Pemetrexed-carboplatin adjuvant chemotherapy with or without gefitinib in resected stage IIIA-N2 non-small cell lung cancer harbouring EGFR mutations: a randomized, phase II study

Management of Non-Metastatic Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC) with Driver Gene Alterations: An Evolving Scenario

The ever-growing knowledge regarding NSCLC molecular biology has brought innovative therapies into clinical practice; however, the treatment situation in the non-metastatic setting is rapidly evolving. Indeed, immunotherapy-based perioperative treatments are currently considered the standard of care for patients with resectable NSCLC in the absence of EGFR mutations or ALK gene rearrangements. Recently, data have been presented on the use of tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) in the adjuvant and locally advanced setting for patients with NSCLC harboring such driver gene alterations. The aim of the current work is to review the available evidence on the use of targeted treatments in the non-metastatic setting, together with a summary of the ongoing trials designed for actionable gene alterations other than EGFR and ALK. To date, 3-year adjuvant osimertinib treatment has been demonstrated to improve DFS and OS and to reduce CNS recurrence in resected EGFR-mutated NSCLC in stage IB-IIIA (TNM 7th edition). The use of osimertinib after chemo-radiation in stage III unresectable EGFR-mutated NSCLC showed the relevant PFS improvement. In the ALK-positive setting, 2-year alectinib treatment was shown to clearly improve DFS compared to adjuvant standard chemotherapy in resected NSCLC with stage IB (≥4 cm)-IIIA (TNM 7th edition). Several trials are ongoing to establish the optimal adjuvant TKI treatment duration, as well as neoadjuvant TKI strategies in EGFR- and ALK-positive disease, and (neo)adjuvant targeted treatments in patients with actionable gene alterations other than EGFR or ALK. In conclusion, our review depicts how the current treatment scenario is expected to rapidly change in the context of non-metastatic NSCLC with actionable gene alterations, hence appropriate molecular testing from the early stages has become crucial to establish the most adequate approaches both in the perioperative and the locally advanced disease.

Real-World Treatment Patterns and Survival Among Patients with Stage I-III, Non-Squamous, Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Receiving Surgery as Primary Treatment

INTRODUCTION

Approximately half of patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) present with early-stage disease at diagnosis. Real-world outcomes data are limited for this population but are of interest given recent and impending results from trials evaluating epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors (EGFR-TKIs) and immunotherapies in neoadjuvant, adjuvant, and perioperative settings.

METHODS

A retrospective, longitudinal, population-level study was conducted in patients diagnosed with resected stage I-III non-squamous NSCLC in Ontario, Canada, between April 2010 and March 2019. Study outcomes included patient characteristics and median overall survival (mOS), with stratification by disease stage and treatment exposure. Patients receiving EGFR-TKIs (assumed EGFR mutation-positive by proxy) were a key population of interest.

RESULTS

Among 8255 cases, 4881 had stage I, 2124 had stage II, and 1250 had stage III NSCLC at diagnosis. The mean patient age was 68 years; 53.5% were female. In the overall cohort, 19.6% received adjuvant chemotherapy. Receipt of adjuvant chemotherapy was associated with significantly longer mOS than not receiving such therapy: stage II (7.6 [95% confidence interval: 6.5-8.5] vs. 4.4 [4.0-4.9] years) or stage III (4.4 [3.6-5.1] vs. 2.7 [2.3-3.3] years), both p < 0.0001. Patients receiving treatment (EGFR-TKIs and chemotherapy) were assumed to have experienced disease recurrence/relapse; mOS was longer among those receiving an EGFR-TKI than among those receiving chemotherapy (2.3 [1.8-3.0] vs. 1.1 [1.0-1.3] years).

CONCLUSION

In Ontario, between 2010 and 2019, uptake of adjuvant therapy was low among patients with resected NSCLC, despite such therapy being associated with improved survival. Patients assumed to have recurred/relapsed had markedly reduced mOS, regardless of subsequent therapy, compared with those who did not relapse/recur. Novel peri-adjuvant treatment options are needed to enhance outcomes after lung resection.

Adjuvant Targeted Therapy in Solid Cancers: Pioneers and New Glories

Targeted therapy (TT) has revolutionized cancer treatment, successfully applied in various settings. Adjuvant TT in resected early-stage gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST), melanoma, non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), and breast cancer has led to practice-changing achievements. In particular, standard treatments include BRAF inhibitors for melanoma, osimertinib for NSCLC, hormone therapy or HER2 TT for breast cancer, and imatinib for GIST. Despite the undeniable benefit derived from adjuvant TT, the optimal duration of TT and the appropriate managing of the relapse remain open questions. Furthermore, neoadjuvant TT is emerging as valuable, particularly in breast cancer, and ongoing studies evaluate TT in the perioperative setting for early-stage NSCLC. In this review, we aim to collect and describe the large amount of data available in the literature about adjuvant TT across different histologies, focusing on epidemiology, major advances, and future directions.

Randomized phase II adjuvant trial to compare two treatment durations of icotinib (2 years versus 1 year) for stage II-IIIA EGFR-positive lung adenocarcinoma patients (ICOMPARE study)

BACKGROUND

Despite the prolonged median disease-free survival (DFS) by adjuvant targeted therapy in non-small-cell lung cancer patients with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations, the relationship between the treatment duration and the survival benefits in patients remains unknown.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

In this multicenter, randomized, open-label, phase II trial, eligible patients aged 18-75 years with EGFR-mutant, stage II-IIIA lung adenocarcinoma and who had not received adjuvant chemotherapy after complete tumor resection were enrolled from eight centers in China. Patients were randomly assigned (1 : 1) to receive either 1-year or 2-year icotinib (125 mg thrice daily). The primary endpoint was DFS assessed by investigator. The secondary endpoints were overall survival (OS) and safety. This study was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT01929200).

RESULTS

Between September 2013 and October 2018, 109 patients were enrolled (1-year group, n = 55; 2-year group, n = 54). Median DFS was 48.9 months [95% confidence interval (CI) 33.1-70.1 months] in the 2-year group and 32.9 months (95% CI 26.6-44.8 months) in the 1-year group [hazard ratio (HR) 0.51; 95% CI 0.28-0.94; P = 0.0290]. Median OS for patients was 75.8 months [95% CI 64.4 months-not evaluable (NE)] in the 2-year group and NE (95% CI 66.3 months-NE) in the 1-year group (HR 0.34; 95% CI 0.13-0.95; P = 0.0317). Treatment-related adverse events (TRAEs) were observed in 41 of 55 (75%) patients in the 1-year group and in 36 of 54 (67%) patients in the 2-year group. Grade 3-4 TRAEs occurred in 4 of 55 (7%) patients in the 1-year group and in 3 of 54 (6%) patients in the 2-year group. No treatment-related deaths or interstitial lung disease was reported.

CONCLUSIONS

Two-year adjuvant icotinib was shown to significantly improve DFS and provide an OS benefit in EGFR-mutant, stage II-IIIA lung adenocarcinoma patients compared with 1-year treatment in this exploratory phase II study.

Rational application of EGFR-TKI adjuvant therapy in patients with completely resected stage IB-IIIA EGFR-mutant NSCLC: a systematic review and meta-analysis of 11 randomized controlled trials

PURPOSE

To determine the role and rational application of epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor (EGFR-TKI) adjuvant therapy in patients with completely resected stage IB-IIIA EGFR-mutant non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

METHOD

Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that compared the survival outcomes between adjuvant EGFR-TKIs and adjuvant chemotherapy or a placebo, or between different EGFR-TKI treatment durations for resected NSCLC, were eligible for inclusion. Disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) with hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated as effective measures using random-effect or fixed-effect models. Subgroup analysis was also performed.

RESULTS

Eleven RCTs involving 2102 EGFR-mutant NSCLC patients with or without EGFR-TKI adjuvant therapy were included. For all stage IB-IIIA NSCLC patients, EGFR-TKIs adjuvant therapy could not only significantly improve DFS (HR 0.43, 95% CI 0.30-0.63, P < 0.001) and 2- and 3-year DFS rates, but also improve OS (HR 0.72, 95% CI, 0.54-0.96, P = 0.024), compared with chemotherapy or the placebo. Further subgroup analyses indicated prolonged OS from first-generation EGFR-TKI adjuvant therapy in stage III patients, compared with chemotherapy or the placebo (HR for OS, 0.34; 95% CI, 0.18-0.63; P = 0.001). Of note, osimertinib adjuvant therapy led to the OS benefit expanding from stage III to stage II-III patients, with significantly improved DFS and a lower risk of brain recurrence, compared with the placebo. A 2-year treatment duration with EGFR-TKI adjuvant therapy showed a significantly lower recurrence risk than a ≤ 1-year duration.

CONCLUSION

The DFS advantage from first-generation EGFR-TKI adjuvant therapy can translate into an OS benefit in stage III NSCLC patients. Osimertinib might be more suitable for adjuvant therapy than first-generation EGFR-TKIs, because of the lower recurrence rate and the potential OS benefit even in early-stage patients. The optimal treatment duration for EGFR-TKIs at different stages of disease needs to be validated.

Efficacy and safety of adjuvant EGFR TKI alone and in combination with chemotherapy for resected EGFR mutation-positive non-small cell lung cancer: A Bayesian network meta-analysis

Adjuvant therapy with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI), alone or with chemotherapy, is used for early-stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with EGFR mutations. A Bayesian meta-analysis was conducted to compare the efficacy and safety of adjuvant EGFR-TKI and adjuvant chemotherapy plus EGFR-TKI to determine whether additional adjuvant chemotherapy is beneficial. Randomised controlled trials and retrospective comparative studies examining the efficacy of adjuvant EGFR-TKI were searched from inception to July 2022. Ten studies (1344 patients) were analysed. Disease-free survival (DFS), overall survival (OS), and adverse events (AEs) were the endpoints. Our network meta-analysis demonstrated that EGFR-TKI monotherapy is noninferior to chemotherapy plus EGFR-TKI for DFS and OS in the adjuvant setting. However, combination treatment was associated with a higher AE incidence and severity. Adjuvant EGFR-TKI monotherapy seems a viable alternative to chemotherapy plus EGFR-TKI in patients with resected EGFR mutation-positive NSCLC.

Adjuvant icotinib versus observation in patients with completely resected EGFR-mutated stage IB NSCLC (GASTO1003, CORIN): a randomised, open-label, phase 2 trial

Background

This phase 2 trial aimed to compare adjuvant icotinib with observation in patients with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutation-positive resected stage IB non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Methods

We performed a randomised, open-label, phase 2 trial from May 1, 2015 to December 29, 2020 at Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center in China. Patients with completely resected, EGFR-mutant, stage IB (the 7th edition of TNM staging) NSCLC without adjuvant chemotherapy were randomised (1:1) to receive adjuvant therapy with icotinib (125 mg, three times daily) for 12 months or to undergo observation until disease progression or intolerable toxicity occurred. The primary endpoint was 3-year disease-free survival (DFS). CORIN (GASTO1003) was registered with Clinicaltrials.gov, with the number NCT02264210.

Findings

A total of 128 patients were randomised, with 63 patients in the icotinib group and 65 patients in the observation group. The median duration of follow-up was 39.9 months. The three-year DFS was significantly higher in the icotinib group (96.1%, 95% confidence interval [CI], 91.3-99.9) than in the observation group (84.0%, 95% CI, 75.1-92.9; P = 0.041). The DFS was significantly longer in the icotinib group than in the observation group, with a hazard ratio (HR) of 0.23 (95% CI, 0.07-0.81; P = 0.013). The OS data were immature, with three deaths in the observation arm. In the icotinib group, adverse events (AEs) of any grade were reported in 49 patients (77.8%), and grade 3 or greater AEs occurred in four patients (6.3%). No treatment-related deaths occurred.

Interpretation

Our findings suggested that adjuvant icotinib improved the 3-year DFS in patients with completely resected EGFR-mutated stage IB NSCLC with a manageable safety profile.

Funding

This study was sponsored by Betta Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.

Epidermal growth factor receptor inhibitors as adjuvant treatment for patients with resected non-small cell lung cancer harboring EGFR mutation: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled clinical trials

BACKGROUND

The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) is still under investigation as adjuvant treatment for early-stage disease. Here, we performed a meta-analysis to evaluate the efficacy of adjuvant EGFR-TKI versus non-EGFR-TKI treatment in patients with completely resected non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) harboring EGFR mutation.

METHODS

Two investigators independently extracted data from databases. A meta-analysis was performed following the guidelines of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement. The protocol was registered in PROSPERO (ID: CRD42022316481). The primary outcome was disease-free survival (DFS) in patients with EGFR mutation, measured as the hazard ratio (HR). Other outcomes (of subgroup analyses) included overall survival (OS) and DFS.

RESULTS

After the systematic screening, eight studies with a total of 3098 patients with stage IB-IIIA NSCLC were included. The results show that in patients with EGFR mutation, the DFS in the adjuvant EGFR-TKI group was significantly superior to that in the control group, with a HR of 0.47 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.30-0.74; P = 0.001). In subgroup analyses of DFS, the benefit was observed in the EGFR-TKI group versus the chemotherapy group (HR 0.50, 95% CI 0.30-0.84; P = 0.009), the EGFR-TKI combined with chemotherapy group versus the chemotherapy group (HR 0.37, 95% CI 0.16-0.85; P = 0.02), and in stage IIA-IIIA NSCLC (HR 0.45, 95% CI 0.27-0.74; P = 0.002). However, the benefit of DFS did not translate into improved OS in the whole population (HR 0.79, 95% CI 0.54-1.14; P = 0.20).

CONCLUSION

EGFR-TKIs prolonged DFS but not OS in patients with completely resected stage II-IIIA NSCLC harboring EGFR mutation. Longer follow-ups and new clinical trials that can result in changes in clinical practice are needed.

A meta-analysis of adjuvant EGFR-TKIs for patients with EGFR mutation of resected non-small cell lung cancer

BACKGROUND

The role of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKIs) in improving the prognostic outcome of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cases harboring EGFR mutation following radical surgery is still controversial. This work focused on comparing EGFR-TKIs and adjuvant chemotherapy (ACT) or placebo in treating NSCLC cases, specifically on those with EGFR-mutant, being in the stage of IB-IIIA and possibly gained benefits from the above treatment after radical resection.

METHODS

The Cochrane Library, MEDLINE, and Embase databases were searched to identify eligible clinical trials; two authors were responsible for screening the results. The primary outcomes were evaluated by disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) based on hazard ratios (HRs) and a relevant 95% confidence interval (CI).

RESULTS

The literature search yielded twelve eligible studies, including four retrospective cohort studies and eight randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that enrolled 1694 cases and were of acceptable quality. In patients receiving adjuvant EGFR-TKIs compared with ACT or placebo treatment, HR regarding DFS was 0.47 (95% CI: 0.40, 0.55), whereas the OS rate was 0.74 (95% CI: 0.58, 0.95). For patients who received adjuvant EGFR-TKIs in combination with conventional chemotherapy compared to chemotherapy, the efficiency was significantly enhanced, with the HR for DFS being 0.29 (95% CI: 0.15, 0.58) and that for OS being 0.51 (95% CI: 0.25, 1.04), separately.

CONCLUSION

For NSCLC cases who had EGFR mutations and surgery, adjuvant EGFR-TKI combined with chemotherapy achieved superior effect over chemotherapy or placebo with reference to DFS and may prolong the OS up to some extent.

Prognostic impact of pretreatment T790M mutation on outcomes for patients with resected, EGFR-mutated, non-small cell lung cancer

Background

Many previous studies have demonstrated that minor-frequency pretreatment T790M mutation (preT790M) could be detected by ultrasensitive methods in a considerable number of treatment-naïve, epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-mutated, non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cases. However, the impact of preT790M in resected cases on prognosis remains unclear.

Methods

We previously reported that preT790M could be detected in 298 (79.9%) of 373 surgically resected, EGFR-mutated NSCLC patients. Therefore, we investigated the impact of preT790M on recurrence-free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS) in this cohort by multivariate analysis. All patients were enrolled from July 2012 to December 2013, with follow-up until November 30, 2017.

Results

The median follow-up time was 48.6 months. Using a cutoff value of the median preT790M allele frequency, the high-preT790M group (n = 151) had significantly shorter RFS (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.51, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.01–2.25, P = 0.045) and a tendency for a shorter OS (HR = 1.87, 95% CI: 0.99–3.55, P = 0.055) than the low-preT790M group (n = 222). On multivariate analysis, higher preT790M was independently associated with shorter RFS (high vs low, HR = 1.56, 95% CI: 1.03–2.36, P = 0.035), irrespective of advanced stage, older age, and male sex, and was also associated with shorter OS (high vs low, HR = 2.16, 95% CI: 1.11–4.20, P = 0.024) irrespective of advanced stage, older age, EGFR mutation subtype, and history of adjuvant chemotherapy.

Conclusions

Minor-frequency, especially high-abundance of, preT790M was an independent factor associated with a poor prognosis in patients with surgically resected, EGFR-mutated NSCLC.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12885-022-09869-7.

Adjuvant EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors for patients with resected EGFR-mutated non-small-cell lung cancer: a network meta-analysis

Aim: To investigate the efficacy and safety of adjuvant EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors for resected EGFR-mutated non-small-cell lung cancer. Materials & methods: Eligible phase II/III randomized controlled trials were included for the network meta-analyses (PROSPERO CRD42021275150). Results: Nine records and 831 patients were involved. Adjuvant chemotherapy followed with osimertinib significantly prolonged disease-free survival compared with chemotherapy (hazard ratio [HR]: 0.2; 95% CI: 0.14-0.29), chemotherapy followed with erlotinib (HR: 0.33; 95% CI: 0.18-0.6), chemotherapy followed with gefitinib (HR: 0.36; 95% CI: 0.16-0.82), gefitinib (HR: 0.26; 95% CI: 0.17-0.41) and icotinib (HR: 0.56; 95% CI: 0.3-0.98). Icotinib was the least likely to cause grade ≥3 adverse events. Conclusion: Chemotherapy followed with osimertinib brings about the best disease-free survival. Icotinib monotherapy shows the best safety.

DNA methylation profiling identifies subgroups of lung adenocarcinoma with distinct immune cell composition, DNA methylation age, and clinical outcome

PURPOSE

Lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) is a clinically heterogenous disease, which is highlighted by the unpredictable recurrence in low-stage tumors and highly variable responses observed in patients treated with immunotherapies, which cannot be explained by mutational profiles. DNA methylation-based classification and understanding of microenviromental heterogeneity may allow stratification into clinically relevant molecular subtypes of LUADs.

EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN

We characterize the genome-wide DNA methylation landscape of 88 resected LUAD tumors. Exome sequencing focusing on a panel of cancer-related genes was used to genotype these adenocarcinoma samples. Bioinformatic and statistical tools, the immune cell composition, DNA methylation age (DNAm age), and DNA methylation clustering were used to identify clinically relevant subgroups.

RESULTS

Deconvolution of DNA methylation data identified immunologically hot and cold subsets of lung adenocarcinomas. Additionally, concurrent factors were analyzed that could affect the immune microenvironment, such as smoking history, ethnicity, or presence of KRAS or TP53 mutations. When the DNAm age was calculated, a lower DNAm age was correlated with the presence of a set of oncogenic drivers, poor overall survival, and specific immune cell populations. Unsupervised DNA methylation clustering identified 6 molecular subgroups of LUAD tumors with distinct clinical and microenvironmental characteristics.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results demonstrate that DNA methylation signatures can stratify lung adenocarcinoma into clinically relevant subtypes, and thus such classification of LUAD at the time of resection may lead to better methods in predicting tumor recurrence and therapy responses.

EGFR-Mutant Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer at Surgical Stages: What Is the Place for Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors?

Simple Summary

Tyrosine kinase inhibitors are drugs targeting the epidermal growth factor receptor. In lung cancer, they are used to treat advanced EGFR-mutant diseases, and more recently, one has been approved for adjuvant therapy. Even though publications on the topic are numerous, conclusions are difficult to interpret and are sometimes contradictory. We therefore reviewed the literature in order to present an overview of up-to-date data regarding the adjuvant and neoadjuvant use of tyrosine kinase inhibitors, with particular attention given to their benefits, proven or expected, as well as what challenges could be faced when entering them as protocols in standard care.

Abstract

The ADAURA trial has been significant for the perception of EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) as a tool for early stage non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). It produced such great insight that the main TKI, Osimertinib, was rapidly integrated into international guidelines for adjuvant use. However, EGFR-mutant NSCLC is a complex entity and has various targeting drugs, and the benefits for patients might not be as clear as they seem. We reviewed trials and meta-analyses considering TKI adjuvant and neoadjuvant use. We also explored the influence of mutation variability and financial evaluations. We found that TKIs often show disease-free survival (DFS) benefits, yet studies have struggled to improve the overall survival (OS); however, the results from the literature might be confusing because of variability in the stages and mutations. The safety profiles and adverse events are acceptable, but costs remain high and accessibility might not be optimal. TKIs are promising drugs that could allow for tailored treatment designs.

Efficacy and safety of adjuvant EGFR-TKIs for resected non-small cell lung cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis based on randomized control trials

Background

Postoperative adjuvant cisplatin-based chemotherapy had been the standard care in patients with completely resected high-risk stage IB to IIIA non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) for decades. However, the survival benefits were far from satisfactory in clinical practice. Thus, this meta-analysis was performed to compare the efficacy and safety of adjuvant epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors (EGFR-TKIs) in patients with resected NSCLC based on updated literature and research.

Methods

A systematic literature search based on random control trials (RCTs) was conducted with keywords on PubMed, Embase and the Cochrane library databases. All articles compared EGFR-TKIs to placebo or chemotherapy as adjuvant therapies for early-stage resected NSCLC. A meta-analysis was performed to generate combined hazard ratio (HR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) for disease-free survival (DFS), overall survival (OS), and risk ratio (RR) with 95% CI for disease recurrence and adverse events (AEs). The Stata statistical software (version 14.0) was used to synthesis the data.

Results

A total of 9 RCTs comprising 3098 patients were included. Adjuvant EGFR-TKIs could significantly prolong DFS in patient with resected NSCLC harboring epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations (HR 0.46, 95% CI 0.29–0.72), but had no impact on OS (HR 0.87, 95% CI 0.69–1.11). The subgroup analyses indicated that adjuvant EGFR-TKIs were superior in regard to DFS in most subgroups, including varied smoking status, EGFR mutations type, gender, age, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status and adenocarcinoma. Osimertinib resulted in decreased brain recurrence than first generation of EGFR-TKIs (RR 0.12, 95% CI 0.04–0.34 vs. RR 1.07, 95% CI 0.64–1.78, respectively). The AEs were generally manageable and tolerable. The incidence of high-grade (≥ 3) AEs including diarrhea (RR 5.68, 95% CI 2.94–10.98) and rash (RR 27.74, 95% CI 11.43–67.30) increased after adjuvant EGFR-TKIs treatment.

Conclusions

Adjuvant EGFR-TKIs therapy could significantly prolong DFS in patients with completely resected early-stage EGFR mutation-positive NSCLC, but had no impact on OS. Adjuvant EGFR-TKIs could be an important treatment option in patients with resected early-stage EGFR-mutant NSCLC.

Efficacy of adjuvant EGFR inhibitors and impact of clinical factors in resected EGFR-mutated non-small-cell lung cancer: a meta-analysis

Background: The role of adjuvant EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) in resected EGFR-mutated non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) remains unclear. Materials & methods: We evaluated pooled hazard ratio and 95% CI for disease-free survival, overall survival and prespecified subgroups. Results: Seven prospective studies with 1288 patients were included in the meta-analysis. Adjuvant EGFR TKIs significantly improved disease-free survival in EGFR-mutated resected NSCLC (HR: 0.41; 95% CI: 0.24-0.70) and in all subgroups. However, the overall survival benefit was not significant (HR: 0.65; 95% CI: 0.36-1.17). The benefit of adjuvant TKIs may be associated with TKI regimens, treatment duration, pathological stage and EGFR mutation type. Conclusion: Adjuvant EGFR TKIs significantly improved disease-free survival and nonsignificantly improved overall survival in resected EGFR-mutated NSCLC.

Anticipating EGFR Targeting in Early Stages of Lung Cancer: Leave No Stone Unturned

Background: The current treatment landscape of early stage lung cancer is rapidly evolving, particularly in EGFR mutant non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), where target therapy is moving to early stages. In the current review, we collected the available data exploring the impact of EGFR targeting in both neoadjuvant and adjuvant settings, underlying lights and shadows and discussing the existing open issues. Methods: We performed a comprehensive search using PubMed and the proceedings of major international meetings to identify neoadjuvant/adjuvant trials with EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) in NSCLC. Results: Limited data are available so far about the activity/efficacy of neoadjuvant TKIs in EGFR mutant NSCLC, with only modest downstaging and pathological complete response rates reported. Differently, the ADAURA trial already proposed osimertinib as a potential new standard of care in resected NSCLC harboring an activating EGFR mutation. Conclusion: Anticipating targeted therapy to early stage EGFR mutant NSCLC presents great opportunities but also meaningful challenges in the current therapeutic/diagnostic pathway of lung cancer care. Appropriate endpoint(s) selection for clinical trials, disease progression management, patients' and treatment selection, as well as need to address the feasibility of molecular profiling anticipation, represent crucial issues to face before innovation can move to early stages.

Adjuvant Treatment with Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors in Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor Mutated Non-Small-Cell Lung Carcinoma Patients, Past, Present and Future

Lung cancer is the most common malignancy across the world. The new era in lung cancer treatments, especially this past decade, has yielded novel categories of targeted therapy for specific mutations and adjuvant therapy, both of which have led to improved survival rates. In the present study, we review the changes and development of treatments, with a special focus on adjuvant therapy using tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) administered to non-small-cell lung carcinoma patients who had a complete resection of the tumor harboring a mutated epidermal growth factor receptor. The clinical trials are dating from the past (chemotherapy trials), present (TKIs), and future (ongoing trials).

Adjuvant therapy of operable nonsmall cell lung cancer: an update

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

The current status of postoperative adjuvant therapy for nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is reviewed.

RECENT FINDINGS

Cisplatin-based postoperative chemotherapy is a current standard of care for patients with stage II-III NSCLC who underwent complete resection. However, its benefit is limited. In these 20 years, the introduction of targeted therapies and immune checkpoint inhibitors has dramatically changed the treatment of metastatic lung cancer. The accumulated knowledge is now being applied in the adjuvant setting and many clinical trials are underway. Recently, postoperative osimertinib was shown to greatly prolong disease-free survival of patients with resected, stage II/IIIA NSCLC with EGFR mutation with an unprecedented hazard ratio of 0.17 in ADAURA study. Furthermore, initial results of adjuvant studies of immune checkpoint inhibitors are expected to be reported shortly.

SUMMARY

As lung cancer is inherently prone to metastasize even though it looks in its earlier stage, it is essential to develop a newer generation of adjuvant therapies to improve patient outcomes. To this end, international and multidisciplinary collaboration is key to establish a new standard of care. It is anticipated that the treatment algorithm of early-stage lung cancer will be completely revised in 5 years using a more individualized approach.

Detection of Tumor Recurrence via Circulating Tumor DNA Profiling in Patients with Localized Lung Cancer: Clinical Considerations and Challenges

Simple Summary

Circulating tumor DNA is a novel biomarker with emerging uses in the clinical care of patients with cancer, including non-small-cell lung cancer. Already approved for use in various clinical settings in patients with metastatic non-small-cell lung cancer, recent research has focused on the ability of circulating tumor DNA to predict relapse of patients with localized disease after treatment with curative intent. Identifying patients at increased risk of relapse after treatment with curative intent remains challenging, but several groups have identified circulating tumor DNA kinetics as a potential means of aiding our risk stratification. Herein, we discuss current research that identifies longitudinal circulating tumor DNA kinetics as a highly sensitive and specific marker for relapse. Then, we identify important clinical considerations and challenges for moving forward with further studying and eventually using this biomarker for patients with localized disease in clinic.

Abstract

Approximately 30% of patients with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) present with localized/non-metastatic disease and are eligible for surgical resection or other “treatment with curative intent”. Due to the high prevalence of recurrence after treatment, adjuvant therapy is standard care for most patients. The effect of adjuvant chemotherapy is, however, modest, and new tools are needed to identify candidates for adjuvant treatments (chemotherapy, immunotherapy, or targeted therapies), especially since expanded lung cancer screening programs will increase the rate of patients detected with localized NSCLC. Circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) has shown strong potential to detect minimal residual disease (MRD) and to guide adjuvant therapies. In this manuscript, we review the technical aspects and performances of the main ctDNA sequencing platforms (TRACERx, CAPP-seq) investigated in this purpose, and discuss the potential of this approach to guide or spare adjuvant therapies after definitive treatment of NSCLC.

Efficacy of Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors in the Adjuvant Setting for Patients with Resected Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor Mutant Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: A Meta-Analysis with 11 Trials

BACKGROUND

Epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors (EGFR-TKIs) have recently become the standard first-line therapy for advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients harboring EGFR mutations. This study aimed to define the role of EGFR-TKI treatment in the adjuvant setting of patients with resected EGFR-mutant NSCLC.

METHODS

Three online databases (PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Library) were used to conduct systematic research to search for studies published before June 1, 2020. The disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) of patients with resected EGFR-mutant NSCLC after radical surgery treated with EGFR-TKIs versus non-EGFR-TKIs in the adjuvant setting were compared. Based on rigorous self-defined inclusion and exclusion criteria, studies were selected, and a meta-analysis was performed using hazard rate (HR) and 95% CIs as effective measures.

RESULTS

Eleven studies, published between 2011 and 2020, with a total of 1,900 patients, were included in this meta-analysis. EGFR-TKI treatment showed a significant beneficial effect on DFS (HR 0.42; 95% CI 0.31-0.57) and OS (HR 0.62; 95% CI 0.45-0.86) for patients with resected EGFR-mutant NSCLC after radical resection in the adjuvant setting.

CONCLUSION

Our meta-analysis results suggested that EGFR-TKI treatment improved the DFS and OS of completely resected patients with EGFR-mutant NSCLC compared with non-EGFR-TKI treatment in the adjuvant setting. In the future, our conclusion should be confirmed by additional large-scale and well-designed clinical trials.

Adjuvant EGFR-TKIs for Patients With Resected EGFR-Mutant Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: A Meta-Analysis of 1,283 Patients

Background

Cisplatin-based chemotherapy was previously considered as the standard adjuvant therapy for improved overall survival (OS) in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) after surgery. However, the benefit was limited due to high risks of recurrence and adverse events. In the present study, the efficacy of adjuvant epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors (EGFR-TKIs) for EGFR-mutant patients after surgery was investigated using the latest updated data.

Methods

This meta-analysis included a comprehensive range of relevant studies identified from database searches. Disease-free survival (DFS) and OS with hazard ratios (HRs) were calculated using random-effect or fixed-effect models. Subgroup analysis was also performed.

Results

A total of seven randomized clinical trials were included in the meta-analysis and involved 1,283 NSCLC patients harboring EGFR mutations. In resected EGFR-mutant NSCLC patients, adjuvant EGFR-TKIs were significantly better than chemotherapy in terms of DFS (HR: 0.41; 95%CI: 0.24-0.70, P = 0.001), without showing any benefit in OS (HR: 0.72; 95%CI: 0.37-1.41, P = 0.336). No significant difference in DFS was observed between patients with EGFR exon 19 deletion and those with L858R mutation. Resected EGFR-mutant NSCLC patients treated with osimertinib experienced improved DFS and a lower risk of brain recurrence than those treated with gefitinib or erlotinib. Adjuvant EGFR-TKIs reduced the risk of bone and lung relapse, without decreasing the risk of local recurrence and liver relapse.

Conclusion

This meta-analysis shows that adjuvant EGFR-TKI therapy could significantly prolong DFS in patients with resected EGFR-mutant NSCLC. Treatment with osimertinib showed improved DFS with a lower risk of brain recurrence than treatment with gefitinib or erlotinib for resected disease.

The role of EGFR-TKIs as adjuvant therapy in EGFR mutation-positive early-stage NSCLC: A meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

The role of adjuvant epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors (EGFR-TKIs) is not clear in early-stage nonsmall-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients. This meta-analysis aims to compare the efficacy and safety of EGFR-TKIs as adjuvant therapy with chemotherapy or placebo in NSCLC patients harboring EGFR mutations.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Pubmed, Embase, and Cochrane databases were searched for randomized controlled trials. The hazard ratio (HR) of disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) as well as the risk ratio (RR) of severe adverse events were merged.

RESULTS

Seven articles from five studies from 1843 records, a total of 1227 patients, were included in the analysis. The HR for DFS was 0.38 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.22-0.63), in favor of EGFR-TKIs. However, no significant benefit of OS was seen (HR = 0.61, 95% CI 0.31-1.22). Treatment benefit was more pronounced in patients with advanced disease stage and longer duration of medication, EGFR exon 19 deletion mutation, and treatment with third-generation EGFR-TKIs. Adjuvant targeted therapy may cause few adverse events compared with chemotherapy (RR = 0.28, 95% CI 0.09-0.94). The possibility of severe adverse events for the first-generation drugs was significantly lower than for third-generation drugs.

CONCLUSION

In EGFR mutation-positive patients with stage IB-IIIA NSCLC, compared with adjuvant chemotherapy or placebo, adjuvant EGFR-TKIs should effectively improve the patient's DFS, but not effectively improve OS. Disease stage, treatment duration, mutation types, and therapeutic drugs could affect the degree of benefit. Adjuvant EGFR-TKIs had more favorable tolerability than chemotherapy, especially with the usage of first-generation drugs.

[Perioperative treatment for resected non-small cell lung cancer: Which option in 2020?]

Surgery is the ultimate curative treatment for resectable non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, the prognosis for operated patients remains disappointing. Multiple randomized studies have shown that administering perioperative chemotherapy improves the prognosis and increases the cure rate by around 3-5%. The purpose of this article is to take stock of the role of perioperative treatments for NSCLC, which can be completely resected. Six questions were evaluated: 1) What is the place of (neo) adjuvant chemotherapy in 2020, among others in the early stages (IB)? 2) Can new chemotherapy agents be combined with a platinum derivative? 3) What is the place of radiochemotherapy for resectable NSCLC? 4) Is there a place for postoperative radiotherapy (PORT)? 5) Is there a place for targeted therapies for resectable NSCLC? 6) What is the place of immunotherapies in the perioperative period?

Neoadjuvant treatment of stage IIIA-N2 in EGFR-Mutant/ALK-rearranged non-small cell lung cancer

Defining the optimal neoadjuvant strategy in early-stage and locoregional (N2) oncogenic-driven lung cancer remains a major challenge for the scientific community. Whereas significant advances have been achieved with the use of personalized medicine and targeted therapies in advanced stages, we are still far from translating the same magnitude of benefits into an earlier-stage disease. Perioperative strategies with neoadjuvant and adjuvant tyrosine kinase inhibitors in patients with EGFR and ALK gene alterations have yielded mixed results and further biomarker-driven trials are needed to shed more light on the significance of inhibiting the oncogenic signaling addiction at earlier stages of the disease and the conceivable value of incorporating more potent targeted inhibitors in this setting. Meanwhile, the landscape of early-stage lung cancer management is progressing rapidly, and we anticipate the incorporation of novel immunotherapeutic agents on the basis of this promising preliminary activity as induction strategies. Whether the benefits observed in the overall population can be translated into specific subsets of oncogenic-driven tumors is still unknown, but it clearly reinforces the importance of incorporating—sooner rather than later—a biomarker-testing strategy into the routine work-up of early-stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). There are still many challenges to overcome such as the need to stablish standardized surrogate endpoints and to define the optimal duration of perioperative treatment, as well as how to expedite patient recruitment using enrichment strategies for biomarker stratified trials. Despite the difficulties, we are living in exciting times and coming up on a new window of opportunities for achieving the ultimate goal of curing early-stage lung cancer and improving long-term outcomes by eliminating the minimal residual disease and reducing the risk for metastatic recurrence.

Integrating immune checkpoint inhibitors and targeted therapies in the treatment of early stage non-small cell lung cancer: a narrative review

Prognosis of early stage non-small cell lung cancer (eNSCLC) is poor even when treated radically with surgery and (neo)adjuvant chemotherapy (Cht). The discovery of tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) for oncogene addicted NSCLC and immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have revolutionised the therapeutic paradigm and improved survival of advanced NSCLC. The unprecedented impact of these drugs has shifted the focus of investigation to early stage disease aiming at improving cure. In this context, several single arm phase II studies evaluating neoadjuvant ICI alone or in combination with platinum-based Cht have shown encouraging rates of pathological response which have spurred several ongoing randomized trials with (neo)adjuvant ICI. More recently, ADAURA study evaluating adjuvant osimertinib demonstrated a profound reduction of the risk of recurrence in patients with stage I (>4 cm)-IIIA eNSCLC harbouring EGFR sensitizing mutations. ICIs and TKIs represent a true revolution in the treatment of eNSCLC call to challenge the current standard of care. However, questions regarding drug resistance, recurrence patterns, biomarker identification, optimal treatment duration and sequencing need be answered to effectively integrate new drugs in the rapidly evolving therapeutic landscape of NSCLC. In this review we critically review new developments and future perspectives of TKIs and ICI as (neo)adjuvant strategies for eNSCLC.

Anlotinib for refractory advanced non-small-cell lung cancer: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Objective

To assess the efficacy and toxicity of anlotinib for the treatment of refractory advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Methods

We systematically searched databases for randomized controlled trials on anlotinib treatment for patients with advanced NSCLC published until November 6, 2020. Articles were assessed and data were extracted independently by two investigators. Further, we analyzed hazard ratios (HRs) for progression-free and overall survival (PFS and OS, respectively). In addition, we analyzed risk ratio (RR) for overall response and disease control rates (ORR and DCR, respectively) and the odds ratio (OR) for the main adverse events (AEs) using RevMan 5.3 software.

Results

This analysis included 594 patients from three clinical studies. The pooled HRs for PFS and OS were 0.27 (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.22–0.33, P < 0.001) and 0.68 (95% CI: 0.56–0.83, P < 0.001), respectively, indicating that anlotinib administration significantly improved PFS and OS in patients with advanced NSCLC. The pooled RRs for ORR and DCR were 11.62 (95% CI: 2.75–49.14, P < 0.001) and 2.30 (95% CI: 1.91–2.77, P < 0.001), respectively, indicating that anlotinib administration in patients with advanced NSCLC improved ORR and DCR. The pooled OR for AEs of grade 3 or higher was 2.94 (95% CI: 1.99–4.35, P < 0.001), indicating that AEs of grade 3 or higher were more prevalent in the anlotinib group than in the placebo group.

Conclusion

Anlotinib, an effective choice of third- or later line therapy for patients with refractory advanced NSCLC, provides clinical benefits in terms of PFS, OS, ORR, and DCR. AEs associated with anlotinib were tolerable.

Optimal Adjuvant Therapy in Resected Stage IIIA-N2 Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer Harboring EGFR Mutations

BACKGROUND

Some non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients are unexpectedly diagnosed with stage IIIA-N2 disease at the time of thoracoscopy or thoracotomy. Because of the limited statistical evidence of induction chemotherapy for these patients, it is necessary to develop more profound treatment strategies.

METHODS

The demographic and clinical characteristics of patients with stage IIIA-N2 NSCLC harboring epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations after radical resection were retrospectively reviewed. The patients were divided into 3 groups based on treatment: EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors (EGFR-TKIs, erlotinib or gefitinib), adjuvant chemotherapy (docetaxel plus cisplatin), and combination treatment (chemotherapy plus EGFR-TKIs). The effect of adjuvant therapy on survival rate was assessed using univariate and Cox regression analyses.

RESULTS

Patients receiving EGFR-TKIs alone showed significantly improved disease-free survival (DFS; p = 0.025) when compared to those receiving chemotherapy alone. Compared to chemotherapy alone, the combination of chemotherapy and EGFR-TKIs resulted did not significantly improve DFS (p < 0.001) and overall survival (OS p < 0.001). The combination of EGFR-TKIs with chemotherapy as adjuvant therapy led to improvements in both DFS (p = 0.116) and OS (p = 0.039) compared to patients receiving a EGFR-TKI monotherapy. Toxicities were mild in the 3 treatment groups.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study demonstrated that adjuvant EGFR-TKI treatment significantly increased the DFS of patients with stage IIIA-N2 NSCLC when compared with cisplatin-based chemotherapy. The use of EGFR-TKIs and chemotherapy is recommended in the setting of combined-modality therapy.

Osimertinib in Resected EGFR-Mutated Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer

BACKGROUND

Osimertinib is standard-of-care therapy for previously untreated epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutation-positive advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The efficacy and safety of osimertinib as adjuvant therapy are unknown.

METHODS

In this double-blind, phase 3 trial, we randomly assigned patients with completely resected EGFR mutation-positive NSCLC in a 1:1 ratio to receive either osimertinib (80 mg once daily) or placebo for 3 years. The primary end point was disease-free survival among patients with stage II to IIIA disease (according to investigator assessment). The secondary end points included disease-free survival in the overall population of patients with stage IB to IIIA disease, overall survival, and safety.

RESULTS

A total of 682 patients underwent randomization (339 to the osimertinib group and 343 to the placebo group). At 24 months, 90% of the patients with stage II to IIIA disease in the osimertinib group (95% confidence interval [CI], 84 to 93) and 44% of those in the placebo group (95% CI, 37 to 51) were alive and disease-free (overall hazard ratio for disease recurrence or death, 0.17; 99.06% CI, 0.11 to 0.26; P<0.001). In the overall population, 89% of the patients in the osimertinib group (95% CI, 85 to 92) and 52% of those in the placebo group (95% CI, 46 to 58) were alive and disease-free at 24 months (overall hazard ratio for disease recurrence or death, 0.20; 99.12% CI, 0.14 to 0.30; P<0.001). At 24 months, 98% of the patients in the osimertinib group (95% CI, 95 to 99) and 85% of those in the placebo group (95% CI, 80 to 89) were alive and did not have central nervous system disease (overall hazard ratio for disease recurrence or death, 0.18; 95% CI, 0.10 to 0.33). Overall survival data were immature; 29 patients died (9 in the osimertinib group and 20 in the placebo group). No new safety concerns were noted.

CONCLUSIONS

In patients with stage IB to IIIA EGFR mutation-positive NSCLC, disease-free survival was significantly longer among those who received osimertinib than among those who received placebo. (Funded by AstraZeneca; ADAURA ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT02511106.).

Resectable IIIA-N2 Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC): In Search for the Proper Treatment

Locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer accounts for one third of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) at the time of initial diagnosis and presents with a wide range of clinical and pathological heterogeneity. To date, the combined multimodality approach involving both local and systemic control is the gold standard for these patients, since occult distant micrometastatic disease should always be suspected. With the rapid increase in treatment options, the need for an interdisciplinary discussion involving oncologists, surgeons, radiation oncologists and radiologists has become essential. Surgery should be recommended to patients with non-bulky, discrete, or single-level N2 involvement and be included in the multimodality treatment. Resectable stage IIIA patients have been the subject of a number of clinical trials and retrospective analysis, discussing the efficiency and survival benefits on patients treated with the available therapeutic approaches. However, most of them have some limitations due to their retrospective nature, lack of exact pretreatment staging, and the involvement of heterogeneous populations leading to the awareness that each patient should undergo a tailored therapy in light of the nature of his tumor, its extension and his performance status.

Diagnosis and treatment of early and locally advanced non-small-cell lung cancer: The 2019 AIOM (Italian Association of Medical Oncology) clinical practice guidelines

The Italian Association of Medical Oncology (AIOM) has developed clinical practice guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of patients with early and locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer. In the current paper a panel of AIOM experts in the field of thoracic malignancies discussed these topics, analyzing available scientific evidences, with the final aim of providing a summary of clinical recommendations, which may guide physicians in their current practice.

Adjuvant Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors (TKIs) in Resected Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC): A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

The role of adjuvant tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is not well defined. Recent randomized controlled trials showed a disease-free survival (DFS) benefit in patients harboring an epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutation. Yet, older trials on patients with any EGFR status did not demonstrate the same benefit. We aimed to assess the efficacy and safety of adjuvant TKIs in NSCLC patients. The electronic databases Medline (PubMed) and EMBASE were searched for relevant randomized controlled trials. Random effect models were used. The primary outcome was DFS measured as hazard ratio (HR). The secondary outcomes were overall survival (OS) measured as HR, 2-year DFS and toxicity expressed as risk ratio and odds ratio (OR), respectively. Subgroup analyses assessed DFS by trial design. Six trials incorporating 1860 patients were included. In patients harboring an EGFR mutation, adjuvant TKIs decreased the risk of disease recurrence by 48% (HR: 0.52, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.35-0.78), improved 2-year DFS (HR: 0.53, 95% CI: 0.43-0.66) but did not improve OS (HR: 0.64, 95% CI: 0.22-1.89). The risk of developing ≥grade 3 skin toxicity (OR: 6.07, 95% CI: 4.34-8.51) and diarrhea (OR: 4.05; 95% CI: 2.44-6.74) was increased. In subgroup analyses, the DFS benefit was more pronounced in trials using TKIs over chemotherapy compared with trials using TKIs postchemotherapy. In conclusion, adjuvant TKIs decrease the risk of recurrence in NSCLC patients harboring an EGFR mutation but do not improve OS. Longer follow-up is needed for a definitive assessment of OS and to define the role of adjuvant TKI for NSCLC in the clinical practice.

Oncogene addiction and tumor mutational burden in non-small-cell lung cancer: Clinical significance and limitations

Lung cancer incidence has increased worldwide over the past decades, with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) accounting for the vast majority (85%) of lung cancer specimens. It is estimated that lung cancer causes about 1.7 million global deaths per year worldwide. Multiple trials have been carried out, with the aim of finding new effective treatment options. Lately, special focus has been placed on immune checkpoint (PD1/PD-L1) inhibitors which impact the tumor immune microenvironment. Tumor mutational burden (TMB) has been found to predict response to immune checkpoint inhibitors. Conversely, recent studies have weakened the significance of TMB as a predictor of response to therapy and survival. In this review article, we discuss the significance of TMB, as well as possible limitations. Furthermore, we give a concise overview of mutations frequently found in NSCLC, and discuss the significance of oncogene addiction in lung cancer as an essential driver of tumorigenesis and tumor progression.

Predictors of Outcomes in Patients with EGFR-Mutated Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Receiving EGFR Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Some commonly available patient or disease characteristics may be associated with progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) in EGFR-mutant non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients receiving EGFR-TKIs (epidermal growth factor receptor - tyrosine kinase inhibitors). We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized control trials (RCTs) to explore differences in outcomes associated with EGFR-TKIs among subgroups of EGFR-mutant NSCLC patients. Pooled HRs for progression or death (PFS-HRs) and pooled HRs for death (OS-HRs) were compared among sub-groups defined according to baseline clinical and demographic variables as well as type of EGFR mutation. In the entire assessable population of 4465 EGFR-mutant NSCLC patients, significant interactions with PFS were found for gender (males vs. females; pooled ratio of the PFS-HRs = 1.2; 95% CI 1.12-1.56), smoking history (smokers vs. non-smokers; pooled ratio of the PFS-HRs = 1.26; 95% CI 1.05-1.51), and type of EGFR mutation (patients with exon 21 L858R mutation vs. exon 19 deletion; pooled ratio of the PFS-HRs = 1.39; 95% CI 1.18-1.63). Male patients, smokers and patients with EGFR exon 21 L858R mutation may derive less benefit from EGFR-TKIs compared to female patients, non-smokers and patients with EGFR exon 19 deletion.

Differential effects of adjuvant EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors in patients with different stages of non-small-cell lung cancer after radical resection: an updated meta-analysis

Purpose

A survival improvement was achieved with adjuvant chemotherapy in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients, but its differential effects among patients with different stages remained controversial. This study aimed to compare the beneficial effects of adjuvant tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) therapy with those of traditional therapy on NSCLC patients, specifically on EGFR-mutant and stage II-IIIA patients, who might benefit most from such treatment.

Methods

MEDLINE, Embase, and the Cochrane Library were searched, and the results were screened independently according to certain criteria by two authors. Disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) with HRs were used as the summary statistics.

Results

A total of 2,915 publications were identified and screened. Six randomized control trials and three retrospective cohort studies of 2,467 patients with acceptable quality were included. The overall EGFR mutation rate was 48.62%. DFS was significantly improved in all the patients (HR, 0.77; 95% CI, 0.68-0.88) and in the subgroup of EGFR-mutant patients (HR, 0.49; 95% CI, 0.40-0.61). The difference of 5-year OS in the subgroup of EGFR-mutant patients (HR, 0.48; 95% CI, 0.31-0.72) was statistically significant, while in all the patients (HR, 1.01; 95% CI, 0.85-1.19), the difference was not significant. In the subgroups of studies in which <50% of patients were in stage I (HR, 0.46; 95% CI, 0.35-0.60) and >30% of patients were in stage IIIA (HR, 0.46; 95% CI, 0.35-0.60), DFS was significantly improved, while in the subgroups of studies in which <30% of patients were in stage IIIA (HR, 0.90; 95% CI, 0.77-1.04) and >50% of patients were in stage I (HR, 0.90; 95% CI, 0.77-1.04), DFS was not significantly improved.

Conclusion

Stage IIIA NSCLC patients might benefit more from adjuvant TKIs than stage I NSCLC patients after radical resection.

Assessment of proportional hazard assumption in aggregate data: a systematic review on statistical methodology in clinical trials using time-to-event endpoint

Background

The evaluation of the proportional hazards (PH) assumption in survival analysis is an important issue when Hazard Ratio (HR) is chosen as summary measure. The aim is to assess the appropriateness of statistical methods based on the PH assumption in oncological trials.

Methods

We selected 58 randomised controlled trials comparing at least two pharmacological treatments with a time-to-event as primary endpoint in advanced non-small-cell lung cancer. Data from Kaplan–Meier curves were used to calculate the relative hazard at each time point and the Restricted Mean Survival Time (RMST). The PH assumption was assessed with a fixed-effect meta-regression.

Results

In 19% of the trials, there was evidence of non-PH. Comparison of treatments with different mechanisms of action was associated (P = 0.006) with violation of the PH assumption. In all the superiority trials where non-PH was detected, the conclusions using the RMST corresponded to that based on the Cox model, although the magnitude of the effect given by the HR was systematically greater than the one from the RMST ratio.

Conclusion

As drugs with new mechanisms of action are being increasingly employed, particular attention should be paid on the statistical methods used to compare different types of agents.

Outcomes by EGFR, KRAS, and ALK Genotype After Combined Modality Therapy for Locally Advanced Non–Small-Cell Lung Cancer

Purpose

In 699 patients with locally advanced non–small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) treated with radiation therapy as part of combined modality therapy, we compared outcomes among genotyped and ungenotyped patients and by tumor genotype status ( EGFR, KRAS, and ALK).

Patients and Methods

Genotyping was performed in 250 patients: EGFR+ (19%), KRAS+ (32%), ALK+ (9%), and wild type (WT−/−/−; 40%). Outcomes were analyzed using the Kaplan-Meier method and Cox regression.

Results

With a median follow-up of 48.2 months among genotyped patients, median overall survival (OS) was significantly longer for EGFR+ and ALK+ compared with KRAS+ and WT−/−/− (55.8 months v not reached v 28.0 v 33.2 months; P = .02). There was no difference in progression-free survival (median, 15.3 v 13.7 v 13.0 v 14.5 months; P = .47) or in freedom from distant metastases by genotype (3-year estimates: 42% v 49% v 27% v 25%; P = .25). There was higher freedom from locoregional recurrence (LRR) for EGFR+ tumors and lower freedom from LRR in ALK+ tumors, compared with KRAS+ and WT−/−/− tumors (3-year: 77% v 38% v 49% v 46%). In multivariable analysis, ALK+ remained associated with increased OS (HR, 0.32; 95% CI, 0.12 to 0.87; P = .03), and EGFR+ was associated with decreased LRR (HR, 0.47; 95% CI, 0.24 to 0.92; P = .03). Analysis of post-recurrence survival demonstrated that EGFR+/ ALK+ patients treated with appropriate tyrosine kinase inhibitors had higher OS compared with other groups.

Conclusion

In this series of locally advanced NSCLC treated with combined modality therapy, EGFR+ and ALK+ were associated with higher OS, whereas LRR was lower in EGFR+ patients, and the risk of distant metastases was high in all subgroups. The outcomes and patterns of failure in genotypic subgroups of NSCLC from this study can inform the design of future trials integrating targeted therapies.

EGFR-TKI-based vs non-EGFR-TKI-based adjuvant therapy in resected non-small-cell lung cancer with EGFR mutations: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

Purpose

The great efficacy of EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors (EGFR-TKIs) has been identified in patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who harbor EGFR mutations. However, it has not yet been established in postoperative adjuvant therapy.

Patients and methods

To compare the prognosis and toxicity of EGFR-TKI-based adjuvant therapy and non-EGFR-TKI-based adjuvant therapy in resected NSCLC with sensitive EGFR mutations, we performed this meta-analysis of all eligible randomized controlled trials (RCTs).

Results

A comprehensive literature search of electronic databases (from inception to December 31, 2017) was performed. Additionally, abstracts presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology conferences and World Conference on Lung Cancer held between January 2000 and November 2017 were searched to identify relevant trials. Disease-free survival (DFS), overall survival (OS), and grade 3 or 4 toxicities were analyzed. Five RCTs were selected, and 560 participants were included. This meta-analysis demonstrated that EGFR-TKI-based adjuvant therapy was associated with better DFS compared with non-EGFR-TKI-based therapy (HR =0.52, 95% CI 0.34–0.78, P=0.002). Pooled estimate has showed the trend of superiority of EGFR-TKI-based therapy in the aspect of OS (HR =0.65, 95% CI 0.22–1.91, P=0.43); however, the difference was not significant. The incidence rate of grade 3–4 toxicities of EGFR-TKI-based regimens was significantly higher for rash (OR =10.17, 95% CI 2.37–43.63, P=0.002) but lower for vomiting (OR =0.08, 95% CI 0.01–0.61, P=0.02).

Conclusion

EGFR-TKI-based therapy was associated with better DFS compared with non-EGFR-TKI-based adjuvant therapy in patients with NSCLC harboring EGFR mutations. A trend was found that EGFR-TKI-based regimen improved the OS, though the difference was not significant. Although more OS data are needed, EGFR-TKI-based treatment has the potential to be an alternative of adjuvant therapy for NSCLC with a sensitive EGFR mutation.

Erlotinib versus vinorelbine plus cisplatin as adjuvant therapy in Chinese patients with stage IIIA EGFR mutation-positive non-small-cell lung cancer (EVAN): a randomised, open-label, phase 2 trial

BACKGROUND

Adjuvant chemotherapy after radical resection of stage IIIA non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) has quite poor outcomes. We aimed to investigate whether adjuvant erlotinib therapy improves 2-year disease-free survival compared with chemotherapy in epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutation-positive stage IIIA NSCLC.

METHODS

In this randomised, open-label, phase 2 trial, eligible patients aged 18-75 years who had undergone complete (R0) resection of histologically or pathologically confirmed stage IIIA EGFR mutation-positive NSCLC and had not received any previous anticancer therapies were enrolled. Patients were randomly assigned (1:1) to receive either adjuvant erlotinib (150 mg once daily administered orally) or vinorelbine and cisplatin chemotherapy (four cycles of vinorelbine [25 mg/m² intravenously on days 1 and 8 of each 21-day cycle] plus cisplatin [75 mg/m² intravenously on day 1 of each 21-day cycle]). Randomisation was done by Simon's minimisation with a random element and was stratified by EGFR activating mutation type (exon 19 vs 21), histology (adenocarcinoma vs non-adenocarcinoma), and smoking status (smoker vs non-smoker). The primary endpoint in the unblinded intention-to-treat analysis was 2-year disease-free survival. This ongoing study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT01683175.

FINDINGS

Between Sept 8, 2012, and May 21, 2015, 102 patients from 16 centres across China were enrolled and randomly assigned to receive erlotinib (n=51) or chemotherapy (n=51). Median follow-up was 33·0 months (IQR 17·8-43·1). 2-year disease-free survival was 81·4% (95% CI 69·6-93·1) in the erlotinib group and 44·6% (26·9-62·4) in the chemotherapy group (relative risk 1·823 [95% CI 1·194-2·784; p=0·0054). The difference in 2-year disease-free survival between the groups was 36·7% (95% CI 15·5-58·0; p=0·0007). Adverse events of any grade occurred in 29 (58%) of 50 patients in the erlotinib group and 28 (65%) of 43 patients in the chemotherapy group. Grade 3 or worse adverse events occurred in six (12%) of 50 patients in the erlotinib group versus 11 (26%) of 43 in the chemotherapy group; the most common of these in the erlotinib group was rash (in two [4%] of 50 patients) and in the chemotherapy group were decreased neutrophil count (in seven [16%] of 43 patients) and myelosuppression (in four [9%]). No treatment-related deaths were reported.

INTERPRETATION

Adjuvant erlotinib improved 2-year disease-free survival in patients with EGFR mutation-positive stage IIIA NSCLC compared with chemotherapy, with a better tolerability profile. This study suggests that tyrosine kinase inhibitors could have a potentially important role as adjuvant therapy in EGFR mutation-positive stage IIIA NSCLC. However, this trial was a phase 2 study. Mature overall survival data are also needed. Ongoing studies will hopefully confirm the role of adjuvant EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor therapy in patients with NSCLC.

FUNDING

National Key Research and Development Program of China and Shanghai Roche Pharmaceuticals Ltd.