Data from real world to evaluate the efficacy of osimertinib in non-small cell lung cancer patients with central nervous system metastasis

Complete response in a lung adenocarcinoma with pleural metastases initially treated with gefitinib and switched to osimertinib after cerebral oligo-progression with unknown T790M mutation: a case report and review of literature

BACKGROUND

First- and second-generation anti-epithelial growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors have shown great efficacy in the treatment of advanced adenocarcinoma with epithelial growth factor receptor mutations, but this efficacy is limited by certain resistance mechanisms, in particular the T790M mutation, which must be screened before second-line treatment with osimertinib is indicated. The search for this mutation is sometimes difficult, especially in cases of intracranial relapse, through this case report we attempt to discuss the possibility of initiating treatment with osimertinib despite an unknown T790M mutation in such situation.

CASE REPORT

We present the case of a 70-year-old Moroccan male patient diagnosed with non-small cell lung carcinoma initially metastatic to the pleura with an epithelial growth factor receptor mutation who received gefitinib in first line with a complete response, he subsequently presented with cerebral oligo-progression with extra cranial stability. The patient was started on osimertinib with unknown T790M status, as it was impossible to perform a cerebral biopsy, the evolution was characterized by a partial response followed by stereotactic radiotherapy then a complete response for 2 years.

CONCLUSION

We can discuss osimertinib as an option for patients with stage IV non-small cell lung cancer with brain oligo-progression on prior tyrosine kinase inhibitors and unknown T790M status, further studies are needed in this area.

Exploring the impact of patient-specific clinical features on osimertinib effectiveness in a real-world cohort of patients with EGFR mutated non-small cell lung cancer

Osimertinib is prescribed to patients with metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and a sensitizing EGFR mutation. Limited data exists on the impact of patient characteristics or osimertinib exposure on effectiveness outcomes. This was a Dutch, multicenter cohort study. Eligible patients were ≥18 years, with metastatic EGFRm+ NSCLC, receiving osimertinib. Primary endpoint was progression-free survival (PFS). Secondary endpoints included overall survival (OS) and safety. Kaplan-Meier analyses and multivariate Cox proportional hazard models were performed. In total, 294 patients were included. Primary EGFR-mutations were mainly exon 19 deletions (54%) and p.L858R point mutations (30%). Osimertinib was given in first-line (40%), second-line (46%) or beyond (14%), with median PFS 14.4 (95% CI: 9.4-19.3), 13.9 (95% CI: 11.3-16.1) and 8.7 months (95% CI: 4.6-12.7), respectively. Patients with low BMI (<20.0 kg/m2 ) had significantly shorter PFS/OS compared to all other subgroups. Patients with a high plasma trough concentration in steady state (Cmin,SS ; >271 ng/mL) had shorter PFS compared to a low Cmin,SS (<163 ng/mL; aHR 2.29; 95% CI: 1.13-4.63). A significant longer PFS was seen in females (aHR = 0.61, 95% CI: 0.45-0.82) and patients with the exon 19 deletion (aHR = 0.58, 95% CI: 0.36-0.92). A trend towards longer PFS was seen for TP53 wild-type patients, while age did not impact PFS. Patients with a primary EGFR exon 19 deletion had longer PFS, while a low BMI, male sex and a high Cmin,SS were indicative for shorter PFS and/or OS. Age was not associated with effectiveness outcomes of osimertinib.

Osimertinib for EGFR-Mutant Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer Central Nervous System Metastases: Current Evidence and Future Perspectives on Therapeutic Strategies

Central nervous system (CNS) metastases are common in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and associated with poor prognosis and high disease burden. Effective options are needed to treat CNS metastases, and delay or prevent their formation. For epidermal growth factor receptor mutation-positive (EGFRm) advanced NSCLC and brain metastases, upfront EGFR-tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) are recommended by the joint European Association of Neuro-Oncology-European Society for Medical Oncology and experts. While early-generation EGFR-TKIs have limited CNS efficacy, the third-generation, irreversible, EGFR-TKI osimertinib has potent efficacy in NSCLC CNS metastases. This review discusses the CNS data of osimertinib in the context of therapeutic strategies and future prospects based on expert review of published literature and relevant clinical, real-world, and ongoing studies in this setting. Osimertinib penetrates the blood-brain barrier and achieves greater exposure in the brain compared with other EGFR-TKIs. Osimertinib has demonstrated CNS efficacy, including in leptomeningeal metastases, in EGFRm advanced disease. In EGFRm stage IB-IIIA NSCLC, adjuvant osimertinib reduced CNS disease recurrence versus placebo. The burden and poor prognosis of CNS metastases necessitate more therapeutic options for their management and reduced risk of recurrence in patients with EGFRm NSCLC. Clinical studies are ongoing in advanced disease to investigate osimertinib combinations with chemotherapy/radiation therapy and optimal treatment post-CNS progression with osimertinib. Further prospective research evaluating treatments using CNS-specific endpoints and evaluating CNS resistance is needed to improve outcomes for patients with CNS metastases.

Construction and validation of a novel web-based nomogram for patients with lung cancer with bone metastasis: A real-world analysis based on the SEER database

Purpose

Patients with lung cancer with bone metastasis (LCBM) often have a very poor prognosis. The purpose of this study is to characterize the prevalence and associated factors and to develop a prognostic nomogram to predict the overall survival (OS) and cancer-specific survival (CSS) for patients with LCBM using multicenter population-based data.

Methods

Patients with LCBM at the time of diagnosis were identified using the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) Program database of the National Cancer Institute (NCI) from 2010 to 2015. Multivariable and univariate logistic regression analyses were performed to identify factors associated with all-cause mortality and lung cancer (LC)-specific mortality. The performance of the nomograms was evaluated with the calibration curves, area under the curve (AUC), and decision curve analysis (DCA). Kaplan-Meier analysis and log-rank tests were used to estimate the survival times of patients with LCBM.

Results

We finally identified 26,367 patients with LCBM who were selected for survival analysis. Multivariate analysis demonstrated age, sex, T stage, N stage, grade, histology, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, primary site, primary surgery, liver metastasis, and brain metastasis as independent predictors for LCBM. The AUC values of the nomogram for the OS prediction were 0.755, 0.746, and 0.775 in the training cohort; 0.757, 0.763, and 0.765 in the internal validation cohort; and 0.769, 0.781, and 0.867 in the external validation cohort. For CSS, the values were 0.753, 0.753, and 0.757 in the training cohort; 0.753, 0.753, and 0.757 in the internal validation cohort; and 0.767, 0.774, and 0.872 in the external validation cohort.

Conclusions

Our study constructs a new prognostic model and clearly presents the clinicopathological features and survival analysis of patients with LCBM. The result indicated that the nomograms had favorable discrimination, good consistency, and clinical benefits in patients. In addition, our constructed nomogram prediction models may assist physicians in evaluating individualized prognosis and deciding on treatment for patients.

Ablative Radiotherapy as a Strategy to Overcome TKI Resistance in EGFR-Mutated NSCLC

Simple Summary

Most patients with EGFR-mutated NSCLC who receive treatment with targeted therapy will eventually develop resistance, meaning the therapy will lose its efficacy. Prior studies have shown a benefit to continuing to treat patients on TKI therapy despite limited progression of one or more sites of metastatic disease in EGFR-mutated NSCLC. Based on the data reviewed here, the use of radiation therapy to sites of disease progression is both efficacious and carries a low risk for side effects, with the added benefit of allowing patients to continue on TKI therapy.

Abstract

Tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) therapy is the recommended first-line treatment for metastatic non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) positive for epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) gene mutation. However, most individuals treated with TKI therapy for EGFR-mutant NSCLC will develop tumor resistance to TKI therapy. Therapeutic strategies to overcome TKI resistance are the topic of several ongoing clinical trials. One potential strategy, which has been explored in numerous trials, is the treatment of progressive sites of disease with stereotactic body radiation treatment (SBRT) or stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS). We sought to review the literature pertaining to the use of local ablative radiation therapy in the setting of acquired resistance to TKI therapy and to discuss stereotactic radiation therapy as a strategy to overcome TKI resistance.

Real-world management patterns in EGFR-mutant advanced non-small-cell lung cancer before first-line adoption of osimertinib: the REFLECT study in Greece

Aim: To retrospectively characterize real-world therapeutic strategies, clinical outcomes and attrition rates with EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs), before first-line osimertinib approval, in EGFR-mutated advanced/metastatic non-small-cell lung cancer patients in Greece. Results: Among 160 patients, the discontinuation rate for first-line first- or second-generation EGFR-TKIs was 85%; among these patients, 43% did not receive any second-line therapy and 9.4% died during an 18.7-month follow-up period. Median progression-free and overall survival were 12.1 and 20.9 months, respectively. Osimertinib was offered as second- and third-line treatment in 69.6 and 21.7% of patients with the T790M mutation, respectively. Brain metastases were recorded in 10.6% of patients during treatment, with median overall survival of 4.9 months. Conclusion: Given the high attrition rates and the impact of CNS progression, offering the most appropriate first-line EGFR-TKI treatment with CNS penetration is key to maximize outcomes.

Efficacy of Osimertinib After Progression of First-Generation Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor-Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitor (EGFR-TKI) in EGFR-Mutated Lung Adenocarcinoma: A Real-World Study in Chinese Patients

Objective

Osimertinib is the standard targeted strategy for lung adenocarcinoma patients harboring epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-activating mutation who have achieved acquired mutation T790M beyond progression of first-line EGFR-tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI). In a real world setting, the efficacy for osimertinib as a subsequent treatment beyond first-generation EGFR-TKI progression under complex circumstances such as different T790M mutation status is still worth exploring.

Methods

Records of 84 lung adenocarcinoma patients with an EGFR sensitive mutation who received first-generation EGFR-TKI as first-line therapy and sequenced by osimertinib after progression were retrospectively reviewed in this study. The assessment of efficacy of subsequent osimertinib treatment was evaluated by progression free survival (PFS), objective response rate (ORR), complete response (CR), partial response (PR), disease control rate (DCR) and stable disease (SD) rates. Relationship between PFS and clinicopathological characteristics was analyzed using univariate analysis.

Results

Until the median follow-up time of 23.7 months (IQR 10.8–29.0 months), the median PFS (mPFS) of subsequent osimertinib was 17.0 months (HR 1.744, 95% CI, 13.547–20.382). Among 60 patients who had at least one measurable lesion, 35.0% of patients (21/60) had PR to osimertinib, and 63.3% patients (38/60) had SD during osimertinib treatment. The ORR was 35.0%, and the DCR was 98.3%. Patients with acquired T790M mutation which was detected by NGS or ddPCR assay had an mPFS of 17.0 months (HR = 1.032, 95% CI, 14.941–18.987), while the remaining 17 patients who had negative or unknown T790M mutation status had an mPFS of 23.5 months (HR = 9.404, 95% CI, 5.068–41.932). No significant difference was observed in those with and without T790M mutation (P = 0.704).

Conclusion

Osimertinib may serve as an alternative subsequent choice after progression of first-generation EGFR-TKI in EGFR-mutated lung adenocarcinoma and may represent a potential treatment option for selected T790M-negative patients.

Epidermal growth factor receptor-Mutated Non-small-cell Lung Cancer with Intracranial Progressions and Stable Extracranial Diseases Benefit from Osimertinib Regardless of T790M Mutational Status

Objectives

Osimertinib has exhibited promising central nervous system (CNS) efficacy in Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-mutated advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients. In real-world clinical practice, patients would turn to plasma genotyping or take osimertinib blindly after CNS progression on previous tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs). However, the efficacy of osimertinib in those patients according to their T790M mutational status has not been explored.

Materials and methods

Twenty-five patients who received osimertinib due to intracranial progressions with stable extracranial diseases after early-generation EGFR-TKI treatment were collected from 1032 EGFR-mutated NSCLC. Plasma samples were analyzed for EGFR mutations using next-generation sequencing (NGS) or polymerase chain reaction (PCR).

Results

Among the 25 patients, 17 patients took plasma genotyping before osimertinib treatment with 8 patients EGFR T790M mutation-positive and the rest started osimertinib blindly. The median progression-free survival (PFS) was 8.0 months (95% confidence interval [CI]: 6.12-9.94) and median intracranial PFS (iPFS) was 14.4 months (95% CI: 7.27-21.59) for the total population. No statistical difference was found in PFS and iPFS among patients with different EGFR T790M mutational statuses. Intracranial disease control rate (DCR) was 100.0% for 14 patients with evaluable intracranial lesions despite different T790M mutational statuses. DCR for extracranial lesions and overall lesions were 100.0%, 66.7%, and 87.5% for patients with T790M, no T790M, and unknown T790M mutational status, respectively.

Conclusion

For EGFR-mutated NSCLC patients with only intracranial progressions after previous TKI treatments, osimertinib is a promising treatment option regardless of T790M mutational status from plasma genotyping.

Value and significance of brain radiation therapy during first-line EGFR-TKI treatment in lung adenocarcinoma with EGFR sensitive mutation and synchronous brain metastasis: Appropriate timing and technique

Background

For lung adenocarcinoma patients with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) sensitive mutation and synchronous brain metastasis (syn‐BM), when and how to apply radiotherapy (RT) during first‐line tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) treatment remains debatable.

Methods

From a real‐world multicenter database, EGFR‐mutant patients with syn‐BM diagnosed between 2010–2020 and treated with first‐line TKIs were enrolled and divided into upfront TKI + RT and upfront TKI groups. Median intracranial progression‐free survival (mIC‐PFS), median overall survival (mOS), and their risk factors were estimated.

Results

There were 60 and 186 patients in the upfront TKI + RT group and upfront TKI group, respectively. Their mIC‐PFS were 28.9 months (m) and 17.5 m (p = 0.023), and mOS were 42.7 m and 40.1 m (p = 0.51). Upfront brain RT improved mIC‐PFS in patients ≤60‐year‐old (p = 0.035), with symptomatic BM (p = 0.002), and treated with first‐generation TKIs (p = 0.012). There was no significant difference in mOS in any subgroup. Upfront brain stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) showed a trend of better mIC‐PFS and mOS. mIC‐PFS was independently correlated with symptomatic BM (HR = 1.54, p = 0.030), EGFR L858R mutation (HR = 1.57, p = 0.019), and upfront brain RT (HR = 0.47, p = 0.001). mOS was independently correlated with being female (HR = 0.54, p = 0.007), ECOG 3–4 (HR = 10.47, p < 0.001), BM number>3 (HR = 2.19, p = 0.002), and third‐generation TKI (HR = 0.54, p = 0.044) or antiangiogenic drugs (HR = 0.11, p = 0.005) as first/second‐line therapy.

Conclusions

Upfront brain RT based on first‐line EGFR‐TKI might improve IC‐PFS but not OS in EGFR‐mutant lung adenocarcinoma patients, indicating potential survival benefit from brain SRS and early application of drugs with higher intracranial activity.

Polyphyllin I reverses the resistance of osimertinib in non-small cell lung cancer cell through regulation of PI3K/Akt signaling

Lung cancer is considered the main cause of cancer mortality worldwide. Osimertinib, a third-generation EGFR-TKI, has been approved and administrated for treating patients with either EGFR T790M mutation or EGFR sensitive mutation. However, resistance to osimertinib emerges and has been considered to be the main obstacle in lung cancer treatment. Polyphyllin I is isolated from the natural herb Paris polyphylla and exhibits anti-cancer activities. In the present study, we identify Polyphyllin I to reverse the resistance of osimertinib in vitro and in vivo. The results showed that Polyphyllin I reversed the resistance of osimertinib through promoting apoptosis, modulating the PI3K/Akt signaling, and regulating the expression of apoptosis-related proteins in osimertinib-resistant cell lines. In vivo study confirmed the results, showing that the tumor growth was significantly suppressed in the Polyphyllin I/osimertinib group compared to the osimertinib group. It has been clarified that Polyphyllin I could reverse the resistance of osimertinib in osimertinib-resistant non-small cell of lung cancer in vitro and in vivo. The underlying mechanism might be related to the downregulation of the PI3K/Akt signaling and increase of the expression of apoptosis-related proteins, suggesting that Polyphyllin I was a promising therapeutic agent for reversing the resistance of osimertinib.

Prognostic impacts of extracranial metastasis on non-small cell lung cancer with brain metastasis: A retrospective study based on surveillance, epidemiology, and end results database

This study was designed to investigate the prognostic value of the number and sites of extracranial metastasis (ECM) in NSCLC patients with BM. NSCLC patients with BM from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database from 2010 to 2015 were enrolled in analysis. Patients from 2010 to 2013 were included in the training set and those from 2014 to 2015 in the validation set. ECM sites among different subtypes of NSCLC were compared by Chi-square tests. Kaplan-Meier methods and Cox regression models were performed to analyze survival data. Competing-risks analysis was used to predict cumulative incidence rates for CSS and non-CSS cause. We included 5974 patients in the training cohort and 3561 patients in the validation cohort. Most (nearly 80%) NSCLC patients with BM showed 0-1 involved extracranial organ, with the most and least common ECM organ being bone and distant lymph nodes (DLNs) among all subtypes of NSCLC, respectively. The number of involved extracranial organs was an independent prognostic factor for patients with BM from NSCLC (p < 0.001). Patients with 0-1 ECM had better survival than those with larger number of involved extracranial organs (p < 0.001). Cumulative incidence rates for CSS were increased with the number of ECM raising (p < 0.001). All involved extracranial organs were associated with worse survival (p < 0.05). In patients with single-organ ECM, we observed a better prognosis in lung and bone metastasis, while liver metastasis showed worst survival. But the difference in survival in these patient groups was relatively small. Patients with liver metastasis had higher cumulative incidence rates for CSS than that in patients with lung and bone metastasis (p < 0.05). More extracranial metastases were associated with poor prognosis in NSCLC patients with BM and ECM sites showed limited effect on survival. Tailored treatments would be reasonable for BM patients from NSCLC with different metastasis patterns.

Benefits and limitations of real-world evidence: lessons from EGFR mutation-positive non-small-cell lung cancer

While randomized controlled trials (RCTs) are the gold standard for evidence-based medicine, they do not always reflect real-world patient populations, limiting their generalizability and external validity. Real-world evidence (RWE), generated during routine clinical practice, is increasingly important in determining effectiveness outside of the tightly controlled conditions of RCTs, and is now recognized by regulatory bodies as a valuable complement to RCTs. Consequently, it is increasingly important for physicians to understand how RWE data can be used alongside clinical trial data. Here, we discuss the different types of real-world observational studies, outline the benefits and limitations of RWE, and, using examples from EGFR mutation-positive non-small-cell lung cancer, outline how RWE can be used to help inform treatment decisions.

The efficacy and safety of osimertinib in treating nonsmall cell lung cancer: A PRISMA-compliant systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor (EGFR-TKI) is the primary treatment in treating with EGFR mutant nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC). This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of the third-generation EGFR-TKI, osimertinib, and summarize the risk factors associating with outcome after osimertinib treatment.

METHOD

The Ovid Medline, Embase, Cochrane Library, and Pubmed were systematically searched due to December 10, 2019. All the studies that mentioned the overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), treatment response, and adverse events (AEs) of osimertinib were involved in our study. Hazard ratio (HR) with 95% confidence intervals was used for comparing OS and PFS.

RESULT

A total of 47 studies were included in the systematic review, of which 14 studies were used to compare the efficacy between osimertinib and other EGFR-TKI or chemotherapy. Patients treating with osimertinib favors a higher OS and PFS in all the patients (HR = 0.56 and 0.38, P < .001, respectively), and in subgroup analysis, compared with other treatments. Median 55% T790 mutant NSCLC patients might experience partial response, and 25% of patients remained as stable disease. The incidence of severe AE ranged from 0% to 5%, and the most common severe AE was pneumonia (3%). Patients with the T858R mutation may have a better OS than Del 19 mutation (HR = 0.55, P = .037), while patients who have a smoking history may have a higher risk of progression than never-smoker patients (HR = 1.47, P = .028).

CONCLUSION

Osimertinib has an impressive antitumor activity compared with prior EGFR-TKI and chemotherapy with an acceptable response and tolerable AEs. EGFR mutation type and smoking status were the risk factors for mortality and progression in NSCLC patients.

Biomarkers of Osimertinib Response in Patients with Refractory, EGFR-T790M-positive Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer and Central Nervous System Metastases: The APOLLO Study

PURPOSE

Dynamic biomarker monitoring may inform pathways for treating EGFR-T790M-positive non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and central nervous system (CNS) metastases with osimertinib. This study aimed to determine the efficacy and safety of osimertinib for real-world patients with EGFR-T790M NSCLC and CNS metastases and to explore potential circulating biomarkers of therapeutic response.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

APOLLO (ClinicalTrials.gov registration: NCT02972333) was a prospective, single-arm, open-label trial which ran from January 2017 to April 2019. Eligible patients had confirmed EGFR-T790M-positive NSCLC, prior treatment with an EGFR-tyrosine kinase inhibitor, and CNS metastases. All enrolled patients received oral osimertinib 80 mg once daily until disease progression or intolerable toxicity. Primary outcome was overall progression-free survival (PFSo) and secondary outcomes included objective response rate (ORR) and adverse events (AE). Exploratory biomarker analysis involved collection of plasma and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples for next-generation sequencing and drug penetration analysis.

RESULTS

From January to September 2017, 38 patients were enrolled. After a median follow-up of 8.2 months (range, 0.07-15.6), 23 (60.5%) of 38 patients had disease progression or death. Median PFSo was 8.4 months [95% confidence interval (CI), 5.8-10.9]. Overall ORR was 39.4%. Twelve (31.6%) of 38 patients had ≥1 grade 3-4 AE. Median osimertinib CSF penetration rate was 31.7%. Patients with undetectable plasma EGFR mutations at week 6 had improved PFSo compared with those with detectable mutations (not reached vs. 4.5 months; 95% CI, 0.0-1.1; P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Osimertinib had potent activity against EGFR-T790M-positive NSCLC with CNS metastases. Dynamic monitoring of plasma EGFR may suffice for predicting clinical responses, mitigating the need for repeat CSF biopsy.See related commentary by Marmarelis and Bauml, p. 6077.

A review of Osimertinib in NSCLC and pharmacist role in NSCLC patient care

Lung cancer is a complex, genetically heterogeneous disease. It is the most common cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) represents the majority of the diagnosed lung cancer cases. Osimertinib is a new treatment option that demonstrated a superior efficacy over standard epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors (EGFR-TKIs) or platinum-based chemotherapy. The safety and efficacy of osimertinib (a third generation EGFR-TKIs) were confirmed by well-designed clinical trials. Consequently, osimertinib was considered a first-line treatment option, particularly in patients with EGFR mutant NSCLC. It has been approved by FDA for the treatment of advance or metastatic NSCLC patients with specific EGFR-mutant NSCLC. As an active member of the multidisciplinary team, pharmacist has a promising role in assuring safe, effective and cost-effective treatment in patient with NSCLC. This review article aims to highlight the latest evidence about osimertinib use as a new treatment option in the clinical practice and to review the potential pharmacist key roles in NSCLC patient care.

Assessment of Effectiveness and Safety of Osimertinib for Patients With Intracranial Metastatic Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Importance

Intracranial metastatic disease (IMD) is a serious and life-altering complication for many patients with cancer. Targeted therapy may address the limitations of current treatments as an additional agent to achieve intracranial disease control in some patients with IMD. Given the paucity of evidence regarding effectiveness, current guidelines have not made recommendations on the use of targeted therapy. Osimertinib mesylate is a mutant epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) inhibitor that can penetrate the blood-brain barrier and inhibit tumor cell survival and proliferation in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with specific EGFR alterations.

Objective

To assess the effectiveness and safety of osimertinib in the management of IMD.

Data Sources

Studies were selected from MEDLINE and Embase databases from their inception to September 20, 2019, using the following search query: (osimertinib OR mereletinib OR tagrisso OR tamarix OR azd9291) AND (brain metastases OR intracranial metastatic disease OR cns).

Study Selection

Studies reporting intracranial outcomes for patients with metastatic EGFR-variant NSCLC and IMD treated with osimertinib were included in this systematic review and meta-analysis. Among 271 records identified in the systematic review, 15 studies fulfilled eligibility criteria for inclusion in the meta-analysis.

Data Extraction and Synthesis

Data were extracted from published studies and supplements. These data were pooled using a random-effects model. Risk of bias was assessed using the Cochrane risk of bias tool and the modified Newcastle-Ottawa Scale.

Main Outcomes and Measures

Information extracted included study characteristics, intracranial effectiveness measures, and safety measures. Meta-analyses of proportions were conducted to pool estimates for central nervous system (CNS) objective response rate and CNS disease control rate.

Results

Fifteen studies reporting on 324 patients were included in the meta-analysis. The CNS objective response rate was 64% (95% CI, 53%-76%; n = 195), and CNS disease control rate was 90% (95% CI, 85%-93%; n = 246). Included studies reported complete intracranial response rates of 7% to 23%, median best decrease in intracranial lesion size of -40% to -64%, and Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (version 3.0) grade 3 or higher adverse event rates of 19% to 39%. Subgroup analyses did not reveal additional sources of heterogeneity.

Conclusions and Relevance

Findings reported herein support a potential role for osimertinib in the treatment of patients with metastatic EGFR-variant NSCLC and IMD treated with osimertinib. Clinical decision makers would benefit from the inclusion of patients with IMD in future trials to identify factors that predict responses to targeted therapy.

Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors for the Treatment of EGFR Mutation-Positive Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer: A Clash of the Generations

The availability of 3 generations of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) with different pharmacologic characteristics and clinical profiles has provided oncologists with a potentially confusing choice for the treatment of EGFR mutation-positive non-small-cell lung cancer. Although recent head-to-head clinical trials have demonstrated improved efficacy with second-generation (ie, afatinib, dacomitinib) and third-generation (ie, osimertinib) TKIs compared with the first-generation TKIs (eg, erlotinib, gefitinib), acquired resistance has been inevitable, regardless of which agent has been chosen as first-line therapy. Thus, the potential availability of subsequent treatment options is an important consideration. Recent data have demonstrated that osimertinib confers an overall survival benefit compared with first-generation EGFR TKIs, and dacomitinib has shown an overall survival benefit compared with gefitinib in an exploratory analysis. However, the relative benefits of different sequential EGFR-TKI regimens, especially those involving second- and third-generation agents, have remained uncertain and require prospective evaluation. Few such data currently exist to inform treatment choices. In the present review, we examined the pharmacologic characteristics and current clinical data for EGFR TKIs, including emerging information on the molecular mechanisms of resistance across the different generations of TKIs. Given the uncertainties regarding the optimal treatment choice, we have focused on the factors that might help determine the treatment decisions, such as efficacy and safety in patient subgroups. We also discussed the emerging real-world data, which have provided some insights into the benefits of sequential regimens in everyday clinical practice.

The optional approach of oncogene-addicted non-small cell lung cancer with brain metastases in the new generation targeted therapies era

In recent years, the study of the molecular characteristics of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) has highlighted a specific role of some genes that represent important therapeutic targets, including epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK), c-ros oncogene 1 (ROS-1) and v-Raf murine sarcoma viral oncogene homolog B1 (BRAF). Patients with oncogene-addicted cancer benefit more from therapy with tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) than from chemotherapy. The brain is a preferred site for tumor spread in these patients. In addition, given greater control of extracranial disease and prolonged survival, the brain is often the first site of progression. Therefore, there is great interest in therapeutic approaches that optimize the control of intracranial disease associated with systemic drugs that, by penetrating the blood-brain barrier (BBB), may improve local control. On the latter, radiotherapy provides excellent efficacy but following the results of clinical trials with new brain penetrant drugs, the question of how and especially when to perform brain radiotherapy in patients with oncogene-addicted NSCLC remains open. Prospective studies may indicate which patients are most likely to benefit from combined use or in what sequence they will undergo systemic and radiotherapy treatment. Due to the heterogeneity of patients and the introduction of new generation TKIs, a multidisciplinary assessment for the best management of therapies in NSCLC patients with molecular driver alterations and brain metastases (BM) is required.

Real-World Data Of Osimertinib In Patients With Pretreated Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: A Retrospective Study

Purpose

Osimertinib is an oral, irreversible epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) targeted for both EGFR sensitizing mutations and T790M resistance mutation in patients with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). We assessed efficacy and safety of osimertinib in patients with pretreated NSCLC in a real-world setting.

Patients and methods

Ninety-four patients with advanced NSCLC who received osimertinib after progression of prior EGFR-TKIs or chemotherapy treatments were retrospectively collected.

Results

In patients evaluable for response analysis (n = 91), overall objective response rate (ORR) was 47.3%, and disease control rate (DCR) was 90.1%. Median duration of response (DoR) in responding patients was 12.5 months (95% confidence interval [CI], 10.7 to 14.3). Median progression-free survival (PFS) was 8.5 months (95% CI, 7.4 to 9.6) in 2nd line group, 9.1 months (95% CI, 6.6 to 11.6) in ≥3rd line group, and 8.6 months (95% CI, 7.2 to 10.0) in overall population. For subgroup analysis, DCR and median PFS were 91.9% and 8.6 months (95% CI, 7.2 to 10.0) in patients with detectable T790M mutation, respectively, while 80.0% and 3.2 months (95% CI, 0.5 to 5.9) for those without. Median PFS was significantly longer for T790M-positive patients co-occurring with exon19del than with L858R (17.9 months vs 7.3 months; P<0.001). Among 45 patients with metastases to the central nervous system (CNS), median systemic PFS was 8.8 months (95% CI, 6.9 to 10.7), while intracranial time to progression (iTTP) was not reached. Safety profile was acceptable, no adverse events (AEs) related deaths was observed.

Conclusion

Osimertinib was highly active in patients with pretreated advanced NSCLC who harbored EGFR T790M mutation, with manageable side-effects.