Publications by authors named "Jochen K Lennerz"

Following recommendations from various consortia and professional societies, the double-colon symbol (::) has become an integral part of gene fusion nomenclature (e.g., EML4::ALK).

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This study aimed to assess the correlation between RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) and immunohistochemistry (IHC) in detecting key cancer biomarkers across solid tumors, and then, to establish RNA-seq thresholds that accurately reflect clinical IHC classifications. Expression levels of nine biomarkers-ESR1, PGR, AR, MKI67, ERBB2, CD274, CDX2, KRT7, and KRT20-were analyzed in 365 formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded samples from breast, lung, gastrointestinal, and other solid carcinomas. Correlations between RNA-seq data and IHC scores were determined using Spearman's correlation coefficients, with RNA-seq cut-offs established to distinguish positive from negative IHC scores.

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Digital innovation in precision diagnostics requires addressing complex challenges, such as implementation, adoption, equity, and sustainability. This study introduces a co-creation framework that leverages the pre-competitive space to drive collaborative innovation in personalized diagnostics. Over 5 years, a multidisciplinary community of stakeholders from computational pathology, oncology, genetics, digital medicine, and industry engaged in design-thinking workshops to identify unmet medical needs and co-develop solutions.

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Introduction: First-line mesothelioma treatment paradigms prioritize histology without integrating molecular features. Findings from other thoracic cancers suggest that tumor immune microenvironment (TME) composition and immunotherapy efficacy are informed by genomic profile. Mesothelioma studies exploring the relationship between molecular alterations, immune infiltrate, and immunotherapy outcomes are needed.

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Decalcification of bone-containing tumor samples serves to soften tissues before histologic processing. However, it can lead to nucleic acid degradation, resulting in next-generation sequencing failures that impede diagnostic solutions for patients. The Morphological Bone Score (MBS) described herein optimizes the assessment of decalcified tissue samples, consequently improving both diagnostic accuracy and cost efficiency in molecular genetic laboratories.

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Current breast cancer classification methods, particularly immunohistochemistry and PAM50, face challenges in accurately characterizing the HER2-low subtype, a therapeutically relevant entity with distinct biological features. This notable gap can lead to misclassification, resulting in inappropriate treatment decisions and suboptimal patient outcomes. Leveraging RNA-seq and machine-learning algorithms, we developed the Breast Cancer Classifier (BCC), a unique transcriptomic classifier for more precise breast cancer subtyping, specifically by delineating and incorporating HER2-low as a distinct subtype.

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Background: Growing evidence supports the importance of characterizing the organizational patterns of various cellular constituents in the tumor microenvironment in precision oncology. Most existing data on immune cell infiltrates in tumors, which are based on immune cell counts or nearest neighbor-type analyses, have failed to fully capture the cellular organization and heterogeneity.

Methods: We introduce a computational algorithm, termed Tumor-Immune Partitioning and Clustering (TIPC), that jointly measures immune cell partitioning between tumor epithelial and stromal areas and immune cell clustering versus dispersion.

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Cell division drives somatic evolution but is challenging to quantify. We developed a framework to count cell divisions with DNA replication-related mutations in polyguanine homopolymers. Analyzing 505 samples from 37 patients, we studied the milestones of colorectal cancer evolution.

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Measuring virus in biofluids is complicated by confounding biomolecules coisolated with viral nucleic acids. To address this, we developed an affinity-based microfluidic device for specific capture of intact severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Our approach used an engineered angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 to capture intact virus from plasma and other complex biofluids.

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Primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) is a risk factor for cholangiocarcinoma. When a child is diagnosed with both PSC and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), evidence-based information on counseling families and risk management of developing cholangiocarcinoma is limited. In this case series (PubMed/collaborators), we included patients with PSC-IBD who developed cholangiocarcinoma and contacted authors to determine an event curve specifying the time between the second diagnosis (IBD or PSC) and a diagnosis of cholangiocarcinoma.

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Purpose: MYB has been shown to play a central role in oncogenesis in a majority of adenoid cystic carcinomas (ACC). Testing for MYB expression via immunohistochemistry (IHC) or testing for the MYB gene fusion by next-generation sequencing (NGS) have become useful tools for the diagnosis of ACC. In addition, detection of MYB expression may have implications for patient management.

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Although the development of multiple primary tumors in smokers with lung cancer can be attributed to carcinogen-induced field cancerization, the occurrence of multiple tumors at presentation in individuals with EGFR-mutant lung cancer who lack known environmental exposures remains unexplained. In the present study, we identified ten patients with early stage, resectable, non-small cell lung cancer who presented with multiple, anatomically distinct, EGFR-mutant tumors. We analyzed the phylogenetic relationships among multiple tumors from each patient using whole-exome sequencing (WES) and hypermutable poly(guanine) (poly(G)) repeat genotyping as orthogonal methods for lineage tracing.

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Article Synopsis
  • The study investigates whether primary tumor cells can metastasize randomly or require specialized traits by examining 26 colorectal cancer patients with peritoneal metastases.
  • Using a detailed sampling method, the research finds that peritoneal metastases are more heterogeneous than liver metastases and influenced by factors like chemotherapy.
  • The origins of peritoneal metastases are often at the deep-invading edge of primary tumors and generally do not share a common subclonal origin with distant metastases, indicating different selective pressures impacting cancer cells during metastasis.
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  • - Technology companies are increasingly using generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) in pathology and lab medicine, which has both potential benefits and risks for patients and the overall healthcare system.
  • - This study focuses on outlining current ethical frameworks for the development and use of GenAI in healthcare settings, pulling information from various scientific sources and guidelines.
  • - While there's a growing body of literature on AI ethics in medicine, the field is still developing, and a collaborative approach involving all stakeholders is essential to ensure safe and effective implementation of GenAI technology.
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Preclinical studies suggest that simultaneous HER2/VEGF blockade may have cooperative effects in gastroesophageal adenocarcinomas. In a single-arm investigator initiated clinical trial for patients with untreated advanced HER2+ gastroesophageal adenocarcinoma, bevacizumab was added to standard of care capecitabine, oxaliplatin, and trastuzumab in 36 patients (NCT01191697). Primary endpoint was objective response rate and secondary endpoints included safety, duration of response, progression free survival, and overall survival.

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Cancer remains a significant global health challenge due to its high morbidity and mortality rates. Early detection is essential for improving patient outcomes, yet current diagnostic methods lack the sensitivity and specificity needed for identifying early-stage cancers. Here, we explore the potential of multi-omics approaches, which integrate genomic, transcriptomic, proteomic, and metabolomic data, to enhance early cancer detection.

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  • The study focuses on diagnosing thyroid cancer using tissue examination and molecular data, highlighting the specific genetic mutations associated with different types of thyroid malignancies, particularly papillary thyroid carcinoma.
  • Researchers conducted a retrospective review of over 5,000 thyroid malignancies and identified 17 tumors with significant genetic alterations, with a special emphasis on the role of a specific gene family in cancer development.
  • The findings suggest the existence of primary genetic drivers and secondary mutations in thyroid cancers, which could contribute to tumor progression and treatment resistance, paving the way for potential targeted therapies.
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Sensory neurons in the dorsal root ganglion (DRG) and trigeminal ganglion (TG) are specialized to detect and transduce diverse environmental stimuli to the central nervous system. Single-cell RNA sequencing has provided insights into the diversity of sensory ganglia cell types in rodents, nonhuman primates, and humans, but it remains difficult to compare cell types across studies and species. We thus constructed harmonized atlases of the DRG and TG that describe and facilitate comparison of 18 neuronal and 11 non-neuronal cell types across six species and 31 datasets.

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Context.—: Computational pathology combines clinical pathology with computational analysis, aiming to enhance diagnostic capabilities and improve clinical productivity. However, communication barriers between pathologists and developers often hinder the full realization of this potential.

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Delays and risks associated with neurosurgical biopsies preclude timely diagnosis and treatment of central nervous system (CNS) lymphoma and other CNS neoplasms. We prospectively integrated targeted rapid genotyping of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) into the evaluation of 70 patients with CNS lesions of unknown cause. Participants underwent genotyping of CSF-derived DNA using a quantitative polymerase chain reaction-based approach for parallel detection of single-nucleotide variants in the MYD88, TERT promoter, IDH1, IDH2, BRAF, and H3F3A genes within 80 minutes of sample acquisition.

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Article Synopsis
  • Survival rates for glioblastoma IDH wild-type (GBM) vary, emphasizing the need for improved surgical strategies, particularly given that most recurrences occur close to the resection margin.
  • A predictive model was created to determine which GBMs could achieve radiographic gross-total resection (GTR), showing strong accuracy in forecasting surgical outcomes based on tumor characteristics.
  • Analysis of surgical margins using a rapid method revealed that patients with undetected TERT promoter mutations after GTR had significantly better survival rates compared to those with detectable mutations.
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Background: Viral infections can cause acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), systemic inflammation, and secondary cardiovascular complications. Lung macrophage subsets change during ARDS, but the role of heart macrophages in cardiac injury during viral ARDS remains unknown. Here we investigate how immune signals typical for viral ARDS affect cardiac macrophage subsets, cardiovascular health, and systemic inflammation.

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