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Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have revolutionized the management of advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), although patient survival is still unsatisfactory. Accurate predictive markers capable of personalizing the treatment of patients with NSCLC are still lacking. Circulating extracellular vesicles involved in cell-to-cell communications through miRNAs (EV-miRs) transfer are promising markers. Plasma from 245 patients with advanced NSCLC who received nivolumab as second-line therapy was collected and analyzed. EV-miRnome was profiled on 174/245 patients by microarray platform, and selected EV-miRs were validated by qPCR. A prognostic model combining EV-miR and clinical variables was built using stepwise Cox regression analysis and tested on an independent patient cohort (71/245). EV-PD-L1 gene copy number was assessed by digital PCR. For 54 patients with disease control, EV-miR changes at best response versus baseline were investigated by microarray and validated by qPCR. EV-miRNome profiling at baseline identified two EV-miRs (miR-181a-5p and miR-574-5p) that, combined with performance status, are capable of discriminating patients unlikely from those that are likely to benefit from immunotherapy (median overall survival of 4 months or higher than 9 months, respectively). EV-PD-L1 digital evaluation reported higher baseline copy number in patients at increased risk of mortality, without improving the prognostic score. Best response EV-miRNome profiling selected six deregulated EV-miRs (miR19a-3p, miR-20a-5p, miR-142-3p, miR-1260a, miR-1260b, and miR-5100) in responding patients. Their longitudinal monitoring highlighted a significant downmodulation already in the first treatment cycles, which lasted more than 6 months. Our results demonstrate that EV-miRs are promising prognostic markers for NSCLC patients treated with nivolumab.
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Biomarcadores de Tumor , Carcinoma de Pulmón de Células no Pequeñas , Vesículas Extracelulares , Neoplasias Pulmonares , MicroARNs , Nivolumab , Humanos , MicroARNs/genética , MicroARNs/sangre , Carcinoma de Pulmón de Células no Pequeñas/tratamiento farmacológico , Carcinoma de Pulmón de Células no Pequeñas/genética , Masculino , Femenino , Persona de Mediana Edad , Pronóstico , Anciano , Nivolumab/uso terapéutico , Neoplasias Pulmonares/tratamiento farmacológico , Neoplasias Pulmonares/genética , Neoplasias Pulmonares/patología , Neoplasias Pulmonares/mortalidad , Biomarcadores de Tumor/genética , Vesículas Extracelulares/genética , Vesículas Extracelulares/metabolismo , Anciano de 80 o más Años , Adulto , Inhibidores de Puntos de Control Inmunológico/uso terapéutico , Antineoplásicos Inmunológicos/uso terapéuticoRESUMEN
In this work, we report on a clinically significant response of meningeal carcinomatosis to repotrectinib in a woman with a heavily pretreated ROS1-rearranged non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) that harbored the concomitant solvent front G2032R mutation. Meningeal carcinomatosis has a higher incidence in oncogene addicted NSCLC due to increased life expectancy, yet no report has ever documented the activity of repotrectinib in this context. In line with its activity, we documented the presence of the drug at potentially active concentrations in the cerebrospinal fluid. Nevertheless, the short-lived response reported by our patient highlights the importance for novel ROS1-tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) to be specifically developed to be able to penetrate the blood-brain barrier.
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BACKGROUND: The prognostic impact of variant allele frequency (VAF) on clinical outcome in BRAFV600 mutated metastatic melanoma patients (MMPs) receiving BRAF (BRAFi) and MEK inhibitors (MEKi) is unclear. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cohort of MMPs receiving first line BRAFi and MEKi was identified by inspecting dedicated databases of three Italian Melanoma Intergroup centres. VAF was determined by next generation sequencing in pre-treatment baseline tissue samples. Correlation between VAF and BRAF copy number variation was analysed in an ancillary study by using a training and a validation cohort of melanoma tissue samples and cell lines. RESULTS: Overall, 107 MMPs were included in the study. The VAF cut-off determined by ROC curve was 41.3%. At multivariate analysis, progression-free survival (PFS) was significantly shorter in patients with M1c/M1d [HR 2.25 (95% CI 1.41-3.6, p < 0.01)], in those with VAF >41.3% [HR 1.62 (95% CI 1.04-2.54, p < 0.05)] and in those with ECOG PS ≥1 [HR 1.82 (95% CI 1.15-2.88, p < 0.05)]. Overall survival (OS) was significantly shorter in patients with M1c/M1d [HR 2.01 (95% CI 1.25-3.25, p < 0.01)]. Furthermore, OS was shorter in patients with VAF >41.3% [HR 1.46 (95% CI 0.93-2.29, p = 0.06)] and in patients with ECOG PS ≥1 [HR 1.52 (95% CI 0.94-2.87, p = 0.14)]. BRAF gene amplification was found in 11% and 7% of samples in the training and validation cohort, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: High VAF is an independent poor prognostic factor in MMP receiving BRAFi and MEKi. High VAF and BRAF amplification coexist in 7%-11% of patients.
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Melanoma , Proteínas Proto-Oncogénicas B-raf , Humanos , Proteínas Proto-Oncogénicas B-raf/genética , Variaciones en el Número de Copia de ADN , Estudios Retrospectivos , Melanoma/tratamiento farmacológico , Melanoma/genética , Melanoma/patología , Inhibidores de Proteínas Quinasas/uso terapéutico , Quinasas de Proteína Quinasa Activadas por Mitógenos/genética , Quinasas de Proteína Quinasa Activadas por Mitógenos/uso terapéutico , Frecuencia de los Genes , MutaciónRESUMEN
Lorlatinib is an active treatment for advanced anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK)-positive non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) pretreated with ALK-tyrosine kinase inhibitors (-TKIs). However, there is paucity of data on the activity of platinum/pemetrexed chemotherapy administered at the time of progression on lorlatinib. In addition, it is uncertain whether continuation of lorlatinib beyond progression (LBP) would provide any additional clinical benefit. Here, we describe two cases experiencing an exceptional response to platinum/pemetrexed chemotherapy plus LBP and make an attempt to identify which patients' characteristics and biologic profiles of the tumor could predict benefit from such an approach. In this report, presence of controlled brain metastases, rapidly progressing extracranial disease, and presence of ALK-dependent mechanisms of resistance were associated with benefit from platinum/pemetrexed chemotherapy plus lorlatinib beyond progression.
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Carcinoma de Pulmón de Células no Pequeñas , Neoplasias Pulmonares , Humanos , Carcinoma de Pulmón de Células no Pequeñas/tratamiento farmacológico , Carcinoma de Pulmón de Células no Pequeñas/patología , Pemetrexed/uso terapéutico , Platino (Metal) , Neoplasias Pulmonares/tratamiento farmacológico , Neoplasias Pulmonares/patología , Quinasa de Linfoma Anaplásico/uso terapéutico , Lactamas Macrocíclicas/uso terapéutico , Lactamas Macrocíclicas/farmacología , Inhibidores de Proteínas Quinasas/uso terapéuticoRESUMEN
Non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is the primary cause of cancer-related death. Gene rearrangements involving the anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) tyrosine kinase identify a clinical and molecular subset of NSCLC patients, who benefit from the monotherapy with ALK tyrosine kinase inhibitors. Nonetheless, responsiveness to TKIs and prognosis of these patients are influenced by several factors, including resistance mechanisms and mutations affecting genes involved in key molecular pathways of cancer cells. In a cohort of 98 NSCLC patients with ALK gene rearrangements, we investigated the role of Tumor Protein (TP53) gene mutations in predicting patients prognosis. TP53 mutations were evaluated in relation to disease control rate (DCR), objective response rate (ORR), progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS).Results: In patients with available clinical and TP53 mutation information, we found that 13 patients (20.3%) were affected by TP53 mutations. Considered together, even though showing a trend, TP53 mutations were not associated with PFS and OS. Considering the different TP53 mutations by functionality in terms of disruptive and non-disruptive mutations, we observed that TP53 non-disruptive mutations were able to predict worse OS in the overall case series. Moreover, a worse PFS was seen in the subgroup of patients with TP53 non-disruptive mutation, in first-, second-, and third line of treatment. Our results show that mutations affecting TP53 gene, especially non-disruptive mutations, are able to affect prognosis of ALK-rearranged NSCLC patients.
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Treatment with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) that target the programmed cell death 1/programmed cell death ligand-1 (PD-1/PD-L1) axis is usually ineffective in patients with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-mutated advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), either as first-line treatment or in later lines. By contrast, especially for patients with common EGFR mutations (exon 19 deletion/L858R point mutation), an orally bioavailable EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor (EGFR-TKI) is the best upfront therapy, being able to provide response rates well above 50% and a median progression-free survival ranging from 11 to 19 months, depending on whether a second-generation (e.g., afatinib) or a third-generation (i.e., osimertinib) EGFR-TKI is used. Unfortunately, treatment options for these patients at the time of acquired resistance are limited. As for afatinib-pretreated patients, those who develop a T790M mutation may benefit from osimertinib, whereas platinum-based chemotherapy is the preferable therapeutic strategy for T790M-negative patients as well as for patients who progress on osimertinib administered as first-line therapy. Here, we describe the case of an exon-19-deleted patient who experienced a complete response to the anti-PD-1 agent pembrolizumab upon the development of T790M-negative acquired resistance to afatinib. Furthermore, we discuss this case in the context of the existing literature, especially focusing on the importance of evaluating multiple markers of immune response post-EGFR-TKI and prior to ICI treatment in order to select the best treatment strategy in this clinical scenario.
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KRAS mutations are one of the most common oncogenic drivers in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and in lung adenocarcinomas in particular. Development of therapeutics targeting KRAS has been incredibly challenging, prompting indirect inhibition of downstream targets such as MEK and ERK. Such inhibitors, unfortunately, come with limited clinical efficacy, and therefore the demand for developing novel therapeutic strategies remains an urgent need for these patients. Exploring the influence of wild-type (WT) KRAS on druggable targets can uncover new vulnerabilities for the treatment of KRAS mutant lung adenocarcinomas. Using commercially available KRAS mutant lung adenocarcinoma cell lines, we explored the influence of WT KRAS on signaling networks and druggable targets. Expression and/or activation of 183 signaling proteins, most of which are targets of FDA-approved drugs, were captured by reverse-phase protein microarray (RPPA). Selected findings were validated on a cohort of 23 surgical biospecimens using the RPPA. Kinase-driven signatures associated with the presence of the KRAS WT allele were detected along the MAPK and AKT/mTOR signaling pathway and alterations of cell cycle regulators. FoxM1 emerged as a potential vulnerability of tumors retaining the KRAS WT allele both in cell lines and in the clinical samples. Our findings suggest that loss of WT KRAS impacts on signaling events and druggable targets in KRAS mutant lung adenocarcinomas.
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Carcinoma de Pulmón de Células no Pequeñas , Resistencia a Antineoplásicos/genética , Neoplasias Pulmonares , Inhibidores de Proteínas Quinasas/uso terapéutico , Proteínas Proto-Oncogénicas p21(ras)/genética , Células A549 , Alelos , Antineoplásicos/farmacología , Antineoplásicos/uso terapéutico , Biomarcadores Farmacológicos/análisis , Carcinoma de Pulmón de Células no Pequeñas/tratamiento farmacológico , Carcinoma de Pulmón de Células no Pequeñas/genética , Línea Celular Tumoral , Quinasas MAP Reguladas por Señal Extracelular/efectos de los fármacos , Quinasas MAP Reguladas por Señal Extracelular/metabolismo , Redes Reguladoras de Genes/efectos de los fármacos , Redes Reguladoras de Genes/genética , Humanos , Neoplasias Pulmonares/tratamiento farmacológico , Neoplasias Pulmonares/genética , Inhibidores mTOR/farmacología , Inhibidores mTOR/uso terapéutico , Mutación , Proteína Oncogénica v-akt/efectos de los fármacos , Proteína Oncogénica v-akt/metabolismo , Pruebas de Farmacogenómica , Inhibidores de Proteínas Quinasas/farmacología , Estudios Retrospectivos , Transducción de Señal/efectos de los fármacos , Transducción de Señal/genéticaRESUMEN
Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have revolutionized the treatment of lung cancer. However, their clinical benefit is limited to a minority of patients. To unravel immune-related factors that are predictive of sensitivity or resistance to immunotherapy, we performed a gene expression analysis by RNA-Seq using the Oncomine Immuno Response Assay (OIRRA) on a total of 33 advanced NSCLC patients treated with ICI evaluating the expression levels of 365 immune-related genes. We found four genes (CD1C, HLA-DPA1, MMP2, and TLR7) downregulated (p < 0.05) and two genes (IFNB1 and MKI67) upregulated (p < 0.05) in ICI-Responders compared to ICI-Non-Responders. The Bayesian enrichment computational analysis showed a more complex interaction network that involved 10 other genes (IFNA1, TLR4, CD40, TLR2, IL12A, IL12B, TLR9, CD1E, IFNG, and HLA-DPB1) correlated with different functional groups. Five main pathways were identified (FDR < 0.0001). High TLR7 expression levels were significantly associated with a lack of response to immunotherapy (p < 0.0001) and worse outcome in terms of both PFS (p < 0.001) and OS (p = 0.03). The multivariate analysis confirmed TLR7 RNA expression as an independent predictor for both poor PFS (HR = 2.97, 95% CI, 1.16-7.6, p = 0.023) and OS (HR = 2.2, 95% CI, 1-5.08, p = 0.049). In conclusion, a high TLR7 gene expression level was identified as an independent predictor for poor clinical benefits from ICI. These data could have important implications for the development of novel single/combinatorial strategies TLR-mediated for an efficient selection of "individualized" treatments for NSCLC in the era of immunotherapy.
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Antígeno B7-H1/genética , Carcinoma de Pulmón de Células no Pequeñas/terapia , Inmunoterapia , Receptor Toll-Like 7/genética , Anciano , Anciano de 80 o más Años , Antineoplásicos Inmunológicos/administración & dosificación , Antineoplásicos Inmunológicos/efectos adversos , Antígeno B7-H1/antagonistas & inhibidores , Teorema de Bayes , Biomarcadores de Tumor/inmunología , Carcinoma de Pulmón de Células no Pequeñas/genética , Carcinoma de Pulmón de Células no Pequeñas/inmunología , Carcinoma de Pulmón de Células no Pequeñas/patología , Femenino , Regulación Neoplásica de la Expresión Génica/genética , Humanos , Inhibidores de Puntos de Control Inmunológico/administración & dosificación , Inhibidores de Puntos de Control Inmunológico/efectos adversos , Masculino , Persona de Mediana Edad , Proteínas de Neoplasias/clasificación , Proteínas de Neoplasias/genética , Supervivencia sin Progresión , Resultado del TratamientoRESUMEN
Besides platinum-based chemotherapy, no established treatment option exists for advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients with EGFR exon 20 (Ex20ins) insertion mutations. We sought to determine the clinical outcome of patients with this EGFR mutation subtype in the immunotherapy era. Thirty NSCLCs with EGFR Ex20ins mutations were identified, of whom 15 had received immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) treatment as monotherapy (N = 12), in combination with chemotherapy (N = 2) or with another immunotherapeutic agent (N = 1). The response rate was observed in 1 out of 15 patients (6.7%), median progression-free survival (PFS) was 2.0 months and median overall survival (OS) was 5.3 months. A trend towards an inferior outcome in terms of PFS and OS was observed for patients receiving ICB treatment in the first versus second line setting (PFS: 1.6 months versus 2.7 months, respectively, p = 0.16-OS: 2.0 months versus 8.1 months, respectively, p = 0.09). Median OS from the time of diagnosis of advanced disease was shorter for patients treated with ICB versus those who did not receive immunotherapy (12.9 months versus 25.2 months, respectively, p = 0.08), which difference remained associated with a worse survival outcome at multivariate analysis (p = 0.04). Treatment with ICB is poorly effective in NSCLCs with EGFR Ex20ins mutations, especially when given in the first-line setting. This information is crucial in order to select the optimal treatment strategy for patients with this subtype of EGFR mutation.
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Carcinoma de Pulmón de Células no Pequeñas/genética , Resistencia a Antineoplásicos , Inhibidores de Puntos de Control Inmunológico/uso terapéutico , Neoplasias Pulmonares/genética , Anciano , Biomarcadores de Tumor/genética , Carcinoma de Pulmón de Células no Pequeñas/tratamiento farmacológico , Receptores ErbB/genética , Femenino , Humanos , Neoplasias Pulmonares/tratamiento farmacológico , Masculino , Persona de Mediana Edad , Mutagénesis InsercionalRESUMEN
Targetable alterations in cancer offer novel opportunities to the drug discovery process. However, pre-clinical testing often requires solubilization of these drugs in cosolvents like dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO). Using a panel of cell lines commonly used for in vitro drug screening and pre-clinical testing, we explored the DMSO off-target effects on functional signaling networks, drug targets, and downstream substrates. Eight Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC) cell lines were incubated with three concentrations of DMSO (0.0008%, 0.002%, and 0.004% v/v) over time. Expression and activation levels of 187 proteins, of which 137 were kinases and downstream substrates, were captured using the Reverse Phase Protein Array (RPPA). The DMSO effect was heterogeneous across cell lines and varied based on concentration, exposure time, and cell line. Of the 187 proteins measured, all were statistically different in at least one comparison at the highest DMSO concentration, followed by 99.5% and 98.9% at lower concentrations. Only 46% of the proteins were found to be statistically different in more than 5 cell lines, indicating heterogeneous response across models. These cell line specific alterations modulate response to in vitro drug screening. Ultra-low DMSO concentrations have broad and heterogeneous effects on targetable signaling proteins. Off-target effects need to be carefully evaluated in pre-clinical drug screening and testing.
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Carcinoma de Pulmón de Células no Pequeñas/metabolismo , Dimetilsulfóxido/farmacología , Sistemas de Liberación de Medicamentos , Regulación de la Expresión Génica/efectos de los fármacos , Neoplasias Pulmonares/metabolismo , Proteínas de Neoplasias/biosíntesis , Transducción de Señal/efectos de los fármacos , Células A549 , Carcinoma de Pulmón de Células no Pequeñas/tratamiento farmacológico , Carcinoma de Pulmón de Células no Pequeñas/patología , Humanos , Neoplasias Pulmonares/tratamiento farmacológico , Neoplasias Pulmonares/patologíaRESUMEN
The enzyme indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase 1 (IDO1) degrade tryptophan (Trp) into kynurenine (Kyn) at the initial step of an enzymatic pathway affecting T cell proliferation. IDO1 is highly expressed in various cancer types and associated with poor prognosis. Nevertheless, the serum Kyn/Trp concentration ratio has been suggested as a marker of cancer-associated immune suppression. We measured Kyn and Trp in blood samples of a wide cohort of non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients, before they underwent surgery, and analyzed possible correlations of the Kyn/Trp ratio with either IDO1 expression or clinical-pathological parameters. Low Kyn/Trp significantly correlated with low IDO1 expression and never-smoker patients; while high Kyn/Trp was significantly associated with older (≥68 years) patients, advanced tumor stage, and squamous cell carcinoma (Sqcc), rather than the adenocarcinoma (Adc) histotype. Moreover, high Kyn/Trp was associated, among the Adc group, with higher tumor stages (II and III), and, among the Sqcc group, with a high density of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes. A trend correlating the high Kyn/Trp ratio with the probability of recurrences from NSCLC was also found. In conclusion, high serum Kyn/Trp ratio, associated with clinical and histopathological parameters, may serve as a serum biomarker to optimize risk stratification and therapy of NSCLC patients.
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Biomarcadores de Tumor/sangre , Carcinoma de Pulmón de Células no Pequeñas/patología , Quinurenina/sangre , Neoplasias Pulmonares/patología , Triptófano/sangre , Adenocarcinoma del Pulmón/sangre , Adenocarcinoma del Pulmón/patología , Adenocarcinoma del Pulmón/cirugía , Adulto , Anciano , Anciano de 80 o más Años , Antígeno B7-H1/metabolismo , Carcinoma de Pulmón de Células no Pequeñas/sangre , Carcinoma de Pulmón de Células no Pequeñas/cirugía , Carcinoma de Células Escamosas/sangre , Carcinoma de Células Escamosas/patología , Carcinoma de Células Escamosas/cirugía , Femenino , Estudios de Seguimiento , Humanos , Indolamina-Pirrol 2,3,-Dioxigenasa/metabolismo , Neoplasias Pulmonares/sangre , Neoplasias Pulmonares/cirugía , Linfocitos Infiltrantes de Tumor/inmunología , Masculino , Persona de Mediana Edad , Recurrencia Local de Neoplasia/sangre , Recurrencia Local de Neoplasia/patología , Recurrencia Local de Neoplasia/cirugía , Pronóstico , Tasa de SupervivenciaRESUMEN
Programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression is a predictive biomarker of the success of PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitor therapy for patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) but its role as a prognostic marker for early-stage resectable NSCLC remains unclear. We studied gene expression levels of immune-related genes PD-1, PD-L1, PD-L2, IDO-1, IDO-2 and INFγ in tumor tissue of surgically resected NSCLC and correlated the finding with clinicopathological features and patient outcomes. A total of 191 consecutive early-stage NSCLC patients who underwent curative pulmonary resection were studied. The mRNA expression levels of immune-related genes were evaluated by quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) using RT2 Profiler PCR Arrays (Qiagen). PD-1, PD-L2 and IDO-2 gene expression levels were significantly higher in patients with squamous histology (p = 0.001, p = 0.021 and p < 0.001; respectively). PD-1, PD-L1 and IDO-2 gene expression levels were significantly higher in patients with higher stage (p = 0.005, p = 0.048 and p = 0.002, respectively). The univariate analysis for recurrence-free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS) showed that patients with higher levels of three-genes (PD-L1/PD-L2/INFγ) (hazard ratio (HR)) 1.90 (95% confidence interval (CI), 1.13-3.21), p = 0.015) were associated with a worse RFS, while patients with higher levels of both genes (PD-L1/IDO-2) or (PD-L2/IDO-1) were associated with a worse OS (HR 1.63 95% CI, 1.06-2.51, p = 0.024; HR 1.54 95% CI, 1.02-2.33, p = 0.04; respectively). The multivariate interaction model adjusted for histology and stage confirmed that higher levels of three genes (PD-L1/PD-L2/INFγ) were significantly associated with worse RFS (HR 1.98, p = 0.031) and higher levels of both genes (PD-L1/IDO-2) and (PD-L2/IDO-1) with worse OS (HR 1.98, p = 0.042, HR 1.92, p = 0.022). PD-L1/IDO-2 and PD-L2/IDO-1 co-expression high levels are independent negative prognostic factors for survival in early NSCLC. These features may have important implications for future immune-checkpoint therapeutic approaches.
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Antígeno B7-H1/genética , Carcinoma de Pulmón de Células no Pequeñas/genética , Indolamina-Pirrol 2,3,-Dioxigenasa/genética , Proteína 2 Ligando de Muerte Celular Programada 1/genética , Adulto , Anciano , Anciano de 80 o más Años , Biomarcadores de Tumor/genética , Carcinoma de Pulmón de Células no Pequeñas/patología , Carcinoma de Pulmón de Células no Pequeñas/cirugía , Supervivencia sin Enfermedad , Femenino , Regulación Neoplásica de la Expresión Génica/genética , Humanos , Masculino , Persona de Mediana EdadRESUMEN
Analysis of circulating cell-free tumor DNA (cftDNA) has emerged as a specific and sensitive blood-based approach to detect epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients. Still, there is some debate on what should be the preferential clinical method for plasma-derived cftDNA analysis. We tested 31 NSCLC patients treated with anti-EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs), at baseline and serially during therapy, by comparing three methodologies in detecting EGFR mutations (L858R, exon 19 deletion, and T790M) from plasma: scorpions-amplification refractory mutation system (ARMS) methodology by using EGFR Plasma RGQ PCR Kit-QIAGEN, peptide nucleic acid (PNA) clamp and PANA RealTyper integration by using PNAClamp EGFR-PANAGENE, and digital real time PCR by using QuantStudio 3D Digital PCR System-Thermo Fisher Scientific. Specificity was 100% for all three mutations, independently from the platform used. The sensitivity for L858R (42.86%) and T790M (100%) did not change based on the method, while the sensitivity for Del 19 differed markedly (Scorpion-ARMS 45%, PNAClamp 75%, and Digital PCR 85%). The detection rate was also higher (94.23%) as measured by Digital PCR, and when we monitored the evolution of EGFR mutations over time, it evidenced the extreme inter-patient heterogeneity in terms of levels of circulating mutated copies. In our study, Digital PCR showed the best correlation with tissue biopsy and the highest sensitivity to attain the potential clinical utility of monitoring plasma levels of EGFR mutations.
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Patients with epidermal growth factor receptor and anaplastic lymphoma kinase positive non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) generally respond poorly to treatment with immune checkpoint inhibitors such as anti-programmed cell death-1 (PD-1) or anti-programmed cell death ligand-1 (PD-L1) given with or without anti-cytotoxic T lymphocyte antigen-4 (CTLA-4) drugs. However, the efficacy of immunotherapy in patients with oncogene-addicted NSCLC harboring minor drivers, such as fusions in the rearranged during transfection (RET) gene, is still unclear. Here we describe two patients with RET-positive advanced NSCLC with PD-L1 expression ≥ 50% who developed progressive disease during first-line treatment with the anti-PD-1 agent pembrolizumab. In particular, while patient 2 was immediately switched to treatment with a selective RET inhibitor within the setting of a clinical trial, patient 1 responded to cytotoxic chemotherapy delivered at the time of progression while on pembrolizumab. These cases of NSCLC are discussed in the context of current literature, which seems to support our observation that patients with RET-positive NSCLC are unlikely to benefit from immunotherapy. Therefore, we suggest that for RET-positive patients with PD-L1 ≥ 50%, consideration should be given to upfront treatment approaches other than single-agent immunotherapy, namely selective RET inhibitors (if available) or regimens including cytotoxic chemotherapy.
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Oncogene-addicted non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) comprises a number of distinct disease subtypes, each of which is characterised by druggable genetic alterations. Among them, the receptor tyrosine kinase protein human epidermal receptor 2 (HER2) is occasionally found deregulated via gene mutation and/or amplification and/or protein overexpression. HER2 mutation, in particular, is a relatively rare condition which occurs in 1-4% of NSCLC patients, especially in those with adenocarcinoma histology and a never/light smoking history. However, the clinical relevance of a HER2 mutation in NSCLC relies on the fact that this genetic alteration has been associated with sensitivity to anti-HER2 therapies such as the monoclonal antibody trastuzumab or the pan-HER-tyrosine kinase inhibitor poziotinib. Here we describe the case of a NSCLC patient with an activating exon 20 G776VinsC mutation in the HER2 gene who responded well to multiple lines of trastuzumab-based therapies administered beyond progression and poziotinib given sequentially. In this specific case, the discovery of a druggable genetic alteration such as a mutation in the HER2 gene allowed for long-term control of the disease through the use of highly effective anti-HER2 therapies.
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BACKGROUND: Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is the primary cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR)-mutated patients usually benefit from TKIs treatment, but a significant portion show unresponsiveness due to primary resistance mechanisms. We investigated the role of TP53 mutations in predicting survival and response to EGFR-TKIs in EGFR-mutated NSCLC patients, to confirm, on an independent case series, our previous results. METHODS: An independent retrospective cohort study was conducted, on a case series of 136 EGFR-mutated NSCLC patients receiving first or second generation TKIs as a first line therapy, and a smaller fraction of patients who acquired the T790M resistance mutation and were treated with third generation TKIs in the second or further line of treatment. TP53 mutations were evaluated in relation to disease control rate (DCR), objective response rate (ORR), progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) of the patients. RESULTS: Forty-two patients (30.9%) showed a TP53 mutation. Considered together, TP53 mutations had no significant impact on time-to-event endpoints. Considering the different TP53 mutations separately, exon 8 mutations confirmed their negative effect on PFS (HR 3.16, 95% 1.59-6.28, p = 0.001). In patients who developed the T790M resistance mutation, treated with third generation TKIs, the TP53 exon 8 mutations predicted worse PFS (even though not statistically significant), and OS (HR 4.86, 95% CI: 1.25-18.90, p = 0.023). CONCLUSIONS: TP53 exon 8 mutations confirmed their negative prognostic impact in patients treated with first and second generation TKIs and demonstrated a role in affecting clinical outcome in patients treated with third generation TKIs.
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INTRODUCTION: Treatment with immune checkpoint inhibitors beyond progression is associated with improved survival in patients with melanoma and clear-cell renal carcinoma. Whether this association exists for patients with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is currently still unclear. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We performed a multi-institutional retrospective study based on landmark and multivariable analyses to evaluate the safety and efficacy of treatment with nivolumab beyond Response Evaluation Criteria In Solid Tumors (RECIST) v1.1 progression in patients with advanced NSCLC. Criteria for receiving nivolumab beyond progression were investigator-assessed clinical benefit, stable performance status, tolerance of treatment, and no need of immediate intervention to prevent serious complication of progression. RESULTS: Of 176 patients progressed to nivolumab according to RECIST v1.1, 60 (34.1%) were treated beyond progression (TBP) and 116 (65.9%) were not-TBP (NTBP). The median overall survival was significantly longer in the TBP group compared with the NTBP group (17.8 vs. 3.7 months; hazard ratio [HR], 0.32; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.21-0.46; P < .0001). In a landmark analysis of evaluable patients beginning 6 weeks from first progression, the median overall survival for patients TBP was 10.7 months and for those NTBP, 3.4 months (HR, 0.48; 95% CI, 0.30-0.77; P = .002). Discontinuation of nivolumab at first progression was associated with shorter survival in multivariable analysis (HR, 2.98; 95% CI, 1.95-4.54; P < .001). No safety concerns emerged in patients who were in the TBP group. CONCLUSION: A subset of patients with NSCLC and progressive disease may continue to benefit from nivolumab beyond progression. Discontinuation of immunotherapy based only on RECIST v1.1 may be premature.
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Antineoplásicos Inmunológicos/uso terapéutico , Carcinoma de Pulmón de Células no Pequeñas/tratamiento farmacológico , Inmunoterapia/métodos , Neoplasias Pulmonares/tratamiento farmacológico , Nivolumab/uso terapéutico , Adulto , Anciano , Anciano de 80 o más Años , Carcinoma de Pulmón de Células no Pequeñas/mortalidad , Progresión de la Enfermedad , Femenino , Humanos , Neoplasias Pulmonares/mortalidad , Masculino , Persona de Mediana Edad , Estadificación de Neoplasias , Estudios Retrospectivos , Análisis de Supervivencia , Resultado del Tratamiento , Privación de TratamientoRESUMEN
Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is the primary cause of cancer-related death worldwide, with a low 5-year survival rate even in fully resected early-stage disease. Novel biomarkers to identify patients at higher risk of relapse are needed. We studied the prognostic value of 84 circulating microRNAs (miRNAs) in 182 patients with resected early-stage NSCLC (99 adenocarcinoma (ADC), 83 squamous cell carcinoma (SCC)) from whom peripheral blood samples were collected pre-surgery. miRNA expression was analyzed in relation to disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS). In univariable analyses, five miRNAs (miR-26a-5p, miR-126-3p, miR-130b-3p, miR-205-5p, and miR-21-5p) were significantly associated with DFS in SCC, and four (miR-130b-3p, miR-26a-5p, miR-126-3p, and miR-205-5p) remained significantly associated with OS. In ADC, miR-222-3p, miR-22-3p, and mir-93-5p were significantly associated with DFS, miR-22-3p remaining significant for OS. Given the high-dimensionality of the dataset, multivariable models were obtained using a regularized Cox regression including all miRNAs and clinical covariates. After adjustment for disease stage, only miR-126-3p showed an independent prognostic role, with higher values associated with longer DFS in SCC patients. With regard to ADC and OS, no miRNA remained significant in multivariable analysis. Further investigation into the role of miR-126 as a prognostic marker in early-stage NSCLC is warranted.
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PURPOSE: Immune-checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) represent the standard of care for platinum-pretreated advanced non-small cell lung cancer patients. Patients treated with ICIs may experience immune-related adverse events (irAEs), that might reflect antitumor responses. Here we evaluated nivolumab efficacy according to the development of irAEs. METHODS: We conducted a multicenter retrospective study of patients with advanced NSCLC treated with nivolumab between October 2013 and September 2017. IrAEs were defined as AEs having immunological basis that required intensive monitoring and interventions. RESULTS: Among 195 patients [median (range) age, 63 (30-84) years; 128 men (65.6%), 67 women (34.4%)], irAEs were observed in 85 patients (43.6%), including 15 patients (7.6%) with grade 3 or 4 events. Median PFS was 5.7 months in irAEs group compared to 2.0 months of no-irAEs group [HR: 0.41 (95% CI 0.3-0.57), P < 0.0001]. Median OS was 17.8 months compared to 4.0 months of no-irAEs group [HR: 0.33 (95% CI 0.23-0.47), P < 0.0001]. IrAEs were significantly associated with improved clinical outcome in 12- and 6-week landmark analysis. Patients who developed ≥ 2 irAEs during treatment (n: 37) had a significantly longer median PFS and OS compared to those with one (n: 48) or none AEs (n: 110) (PFS: 8.5 months vs. 4.6 vs. 2.0, P < 0.0001; OS: 26.8 months vs. 11.9 vs. 4.0, P < 0.0001). Multivariable analysis revealed that irAEs were positively associated with PFS [HR: 0.48 (95% CI 0.34-0.67), P < 0.0001] and OS [HR: 0.38 (95% CI 0.26-0.56), P < 0.0001]. CONCLUSION: In this study we confirmed that the development of irAEs was a strong predictor of survival outcomes in NSCLC patients treated with nivolumab monotherapy in landmark and multivariable models. Patients who experienced ≥ 2 irAEs had a more pronounced survival benefit compared to those with 1 irAE further suggesting a mechanistic association between irAEs and immunotherapy efficacy.