Vascular and tumor cell expression of VEGFR2 and molecular subtyping: An innovative biomarker approach in bladder cancer.

Authors

null

Aejaz Nasir

Eli Lilly and Company, Indianapolis, IN

Aejaz Nasir , Beverly L Falcon , Dan Wang , Timothy R. Holzer , Elizabeth M Nonte , Mia Yang Chen , Angie D Fulford , Julia H Carter , Larry E Douglass , Bronislaw Pytowski , Katherine M Bell-McGuinn , Richard A. Walgren , Andrew E Schade , Aafia Chaudhry

Organizations

Eli Lilly and Company, Indianapolis, IN, Wood Hudson Cancer Research Laboratory, Newport, KY, Eli Lilly and Company, New York, NY, Eli Lilly and Company, Bridgewater, NJ

Research Funding

Pharmaceutical/Biotech Company

Background: Treatment approaches combining anti-angiogenic therapy with chemotherapy have shown promising clinical results in metastatic bladder cancer (BC). In order to interrogate the potential clinico-pathologic and molecular basis of these findings, we evaluated VEGFR2, vascular density and molecular subtyping in a series of BC patients. Methods: A custom-TMA with primary BC tissues from 117 patients (mean age 71 yrs; range 38-99 yrs; M:F = 83:34) treated at a single institution, was stained and scored (0-3) for CD34 (vascular density) and for VEGFR2 on tumor vessels and cells. CK5/6 and GATA3 IHC was scored by a pathologist to identify main molecular classes of BC. The association between clinico-pathologic variables, VEGFR2, CD34 and molecular subtypes was analyzed by Fisher’s exact test and ANOVA. Univariate and multivariate Cox proportional models were used for survival analysis. Results: Of 112 analyzable BC tissues, 41% were muscle-invasive (MIBC) vs. 56% non-muscle invasive (NMIBC) and 3% undetermined. Compared to NMIBC patients those with MIBC had shorter overall survival (p < 0.001). The main molecular subtypes included basal (11%), mixed baso-luminal (28%) and luminal (61%). Compared to luminal and baso-luminal subtypes, the majority of basal BCs were muscle invasive (p = 0.036). VEGFR2 expression was higher in tumor vessels but variable in tumor cells. 74% of BCs showed high-medium levels of VEGFR2 (scores 3-2) in tumor vessels and 88% had high-medium levels of tumor vascular density. Within basal, luminal and baso-luminal subtypes, 58%, 78% and 71% had high-medium levels of vascular VEGFR2 (p = 0.52), while 83%, 91% and 82% had high-medium levels of tumor vascular density (p = 0.08). Survival analyses showed increasing patient age, higher stage and lower VEGFR2 levels as independent predictors of shorter survival. Conclusions: Given the observed complexity of BC regarding VEGFR2 expression and vascular density across molecular subtypes, further investigation is warranted to understand how the frequent expression of VEGFR2 on tumor vasculature and variable expression in tumor cells relates to the efficacy of anti-angiogenic agents across these subtypes in bladder cancer.

Disclaimer

This material on this page is ©2024 American Society of Clinical Oncology, all rights reserved. Licensing available upon request. For more information, please contact licensing@asco.org

Abstract Details

Meeting

2018 Genitourinary Cancers Symposium

Session Type

Poster Session

Session Title

Poster Session B: Prostate Cancer, Urothelial Carcinoma, and Penile, Urethral, and Testicular Cancers

Track

Urothelial Carcinoma,Prostate Cancer,Penile, Urethral, and Testicular Cancers

Sub Track

Urothelial Carcinoma

Citation

J Clin Oncol 36, 2018 (suppl 6S; abstr 497)

DOI

10.1200/JCO.2018.36.6_suppl.497

Abstract #

497

Poster Bd #

K4

Abstract Disclosures