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Joyce F. Liu, MD, MPH
Joyce F. Liu, MD, MPH
Posted: Tuesday, January 21, 2025
According to Rebecca A. Previs, MD, of Duke Cancer Institute, Durham, North Carolina, and colleagues, following the approval of the antibody-drug conjugate mirvetuximab soravtansine-gynx for patients with platinum-resistant epithelial ovarian cancer whose tumors highly express folate receptor–alpha (FRα), the adoption and implementation of testing for this glycosylphosphatidylinositol-anchored cell-surface glycoprotein have varied across clinical practices. Their retrospective analysis, which was published in the journal Gynecologic Oncology, seemed to reaffirm its role in the front-line setting.
“Our results highlight a need for standardized protocols for FRα testing to ensure accurate biomarker evaluation across varied clinical settings,” the investigators concluded. “The heterogeneity in FRα expression, influenced by tumor histology and anatomical origin, warrants further investigation to optimize therapeutic outcomes.”
Using an immunohistochemical assay, the investigators tested 425 patient samples from various anatomic sites for FRα expression. The most common histologic type was high-grade serous carcinoma (46.8%). Statistical analyses were performed to examine the correlation between FRα positivity and clinical parameters (eg, tumor site, histology).
A total of 36.3% of cases demonstrated high expression levels of FRα, with a significant association found between FRα positivity and high-grade serous histology. Compared with tumor samples from metastatic sites, those from the ovaries, fallopian tubes, adnexa, and dominant pelvic masses showed higher FRα positivity (32.5% vs 44.4%; P = .02); according to the investigators, this finding highlights the potential influence of tumor origin on FRα expression. The duration of time between sample collection and testing (median = 19.5 months) was not found to impact FRα expression. Eight patients had more than one specimen tested, of whom three (37.5%) demonstrated discrepant results.
Disclosure: For full disclosures of the study authors, visit gynecologiconcology-online.net.
