scholarly journals Beyond Brca1/2: Homologous Recombination Repair Genetic Profile in a Large Cohort of Apulian Ovarian Cancers

Cancers ◽  
2022 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
pp. 365
Author(s):  
Antonella Turchiano ◽  
Daria Carmela Loconte ◽  
Rosalba De De Nola ◽  
Francesca Arezzo ◽  
Giulia Chiarello ◽  
...  

Background: Pathogenic variants in homologous recombination repair (HRR) genes other than BRCA1/2 have been associated with a high risk of ovarian cancer (OC). In current clinical practice, genetic testing is generally limited to BRCA1/2. Herein, we investigated the mutational status of both BRCA1/2 and 5 HRR genes in 69 unselected OC, evaluating the advantage of multigene panel testing in everyday clinical practice. Methods: We analyzed 69 epithelial OC samples using an NGS custom multigene panel of the 5 HRR pathways genes, beyond the genetic screening routine of BRCA1/2 testing. Results: Overall, 19 pathogenic variants (27.5%) were detected. The majority (21.7%) of patients displayed a deleterious mutation in BRCA1/2, whereas 5.8% harbored a pathogenic variant in one of the HRR genes. Additionally, there were 14 (20.3%) uncertain significant variants (VUS). The assessment of germline mutational status showed that a small number of variants (five) were not detected in the corresponding blood sample. Notably, we detected one BRIP1 and four BRCA1/2 deleterious variants in the low-grade serous and endometrioid histology OC, respectively. Conclusion: We demonstrate that using a multigene panel beyond BRCA1/2 improves the diagnostic yield in OC testing, and it could produce clinically relevant results.

2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Francesca Bizzaro ◽  
Ilaria Fuso Nerini ◽  
Molly A. Taylor ◽  
Alessia Anastasia ◽  
Massimo Russo ◽  
...  

AbstractPoly ADP-ribose polymerase inhibitors (PARPi) have transformed ovarian cancer (OC) treatment, primarily for tumours deficient in homologous recombination repair. Combining VEGF-signalling inhibitors with PARPi has enhanced clinical benefit in OC. To study drivers of efficacy when combining PARP inhibition and VEGF-signalling, a cohort of patient-derived ovarian cancer xenografts (OC-PDXs), representative of the molecular characteristics and drug sensitivity of patient tumours, were treated with the PARPi olaparib and the VEGFR inhibitor cediranib at clinically relevant doses. The combination showed broad anti-tumour activity, reducing growth of all OC-PDXs, regardless of the homologous recombination repair (HRR) mutational status, with greater additive combination benefit in tumours poorly sensitive to platinum and olaparib. In orthotopic models, the combined treatment reduced tumour dissemination in the peritoneal cavity and prolonged survival. Enhanced combination benefit was independent of tumour cell expression of receptor tyrosine kinases targeted by cediranib, and not associated with change in expression of genes associated with DNA repair machinery. However, the combination of cediranib with olaparib was effective in reducing tumour vasculature in all the OC-PDXs. Collectively our data suggest that olaparib and cediranib act through complementary mechanisms affecting tumour cells and tumour microenvironment, respectively. This detailed analysis of the combined effect of VEGF-signalling and PARP inhibitors in OC-PDXs suggest that despite broad activity, there is no dominant common mechanistic inter-dependency driving therapeutic benefit.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elena Fountzilas ◽  
Vassiliki Kotoula ◽  
Georgia-Angeliki Koliou ◽  
Michalis Liontos ◽  
Kyriaki Papadopoulou ◽  
...  

Our hypothesis was that the predictive accuracy of pathogenic variants in genes participating in the homologous recombination repair (HRR) system in patients with epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) could be improved by considering additional next-generation sequencing (NGS) metrics. NGS genotyping was performed in tumor tissue, retrospectively and prospectively collected from patients with EOC, diagnosed from 8/1998 to 10/2016. Variants were considered clonal when variant allele frequencies corresponded to >25%. The primary endpoint was overall survival (OS). This study included 501 patients with EOC, predominantly with high-grade serous (75.2%) and advanced stage tumors (81.7%); median age was 58 years (22-84). Pathogenic and clonal pathogenic variants in HRR and/or TP53 genes were identified in 72.8% and 66.5% tumors, respectively. With a median follow-up of 123.9 months, the presence of either pathogenic or clonal pathogenic HRR-only variants was associated with longer OS compared to HRR/TP53 co-mutation (HR=0.54; 95% CI, 0.34-0.87, Wald’s p=0.012 and HR=0.45; 95% CI, 0.27-0.78, Wald’s p=0.004, respectively). However, only the presence of clonal HRR-only variants was independently associated with improved OS (HR=0.55; 95% CI, 0.32-0.94, p=0.030). Variant clonality and co-occuring TP53 variants affect the predictive value of HRR pathogenic variants for platinum agents in patients with EOC.Clinical Trial Registration[ClinicalTrials.gov], identifier [NCT04716374].


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 245
Author(s):  
Laura Cortesi ◽  
Claudia Piombino ◽  
Angela Toss

The homologous recombination repair (HRR) pathway repairs double-strand DNA breaks, mostly by BRCA1 and BRCA2, although other proteins such as ATM, CHEK2, and PALB2 are also involved. BRCA1/2 germline mutations are targeted by PARP inhibitors. The aim of this commentary is to explore whether germline mutations in HRR-related genes other than BRCA1/2 have to be considered as prognostic factors or predictive to therapies by discussing the results of two articles published in December 2020. The TBCRC 048 trial published by Tung et al. showed an impressive objective response rate to olaparib in metastatic breast cancer patients with germline PALB2 mutation compared to germline ATM and CHEK2 mutation carriers. Additionally, Yadav et al. observed a significantly longer overall survival in pancreatic adenocarcinoma patients with germline HRR mutations compared to non-carriers. In our opinion, assuming that PALB2 is a high-penetrant gene with a key role in the HRR system, PALB2 mutations are predictive factors for response to treatment. Moreover, germline mutations in the ATM gene provide a better outcome in pancreatic adenocarcinoma, being more often associated to wild-type KRAS. In conclusion, sequencing of HRR-related genes other than BRCA1/2 should be routinely offered as part of a biological characterization of pancreatic and breast cancers.


2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Thibaut S. Matis ◽  
Nadia Zayed ◽  
Bouchra Labraki ◽  
Manon de Ladurantaye ◽  
Théophane A. Matis ◽  
...  

AbstractIt was hypothesized that variants in underexplored homologous recombination repair (HR) genes could explain unsolved multiple-case breast cancer (BC) families. We investigated HR deficiency (HRD)-associated mutational signatures and second hits in tumor DNA from familial BC cases. No candidates genes were associated with HRD in 38 probands previously tested negative with gene panels. We conclude it is unlikely that unknown HRD-associated genes explain a large fraction of unsolved familial BC.


2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (Suppl 3) ◽  
pp. A344-A344
Author(s):  
Timothy A Yap ◽  
Mallika Dhawan ◽  
Andrew E Hendifar ◽  
Michele Maio ◽  
Taofeek K Owonikoko ◽  
...  

BackgroundTreatment with the anti–PD-1 antibody pembrolizumab has improved clinical outcomes in multiple previously treated advanced solid tumors. The poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibitor olaparib has shown antitumor activity as monotherapy in patients with previously treated advanced ovarian, breast, pancreatic, and prostate cancers with BRCA1/BRCA2 mutations (BRCAm). Activity was also seen in patients with previously treated advanced solid tumors with other homologous recombination repair mutation (HRRm) and in those with ovarian cancer with homologous recombination repair deficiency (HRD) phenotype. PARP inhibitors have been found to increase interferon signaling and tumor infiltrating lymphocytes, enhancing tumor susceptibility to immune checkpoint blockade. Antitumor activity of PD-(L)1 plus PARP inhibition was found to be higher than expected with either agent alone in patients with recurrent ovarian cancer regardless of BRCAm or HRD status and in patients with BRCAm breast cancer. KEYLYNK-007 (NCT04123366) evaluates the antitumor activity and safety of olaparib in combination with pembrolizumab in patients with previously treated advanced solid tumors with HRRm and/or HRD.MethodsThis phase 2, nonrandomized, multicenter, open-label study will enroll approximately 300 patients aged ≥18 years with histologically/cytologically confirmed, previously treated, advanced solid tumors with HRRm and/or HRD per Lynparza HRR-HRD assay (Foundation Medicine, Inc., Cambridge, MA, USA), with an ECOG PS of 0-1. Patients will be grouped by biomarker status: subgroup 1: BRCAm; subgroup 2: HRRm without BRCAm; and subgroup 3: HRD positive without HRRm (loss of heterozygosity score ≥16 per Lynparza HRR-HRD assay). Patients will receive olaparib 300 mg twice daily + pembrolizumab 200 mg intravenously Q3W (35 cycles) until PD, unacceptable AEs, intercurrent illness, investigator decision, withdrawal of consent, or pregnancy. Tumor imaging assessment by blinded independent central review (BICR) per RECIST v1.1 or Prostate Cancer Working Group (PCWG)–modified RECIST v1.1 for prostate cancer will occur Q9W for 12 months, then Q12W until PD, start of new anticancer treatment, withdrawal of consent, pregnancy, or death. AEs will be monitored throughout the study and for 30 days after final dose (90 days for serious AEs). The primary endpoint is ORR (RECIST v1.1 or PCWG–modified RECIST version 1.1 by BICR). Secondary endpoints include duration of response (DOR) and PFS (RECIST v1.1 or PCWG–modified RECIST v1.1 by BICR), OS, and safety. Point estimate and exact Clopper-Pearson CI for ORR, and Kaplan-Meier estimates for DOR, PFS, and OS will be calculated. A total of 89 sites are currently enrolling in 20 countries.ResultsN/AConclusionsN/ATrial RegistrationClinicalTrials. gov identifier, NCT04123366Ethics ApprovalAn independent institutional review board or ethics committee approved the protocol at each study site, and the trial is being conducted in compliance with Good Clinical Practice guidelines and the Declaration of Helsinki.


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