Icotinib as Adjuvant Treatment for Stage II-IIIA Lung Adenocarcinoma Patients with EGFR Mutation (ICWIP Study): Study Protocol for a Randomised Controlled Trial

Adjuvant therapies in stages I-III epidermal growth factor receptor-mutated lung cancer: current and future perspectives

Surgical resection followed by adjuvant cisplatin-based chemotherapy is the recommended treatment for patients with completely resected stage IB-IIIA non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Even with the best management, recurrence is common and increases with disease stage (stage I: 26-45%; stage II: 42-62%; stage III: 70-77%). For patients with metastatic lung cancer and tumours that harbour epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations, EGFR-tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) have improved survival. Their effectiveness in advanced stages of NSCLC raises the possibility that these agents may improve outcomes for patients with resectable EGFR-mutated lung cancer. In the ADAURA study, adjuvant osimertinib provided a significant improvement in disease-free survival (DFS) and reduced central nervous system (CNS) disease recurrence in patients with resected stage IB-IIIA EGFR-mutated NSCLC, with or without prior adjuvant chemotherapy. To reap the maximum benefits of EGFR-TKIs for patients with lung cancer, the early and rapid identification of EGFR mutations [and other oncogenic drivers, such as programmed cell death-ligand 1 (PD-L1), with matched targeted therapies] in diagnostic pathologic specimens has become essential. To ensure patients receive the most appropriate treatment, routine, comprehensive histological, immunohistochemical, and molecular analyses (with multiplex next generation sequencing) should be undertaken at the time of diagnosis. The potential for personalised treatments to cure more patients with early-stage lung cancer can only be realised if all therapies are considered when the care plan is formulated, by the multi-specialty experts managing patients. In this review, we discuss the progress and prospects for adjuvant treatments as part of a comprehensive plan of care for patients with resected stages I-III EGFR-mutated lung cancer, and explore how the field could go beyond DFS and overall survival to make cure a more frequent outcome of treatment in patients with resected EGFR-mutated lung cancer.

Landscape of the clinical development of China innovative anti-lung cancer drugs

Even today, lung cancer remains one of the most frequently diagnosed cancers and the leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Throughout the past decades, remarkable advances have been made in the research and development of anti-lung cancer drugs in China. Since the first registered Chinese clinical trial on May 2, 2006, many potent anti-lung cancer drugs have been developed and approved by the China Food and Drug Administration and the National Medical Product Administration of China. Among them, the most advance were observed in the development of targeted agents and immunotherapeutic agents such as epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) icotinib, aumolertinib, and furmonertinib, anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK)-TKI ensartinib, programmed cell death-1 (PD-1) monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) camrelizumab, sintilimab, and tislelizumab, and programmed cell death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) mAb sugemalimab, which have made huge breakthrough in recent years. Some other investigational innovative drug also demonstrated promising efficacy and acceptable safety profiles. Results from clinical studies on these China innovative drugs have led to changes in clinical practice guidelines and considerably improved the outcomes for patients with lung cancer. Thus, in this review, we aim to provide further insight into the clinical development and achievement of China innovative anti-lung cancer drugs.

An overview of epithelial growth factor receptor (EGFR) inhibitors in cancer therapy

Epithelial growth factor receptor (EGFR), a transmembrane receptor on the cell surface, carries extracellular messages into the cell and alters the activity of the nucleus through tyrosine signalling. EGFR-targeted treatments have influenced the new era of precision oncology throughout the last few decades. Despite significant progress, long-term remission from solid tumours is still a distant goal for many oncologists. There are several methods by which tumour cells alter the activity of this protein in solid tumours. EGFR-related oncogenic pathways, resistance mechanisms, and novel avenues to suppress tumour development and metastatic spread were discovered in clinical specimens using preclinical models (cell cultures, xenografts, mouse models), which were then validated in those specimens. EGFR has been implicated in the onset and advancement of a variety of cancers, according to research. An overview of EGFR's structural anatomy and physiology, its role in cancers, and clinical studies that target EGFR in various tumours are included in this review.

Targeted Therapy and Immunotherapy in Early-Stage Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: Current Evidence and Ongoing Trials

The scenario of neoadjuvant and adjuvant settings in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is rapidly evolving. As already happened for the advanced disease, also early stages have entered the era of precision medicine, with molecular analysis and Programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) evaluation that by now can be considered a routine assessment. New treatment options have been recently approved, with osimertinib now part of clinical practice for Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor mutated (EGFRm) patients, and immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) available after FDA approval both in the adjuvant (atezolizumab) and neoadjuvant (nivolumab) setting. No mature data on overall survival benefits are available yet, though. Several clinical trials with specific-tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) and ICIs are currently ongoing, both with and without concomitant chemotherapy. As therapeutic strategies are rapidly expanding, quite a few questions remain unsettled, such as the optimal duration of adjuvant targeted therapy or the effective benefit of ICIs in early-stage EGFRm or ALK (Anaplastic Lymphoma Kinase) rearranged patients, or the possibility to individuate high-risk patients after surgical resection assessing minimal residual disease (MRD) by ctDNA evaluation. We hereby report already available literature data and summarize ongoing trials with targeted therapy and immunotherapy in early-stage NSCLC, focusing on practice-changing results and new perspectives for potentially cured patients.

Advances and controversies in the management of early stage non-small cell lung cancer

Complete resection continues to be the gold standard for the treatment of early-stage lung cancer. The landmark Lung Cancer Study Group trial in 1995 established lobectomy as the minimum intervention necessary for the management of early-stage non-small cell lung cancer, as it was associated with lower recurrence and metastasis rates than sublobar resection and lower postoperative morbidity and mortality than pneumonectomy. There is a growing tendency to perform sublobar resection in selected cases, as, depending on factors such as tumor size, histologic subtype, lymph node involvement, and resection margins, it can produce similar oncological results to lobectomy. Alternative treatments such as stereotactic body radiotherapy and radiofrequency ablation can also produce good outcomes in inoperable patients or patients who refuse surgery.

Update on adjuvant therapy in completely resected NSCLC patients

In patients with completely resected non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy has been associated with improvement in survival by minimizing the risk of recurrence. For years, systemic chemotherapy including platinum based regimen has been a mainstay treatment modality of adjuvant treatment after complete resection. ADAURA study showed that among completely resected IB to IIIA NSCLC, disease‐free survival was significantly better in patients under adjuvant osimertinib than a placebo group. After the advent of a variety of new treatment regimens, such as third generation TKI and immunotherapy, the landscape of postoperative adjuvant treatment has been changing. In this review, we discuss some key issues regarding choice of adjuvant treatment after complete resection in NSCLC, and provide further updates on recent advances in treatment modalities.

Icotinib versus Cisplatin Plus Docetaxel as Adjuvant Chemotherapy in Patients with Stage II (N1+) Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Harboring Positive EGFR Mutations: A Single-Center Retrospective Study

Purpose

The superior efficacy of first-line treatment with icotinib over that of standard chemotherapy has been well demonstrated in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) harboring epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutation. However, whether icotinib is superior to cisplatin plus docetaxel as adjuvant chemotherapy in patients with stage II (N1+) NSCLC selected by EGFR mutation is controversial.

Methods

A total of 43 patients with completely resected stage II (T1-2N1M0) NSCLC and proven sensitive EGFR mutation (19Del or L858R) between January 2010 and December 2019 were included in our study. The disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) were analyzed in 22 patients treated with icotinib and 21 patients treated with cisplatin plus docetaxel. Factors affecting DFS and OS were assessed by the Kaplan-Meier (KM) estimator and univariate Cox regression analysis.

Results

Our cohort included 22 icotinib patients and 21 cisplatin plus docetaxel patients with a median follow-up of 35.5 months and 38 months, respectively. Survival time was significantly longer in the icotinib group than in the chemotherapy group, with a median DFS of 47 months (95% CI, not reached) versus 18 months (95% CI, 12.4-23.6; HR 0.16; 95% CI, 0.07-0.35; log-rank p<0.0001). In the icotinib group, the most common adverse effects (AEs) were skin rash (40.9%) and elevated alanine aminotransferase (22.7%), whereas in the cisplatin plus docetaxel group, the most common AEs were nausea or vomiting (90.5%), anorexia (71.4%), and fatigue (71.4%). No deaths were treatment-related.

Conclusion

In this study, we demonstrated that in EGFR mutation-positive patients with completely resected stage II (T1-2N1M0) NSCLC, icotinib might provide DFS benefits, and reduced drug toxicity compared to cisplatin plus docetaxel. Thus, icotinib may be a reasonable option for adjuvant chemotherapy in patients with pathological stage II (N1+) NSCLC with EGFR mutation.

Tyrosine kinase inhibitors for solid tumors in the past 20 years (2001-2020)

Tyrosine kinases are implicated in tumorigenesis and progression, and have emerged as major targets for drug discovery. Tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) inhibit corresponding kinases from phosphorylating tyrosine residues of their substrates and then block the activation of downstream signaling pathways. Over the past 20 years, multiple robust and well-tolerated TKIs with single or multiple targets including EGFR, ALK, ROS1, HER2, NTRK, VEGFR, RET, MET, MEK, FGFR, PDGFR, and KIT have been developed, contributing to the realization of precision cancer medicine based on individual patient's genetic alteration features. TKIs have dramatically improved patients' survival and quality of life, and shifted treatment paradigm of various solid tumors. In this article, we summarized the developing history of TKIs for treatment of solid tumors, aiming to provide up-to-date evidence for clinical decision-making and insight for future studies.