First-line crizotinib versus chemotherapy in ALK-positive lung cancer

STAT3-targeted treatment with silibinin overcomes the acquired resistance to crizotinib in ALK-rearranged lung cancer

The signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) has been suggested to play a prominent role in mediating non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) resistance to some tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI)-mediated therapies. Using a model of anaplastic lymphoma kinase gene (ALK)-translocated NSCLC with acquired resistance to the ALK TKI crizotinib, but lacking amplifications or mutations in the kinase domain of ALK, we herein present evidence that STAT3 activation is a novel mechanism of crizotinib resistance that involves the upregulation of immune escape and epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) signaling pathways. Taking advantage of the flavonolignan silibinin as a naturally occurring STAT3-targeted pharmacological inhibitor, we confirmed that STAT3 activation protects ALK-translocated NSCLC from crizotinib. Accordingly, silibinin-induced inhibition of STAT3 worked synergistically with crizotinib to reverse acquired resistance and restore sensitivity in crizotinib-resistant cells. Moreover, silibinin treatment significantly inhibited the upregulation of the immune checkpoint regulator PD-L1 and also EMT regulators (e.g., SLUG, VIM, CD44) in crizotinib-refractory cells. These findings provide a valuable strategy to potentially improve the efficacy of ALK inhibition by cotreatment with silibinin-based therapeutics, which merit clinical investigation for ALK TKI-resistant NSCLC patients.

Personalized treatment in advanced ALK-positive non-small cell lung cancer: from bench to clinical practice

The discovery of anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) gene rearrangements and the development of tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI) that target them have achieved unprecedented success in the management of patients with ALK-positive non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Despite the high efficacy of crizotinib, the first oral ALK TKI approved for the treatment of ALK-positive NSCLC, almost all patients inevitably develop acquired resistance, showing disease progression in the brain or in other parenchymal sites. Second- or third-generation ALK TKIs have shown to be active in crizotinib-pretreated or crizotinib-naïve ALK-positive patients, even in those with brain metastases. In this review, the current knowledge regarding ALK-positive NSCLC, focusing on the biology of the disease and the available therapeutic options are discussed.

Overcoming EGFR Bypass Signal-Induced Acquired Resistance to ALK Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors in ALK-Translocated Lung Cancer

Activation of the EGFR pathway is one of the mechanisms inducing acquired resistance to anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI) such as crizotinib and alectinib. Ceritinib is a highly selective ALK inhibitor and shows promising efficacy in non-small cell lung cancers (NSCLC) harboring the ALK gene rearrangement. However, the precise mechanism underlying acquired resistance to ceritinib is not well-defined. This study set out to clarify the mechanism in ALK-translocated lung cancer and to find the preclinical rationale overcoming EGFR pathway-induced acquired resistance to ALK-TKIs. To this end, ceritinib-resistant cells (H3122-CER) were established from the H3122 NSCLC cell line harboring the ALK gene rearrangement via long-term exposure to ceritinib. H3122-CER cells acquired resistance to ceritinib through EGFR bypass pathway activation. Furthermore, H3122 cells that became resistant to ceritinib or alectinib through EGFR pathway activation showed cross-resistance to other ALK-TKIs. Ceritinib and afatinib combination treatment partially restored the sensitivity to ceritinib.

IMPLICATIONS

This study proposes a preclinical rationale to use ALK-TKIs and afatinib combination therapy for ALK-translocated lung cancers that have acquired resistance to ALK-TKIs through EGFR pathway activation. Mol Cancer Res; 15(1); 106-14. ©2016 AACR.

Noninvasive genotyping and monitoring of anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) rearranged non-small cell lung cancer by capture-based next-generation sequencing

Noninvasive genotyping of driver genes and monitoring of tumor dynamics help make better personalized therapeutic decisions. However, neither PCR-based assays nor amplicon-based targeted sequencing can detect fusion genes like anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) rearrangements in blood samples. To investigate the feasibility and performance of capture-based sequencing on ALK fusion detection, we developed a capture-based targeted sequencing panel to detect and quantify rearrangement events, along with other driver mutation variants in plasma. In this perspective study, we screened 364 patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) for ALK rearrangements, and collected blood samples from 24 of them with confirmed ALK rearrangements based on their tissue biopsies. ALK rearrangements were successfully detected in 19 of 24 patients at baseline with 79.2% (95% CI 57.9%, 92.9%) sensitivity and 100% (36/36) specificity. Among the 24 patients, we obtained longitudinal blood samples from 7 of them after either chemotherapy and/or Crizotinib treatment for disease monitoring. The by-sample detection rate of ALK rearrangements after treatment drops to 69.2% (9 of 13). In addition to detecting ALK rearrangements, we also detected 3 Crizotinib resistant mutations, ALK L1152R, ALK I1171T and ALK L1196M from patient P4. ctDNA concentration correlates with responses and disease progression, reflecting its ability as a biomarker. Our findings suggest capture-based sequencing can detect and quantify ALK rearrangements as well as other somatic mutations, including mutations mediated drug resistance, in plasma with high sensitivity, paving the way for its application in identifying driver fusion genes and monitoring tumor dynamics in the clinic.

The role of docetaxel in the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer lung cancer: an update

INTRODUCTION

Non-small cell lung cancer lung cancer (NSCLC) is a devastating disease, with poor prognosis for patients with metastatic disease. The management of these patients has evolved during the past decade, challenging the role of cytotoxic chemotherapy as the only available treatment option. Nevertheless, chemotherapy still retains a dominant position for the majority of both treatment naïve and pretreated patients. Among the chemotherapeutic agents, docetaxel is one of the most commonly used in 1st and subsequent treatment lines, even in the current era of precision medicine. Areas covered: We searched Medline, Embase, Scopus and Cochrane Library for randomized phase III trials that evaluated docetaxel in various clinical settings of NSCLC and for meta-analyses of such trials and we present all relevant data regarding the pharmacology and clinical use of docetaxel in NSCLC. Expert commentary: Despite its diminishing role, docetaxel in combination with novel targeted agents remains an important option of the therapeutic armamentarium in advanced NSCLC.

Efficacy of short-term nivolumab treatment in a Chinese patient with relapsed advanced-stage lung squamous cell carcinoma: A case report

INTRODUCTION

Currently, the options are limited for the treatment of patients who have failed 2 lines of chemotherapy for advanced lung squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). Recently, nivolumab, a fully human IgG4 programmed death 1 immune checkpoint inhibitor antibody, was approved to treat patients with advanced stage, relapsed/refractory lung SCC. Although nivolumab has demonstrated antitumor activity with survival benefit in Caucasian patients, its efficacy in Asian patients is unknown.

CASE REPORT

In this report, we describe a Chinese patient with relapsed advanced stage lung SCC who had an excellent response to nivolumab after only 2 doses without any adverse effects. Immunohistochemical analysis indicated the tumor was stained positive for programmed death-ligand 1.

CONCLUSION

To our knowledge, this is the first report of satisfactory efficacy of short-term nivolumab treatment in a Chinese patient with relapsed advanced-stage lung SCC. Further clinical trials in Asian countries are needed to test whether nivolumab immunotherapy is a safe and effective treatment for Asian patients with lung SCC.

Brain Metastases from NSCLC: Radiation Therapy in the Era of Targeted Therapies

Brain metastases (BMs) will develop in a large proportion of patients with NSCLC throughout the course of their disease. Among patients with NSCLC with oncogenic drivers, mainly EGFR activating mutations and anaplastic lymphoma receptor tyrosine kinase gene (ALK) rearrangements, the presence of BM is a common secondary localization of disease both at the time of diagnosis and at relapse. Because of the limited penetration of a wide range of drugs across the blood-brain barrier, radiotherapy is considered the cornerstone of treatment of BMs. However, evidence of dramatic intracranial response rates has been reported in recent years with targeted therapies such as tyrosine kinase inhibitors and has been supported by new insights into pharmacokinetics to increase rates of tyrosine kinase inhibitors' penetration of the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). In this context, the combination of brain radiotherapy and targeted therapies seems relevant, and there is a strong radiobiological rationale to harness the radiosentizing effect of the drugs. Nevertheless, to date, there is a paucity of high-level clinical evidence supporting the combination of brain radiotherapy and targeted therapies in patients with NSCLC and BMs, and there are often methodological biases in reported studies, such as the lack of stratification by mutation status. Moreover, among asymptomatic patients not suitable for ablative treatment, this strategy is challenged by the promising results associated with the administration of targeted therapies alone. Herein, we review the biological rationale to combine targeted therapies and brain radiotherapy for patients with NSCLC and BMs, report the clinical data available to date, and discuss future directions to improve outcome in this group of patients.

Biomarker Development in COPD: Moving From P Values to Products to Impact Patient Care

There is a great interest in developing biomarkers to enable precision medicine and improve health outcomes of patients with COPD. However, biomarker development is extremely challenging and expensive, and translation of research endeavors to date has been largely unsuccessful. In most cases, biomarkers fail because of poor replication of initial promising results in independent cohorts and/or inability to transfer the biomarker from a discovery platform to a clinical assay. Ultimately, new biomarker assays must address 5 questions for optimal clinical translation. They include the following: is the biomarker likely to be (1) superior (will the test outperform current standards?); (2) actionable (will the test change patient management?); (3) valuable (will the test improve patient outcomes?); (4) economical (will the implementation of the biomarker in the target population be cost-saving or cost-effective?); and (5) clinically deployable (is there a pathway for the biomarker and analytical technology to be implemented in a clinical laboratory?)? In this article we review some of the major barriers to biomarker development in COPD and provide possible solutions to overcome these limitations, enabling translation of promising biomarkers from discovery experiments to clinical implementation.

Classical and non-classical proangiogenic factors as a target of antiangiogenic therapy in tumor microenvironment

Angiogenesis is sustained by classical and non-classical proangiogenic factors (PFs) acting in tumor microenvironment and these factors are also potential targets of antiangiogenic therapies. All PFs induce the overexpression of several signaling pathways that lead to migration and proliferation of endothelial cells contributing to tumor angiogenesis and survival of cancer cells. In this review, we have analyzed each PF with its specific receptor/s and we have summarized the available antiangiogenic drugs (e.g. monoclonal antibodies) targeting these PFs, some of these agents have already been approved, others are currently in development for the treatment of several human malignancies.

Clinical Drug-Drug Interactions Through Cytochrome P450 3A (CYP3A) for the Selective ALK Inhibitor Alectinib

The efficacy and safety of alectinib, a central nervous system-active and selective anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) inhibitor, has been demonstrated in patients with ALK-positive (ALK+) non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) progressing on crizotinib. Alectinib is mainly metabolized by cytochrome P450 3A (CYP3A) to a major similarly active metabolite, M4. Alectinib and M4 show evidence of weak time-dependent inhibition and small induction of CYP3A in vitro. We present results from 3 fixed-sequence studies evaluating drug-drug interactions for alectinib through CYP3A. Studies NP28990 and NP29042 enrolled 17 and 24 healthy subjects, respectively, and investigated potent CYP3A inhibition with posaconazole and potent CYP3A induction through rifampin, respectively, on the single oral dose pharmacokinetics (PK) of alectinib. A substudy of the global phase 2 NP28673 study enrolled 15 patients with ALK+ NSCLC to determine the effect of multiple doses of alectinib on the single oral dose PK of midazolam, a sensitive substrate of CYP3A. Potent CYP3A inhibition or induction resulted in only minor effects on the combined exposure of alectinib and M4. Multiple doses of alectinib did not influence midazolam exposure. These results suggest that dose adjustments may not be needed when alectinib is coadministered with CYP3A inhibitors or inducers or for coadministered CYP3A substrates.

Identification of TRA2B-DNAH5 fusion as a novel oncogenic driver in human lung squamous cell carcinoma

Lung squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is one of the major subtypes of lung cancer. Our current knowledge of oncogenic drivers in this specific subtype of lung cancer is largely limited compared with lung adenocarcinoma (ADC). Through exon array analyses, molecular analyses and functional studies, we here identify the TRA2B-DNAH5 fusion as a novel oncogenic driver in lung SCC. We found that this gene fusion occurs exclusively in lung SCC (3.1%, 5/163), but not in lung ADC (0/119). Through mechanistic studies, we further revealed that this TRA2B-DNAH5 fusion promotes lung SCC malignant progression through regulating a SIRT6-ERK1/2-MMP1 signaling axis. We show that inhibition of ERK1/2 activation using selumetinib efficiently inhibits the growth of lung SCC with TRA2B-DNAH5 fusion expression. These findings improve our current knowledge of oncogenic drivers in lung SCC and provide a potential therapeutic strategy for lung SCC patients with TRA2B-DNAH5 fusion.

Insights into brain metastasis in patients with ALK+ lung cancer: is the brain truly a sanctuary?

Anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) has been identified to exert a potent transforming activity through its rearrangement in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), and patients (pts) with ALK rearrangement can be treated more successfully with ALK inhibitors, such as crizotinib, alectinib, and ceritinib, than with chemotherapy. Despite the excellent efficacy of ALK inhibitors, resistance to these drugs is inevitably encountered in most ALK-rearranged pts. Cases of resistance are subtyped into three groups, i.e., systemic, oligo, and central nervous system (CNS) types, with the CNS being used to be considered a sanctuary. With regard to the management of CNS lesions in pts with ALK+ NSCLC, a growing body of evidence has gradually demonstrated the intracranial (IC) efficacy of ALK inhibitor (ALKi) in ALK+ NSCLC pts with brain metastases (BMs). Although the efficacy of crizotinib for the CNS lesions remains controversial, a recent retrospective investigation of ALK+ pts with BM enrolled in PROFILE 1005 and PROFILE 1007 demonstrated that crizotinib is associated with a high disease control rate for BM. However, BM comprises the most common site of progressive disease in pts with or without baseline BMs, which is a serious problem for crizotinib. Furthermore, alectinib can be used to achieve strong and long-lasting inhibitory effects on BM. In addition to alectinib, the IC efficacy of other next-generation ALK inhibitors, such as ceritinib, AP26113 and PF-06463922, has been demonstrated. In this article, we review the latest evidence regarding the BM and IC efficacy of ALK inhibitors in pts with ALK+ NSCLC.

miR-200c regulates crizotinib-resistant ALK-positive lung cancer cells by reversing epithelial-mesenchymal transition via targeting ZEB1

Crizotinib is an orally administered drug for the treatment of patients with anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK)-positive locally advanced or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Despite the impressive efficacy of crizotinib in the treatment of ALK-positive lung cancer, acquired resistance eventually develops in the majority of patients. The microRNA (miR)-200c reverses the resistance of lung cancer cells to various chemotherapeutic drugs and molecular targeted drugs, however, whether it can reverse the resistance of crizotinib remains unknown. The present study established a crizotinib resistant cell line (NCI-2228/CRI), which was derived from the parental NCI-2228 cell line by long-term exposure to increasing concentrations of crizotinib. Through overexpression and suppression of miR-200c expression, the characteristics associated with epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), including morphology, EMT marker proteins and cellular mobility, were investigated. Cell viability and invasion assays demonstrated that high expression of miR-200c significantly inhibited the proliferation, migration and invasion of NCI-2228 cells compared with the negative control. A luciferase reporter assay indicated that miR-200c directly targeted the 3′-untranslated region of zinc finger E-box binding homeobox 1. Additionally, reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction analysis demonstrated that the mRNA levels of N-cadherin and Vimentin were decreased in NCI-2228 cells transfected with miR-200c mimic compared with negative control cells, whereas the mRNA level of E-cadherin was increased. In addition, EMT was reversed by miR-200c, which suggests that miR-200c may serve a role in mediating the sensitivity of NCI-2228/CRI cells to crizotinib. The present study may therefore contribute to improving the sensitivity of ALK positive lung cancer cells to crizotinib.

EML4-ALK Fusion Detected by RT-PCR Confers Similar Response to Crizotinib as Detected by FISH in Patients with Advanced Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer

INTRODUCTION

Reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assay has been proved to have high sensitivity and specificity to detect anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) rearrangements. The aim of this study was to investigate the response to crizotinib in patients of advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with ALK rearrangements detected by RT-PCR.

METHODS

Only patients with advanced NSCLC who had their ALK rearrangement status detected by RT-PCR were included in this analysis. The utility of RT-PCR and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) assay were compared in patients who were treated with crizotinib based on their positive ALK rearrangements.

RESULTS

One thousand ten patients were included in this study. Among them, 104 patients were ALK RT-PCR positive and 53 of them received crizotinib treatment. Among 255 tumors simultaneously analyzed by FISH and RT-PCR, the latter successfully detected all the 25 tumors with arrangements, including two cases that were missed by FISH. The overall response rate and median progression-free survival of the 53 patients with ALK rearrangements who received crizotinib treatment were 60.4% (95% confidence interval [CI], 47.2-73.6) and 8.4 months (95% CI, 6.75-10.05), respectively, which were similar to the 21 patients detected by FISH with overall response rate of 57.1% (95% CI, 33.3-76.2; p = 0.799) and median progression-free survival of 7.4 months (95% CI, 4.43-10.38; p = 0.833) after crizotinib treatment. Interestingly, there were two patients responded to crizotinib had their ALK rearrangement detected by RT-PCR but not FISH.

CONCLUSIONS

RT-PCR should be considered as an alternative/supplemental approach to detect ALK fusion oncogene in NSCLC patients who might benefit from crizotinib treatment.

Targeting the PD-1/PD-L1 axis in the treatment of lung cancer

In recent years major advances in the field of molecular profiling of non-small cell lung cancer led to the identification of targetable driver mutations and revolutionized the treatment of specific patient subsets. However, the majority of NSCLC tumors do not harbor these genomic events. On the other hand, current studies have confirmed an expanding role for immunotherapy in lung cancer and new agents, such as inhibitors of the programmed cell death-1 (PD-1)/programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1) axis have been introduced in the treatment armamentarium. The monoclonal antibodies nivolumab and pembrolizumab targeting PD-1 resulted in superior survival when compared to standard second line chemotherapy within the context of randomized trials and received regulatory approval. Moreover, several other anti-PD-L1 antibodies have demonstrated encouraging preliminary efficacy and multiple clinical trials in various settings during the disease trajectory are currently underway. Early immunotherapy trials have also illustrated the potential of PD-1 blockade in small cell lung cancer treatment, a disease for which major advances in systemic therapy are lacking. The currently available clinical data on PD-1/PD-L1 inhibition in lung cancer are summarized in this review.

ALK Positive Lung Cancer: Clinical Profile, Practice and Outcomes in a Developing Country

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate the performance and treatment profile of advanced EML4-ALK positive Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients in a developing country with potentially restricted access to Crizotinib.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A retrospective analysis of advanced ALK positive NSCLC patients who were treated from June 2012 to September 2015 was conducted. The primary goal was to evaluate outcomes of advanced ALK positive NSCLC in our practice and examine the logistic constraints in procuring Crizotinib.

RESULTS

94 patients were available for analysis. 21 (22.3%) patients were started on Crizotinib upfront, 60 (63.8%) on chemotherapy, 10 (10.6%) on Tyrosine kinase inhibitors (in view of poor PS) and 3 (3.2%) patients were offered best supportive care. Reasons for not starting Crizotinib upfront included symptomatic patients needing early initiation of therapy (23.3%), ALK not tested upfront (23.3%) and financial constraints (21.9%). 69 patients (73.4%) received Crizotinib at some stage during treatment. Dose interruptions (> 1 week) with Crizotinib were seen in 20 patients (29%), with drug toxicity being the commonest reason (85%). Median Progression free survival (PFS) on first line therapy for the entire cohort was 10 months, with a significant difference between patients receiving Crizotinib and those who did not ever receive Crizotinib (10 months vs. 2 months, p = 0.028). Median Overall Survival (OS) was not reached for the entire cohort, with 1 year survival being 81.2%. Patients with an ECOG Performance Status (PS) of >2 had a significantly reduced PFS compared to patients with PS < = 2 (1.5 months vs. 11 months, p< 0.001). 47 patients with financial constraints (68.1%) received Crizotinib completely free via various extramural support schemes.

CONCLUSION

A majority of our ALK positive NSCLC patients were exposed to Crizotinib through the help of various support mechanisms and these patients had similar outcomes to that reported from previously published literature.

BRAF Alterations as Therapeutic Targets in Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer

BACKGROUND

Several subsets of non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) are defined by molecular alterations acting as tumor drivers, some of them being currently therapeutically actionable. The rat sarcoma (RAS)-rapidly accelerated fibrosarcoma (RAF)-mitogen-activated protein/extracellular signal-regulated kinase kinase (MEK)-extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) pathway constitutes an attractive potential target, as v-Raf murine sarcoma viral oncogene homolog B (BRAF) mutations occur in 2-4% of NSCLC adenocarcinoma.

METHODS

Here, we review the latest clinical data on BRAF serine/threonine kinase inhibitors in NSCLC.

RESULTS

Treatment of V600E BRAF-mutated NSCLC with BRAF inhibitor monotherapy demonstrated encouraging antitumor activity. Combination of BRAF and MEK inhibitors using dabrafenib and trametinib is under evaluation. Preliminary data suggest superior efficacy compared with BRAF inhibitor monotherapy.

CONCLUSION

Targeting BRAF alterations represents a promising new therapeutic approach for a restricted subset of oncogene-addicted NSCLC. Prospect ive trials refining this strategy are ongoing. A next step will probably aim at combining BRAF inhibitors and immunotherapy or alternatively improve a multilevel mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway blockade by combining with ERK inhibitors.

ALCHEMIST Trials: A Golden Opportunity to Transform Outcomes in Early-Stage Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

The treatment of patients with metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is slowly evolving from empirical cytotoxic chemotherapy to personalized treatment based on specific molecular alterations. Despite this 10-year evolution, targeted therapies have not been studied adequately in patients with resected NSCLC who have clearly defined actionable mutations. The advent of next-generation sequencing has now made it possible to characterize genomic alterations in unprecedented detail. The efforts begun by The Cancer Genome Atlas project to understand the complexities of the genomic landscape of lung cancer will be supplemented further by studying a large number of tumor specimens. The Adjuvant Lung Cancer Enrichment Marker Identification and Sequencing Trial (ALCHEMIST) is an NCI-sponsored national clinical trials network (NCTN) initiative to address the needs to refine therapy for early-stage NSCLC. This program will screen several thousand patients with operable lung adenocarcinoma to determine whether their tumors contain specific molecular alterations [epidermal growth factor receptor mutation (EGFR) and anaplastic lymphoma kinase rearrangement (ALK)], making them eligible for treatment trials that target these alterations. Patients with EGFR mutation or ALK gene rearrangement in their tumor will be randomized to placebo versus erlotinib or crizotinib, respectively, after completion of their standard adjuvant therapy. ALCHEMIST will also contain a large discovery component that will provide an opportunity to incorporate genomic studies to fully understand the clonal architecture, clonal evolution, and mechanisms of resistance to therapy. In this review, we describe the concept, rationale, and outline of ALCHEMIST and the plan for genomic studies in patients with lung adenocarcinoma. Clin Cancer Res; 21(24); 5439-44. ©2015 AACR.

ALK alterations and inhibition in lung cancer

The advent of precision medicine in non-small cell lung cancer has remarkably altered the direction of research and improved clinical outcomes. The identification of molecular subsets with differential response to targeted therapies began with the identification of epidermal growth factor receptor mutated tumors in subsets of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Emboldened by unprecedented response rates to kinase inhibitors seen in that subset, the oncologic community searched for other molecular subsets featuring oncogene addiction. An early result of this search was the discovery of NSCLC driven by activating rearrangements of the anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) gene. In an astoundingly brief period following the recognition of ALK-positive NSCLC, details of the biology, clinicopathologic features, development of targeted inhibitors, mechanisms of therapeutic resistance, and new generations of treatment were elucidated. This review summarizes the current understanding of the pathologic features, diagnostic approach, treatment options, resistance mechanisms, and future research areas for ALK-positive NSCLC.

A multicentre phase II trial of cabazitaxel in patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer progressing after docetaxel-based chemotherapy

Background:

Cabazitaxel, a semisynthetic microtubule inhibitor, has shown antitumour activity in models resistant to paclitaxel and docetaxel, and it has been approved for the treatment of docetaxel-resistant prostate cancer. We investigated its activity in patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) progressing under or after docetaxel-based regimens.

Methods:

Patients with locally advanced unresectable or metastatic NSCLC, with an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status of 0–2, were enrolled; patients had to have received up to two prior chemotherapy regimens for the treatment of advanced disease, including one docetaxel-containing regimen. Treatment consisted of cabazitaxel (25 mg m⁻² intravenously, every 21 days) until disease progression. The primary end point was the overall response rate.

Results:

Among the 46 evaluable patients, 28.3% had squamous cell carcinoma and 54.3% had adenocarcinoma. Eight (17.4%) patients had received one and 38 (82.6%) two prior chemotherapy regimens. Treatment compliance was 95% 26 (16%) cycles were delayed because of toxicity, (n=13) and dose reduction was required in 6 (13%) patients because of haematologic toxicity. Six (13%) patients achieved a partial response and 17 (37.0%) stable disease. The median progression-free survival and overall survival were 2.1 (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.0–3.2) and 7.4 (95% CI: 5.2–9.6) months, respectively. Grade 4 adverse events included neutropenia (n=8; 17%), febrile neutropenia (n=6; 13%) and thrombocytopenia (n=3; 6.5%). There was one treatment-related death.

Conclusions:

Cabazitaxel exhibits activity in NSCLC patients pre-treated with docetaxel-based chemotherapy with a substantial but manageable toxicity profile. The drug merits further evaluation in this indication.

The End of Nihilism: Systemic Therapy of Advanced Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in the United States and many other parts of the world. Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) comprises 85-90% of lung cancers. Historically, the expected survival of patients with advanced disease has been estimated in months. In recent years, however, lung cancer has come to be seen as a treatable disease with multiple therapeutic options. Enormous advances in the understanding of its pathways and mechanisms have enabled personalized therapy in NSCLC. The evolving approach to therapy focuses on genomic profiling of the tumors to find molecular targets and develop specific agents for individualized therapy. In addition, maintenance therapy has emerged as a valid approach, and the choice of chemotherapy now varies by histology. Most recently, immunotherapy with checkpoint inhibitors has shown promising results, with impressive durations of response and a tolerable toxicity profile. Together, these discoveries have improved overall survival substantially in patient populations that have access to these advancements. We review the clinical data surrounding these impressive improvements.

Detection of Therapeutically Targetable Driver and Resistance Mutations in Lung Cancer Patients by Next-Generation Sequencing of Cell-Free Circulating Tumor DNA

PURPOSE

The expanding number of targeted therapeutics for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) necessitates real-time tumor genotyping, yet tissue biopsies are difficult to perform serially and often yield inadequate DNA for next-generation sequencing (NGS). We evaluated the feasibility of using cell-free circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) NGS as a complement or alternative to tissue NGS.

EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN

A total of 112 plasma samples obtained from a consecutive study of 102 prospectively enrolled patients with advanced NSCLC were subjected to ultra-deep sequencing of up to 70 genes and matched with tissue samples, when possible.

RESULTS

We detected 275 alterations in 45 genes, and at least one alteration in the ctDNA for 86 of 102 patients (84%), with EGFR variants being most common. ctDNA NGS detected 50 driver and 12 resistance mutations, and mutations in 22 additional genes for which experimental therapies, including clinical trials, are available. Although ctDNA NGS was completed for 102 consecutive patients, tissue sequencing was only successful for 50 patients (49%). Actionable EGFR mutations were detected in 24 tissue and 19 ctDNA samples, yielding concordance of 79%, with a shorter time interval between tissue and blood collection associated with increased concordance (P = 0.038). ctDNA sequencing identified eight patients harboring a resistance mutation who developed progressive disease while on targeted therapy, and for whom tissue sequencing was not possible.

CONCLUSIONS

Therapeutically targetable driver and resistance mutations can be detected by ctDNA NGS, even when tissue is unavailable, thus allowing more accurate diagnosis, improved patient management, and serial sampling to monitor disease progression and clonal evolution. Clin Cancer Res; 22(23); 5772-82. ©2016 AACR.

Challenges in molecular testing in non-small-cell lung cancer patients with advanced disease

Lung cancer diagnostics have progressed greatly in the previous decade. Development of molecular testing to identify an increasing number of potentially clinically actionable genetic variants, using smaller samples obtained via minimally invasive techniques, is a huge challenge. Tumour heterogeneity and cancer evolution in response to therapy means that repeat biopsies or circulating biomarkers are likely to be increasingly useful to adapt treatment as resistance develops. We highlight some of the current challenges faced in clinical practice for molecular testing of EGFR, ALK, and new biomarkers such as PDL1. Implementation of next generation sequencing platforms for molecular diagnostics in non-small-cell lung cancer is increasingly common, allowing testing of multiple genetic variants from a single sample. The use of next generation sequencing to recruit for molecularly stratified clinical trials is discussed in the context of the UK Stratified Medicine Programme and The UK National Lung Matrix Trial.

New and emerging targeted treatments in advanced non-small-cell lung cancer

Targeted therapies are substantially changing the management of lung cancers. These treatments include drugs that target driver mutations, those that target presumed important molecules in cancer cell proliferation and survival, and those that inhibit immune checkpoint molecules. This area of research progresses day by day, with novel target discoveries, novel drug development, and use of novel combination treatments. Researchers and clinicians have also extensively investigated the predictive biomarkers and the molecular mechanisms underlying inherent or acquired resistance to these targeted therapies. We review recent progress in the development of targeted treatments for patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer, especially focusing on data from published clinical trials.

Progression-Free Survival, Response Rate, and Disease Control Rate as Predictors of Overall Survival in Phase III Randomized Controlled Trials Evaluating the First-Line Chemotherapy for Advanced, Locally Advanced, and Recurrent Non-Small Cell Lung Carcinoma

INTRODUCTION

Recent improvements in chemotherapy agents have prolonged postprogression survival of non-small cell lung cancer. Thus, primary outcomes other than overall survival (OS) have been frequently used for recent phase III trials to obtain quick results. However, no systematic review had assessed whether progression-free survival (PFS), response rate (RR), and disease control rate (DCR) can serve as surrogates for OS at the trial level in the phase III first-line chemotherapy setting.

METHODS

We included phase III randomized clinical trials (RCTs) comparing two arms that were reported as a full article regardless of their primary end point. We included only RCTs that evaluated chemonaive patients with advanced, locally advanced, or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer and were published after January 1, 2005. We systematically searched four public electronic databases. Two investigators independently screened and scrutinized candidate articles. How surrogate outcomes represented hazard ratios (HRs) for OS was examined.

RESULTS

Among 1907 articles, we ultimately found 44 eligible articles covering 22,709 subjects. HR for PFS, median PFS in the experimental arm minus median PFS in the control arm in months, OR for RR (ORrr), and OR for DCR were evaluated in 34, 35, 44, and 35 RCTs, respectively. HR for OS (HRos), median PFS in the experimental arm minus median PFS in the control arm, ORrr, and OR for DCR had weighted Spearman's rank correlation coefficients with an HRos of 0.496, 0.477, 0.570, and 0.470, respectively; the standardized weighted regression coefficients were 0.439, -0.376, -0.605, and -0.381, respectively; and the adjusted weighted coefficients of determination were 0.224, 0.161, 0.350, and 0.176, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

ORrr, followed by HRpfs, had the strongest association with HRos at the trial level. However, these measures were not strong enough to replace OS.

Crizotinib: from discovery to accelerated development to front-line treatment

Non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is associated with a poor prognosis and low survival rates, providing a strong rationale for the development of new treatment options. The discovery of ALK gene rearrangements in a subset of NSCLC specimens and the identification and development of the first-in-class ALK inhibitor crizotinib provided a personalised treatment option for patients with advanced ALK-positive NSCLC. Crizotinib demonstrated rapid and durable responses in advanced ALK-positive NSCLC patients in phase I and II studies, leading to accelerated FDA approval. Subsequent evaluation in phase III studies showed that crizotinib improved progression-free survival compared with platinum-based doublet chemotherapy in previously untreated patients and compared with pemetrexed or docetaxel in previously treated patients. Crizotinib was shown to have an acceptable safety profile and also to improve quality of life and symptom scores. Overall, crizotinib has been shown to provide a valuable first- and second-line treatment option and is now the first-line standard of care for patients with advanced ALK-positive NSCLC.

The pharmacogenomics of drug resistance to protein kinase inhibitors

Dysregulation of growth factor cell signaling is a major driver of most human cancers. This has led to development of numerous drugs targeting protein kinases, with demonstrated efficacy in the treatment of a wide spectrum of cancers. Despite their high initial response rates and survival benefits, the majority of patients eventually develop resistance to these targeted therapies. This review article discusses examples of established mechanisms of drug resistance to anticancer therapies, including drug target mutations or gene amplifications, emergence of alternate signaling pathways, and pharmacokinetic variation. This reveals a role for pharmacogenomic analysis to identify and monitor for resistance, with possible therapeutic strategies to combat chemoresistance.

Nivolumab Monotherapy for First-Line Treatment of Advanced Non–Small-Cell Lung Cancer

Purpose

Nivolumab, a programmed death-1 (PD-1) immune checkpoint inhibitor antibody, has demonstrated improved survival over docetaxel in previously treated advanced non–small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). First-line monotherapy with nivolumab for advanced NSCLC was evaluated in the phase I, multicohort, Checkmate 012 trial.

Methods

Fifty-two patients received nivolumab 3 mg/kg intravenously every 2 weeks until progression or unacceptable toxicity; postprogression treatment was permitted per protocol. The primary objective was to assess safety; secondary objectives included objective response rate (ORR) and 24-week progression-free survival (PFS) rate; overall survival (OS) was an exploratory end point.

Results

Any-grade treatment-related adverse events (AEs) occurred in 71% of patients, most commonly: fatigue (29%), rash (19%), nausea (14%), diarrhea (12%), pruritus (12%), and arthralgia (10%). Ten patients (19%) reported grade 3 to 4 treatment-related AEs; grade 3 rash was the only grade 3 to 4 event occurring in more than one patient (n = 2; 4%). Six patients (12%) discontinued because of a treatment-related AE. The confirmed ORR was 23% (12 of 52), including four ongoing complete responses. Nine of 12 responses (75%) occurred by first tumor assessment (week 11); eight (67%) were ongoing (range, 5.3+ to 25.8+ months) at the time of data lock. ORR was 28% (nine of 32) in patients with any degree of tumor PD–ligand 1 expression and 14% (two of 14) in patients with no PD–ligand 1 expression. Median PFS was 3.6 months, and the 24-week PFS rate was 41% (95% CI, 27 to 54). Median OS was 19.4 months, and the 1-year and 18-month OS rates were 73% (95% CI, 59 to 83) and 57% (95% CI, 42 to 70), respectively.

Conclusion

First-line nivolumab monotherapy demonstrated a tolerable safety profile and durable responses in first-line advanced NSCLC.

High Prevalence of Concomitant Oncogene Mutations in Prospectively Identified Patients with ROS1-Positive Metastatic Lung Cancer

OBJECTIVES

Chromosomal rearrangements involving ROS1 define a rare entity of lung adenocarcinomas with exquisite sensitivity to molecularly targeted therapy. We report clinical outcomes and genomic findings of patients with ROS1-positive lung cancer who were prospectively identified within a multiplex biomarker profiling program at the West German Cancer Center.

METHODS

Standardized immunohistochemical (IHC) analysis, fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), and hotspot mutation analyses were performed in 1345 patients with advanced cancer, including 805 patients with metastatic lung adenocarcinoma. Clinical and epidemiological data were retrieved from the institutional database.

RESULTS

ROS1 positivity by IHC analysis was detected in 25 patients with lung cancer (4.8% of lung adenocarcinomas), including 13 patients (2.5%) with ROS1 FISH positivity with a cutoff of at least 15% of events. Of the ROS1 IHC analysis-positive cases, 36% presented with concomitant oncogenic driver mutations involving EGFR (six cases, five of which were clinically validated by response to EGFR-targeting agents), KRAS (two cases), phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate 3-kinase catalytic subunit alpha gene (PIK3CA), and BRAF. Three cases initially classified as ROS1 FISH-negative passed the threshold of 15% positive events when repeat biopsies were analyzed at progression. The median overall survival of the ROS1-positive patients (104 months) was significantly superior to that of the 261 patients with EGFR/anaplastic lymphoma kinase/ROS1-negative lung adenocarcinoma (24.4 months, p = 0.044). Interestingly, the overall survival of the 13 ROS1-positive patients with lung cancer from initiation of pemetrexed-based chemotherapy was significantly prolonged when compared with that of 169 pemetrexed-treated patients with EGFR/anaplastic lymphoma kinase/ROS1-negative adenocarcinoma (p = 0.01).

CONCLUSIONS

ROS1-positive metastatic lung adenocarcinomas frequently harbor concomitant oncogenic driver mutations. Levels of ROS1 FISH-positive events are variable over time. This heterogeneity provides additional therapeutic options if discovered by multiplex biomarker testing and repeat biopsies.

ALK gene copy number gains in non-small-cell lung cancer: prognostic impact and clinico-pathological correlations

Background

The correlation between ALK gene copy number gain (ALK-CNG) and prognosis in the context of advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) remains a controversial issue. This study aimed to evaluate the association among ALK-CNG according to Fluorescent In Situ Hybridization (FISH), clinical characteristics and survival in resectable and advanced NSCLC.

Methods

Clinical and pathological data of patients with resectable and advanced NSCLC were retrospectively collected. Tumor tissues were analyzed for ALK-CNG by FISH, and patients were divided in 3 groups/patterns on the basis of ALK signals: disomic [Pattern A], 3–7 signals [Pattern B], >7 signals [Pattern C]. The association between clinical and pathological features and ALK-CNG patterns was evaluated. Disease/progression-free and overall survival (DFS/PFS and OS) were estimated using the Kaplan-Meyer method.

Results

A number of 128 (76.6 %) out of the 167 eligible patients were evaluable for ALK-CNG, displaying pattern A, B and C in 71 (42.5 %), 42 (25.1 %) and 15 (9 %) patients, respectively. Gains in ALK-CNG appear to be more frequent in smokers/former smokers than in non-smokers (74.2 % versus 20.4 %, respectively, p = 0.03). Pattern A and C seem more frequently associated with higher T-stage (T3-4), while pattern B appears more represented in lower T-stage (T 1-2) (p = 0.06). No significant differences in survival rate were observed among the above groups.

Conclusions

A high ALK-CNG pattern might be associated with smoking status and theoretically it might mirror genomic instability. The implications for prognosis should be prospectively investigated and validated in larger patients’ series.

Trial registration

We confirm that all the study was performed in accordance with relevant guidelines and regulations and that all the protocol (part of a larger project MFAG 2013 N.14282) was approved by the local Ethics Committee of the Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Integrata of Verona on November 11st, 2014.

Outcomes of Gamma Knife Radiosurgery in Combination with Crizotinib for Patients with Brain Metastasis from Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

OBJECTIVE

Crizotinib is a novel targeted anticancer agent for non-small cell lung cancer. In this study, we report our clinical outcomes from Gamma Knife radiosurgery (GKS) for brain metastasis (BM) under crizotinib treatment in non-small cell lung cancer patients.

METHODS

We performed a retrospective review of 29 patients who underwent a total of 51 GKS procedures for BM while continuing on crizotinib. We compared 2 groups on the basis of the number of BMs: oligometastases (≤5) and polymetastases (>5).

RESULTS

The actuarial 1- and 2-year overall survival rates from initial GKS were 73.5% and 42.6%, respectively. The estimated local progression-free survival (PFS) rates of the oligometastases group were 91.8% at 6 months and 84.2% at 12 months, whereas the local PFS rates of the polymetastases group at 6 and 12 months were 91.6% and 58.2%, respectively (P = 0.153). The estimated distant PFS rates of the oligometastases group were 50.7% at 6 months and 20.3% at 12 months, whereas the distant PFS rates of the polymetastases group were 32.7% at 6 months and only 6.5% at 12 months (P = 0.029).

CONCLUSIONS

GKS combined with crizotinib showed effective local tumor control and excellent outcome, especially in oligometastases. However, distant progression of BM during crizotinib after GKS occurred in most of the cases within a year. Thus brain surveillance after GKS is important for adequate and timely salvage treatment even when extracranial disease is well controlled by crizotinib.

Mutation and prognostic analyses of PIK3CA in patients with completely resected lung adenocarcinoma

PIK3CA mutation represents a clinical subset of diverse carcinomas. We explored the status of PIK3CA mutation and evaluated its genetic variability, treatment, and prognosis in patients with lung adenocarcinoma. A total of 810 patients with completely resected lung adenocarcinoma were recruited between 2008 and 2013. The status of PIK3CA mutation and other three genes, that is, EGFR mutation, KRAS mutation and ALK fusion were examined by reverse transcription‐polymerase chain reaction (RT‐PCR). Survival curves were plotted with the Kaplan–Meier method and log‐rank for comparison. Cox proportional hazard model was performed for multivariate analysis. Among the 810 patients, 23 cases of PIK3CA mutation were identified with a frequency of 2.8%. There were 14 men and 9 women with a median age of 61 years. Seventeen tumors revealed concurrent gene abnormalities of EGFR mutation (n = 12), KRAS mutation (n = 3), and ALK fusion (n = 2). Seven patients with EGFR & PIK3CA mutations recurred and administrated of EGFR‐TKIs yielded a median progression free‐survival of 6.0 months. Among four eviromous‐treated patients, stable disease was observed in three patients with a median Progression‐free survival (PFS) of 3.5 months. Patients with and without PIK3CA mutation had different overall survivals (32.2 vs. 49.6 months, P = 0.003). Multivariate analysis revealed that PIK3CA mutation was an independent predictor of poor overall survival (HR = 2.37, P = 0.017). The frequency of PIK3CA mutation was around 2.8% in the Chinese patients of lung adenocarcinoma. PIK3CA mutation was associated with reduced PFS of EGFR‐TKIs treatment and shorter overall survival.

Management of Brain Metastases in ALK-Positive Non–Small-Cell Lung Cancer

The Oncology Grand Rounds series is designed to place original reports published in the Journal into clinical context. A case presentation is followed by a description of diagnostic and management challenges, a review of the relevant literature, and a summary of the authors’ suggested management approaches. The goal of this series is to help readers better understand how to apply the results of key studies, including those published in Journal of Clinical Oncology, to patients seen in their own clinical practice.

A 54-year-old man with a former 15-pack-year smoking history presents with cough and dyspnea. Initial work-up with imaging demonstrates a right suprahilar mass measuring 4.7 cm as well as several enlarged hilar and ipsilateral mediastinal lymph nodes. Bronchoscopy with biopsy reveals adenocarcinoma consistent with a lung primary. Staging with positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) reidentifies the primary mass and lymph nodes and shows several PET-avid bone metastases. Brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) demonstrates a 1.6-cm right parietal mass with mild vasogenic edema and four additional brain metastases measuring 4 to 9 mm in size. Molecular testing is positive for an anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) gene rearrangement using fluorescence in situ hybridization and negative for EGFR, ROS1, RET, BRAF, KRAS, and other oncogenes. The patient denies any neurologic symptoms and has no significant findings on neurologic exam. He is referred to you for management options for newly diagnosed stage IV (T2aN2M1b) lung adenocarcinoma.

Patients with ROS1 rearrangement-positive non-small-cell lung cancer benefit from pemetrexed-based chemotherapy

ROS1 gene‐rearrangement in non‐small‐cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients has recently been identified as a driver gene and benefited from crizotinib treatment. However, no data are available for ROS1‐positive NSCLC about chemotherapeutic options and prognostic data. We investigated pemetrexed‐based treatment efficacy in ROS1 translocation NSCLC patients and determined the expression of thymidylate synthetase (TS) to provide a rationale for the efficacy results. We determined the ROS1 status of 1750 patients with lung adenocarcinoma. Patients' clinical and therapeutic profiles were assessed. In positive cases, thymidylate synthetase (TS) mRNA level was performed by RT‐PCR. For comparison, we evaluated the TS mRNA status and pemetrexed‐based treatment efficacy from 170 NSCLC patients with anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) translocation (n = 46), EGFR mutation (n = 50), KRAS mutation (n = 32), and wild‐type of EGFR/ALK/ROS1/KRAS (n = 42). Thirty‐four ROS1 translocation patients were identified at two institutions. Among the 34 patients, 12 with advanced stage or recurrence were treated with pemetrexed‐based first‐line chemotherapy. The median progression‐free survivals of pemetrexed‐based first‐line chemotherapy in ROS1 translocation, ALK translocation, EGFR mutation, KRAS mutation, and EGFR/ALK/ROS1/KRAS wild‐type patients were 6.8, 6.7, 5.2, 4.2, and 4.5 months, respectively (P = 0.003). The TSmRNA level was lower in patients with ROS1‐positive than ROS1‐negative patients (264 ± 469 × 10⁻⁴ vs. 469 ± 615 × 10⁻⁴, P = 0.03), but similar with ALK‐positive patients (264 ± 469 × 10⁻⁴ vs. 317 ± 524 × 10⁻⁴, P = 0.64). Patients diagnosed with ROS1 translocation lung adenocarcinoma may benefit from pemetrexed‐based chemotherapy. TS mRNA level enables the selection of therapeutic options for ROS1 translocation patients.

[Treatment of Patients with ALK-positive Non-small Cell Lung Cancer and Brain Metastases]

背景与目的

间变性淋巴瘤激酶(anaplastic lymphoma kinase, ALK)阳性非小细胞肺癌(non-small cell lung cancer, NSCLC)是肺癌的一个重要亚型。ALK阳性NSCLC脑转移患者的治疗尚无标准模式。

方法

本研究对我院2013年3月-2016年3月期间确诊的ALK阳性NSCLC脑转移患者的临床资料和治疗情况进行回顾性分析, 探讨不同治疗模式患者的转归。

结果

84例晚期ALK阳性NSCLC患者中, 22例初诊时有脑转移, 剔除3例合并表皮生长因子受体(epidermal growth factor receptor, EGFR)双突变患者, 共19例纳入分析。中位颅内疾病进展时间(progression-free survival, PFS)为12.0个月, 一线脑部局部治疗(P=0.021)及一线克唑替尼治疗(P=0.030)可延长PFS; 一线克唑替尼联合脑部局部治疗的中位颅内PFS为27.0个月, 而单纯克唑替尼治疗的PFS仅为4.2个月。

结论

一线克唑替尼联合脑部局部治疗有助于延长ALK阳性晚期NSCLC患者的颅内PFS, 因例数少, 尚有待大样本多中心前瞻性临床研究证实。

Intracranial Efficacy of Crizotinib Versus Chemotherapy in Patients With Advanced ALK-Positive Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer: Results From PROFILE 1014

PURPOSE

Intracranial efficacy of first-line crizotinib versus chemotherapy was compared prospectively in the phase III PROFILE 1014 study in ALK-positive non-small-cell lung cancer.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Patients were randomly assigned to receive crizotinib (250 mg twice daily; n = 172) or chemotherapy (pemetrexed 500 mg/m(2) plus cisplatin 75 mg/m(2) or carboplatin at area under the curve 5 to 6, every 3 weeks for ≤ six cycles; n = 171). Patients with stable treated brain metastases (tBM) were eligible. Intracranial efficacy was assessed at baseline and every 6 or 12 weeks in patients with or without known brain metastases (BM), respectively; intracranial time to tumor progression (IC-TTP; per protocol) and intracranial disease control rate (IC-DCR; post hoc) were measured. The intent-to-treat population was also assessed.

RESULTS

Of 343 patients in the intent-to-treat population, 23% had tBM at baseline. A nonsignificant IC-TTP improvement was observed with crizotinib in the intent-to-treat population (hazard ratio [HR], 0.60; P = .069), patients with tBM (HR, 0.45; P = .063), and patients without BM (HR, 0.69; P = .323). Among patients with tBM, IC-DCR was significantly higher with crizotinib versus chemotherapy at 12 weeks (85% v 45%, respectively; P < .001) and 24 weeks (56% v 25%, respectively; P = .006). Progression-free survival was significantly longer with crizotinib versus chemotherapy in both subgroups (tBM present: HR, 0.40; P < .001; median, 9.0 v 4.0 months, respectively; BM absent: HR, 0.51; P < .001; median, 11.1 v 7.2 months, respectively) and in the intent-to-treat population (HR, 0.45; P < .001; median, 10.9 v 7.0 months, respectively).

CONCLUSION

Compared with chemotherapy, crizotinib demonstrated a significantly higher IC-DCR in patients with tBM. Improvements in IC-TTP were not statistically significant in patients with or without tBM, although sensitivity to detect treatment differences in or between the two subgroups was low.

Clinical Activity of Alectinib in Advanced RET-Rearranged Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

INTRODUCTION

Chromosomal rearrangements involving rearranged during transfection gene (RET) occur in 1% to 2% of NSCLCs and may confer sensitivity to rearranged during transfection (RET) inhibitors. Alectinib is an anaplastic lymphoma kinase tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) that also has anti-RET activity in vitro. The clinical activity of alectinib in patients with RET-rearranged NSCLC has not yet been reported.

METHODS

We have described four patients with advanced RET-rearranged NSCLC who were treated with alectinib (600 mg twice daily [n = 3] or 900 mg twice daily [n = 1]) as part of single-patient compassionate use protocols or off-label use of the commercially available drug.

RESULTS

Four patients with metastatic RET-rearranged NSCLC were identified. Three of the four had received prior RET TKIs, including cabozantinib and experimental RET inhibitors. In total, we observed two (50%) objective radiographic responses after treatment with alectinib (one confirmed and one unconfirmed), with durations of therapy of 6 months and more than 5 months (treatment ongoing), respectively. Notably, one of these two patients had his dose of alectinib escalated to 900 mg twice daily and had clinical improvement in central nervous system metastases. In addition, one patient (25%) experienced a best response of stable disease lasting approximately 6 weeks (the drug discontinued for toxicity). A fourth patient who was RET TKI-naive had primary progression while receiving alectinib.

CONCLUSIONS

Alectinib demonstrated preliminary antitumor activity in patients with advanced RET-rearranged NSCLC, most of whom had received prior RET inhibitors. Larger prospective studies with longer follow-up are needed to assess the efficacy of alectinib in RET-rearranged NSCLC and other RET-driven malignancies. In parallel, development of more selective, potent RET TKIs is warranted.

Imaging Characteristics of Driver Mutations in EGFR, KRAS, and ALK among Treatment-Naïve Patients with Advanced Lung Adenocarcinoma

This study aimed to identify the computed tomography characteristics of treatment-naïve patients with lung adenocarcinoma and known driver mutations in EGFR, KRAS, or ALK. Patients with advanced lung adenocarcinoma (stage IIIB-IV) and known mutations in EGFR, KRAS, or ALK were assessed. The radiological findings for the main tumor and intra-thoracic status were retrospectively analyzed in each group, and the groups' characteristics were compared. We identified 265 treatment-naïve patients with non-small-cell carcinoma, who had EGFR mutations (n = 159), KRAS mutations (n = 55), or ALK rearrangements (n = 51). Among the three groups, we evaluated only patients with stage IIIB-IV lung adenocarcinoma who had EGFR mutations (n = 126), KRAS mutations (n = 35), or ALK rearrangements (n = 47). We found that ground-glass opacity at the main tumor was significantly more common among EGFR-positive patients, compared to ALK-positive patients (p = 0.009). Lymphadenopathy was significantly more common among ALK-positive patients, compared to EGFR-positive patients (p = 0.003). Extranodal invasion was significantly more common among ALK-positive patients, compared to EGFR-positive patients and KRAS-positive patients (p = 0.001 and p = 0.049, respectively). Lymphangitis was significantly more common among ALK-positive patients, compared to EGFR-positive patients (p = 0.049). Pleural effusion was significantly less common among KRAS-positive patients, compared to EGFR-positive patients and ALK-positive patients (p = 0.046 and p = 0.026, respectively). Lung metastases were significantly more common among EGFR-positive patients, compared to KRAS-positive patients and ALK-positive patients (p = 0.007 and p = 0.04, respectively). In conclusion, EGFR mutations were associated with ground-glass opacity, KRAS-positive tumors were generally solid and less likely to metastasize to the lung and pleura, and ALK-positive tumors tended to present with lymphadenopathy, extranodal invasion, and lymphangitis. These mutation-specific imaging characteristics may be related to the biological differences between these cancers.