Prognostic significance of anaplastic lymphoma kinase rearrangement in patients with completely resected lung adenocarcinoma

Features of anaplastic lymphoma kinase rearrangement in early-stage lung cancer: Analysis of a nationwide Japanese database

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

Anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) rearrangement is a representative driver mutation in lung cancer. However, the biology of early-stage ALK-rearranged lung cancer remains unclear. We aimed to assess the clinicopathological features, prognostic implications, and influence of ALK rearrangement on the postoperative course in surgically resected lung cancer.

METHODS

We retrospectively analyzed data from the Japanese Joint Committee of Lung Cancer Registry database. Of the 12 730 patients with lung adenocarcinoma, 794 (6.2%) were tested for ALK rearrangement and were included.

RESULTS

ALK rearrangements were detected in 76 patients (10%). The 5-year overall survival (OS) rate was significantly higher in the ALK rearrangement-positive group than in the ALK rearrangement-negative group (p = 0.030). Multivariable analysis revealed that ALK rearrangement was an independent prognostic factor for improved OS (hazard ratio, 0.521; 95% confidence interval, 0.298-0.911; p = 0.022). Regarding the postrecurrence state, there was no difference in the initial recurrence sites between both groups. Administration of ALK-tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) improved postrecurrence survival in any treatment lines.

CONCLUSION

In one of the largest national surveys, ALK rearrangement was associated with improved long-term outcomes in surgically resected patients. ALK-TKIs may be an important treatment strategy for ALK rearrangement-positive lung adenocarcinoma in the postrecurrence state.

Molecular alterations of driver genes in non-small cell lung cancer: from diagnostics to targeted therapy

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death all over the world. The majority (80-85 %) of lung cancer cases are classified as non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Within NSCLC, adenocarcinoma (AC) and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) are the most often recognized. The histological and immunohistochemical examination of NSCLC is a basic diagnostic tool, but insufficient for comprehensive therapeutic decisions. In some NSCLC patients, mainly adenocarcinoma, molecular alterations in driver genes, like EGFR, KRAS, HER2, ALK, MET, BRAF, RET, ROS1, and NTRK are recognized. The frequency of some of those changes is different depending on race, and between smokers and non-smokers. The molecular diagnostics of NSCLC using modern methods, like next-generation sequencing, is essential in estimating targeted, personalized therapy. In recent years, a breakthrough in understanding the importance of molecular studies for the precise treatment of NSCLC has been observed. Many new drugs were approved, including tyrosine kinase and immune checkpoint inhibitors. Clinical trials testing novel molecules like miRNAs and trials with CAR-T cells (chimeric antigen receptor - T cells) dedicated to NSCLC patients are ongoing.

EGFR-Driven Mutation in Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC) Influences the Features and Outcome of Brain Metastases

Background: Brain metastases (BMs) is one of the most frequent metastatic sites for non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). It is a matter of debate whether EGFR mutation in the primary tumor may be a marker for the disease course, prognosis, and diagnostic imaging of BMs, comparable to that described for primary brain tumors, such as glioblastoma (GB). This issue was investigated in the present research manuscript. Methods: We performed a retrospective study to identify the relevance of EGFR mutations and prognostic factors for diagnostic imaging, survival, and disease course within a cohort of patients affected by NSCLC-BMs. Imaging was carried out using MRI at various time intervals. The disease course was assessed using a neurological exam carried out at three-month intervals. The survival was expressed from surgical intervention. Results: The patient cohort consisted of 81 patients. The overall survival of the cohort was 15 ± 1.7 months. EGFR mutation and ALK expression did not differ significantly for age, gender, and gross morphology of the BM. Contrariwise, the EGFR mutation was significantly associated with MRI concerning the occurrence of greater tumor (22.38 ± 21.35 cm³ versus 7.68 ± 6.44 cm³, p = 0.046) and edema volume (72.44 ± 60.71 cm³ versus 31.92 cm³, p = 0.028). In turn, the occurrence of MRI abnormalities was related to neurological symptoms assessed using the Karnofsky performance status and mostly depended on tumor-related edema (p = 0.048). However, the highest significant correlation was observed between EGFR mutation and the occurrence of seizures as the clinical onset of the neoplasm (p = 0.004). Conclusions: The presence of EGFR mutations significantly correlates with greater edema and mostly a higher seizure incidence of BMs from NSCLC. In contrast, EGFR mutations do not affect the patient's survival, the disease course, and focal neurological symptoms but seizures. This contrasts with the significance of EGFR in the course and prognosis of the primary tumor (NSCLC).

Resected stage I anaplastic lymphoma kinase-positive lung adenocarcinoma has a negative impact on recurrence-free survival

Background

The clinical and prognostic implications of anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) status in resected lung cancers remain unclear. In this study we analyzed the prognostic and predictive significance of ALK‐positive among patients with completely resected lung adenocarcinoma.

Methods

We retrospectively reviewed 197 patients with lung adenocarcinoma who underwent complete surgical resection and had been tested for their ALK status. We investigated the impact of an ALK‐positive status on the recurrence‐free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS) and examined the predictive factors for an ALK‐positive status.

Results

ALK positivity was noted in 36 (18%) out of 197 patients, and when limited to stage I patients, in 24 (19%) out of 124. In the pathological‐stage I population, while the OS exhibited no significant difference between ALK‐positive and ALK‐negative patients (5‐year OS rate, 81.2% vs. 89.8%, p = 0.226), the RFS of ALK‐positive patients was significantly worse than that of ALK‐negative patients (5‐year RFS rate, 55.9% vs. 78.8%, p = 0.018). A multivariate analysis showed that ALK‐positive status (hazard ratio [HR] 3.431, p = 0.009) was an independent prognostic factor for the RFS. Regarding the relationship between clinicopathological factors and an ALK‐positive status, a high‐grade histological subtype, including solid and micropapillary subtypes (odds ratio [OR] 5.464, p < 0.001), and never‐smokers (OR 4.292, p = 0.018) were associated with ALK‐positive.

Conclusion

A high‐grade histological subtype and never‐smokers were associated with ALK positivity, and the RFS of ALK‐positive patients was worse than that of ALK‐negative patients among patients with completely resected stage I lung adenocarcinoma.

Updated Prognostic Factors in Localized NSCLC

Lung cancer is the most common cause of cancer mortality worldwide, and non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) represents 80% of lung cancer subtypes. Patients with localized non-small cell lung cancer may be considered for upfront surgical treatment. However, the overall 5-year survival rate is 59%. To improve survival, adjuvant chemotherapy (ACT) was largely explored and showed an overall benefit of survival at 5 years < 7%. The evaluation of recurrence risk and subsequent need for ACT is only based on tumor stage (TNM classification); however, more than 25% of patients with stage IA/B tumors will relapse. Recently, adjuvant targeted therapy has been approved for EGFR-mutated resected NSCLC and trials are evaluating other targeted therapies and immunotherapies in adjuvant settings. Costs, treatment duration, emergence of resistant clones and side effects stress the need for a better selection of patients. The identification and validation of prognostic and theranostic markers to better stratify patients who could benefit from adjuvant therapies are needed. In this review, we report current validated clinical, pathological and molecular prognosis biomarkers that influence outcome in resected NSCLC, and we also describe molecular biomarkers under evaluation that could be available in daily practice to drive ACT in resected NSCLC.

Molecular typing of lung adenocarcinoma with computed tomography and CT image-based radiomics: a narrative review of research progress and prospects

Objective

The purpose of this paper was to perform a narrative review of current research evidence on conventional computed tomography (CT) imaging features and CT image-based radiomic features for predicting gene mutations in lung adenocarcinoma and discuss how to translate the research findings to guide future practice.

Background

Lung cancer, especially lung adenocarcinoma, is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths. With advances in the diagnosis and treatment of lung adenocarcinoma with the emergence of molecular testing, the prediction of oncogenes and even drug resistance gene mutations have become key to individualized and precise clinical treatment in order to prolong survival and improve quality of life. The progress of imageological examination includes the development of CT and radiomics are promising quantitative methods for predicting different gene mutations in lung adenocarcinoma, especially common mutations, such as epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutation, anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) mutation and Kirsten rat sarcoma viral oncogene (KRAS) mutation.

Methods

The PubMed electronic database was searched along with a set of terms specific to lung adenocarcinoma, radiomics (including texture analysis), CT, computed tomography, EGFR, ALK, KRAS, rearranging transfection (RET) rearrangement and c-ros oncogene 1 (ROS-1), v-raf murine sarcoma viral oncogene homolog B1 (BRAF), and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) mutations et al. This review has been reported in compliance with the Narrative Review checklist guidelines. From each full-text article, information was extracted regarding a set of terms above.

Conclusions

Research on the application of conventional CT features and CT image-based radiomic features for predicting the gene mutation status of lung adenocarcinoma is still in a preliminary stage. Noninvasively determination of mutation status in lung adenocarcinoma before targeted therapy with conventional CT features and CT image-based radiomic features remains both hopes and challenges. Before radiomics could be applied in clinical practice, more work needs to be done.

Prognostic impact and distinctive characteristics of surgically resected anaplastic lymphoma kinase-rearranged lung adenocarcinoma

OBJECTIVE

Anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) rearrangement is a representative lung cancer with driver mutation because of the efficacy of ALK-tyrosine kinase inhibitors. ALK-tyrosine kinase inhibitors are extensively used for ALK-rearranged lung cancer, whereas the therapeutic benefit of surgery remains unclear. Thus, we aimed to assess the clinical benefit of surgery in ALK-rearranged lung cancer and to elucidate the oncologic characteristics of ALK-rearranged lung cancer through surgically resected cases.

METHODS

We retrospectively evaluated 1925 lung adenocarcinoma cases surgically resected between 1996 and 2017 at our institute. Moreover, 75 ALK-rearranged and 75 non-ALK-rearranged cases were extracted using propensity score matching. The survival rates, prognostic factors, and post-recurrence state were assessed.

RESULTS

Multivariable analysis revealed that ALK rearrangement was an independent prognostic factor for improved cancer-specific survival (hazard ratio, 0.2; 95% confidence interval, 0.05-0.88; P = .033). In the matched cohort, the 5-year cancer-specific survival rates after surgery in the ALK-rearranged and non-ALK-rearranged groups were 97% and 77%, respectively. The ALK-rearranged group had a significantly better cancer-specific survival than did the non-ALK-rearranged group (log-rank test; P = .003). With respect to post-recurrence state, oligo-recurrence was highly frequent in the ALK-rearranged group, and post-recurrence survival was significantly improved by administration of either ALK-tyrosine kinase inhibitors (log-rank test; P = .011) or local ablative therapies (log-rank test; P = .035).

CONCLUSIONS

Surgically resected ALK-rearranged lung adenocarcinoma has excellent long-term outcome. Not only ALK-tyrosine kinase inhibitors but also a combination of local and systemic therapies may be important treatment strategies for ALK-rearranged lung adenocarcinoma even in the post-recurrence state.

Distribution of EML4-ALK fusion variants and clinical outcomes in patients with resected non-small cell lung cancer

OBJECTIVES

The molecular profiles and prognosis of anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) fusion and resectable non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) remain unclear. This study aimed to explore the distribution of ALK fusion variants and prognostic factors in patients with surgically resected NSCLC.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Among the 93 ALK positive surgical patients screened by immunohistochemistry (IHC) or real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), 63 patients were confirmed as ALK rearrangement by next-generation sequencing (NGS), including 55 cases of stage I-III and 8 cases of stage IV. Medical records were retrospectively reviewed, the distribution of ALK fusion variants and prognostic factors were analyzed.

RESULTS

All of the 55 early stage patients were histological adenocarcinoma. No other fusion types were found except for echinoderm microtubule-associated protein-like 4- anaplastic lymphoma kinase (EML4-ALK). EML4-ALK variant 1 (E13:A20; 25/55, 45.5 %) was the predominant variant type, followed by EML4-ALK variant 3 (E6:A20; 19/55, 34.5 %) and variant 2 (E20:A20; 8/55, 14.5 %). Concomitant mutations occurred in 22 patients (22/55, 40.0 %), which involved in 32 co-mutations from 12 kinds of mutated genes. TP53 mutations were most common in coexisting mutations (13/32, 40.6 %). TP53 mutations were less frequently occurred in variant 1 group (3/25, 12.0 %) than in non-variant 1 group (10/30, 33.3 %, P = 0.064). The median disease-free survival (DFS) of the 55 patients was 22.1 months, and the median overall survival (OS) was not mature at the time of analysis. Multivariable analysis showed that stage T3 and EML4-ALK variant 3 were independent prognostic factors for shorter DFS. Neither TP53 mutations nor any coexisting mutations were related to prognosis.

CONCLUSIONS

This study illustrated the patterns of EML4-ALK fusion variants and gene profiles in patients with resected NSCLC. Advanced T stage and EML4-ALK variant 3 were associated with worse prognosis. The role of TP53 mutations in prognosis is worthy of further study.

Serum CEA and CYFRA Levels in ALK-rearranged NSCLC Patients: Correlation With Distant Metastasis

AIM

To clarify the correlation between serum levels of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and cytokeratin 19 fragment (CYFRA) and metastasis and survival in anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK)-rearranged non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

CEA and CYFRA levels in 131 ALK-rearranged NSCLC patients were determined using fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), real time-reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction, and immunohistochemistry, using biopsy specimens, cytology specimens, and plasma specimens. Cut-off value of each marker was determined as 10 ng/ml.

RESULTS

In logistic regression analysis, higher levels of both markers had a positive relationship with bone metastases, and higher levels of CYFRA was relevant to liver metastases, and multiple-organ metastases. However, these markers were not proven to be poor prognostic factors in Cox's proportional model analysis.

CONCLUSION

Elevated serum CEA and CYFRA levels seem to provide useful clinical information about presence of bone and liver metastasis and multiple-organ metastases, although they were not a powerful indicator of prognosis. These two markers may suggest the extension of metastasis and would be helpful in considering treatment options.