Felix K F Kommoss | Search PubMed

PubMed2026

Integrated Clinicopathologic and Multiomic Profiling Reveals MEIS1-Rearranged Sarcoma as a Distinct Entity With 2 Prognostic Subgroups.

Sarcomas with MEIS1 fusions represent a rare, recently recognized group of mesenchymal neoplasms with a predilection for genitourinary and gynecologic sites. A subset exhibits skeletal muscle differentiation resembling spindle cell rhabdomyosarcoma. Existing literature is limited to case reports and small series, with scant comprehensive clinicopathologic, molecular, and outcome data. In this study, we analyzed a multi-institutional cohort of 20 MEIS1-rearranged sarcomas using integrated clinicopathologic review, genomic profiling, and DNA methylation analysis. The tumors occurred in 17 females and 3 males (median age, 41 years; range, 6-58 years), arising mainly in the uterus/vagina (n = 12), vulva/perineum (n = 4), bone (n = 2), and kidney (n = 2), with a median size of 9 cm (range, 2.5-20 cm). Histology showed mostly bland spindle cells in fascicles/storiform patterns, alternating cellularity, fibromyxoid stroma, prominent vascularity, and adipose metaplasia (45%). A subset of cases featured high-grade morphology with epithelioid cells and increased mitotic activity. Skeletal muscle markers were variably positive in 9 cases. Fusions involved MEIS1 with NCOA2 (16/20), NCOA1 (3/20), or FOXO1 (1/20). Recurrent additional genomic alterations included CTNNB1 mutations (31.6%) and MDM2 amplification (15%). DNA methylation profiling showed that MEIS1-rearranged sarcomas formed a unifying cluster comprising 2 subgroups, regardless of rhabdomyosarcomatous phenotype, clearly separated from other mesenchymal neoplasms, including various rhabdomyosarcoma subtypes and uterine sarcomas. The 2 DNA methylation (Meth) subgroups correlated with differences in genome-wide copy number variation (CNV) status (Meth-CNV high vs Meth-CNV low), with Meth-CNV high tumors characterized by high mitotic rate, frequent tumor necrosis, recurrent co-occurring CTNNB1 and MDM2 alterations, and recurrent chromosomal arm-level changes. Most importantly, this subgroup exhibited significantly worse overall survival (P = .027) and disease-free survival (median, 5 vs 99 months; P = .017). This study establishes MEIS1-rearranged sarcoma as a distinct entity with generally indolent but potentially aggressive behavior. The 2 methylation/CNV subgroups provide potential utility for prognostic stratification and highlight actionable molecular targets in high-risk cases.

Humans↗

PubMed2025

Beyond BRCA deficiency: Clinical and molecular predictors of survival in patients with BRCA-deficient tubo-ovarian high-grade serous carcinoma.

BRCA-associated homologous recombination deficiency (HRD) is present in ~50% of high-grade serous carcinomas (HGSC) and predicts sensitivity to platinum-based therapy. However, there is little understanding of why some patients with BRCA-deficient tumors experience unexpectedly poor outcomes. We profiled 154 tumors, enriched for patients with BRCA-deficient tumors that experienced short overall survival (≤3 years, n=42), using whole-genome, transcriptome, and methylation analyses. All but one BRCA-deficient tumor exceeded an accepted HRD genomic scarring threshold. However, patients with BRCA1-deficient HGSC with a more elevated HRD score survived significantly longer. Patients with BRCA2-deficient HGSC and loss of NF1 survived twice as long as those without NF1 loss, whereas PIK3CA or RAD21 amplification defined BRCA2-deficient HGSC with exceptionally short survival. BRCA1-deficient tumors in short survivors had evidence of immunosuppressive c-kit signaling and EMT. In a large HGSC cohort (n=1,389) including 282 individuals with pathogenic germline BRCA variants (gBRCApv), the location of the mutation within functional domains stratified clinical outcomes. Notably, residual disease after primary surgery had limited prognostic effect in gBRCApv-carriers compared to non-carriers. Our findings indicate that tumor HR proficiency in the context of therapy response and survival is not a binary property, and highlight genomic and immune modifiers of outcomes in BRCA-deficient HGSC.

Journal Article↗