Genetic studies have established anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK), a cell surface receptor tyrosine kinase, as a tractable molecular target in neuroblastoma. We describe comprehensive genomic, ...biochemical, and computational analyses of ALK mutations across 1,596 diagnostic neuroblastoma samples. ALK tyrosine kinase domain mutations occurred in 8% of samples—at three hot spots and 13 minor sites—and correlated significantly with poorer survival in high- and intermediate-risk neuroblastoma. Biochemical and computational studies distinguished oncogenic (constitutively activating) from nononcogenic mutations and allowed robust computational prediction of their effects. The mutated variants also showed differential in vitro crizotinib sensitivities. Our studies identify ALK genomic status as a clinically important therapeutic stratification tool in neuroblastoma and will allow tailoring of ALK-targeted therapy to specific mutations.
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•ALK mutations occur in 8% of neuroblastoma patients across all stages of disease•The presence of an ALK tyrosine kinase domain mutation correlates with poor prognoses•A biochemically informed computational approach identifies oncogenic mutations•Oncogenic ALK mutations differ significantly in tumor cell sensitivity to crizotinib
Bresler et al. carry out comprehensive genomic, biochemical, and computational analyses of ALK mutations across a large cohort of diagnostic neuroblastoma samples and develop computational approaches for identifying disease-significant ALK mutations, which will also allow tailoring of ALK-targeted therapies.
Treatment planning for children with neuroblastoma requires accurate assessment of prognosis. The most recent Children's Oncology Group (COG) risk classification system used tumor stage as defined by ...the International Neuroblastoma Staging System. Here, we validate a revised classifier using the International Neuroblastoma Risk Group Staging System (INRGSS) and incorporate segmental chromosome aberrations (SCA) as an additional genomic biomarker.
Newly diagnosed patients enrolled on the COG neuroblastoma biology study ANBL00B1 between 2007 and 2017 with known age, International Neuroblastoma Staging System, and INRGSS stage were identified (N = 4,832). Tumor
status, ploidy, SCA status (1p and 11q), and International Neuroblastoma Pathology Classification histology were determined centrally. Survival analyses were performed for combinations of prognostic factors used in COG risk classification according to the prior version 1, and to validate a revised algorithm (version 2).
Most patients with locoregional tumors had excellent outcomes except for those with image-defined risk factors (INRGSS L2) with
amplification (5-year event-free survival and overall survival: 76.3% ± 5.8% and 79.9% ± 5.5%, respectively) or patients age ≥ 18 months with L2
nonamplified tumors with unfavorable International Neuroblastoma Pathology Classification histology (72.7% ± 5.4% and 82.4% ± 4.6%), which includes the majority of L2 patients with SCA. For patients with stage M (metastatic) and MS (metastatic, special) disease, genomic biomarkers affected risk group assignment for those < 12 months (
) or 12-18 months (
, histology, ploidy, and SCA) of age. In a retrospective analysis of patient outcome, the 5-year event-free survival and overall survival using COG version 1 were low-risk: 89.4% ± 1.1% and 97.9% ± 0.5%; intermediate-risk: 86.1% ± 1.3% and 94.9% ± 0.8%; high-risk: 50.8% ± 1.4% and 61.9% ± 1.3%; and using COG version 2 were low-risk: 90.7% ± 1.1% and 97.9% ± 0.5%; intermediate-risk: 85.1% ± 1.4% and 95.8% ± 0.8%; high-risk: 51.2% ± 1.4% and 62.5% ± 1.3%, respectively.
A revised 2021 COG neuroblastoma risk classifier (version 2) that uses the INRGSS and incorporates SCAs has been adopted to prospectively define COG clinical trial eligibility and treatment assignment.
The ability to utilize preclinical models to predict the clinical toxicity of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells in solid tumors is tenuous, thereby necessitating the development and evaluation ...of gated systems. Here we found that murine GD2 CAR-T cells, specific for the tumor-associated antigen GD2, induce fatal neurotoxicity in a costimulatory domain-dependent manner. Meanwhile, human B7H3 CAR-T cells exhibit efficacy in preclinical models of neuroblastoma. Seeking a better CAR, we generated a SynNotch gated CAR-T, GD2-B7H3, recognizing GD2 as the gate and B7H3 as the target. GD2-B7H3 CAR-T cells control the growth of neuroblastoma in vitro and in metastatic xenograft mouse models, with high specificity and efficacy. These improvements come partly from the better metabolic fitness of GD2-B7H3 CAR-T cells, as evidenced by their naïve T-like post-cytotoxicity oxidative metabolism and lower exhaustion profile.
Neuroblastoma Maris, John M, MD; Hogarty, Michael D, MD; Bagatell, Rochelle, MD ...
The Lancet (British edition),
06/2007, Volume:
369, Issue:
9579
Journal Article
Peer reviewed
Summary The clinical hallmark of neuroblastoma is heterogeneity, with the likelihood of cure varying widely according to age at diagnosis, extent of disease, and tumour biology. A subset of tumours ...will undergo spontaneous regression while others show relentless progression. Around half of all cases are currently classified as high-risk for disease relapse, with overall survival rates less than 40% despite intensive multimodal therapy. This Seminar focuses on recent advances in our understanding of the biology of this complex paediatric solid tumour. We outline plans for the development of a uniform International Neuroblastoma Risk Group (INRG) classification system, and summarise strategies for risk-based therapies. We also update readers on new discoveries related to the underlying molecular pathogenesis of this tumour, with special emphasis on advances that are translatable to the clinic. Finally, we discuss new approaches to treatment, including recently discovered molecular targets that might provide more effective treatment strategies with the potential for less toxicity.
Neuroblastoma is a pediatric malignancy with heterogeneous clinical outcomes. To better understand neuroblastoma pathogenesis, here we analyze whole-genome, whole-exome and/or transcriptome data from ...702 neuroblastoma samples. Forty percent of samples harbor at least one recurrent driver gene alteration and most aberrations, including MYCN, ATRX, and TERT alterations, differ in frequency by age. MYCN alterations occur at median 2.3 years of age, TERT at 3.8 years, and ATRX at 5.6 years. COSMIC mutational signature 18, previously associated with reactive oxygen species, is the most common cause of driver point mutations in neuroblastoma, including most ALK and Ras-activating variants. Signature 18 appears early and is continuous throughout disease evolution. Signature 18 is enriched in neuroblastomas with MYCN amplification, 17q gain, and increased expression of mitochondrial ribosome and electron transport-associated genes. Recurrent FGFR1 variants in six patients, and ALK N-terminal structural alterations in five samples, identify additional patients potentially amenable to precision therapy.
Centers from Europe and United States have reported an exceedingly high number of children with a severe inflammatory syndrome in the setting of coronavirus disease 2019, which has been termed ...multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C).
This study aimed to analyze echocardiographic manifestations in MIS-C.
A total of 28 MIS-C, 20 healthy control subjects and 20 classic Kawasaki disease (KD) patients were retrospectively reviewed. The study reviewed echocardiographic parameters in the acute phase of the MIS-C and KD groups, and during the subacute period in the MIS-C group (interval 5.2 ± 3 days).
Only 1 case in the MIS-C group (4%) manifested coronary artery dilatation (z score = 3.15) in the acute phase, showing resolution during early follow-up. Left ventricular (LV) systolic and diastolic function measured by deformation parameters were worse in patients with MIS-C compared with KD. Moreover, MIS-C patients with myocardial injury were more affected than those without myocardial injury with respect to all functional parameters. The strongest parameters to predict myocardial injury in MIS-C were global longitudinal strain, global circumferential strain, peak left atrial strain, and peak longitudinal strain of right ventricular free wall (odds ratios: 1.45 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.08 to 1.95, 1.39 95% CI: 1.04 to 1.88, 0.84 95% CI: 0.73 to 0.96, and 1.59 95% CI: 1.09 to 2.34, respectively). The preserved LV ejection fraction (EF) group in MIS-C showed diastolic dysfunction. During the subacute period, LVEF returned to normal (median from 54% to 64%; p < 0.001) but diastolic dysfunction persisted.
Unlike classic KD, coronary arteries may be spared in early MIS-C; however, myocardial injury is common. Even preserved EF patients showed subtle changes in myocardial deformation, suggesting subclinical myocardial injury. During an abbreviated follow-up, there was good recovery of systolic function but persistence of diastolic dysfunction and no coronary aneurysms.
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Oncogenic Myc alters mitochondrial metabolism, making it dependent on exogenous glutamine (Gln) for cell survival. Accordingly, Gln deprivation selectively induces apoptosis in MYC-overexpressing ...cells via unknown mechanisms. Using MYCN-amplified neuroblastoma as a model, we identify PUMA, NOXA, and TRB3 as executors of Gln-starved cells. Gln depletion in MYC-transformed cells induces apoptosis through ATF4-dependent, but p53-independent, PUMA and NOXA induction. MYC-transformed cells depend on both glutamate-oxaloacetate transaminase and glutamate dehydrogenase to maintain Gln homeostasis and suppress apoptosis. Consequently, either ATF4 agonists or glutaminolysis inhibitors potently induce apoptosis in vitro and inhibit tumor growth in vivo. These results reveal mechanisms whereby Myc sensitizes cells to apoptosis, and validate ATF4 agonists and inhibitors of Gln metabolism as potential Myc-selective cancer therapeutics.
► MYCN-amplified neuroblastomas overexpress genes critical for glutamine metabolism ► PUMA, NOXA, and TRB3 are executers of Myc-mediated cell death upon glutamine deprivation ► MYCN transgenic mice treated with glutaminolysis inhibitors develop smaller tumors ► ATF4 agonists and glutaminolysis inhibitors are potential cancer therapeutics
Aggressive cancers often have activating mutations in growth-controlling oncogenes and inactivating mutations in tumor-suppressor genes. In neuroblastoma, amplification of the MYCN oncogene and ...inactivation of the ATRX tumor-suppressor gene correlate with high-risk disease and poor prognosis. Here we show that ATRX mutations and MYCN amplification are mutually exclusive across all ages and stages in neuroblastoma. Using human cell lines and mouse models, we found that elevated MYCN expression and ATRX mutations are incompatible. Elevated MYCN levels promote metabolic reprogramming, mitochondrial dysfunction, reactive-oxygen species generation, and DNA-replicative stress. The combination of replicative stress caused by defects in the ATRX-histone chaperone complex, and that induced by MYCN-mediated metabolic reprogramming, leads to synthetic lethality. Therefore, ATRX and MYCN represent an unusual example, where inactivation of a tumor-suppressor gene and activation of an oncogene are incompatible. This synthetic lethality may eventually be exploited to improve outcomes for patients with high-risk neuroblastoma.
Induction chemotherapy followed by high-dose therapy with autologous stem cell transplant and subsequent antidisialoganglioside antibody immunotherapy is standard of care for patients with high-risk ...neuroblastoma, but survival rate among these patients remains low.
To determine if tandem autologous transplant improves event-free survival (EFS) compared with single transplant.
Patients were enrolled in this randomized clinical trial from November 2007 to February 2012 at 142 Children's Oncology Group centers in the United States, Canada, Switzerland, Australia, and New Zealand. A total of 652 eligible patients aged 30 years or younger with protocol-defined high-risk neuroblastoma were enrolled and 355 were randomized. The final date of follow-up was June 29, 2017, and the data analyses cut-off date was June 30, 2017.
Patients were randomized to receive tandem transplant with thiotepa/cyclophosphamide followed by dose-reduced carboplatin/etoposide/melphalan (n = 176) or single transplant with carboplatin/etoposide/melphalan (n = 179).
The primary outcome was EFS from randomization to the occurrence of the first event (relapse, progression, secondary malignancy, or death from any cause). The study was designed to test the 1-sided hypothesis of superiority of tandem transplant compared with single transplant.
Among the 652 eligible patients enrolled, 297 did not undergo randomization because they were nonrandomly assigned (n = 27), ineligible for randomization (n = 62), had no therapy (n = 1), or because of physician/parent preference (n = 207). Among 355 patients randomized (median diagnosis age, 36.1 months; 152 42.8% female), 297 patients (83.7%) completed the study and 21 (5.9%) were lost to follow-up after completing protocol therapy. Three-year EFS from the time of randomization was 61.6% (95% CI, 54.3%-68.9%) in the tandem transplant group and 48.4% (95% CI, 41.0%-55.7%) in the single transplant group (1-sided log-rank P=.006). The median (range) duration of follow-up after randomization for 181 patients without an event was 5.6 (0.6-8.9) years. The most common significant toxicities following tandem vs single transplant were mucosal (11.7% vs 15.4%) and infectious (17.9% vs 18.3%).
Among patients aged 30 years or younger with high-risk neuroblastoma, tandem transplant resulted in a significantly better EFS than single transplant. However, because of the low randomization rate, the findings may not be representative of all patients with high-risk neuroblastoma.
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT00567567.
In 2006, Children's Oncology Group (COG) reclassified subgroups of toddlers diagnosed with neuroblastoma from high-risk to intermediate-risk, when the age cutoff for high-risk assignment was raised ...from 365 days (12 months) to 547 days (18 months). The primary aim of this retrospective study was to determine if excellent outcome was maintained after assigned reduction of therapy.
Children <3 years old at diagnosis, enrolled on a COG biology study from 1990 to 2018, were eligible (n = 9,189). Assigned therapy was reduced for two cohorts of interest on the basis of the age cutoff change: 365-546 days old with International Neuroblastoma Staging System (INSS) stage 4,
not amplified (
), favorable International Neuroblastoma Pathology Classification (INPC), hyperdiploid tumors (12-18mo/Stage4/FavBiology), and 365-546 days old with INSS stage 3,
and unfavorable INPC tumors (12-18mo/Stage3/
/Unfav). Log-rank tests compared event-free survival (EFS) and overall survival (OS) curves.
For 12-18mo/Stage4/FavBiology, 5-year EFS/OS (± SE) before (≤2006; n = 40) versus after (>2006; n = 55) assigned reduction in therapy was similar: 89% ± 5.1%/89% ± 5.1% versus 87% ± 4.6%/94% ± 3.2% (
= .7;
= .4, respectively). For 12-18mo/Stage3/
/Unfav, the 5-year EFS and OS were both 100%, before (n = 6) and after (n = 4) 2006. The 12-18mo/Stage4/FavBiology plus 12-18mo/Stage3/
/Unfav classified as high-risk ≤2006 had an EFS/OS of 91% ± 4.4%/91% ± 4.5% versus 38% ± 1.3%/43% ± 1.3% for all other high-risk patients <3 years old (
< .0001;
< .0001, respectively). The 12-18mo/Stage4/FavBiology plus 12-18mo/Stage3/
/Unfav classified as intermediate-risk >2006 had an EFS/OS of 88% ± 4.3%/95% ± 2.9% versus 88% ± 0.9%/95% ± 0.6% for all other intermediate-risk patients <3 years old (
= .87;
= .85, respectively).
Excellent outcome was maintained among subsets of toddlers with neuroblastoma assigned to reduced treatment after reclassification of risk group from high to intermediate on the basis of new age cutoffs. Importantly, as documented in prior trials, intermediate-risk therapy is not associated with the degree of acute toxicity and late effects commonly observed with high-risk regimens.
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