Cumulative Burden of Morbidity Among Testicular Cancer Survivors After Standard Cisplatin-Based Chemotherapy: A Multi-Institutional Study

Purpose In this multicenter study, we evaluated the cumulative burden of morbidity (CBM) among > 1,200 testicular cancer survivors and applied factor analysis to determine the co-occurrence of adverse health outcomes (AHOs). Patients and Methods Participants were ≤ 55 years of age at diagnosis, finished first-line chemotherapy ≥ 1 year previously, completed a comprehensive questionnaire, and underwent physical examination. Treatment data were abstracted from medical records. A CBM score encompassed the number and severity of AHOs, with ordinal logistic regression used to assess associations with exposures. Nonlinear factor analysis and the nonparametric dimensionality evaluation to enumerate contributing traits procedure determined which AHOs co-occurred. Results Among 1,214 participants, approximately 20% had a high (15%) or very high/severe (4.1%) CBM score, whereas approximately 80% scored medium (30%) or low/very low (47%). Increased risks of higher scores were associated with four cycles of either ifosfamide, etoposide, and cisplatin (odds ratio [OR], 1.96; 95% CI, 1.04 to 3.71) or bleomycin, etoposide, and cisplatin (OR, 1.44; 95% CI, 1.04 to 1.98), older attained age (OR, 1.18; 95% CI, 1.10 to 1.26), current disability leave (OR, 3.53; 95% CI, 1.57 to 7.95), less than a college education (OR, 1.44; 95% CI, 1.11 to 1.87), and current or former smoking (OR, 1.28; 95% CI, 1.02 to 1.63). CBM score did not differ after either chemotherapy regimen ( P = .36). Asian race (OR, 0.41; 95% CI, 0.23 to 0.72) and vigorous exercise (OR, 0.68; 95% CI, 0.52 to 0.89) were protective. Variable clustering analyses identified six significant AHO clusters (χ2 P < .001): hearing loss/damage, tinnitus (OR, 16.3); hyperlipidemia, hypertension, diabetes (OR, 9.8); neuropathy, pain, Raynaud phenomenon (OR, 5.5); cardiovascular and related conditions (OR, 5.0); thyroid disease, erectile dysfunction (OR, 4.2); and depression/anxiety, hypogonadism (OR, 2.8). Conclusion Factors associated with higher CBM may identify testicular cancer survivors in need of closer monitoring. If confirmed, identified AHO clusters could guide the development of survivorship care strategies

Multi-Institutional Assessment of Adverse Health Outcomes Among North American Testicular Cancer Survivors After Modern Cisplatin-Based Chemotherapy

Purpose To provide new information on adverse health outcomes (AHOs) in testicular cancer survivors (TCSs) after four cycles of etoposide and cisplatin (EPX4) or three or four cycles of bleomycin, etoposide, cisplatin (BEPX3/BEPX4). Methods Nine hundred fifty-two TCSs > 1 year postchemotherapy underwent physical examination and completed a questionnaire. Multinomial logistic regression estimated AHOs odds ratios (ORs) in relation to age, cumulative cisplatin and/or bleomycin dose, time since chemotherapy, sociodemographic factors, and health behaviors. Results Median age at evaluation was 37 years; median time since chemotherapy was 4.3 years. Chemotherapy consisted largely of BEPX3 (38.2%), EPX4 (30.9%), and BEPX4 (17.9%). None, one to two, three to four, or five or more AHOs were reported by 20.4%, 42.0%, 25.1%, and 12.5% of TCSs, respectively. Median number after EPX4 or BEPX3 was two (range, zero to nine and zero to 11, respectively; P > .05) and two (range, zero to 10) after BEPX4. When comparing individual AHOs for EPX4 versus BEPX3, Raynaud phenomenon (11.6% v 21.4%; P < .01), peripheral neuropathy (29.2% v 21.4%; P = .02), and obesity (25.5% v 33.0%; P = .04) differed. Larger cumulative bleomycin doses (OR, 1.44 per 90,000 IU) were significantly associated with five or more AHOs. Increasing age was a significant risk factor for one to two, three to four, or five or more AHOs versus zero AHOs (OR, 1.22, 1.50, and 1.87 per 5 years, respectively; P < .01); vigorous physical activity was protective (OR, 0.62, 0.51, and 0.41, respectively; P < .05). Significant risk factors for three to four and five or more AHOs included current (OR, 3.05 and 3.73) or former (OR, 1.61 and 1.76) smoking (P < .05). Self-reported health was excellent/very good in 59.9% of TCSs but decreased as AHOs increased (P < .001). Conclusion Numbers of AHOs after EPX4 or BEPX3 appear similar, with median follow-up of 4.3 years. A healthy lifestyle was associated with reduced number of AHOs

Variants in WFS1 and Other Mendelian Deafness Genes are Associated with Cisplatin-Associated Ototoxicity

Cisplatin is one of the most commonly used chemotherapy drugs worldwide and one of the most ototoxic. We sought to identify genetic variants that modulate cisplatin-associated ototoxicity (CAO). Experimental Design: We performed a genome-wide association study (GWAS) of CAO using quantitative audiometry (4-12 kHz) in 511 testicular cancer survivors of European genetic ancestry. We performed polygenic modeling and functional analyses using a variety of publicly available databases. We used an electronic health record cohort to replicate our top mechanistic finding. Results: One SNP, rs62283056, in the first intron of Mendelian deafness gene WFS1 (wolframin ER transmembrane glycoprotein) and an expression quantitative trait locus (eQTL) for WFS1 met genome-wide significance for association with CAO (P=1.4x10-8). A significant interaction between cumulative cisplatin dose and rs62283056 genotype was evident, indicating that higher cisplatin doses exacerbate hearing loss in patients with the minor allele (P=0.035). The association between decreased WFS1 expression and hearing loss was replicated in an independent BioVU cohort (n=18,620 patients, Bonferroni adjusted P\u3c0.05). Beyond this top signal, we show CAO is a polygenic trait and that SNPs in and near 84 known Mendelian deafness genes are significantly enriched for low P-values in the GWAS (P=0.048). Conclusions: We show for the first time the role of WFS1 in CAO and document a statistically significant interaction between increasing cumulative cisplatin dose and rs62283056 genotype. Our clinical translational results demonstrate that pre-therapy patient genotyping to minimize ototoxicity could be useful when deciding between cisplatin-based chemotherapy regimens of comparable efficacy with different cumulative doses

Clinical and Genetic Risk Factors for Adverse Metabolic Outcomes in North American Testicular Cancer Survivors

Background: Testicular cancer survivors (TCS) are at significantly increased risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD), with metabolic syndrome (MetS) an established risk factor. No study has addressed clinical and genetic MetS risk factors in North American TCS. Patients and Methods: TCS were aged <55 years at diagnosis and received first-line chemotherapy. Patients underwent physical examination, and had lipid panels, testosterone, and soluble cell adhesion molecule-1 (sICAM-1) evaluated. A single nucleotide polymorphism in rs523349 (5-α-reductase gene, SRD5A2), recently implicated in MetS risk, was genotyped. Using standard criteria, MetS was defined as ≥3 of the following: hypertension, abdominal obesity, hypertriglyceridemia, decreased high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol level, and diabetes. Matched controls were derived from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Results: We evaluated 486 TCS (median age, 38.1 years). TCS had a higher prevalence of hypertension versus controls (43.2% vs 30.7%; P<.001) but were less likely to have decreased HDL levels (23.7% vs 34.8%; P<.001) or abdominal obesity (28.2% vs 40.1%; P<.001). Overall MetS frequency was similar in TCS and controls (21.0% vs 22.4%; P=.59), did not differ by treatment (P=.20), and was not related to rs523349 (P=.61). For other CVD risk factors, TCS were significantly more likely to have elevated low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels (17.7% vs 9.3%; P<.001), total cholesterol levels (26.3% vs 11.1%; P<.001), and body mass index ≥25 kg/m2 (75.1% vs 69.1%; P=.04). On multivariate analysis, age at evaluation (P<.001), testosterone level ≤3.0 ng/mL (odds ratio [OR], 2.06; P=.005), and elevated sICAM-1 level (ORhighest vs lowest quartile, 3.58; P=.001) were significantly associated with MetS. Conclusions and Recommendations: Metabolic abnormalities in TCS are characterized by hypertension and increased LDL and total cholesterol levels but lower rates of decreased HDL levels and abdominal obesity, signifying possible shifts in fat distribution and fat metabolism. These changes are accompanied by hypogonadism and inflammation. TCS have a high prevalence of CVD risk factors that may not be entirely captured by standard MetS criteria. Cancer treatment–associated MetS requires further characterization

Adverse Health Outcomes in Relationship to Hypogonadism After Chemotherapy: A Multicenter Study of Testicular Cancer Survivors

Background: This study examined the prevalence of hypogonadism, its clinical and genetic risk factors, and its relationship to adverse health outcomes (AHOs) in North American testicular cancer survivors (TCS) after modern platinum-based chemotherapy. Patients and Methods: Eligible TCS were <55 years of age at diagnosis and treated with first-line platinum-based chemotherapy. Participants underwent physical examinations and completed questionnaires regarding 15 AHOs and health behaviors. Hypogonadism was defined as serum testosterone levels ≤3.0 ng/mL or use of testosterone replacement therapy. We investigated the role of 2 single nucleotide polymorphisms (rs6258 and rs12150660) in the sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) locus implicated in increased hypogonadism risk in the general population. Results: Of 491 TCS (median age at assessment, 38.2 years; range, 18.7–68.4 years), 38.5% had hypogonadism. Multivariable binary logistic regression analysis identified hypogonadism risk factors, including age at clinical evaluation (odds ratio [OR], 1.42 per 10-year increase; P=.006) and body mass index of 25 to <30 kg/m2 (OR, 2.08; P=.011) or ≥30 kg/m2 (OR, 2.36; P=.005) compared with <25 kg/m2. TCS with ≥2 risk alleles for the SHBG SNPs had a marginally significant increased hypogonadism risk (OR, 1.45; P=.09). Vigorous-intensity physical activity appeared protective (OR, 0.66; P=.07). Type of cisplatin-based chemotherapy regimen and socioeconomic factors did not correlate with hypogonadism. Compared with TCS without hypogonadism, those with hypogonadism were more likely to report ≥2 AHOs (65% vs 51%; P=.003), to take medications for hypercholesterolemia (20.1% vs 6.0%; P<.001) or hypertension (18.5% vs 10.6%; P=.013), and to report erectile dysfunction (19.6% vs 11.9%; P=.018) or peripheral neuropathy (30.7% vs 22.5%; P=.041). A marginally significant trend for increased use of prescription medications for either diabetes (5.8% vs 2.6%; P=.07) or anxiety/depression (14.8% vs 9.3%; P=.06) was observed. Conclusions: At a relatively young median age, more than one-third of TCS have hypogonadism, which is significantly associated with increased cardiovascular disease risk factors, and erectile dysfunction. Providers should screen TCS for hypogonadism and treat symptomatic patients

Clinical and Genome-Wide Analysis of Serum Platinum Levels after Cisplatin-Based Chemotherapy

Purpose: Serum platinum is measurable for years after completion of cisplatin-based chemotherapy (CBC). We report the largest investigation of serum platinum levels to date of 1,010 testicular cancer survivors (TCS) assessed 1-35 years after CBC and evaluate genetic contributions to these levels. Experimental Design: Eligible TCS given 300 or 400 (±15) mg/m2 cisplatin underwent extensive audiometric testing, clinical examination, completed questionnaires and had crude serum platinum levels measured. Associations between serum platinum and various risk factors and toxicities were assessed after fitting a bi-exponential model adjusted for follow-up time and cumulative cisplatin dose. A genome-wide association study (GWAS) was performed using the serum platinum residuals of the dose and time-adjusted model. Results: Serum platinum levels exceeded the reference range for approximately 31 years, with a strong inverse relationship with creatinine clearance at follow-up (age-adjusted p = 2.13×10−3). We observed a significant, positive association between residual platinum values and luteinizing hormone (age-adjusted p=6.58×10−3). Patients with high residual platinum levels experienced greater Raynaud’s phenomenon than those with medium or low levels (age-adjusted ORhigh/low = 1.46; p = 0.04), as well as a higher likelihood of developing tinnitus (age-adjusted ORhigh/low = 1.68, p = 0.07). GWAS identified one single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) meeting genome-wide significance rs1377817 (p=4.6×10−8, a SNP intronic to MYH14). Conclusions: This study indicates that residual platinum values are correlated with several cisplatin-related toxicities. One genetic variant is associated with these levels

Comprehensive Audiometric Analysis of Hearing Impairment and Tinnitus After Cisplatin-Based Chemotherapy in Survivors of Adult-Onset Cancer.

PURPOSE: Cisplatin is widely used but highly ototoxic. Effects of cumulative cisplatin dose on hearing loss have not been comprehensively evaluated in survivors of adult-onset cancer. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Comprehensive audiological measures were conducted on 488 North American male germ cell tumor (GCT) survivors in relation to cumulative cisplatin dose, including audiograms (0.25 to 12 kHz), tests of middle ear function, and tinnitus. American Speech-Language-Hearing Association criteria defined hearing loss severity. The geometric mean of hearing thresholds (0.25 to 12 kHz) summarized overall hearing status consistent with audiometric guidelines. Patients were sorted into quartiles of hearing thresholds of age- and sex-matched controls. RESULTS: Increasing cumulative cisplatin dose (median, 400 mg/m(2); range, 200 to 800 mg/m(2)) was significantly related to hearing loss at 4, 6, 8, 10, and 12 kHz (P trends, .021 to \u3c .001): every 100 mg/m(2) increase resulted in a 3.2-dB impairment in age-adjusted overall hearing threshold (4 to 12 kHz; P \u3c .001). Cumulative cisplatin doses \u3e 300 mg/m(2) were associated with greater American Speech-Language-Hearing Association-defined hearing loss severity (odds ratio, 1.59; P = .0066) and worse normative-matched quartiles (odds ratio, 1.33; P = .093) compared with smaller doses. Almost one in five (18%) patients had severe to profound hearing loss. Tinnitus (40% patients) was significantly correlated with reduced hearing at each frequency (P \u3c .001). Noise-induced damage (10% patients) was unaffected by cisplatin dose (P = .59). Hypertension was significantly related (P = .0066) to overall hearing threshold (4 to 12 kHz) in age- and cisplatin dose-adjusted analyses. Middle ear deficits occurred in 22.3% of patients but, as expected, were not related to cytotoxic drug dosage. CONCLUSION: Follow-up of adult-onset cancer survivors given cisplatin should include routine inquiry for hearing status and tinnitus, referral to audiologists as clinically indicated, and hypertension control. Patients should be urged to avoid noise exposure, ototoxic drugs, and other factors that further damage hearing

Clinical and Genome-wide Analysis of Cisplatin-induced Tinnitus Implicates Novel Ototoxic Mechanisms

Cisplatin, a commonly used chemotherapeutic, results in tinnitus, the phantom perception of sound. Our purpose was to identify the clinical and genetic determinants of tinnitus among testicular cancer survivors (TCS) following cisplatin-based chemotherapy. Experimental Design: TCS (n= 762) were dichotomized to cases (moderate/severe tinnitus; n=154) and controls (none; n=608). Logistic regression was used to evaluate associations with comorbidities and SNP dosages in GWAS following quality control and imputation (covariates: age, noise exposure, cisplatin dose, genetic principal components). Pathway over-representation tests and functional studies in mouse auditory cells were performed. Results: Cisplatin-induced tinnitus (CisIT) significantly associated with age at diagnosis (P=0.007) and cumulative cisplatin dose (P=0.007). CisIT prevalence was not significantly greater in 400 mg/m2-treated TCS compared to 300 (P=0.41), but doses >400 mg/m2 (median 580, range 402–828) increased risk by 2.61-fold (P<0.0001). CisIT cases had worse hearing at each frequency (0.25–12 kHz, P<0.0001), and reported more vertigo (OR=6.47; P<0.0001) and problems hearing in a crowd (OR=8.22; P<0.0001) than controls. Cases reported poorer health (P=0.0005) and greater psychotropic medication use (OR=2.4; P=0.003). GWAS suggested a variant near OTOS (rs7606353, P=2×10−6) and OTOS eQTLs were significantly enriched independently of that SNP (P=0.018). OTOS overexpression in HEI-OC1, a mouse auditory cell line, resulted in resistance to cisplatin-induced cytotoxicity. Pathway analysis implicated potassium ion transport (q=0.007). Conclusions: CisIT associated with several neuro-otological symptoms, increased use of psychotropic medication, and poorer health. OTOS, expressed in the cochlear lateral wall, was implicated as protective. Future studies should investigate otoprotective targets in supporting cochlear cells

Essential oil composition and bioinformatic analysis of Spanish broom (Spartium junceum L.)

The essential oil, isolated by hydrodistillation from fresh flowers of Spartium junceum L. collected from medicinal plant garden in Shiraz faculty of pharmacy, near Shiraz, Fars, Iran, was investigated by Gas chromatography-Mass spectrometry (GC/MS) method. The GC/MS analysis of the oil revealed the presence of 30 constituents, of which linalool (26.18%), tetradecanoic acid (22.83%), camphor (13.50%), and dodecanoic acid (13.09%) were the major, constituting altogether almost 75.60% of total composition. This is the first report of linalool as a major compound in S. junceum oil composition. For studying of 18S rRNA gene, genomic DNA content was extracted and PCR procedure was done. Sequence similarity searches were done using NCBI database and CLC sequence viewer software. The result of PCR blasted with other sequenced genes in NCBI showed 98% similarity to the 18S small subunit rRNA of Pisumsativum (Fabaceae) and Phaseoleae environmental samples of Elev and Amb clones. The phylogenetic relationships among 71 previously reported sequences of ribosomal encoding genes from plants and this novel sequence was investigated as well