Science

Tatiana Prowell: Genomic profiling performed on 822 breast cancer brain metastases by Athina Giannoudis et al.

Collage photo of Tatiana Prowell and Athina Giannoudis

Dec 24, 2024, 23:45

Tatiana Prowell: Genomic profiling performed on 822 breast cancer brain metastases by Athina Giannoudis et al.

A recent paper by Athina Giannoudis, Lecturer in Biomedical Science at the University of Liverpool, published in NPJ Precision Oncology, was mentioned by Tatiana Prowell, Associate Professor of Oncology in the Division of Women’s Malignancies at the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, on X:

“Breast cancer brain metastases genomic profiling identifies alterations targetable by immune-checkpoint and PARP inhibitors”

Authors: Athina Giannoudis et al.

“New and important Genomic profiling performed on 822 breast cancer brain metastases (BCBM) and thousands of local breast tumors and non-brain metastases (unpaired).

HRD and ImmunoOncology-predictive biomarkers are significantly more common in BCBM.

And…

Tatiana Prowell: Genomic profiling performed on 822 breast cancer brain metastases by Athina Giannoudis et al.

There were some differences in the biomarkers found in the brain metastases as you might expect by breast cancer subtype.

But maybe the biggest news is that they found at a low prevalence a range of targets present in these tumors, for which there are approved agents.

Tatiana Prowell: Genomic profiling performed on 822 breast cancer brain metastases by Athina Giannoudis et al.

We need to:

Remember this, especially in isolated brain metastases or isolated CNS progression
Know if we can reliably detect the same alterations in CSF (or innovate to make biopsy less invasive)
Prioritize CNS penetrant agents with safety for drug development.

…or develop strategies to deliver non-CNS-penetrant agents to the CNS.

We must include people with brain metastases and as appropriate active untreated brain metastases, in Oncology Twitter trials. Preventing/treating CNS metastases will be the final frontier in breast cancer.”

Tatiana Prowell is an Associate Professor of Oncology in the Division of Women’s Malignancies at the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center and Breast Cancer Scientific Liaison to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

She was the principal architect of FDA’s policy on accelerated approval using pathological complete response as a novel regulatory endpoint in the neoadjuvant high-risk breast cancer setting, and a member of the Biden Cancer Moonshot Blue Ribbon Panel Cancer Immunology Working Group. A frequent public speaker, she is a three-time recipient of FDA’s Excellence in Communication Award.

She is a past Giants of Cancer Care Award finalist, the recipient of the 2019 John and Samuel Bard Medal in Science or Medicine, and the recipient of a 2020 Webby Special Achievement Award for her effective use of social media during the pandemic. A passionate medical educator and mentor, she was Chair of the 2020 ASCO Annual Meeting Education Committee.