Genomic Profiling of Highly Aggressive Musculoskeletal Sarcomas Identifies Potential Therapeutic Targets: A Single-Center Experience

<b>Background/Objectives:</b> Targeted gene sequencing (TGS) for Comprehensive Genomic Profiling (CGP) use in sarcomas has recently increased in clinical practice. We report on TGS real-world data over a period of 3 years (2022-2025) at the IRCCS Istituto Ortopedico Rizzoli, with the aim of identifying potential actionable targets and providing therapeutic indications for advanced sarcoma patients. <b>Methods:</b> We analyzed 22 advanced sarcoma patients by using the VariantPlex Pan Solid Tumor kit panel, including 185 genes. In nine cases, saliva samples for germinal DNA analysis were available. Sequencing was performed on the NextSeq-500 Platform and analyzed with Archer Analysis software. The Cancer Genome Interpreter and OncoKB Database tools were used to find potential actionable targets. <b>Results:</b> We found the most frequent genetic variants, including missense, deletion, duplication, and delins, in the NOTCH4, AR, BARD1, MUC16, and ROS1 genes. Copy Number alterations affected the CDKN2A, CDKN2B, TP53, RHOA, MYC, CCND3, and DDR2 genes mainly in osteosarcoma samples. In four patients, longitudinal analyses of subsequent lesions showed the maintenance of most genomic alterations and enrichment in missense or splice variants in PMS2, SMARCA4, ARID1A, AKT1, BMPR1A, and PTEN, indicating the occurrence of tumor evolution. Germline variants subtraction identified the specific somatic tumor mutations. Advantages and disadvantages of our approach were considered in order to refine the analysis setting and better select possible actionable targets. <b>Conclusions:</b> Early access to genomic analyses, routine germline assessment, and broad gene panels would help in identifying possible targeted drugs with sufficient evidence of activity beneficial to each patient. In the clinical management of advanced sarcoma patients, when analyzing cost-effectiveness and sustainability, the role of the Molecular Tumor Board in the governance of the complexity introduced by mutational oncology should be considered.

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Journal
Cancers
Published
2025-12-31
DOI
https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers18010139
Primary Topic
Sarcoma Diagnosis and Treatment
Type
article
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article

Genomic Profiling of Highly Aggressive Musculoskeletal Sarcomas Identifies Potential Therapeutic Targets: A Single-Center Experience

Giovanna Magagnoli, Katia Scotlandi, Alessandro Parra, Elisa Simonetti et al.
Cancers
Sarcoma Diagnosis and Treatment
article

Genomic Profiling of Highly Aggressive Musculoskeletal Sarcomas Identifies Potential Therapeutic Targets: A Single-Center Experience

Giovanna Magagnoli, Katia Scotlandi, Alessandro Parra, Elisa Simonetti, Alessandra De Feo, Lorena Landuzzi, Maria Antonella Laginestra, Evelin Pellegrini, Giorgio Frega, Emanuela Palmerini, Davide María Donati, Laura Pazzaglia, Marco Gambarotti, Stefania Cocchi, Cristina Ferrari, Toni Ibrahim
article en

Abstract

<b>Background/Objectives:</b> Targeted gene sequencing (TGS) for Comprehensive Genomic Profiling (CGP) use in sarcomas has recently increased in clinical practice. We report on TGS real-world data over a period of 3 years (2022-2025) at the IRCCS Istituto Ortopedico Rizzoli, with the aim of identifying potential actionable targets and providing therapeutic indications for advanced sarcoma patients. <b>Methods:</b> We analyzed 22 advanced sarcoma patients by using the VariantPlex Pan Solid Tumor kit panel, including 185 genes. In nine cases, saliva samples for germinal DNA analysis were available. Sequencing was performed on the NextSeq-500 Platform and analyzed with Archer Analysis software. The Cancer Genome Interpreter and OncoKB Database tools were used to find potential actionable targets. <b>Results:</b> We found the most frequent genetic variants, including missense, deletion, duplication, and delins, in the NOTCH4, AR, BARD1, MUC16, and ROS1 genes. Copy Number alterations affected the CDKN2A, CDKN2B, TP53, RHOA, MYC, CCND3, and DDR2 genes mainly in osteosarcoma samples. In four patients, longitudinal analyses of subsequent lesions showed the maintenance of most genomic alterations and enrichment in missense or splice variants in PMS2, SMARCA4, ARID1A, AKT1, BMPR1A, and PTEN, indicating the occurrence of tumor evolution. Germline variants subtraction identified the specific somatic tumor mutations. Advantages and disadvantages of our approach were considered in order to refine the analysis setting and better select possible actionable targets. <b>Conclusions:</b> Early access to genomic analyses, routine germline assessment, and broad gene panels would help in identifying possible targeted drugs with sufficient evidence of activity beneficial to each patient. In the clinical management of advanced sarcoma patients, when analyzing cost-effectiveness and sustainability, the role of the Molecular Tumor Board in the governance of the complexity introduced by mutational oncology should be considered.

CancersVol. 18(1)
Istituto Ortopedico Rizzoli (IT), Istituti di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IT)
Openalex Percentile: Top 27%
Sarcoma Diagnosis and Treatment
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