@phdthesis{Fuss2020,
  author    = {Fuß, Carmina Teresa},
  title     = {Erfassung der Strahlenbelastung des Nebennierenvenenkatheters und Evaluation des Chemokinrezeptors CXCR4 als neues Target in der Differentialdiagnostik des prim{\"a}ren Hyperaldosteronismus},
  doi       = {10.25972/OPUS-19361},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-193614},
  school      = {Universit{\"a}t W{\"u}rzburg},
  year      = {2020},
  abstract  = {Der prim{\"a}re Hyperaldosteronismus stellt mit einer Pr{\"a}valenz von 5 - 12\% die h{\"a}ufigste endokrine Ursache einer sekund{\"a}ren Hypertonie da. Der Aldosteronexzess beruht in den meisten F{\"a}llen auf einer bilateralen Nebennierenhyperplasie, oder einem unilateralen Aldosteron-produzieren Adenom. Die Unterscheidung dieser beiden Entit{\"a}ten ist zur weiteren Therapieplanung essentiell: W{\"a}hrend ein unilaterales Aldosteron-produzierendes Adenom operativ entfernt wird, erhalten Patienten mit bilateraler Nebennierenhyperplasie eine lebenslange medikament{\"o}se Therapie mit Mineralocorticoidantagonisten. Der selektive Nebennierenvenenkatheter stellt den aktuellen Referenzstandard zur Subtypendifferenzierung bei Patienten mit prim{\"a}rem Hyperaldosteronismus dar. Dieser ist allerdings mit zahlreichen Nachteilen, wie beispielsweise hoher Untersucherabh{\"a}ngigkeit und fehlender Standardisierung, behaftet. Die Strahlenbelastung des Nebennierenvenenkatheters wurde bis dato nicht systematisch analysiert. Im ersten Teil dieser Arbeit wurde daher im Rahmen einer retrospektiven Studie die Strahlenbelastung des Nebennierenvenenkatheters (n=656) an vier deutschen Zentren zwischen 1999 und 2017 untersucht. Prim{\"a}re Endpunkte waren das Dosisfl{\"a}chenprodukt, die Durchleuchtungszeit und die kalkulierte effektive Dosis. Das mediane Dosisfl{\"a}chenprodukt lag bei 32,5 Gy*cm², die Durchleuchtungszeit bei 18 min, die berechnete effektive Dosis bei 6,4 mSv. Die Strahlenbelastung zeigte allerdings deutliche interinstitutionelle Unterschiede. Hauptursachen hierf{\"u}r lagen in zentrumsabh{\"a}ngigen Unterschieden in den Untersuchungsmodalit{\"a}ten, insbesondere der Anzahl an Entnahmestellen und der Verwendung von digitalen Subtraktionsangiographien. Der zweite Teil der Arbeit widmet sich der Evaluation des Chemokinrezeptors CXCR4 als neues Target in der Differentialdiagnostik des prim{\"a}ren Hyperaldosteronismus. Mittels quantitativer real-time PCR und Immunohistochemie konnte eine hohe Expression von CXCR4 in den {\"a}ußeren Schichten der Nebennierenrinde, der anh{\"a}ngenden Nebenniere benigner Nebennierentumore, sowie in Aldosteron-produzierenden Adenomen beobachtet werden. Ebenso zeigte sich eine Korrelation der CXCR4-Expression mit der Expression von CYP11B2 (Aldosteron-Synthase). Dem entgegengesetzt, war eine fehlende bzw. signifikant niedrige CXCR4-Expression in endokrin inaktiven Nebennierenadenomen nachweisbar. In autoradiographischen Bindungsstudien zeigte der CXCR4-spezifische PET-Tracer 68Ga-Pentixafor eine deutliche und spezifische Bindung an Kryogewebe von Aldosteron-produzierenden Adenomen. Im Anschluss wurden 9 Patienten mit prim{\"a}rem Hyperaldosteronismus mittels 68Ga-Pentixafor-PET/CT untersucht. Der Tracer-Uptake war signifikant h{\"o}her in Aldosteron-produzierenden Adenomen im Vergleich zu Nebennieren von Patienten, die aufgrund anderer Grunderkrankungen eine 68Ga-Pentixafor-Bildgebung erhalten hatten. Somit stellt eine CXCR4-spezifische Bildgebung eine vielversprechende M{\"o}glichkeit zur nicht-invasiven Charakterisierung von Nebennierenraumforderungen bei prim{\"a}rem Hyperaldosteronismus dar.},
  subject      = {Hyperaldosteronismus},
  language  = {de}
}
@article{FussOtherHeinzeetal.2021,
  author    = {Fuss, Carmina Teresa and Other, Katharina and Heinze, Britta and Landwehr, Laura-Sophie and Wiegering, Armin and Kalogirou, Charis and Hahner, Stefanie and Fassnacht, Martin},
  title     = {Expression of the chemokine receptor CCR7 in the normal adrenal gland and adrenal tumors and its correlation with clinical outcome in adrenocortical carcinoma},
  series = {Cancers},
  volume    = {13},
  journal   = {Cancers},
  number    = {22},
  issn      = {2072-6694},
  doi       = {10.3390/cancers13225693},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-250112},
  year      = {2021},
  abstract  = {Background: The chemokine receptor CCR7 is crucial for an intact immune function, but its expression is also associated with clinical outcome in several malignancies. No data exist on the expression of CCR7 in adrenocortical tumors. Methods: CCR7 expression was investigated by qRT-PCR and immunohistochemistry in 4 normal adrenal glands, 59 adrenocortical adenomas, and 181 adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC) samples. Results: CCR7 is highly expressed in the outer adrenocortical zones and medulla. Aldosterone-producing adenomas showed lower CCR7 protein levels (H-score 1.3 ± 1.0) compared to non-functioning (2.4 ± 0.5) and cortisol-producing adenomas (2.3 ± 0.6), whereas protein expression was variable in ACC (1.8 ± 0.8). In ACC, CCR7 protein expression was significantly higher in lymph node metastases (2.5 ± 0.5) compared to primary tumors (1.8±0.8) or distant metastases (2.0 ± 0.4; p < 0.01). mRNA levels of CCR7 were not significantly different between ACCs, normal adrenals, and adrenocortical adenomas. In contrast to other tumor entities, neither CCR7 protein nor mRNA expression significantly impacted patients' survival. Conclusion: We show that CCR7 is expressed on mRNA and protein level across normal adrenals, benign adrenocortical tumors, as well as ACCs. Given that CCR7 did not influence survival in ACC, it is probably not involved in tumor progression, but it could play a role in adrenocortical homeostasis.},
  language  = {en}
}
@article{LenschowFussKircheretal.2021,
  author    = {Lenschow, Christina and Fuss, Carmina Teresa and Kircher, Stefan and Buck, Andreas and Kickuth, Ralph and Reibetanz, Joachim and Wiegering, Armin and Stenzinger, Albrecht and H{\"u}bschmann, Daniel and Germer, Christoph Thomas and Fassnacht, Martin and Fr{\"o}hling, Stefan and Schlegel, Nicolas and Kroiss, Matthias},
  title     = {Case Report: Abdominal Lymph Node Metastases of Parathyroid Carcinoma: Diagnostic Workup, Molecular Diagnosis, and Clinical Management},
  series = {Frontiers in Endocrinology},
  volume    = {12},
  journal   = {Frontiers in Endocrinology},
  issn      = {1664-2392},
  doi       = {10.3389/fendo.2021.643328},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-233362},
  year      = {2021},
  abstract  = {Parathyroid carcinoma (PC) is an orphan malignancy accounting for only ~1\% of all cases with primary hyperparathyroidism. The localization of recurrent PC is of critical importance and can be exceedingly difficult to diagnose and sometimes futile when common sites of recurrence in the neck and chest cannot be confirmed. Here, we present the diagnostic workup, molecular analysis and multimodal therapy of a 46-year old woman with the extraordinary manifestation of abdominal lymph node metastases 12 years after primary diagnosis of PC. The patient was referred to our endocrine tumor center in 2016 with the aim to localize the tumor causative of symptomatic biochemical recurrence. In view of the extensive previous workup we decided to perform [18F]FDG-PET-CT. A pathological lymph node in the liver hilus showed slightly increased FDG-uptake and hence was suspected as site of recurrence. Selective venous sampling confirmed increased parathyroid hormone concentration in liver veins. Abdominal lymph node metastasis was resected and histopathological examination confirmed PC. Within four months, the patient experienced biochemical recurrence and based on high tumor mutational burden detected in the surgical specimen by whole exome sequencing the patient received immunotherapy with pembrolizumab that led to a biochemical response. Subsequent to disease progression repeated abdominal lymph node resection was performed in 10/2018, 01/2019 and in 01/2020. Up to now (12/2020) the patient is biochemically free of disease. In conclusion, a multimodal diagnostic approach and therapy in an interdisciplinary setting is needed for patients with rare endocrine tumors. Molecular analyses may inform additional treatment options including checkpoint inhibitors such as pembrolizumab.},
  language  = {en}
}
@article{KoehlerAdamFussetal.2022,
  author    = {Koehler, Viktoria Florentine and Adam, Pia and Fuss, Carmina Teresa and Jiang, Linmiao and Berg, Elke and Frank-Raue, Karin and Raue, Friedhelm and Hoster, Eva and Kn{\"o}sel, Thomas and Schildhaus, Hans-Ulrich and Negele, Thomas and Siebolts, Udo and Lorenz, Kerstin and Allelein, Stephanie and Schott, Matthias and Spitzweg, Christine and Kroiss, Matthias},
  title     = {Treatment of RET-positive advanced medullary thyroid cancer with multi-tyrosine kinase inhibitors — a retrospective multi-center registry analysis},
  series = {Cancers},
  volume    = {14},
  journal   = {Cancers},
  number    = {14},
  issn      = {2072-6694},
  doi       = {10.3390/cancers14143405},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-281776},
  year      = {2022},
  abstract  = {Background: RET (rearranged during transfection) variants are the most prevalent oncogenic events in medullary thyroid cancer (MTC). In advanced disease, multi-tyrosine kinase inhibitors (MKIs) cabozantinib and vandetanib are the approved standard treatment irrespective of RET status. The actual outcome of patients with RET-positive MTC treated with MKIs is ill described. Methods: We here retrospectively determined the RET oncogene variant status with a targeted DNA Custom Panel in a prospectively collected cohort of 48 patients with advanced MTC treated with vandetanib and/or cabozantinib at four German referral centers. Progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) probabilities were estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method. Results: In total, 44/48 (92\%) patients had germline or somatic RET variants. The M918T variant was found in 29/44 (66\%) cases. In total, 2/32 (6\%) patients with a somatic RET variant had further somatic variants, while in 1/32 (3\%) patient with a germline RET variant, additional variants were found. Only 1/48 (2\%) patient had a pathogenic HRAS variant, and no variants were found in 3 cases. In first-line treatment, the median OS was 53 (95\% CI (95\% confidence interval), 32-NR (not reached); n = 36), and the median PFS was 21 months (12-39; n = 33) in RET-positive MTC patients. In second-line treatment, the median OS was 18 (13-79; n = 22), and the median PFS was 3.5 months (2-14; n = 22) in RET-positive cases. Conclusions: RET variants were highly prevalent in patients with advanced MTC. The treatment results in RET-positive cases were similar to those reported in unselected cohorts.},
  language  = {en}
}
@article{KimpelAltieriDischingeretal.2023,
  author    = {Kimpel, Otilia and Altieri, Barbara and Dischinger, Ulrich and Fuss, Carmina Teresa and Kurlbaum, Max and Fassnacht, Martin},
  title     = {Early detection of recurrence and progress using serum steroid profiling by LC-MS/MS in patients with adrenocortical carcinoma},
  series = {Metabolites},
  volume    = {14},
  journal   = {Metabolites},
  number    = {1},
  issn      = {2218-1989},
  doi       = {10.3390/metabo14010020},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-355839},
  year      = {2023},
  abstract  = {Serum liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) steroid profiling is used for the diagnosis of adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC). Guidelines recommend endocrine work-up in addition to radiological imaging for follow-up in ACC, but data on this topic are scarce. Patients were included in this retrospective study if pre-therapeutic hormone values, regular tumour evaluation by imaging, steroid measurements by LC-MS/MS, and details on therapies were available. The utility of steroid profiles in detecting recurrence or disease progression was assessed, whereby "endocrine progress" was defined by an elevation of at least 3 of 13 analysed hormones. Cohort A included 47 patients after R0 resection, of whom 15 experienced recurrence and 32 did not. In cohort B, 52 patients with advanced disease (including 7 patients of cohort A with recurrence) could be evaluated on 74 visits when progressive disease was documented. In 20 of 89 cases with documented disease progression, "endocrine progress" was detectable prior to radiological progress. In these cases, recurrence/progression was detected at a median of 32 days earlier by steroid measurement than by imaging, with 11-deoxycortisol and testosterone being the most sensitive markers. Notably, these patients had significantly larger tumour burden. In conclusion, steroid profiling by LC-MS/MS is of value in detecting recurrent/progressive disease in ACC.},
  language  = {en}
}