Biomedical subjects

Michele C Hayward

Publications and source records attributed to Michele C Hayward.

3 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2026

Molecular evaluation of residual disease following neoadjuvant chemotherapy in triple-negative breast cancer CALGB 40603 (Alliance).

BACKGROUNDDespite therapeutic advances in early-stage triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), residual disease (RD) following neoadjuvant therapy remains a key predictor of a worse prognosis and obstacle to improving patient outcomes.METHODSTo better characterize RD and identify survival-associated features, we performed comprehensive transcriptomic profiling of 340 pretreatment stage II/III TNBCs and 70 matched posttreatment RD samples from the randomized CALGB 40603 (Alliance) phase II clinical trial. To explore preclinical treatment strategies for RD, patient-derived xenograft (PDX) mouse models mimicking RD were treated with antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs).RESULTSOur study shows prognostic genomic features measured pretreatment may differ from prognostic features measured posttreatment from RD specimens. Patients with a genomic PAM50 subtype of basal-like in RD specimens had a poor survival outcome, and their matching pretreatment tumors were characterized by elevated chromosomal amplifications of oncogenic drivers and significantly reduced B and T cell expression features. Paired analyses of basal-like RD and matched pretreatment tumors revealed further lymphocyte depletion in RD, along with lower expression of MHC class I and interferon signaling, indicating an immune-cold RD microenvironment. Treatment of a basal-like and conventional chemotherapy-resistant PDX model, resembling basal-like RD, with sacituzumab govitecan or trastuzumab deruxtecan produced a marked antitumor response.CONCLUSIONRD biology differs from pretreatment tumors, with basal-like subtype RD following neoadjuvant chemotherapy being immune cold and associated with poor survival. Preclinical modeling suggests this high-risk group may benefit from adjuvant ADC therapy.TRIAL REGISTRATIONClinicalTrials.gov NCT00861705.FUNDINGNIH NCI U10CA180821 (Alliance for Clinical Trials in Oncology), NCI U24CA176171 (Alliance for Clinical Trials in Oncology), NCI UG1CA233373 (Alliance for Clinical Trials in Oncology), NCI Breast SPORE program P50-CA058223; Susan G. Komen SAC-160074; Breast Cancer Research Foundation BCRF-23-127; NIH NCI R01-CA229409; UNC LCCC Triple Negative Breast Cancer Center.

Humans↗

PubMed2026

RAS signaling in lung adenocarcinoma is defined by lineage context and DUSP4 loss.

BACKGROUNDThe molecular landscape of lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) is often illustrated as a driver-oncogene pie chart, but identical mutations exhibit heterogeneous signaling shaped by comutations, transcriptional programs, and lineage context. We propose a lineage-integrated signaling framework using an EGFR mutation signature (mSig).METHODSWe defined EGFR mSig using differentially expressed genes in EGFR-mutant (EGFR-mt) LUADs. Semisupervised clustering and machine learning models were used to test reproducibility in different combinations of datasets. We analyzed molecular subtypes, lineage markers, co-occurring mutations, and EGFR copy number alterations in EGFR mSig-defined subtypes of LUAD.RESULTSEGFR mSig showed robust classification performance (area under receiver operating characteristic curve = 0.83-0.95; mean negative predictive value = 96.3%). Validated gene expression subtypes and lung lineage markers were closely aligned with EGFR mSig status. Most EGFR mSig+ tumors, including many without EGFR mutations, belonged to the bronchioid subtype. A subset of canonical RAS mutations were mSig+ and mirrored the EGFR mutation pattern. EGFR WT/mSig- tumors were enriched for nonbronchioid subtypes and had comutations in TP53 or RAS/RAF/RTKs. We highlight a parsimonious collection of coordinated mutations, including RAS, KEAP1, STK11, TP53, and CDKN2A, that taken together suggest coordination of tumor signaling previously suggested but now reproduced and expanded.CONCLUSIONA potentially novel EGFR mSig that captures the transcriptional footprint of EGFR activation revealed a subset of EGFR WT LUADs with mt-like features. mSig refines LUAD taxonomy beyond mutation-only pie-chart models by incorporating lineage and comutation context. Lineage-directed stratification with coalteration identifies clinically relevant groups across EGFR and RAS states and highlights treatment opportunities for patients currently considered oncogene-negative.FUNDINGNational Cancer Institute (NCI) U01CA272541, R01CA262296, U24CA264021, UG1CA233333, R01CA211939.

Humans↗

PubMed2005

Media exposure to bioterrorism: stress and the anthrax attacks.

This study examined media exposure and adjustment to anthrax bioterrorism attacks and the terrorist attacks on 9/11 in a sample of 300 people who lived distant from the attacks. Measures of direct and indirect exposure to terrorism, perceived risk of anthrax exposure, psychological distress, and outlook were assessed at 2 to 3 months and at 8 months after the first reported anthrax attack. Initial anthrax media exposure was a powerful predictor of distress, whereas subsequent anthrax media exposure only predicted negative changes in outlook over time. Perceived risk of anthrax exposure predicted distress and outlook but did not appear to mediate the effects of media exposure. Determining the nature and consequences of media exposure to threatening and frightening events like terrorism will help predict and manage response to future bioterrorism.

Adaptation, Psychological↗