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

Optimising primary molecular profiling in non-small cell lung cancer

INTRODUCTION

Molecular profiling of NSCLC is essential for optimising treatment decisions, but often incomplete. We assessed the efficacy of protocolised molecular profiling in the current standard-of-care (SoC) in a prospective observational study in the Netherlands and measured the effect of providing standardised diagnostic procedures. We also explored the potential of plasma-based molecular profiling in the primary diagnostic setting.

METHODS

This multi-centre prospective study was designed to explore the performance of current clinical practice during the run-in phase using local SoC tissue profiling procedures. The subsequent phase was designed to investigate the extent to which comprehensive molecular profiling (CMP) can be maximized by protocolising tumour profiling. Successful molecular profiling was defined as completion of at least EGFR and ALK testing. Additionally, PD-L1 tumour proportions scores were explored. Lastly, the additional value of centralised plasma-based testing for EGFR and KRAS mutations using droplet digital PCR was evaluated.

RESULTS

Total accrual was 878 patients, 22.0% had squamous cell carcinoma and 78.0% had non-squamous NSCLC. Stage I-III was seen in 54.0%, stage IV in 46.0%. Profiling of EGFR and ALK was performed in 69.9% of 136 patients included in the run-in phase, significantly more than real-world data estimates of 55% (p<0.001). Protocolised molecular profiling increased the rate to 77.0% (p = 0.049). EGFR and ALK profiling rates increased from 77.9% to 82.1% in non-squamous NSCLC and from 43.8% to 57.5% in squamous NSCLC. Plasma-based testing was feasible in 98.4% and identified oncogenic driver mutations in 7.1% of patients for whom tissue profiling was unfeasible.

CONCLUSION

This study shows a high success rate of tissue-based molecular profiling that was significantly improved by a protocolised approach. Tissue-based profiling remains unfeasible for a substantial proportion of patients. Combined analysis of tumour tissue and circulating tumour DNA is a promising approach to allow adequate molecular profiling of more patients.

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.

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.

Cancer Metastases from Lung Adenocarcinoma Disappeared After Molecular Targeted Therapy: A Successfully Clinical Treatment Experience

Introduction

Molecular targeted therapy has shown certain therapeutic effects on various cancer types, especially lung cancer. Here, we report a case of a patient with unresectable non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with bone metastases and metastatic lesions that disappeared after molecular targeted therapy.

Patient Information

A 49-year-old male patient’s chest CT scan showed a patchy, slightly high-density shadow on the upper lobe of the left lung with an unclear boundary. The multiple thoracic vertebrae, 4th lumbar vertebrae, multiple ribs, right sacroiliac joint, right hip joint, right inferior ramus of pubis, left middle and upper femur, and right proximal radial bone showed nodular and slightly high-density shadows.

Interventions

The patient was not considered eligible for tumor resection due to his metastatic lesions. A resected lymph node biopsy was performed. The pathologic findings suggested lung adenocarcinoma, and the gene detection results indicated NM-005228:exon19:c.2235–2249del:p. GLu746-Ala750del (15.31%), NM-005228:exon20:c. G2356A: p. V786M (1.67%). The patient received the icotinib hydrochloride molecular targeted therapy.

Outcomes

After two months of treatment, pulmonary nodules were basically absent on chest CT scan re-examination. After nine months of treatment, no obvious abnormalities in the thoracic vertebral bone were found on 99mTc-MDP bone scan and CT scan re-examination. No obvious structural abnormalities, such as enlarged lymph nodes, could be found by ultrasound re-examination, and the patient remained alive without recurrence at the five-year follow-up.

Conclusion

This case report may provide a clue for the future development of molecular targeted therapy for lung cancer. It will allow surgeons to collaborate with oncologists and raise awareness of the benefit of the multidisciplinary approach to the diagnosis and treatment of cancer. Moreover, our results will help patients to fully understand the effect of nonsurgical treatments and improve confidence in the diagnosis and treatment of advanced lung cancer.