Publications by authors named "Elena Braicu"

Article Synopsis
  • The study compared the combination of lenvatinib and pembrolizumab (len + pembro) with traditional chemotherapy for advanced or recurrent endometrial cancer (aEC) in patients who had not previously been treated.
  • Results showed that while len + pembro did not statistically outperform chemotherapy in terms of progression-free survival (PFS) or overall survival (OS), it offered similar outcomes, indicating noninferiority.
  • The trial involved 842 patients and found median PFS and OS were comparable between the two treatment groups, suggesting len + pembro could be an effective alternative to chemotherapy for this cancer type.
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Purpose: Niraparib is a poly(adenosine diphosphate [ADP]-ribose) polymerase inhibitor approved for the maintenance treatment of advanced ovarian cancer (OC). Niraparib was originally approved in recurrent OC at a fixed starting dose (FSD) of 300 mg once daily (QD). This analysis characterized the population pharmacokinetics (PK) of niraparib and evaluated the relationships between exposure, efficacy, and safety to support clinical use of an individualized dosing strategy, in which the starting dose of niraparib was adjusted based on patient characteristics to improve the benefit-risk profile.

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Article Synopsis
  • The study aimed to assess the safety and tolerability of an individualized starting dose (ISD) of niraparib in patients with newly diagnosed advanced ovarian cancer who responded to platinum-based chemotherapy.
  • An analysis of treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs) revealed that common side effects occurred early, with hematologic TEAEs resolving in over 89% of patients within a median duration of about 2 weeks.
  • Overall, the niraparib ISD was found to be well tolerated, indicating the importance of close monitoring after starting treatment and helping set patient expectations regarding safety.
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Objective: To identify characteristics associated with long-term progression-free survival (≥2 years) in patients with advanced ovarian cancer treated with niraparib first-line maintenance therapy in the phase III PRIMA/ENGOT-OV26/GOG-3012 study.

Methods: In this post hoc analysis of PRIMA, patients randomized to niraparib were grouped based on investigator-assessed progression-free survival (progressive disease/censoring <2 years or ≥2 years after randomization). Variables assessed for predictive value were Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status, International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) stage at diagnosis, clinical response to platinum-based chemotherapy, number of prior chemotherapy cycles, primary tumor location, body mass index, categorical age, debulking surgery type, number of baseline target lesions, number of baseline non-target lesions, /homologous recombination-deficiency status, residual disease status, and duration from end of chemotherapy to randomization.

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We analyzed variations in the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) gene and 5'-upstream region to identify potential molecular predictors of treatment response in primary epithelial ovarian cancer. Tumor tissues collected during debulking surgery from the prospective multicenter OVCAD study were investigated. Copy number variations in the human endogenous retrovirus sequence human endogenous retrovirus K9 (HERVK9) and EGFR Exons 7 and 9, as well as repeat length and loss of heterozygosity of polymorphic CA-SSR I and relative EGFR mRNA expression were determined quantitatively.

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Article Synopsis
  • Ovarian cancer, especially in its platinum-resistant form (PROC), presents significant challenges due to limited treatment options and poor prognosis for patients.
  • This study aimed to find markers for monitoring treatment response in 123 PROC patients participating in the GANNET53 clinical trial assessing Ganetespib combined with standard chemotherapy.
  • Results showed that the presence of the ERCC1 gene was linked to a higher risk of disease progression, while the CDH1 and ESR1 genes appeared to have a protective effect, suggesting the potential of using liquid biopsy samples for better disease management.
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Clonal hematopoiesis (CH) driven by mutations in the DNA damage response (DDR) pathway is frequent in patients with cancer and is associated with a higher risk of therapy-related myeloid neoplasms (t-MNs). Here, we analyzed 423 serial whole blood and plasma samples from 103 patients with relapsed high-grade ovarian cancer receiving carboplatin, poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase inhibitor (PARPi) and heat shock protein 90 inhibitor (HSP90i) treatment within the phase II EUDARIO trial using error-corrected sequencing of 72 genes. DDR-driven CH was detected in 35% of patients and was associated with longer duration of prior PARPi treatment.

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Article Synopsis
  • PARP inhibitors have shown effectiveness in treating ovarian cancer, particularly benefiting patients with homologous recombination deficiency (HRD), and various assays can be used to assess these biomarkers.
  • The study compares the performance of multiple molecular assays for genomic instability (GI) against the standard Myriad myChoice assay using DNA from high-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSOC) samples.
  • Results indicate high concordance between different assays for assessing GI, supporting their use in clinical settings for HRD evaluation, which aligns with European Medicines Agency guidelines for PARP inhibitor treatment.
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Background: The aim of this study was to analyse transcriptomic differences between primary and recurrent high-grade serous ovarian carcinoma (HGSOC) to identify prognostic biomarkers.

Methods: We analysed 19 paired primary and recurrent HGSOC samples using targeted RNA sequencing. We selected the best candidates using in silico survival and pathway analysis and validated the biomarkers using immunohistochemistry on a cohort of 44 paired samples, an additional cohort of 504 primary HGSOCs and explored their function.

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Background: Malnutrition was associated with worse survival outcomes, impaired quality of life, and deteriorated performance status across various cancer types. We aimed to identify risk factors for malnutrition in patients with epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) and impact on survival.

Methods: In our prospective observational monocentric study, we included the patients with primary and recurrent EOC, tubal or peritoneal cancer conducted.

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Article Synopsis
  • The survey aimed to understand the health concerns and characteristics of long-term ovarian cancer survivors (LTS) to improve follow-up care.
  • Conducted by NOGGO and shared with ENGOT and GCIG members, the anonymous survey included 68 questions and gathered responses from 1,044 LTS across 14 countries.
  • Findings highlighted that LTS who survived 5-10 years reported worse health than those over 10 years, with almost half experiencing persistent symptoms like fatigue and pain, emphasizing the need for specialized long-term care.
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Background: Tumor cells can resist chemotherapy-induced pyroptosis through glycolytic reprogramming. Estrogen-related receptor alpha (ERRα) is a central regulator of cellular energy metabolism associated with poor cancer prognosis. Herein, we refine the oncogenic role of ERRα in the pyroptosis pathway and glycolytic metabolism.

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Objective: This phase 2 study investigated sapanisertib (selective dual inhibitor of mTORC1/2) alone, or in combination with paclitaxel or TAK-117 (a selective small molecule inhibitor of PI3K), versus paclitaxel alone in advanced, recurrent, or persistent endometrial cancer.

Methods: Patients with histologic diagnosis of endometrial cancer (1-2 prior regimens) were randomized to 28-day cycles on four treatment arms: 1) weekly paclitaxel 80 mg/m (days 1, 8, and 15); 2) weekly paclitaxel 80 mg/m + oral sapanisertib 4 mg on days 2-4, 9-11, 16-18, and 23-25; 3) weekly sapanisertib 30 mg, or 4) sapanisertib 4 mg + TAK-117 200 mg on days 1-3, 8-10, 15-17, and 22-24.

Results: Of 241 patients randomized, 234 received treatment (paclitaxel, n = 87 [3 ongoing]; paclitaxel+sapanisertib, n = 86 [3 ongoing]; sapanisertib, n = 41; sapanisertib+TAK-117, n = 20).

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Article Synopsis
  • * In a study of 571 HGSC patients, higher levels of LRP1B in tumor and surrounding stromal cells were found to significantly extend overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) by up to 42 and 19 months, respectively.
  • * The findings suggest that LRP1B could serve as a valuable prognostic marker and help explore lipid metabolism's role in advanced HGSC, potentially influencing treatment strategies like liposomal therapies.
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The worldwide approval of the combination maintenance therapy of olaparib and bevacizumab in advanced high-grade serous ovarian cancer requires complex molecular diagnostic assays that are sufficiently robust for the routine detection of driver mutations in homologous recombination repair (HRR) genes and genomic instability (GI), employing formalin-fixed (FFPE) paraffin-embedded tumor samples without matched normal tissue. We therefore established a DNA-based hybrid capture NGS assay and an associated bioinformatic pipeline that fulfils our institution's specific needs. The assay´s target regions cover the full exonic territory of relevant cancer-related genes and HRR genes and more than 20,000 evenly distributed single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) loci to allow for the detection of genome-wide allele specific copy number alterations (CNA).

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TP53 is the most commonly mutated gene in cancer and has been shown to form amyloid-like aggregates, similar to key proteins in neurodegenerative diseases. Nonetheless, the clinical implications of p53 aggregation remain unclear. Here, we investigated the presence and clinical relevance of p53 aggregates in serous ovarian cancer (OC).

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Background: Tumour heterogeneity in high-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSOC) is a proposed cause of acquired resistance to treatment and high rates of relapse. Among the four distinct molecular subtypes of HGSOC, the mesenchymal subtype (MES) has been observed with high frequency in several study cohorts. Moreover, it exhibits aggressive characteristics with poor prognosis.

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Background: Surgery is the backbone of early-stage ovarian cancer (OC) management. However, in practice, there is disagreement about the extent of surgical staging and whether additional adjuvant treatment should be provided. As omitting relevant diagnostic or therapeutic procedures might lead to undertreatment, we aimed to structurally investigate treatment practice in addition to prognostic factors in a multicentre series of patients (pts) diagnosed with early-stage OC.

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Purpose: Pazopanib has promising antiangiogenetic activity in solid cancers. The investigator-initiated phase I/II trial evaluated the combination of Topotecan with Pazopanib in platinum-resistant or intermediate-sensitive recurrent ovarian cancer (ROC).

Methods: Patients (≥ 18 years) with first or second recurrence were enrolled in this multicentre open-label trial.

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Purpose: For patients with severe renal impairment (CrCl ≤ 30 ml/min) or end-stage renal disease (ESRD), olaparib intake is not recommended as the pharmacokinetics and safety of olaparib have not been evaluated in this patient group. Therefore, this valuable patient group is generally excluded from poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase inhibitor (PARPi) therapy. Here we report the pharmacokinetics (PK), efficacy, safety and tolerability of olaparib capsules 200 mg BID in a patient with recurrent epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) and ESRD requiring hemodialysis.

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Objective: Adult granulosa cell tumors represent less than 5% of all ovarian malignancies. The aim of this study was to analyze the clinicopathological parameters and their impact on progression-free and overall survival.

Methods: Patients with primary adult granulosa cell tumors treated in three international referral centers between July 1999 and December 2018 were included.

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Article Synopsis
  • RGS2, a regulator of G-protein signaling, has been linked to poor prognosis in high-grade serous ovarian carcinoma (HGSOC), making it a potential target for new therapies.
  • In a study involving 519 patients, RGS2 showed low levels of expression at the mRNA level but varying levels of protein expression, with low protein levels correlating with worse overall and progression-free survival.
  • The research highlights the need for further exploration of RGS2's functional role in HGSOC, especially given its promising implications for drug development.
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Background: The PRIMA phase 3 trial showed niraparib significantly prolongs median progression-free survival (PFS) placebo in patients with advanced ovarian cancer (OC) responsive to first-line platinum-based chemotherapy, including those who had tumors with homologous recombination deficiency (HRd). This analysis of PRIMA examined the quality-adjusted PFS (QA-PFS) and quality-adjusted time without symptoms of disease or toxicity (Q-TWiST) of patients on maintenance niraparib placebo.

Methods: Patients were randomized 2:1 to receive once-daily maintenance niraparib ( = 487) or placebo ( = 246).

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Background: This study seeks to evaluate the impact of breast cancer (BRCA) gene status on tumor dissemination pattern, surgical outcome and survival in a multicenter cohort of paired primary ovarian cancer (pOC) and recurrent ovarian cancer (rOC).

Patients And Methods: Medical records and follow-up data from 190 patients were gathered retrospectively. All patients had surgery at pOC and at least one further rOC surgery at four European high-volume centers.

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