Potential through simplicity: thymidine kinase-1 as a biomarker for CDK4/6 inhibitors
BRITISH JOURNAL OF CANCER
Authors: McCartney, Amelia; Malorni, Luca
Abstract
We describe a potential role for thymidine kinase-1, a general marker of cellular proliferation, to act as a prognostic biomarker in patients receiving CDK4/6 inhibitors for advanced hormone receptor-positive, HER2-negative breast cancer, with early data suggesting that it may also provide early indication of treatment response.
Molecular characteristics and clinical outcomes of elderly patients with IDH-wildtype glioblastomas: comparative study of older and younger cases in Kansai Network cohort
BRAIN TUMOR PATHOLOGY
Authors: Fukai, Junya; Arita, Hideyuki; Umehara, Toru; Yoshioka, Ema; Shofuda, Tomoko; Kanematsu, Daisuke; Kodama, Yoshinori; Mano, Masayuki; Kinoshita, Manabu; Okita, Yoshiko; Nonaka, Masahiro; Uda, Takehiro; Tsuyuguchi, Naohiro; Sakamoto, Daisuke; Uematsu, Yuji; Nakao, Naoyuki; Mori, Kanji; Kanemura, Yonehiro
Abstract
Aging is a known negative prognostic factor in glioblastomas (GBM). Whether particular genetic backgrounds are a factor in poor outcomes of elderly patients with GBM warrants investigation. We aim to elucidate any differences between older and younger adult patients with IDH-wildtype GBM regarding both molecular characteristics and clinical outcomes. We collected adult cases diagnosed with IDH-wildtype GBM from the Kansai Network. Clinical and pathological characteristics were analyzed retrospectively and compared between older (>= 70 years) and younger (<= 50 years) cases. Included were 92 older vs. 33 younger cases. The older group included more patients with preoperative Karnofsky performance status score < 70 and had a shorter survival time than the younger group. MGMT promoter was methylated more frequently in the older group. TERT promoter mutation was more common in the older group. There were significant differences in DNA copy-number alteration profiles between age groups in PTEN deletion and CDK4 amplification/gain. In the older group, no molecular markers were identified, but surgical resection was an independent prognostic factor. Age-specific survival difference was significant in the MGMT methylated and TERT wildtype subgroup. Elderly patients have several potential factors in poor prognosis of glioblastomas. Varying molecular profiles may explain differing rates of survival between generations.