17q11-12, 24%) and FGFR1 (8p11, 16%).The accuracy to detect ERBB2 amplification was 90%. A significant number of patients presented rare gene amplifications including ERBB4 amplification (n=1), CCND1/FGF4 amplification (n=6), FGFR2 (n=2), EGFR (n=1), VEGFB (n=4), BCR (n=1)Interestingly, only 4 patients presented TOP2A amplification. Hot spot mutations for PI3KCA, AKT, PTEN is being performedConclusion. This preliminary analysis shows that array CGH allows to identify patients who are candidate for targeted agents in phase I/II trials. Accrual will continue until 200 patients. Selected patients will be included in clinical trials in second semester of 2009 after a target validation by IHC. Citation Information: Cancer Res 2009;69(24 Suppl):Abstract nr 5067.

Abstract P1-14-09: Long term survival of locally advanced breast cancers (LABC) treated with neoadjuvant treatment, results of a multicenter randomised phase II study (Remagus 02 trial)

Backgound : The primary analysis of the REMAGUS-02 multicenter randomized phase II trial demonstrated that celecoxib did not improve pCR rates in pts with HER2-negative localized invasive breast cancer (BC), whereas trastuzumab increased pCR rates in HER2-positive ones [Pierga BCRT 2010]. We report here the long-term follow-up results of this trial for disease free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS). Patients and methods: From May 2004 to October 2007, 340 stage II-III BC patients were randomly assigned to receive 4 cycles (c) of epirubicin–cyclophosphamide q 3 w followed by 4 c of docetaxel q 3 w +/- trastuzumab in HER2 positive pts (120 pts) or +/- celecoxib in HER2 negative pts (n=220). From September 2005, all pts with HER2 positive BC received adjuvant T for a total of 18 c (n=106). Patients with hormone receptors (HR) positive tumor received adjuvant endocrine treatment according to menopausal status Results: With a median follow up of nearly 8 years (94.4 months, 20-127m), 112 relapses and 75 deaths have been observed (median DFS and OS not reached). Eight years DFS and OS were respectively 63 % [57%-71%] and 75 % [70%-81%] in HER2 negative group; and 75% [67%-83%] and 82 % [74%-90%] in HER2 positive group. DFS was significantly higher in HER+ pts than in HER2-(HR: 0.64 [0.42-0.99], p=0.042), whereas OS did not differ significantly (HR: 0.67, [0.41-1.11], p=0.123). In the overall population, progesterone receptor (PgR) positivity was associated with a better DFS (p=0.012) and OS (p In the HER2- subgroup, no effect of neoadjuvant celocoxib was observed on survival, neither in intention to treat (ITT) nor in per protocol analyses. In the multivariate analysis clinical stage (T3/T4 versus T2, HR: 1.92 [1.209 - 3.05], p=0.006), PgR status (positive versus negative HR : 0.52, [0.32-0.84], p=0.007) and pCR (yes vs no, HR : 0.213 [0.066-0.687], p=0.01) were significant predictors of DFS. In the HER2+ subgroup, neoadjuvant versus adjuvant trastuzumab was not significantly associated with DFS, neither in the ITT, nor in the per protocol analysis. Conclusion: Celecoxib was not associated with pCR or survival benefit when added to conventional neoadjuvant CT in Her2-negative BC pts. Lack of PgR expression is a major prognostic factor for survival. Neoadjuvant versus adjuvant trastuzumab increased pCR rates but did not change significantly DFS and OS of HER2 positive BC pts. Citation Format: Giacchetti S, Hamy-Petit A-S, Delaloge S, Brain E, Berger F, Mathieu M-C, de Cremoux P, Bertheau P, Guinebretiere J-M, Saghatchian M, Tembo O, Marty M, Pierga J-Y. Long term survival of locally advanced breast cancers (LABC) treated with neoadjuvant treatment, results of a multicenter randomised phase II study (Remagus 02 trial). [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Thirty-Eighth Annual CTRC-AACR San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium: 2015 Dec 8-12; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2016;76(4 Suppl):Abstract nr P1-14-09.

Abstract PD4-4: Whole exome sequencing of aggressive rare breast cancers histologic subtypes reveals novel pathway for breast cancer progression

Background: Rare cancers sometimes present clonal evolution. Genomic characterisation of these rare entities could lead to identify new genes involved in the progression of more frequent cancers. In the present study, we have performed whole exome sequencing of three rare and aggressive histological subtypes in order to identify new targets that could subsequently be validated in common breast cancers. Methods: Whole exome sequencing was applied in ten pleiomorphic lobular carcinoma, seven micropapillary BC and eight metaplastic BC. Each cancer sample was matched with normal DNA from the same patient. Overall 50 samples were therefore sequenced. Tumor samples were selected to present >30% cancer cells. Histological diagnosis was confirmed by a BC pathologist. Whole exome sequencing (WES) was performed by BGI (Bejing Genomic Institute, Hong-Kong, China) using the Illumina Hiseq2000 platform (90bp paired-end reads, depth ≥80x). Genes recurrently mutated (with somatic mutations in >2 cases) were selected for validation. The validation by IonTorrent target sequencing was performed on additional formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tumor samples (>30% of tumor cells). Results: Complete results of both WES and targeted resequencing validation are available for pleiomorphic lobular carcinoma. Nine of the 10 DNA pairs were eligible for WES. Genes already implicated in BC were significantly mutated: PIK3CA (3/9), TP53 (3/9) and CDH1 (3/9). Novel significantly mutated genes were identified: PYGM (2/9), EMR1 (2/9), ALDH1A2 (2/9), and DCLK1 (2/9). The validation using target gene sequencing was performed on the same 9 cases and on 19 additional confirmed pleiomorphic lobular BC cases (n = 28). For 8 out of the 9 cases with WES data, the results were reproducible on FFPE samples. Validation set confirmed recurrent mutations on PYGM genes (25%). PYGM is involved in glycogen metabolism. Further analyses on gene expression array revealed that PYGM is downregulated in most of the common BC samples, as compared to normal tissue, suggesting a role for this gene in the metabolism of common BC. WES data are available for micropapillary and metaplastic BC. HSPA8 (coding for a Heat shock protein) was found mutated in 3/7 of micropapillary samples. Validation on additional FFPE samples is ongoing and will be presented. WES of metaplastic BC revealed a high frequency of TP53 and PIK3CA mutations (50% in both cases). Conclusions: A novel mutated gene was identified in PLBC. PYGM is a gene involved in glycogen metabolism and was found downregulated in most of the common breast cancer. WES of micropapillary cancers suggests mutations on HSPA8, a gene encoding for a chaperon protein. Validation is ongoing. Deeper sequencing is ongoing for metaplastic BC that may help identifying new mutated genes in this multiclonal disease. Results will be presented. Citation Information: Cancer Res 2013;73(24 Suppl): Abstract nr PD4-4.