There are two main factors explaining variation among species and the evolution of characters along phylogeny: adaptive change, including phenotypic and genetic responses to selective pressures, and phylogenetic inertia, or the resemblance between species due to shared phylogenetic history. Phenotype-habitat colour match, a classic Darwinian example of the evolution of camouflage (crypsis), offers the opportunity to test the importance of historical versus ecological mechanisms in shaping phenotypes among phylogenetically closely related taxa. To assess it, we investigated fur (phenotypic data) and habitat (remote sensing data) colourations, along with phylogenetic information, in the species-rich Gerbillus genus. Overall, we found a strong phenotype-habitat match, once the phylogenetic signal is taken into account. We found that camouflage has been acquired and lost repeatedly in the course of the evolutionary history of Gerbillus. Our results suggest that fur colouration and its covariation with habitat is a relatively labile character in mammals, potentially responding quickly to selection. Relatively unconstrained and substantial genetic basis, as well as structural and functional independence from other fitness traits of mammalian colouration might be responsible for that observation.

Real world effectiveness, toxicity and costs analyses from chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cell therapy are of utmost relevance to determine whether and how to offer patients highly personalized immunotherapy. In this study, we aimed at describing CAR T-cells effectiveness, safety and costs in a Portuguese Comprehensive Cancer Center. We performed a retrospective descriptive study of adult patients with relapsed/refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), primary mediastinal B-cell lymphoma and transformed follicular lymphoma referred to CAR T-cell therapy, between May 2019 and February 2021. Rates of treatment response, toxicity and survival (Kaplan-Meier method) were analyzed by intention-to-treat. Direct medical costs stratified by inpatient-care, outpatient-care, and diagnostic-therapeutic procedures (DTP) were derived based on resources used and their respective unit costs. In twenty patients (median age 49.5y; 55%male; 70%DLBCL; 50% with primary refractory disease), best overall and complete response rates were 65.0% and 45.0%, respectively. Median overall (OS) and progression-free survivals were 9.2 and 7.3 months; 12-month OS rate was 42.6% (95%CI:23.2–78.3). Grade≥3 cytokine release syndrome and neurotoxicity occurred in 5.6% and 11.1% of patients, respectively. CAR T-cell therapy expenditure, including adverse events costs, was 7 176 196€, or 286 238€ when excluding drug cost. Median cost for treated patient was 355 165€ with CAR T-cell drug cost accounting for 97.0% of the overall expense. Excluding CAR T-cell acquisition cost, inpatient-care and DTP accounted for 57% and 38% of total cost/patient, respectively. Our findings highlight the heavy economic burden of CAR T-cell therapy driven by drug acquisition costs.

e18774 Background: Malignant melanoma (MM) is one of the most aggressive skin cancers and its incidence has been increasing worldwide. Deep understanding of patient characteristics and the course of the disease, specially through the evaluation of real-world evidence, is extremely relevant for an adequate treatment approach and better outcomes. This study aims to comprehensively evaluate demographic and clinical characteristics and also treatment outcomes of patients with stage III and IV MM, treated at a Portuguese institution. Methods: Retrospective cohort study of patients with de novo MM stage III/IV or that evolved from earlier MM stages, between 2015 and 2017 (considered the index date). Patients were followed until 12/31/2019. Demographic, clinical and treatment characteristics were evaluated. Survival was assessed, from the index date, using the Kaplan Meier method and log-rank test to compare groups. Results: We included 215 patients with a median age of 66 years (20-96) and 50.2% (n = 108) were male. At index date, 63.7% (n = 137) were stage III. From those, 41.6% (n = 57) progressed to stage IV during follow-up. At diagnosis, the majority of patients had ulceration (53.3%; n = 119), normal LDH ( < 248 U/L; 56.3%; n = 121) and from 110 patients tested for BRAF, 45.4% (n = 50) had a mutation. In earlier stages, 41.8% (n = 81) performed sentinel LN only and from those 61.7% (n = 50) had latter metastatic disease. Complete LND was performed in 49% (n = 95) and 58.9% (n = 56) had a distant relapse. Brain metastasis were diagnosed in 28.4% (n = 61) of the patients, and 50.8% (n = 31) were not eligible for any treatment due to poor clinical status. Systemic treatment was performed in 70 patients with advanced disease. In 1st line, 34 (48.6%) patients underwent anti-PD-1, 28 (40.0%) BRAF/MEKi, 5 (7.1%) BRAFi and 3 (4.3%) chemotherapy. A 2nd line treatment was performed in 21 (30.0%) patients and 2 (9.5%) underwent 3rd line treatment. With a median follow-up of 29 months OS for all patients at 24 months was 54.9% (95% CI; 48.6-62.0): 69.3% (95% CI; 62.0-77.5) for stage III patients and 29.5% (95% CI; 20.9-41.6) for stage IV patients. OS was worst for known risk factors (ulceration, mitotic rate and LDH). OS at 24 months for patients under systemic treatment was 37.4% (95% CI; 26.9-52.0), with no differences between immunotherapy and targeted therapy. Finally, 22 patients were submitted to limb perfusion with an OS of 58.1% (95% CI; 41.2-81.9) at 24 months and a median PFS of 7.4 months (95% CI; 3.9-11.3). Conclusions: Analysis of real-world data is a solid tool in the evaluation, development and improvement of treatment strategies. Demographic and clinical characteristics are comparable to those of other studied cohorts. Longer follow-up of this population and the inclusion of new patients submitted to contemporary approaches will allow improving knowledge and care for melanoma patients in Portugal.