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- Malapelle, Umberto, et al.
(author)
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Predictive molecular pathology in the time of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Europe
- 2021
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In: Journal of Clinical Pathology. - : BMJ. - 0021-9746 .- 1472-4146. ; 74:6, s. 391-395
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Aims Lung cancer predictive biomarker testing is essential to select advanced-stage patients for targeted treatments and should be carried out without delays even during health emergencies, such as the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. Methods Fifteen molecular laboratories from seven different European countries compared 4 weeks of national lockdown to a corresponding period in 2019, in terms of tissue and/or plasma-based molecular test workload, analytical platforms adopted, number of cases undergoing programmed death-ligand1 (PD-L1) expression assessment and DNA-based molecular tests turnaround time. Results In most laboratories (80.0%), tissue-based molecular test workload was reduced. In 40.0% of laboratories (6/15), the decrease was >25%, and in one, reduction was as high as 80.0%. In this instance, a concomitant increase in liquid biopsy was reported (60.0%). Remarkably, in 33.3% of the laboratories, real-time PCR (RT-PCR)-based methodologies increased, whereas highly multiplexing assays approaches decreased. Most laboratories (88.9%) did not report significant variations in PD-L1 volume testing. Conclusions The workload of molecular testing for patients with advanced-stage lung cancer during the lockdown showed little variations. Local strategies to overcome health emergency-related issues included the preference for RT-PCR tissue-based testing methodologies and, occasionally, for liquid biopsy.
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2. |
- Scardoni, Maria, et al.
(author)
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Mixed Adenoneuroendocrine Carcinomas of the Gastrointestinal Tract : Targeted Next-Generation Sequencing Suggests a Monoclonal Origin of the Two Components
- 2014
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In: Neuroendocrinology. - : S. Karger AG. - 0028-3835 .- 1423-0194. ; 100:4, s. 310-316
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background: Mixed adenoneuroendocrine carcinomas (MANECs) of the gastrointestinal tract are rare neoplasms characterized by coexisting exocrine and neuroendocrine neoplastic components. MANECs' histogenetic classification and molecular characterization remain unclear, significantly affecting the identification of innovative therapeutic options for these tumors. Methods: The exocrine and neuroendocrine components of 6 gastrointestinal MANECs were microdissected and subjected to the simultaneous mutation assessment in selected regions of 54 cancer-associated genes using Ion Torrent semiconductor-based next-generation sequencing. Sanger sequencing and immunohistochemistry were used as validation of the mutational status. Results: A total of 20 driver gene somatic mutations were observed among the 12 neoplastic components investigated. In 11 of 12 (91.7%) samples, at least one mutation was detected; 7 samples (58.3%) were found to have multiple mutations. TP53 gene mutations were the most frequent genetic alterations observed in the series, occurring in 11/12 samples (91.7%). Somatic mutations in other genes were detected at lower frequencies: ATM, CTNNB1, ERBB4, JAK3, KDR, KRAS, RB1. Conclusions: Five of the 6 MANECs presented an overlapping mutational profile in both components, suggesting a monoclonal origin of the two MANEC components.
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