An Anatomical Site and Genetic-Based Prognostic Model for Patients With Nuclear Protein in Testis (NUT) Midline Carcinoma: Analysis of 124 Patients.

BACKGROUND

NUT midline carcinoma, renamed NUT carcinoma (NC), is an aggressive squamous cancer defined by rearrangement of the gene. Although a subset of patients can be cured, for the majority of patients the prognosis is grim. We sought to classify patients into risk groups based on molecular and clinicopathologic factors at the time of diagnosis.

METHODS

Clinicopathologic variables and survival outcomes were extracted for a total of 141 NC patients from the NUT midline carcinoma Registry using questionnaires and medical records. Translocation type was identified by molecular analyses. Survival tree regression analysis was performed to determine risk factors associated with overall survival (OS).

RESULTS

For 141 patients, the median age at diagnosis was 23.6 years. Fifty-one percent had thoracic origin compared with 49% nonthoracic sites (41% head and neck, 6% bone or soft tissue, 1% other). The median OS was 6.5 months (95% confidence interval [CI] = 5.8 to 9.1 months). Most patients had the fusion (78%), followed by (15%) and (6%). Survival tree regression identified three statistically distinct risk groups among 124 patients classified by anatomical site and genetics: group A is nonthoracic primary, BRD3-, or NSD3-NUT (n12, median OS = 36.5 months, 95% CI = 12.5 to not reported months); group B is nonthoracic primary, BRD4-NUT (n45, median OS = 10 months, 95% CI = 7 to 14.6 months); and group C is thoracic primary (n67, median OS = 4.4 months, 95% CI = 3.5 to 5.6 months). Only groups A and B had long-term (≥3 years, n = 12) survivors.

CONCLUSIONS

We identify three risk groups defined by anatomic site and fusion type. Nonthoracic primary with non- fusion confers the best prognosis, followed by nonthoracic primary with . Thoracic NC patients, regardless of the fusion, have the worst survival.