Analysis of Circulating Tumour Cells in Early-Stage Uveal Melanoma: Evaluation of Tumour Marker Expression to Increase Capture.

(1) Background: The stratification of uveal melanoma (UM) patients into prognostic groups is critical for patient management and for directing patients towards clinical trials. Current classification is based on clinicopathological and molecular features of the tumour. Analysis of circulating tumour cells (CTCs) has been proposed as a tool to avoid invasive biopsy of the primary tumour. However, the clinical utility of such liquid biopsy depends on the detection rate of CTCs. (2) Methods: The expression of melanoma, melanocyte, and stem cell markers was tested in a primary tissue microarray (TMA) and UM cell lines. Markers found to be highly expressed in primary UM were used to either immunomagnetically isolate or immunostain UM CTCs prior to treatment of the primary lesion. (3) Results: TMA and cell lines had heterogeneous expression of common melanoma, melanocyte, and stem cell markers. A multi-marker panel of immunomagnetic beads enabled isolation of CTCs in 37/43 (86%) patients with UM. Detection of three or more CTCs using the multi-marker panel, but not MCSP alone, was a significant predictor of shorter progression free (p = 0.040) and overall (p = 0.022) survival. (4) Conclusions: The multi-marker immunomagnetic isolation protocol enabled the detection of CTCs in most primary UM patients. Overall, our results suggest that a multi-marker approach could be a powerful tool for CTC separation for non-invasive prognostication of UM.

Conjunctival Stromal Tumor: Report of 2 New Cases and Review of the Literature.

Conjunctival stromal tumor (COST) is an emerging entity with only a limited number of cases reported in the literature. In this report, we describe 2 additional cases, review the accumulative clinical and histopathological features and expand on the immunophenotypic property of this entity. COST appears to have a sporadic presentation, affecting both sexes and patients of variable ethnicity and age group and predominantly occurring on the bulbar conjunctiva as a slow-growing asymptomatic or slightly tender mass-like lesion. Histopathologically, COST is characterized by singly dispersed spindle to round cells, often with some degree of degenerative nuclear atypia, within a myxomatous to collagenous stroma. Lesional cells are characteristically positive for CD34 and vimentin, negative for S100, SOX10 and STAT6 and show a normal pattern of staining with RB1 by immunohistochemistry. The reported cases to date have shown an indolent biological behavior, reliably treated by a complete surgical excision.

Low-Pass Whole-Genome Sequencing as a Method of Determining Copy Number Variations in Uveal Melanoma Tissue Samples.

Analysis of specific somatic copy number alterations (SCNAs) using multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification (MLPA) is used routinely as a prognostic test for uveal melanoma (UM). This technique requires relatively large amounts of input DNA, unattainable from many small fine-needle aspirate biopsy specimens. Herein, we compared the use of MLPA with whole-genome amplification (WGA) combined with low-pass whole-genome sequencing (LP-WGS) for detection of SCNA profiles in UM biopsy specimens. DNA was extracted from 21 formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded UM samples and SCNAs were assessed using MLPA and WGA followed by LP-WGS. Cohen's κ was used to assess the concordance of copy number calls of each individual chromosome arm for each patient. MLPA and WGA/LP-WGS detection of SCNAs in chromosomes 1p, 3, 6, and 8 were compared and found to be highly concordant with a Cohen's κ of 0.856 (bias-corrected and accelerated 95% CI, 0.770-0.934). Only 13 of 147 (8.8%) chromosomal arms investigated resulted in discordant calls, predominantly SCNAs detected by WGA/LP-WGS but not MLPA. These results indicate that LP-WGS might be a suitable alternative or adjunct to MLPA for the detection of SCNAs associated with prognosis of UM, for cases with limiting tissue or DNA yields.

Clinical Application of Circulating Tumor Cells and Circulating Tumor DNA in Uveal Melanoma.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the feasibility of using circulating tumor cells (CTCs) and circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) for the management of uveal melanoma (UM). PATIENTS AND METHODS: Low-coverage whole-genome sequencing was used to determine somatic chromosomal copy number alterations (SCNAs) in primary UM tumors, ctDNA, and whole-genome amplified CTCs. CTCs were immunocaptured using an antimelanoma-associated chondroitin sulfate antibody conjugated to magnetic beads and immunostained for melanoma antigen recognised by T cells 1 (MART1)/glycoprotein 100 (gp100)/S100 calcium-binding protein ß (S100ß). ctDNA was quantified using droplet digital polymerase chain reaction assay for mutations in the GNAQ, GNA11, PLCß4, and CYSLTR2 genes. RESULTS: SCNA analysis of CTCs and ctDNA isolated from a patient with metastatic UM showed good concordance with the enucleated primary tumor. In a cohort of 30 patients with primary UM, CTCs were detected in 58% of patients (one to 37 CTCs per 8 mL of blood), whereas only 26% of patients had detectable ctDNA (1.6 to 29 copies/mL). The presence of CTCs or ctDNA was not associated with tumor size or other prognostic markers. However, the frequent detection of CTCs in patients with early-stage UM supports a model in which CTCs can be used to derive tumor-specific SCNA relevant for prognosis. Monitoring of ctDNA after treatment of the primary tumor allowed detection of metastatic disease earlier than 18F-labeled fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography in two patients. CONCLUSION: The presence of CTCs in localized UM can be used to ascertain prognostic SCNA, whereas ctDNA can be used to monitor patients for early signs of metastatic disease. This study paves the way for the analysis of CTCs and ctDNA as a liquid biopsy that will assist with treatment decisions in patients with UM.

Deep sequencing of uveal melanoma identifies a recurrent mutation in PLCB4.

Next generation sequencing of uveal melanoma (UM) samples has identified a number of recurrent oncogenic or loss-of-function mutations in key driver genes including: GNAQ, GNA11, EIF1AX, SF3B1 and BAP1. To search for additional driver mutations in this tumor type we carried out whole-genome or whole-exome sequencing of 28 tumors or primary cell lines. These samples have a low mutation burden, with a mean of 10.6 protein changing mutations per sample (range 0 to 53). As expected for these sun-shielded melanomas the mutation spectrum was not consistent with an ultraviolet radiation signature, instead, a BRCA mutation signature predominated. In addition to mutations in the known UM driver genes, we found a recurrent mutation in PLCB4 (c.G1888T, p.D630Y, NM_000933), which was validated using Sanger sequencing. The identical mutation was also found in published UM sequence data (1 of 56 tumors), supporting its role as a novel driver mutation in UM. PLCB4 p.D630Y mutations are mutually exclusive with mutations in GNA11 and GNAQ, consistent with PLCB4 being the canonical downstream target of the former gene products. Taken together these data suggest that the PLCB4 hotspot mutation is similarly a gain-of-function mutation leading to activation of the same signaling pathway, promoting UM tumorigenesis.

Eosinophilic cystitis: treatment with intravesical steroids and oral antihistamines.

This is a case of eosinophilic cystitis in a 56-year-old indigenous Australian woman who presented with urosepsis on the background of a urinary tract infection unresponsive to oral antibiotics. After resolution of the urosepsis, she had persisting urinary retention and a cystoscopy/bladder biopsy suggested eosinophilic cystitis. After 1 month of intravesical hydrocortisone and oral loratadine, repeat cystoscopy showed vast improvement in the bladder lesions. This case further strengthens the use of intravesical steroids and oral antihistamines for the management of eosinophilic cystitis.

Rosai-Dorfman disease presenting as choroidal melanoma: a case report and review of the literature.

BACKGROUND: Rosai-Dorfman disease (RDD), also known as sinus histiocytosis with massive lymphadenopathy, is a rare non-malignant proliferation of histiocytes of unknown aetiology. It was first recognised as a distinct clinicopathologic entity in 1969, and is classified as an idiopathic non-Langerhans cell histiocytosis. The disease process is usually self-limiting and often involves lymph nodes, but extranodal involvement is well-described and any anatomic site can be involved. METHODS: We describe a unique case of a 40-year-old male who presented with a fundus mass diagnosed clinically as choroidal melanoma. The tumour showed rapid growth. The patient developed a total retinal detachment and underwent enucleation. The globe contained a choroidal tumour with histologic and immunophenotypic features characteristic of RDD. The literature of ocular Rosai-Dorfman disease was reviewed. RESULTS: This is the first case in the English literature of intraocular choroidal RDD, mimicking choroidal melanoma. CONCLUSIONS: Rosai-Dorfman disease can present as a mass-producing lesion in the choroid and may mimic other choroidal tumours. The case emphasises the need to consider diagnostic biopsy prior to definitive treatment of choroidal tumours.