Osimertinib, third-generation epidermal growth factor receptor-tyrosine kinase inhibitor (EGFR-TKI), has been approved in the US and EU for the treatment of
EGFR
mutant T790M-positive non-small cell ...lung cancer (NSCLC) patients resistant to first- or second-generation EGFR-TKIs, such as gefitinib, erlotinib and afatinib. Although exciting survival data and response rates have been registered in patients treated with this and other third-generation EGFR-TKIs, unfortunately acquired resistance still occurs after approximately 10 months. Mechanisms determining progression of disease are heterogeneous and not fully understood.
EGFR
-dependent resistance mechanisms (such as new
EGFR
mutations), bypass pathway activation as erb-b2 receptor tyrosine kinase 2 (
HER2)
or
MET
amplification and histological transformation in small cell lung cancer (SCLC) have been reported, similarly to previous generation TKIs. Here, we review principle mechanisms of innate and acquired resistance described in literature both in clinical and preclinical settings during NSCLC treatment with third-generation EGFR-TKIs.
•Immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) has shown unprecedented results in NSCLC.•Immune profiles predictive of ICB efficacy have not been entirely assessed.•Tissue and circulating immune cells were ...analyzed in nivolumab treated NSCLC.•The pool size of circulating NK and CD8+ cells positively impacts on ICB response.•Cytometric assay of immune effector cells may define patients who benefit from ICB.
A prospective investigation of the circulating immune profile in NSCLC patients receiving nivolumab was performed to identify potentially predictive parameters.
Flow Cytometry of peripheral blood (PB) CD3+, CD8+, CD4+, NK, Treg and MDSCs was prospectively performed in 31 consecutive advanced NSCLC patients at baseline (T0) and after 2 (T1) and 4 (T2) cycles of bi-weekly nivolumab. Functional molecules (PD-1, CD3ζ, Granzyme B, Perforin), cell proliferation (Ki67) and NK receptors (NKG2 A, NKG2D, NKp30) were also explored. The immunohistochemical evaluation of PD-L1 and TILs was restricted to available tumor biopsies. Tissue and circulating parameters were correlated to clinico-pathological features and treatment outcomes.
KRAS mutations, active smoking, COPD and steroid treatment conditioned a different distribution of circulating phenotypes. At baseline, clinical benefit (CB, n = 19) group displayed higher number of phenotypically active NK and PD-1+CD8+ cells (p < 0.01) compared to non-responders (NR, n = 12). Prolonged survival outcomes (p < 0.01) were recorded in cases with high baseline circulating NK and PD-1+CD8+ cells. At tissue level, low PD-1 expression in CD8 + TILs was a positive prognostic feature (p < 0.001). Strikingly, high circulating NK and PD-1+CD8+ cells combined with low PD-1/CD8+ ratio in TILs characterized a privileged context able to provide a significantly prolonged (p < 0.01) progression-free survival (PFS). During PD-1 blockade, NKs progressively raised in CB while declined in NR (p < 0.05) and this phenomenon was counterbalanced by parallel changes in Treg.
The functional pool of circulating NKs associated with a divergent PD-1 expression in blood and tissue CD8+ lymphocytes portrays an immune profile predictive of anti-PD1 treatment efficacy.
Immune-related adverse events (irAEs) developed during immunotherapy with anti-PD-1 agents, could be a predictive surrogate marker of clinical benefit in patients with advanced non–small-cell lung ...cancer (NSCLC).
Patients with NSCLC, treated with anti-PD-1 agents, were retrospectively evaluated. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to evaluate the relationships between types of irAEs (differentiated according to system/organ involved and to single-site/multiple-site), overall response rate (ORR), progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS). We further performed a 6-week landmark analysis.
A total of 559 patients were enrolled; 231 patients (41.3%) developed irAEs of any grade and 50 patients (8.9%) G3/G4 events; 191 of them (82.6%) developed “single-site” irAEs and 40 (17.4%) “multiple-site” irAEs. At multivariate analysis, higher ORR was related to irAEs of any grade (P < .0001), “single-site” irAEs (P < .0001), endocrine (P = .0043) and skin irAEs (P = .0005). Longer PFS was related to irAEs of any grade (P < .0001), “single-site” irAEs (P < .0001), “multiple-site” irAEs (P = .0374), endocrine irAEs (P = .0084) and skin irAEs (P = .0001). Longer OS was related to irAEs of any grade (P < .0001), “single-site” irAEs (P < .0001), endocrine irAEs (P = .0044), gastrointestinal irAEs (P = .0437), skin irAEs (P = .0006), and others irAEs (P = .0378). At the 6-week landmark analysis, irAEs of any grade was confirmed an independent predictor of higher ORR, longer PFS, and longer OS.
Our study confirmed that irAEs are concordantly related to higher ORR, longer PFS, and longer OS with anti-PD-1 immunotherapy in patients with NSCLC.
The aim of this study was to investigate with a large sample size, the predictive and prognostic positive roles of occurrence of immune-related adverse events in patients with non–small-cell lung cancer treated with PD-1 inhibitors. The study confirmed that immune-related adverse events are independent predictors of higher overall response rate, longer progression-free survival and longer overall survival.
Circulating cell-free DNA (cfDNA) may help understand the molecular response to pharmacologic treatment and provide information on dynamics of clonal heterogeneity. Therefore, this study evaluated ...the correlation between treatment outcome and activating EGFR mutations (act-EGFR) and T790M in cfDNA in patients with advanced NSCLC given osimertinib.
Thirty-four NSCLC patients resistant to first/second-generation EGFR-TKIs, positive for both act-EGFR and T790M in cfDNA at the time of progression were enrolled in this study. Plasma samples were obtained at osimertinib baseline and after 3 months of therapy; cfDNA was analyzed by droplet digital PCR and results were expressed as mutant allele frequency (MAF).
At baseline, act-EGFR MAF was significantly higher than T790M (p < 0.0001). act-EGFR MAF and T790M/act-EGFR MAF ratio were significantly correlated with disease response (p = 0.02). Cut-off values of act-EGFR MAF and T790M/act-EGFR ratio of 2.6% and 0.22 were found, respectively. The PFS of patients with act-EGFR MAF of > 2.6% and < 2.6%, were 10 months vs. not reached, respectively (p = 0.03), whereas patients with T790M/act-EGFR ≤ 0.22 had poorer PFS than patients with a value of > 0.22 (6 months vs. not reached, respectively, p = 0.01).
act-EGFR MAF and T790M/act-EGFR MAF ratio are potential markers of outcome in patients treated with osimertinib.
Highlights • Thymic epithelial tumors (TETs) are rare neoplasms with different prognosis. • The identification of new targets an emerging need in TET management. • A panel of 7 druggable genes and ...ALK and PD-L1 expression were evaluated. • Thymic carcinoma can harbor c-KIT mutations and elevated PD-L1 expression. • c-KIT mutations and PD-L1 could represent targets of potential therapeutic use.
In order to study alternatives at the tissue biopsy to study EGFR status in NSCLC patients, we evaluated three different liquid biopsy platforms (plasma, urine and exhaled breath condensate, EBC). We ...also reviewed the literature of the cfDNA biological sources other than plasma and compared our results with it about the sensitivity to EGFR mutation determination. Twenty-two EGFR T790M-mutated NSCLC patients in progression to first-line treatment were enrolled and candidate to osimertinib. Plasma, urine and EBC samples were collected at baseline and every two months until progression. Molecular analysis of cfDNA was performed by ddPCR and compared to tissue results. At progression NGS analysis was performed. The EGFR activating mutation detection reached a sensitivity of 58 and 11% and for the T790M mutation of 45 and 10%, in plasma and urine samples, respectively. Any DNA content was recovered from EBC samples. Considering the plasma monitoring study, the worst survival was associated with positive shedding status; both plasma and urine molecular progression anticipated the radiological worsening. Our results confirmed the role of plasma liquid biopsy in testing EGFR mutational status, but unfortunately, did not evidence any improvement from the combination with alternative sources, as urine and EBC.
Programed cell death-1/programed death ligand-1 (PD-1/PD-L1) blockade represents an affirmed reality in the treatment of advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients. Atezolizumab, an ...anti-PD-L1 agent, figures among the drugs that provide previously unenvisaged outcomes in the pretreated setting of metastatic NSCLC. Increasing evidence vouches for the early administration of PD-1/PD-L1 blockers in untreated patients, encompassing atezolizumab combinations with chemotherapy and the anti-angiogenic agent bevacizumab. Moreover, the development of atezolizumab allowed to derive several hints regarding clinical and immunological factors predictive of its activity and efficacy, some of them exclusive among this class of drugs. This review provides an overview of atezolizumab development throughout clinical trials toward its applicability in the routine practice, with a particular focus on patient selection based on clinical and immune-related factors.
Highlights • We investigated the presence of mutations in a panel of 6 genes in 113 SCLCs. • We could identify only 7 mutations, 2 in EGFR and 5 in c-MET gene. • EGFR mutations seem to be related to ...female gender and low tobacco exposure. • c-MET mutations do not show any correlation with specific features. • Studies with c-MET and EGFR-directed therapies are warranted also in SCLC.
Background: Resistance to EGFR-TKIs constitutes a major challenge for the management of EGFR-mutated NSCLC, and recent evidence suggests that deregulation of specific microRNAs (miRNAs) may influence ...resistance to targeted agents. In this retrospective study, we explored the role of specific plasmatic miRNAs (miR-21, miR-27a and miR-181a) as a surrogate for predicting EGFR-TKI performance in EGFR-mutated NSCLC patients. Methods: Plasma samples of 39 advanced EGFR-mutated NSCLC patients treated with EGFR-TKIs were collected at different points in time and miRNA levels were assessed by RT-PCR. Results: Higher basal values of miR-21 were reported in patients who achieved a partial/complete response (PR/CR) compared to those with stability/progression of disease (SD/PD) (p = 0.011). Along the same line, patients who experienced a clinical benefit lasting at least six months displayed higher basal levels of circulating miR-21 (p = 0.039). However, dynamic evaluation of miRNA values after two months from the start of EGFR-TKI treatment showed that patients who experienced SD had an increase in miR-21 levels (Fold Change FC = 2.6) compared to patients achieving PR/CR (p = 0.029). The same tendency was observed for miR-27a (FC = 3.1) and miR-181a (FC = 2.0), although without reaching statistical significance. Remarkably, preclinical studies showed an increase in miR-21 levels in NSCLC cells that became resistant after exposure to EGFR-TKIs. Conclusions: Our study provides interesting insights on the role of circulating miRNAs, in particular miR-21, and their dynamic change over time in predicting EGFR-TKI response in EGFR-mutated NSCLC.
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