Clinical and epidemiological characteristics of cancers associated with human papillomavirus in the regions of North-West Russia

Introduction. The leading role of the human papillomavirus in the etiopathogenesis of malignant neoplasms of some localizations is generally recognized. Vaccines that are used in the world and in Russia for the prevention of papillomavirus infection create the basis for the elimination of diseases associated with the human papillomavirus in the future. The aim of the study is to determine the regional, gender and age-specific features of cancers associated with the human papillomavirus to substantiate the development of a unified system of epidemiological surveillance and vaccination. Materials and methods. The retrospective epidemiological analysis of the incidence of cancers associated with the human papillomavirus and mortality due to these neoplasms in the regions of the North-Western Federal District of Russia in 20112020 was carried out based on data from Statistic Form 7 "Information on malignant neoplasms" and the Population cancer Registers of St. Petersburg (13,117 cases), Leningrad region (3204 cases) and the Kaliningrad region (2898 cases). Results. In the structure of cancers associated with the human papillomavirus in St. Petersburg, Leningrad and Kaliningrad regions, more than 90% of men had tumors of the oral cavity, oropharynx and larynx, more than 60% of women had cervical cancer. Regional and age-specific features of the incidence of cervical cancer and mortality from this pathology have been established. Statistically significant differences in the incidence of cancer of the head and neck, anus and anal canal in different age groups of the male and female population were revealed. Conclusion. As a result of the study, regional, gender and age-specific features of the incidence of human papillomavirus-associated malignant neoplasms in the North-West of Russia were established. These data should be used to develop a system of epidemiological surveillance of papillomavirus infection and vaccination program

Biomarker analyses in REGARD gastric/GEJ carcinoma patients treated with VEGFR2-targeted antibody ramucirumab

Background: Angiogenesis inhibition is an important strategy for cancer treatment. Ramucirumab, a human IgG1 monoclonal antibody that targets VEGF receptor 2 (VEGFR2), inhibits VEGF-A, -C, -D binding and endothelial cell proliferation. To attempt to identify prognostic and predictive biomarkers, retrospective analyses were used to assess tumour (HER2, VEGFR2) and serum (VEGF-C and -D, and soluble (s) VEGFR1 and 3) biomarkers in phase 3 REGARD patients with metastatic gastric/gastroesophageal junction carcinoma. Methods: A total of 152 out of 355 (43%) patients randomised to ramucirumab or placebo had ⩾1 evaluable biomarker result using VEGFR2 immunohistochemistry or HER2, immunohistochemistry or FISH, of blinded baseline tumour tissue samples. Serum samples (32 patients, 9%) were assayed for VEGF-C and -D, and sVEGFR1 and 3. Results: None of the biomarkers tested were associated with ramucirumab efficacy at a level of statistical significance. High VEGFR2 endothelial expression was associated with a non-significant prognostic trend toward shorter progression-free survival (high vs low HR=1.65, 95% CI=0.84,3.23). Treatment with ramucirumab was associated with a trend toward improved survival in both high (HR=0.69, 95% CI=0.38, 1.22) and low (HR=0.73, 95% CI=0.42, 1.26) VEGFR2 subgroups. The benefit associated with ramucirumab did not appear to differ by tumoural HER2 expression. Conclusions: REGARD exploratory analyses did not identify a strong potentially predictive biomarker of ramucirumab efficacy; however, statistical power was limited

Biomarker analyses in REGARD gastric/GEJ carcinoma patients treated with VEGFR2-targeted antibody ramucirumab

Angiogenesis inhibition is an important strategy for cancer treatment. Ramucirumab, a human IgG1 monoclonal antibody that targets VEGF receptor 2 (VEGFR2), inhibits VEGF-A, -C, -D binding and endothelial cell proliferation. To attempt to identify prognostic and predictive biomarkers, retrospective analyses were used to assess tumour (HER2, VEGFR2) and serum (VEGF-C and -D, and soluble (s) VEGFR1 and 3) biomarkers in phase 3 REGARD patients with metastatic gastric/gastroesophageal junction carcinoma. A total of 152 out of 355 (43%) patients randomised to ramucirumab or placebo had ⩾1 evaluable biomarker result using VEGFR2 immunohistochemistry or HER2, immunohistochemistry or FISH, of blinded baseline tumour tissue samples. Serum samples (32 patients, 9%) were assayed for VEGF-C and -D, and sVEGFR1 and 3. None of the biomarkers tested were associated with ramucirumab efficacy at a level of statistical significance. High VEGFR2 endothelial expression was associated with a non-significant prognostic trend toward shorter progression-free survival (high vs low HR=1.65, 95% CI=0.84,3.23). Treatment with ramucirumab was associated with a trend toward improved survival in both high (HR=0.69, 95% CI=0.38, 1.22) and low (HR=0.73, 95% CI=0.42, 1.26) VEGFR2 subgroups. The benefit associated with ramucirumab did not appear to differ by tumoural HER2 expression. REGARD exploratory analyses did not identify a strong potentially predictive biomarker of ramucirumab efficacy; however, statistical power was limited