Combined genetic and epigenetic alterations of the TERT promoter affect clinical and biological behavior of bladder cancer

In urothelial bladder cancer (UBC), risk stratification remains an important unmet need. Limitless self-renewal, governed by TERT expression and telomerase activation, is crucial for cancer progression. Thus, telomerase activation through the interplay of mutations (TERTp(Mut)) and epigenetic alterations in the TERT promoter may provide further insight into UBC behavior. Here, we investigated the combined effect of TERTp(Mut) and the TERT Hypermethylated Oncological Region (THOR) status on telomerase activation and patient outcome in a UBC international cohort (n = 237). We verified that TERTp(Mut) were frequent (76.8%) and present in all stages and grades of UBC. Hypermethylation of THOR was associated with higher TERT expression and higher-risk disease in nonmuscle invasive bladder cancers (NMIBC). TERTp(Mut) alone predicted disease recurrence (HR: 3.18, 95%CI 1.84 to 5.51, p < 0.0001) but not progression in NMIBC. Combined THORhigh/TERTp(Mut) increased the risk of disease recurrence (HR 5.12, p < 0.0001) and progression (HR 3.92, p = 0.025). Increased THOR hypermethylation doubled the risk of stage progression of both TERTp(wt) and TERTp(Mut) NMIBC. These results highlight that both mechanisms are common and coexist in bladder cancer and while TERTp(Mut) is an early event in bladder carcinogenesis THOR hypermethylation is a dynamic process that contributes to disease progression. While the absence of alterations comprises an extremely indolent phenotype, the combined genetic and epigenetic alterations of TERT bring additional prognostic value in NMIBC and provide a novel insight into telomere biology in cancer.