Project description:IntroductionLung cancer in never smokers represents a distinct epidemiological, clinical, and molecular entity.ResultsMost 712 never smoking lung cancer patients were female (72%) with a median age at diagnosis of 62.2 years (18-94). Caucasians (46%), East Asians (42%), adenocarcinoma histology (87%) and presentation with metastatic disease at diagnosis (59%) were common. Of 515 patients with available archival tissue, the most common identified single mutations were EGFR (52.2%), followed by ALK (7.5%), KRAS (2.3%), TP53 (1.3%), ERBB2 (1%), BRAF (0.4%), PIK3CA (0.4%), SMAD4 (0.4%), CTNNB1 (0.2%), AKT1 (0.2%), and NRAS (0.2%); 8% tumors had multiple mutations, while 25.8% had none identified. Median overall survival (mOS) was 42.2 months (mo) for the entire cohort. Patients with mutations in their tumors had significantly better mOS (69.5 mo) when compared to those without (31.0 mo) (HR = 0.59; 95% CI: 0.44-0.79; p < 0.001). Earlier stage (p < 0.001), adenocarcinoma histology (p = 0.012), good performance status (p < 0.001) and use of targeted therapy (p < 0.001) were each independently associated with longer survival. Patients with ALK-translocation-positive tumours have significantly longer OS compared to those without any mutations (p = 0.0029) and to those with other and null mutations (p = 0.022).ConclusionsLung cancer in never smokers represents a distinct clinical and molecular entity characterized by a high incidence of targetable mutations and long survival.MethodsWe analyzed retrospectively the data from electronic patient records of never smokers diagnosed with lung cancer treated at the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre (Toronto) between 1988-2015 to characterize demographic and clinical features, pathology, molecular profile (using hotspot or targeted sequencing panels), treatment and survival.
Project description:The PMCC AML RNAseq dataset consists of 81 AML patient samples (clinical data in Supplemental Table 11), processed in two batches. These patient samples are able to engraft in the NSG (NOD.Cg PrkdcscidIl2rgtm1Wjl /SzJ) mouse model. Five patients (90543, 598, 90240, 110484, 100500) were included in both batches.
Project description:Background & purposeProphylactic cranial irradiation (PCI) is recommended for limited-stage small-cell lung cancer (LS-SCLC) patients with good response to concurrent chemoradiation. We report our institution's 20-year experience with this patient population and associated clinical outcomes.Materials & methodsA retrospective cohort of consecutive LS-SCLC patients treated with curative intent chemoradiation at our institution (1997-2018) was reviewed. Overall survival (OS) was calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method, and significant covariates determined by the Cox proportional hazards model. Covariates predictive of PCI were determined using Fisher's exact test and the Mann-Whitney test. Brain failure risk (BFR) was calculated using the cumulative incidence method treating death as a competing event. Treatment cohorts (historic vs. contemporary) were stratified by the median year of diagnosis (2005).ResultsA total of 369 patients with LS-SCLC were identified, of which 278 patients were notionally PCI eligible. PCI was given to 196 patients (71%). Younger age was associated with PCI utilization (p < 0.001). PCI utilization rates did not change between the historic and contemporary treatment era (p = 0.11), whereas magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) use at baseline and follow-up became more prevalent in the contemporary era (p = <0.001). On multivariable analysis, PCI utilization was associated with improved OS (HR 1.88, 95% CI 1.32-2.69) and decreased BFR (HR 4.66, 95% CI 2.58-8.40). Patients who had MRI follow-up had a higher incidence of BFR (HR 0.35, 95% CI 0.18-0.66) in multivariable analyses.ConclusionsFor LS-SCLC patients at our institution, PCI is more frequently utilized in younger patients, and the utilization rate did not change significantly over the past 20 years. PCI was independently associated with improved OS and lower BFR. Omission of PCI in LS-SCLC patients should not be routinely practiced in the absence of further prospective data.
Project description:Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a lethal malignancy that resists current treatments. To test epigenetic therapy against this cancer we used the DNA demethylating drug 5-aza-2’-deoxycytidine (DAC) in a KrasLSL-G12D; p53LSL-R270H/+; Pdx1-cre; Brca1flex2/flex2 (KPC-Brca1) mouse model of aggressive stroma-rich PDAC. In untreated tumors, we found globally decreased 5-methyl-cytosine (5mC) in malignant epithelial cells and in cancer-associated myofibroblasts (CAFs), and increased amounts of 5-hydroxymethyl-cytosine (5HmC) in CAFs, in progression from pancreatic intraepithelial neoplasia (PanIN) to PDAC. DAC further reduced DNA methylation and slowed PDAC progression, markedly extending survival in an early treatment protocol and significantly though transiently inhibiting tumor growth when initiated later, without adverse side effects. Escaping tumors contained areas of sarcomatoid transformation with disappearance of CAFs. Mixing-allografting experiments and proliferation indices showed that DAC efficacy was due to inhibition of both the malignant epithelial cells and the stromal CAFs. Expression profiling and immunohistochemistry highlighted DAC-induction of STAT1 in the tumors, and DAC plus gamma-interferon produced an additive anti-proliferative effect on PDAC cells. DAC induced strong expression of the testis antigen DAZL in CAFs. These data show that DAC is effective against PDAC in vivo and provide a rationale for future studies combining hypomethylating agents with cytokines and immunotherapy. Treatment of a short-term explant culture of malignant epithelial cells from a KPC-Brca1 mouse pancreatic carcinoma, with 0.5 micromolar 5-aza-dC (decitabine; DAC) for 48 hours. The experiment includes 3 replicate plates untreated and 3 replicates treated.
Project description:Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a lethal malignancy that resists current treatments. To test epigenetic therapy against this cancer we used the DNA demethylating drug 5-aza-2’-deoxycytidine (DAC) in a KrasLSL-G12D; p53LSL-R270H/+; Pdx1-cre; Brca1flex2/flex2 (KPC-Brca1) mouse model of aggressive stroma-rich PDAC. In untreated tumors, we found globally decreased 5-methyl-cytosine (5mC) in malignant epithelial cells and in cancer-associated myofibroblasts (CAFs), and increased amounts of 5-hydroxymethyl-cytosine (5HmC) in CAFs, in progression from pancreatic intraepithelial neoplasia (PanIN) to PDAC. DAC further reduced DNA methylation and slowed PDAC progression, markedly extending survival in an early treatment protocol and significantly though transiently inhibiting tumor growth when initiated later, without adverse side effects. Escaping tumors contained areas of sarcomatoid transformation with disappearance of CAFs. Mixing-allografting experiments and proliferation indices showed that DAC efficacy was due to inhibition of both the malignant epithelial cells and the stromal CAFs. Expression profiling and immunohistochemistry highlighted DAC-induction of STAT1 in the tumors, and DAC plus gamma-interferon produced an additive anti-proliferative effect on PDAC cells. DAC induced strong expression of the testis antigen DAZL in CAFs. These data show that DAC is effective against PDAC in vivo and provide a rationale for future studies combining hypomethylating agents with cytokines and immunotherapy. Treatment of a short-term explant culture of cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) from a KPC-Brca1 mouse pancreatic carcinoma, with 2 micromolar 5-aza-dC (decitabine; DAC) for 48 hours. The experiment includes 3 replicate plates untreated and 3 replicates treated.
Project description:We observed gene expression difference between different groups after MDA-MB-231 treated with DMSO, 10 μM DAC, 1 μM DEX, or DAC+DEX. Data obtained from high-throughput sequencing (Illumina NovaSeq 6000 platform) were transformed into raw sequenced reads by CASAVA base calling and stored in FASTQ format. Gene expression of each groups are listed in raw data files. Some different expression genes between two groups are further validated with qRT-PCR.
Project description:Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a lethal malignancy that resists current treatments. To test epigenetic therapy against this cancer we used the DNA demethylating drug 5-aza-2’-deoxycytidine (DAC) in a KrasLSL-G12D; p53LSL-R270H/+; Pdx1-cre; Brca1flex2/flex2 (KPC-Brca1) mouse model of aggressive stroma-rich PDAC. In untreated tumors, we found globally decreased 5-methyl-cytosine (5mC) in malignant epithelial cells and in cancer-associated myofibroblasts (CAFs), and increased amounts of 5-hydroxymethyl-cytosine (5HmC) in CAFs, in progression from pancreatic intraepithelial neoplasia (PanIN) to PDAC. DAC further reduced DNA methylation and slowed PDAC progression, markedly extending survival in an early treatment protocol and significantly though transiently inhibiting tumor growth when initiated later, without adverse side effects. Escaping tumors contained areas of sarcomatoid transformation with disappearance of CAFs. Mixing-allografting experiments and proliferation indices showed that DAC efficacy was due to inhibition of both the malignant epithelial cells and the stromal CAFs. Expression profiling and immunohistochemistry highlighted DAC-induction of STAT1 in the tumors, and DAC plus gamma-interferon produced an additive anti-proliferative effect on PDAC cells. DAC induced strong expression of the testis antigen DAZL in CAFs. These data show that DAC is effective against PDAC in vivo and provide a rationale for future studies combining hypomethylating agents with cytokines and immunotherapy.