Real-world outcomes associated with afatinib use in patients with solid tumors harboring NRG1 gene fusions.

OBJECTIVES: Neuregulin-1 (NRG1) fusions may drive oncogenesis via constitutive activation of ErbB signaling. Hence, NRG1 fusion-driven tumors may be susceptible to ErbB-targeted therapy. Afatinib (irreversible pan-ErbB inhibitor) has demonstrated activity in individual patients with NRG1 fusion-positive solid tumors. This study collected real-world data on demographics, clinical characteristics, and clinical outcomes in this patient population. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this retrospective, multicenter, non-comparative cohort study, physicians in the US-based Cardinal Health Oncology Provider Extended Network collected data from medical records of patients with NRG1 fusion-positive solid tumors who received afatinib (afatinib cohort) or other systemic therapies (non-afatinib cohort) in any therapy line. Objectives included demographics, clinical characteristics, and outcomes (overall response rate [ORR], progression-free survival [PFS], and overall survival [OS]). RESULTS: Patients (N = 110) with a variety of solid tumor types were included; 72 received afatinib, 38 other therapies. In the afatinib cohort, 70.8 % of patients received afatinib as second-line treatment and Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status (ECOG PS) was 2-4 in 69.4 % at baseline. In the non-afatinib cohort, 94.7 % of patients received systemic therapy as first-line treatment and ECOG PS was 2-4 in 31.6 % at baseline. In the afatinib cohort, ORR was 37.5 % overall (43.8 % when received as first-line therapy); median PFS and OS were 5.5 and 7.2 months, respectively. In the non-afatinib cohort, ORR was 76.3 %; median PFS and OS were 12.9 and 22.6 months, respectively. CONCLUSION: This study provides real-world data on the characteristics of patients with NRG1 fusion-positive solid tumors treated with afatinib or other therapies; durable responses were observed in both groups. However, there were imbalances between the cohorts, and the study was not designed to compare outcomes. Further prospective/retrospective trials are required.

Targeting the Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor in EGFR-Mutated Lung Cancer: Current and Emerging Therapies.

Epidermal growth factor receptor-targeting tyrosine kinase inhibitors (EGFR TKIs) are the standard of care for patients with EGFR-mutated metastatic lung cancer. While EGFR TKIs have initially high response rates, inherent and acquired resistance constitute a major challenge to the longitudinal treatment. Ongoing work is aimed at understanding the molecular basis of these resistance mechanisms, with exciting new studies evaluating novel agents and combination therapies to improve control of tumors with all forms of EGFR mutation. In this review, we first provide a discussion of EGFR-mutated lung cancer and the efficacy of available EGFR TKIs in the clinical setting against both common and rare EGFR mutations. Second, we discuss common resistance mechanisms that lead to therapy failure during treatment with EGFR TKIs. Third, we review novel approaches aimed at improving outcomes and overcoming resistance to EGFR TKIs. Finally, we highlight recent breakthroughs in the use of EGFR TKIs in non-metastatic EGFR-mutated lung cancer.

Effect of prior therapy on tumor mutational burden in NSCLC.

BACKGROUND: Higher tumor mutation burden (TMB) in advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is associated with superior outcomes with checkpoint inhibitor therapy. Tissue samples subject to TMB analysis may be acquired after DNA-damaging therapies such as chemotherapy or radiation. The impact of these therapies on TMB results is unclear. This retrospective analysis explored differences in TMB among treatment-naïve samples and treatment-experienced samples. METHODS: NSCLC samples that underwent molecular profiling at a CLIA-certified genomics laboratory (Caris Life Sciences, Phoenix, AZ) and had available treatment and clinical history were identified. TMB was estimated by counting all coding variants (missense, nonsense, frameshift, in-frame InDels) identified by next-generation sequencing. Exceptions were synonymous mutations and any single nucleotide polymorphisms described as germline. History was reviewed under an IRB approved protocol to determine whether patients had received cytotoxic chemotherapy or radiation therapy in the year prior to collection of the tissue subject to TMB analysis. TMB values were compared between cohorts using the Wilcoxon test. Smoking adjusted P values were calculated using the chi-squared test of deviance. RESULTS: TMB was calculated for 970 annotated tumor specimens. Of these, 155 patients received chemotherapy and/or radiation prior to tissue collection. The median TMB was 8 mut/Mb in both the treatment-naïve and treatment-experienced cohorts. After adjusting for smoking, there was no significant difference in TMB between these cohorts (P=0.22). When analyzed separately, neither prior chemotherapy nor prior radiation therapy influenced TMB. TMB was higher when the specimen source was collected from a metastatic site compared to the primary site. CONCLUSIONS: Prior exposure to chemotherapy or radiation therapy was not associated with a significant difference in TMB.

Oral Chemotherapy for Treatment of Lung Cancer.

The global COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted healthcare delivery, particularly for patients with advanced lung cancer. While certain aspects of care can be safely omitted or delayed, systemic therapy plays an important role in survival and quality of life for patients with advanced lung cancer; limiting access to systemic therapy will compromise cancer-related outcomes. This can be at odds with strategies to mitigate risk of COVID-19 exposure, which include reducing hospital and clinic visits. One important strategy is implementation of oral cancer therapies. Many standard regimens require intravenous infusions but there are specific circumstances where an oral agent could be an acceptable alternative. Integrating oral therapeutics can permit patients to receive effective systemic treatment without the exposure risks associated with frequent infusions. Here, we review currently available oral cytotoxic agents with a potential role in the treatment of lung cancer.

Linear IgA Disease of the Gingiva Following Nivolumab Therapy.

Immunotherapy has advanced the treatment of solid organ malignancies. Although generally well tolerated, treatment with immune checkpoint inhibitors can be complicated by immune-related adverse events, some of which are relatively uncommon. We report the first case of gingival linear immunoglobulin A disease related to treatment with an antiprogrammed cell death protein 1 antibody. A 73-year-old male with advanced non-small cell lung cancer achieved a durable response to nivolumab monotherapy. After 1 year of treatment, he developed gingival swelling and pain. Biopsy revealed linear immunoglobulin A disease of the gingiva which was effectively treated with systemic steroids. Ongoing vigilance for immune-mediated toxicity is paramount during and after treatment with immune checkpoint inhibitors.

Molecular diagnostics and targeted therapies in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC): an update.

The understanding of genetic alterations that drive non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is evolving. As many of these molecularly-defined subtypes are potentially actionable, new strategies in molecular diagnostics and targeted therapies in NSCLC to detect and treat them are being explored. At the International Association for Study of Lung Cancer 19th World Conference, several abstracts and oral presentations related to this topic. In this report, we discuss some of these updates.

Detection of NRG1 Gene Fusions in Solid Tumors.

PURPOSE: NRG1 gene fusions are rare but potentially actionable oncogenic drivers that are present in some solid tumors. Details regarding the incidence of these gene rearrangements are lacking. Here, we assessed the incidence of NRG1 fusions across multiple tumor types and described fusion partners. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: Tumor specimens submitted for molecular profiling at a Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA)-certified genomics laboratory and that underwent fusion testing by anchored multiplex PCR for targeted RNA sequencing were retrospectively identified. The overall and tumor-specific incidence was noted, as was the specific fusion partner. RESULTS: Out of 21,858 tumor specimens profiled from September 2015 to December 2018, 41 cases (0.2%) harbored an NRG1 fusion. Multiple fusion partners were identified. Fusion events were seen across tumor types. The greatest incidence was in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC, 25), though this represented only 0.3% of NSCLC cases tested. Other tumor types harboring an NRG1 fusion included gallbladder cancer, renal cell carcinoma, bladder cancer, ovarian cancer, pancreatic cancer, breast cancer, neuroendocrine tumor, sarcoma, and colorectal cancer. CONCLUSIONS: NRG1 fusions can be detected at a low incidence across multiple tumor types with significant heterogeneity in fusion partner.See related commentary by Dimou and Camidge, p. 4865.

Concurrent Diagnosis of Chronic Myeloid Leukemia and Follicular Lymphoma: An Unreported Presentation.

Lymphadenopathy in chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) is usually due to extramedullary involvement with accelerated or blast phases of the disease. The occurrence of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) as a synchronous malignancy with CML is rare. We report a case of a 73-year-old male who presented with dyspnea and right-sided lower extremity edema in the setting of leukocytosis. Bone marrow evaluation indicated a chronic phase chronic myeloid leukemia (CML), confirmed by molecular testing. Imaging of the chest for persistent dyspnea revealed supraclavicular and mediastinal lymphadenopathy. Biopsy of the cervical node showed expanded lymphoid follicles with atypical germinal centers that were positive for CD10, BCL-2, and BCL-6, consistent with follicular lymphoma (FL). Nodal PCR demonstrated clonal IGH and IGK gene rearrangements, and FISH analysis was positive for IGH-BCL-2 fusion. Together, these tests supported the diagnosis of FL. Additionally, the lymph node showed paracortical expansion by maturing pan-hematopoietic elements, no blastic groups, and positive RT-PCR analysis for BCR-ABL1, indicating concomitant involvement by chronic phase-CML. To our knowledge, this is the first reported case of a patient with a concurrent diagnosis of CML and FL.

Understanding molecular diagnostic technology in oncology through the lens of lung cancer.

Historically, advanced lung cancer conferred a poor prognosis, and chemotherapy only improved outcomes in patients with good performance status. The identification of certain molecular subtypes of non-small cell lung cancer changed the treatment paradigm by incorporating tumor genomic information into clinical decision-making. To meet the demands of this emerging approach, genomic technology rapidly expanded in an effort to detect specific driver mutations. While polymerase-chain reaction testing, immunohistochemistry, and fluorescent-in-situ hybridization have been standard-of-care, next-generation sequencing is increasingly replacing older technologies. Plasma-based testing is also gaining use given its convenience. Advances in molecular technology in this new era of precision medicine have led to the parallel development of companion diagnostics and novel tyrosine kinase inhibitors.

Geriatric assessment factors are associated with mortality after hospitalization in older adults with cancer.

PURPOSE: Survival in older adults with cancer varies given differences in functional status, comorbidities, and nutrition. Prediction of factors associated with mortality, especially in hospitalized patients, allows physicians to better inform their patients about prognosis during treatment decisions. Our objective was to analyze factors associated with survival in older adults with cancer following hospitalization. METHODS: Through a retrospective cohort study, we reviewed 803 patients who were admitted to Barnes-Jewish Hospital's Oncology Acute Care of Elders (OACE) unit from 2000 to 2008. Data collected included geriatric assessments from OACE screening questionnaires as well as demographic and medical history data from chart review. The primary end point was time from index admission to death. The Cox proportional hazard modeling was performed. RESULTS: The median age was 72.5 years old. Geriatric syndromes and functional impairment were common. Half of the patients (50.4 %) were dependent in one or more activities of daily living (ADLs), and 74 % were dependent in at least one instrumental activity of daily living (IADLs). On multivariate analysis, the following factors were significantly associated with worse overall survival: male gender; a total score <20 on Lawton's IADL assessment; reason for admission being cardiac, pulmonary, neurologic, inadequate pain control, or failure to thrive; cancer type being thoracic, hepatobiliary, or genitourinary; readmission within 30 days; receiving cancer treatment with palliative rather than curative intent; cognitive impairment; and discharge with hospice services. CONCLUSIONS: In older adults with cancer, certain geriatric parameters are associated with shorter survival after hospitalization. Assessment of functional status, necessity for readmission, and cognitive impairment may provide prognostic information so that oncologists and their patients make more informed, individualized decisions.