Trametinib sensitizes KRAS-mutant lung adenocarcinoma tumors to PD-1/PD-L1 axis blockade via Id1 downregulation.

BACKGROUND: The identification of novel therapeutic strategies to overcome resistance to the MEK inhibitor trametinib in mutant KRAS lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) is a challenge. This study analyzes the effects of trametinib on Id1 protein, a key factor involved in the KRAS oncogenic pathway, and investigates the role of Id1 in the acquired resistance to trametinib as well as the synergistic anticancer effect of trametinib combined with immunotherapy in KRAS-mutant LUAD. METHODS: We evaluated the effects of trametinib on KRAS-mutant LUAD by Western blot, RNA-seq and different syngeneic mouse models. Genetic modulation of Id1 expression was performed in KRAS-mutant LUAD cells by lentiviral or retroviral transductions of specific vectors. Cell viability was assessed by cell proliferation and colony formation assays. PD-L1 expression and apoptosis were measured by flow cytometry. The anti-tumor efficacy of the combined treatment with trametinib and PD-1 blockade was investigated in KRAS-mutant LUAD mouse models, and the effects on the tumor immune infiltrate were analyzed by flow cytometry and immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: We found that trametinib activates the proteasome-ubiquitin system to downregulate Id1 in KRAS-mutant LUAD tumors. Moreover, we found that Id1 plays a major role in the acquired resistance to trametinib treatment in KRAS-mutant LUAD cells. Using two preclinical syngeneic KRAS-mutant LUAD mouse models, we found that trametinib synergizes with PD-1/PD-L1 blockade to hamper lung cancer progression and increase survival. This anti-tumor activity depended on trametinib-mediated Id1 reduction and was associated with a less immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment and increased PD-L1 expression on tumor cells. CONCLUSIONS: Our data demonstrate that Id1 expression is involved in the resistance to trametinib and in the synergistic effect of trametinib with anti-PD-1 therapy in KRAS-mutant LUAD tumors. These findings suggest a potential therapeutic approach for immunotherapy-refractory KRAS-mutant lung cancers.

Special Issue "From Basic Science to Treatment Strategies: Personalized Cancer Therapy".

Molecular testing has created a revolution in cancer [...].

Molecular Targeting of the BRAF Proto-Oncogene/Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase (MAPK) Pathway across Cancers.

The mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway is essential for cellular proliferation, growth, and survival. Constitutive activation of this pathway by BRAF mutations can cause downstream activation of kinases, leading to uncontrolled cellular growth and carcinogenesis. Therefore, inhibition of BRAF and the downstream substrate MEK has been shown to be effective in controlling tumor growth and proliferation. Over the last decade, several BRAF and MEK inhibitors have been investigated, ranging from primarily melanoma to various cancer types with BRAF alterations. This subsequently led to several Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approvals for BRAF/MEK inhibitors for melanoma, non-small cell lung cancer, anaplastic thyroid cancer, colorectal cancer, histiocytosis neoplasms, and finally, tumor-agnostic indications. Here, this comprehensive review will cover the developments of BRAF and MEK inhibitors from melanomas to tumor-agnostic indications, novel drugs, challenges, future directions, and the importance of those drugs in personalized medicine.

NTRK Therapy among Different Types of Cancers, Review and Future Perspectives.

Neurotrophic tyrosine receptor kinase (NTRK) has been a remarkable therapeutic target for treating different malignancies, playing an essential role in oncogenic signaling pathways. Groundbreaking trials like NAVIGATE led to the approval of NTRK inhibitors by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat different malignancies, significantly impacting current oncology treatment. Accurate detection of NTRK gene fusion becomes very important for possible targeted therapy. Various methods to detect NTRK gene fusion have been applied widely based on sensitivity, specificity, and accessibility. The utility of different tests in clinical practice is discussed in this study by providing insights into their effectiveness in targeting patients who may benefit from therapy. Widespread use of NTRK inhibitors in different malignancies could remain limited due to resistance mechanisms that cause challenges to medication efficacy in addition to common side effects of the medications. This review provides a succinct overview of the application of NTRK inhibitors in various types of cancer by emphasizing the critical clinical significance of NTRK fusion gene detection. The discussion also provides a solid foundation for understanding the current challenges and potential changes for improving the efficacy of NTRK inhibitor therapy to treat different malignancies.

Pan-tumor survey of ROS1 fusions detected by next-generation RNA and whole transcriptome sequencing.

BACKGROUND: Two ROS1 tyrosine kinase inhibitors have been approved for ROS1 fusion positive (ROS1+) non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) tumors. We performed a pan-tumor analysis of the incidence of ROS1 fusions to assess if more ROS1+ patients who could benefit from ROS1 TKIs could be identified. METHODS: A retrospective analysis of ROS1 positive solid malignancies identified by targeted RNA sequencing and whole transcriptome sequencing of clinical tumor samples performed at Caris Life Science (Phoenix, AZ). RESULTS: A total of 259 ROS1+ solid malignancies were identified from approximately 175,350 tumors that underwent next-generation sequencing (12% from targeted RNA sequencing [Archer]; 88% from whole transcriptome sequencing). ROS1+ NSCLC constituted 78.8% of the ROS1+ solid malignancies, follow by glioblastoma (GBM) (6.9%), and breast cancer (2.7%). The frequency of ROS1 fusion was approximately 0.47% among NSCLC, 0.29% for GBM, 0.04% of breast cancer. The mean tumor mutation burden for all ROS1+ tumors was 4.8 mutations/megabase. The distribution of PD-L1 (22C3) expression among all ROS1+ malignancies were 0% (18.6%), 1%-49% (29.4%), and ≥ 50% (60.3%) [for NSCLC: 0% (17.8%); 1-49% (27.7%); ≥ 50% (53.9%). The most common genetic co-alterations of ROS1+ NSCLC were TP53 (29.1%), SETD2 (7.3%), ARIAD1A (6.3%), and U2AF1 (5.6%). CONCLUSIONS: ROS1+ NSCLC tumors constituted the majority of ROS1+ solid malignancies with four major fusion partners. Given that > 20% of ROS1+ solid tumors may benefit from ROS1 TKIs treatment, comprehensive genomic profiling should be performed on all solid tumors.

Larotrectinib Treatment for Patients With TRK Fusion-Positive Salivary Gland Cancers.

BACKGROUND: Larotrectinib is a first-in-class, highly selective, and central nervous system-active tropomyosin receptor kinase (TRK) inhibitor approved for the treatment of adult and pediatric patients with TRK fusion cancer. We report the efficacy and safety of larotrectinib in patients with TRK fusion-positive salivary gland cancers. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Patients with TRK fusion-positive salivary gland cancer treated with larotrectinib were identified from two clinical trials (NCT02122913 and NCT02576431). Patients received larotrectinib 100 mg twice daily (BID) except for one patient who received 150 mg BID in the phase I trial. The primary endpoint was objective response rate (ORR) as assessed by the investigator using Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors version 1.1. RESULTS: At the data cut-off (July 20, 2020), 24 patients with TRK fusion-positive salivary gland cancer had been treated. The most common histologies were secretory carcinoma (54%), adenocarcinoma (25%), and mucoepidermoid carcinoma (13%). All 24 patients had an ETV6-NTRK3 gene fusion. The ORR was 92% (95% confidence interval, 73-99). Best overall response was complete response in three (13%) patients, partial response in 19 (79%), and progressive disease in two (8%). The rate of progression-free survival at 24 months was 78% (median follow-up 30.9 months). Most treatment-related adverse events (AEs) were grade 1-2, and no patients discontinued treatment due to AEs. CONCLUSION: Larotrectinib demonstrated robust and durable efficacy in patients with TRK fusion-positive salivary gland tumors of various histologies, and a favorable safety profile. These findings support NTRK gene fusion testing in patients with advanced salivary gland cancers. CLINICALTRIALS.GOV NUMBERS: NCT02122913 and NCT02576431.

Efficacy of Larotrectinib in TRK Fusion-Positive Cancers in Adults and Children.

BACKGROUND: Fusions involving one of three tropomyosin receptor kinases (TRK) occur in diverse cancers in children and adults. We evaluated the efficacy and safety of larotrectinib, a highly selective TRK inhibitor, in adults and children who had tumors with these fusions. METHODS: We enrolled patients with consecutively and prospectively identified TRK fusion-positive cancers, detected by molecular profiling as routinely performed at each site, into one of three protocols: a phase 1 study involving adults, a phase 1-2 study involving children, or a phase 2 study involving adolescents and adults. The primary end point for the combined analysis was the overall response rate according to independent review. Secondary end points included duration of response, progression-free survival, and safety. RESULTS: A total of 55 patients, ranging in age from 4 months to 76 years, were enrolled and treated. Patients had 17 unique TRK fusion-positive tumor types. The overall response rate was 75% (95% confidence interval [CI], 61 to 85) according to independent review and 80% (95% CI, 67 to 90) according to investigator assessment. At 1 year, 71% of the responses were ongoing and 55% of the patients remained progression-free. The median duration of response and progression-free survival had not been reached. At a median follow-up of 9.4 months, 86% of the patients with a response (38 of 44 patients) were continuing treatment or had undergone surgery that was intended to be curative. Adverse events were predominantly of grade 1, and no adverse event of grade 3 or 4 that was considered by the investigators to be related to larotrectinib occurred in more than 5% of patients. No patient discontinued larotrectinib owing to drug-related adverse events. CONCLUSIONS: Larotrectinib had marked and durable antitumor activity in patients with TRK fusion-positive cancer, regardless of the age of the patient or of the tumor type. (Funded by Loxo Oncology and others; ClinicalTrials.gov numbers, NCT02122913 , NCT02637687 , and NCT02576431 .).

Lung Cancer in the Young.

INTRODUCTION: Median age at diagnosis of lung cancer is 70 years. Its presentation in patients 40 or younger is uncommon and it has been proposed that maybe it is a different disease due to its clinical characteristics and genetic makeup. There are a limited number of studies in this population and they report different clinic-pathological characteristics in comparison with older patients. METHODS: We described the incidence of lung cancer patients diagnosed at age 40 or younger at the Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Neoplasicas (INEN), Lima-Peru; from 2009 to 2017 and evaluated the characteristic of NSCLC. Epidemiologic and clinic-pathological data was collected from clinical files. Analysis was carried out using SPSSvs19 software. RESULTS: We identified 3823 patients with lung cancer seen at INEN during the study period. Among these, 166 (4.3%) patients were 40 years or younger, and 137/166 (82.5%) were NSCLC. Median age at diagnosis was 36 years (range 14-40 years) and 59.1% of patients were female. A smoking history was present in 14.4% of patients. Frequent symptoms at diagnosis were cough (62.0%), chest pain (51.8%) and dyspnea (40.9%). Adenocarcinoma was the most common histological type (63.3%). Most patients had advanced disease at diagnosis (84.7%). The median overall survival was 8.2 months. CONCLUSIONS: The proportion of young patients with lung cancer in our population is higher than that reported in the most recent literature. Lung cancer in the young is mostly sporadic, more frequent in women, usually adenocarcinoma type and it presents with advanced disease, resulting in a very poor survival.

Molecular Epidemiology of ALK Rearrangements in Advanced Lung Adenocarcinoma in Latin America.

OBJECTIVE: Latin American countries are heterogeneous in terms of lung cancer incidence and exposure to potential carcinogens. We evaluated the frequency and clinical characteristics of ALK rearrangements (ALKr) in Latin America. METHODS: A total of 5,130 lung cancer patients from 10 Latin American countries were screened for inclusion. ALKr detection was performed by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), immunohistochemistry (IHC), and real-time reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) to assess method variability. Demographic and clinicopathologic characteristics were analyzed. RESULTS: Among the 5,130 patients screened, 8.4% (n = 433) had nonevaluable FISH tests. Evaluable FISH analyses revealed positive ALKr in 6.8% (320/4,697) of the study population, which included patients from 9 countries. ALKr distribution for each country was: Mexico 7.6% (79/1,034), Colombia 4.1% (10/242), Argentina 6.0% (153/2,534), Costa Rica 9.5% (13/137), Panama 4.4% (5/114), Uruguay 5.4% (2/37), Chile 8.6% (16/185), Venezuela 8.9% (13/146), and Peru 10.8% (29/268). RT-PCR showed high positive (83.6%) and negative (99.7%) predictive values when compared to the gold standard FISH. In contrast, IHC only showed a high negative predictive value (94.6%). CONCLUSIONS: Although there is a clear country and continental variability in terms of ALKr frequency, this difference is not significant and the overall incidence of ALKr in Latin America does not differ from the rest of the world.

Frequencies and expression levels of programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) in circulating tumor RNA (ctRNA) in various cancer types.

BACKGROUND: Precision medicine and prediction of therapeutic response requires monitoring potential biomarkers before and after treatment. Liquid biopsies provide noninvasive prognostic markers such as circulating tumor DNA and RNA. Circulating tumor RNA (ctRNA) in blood is also used to identify mutations in genes of interest, but additionally, provides information about relative expression levels of important genes. In this study, we analyzed PD-L1 expression in ctRNA isolated from various cancer types. Tumors inhibit antitumor response by modulating the immune checkpoint proteins programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) and its cognate receptor PD1. The expression of these genes has been implicated in evasion of immune response and resistance to targeted therapies. METHODS: Blood samples were collected from gastric (GC), colorectal (CRC), lung (NSCLC), breast (BC), prostate cancer (PC) patients, and a healthy control group. ctRNA was purified from fractionated plasma, and following reverse transcription, levels of PD-L1 expression were analyzed using qPCR. RESULTS: PD-L1 expression was detected in the plasma ctRNA of all cancer types at varying frequencies but no PD-L1 mRNA was detected in cancer-free individuals. The frequencies of PD-L1 expression were significantly different among the various cancer types but the median relative PD-L1 expression values were not significantly different. In 12 cases where plasma and tumor tissue were available from the same patients, there was a high degree of concordance between expression of PD-L1 protein in tumor tissues and PD-L1 gene expression in plasma, and both methods were equally predictive of response to nivolumab. CONCLUSIONS: PD-L1 mRNA can be detected and quantitated in ctRNA of cancer patients. These results pave the way for further studies aimed at determining whether monitoring the levels of PD-L1 mRNA in blood can identify patients who are most likely to benefit from the conventional treatment.

Immunotherapeutic agents in non-small-cell lung cancer finally coming to the front lines.

Non-small-cell lung cancer usually carries a dismal prognosis. Novel treatment approaches are clearly warranted. Immunotherapy has emerged as a promising area of research developing agents that manipulate the immune system to induce antitumor responses while avoiding major toxicity. New vaccines and checkpoint inhibitors are currently undergoing investigation in phase II and phase III clinical trials. In advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), belagenpumatucel-L, an allogeneic cell vaccine directed against transforming growth factor ß in the tumor microenvironment, knocks down the immune suppression caused by the tumor and has demonstrated a dose- and time-dependent efficacy in some subgroups of patients. L-BLP25 and TG4010 are both antigenic vaccines that target mucin 1, whose encoding proto-oncogene is commonly mutated in solid tumors. The L-BLP25 vaccine achieved a significant improvement in overall survival in the subgroup of patients with stage IIIB NSCLC treated with chemoradiotherapy. TG4010 vaccination resulted in better progression-free survival when added to cisplatin-gemcitabine chemotherapy. These results are being addressed in the currently ongoing phase III TIME trial. In the adjuvant setting, MAGE-A3, an antigen-based vaccine, showed promising results in melanoma-associated antigen A3 positive lung cancer patients who underwent resection in the phase II study; however, no improvement in progression-free survival was observed in the phase III MAGRIT study. CIMAVax is a recombinant human epidermal growth factor (EGF) vaccine that induces anti-EGF antibody production and prevents EGF from binding to its receptor. It has improved overall survival in patients with advanced NSCLC who achieve seroconversion. Ipilimumab, an immune checkpoint inhibitor that targets cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen 4, demonstrated improved progression-free survival in advanced NSCLC patients who received the drug after chemotherapy in a phased regimen. Finally, anti-programmed death receptor 1 agents have achieved durable response rates in phase I studies. This review gives an overview of the current data and the most promissory immunotherapeutic agents for NSCLC.

Real-world clinical and economic outcomes for patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer enrolled in a clinical trial following comprehensive genomic profiling via liquid biopsy.

BACKGROUND: Oncology clinical trial enrollment is strongly recommended for patients with cancer who are not eligible for established and approved therapies. Many trials are specific to biomarker-targeted therapies, which are typically managed as specialty pharmacy services. Comprehensive genomic profiling (CGP) of advanced cancers has been shown to detect biomarkers, guide targeted treatment, improve outcomes, and result in the clinical trial enrollment of patients, which is modeled to offset pharmacy costs experienced by US payers, yet payer policy coverage remains inconsistent. A common concern limiting coverage of CGP by payers is the potential of identifying biomarkers beyond guideline-recommended treatments, which creates a perception that insurance companies are being positioned to "pay for research." However, these biomarkers can increase clinical trial eligibility, and specialty pharmacy management may have an interest in maximizing the clinical trial enrollment of members. OBJECTIVE: To investigate if clinical trial enrollment following liquid biopsy CGP for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is clinically and/or economically impactful from a payer claims perspective. METHODS: Clinical and economic outcomes were studied using a real-world clinical genomic database (including payer claims data) from patients with NSCLC who enrolled in clinical trials immediately following liquid biopsy CGP (using Guardant360) and matched NSCLC patient controls also tested with liquid biopsy CGP. RESULTS: Real-world overall survival was significantly (log-rank P < 0.0001) better for patients enrolled in clinical trials with similar costs of care, albeit with more outpatient encounters among those enrolled compared with matched controls. CONCLUSIONS: The results, together with previous analyses, suggest that, in addition to the clinical benefits associated with targeted therapies directed by CGP and other testing approaches, payers and specialty pharmacy managers may consider clinical trial direction and enrollment as a clinical and economic benefit of liquid biopsy CGP and adopt this into coverage decision frameworks and formularies.

Characterization of Incidental Pathogenic Germline Findings Detected via ctDNA among Patients with Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer in a Predominantly Hispanic/Latinx Population.

Pathogenic germline variants (PGVs) may be under-detected as causative etiologies in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The prevalence of PGVs has been reported between 1 and 15% of patients, depending on the patient population. The rate within Hispanic/Latinx populations remains unknown. We retrospectively analyzed the genomic results (Guardant360, Redwood City, CA, USA) of 878 patients with advanced or metastatic NSCLC at five centers in South Florida, USA, from 2019 to 2022 to analyze the rate of incidental PGVs (iPGVs) identified via circulating cell-free tumor DNA (ctDNA). We then stratified the results by tumor histology, age, gender, race, ethnicity, genetic pathway, and co-mutations. Twenty-one iPGVs were identified (21/878 = 2.4%). Among the 21 iPGVs identified, 14 patients were female (66.7%) and 7 were male (33.3%), with a median age of 67 years and tobacco history of 2.5 pack-years. In total, 52.4% of patients identified as Hispanic/Latinx (n = 11) of any race; 19.0% as Ashkenazi Jewish (n = 4), 9.5% as non-Hispanic/Latinx black (n = 2), and 19.0% as non-Hispanic/Latinx white (n = 4). iPGVs in the homologous recombination repair pathway were solely expressed in this cohort (10 ATM, 8 BRCA2, and 3 BRCA1). In total, 76% (16/21) of patients with iPGVs co-expressed somatic alterations, with 56% (9/16) demonstrating alterations in targetable genes. Overall, our real-world findings offer a point prevalence of iPGVs in patients with NSCLC of diverse populations, such as patients who report Hispanic/Latinx ethnicity.

Influence of TP53 Comutation on the Tumor Immune Microenvironment and Clinical Outcomes With Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors in STK11-Mutant Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer.

PURPOSE: Non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with STK11mut has inferior outcomes to immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). Using multiomics, we evaluated whether a subtype of STK11mut NSCLC with a uniquely inflamed tumor immune microenvironment (TIME) harboring TP53 comutations could have favorable outcomes to ICIs. PATIENTS AND METHODS: NSCLC tumors (N = 16,896) were analyzed by next-generation sequencing (DNA-Seq/592 genes). A subset (n = 5,034) underwent gene expression profiling (RNA-Seq/whole transcriptome). Exome-level neoantigen load for STK11mut NSCLC was obtained from published pan-immune analysis. Tumor immune cell content was obtained from transcriptome profiles using the microenvironment cell population (MCP) counter. ICI data from POPLAR/OAK (n = 34) and the study by Rizvi et al (n = 49) were used to model progression-free survival (PFS), and a separate ICI-treated cohort (n = 53) from Dana-Farber Cancer Institute (DFCI) was used to assess time to treatment failure (TTF) and tumor RECIST response for STK11mutTP53mut versus STK11mutTP53wt NSCLC. RESULTS: Overall, 12.6% of NSCLC tumors had a STK11mut with the proportions of tumor mutational burden (TMB)-high (≥10 mut/Mb), PD-L1 ≥50%, and microsatellite instability-high being 38.3%, 11.8%, and 0.72%, respectively. Unsupervised hierarchical clustering of STK11mut (n = 463) for stimulator of interferon-gamma (STING) pathway genes identified a STING-high cluster, which was significantly enriched in TP53mut NSCLC (P < .01). Compared with STK11mutTP53wt, tumors with STK11mutTP53mut had higher CD8+T cells and natural killer cells (P < .01), higher TMB (P < .001) and neoantigen load (P < .001), and increased expression of MYC and HIF-1A (P < .01), along with higher expression (P < .01) of glycolysis/glutamine metabolism genes. Meta-analysis of data from OAK/POPLAR and the study by Rizvi et al showed a trend toward improved PFS in patients with STK11mutTP53mut. In the DFCI cohort, compared with the STK11mut TP53wt cohort, the STK11mutTP53mut tumors had higher objective response rates (42.9% v 16.7%; P = .04) and also had longer TTF (14.5 v 4.5 months, P adj = .054) with ICI. CONCLUSION: STK11mut NSCLC with TP53 comutation is a distinct subgroup with an immunologically active TIME and metabolic reprogramming. These properties should be exploited to guide patient selection for novel ICI-based combination approaches.

Importance of ROS1 gene fusions in non-small cell lung cancer.

Targeted therapy has become one of the standards of care for advanced lung cancer. More than 10 genetic aberrations have been discovered that are actionable and several tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) have been approved to target each of them. Among several genetic aberrations that are actionable in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), ROS1 translocations also known as gene fusion proteins, are found in only 1%-2% of the patient population. ROS1 mutations can usually be detected using a combination of techniques such as immunohistochemistry (IHC), Fluorescence in-situ testing (FISH), polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and next-generation sequencing (NGS). However, RNA NGS and ctDNA NGS (liquid biopsies) also contribute to the diagnosis. There are currently numerous FDA-approved agents for these tumors, including crizotinib and entrectinib; however, there is in-vitro sensitivity data and clinical data documenting responses to ceritinib and lorlatinib. Clinical responses and survival rates with these agents are frequently among the best compared to other TKIs with genetic aberrations; however, intrinsic or extrinsic mechanisms of resistance may develop, necessitating research for alternative treatment modalities. To combat the mechanisms of resistance, novel agents such as repotrectenib, cabozantinib, talotrectinib, and others are being developed. In this article, we examine the literature pertaining to patients with ROS1 tumors, including epidemiology, clinical outcomes, resistance mechanisms, and treatment options.

Diversity and Disparities in Lung Cancer Outcomes Among Minorities.

ABSTRACT: Because of diversities and disparities, lung cancer incidence and mortality rates among minorities are disproportionate compared with non-Hispanic White (NHW) populations. This review focuses on the disparities in lung cancer screening, diagnosis, treatment, and outcomes that minorities, mainly Hispanic and Black, experience compared with NHW populations. Despite efforts such as improving the eligibility criteria for screening to improve lung cancer survival rates, disparities persist, particularly among minority populations. However, the "Hispanic Paradox" describes the lower incidence and better survival rates observed in Hispanics compared with other ethnic groups best explained by possible contributions such as genetics and other factors such as dietary habits. Disparities in screening, particularly among underrepresented populations, are frequently explained by cultural, socioeconomic, and health care access barriers. There are also disparities in receiving appropriate treatment, such as surgical treatment, with fewer Hispanics and Blacks undergoing surgery than NHW individuals, resulting in lower overall survival rates. In addition, the prevalence of biomarker testing varies by racial and ethnic groups, influencing personalized treatment plans and outcomes. Finally, because of genetic and social determinants of health, the clinical outcomes of targeted therapy and immunotherapy may differ among minority populations. Identifying and addressing social determinants of health in real time are a "must" to have a significant impact in reducing lung cancer disparities. A comprehensive and multifaceted strategy is required to rectify disparities in cancer treatment. This strategy includes increasing levels of awareness and education, reducing financial and access barriers, and promoting increased diversity in clinical trial recruitment. By effectively addressing these complex challenges, the objective of providing equitable cancer care to all patients, regardless of race or ethnicity, can be achieved. To identify and address disparities, heightened awareness and education are essential. Access to health care is ensured by reducing financial and access barriers. Finally, increased diversity in clinical trial recruitment advances the generalizability of findings and promotes equitable representation of all racial and ethnic groups, resulting in improved outcomes for all patients.

Liquid Biopsy Versus Tissue Biopsy to Determine Front Line Therapy in Metastatic Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC).

In the last decade, non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) treatment has improved with the approval of multiple therapies to target specific genetic alterations. Though, next generation sequencing (NGS) has traditionally been conducted from tissue biopsy samples, developing data supports the use of plasma-based circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA), also known as "liquid biopsy," to complement tissue biopsy approaches in guiding front-line therapy. This study is a retrospective analysis of 170 new NSCLC patients treated at 2 cancer centers within a 5-year period who received both tissue and liquid biopsy NGS as standard of care. Based on a treatment schema defined by testing sufficiency, biomarker detection, and turnaround time (TAT), physicians based the majority of their treatments on liquid biopsy results (73.5%) versus tissue biopsy (25.9%). Liquid biopsy NGS returned results on average 26.8 days faster than tissue and reported higher testing success. For guideline-recommended biomarkers, liquid biopsy was 94.8% to 100% concordant with tissue. In comparing testing modalities, a liquid-first approach identified guideline-recommended biomarkers in 76.5% of patients versus 54.9% in a tissue-first approach. There was no significant difference in time-to-treatment, or survival outcomes (overall survival and progression free survival) based on liquid versus tissue biopsy findings. This research demonstrates that liquid biopsy NGS is an effective tool to capture actionable genetic alterations in NSCLC. Due to its high concordance to tissue, faster TAT, and similarity in outcomes and time-to-treatment, liquid biopsy can be used either as a first-line test or concordantly with tissue biopsy to guide treatment decisions in NSCLC.

Case report: Osimertinib administration during pregnancy in a woman with advanced EGFR-mutant non-small cell lung cancer.

Lung cancer (LC) is one of the most common causes of death worldwide. The identification of oncogene-addicted driving mutations suitable for targeted therapy has improved clinical outcomes in advanced diseases. Clinical trials, on the other hand, rarely involve vulnerable groups such as pregnant women. We report a 37-year-old woman with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) harboring an exon 19 deletion of EGFR treated with afatinib. After the initial treatment, the patient achieved a complete response and had an unplanned pregnancy. Targeted therapy was withheld during the first trimester and resumed with osimertinib in the second trimester in which the patient developed oligohydramnios and intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) of the baby. Osimertinib was delayed at two different times during the third trimester with complete resolution of the oligohydramnios. The baby was born at 37.3 weeks of gestation (WOG) with no signs of congenital disorders. After delivery, the mother restarted osimertinib and maintained a complete response. This case suggests that osimertinib could be an acceptable option for tumor control during pregnancy in EGFR-mutant NSCLC. This information do not replace current recommendations for avoiding pregnancy and promoting contraceptive usage in patients receiving any cancer therapy.

Pan-tumor survey of RET fusions as detected by next-generation RNA sequencing identified RET fusion positive colorectal carcinoma as a unique molecular subset.

BACKGROUND: RET fusions are driver alterations in cancer and are most commonly found in non-small cell lung cancer and well-differentiated thyroid cancer. However, RET fusion have been reported in other solid tumors. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A retrospective analysis of RET+ solid malignancies identified by targeted RNA sequencing and whole transcriptome sequencing of clinical tumor samples performed at Caris Life Science (Phoenix, AZ). RESULTS: As of March 22, 2022, a total of 378 RET+ solid malignancies were identified in 15 different tumor types and carcinoma of unknown primary (CUP) that underwent next-generation RNA sequencing. RET+ NSCLC and RET+ thyroid cancer constituted 66.9% and 11.1% of the RET+ solid malignancies, respectively. RET+ colorectal adenocarcinoma and RET+ breast adenocarcinoma constituted 10.1% and 2.6%, respectively. The estimated frequency of RET fusions within specific tumor types were NSCLC 0.7%, thyroid cancer 3.1%, colorectal cancer 0.2% and breast cancer 0.1%. KIF5B (46.8%) was the most common fusion partner followed by CCDC6 (28.3%) and NCOA4 (13.8%) in RET+ solid tumors. KIF5B-RET was the dominant fusion variant in RET+ NSCLC, NCOA4-RET was the dominant variant in RET+ colorectal carcinoma, and CCDC6-RET was the dominant variant in thyroid cancer. The most common single gene alterations in RET+ tumors were TP53 (34.8%), RASA1 (14.3%) and ARIAD1A (11.6%). RET+ CRC had a high median TMB of 20.0 and were commonly MSI-H. CONCLUSIONS: RET fusions were identified in multiple tumor types. With a higher median TMB and commonly MSI-H, RET fusion positive CRC may be a unique molecular subset of CRC.