| 1. |
- Ahearn, Thomas U., et al.
(författare)
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Common variants in breast cancer risk loci predispose to distinct tumor subtypes
- 2022
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Ingår i: Breast Cancer Research. - : Springer Nature. - 1465-5411 .- 1465-542X. ; 24:1
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BackgroundGenome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified multiple common breast cancer susceptibility variants. Many of these variants have differential associations by estrogen receptor (ER) status, but how these variants relate with other tumor features and intrinsic molecular subtypes is unclear.MethodsAmong 106,571 invasive breast cancer cases and 95,762 controls of European ancestry with data on 173 breast cancer variants identified in previous GWAS, we used novel two-stage polytomous logistic regression models to evaluate variants in relation to multiple tumor features (ER, progesterone receptor (PR), human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) and grade) adjusting for each other, and to intrinsic-like subtypes.ResultsEighty-five of 173 variants were associated with at least one tumor feature (false discovery rate < 5%), most commonly ER and grade, followed by PR and HER2. Models for intrinsic-like subtypes found nearly all of these variants (83 of 85) associated at p < 0.05 with risk for at least one luminal-like subtype, and approximately half (41 of 85) of the variants were associated with risk of at least one non-luminal subtype, including 32 variants associated with triple-negative (TN) disease. Ten variants were associated with risk of all subtypes in different magnitude. Five variants were associated with risk of luminal A-like and TN subtypes in opposite directions.ConclusionThis report demonstrates a high level of complexity in the etiology heterogeneity of breast cancer susceptibility variants and can inform investigations of subtype-specific risk prediction.
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| 2. |
- Alvaeus, Julia, et al.
(författare)
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Fewer tumour draining sentinel nodes in patients with progressing muscle invasive bladder cancer, after neoadjuvant chemotherapy and radical cystectomy
- 2020
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Ingår i: World journal of urology. - : Springer. - 0724-4983 .- 1433-8726. ; 38, s. 2207-2213
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- PURPOSE: To examine the relationship between the number of tumour draining sentinel nodes (SNs) and pathoanatomical outcomes, in muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC), in patients undergoing neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) and radical cystectomy (RC).MATERIALS AND METHODS: In an ongoing prospective multicenter study, we included 230 patients with suspected urothelial MIBC from ten Swedish urological centers. All underwent TURb and clinical staging. From the cohort, 116 patients with urothelial MIBC; cT2-cT4aN0M0, underwent radical cystectomy (RC) and lymphadenectomy with SN-detection (SNd). 83 patients received cisplatin-based NAC and 33 were NAC-naïve. The number and locations of detected SNs and non-SNs were recorded for each patient. The NAC treated patients were categorized by pathoanatomical outcomes post-RC into three groups: complete responders (CR), stable disease (SD) and progressive disease (PD). Selected covariates with possible impact on SN-yield were tested in uni -and multivariate analyses for NAC-treated patients only.RESULTS: In NAC treated patients, the mean number of SNs was significantly higher in CR patients (3.3) and SD patients (3.6) compared with PD patients (1.4) (p = 0.034). In a linear multivariate regression model, the number of harvested nodes was the only independent variable that affected the number of SNs (p = 0.0004).CONCLUSIONS: The number of tumor-draining SNs in NAC-treated patients was significantly lower in patients with progressive disease.
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| 3. |
- Devarajan, Raman, et al.
(författare)
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Targeting collagen XVIII improves the efficiency of ErbB inhibitors in breast cancer models
- 2023
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Ingår i: Journal of Clinical Investigation. - : American Society for Clinical Investigation. - 0021-9738 .- 1558-8238. ; 133:18
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The tumor extracellular matrix (ECM) critically regulates cancer progression and treatment response. Expression of the basement membrane component collagen XVIII (ColXVIII) is induced in solid tumors, but its involvement in tumorigenesis has remained elusive. We show here that ColXVIII was markedly upregulated in human breast cancer (BC) and was closely associated with a poor prognosis in high-grade BCs. We discovered a role for ColXVIII as a modulator of epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase (ErbB) signaling and show that it forms a complex with ErbB1 and -2 (also known as EGFR and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 [HER2]) and α6-integrin to promote cancer cell proliferation in a pathway involving its N-terminal portion and the MAPK/ERK1/2 and PI3K/AKT cascades. Studies using Col18a1 mouse models crossed with the mouse mammary tumor virus-polyoma virus middle T antigen (MMTV-PyMT) mammary carcinogenesis model showed that ColXVIII promoted BC growth and metastasis in a tumor cell-autonomous manner. Moreover, the number of mammary cancer stem cells was significantly reduced in the MMTV-PyMT and human cell models upon ColXVIII inhibition. Finally, ablation of ColXVIII substantially improved the efficacy of ErbB-targeting therapies in both preclinical models. In summary, ColXVIII was found to sustain the stemness properties of BC cells and tumor progression and metastasis through ErbB signaling, suggesting that targeting ColXVIII in the tumor milieu may have important therapeutic potential.
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| 4. |
- Escala-Garcia, Maria, et al.
(författare)
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A network analysis to identify mediators of germline-driven differences in breast cancer prognosis
- 2020
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Ingår i: Nature Communications. - : NATURE PUBLISHING GROUP. - 2041-1723. ; 11:1
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Identifying the underlying genetic drivers of the heritability of breast cancer prognosis remains elusive. We adapt a network-based approach to handle underpowered complex datasets to provide new insights into the potential function of germline variants in breast cancer prognosis. This network-based analysis studies similar to 7.3 million variants in 84,457 breast cancer patients in relation to breast cancer survival and confirms the results on 12,381 independent patients. Aggregating the prognostic effects of genetic variants across multiple genes, we identify four gene modules associated with survival in estrogen receptor (ER)-negative and one in ER-positive disease. The modules show biological enrichment for cancer-related processes such as G-alpha signaling, circadian clock, angiogenesis, and Rho-GTPases in apoptosis.
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| 5. |
- Hiltbrunner, Stefanie, et al.
(författare)
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Urinary Exosomes from Bladder Cancer Patients Show a Residual Cancer Phenotype despite Complete Pathological Downstaging
- 2020
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Ingår i: Scientific Reports. - : Nature Publishing Group. - 2045-2322. ; 10:1
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Invasive urinary bladder cancer shows high recurrence rates after cystectomy even with apparent complete downstaging at cystectomy. Exosomes are nano-sized vesicles important in cell-cell communication, which have been hypothesized to contribute to cancer dissemination and recurrence. The aim of this study was to investigate if pro-carcinogenic exosomes could be detected in urine from histologically downstaged bladder cancer patients. 13 Patients were included in this study. Paired ureter and urine samples from nine patients underwent mass spectrometry, while samples from the remaining patients were used for exosome characterization. At cystectomy, exosomes were isolated from bladder and ureter urine, whereafter quantitative proteome profiling was performed. Urinary exosomes clustered based on whether they came from the bladder, with tumour contact, or the ureters, without tumour contact, even though all came from completely downstaged patients. Proteins overexpressed in exosomes derived from bladder urine contained several oncogenes and were mainly associated with tumour metabolism pathways. Although patients were histologically tumour-free at cystectomy, the bladder urine contained exosomes with a carcinogenic metabolic profile. This suggests a continuous release of exosomes from the bladder, which may promote recurrence at distant sites through metabolic rewiring, even after apparent complete downstaging. These exosomes, coming from either undetected cancer cells or partly transformed cells, are likely to increase the risk of metastasis and encourages cystectomy even in completely downstaged patients.
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| 6. |
- Krifors, Anders, et al.
(författare)
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Long-lasting T-cell response to SARS-CoV-2 antigens after vaccination-a prospective cohort study of HCWs working with COVID-19 patients
- 2023
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Ingår i: Infectious Diseases. - : Taylor & Francis. - 2374-4235 .- 2374-4243. ; 53:2, s. 142-148
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BACKGROUND: Vaccination against SARS-CoV-2 reduces the risk of hospitalisation and death, but vaccine-induced IgG antibodies against the spike protein (IgG S) decline over time. Less is known about the nature of the vaccine-induced T-cell response to SARS-CoV-2 antigens.METHODS: IgG antibodies against nucleocapsid protein (IgG N), IgG S, and T-cell response towards SARS-CoV-2 antigens were determined in samples taken between November 2020 and November 2021 from a cohort of healthcare workers at an Infectious Diseases Department. RT-PCR screening for SARS-CoV-2 was encouraged once every four weeks in addition to testing when symptomatic or identified through contact tracing. Vaccination data were collected at the end of the study.RESULTS: At inclusion, T-cell response to SARS-CoV-2 antigens was found in 10/15 (66.7%) of participants with a previous/current COVID-19 infection and in 9/54 (16.7%) of participants with no prior/current history of COVID-19 infection. All participants with complete follow-up (n = 59) received two doses of a SARS-CoV-2 vaccine during the study. All participants demonstrated detectable IgG (S) antibodies at the end of the study, in median 278 days (IQR 112) after the second vaccine dose. All but four participants displayed T-cell responses towards SARS-CoV-2 antigens. IgG S antibody levels correlated with time since the second vaccine dose. In addition, previous COVID-19 infection and the strength of the S1 T-cell response correlated with IgG S antibody levels. However, no correlation was demonstrated between the strength of the T-cell response and time since the second vaccine dose.CONCLUSION: COVID-19 vaccination induces robust T-cell responses that remain for at least nine months.
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| 7. |
- Mueller, Stefanie H., et al.
(författare)
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Aggregation tests identify new gene associations with breast cancer in populations with diverse ancestry
- 2023
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Ingår i: Genome Medicine. - : BioMed Central (BMC). - 1756-994X .- 1756-994X. ; 15
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Low-frequency variants play an important role in breast cancer (BC) susceptibility. Gene-based methods can increase power by combining multiple variants in the same gene and help identify target genes.Methods: We evaluated the potential of gene-based aggregation in the Breast Cancer Association Consortium cohorts including 83,471 cases and 59,199 controls. Low-frequency variants were aggregated for individual genes' coding and regulatory regions. Association results in European ancestry samples were compared to single-marker association results in the same cohort. Gene-based associations were also combined in meta-analysis across individuals with European, Asian, African, and Latin American and Hispanic ancestry.Results: In European ancestry samples, 14 genes were significantly associated (q < 0.05) with BC. Of those, two genes, FMNL3 (P = 6.11 x 10(-6)) and AC058822.1 (P = 1.47 x 10(-4)), represent new associations. High FMNL3 expression has previously been linked to poor prognosis in several other cancers. Meta-analysis of samples with diverse ancestry discovered further associations including established candidate genes ESR1 and CBLB. Furthermore, literature review and database query found further support for a biologically plausible link with cancer for genes CBLB, FMNL3, FGFR2, LSP1, MAP3K1, and SRGAP2C.Conclusions: Using extended gene-based aggregation tests including coding and regulatory variation, we report identification of plausible target genes for previously identified single-marker associations with BC as well as the discovery of novel genes implicated in BC development. Including multi ancestral cohorts in this study enabled the identification of otherwise missed disease associations as ESR1 (P = 1.31 x 10(-5)), demonstrating the importance of diversifying study cohorts.
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| 8. |
- Rosenblatt, Robert, et al.
(författare)
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Blood transfusions during neoadjuvant chemotherapy for muscle-invasive urinary bladder cancer may have a negative impact on overall survival
- 2020
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Ingår i: Scandinavian journal of urology. - : Taylor & Francis. - 2168-1805 .- 2168-1813. ; 54:1, s. 46-51
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Objective: To evaluate the extent and plausible effects of blood transfusions given during cisplatin-based neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) on overall survival in patients with muscle-invasive urothelial bladder cancer (MIBC) undergoing NAC and radical cystectomy (RC).Background: Several studies have demonstrated a decreased survival for MIBC patients receiving allogenic peri- and postoperative blood transfusions in conjunction with RC. No studies have previously investigated the effects of blood transfusions during NAC.Materials and methods: 120 patients with MIBC (cT2-T4aN0M0) undergoing NAC and RC between 2008 and 2014 at four Swedish cystectomy centers were retrospectively evaluated. Clinicopathological data were obtained, including data of allogenic blood administration. Survival data was analyzed by Kaplan–Meier plotting and Cox regression.Results: One third of the cohort received blood transfusions during the period of NAC. In univariate analysis, blood transfusions during NAC, nodal stage and advanced tumor stage (pT >2) were negative prognostic factors for survival. In multivariate analysis, only pNx and pT >2 remained significant negative prognostic factors. In a subgroup analysis consisting of patients with localized tumors without dissemination (n = 96), patients that received transfusions during NAC showed an 18.5% absolute risk increase of death at five years of observation, although without statistical significance (p = .197).Conclusions: This is the first time that the extent and plausible effects of allogenic blood transfusions during NAC is examined in MIBC. Data suggest that there may be an association between blood transfusion and poor pathological and oncological outcome. Firm conclusions are difficult to draw due to few study participants and the retrospective nature of the study.
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| 9. |
- Rosenblatt, Robert, 1982-
(författare)
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Neoadjuvant chemotherapy in muscle-invasive urinary bladder cancer : studies on treatment response, tumor draining lymph nodes and blood transfusion
- 2020
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Muscle-invasive urinary bladder cancer is a deadly disease. Mortality rates remained unchanged for decades despite radical surgery.After several randomized trials, we today know that cisplatin based chemotherapy given prior to cystectomy, improves survival for every tenth patient. Markers that predict responsiveness to chemotherapy would spare unnecessary treatment to the majority of patients. In the search for signs of chemosensitivity, we performed a retrospective analysis of the Nordic cystectomy trials 1 & 2: Chemo treated patients had an almost doubled increase in tumor downstaging compared to the controls. More importantly, this group presented with a reduced absolute risk of death of more than 30% compared to the rest of the patients. These results were presented in paper I.Many cancers spread through the lymphatic system. Usually, there is at least one tumor draining lymph node, referred to as the sentinel node. If this node is free of metastases, there is no lymphatic spread of the disease, and consequently, no use of excavating all neighboring lymph nodes.Sentinel node detection, is an established method in breast cancer, penile cancer and malignant melanoma. Based on the same principles, members of our group developed a similar detection technique in bladder cancer. Unfortunately, sensitivity and specificity were too low to rely on this method as a diagnostic tool for lymphatic spread. Instead, it turned out in recent years that sentinel nodes in muscle invasive bladder cancer are valuable for translational research-lines - mainly in tumor immunology. As for example, sentinel nodes contain tumor specific T cells that are useful in adoptive immunotherapy.In paper II, we set out to test whether sentinel node detection was feasible after chemotherapy and/or tumor downstaging. In a prospective cohort of patients, we saw no difference in detection rates between the groups. Thus, we concluded, neither chemotherapy nor downstaging appeared to hamper the identification of sentinel nodes.The concept was expanded in paper III. After recruiting more patients to the cohort mentioned above, the average numbers of sentinel nodes in different categories of patients were compared. We saw a pattern of decreased number of sentinel nodes in those with locally advanced tumors. It seemed that the number of sentinel nodes had prognostic implications.In the last study, published in paper IV, we wanted to widen our knowledge on the clinical effects of blood transfusion. Mounting data suggests that perioperative blood products have a negative impact on long term survival after cancer surgery. How much allogenic blood was given during the chemotherapy prior to surgery ? It turned out that one third of the bladder cancer patients received blood, and these patients demonstrated a significantly worse overall survival.Neoadjuvant chemotherapy has added a new beneficial dimension to the treatment of muscle invasive bladder cancer. In these four studies, we addressed the effects of chemotherapy on pathoanatomical outcomes, on tumor lymphatics and further; we are suggesting consequences of neoadjuvant chemotherapy in conjunction with blood transfusion. It appears that the immune system is involved in all aspects investigated above. Most likely, an improved scientific understanding of the immune system will be crucial for future bladder cancer treatment options.
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| 10. |
- Waldeck, Mattias, et al.
(författare)
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Surveillance of tick-borne encephalitis in emerging risk areas in southern Sweden : a retrospective case finding study
- 2023
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Ingår i: European Journal of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0934-9723 .- 1435-4373. ; 42:1, s. 13-22
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) is an emerging infection causing CNS infection of various severity. Good knowledge of the incidence in the population and defined risk areas is important in risk communication and vaccination recommendations. The aim of this study was to investigate potential underreporting by retrospectively diagnose TBE among patients with viral CNS infections of unknown etiology in a region with emerging risk areas for TBE, and define variables associated with performed TBE serology at the time of infection. Epidemiological data and microbiological diagnostics of cases with viral CNS infection of unknown etiology treated at departments of infectious diseases and pediatrics in Skåne County during 2000–2012 were investigated. Analyses to evaluate variables associated with performed TBE serology at the time of infection were performed. Retrospective TBE serology was performed on stored blood samples when available. TBE serology was already performed at the time of CNS infection in 193 out of 761 cases. Department, type of clinical manifestation, time period of illness, and whether Borrelia serology had been performed were independent variables associated with having had TBE serology performed or not at the time of illness. Only one of 137 cases, where samples could be retrospectively analyzed for TBE, turned out positive. This study shows a low frequency of TBE sampling among patients with meningoencephalitis in a region with emerging risk for TBE. A higher awareness of TBE as differential diagnosis could contribute to earlier detection of new risk areas and adequate preventive advice to the public.
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