Targeting HER2-mutant metastatic cervical cancer with neratinib: Final results from the phase 2 SUMMIT basket trial

OBJECTIVE

HER2 mutations are associated with poor prognosis and are detected in 3-6% of cervical cancers. Neratinib, an irreversible pan-HER tyrosine kinase inhibitor, had activity in several HER2-mutant cancer types in the phase 2 SUMMIT basket study. We present updated and final results from the cervical cancer cohort of SUMMIT.

METHODS

Eligible patients had HER2-mutant, metastatic or recurrent cervical cancer progressing after platinum-based treatment for advanced/recurrent disease. Patients received neratinib 240 mg/day; loperamide was mandatory during cycle 1. Confirmed objective response rate (ORR) was the primary endpoint. Duration of response (DoR), clinical benefit rate (CBR), progression-free survival (PFS), and safety were secondary endpoints.

RESULTS

Twenty-two patients were enrolled; 18 (81.8%) had endocervical adenocarcinoma; median two prior systemic chemotherapy regimens (range 1-4). The most common HER2 variant was S310F/Y mutation (n = 13; 59.1%). Four patients had confirmed partial responses (ORR 18.2%; 95% CI 5.2-40.3); 6 had stable disease ≥16 weeks (CBR 45.5%; 95% CI 24.4-67.8). Median DoR was 7.6 months (95% CI 5.6-12.3). Median PFS was 5.1 months (95% CI 1.7-7.2). All-grade diarrhea (90.9%), nausea (54.5%), and constipation (54.5%) were the most common adverse events. Five patients (22.7%) reported grade 3 diarrhea. There were no grade 4 adverse events, no diarrhea-related treatment discontinuations, and two grade 5 adverse events, unrelated to neratinib: dyspnea (n = 1) and embolism (n = 1).

CONCLUSIONS

Neratinib resulted in durable responses and disease control in patients with HER2-mutant metastatic/recurrent cervical cancer in SUMMIT. These findings support next-generation sequencing and tailored therapy for select patients with advanced cervical cancer. All responses occurred in patients with endocervical adenocarcinoma. Further assessment of neratinib in this setting is warranted.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

NCT01953926 (ClinicalTrials.gov), 2013-002872-42 (EudraCT).

Positive response to trastuzumab deruxtecan in a patient with HER2-mutant NSCLC after multiple lines therapy, including T-DM1: a case report

Human epidermal growth factor 2 (HER2) mutations are uncommon in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), and the lack of established, effective, targeted drugs has resulted in a persistently poor prognosis. Herein, we report the case of a non-smoking, 58-year-old man diagnosed with lung adenocarcinoma (cT3N0M1c, stage IVB) harboring a HER2 mutation (Y772_A775dupYVMA) and PD-L1 (-). The patient's Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status (PS) score was assessed as 1. He commenced first-line treatment with chemotherapy, followed by immuno-chemotherapy, and with disease progression, he received HER2-targeted therapy and chemotherapy with an anti-angiogenic agent. However, HER2-targeted therapy, including pan-HER tyrosine kinase inhibitors (afatinib, pyrotinib, and pozitinib) and antibody-drug conjugate (T-DM1), produced only stable disease (SD) as the best response. After the previously described treatment, primary tumor recurrence and multiple brain metastases were observed. Despite the patient's compromised overall physical condition with a PS score of 3-4, he was administered T-DXd in addition to whole-brain radiotherapy (WBRT). Remarkably, both intracranial metastases and primary lesions were significantly reduced, he achieved a partial response (PR), and his PS score increased from 3-4 to 1. He was then treated with T-DXd for almost 9 months until the disease again progressed, and he did not discontinue the drug despite the occurrence of myelosuppression during this period. This is a critical case as it exerted an effective response to T-DXd despite multiple lines therapy, including T-DM1. Simultaneously, despite the occurrence of myelosuppression in the patient during T-DXd, it was controlled after aggressive treatment.

Clinical characteristics and treatment outcomes of HER2 mutation and HER2 fusion in 22 patients with advanced breast cancer

BACKGROUND

The clinical characteristics and efficacy of human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 (HER-2)-directed agents against HER2 mutations and HER2 fusions in breast cancer are obscure due to their low frequency.

METHODS

We conducted a retrospective study in patients with advanced breast cancer harboring HER2 mutations and/or HER2 fusions between January 1, 2017 and January 1, 2021.

RESULTS

Among a total of 22 patients, 17 HER2 mutations were detected, including L755S, S310F, R100=, V777L, R897W, T862A, 440-17C > G, H878Y, V842I, 73 + 9G > C, T278fs, E1069K, L755P, 226-11C > T, 574 + 12C>T, L114V and P128L. The majority of patients had ductal carcinoma, which mostly coexisted with HER2 amplification/overexpression. The median progression-free survival (PFS) of the 22 patients was 6.9 months (95% CI: 4.7, 9.1) in the first-line setting. The median PFS of patients who received first-line trastuzumab-based regimens was significantly longer than that of patients who received a first-line tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) (10.8 months [95% CI: 2.9, 18.7] vs. 1.9 months [95% CI: 0.8, 3.0], p < 0.005). A total of 14 patients were treated with anti-HER2 antibody-drug conjugate (ADC), among whom the median treatment line of first-time of administration of anti-HER2 ADC was 4.5 (range, 1-10). Anti-HER2 ADC reached an objective response rate (ORR) of 42.9%, a disease control rate (DCR) of 85.7% and a median PFS of 7.3 months (95% CI: 4.4-10.1) from the first-time of administration.

CONCLUSION

Our data demonstrated the clinical benefit of anti-HER2 treatment in Chinese breast cancer patients harboring HER2 mutation and/or HER2 fusion. The value of immunotherapy and treatment selection among individual HER2 variants needs further study.

Exploring the correlation between HER2 alterations and 18F-FDG PET/CT metabolic parameters and their prognostic value in EGFR-negative non-small-cell lung cancer patients

PURPOSE

Our study intended to explore the correlation between HER2 alterations and 18F-FDG PET/CT metabolic parameters and their prognostic value in EGFR-negative non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients detected by next-generation sequencing (NGS).

METHODS

NGS assay was performed in 1737 NSCLC patients, a total of 88 HER2 alterations and 176 negative HER2 with EGFR-negative patients were randomly selected for this study.

RESULTS

When the HER2 status with EGFR-negative group was analyzed, multivariate analysis showed that smoking status, primary tumor SUVmax (pSUVmax) < 13.03 and stage were the independent deterministic factors of HER2 alterations. Multivariate cox regression analysis revealed that HER2 status, age, smoking status and stage were independent risk factors for overall survival (OS) in EGFR-negative NSCLC patients with different HER2 status. When the HER2 alterations group was separately analyzed, multivariate analysis demonstrated that low pSUVmax < 15.32 and histology were the independent deterministic factors of HER2 mutation. Multivariate cox regression analysis revealed that pSUVmax, smoking status, nodal involvement and treatment methods were independent risk factors for OS in EGFR-negative NSCLC patients with HER2 alterations.

CONCLUSION

The study revealed that low pSUVmax was associated with HER2 alterations in EGFR-negative NSCLC patients, moreover HER2 mutation and HER2 amplification exhibited distinct 18F-FDG metabolic and clinical characteristics. Furthermore, it explored the prognostic value of HER2 alterations and 18F-FDG PET/CT metabolic parameters of pSUVmax in EGFR-negative NSCLC patients.

Efficacy of anti-HER2 drugs in the treatment of patients with HER2-mutated cancers: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Anti-human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 (anti-HER2) therapy has shown excellent efficacy in patients with HER2 overexpression and amplification. Although HER2 mutations are rarely expressed in several cancers, when they occur, they can activate the HER2 signaling pathway. In recent years, studies have shown that anti-HER2 drugs have promising efficacy in patients with HER2 mutations. Based on keywords, we searched databases, such as PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library, and the main conference abstracts. We extracted data on objective response rate (ORR), clinical benefit rate (CBR), duration of response (DOR), progression-free survival (PFS), and overall survival (OS) from studies on the efficacy of anti-HER2 therapies in patients with HER2-mutated cancers, and analyzed grade 3 or higher adverse events (AEs). We included 19 single-arm clinical studies and 3 randomized controlled trials (RCTs), containing a total of 1017 patients with HER2 mutations, involving seven drugs and nine cancers, and 18 studies enrolled a high proportion of heavily pretreated patients who had received multiple lines of therapy. Our results showed pooled ORR and CBR of 25.0% (range, 3.8-72.7%; 95% CI, 18-32%) and 36.0% (range, 8.3-63.0%; 95% CI, 31-42%) for anti-HER2 therapy in HER2-mutated cancers. The pooled median PFS, OS, DOR were 4.89 (95% CI, 4.16-5.62), 12.78 (95% CI, 10.24-15.32), and 8.12 (95% CI, 6.48-9.75) months, respectively. In a subgroup analysis, we analyzed the ORR for different cancers, showing 27.0, 25.0, 23.0, and 16.0% for breast, lung, cervical, and biliary tract cancers, respectively. ORR analyses were performed for different drugs as monotherapy or in combination, showing 60.0% for trastuzumab deruxtecan (T-DXd), 31.0% for pyrotinib, 26.0% for neratinib combined with trastuzumab, 25.0% for neratinib combined with fulvestrant, 19.0% for trastuzumab combined with pertuzumab, and 16.0% for neratinib. In addition, we found that diarrhoea, neutropenia, and thrombocytopenia were the most common grade ≥ 3 AEs associated with anti-HER2 therapeutic agents. In this meta-analysis of heavily pretreated patients with HER2 mutations, anti-HER2 therapies, DS-8201 and trastuzumab emtansine, showed promising efficacy and activity. Anti-HER2 therapies showed different efficacies in different or the same cancer settings and all had a tolerable safety profile.

Dramatic Response to Pyrotinib and T-DM1 in HER2-Negative Metastatic Breast Cancer With 2 Activating HER2 Mutations

HER2 signaling is activated in response to somatic HER2 mutations, which are often found in invasive lobular breast cancer (ILC) and are associated with poor prognosis. Tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) have demonstrated considerable antitumor activity in patients with HER2-mutated advanced breast cancer (BC). Further, several clinical trials have indicated that HER2-targeted antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) exhibit promising efficacy in lung cancer with HER2 mutations, and the efficacy of ADCs against HER2-mutated BC is currently being evaluated. Several preclinical studies have demonstrated that the therapeutic efficacy of ADCs in HER2-mutated cancer can be enhanced by the addition of irreversible TKIs, but the potential of such a combined treatment regimen for the treatment of HER2-mutated BC has not been reported. Herein, we describe a case in which a patient with estrogen receptor-positive/HER2-negative metastatic ILC with 2 activating HER2 mutations (D769H and V777L) exhibited a significant and durable response to anti-HER2 treatment with pyrotinib (an irreversible TKI) in combination with ado-trastuzumab emtansine, which was administered after multiple lines of therapy that had resulted in disease progression. Further, based on the evidence from the present case, TKI plus ADC seems to be a promising combination anti-HER2 regimen for patients with HER2-negative/HER2-mutated advanced BC, although further rigorous studies are warranted to confirm these findings.

Response of an HER2-Mutated NSCLC Patient to Trastuzumab Deruxtecan and Monitoring of Plasma ctDNA Levels by Liquid Biopsy

HER2-targeted therapy is currently the subject of several studies in lung cancer and other solid tumors using either tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI) or targeted-antibody-drug conjugates. We describe a 61-year-old female patient with HER2 mutated adenocarcinoma of the lungs who received chemo-immunotherapy, followed by trastuzumab deruxtecan (T-DXd) and third-line Ramucirumab/Docetaxel at disease progression. Plasma ctDNA monitoring was obtained at 12 timepoints during therapy and revealed HER2 mutation allele frequencies that corresponded to the clinical course of disease. HER2-targeted T-DXd therapy resulted in a profound clinical response and may be an option for NSCLC patients carrying an activated HER2 mutation. Longitudinal liquid biopsy quantification of the underlying driver alteration can serve as a powerful diagnostic tool to monitor course of therapy.

Unexpected Cardiotoxicity in Patients With HER2-Mutant NSCLC Treated With Trastuzumab Deruxtecan: A Case Report

Antibody-drug conjugates targeting receptor tyrosine-protein kinase erbB-2 (ERBB2, HER2) have emerged as promising targeted options for HER2-mutant NSCLC. Among antibody-drug conjugates targeting HER2, trastuzumab deruxtecan was found to have the most impressive efficacy and is a potential new standard of care. Drug-related interstitial lung disease remains a serious unpredictable identified risk for patients treated with trastuzumab deruxtecan, requiring careful monitoring and multidisciplinary management. We report the first two cases of drug-related cardiotoxicity with acute myocarditis that developed after the first trastuzumab deruxtecan cycle. Routine cardiovascular risk screening is advisable, with close collaboration between cardiology specialists and oncologists.

Pyrotinib combined with apatinib for targeting metastatic non-small cell lung cancer with HER2 alterations: a prospective, open-label, single-arm phase 2 study (PATHER2)

BACKGROUND

Although targeted agents have been gradually applied in the treatment of HER2-mutated non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in recent years, patients' therapeutic demands are far from being met. PATHER2 was the first phase 2 trial to explore the efficacy and safety of the HER2-targeted tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) pyrotinib plus the antiangiogenic agent apatinib in previously treated HER2-altered metastatic NSCLC patients.

METHODS

HER2-mutated or HER2-amplified metastatic NSCLC patients who had failed at least first-line chemotherapy or HER2-targeted TKIs received oral pyrotinib 400 mg plus apatinib 250 mg once daily until disease progression, intolerable toxicity, or death. The primary endpoint was the investigator-assessed objective response rate (ORR).

RESULTS

Between March 2019 and December 2020, 33 patients were enrolled; 13 (39.4%) presented brain metastases, and 16 (48.5%) had received at least two lines of prior chemotherapy or HER2-targeted TKIs. As of September 20, 2021, the median follow-up duration was 11.3 (range, 3.5-26.0) months. The investigator-assessed ORR was 51.5% (17/33; 95% CI, 33.5 to 69.2%), and the disease control rate was 93.9% (31/33; 95% CI, 79.8 to 99.3%). The median duration of response, progression-free survival, and overall survival were 6.0 (95% CI, 4.4 to 8.6) months, 6.9 (95% CI, 5.8 to 8.5) months, and 14.8 (95% CI, 10.4 to 23.8) months, respectively. The most frequent grade ≥ 3 treatment-related adverse events included diarrhea (3.0%) and hypertension (9.1%). No treatment-related deaths were reported.

CONCLUSIONS

Pyrotinib plus apatinib demonstrated promising antitumor activity and a manageable safety profile in HER2-mutated or HER2-amplified metastatic NSCLC patients.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

Chinese Clinical Trial Registry Identifier: ChiCTR1900021684 .

Clinical characteristics and prognostic factors of patients with non-small cell lung cancer having HER2 alterations

PURPOSE

Human epidermal growth factor 2 (HER2) alterations are found in approximately 2%-5% of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). This study aimed to evaluate the clinical characteristics of patients with NSCLC having HER2 alterations in China and the differences compared with Western counterparts and also perform a prognostic analysis.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

A total of 1300 patients diagnosed with NSCLC from January 2017 to December 2020 were included. Their clinical characteristics were retrospectively recorded. The gene expression profiles and clinical information of 20 patients having altered HER2 were downloaded from the Cancer Genome Atlas database and compared, and the prognostic factors affecting the Chinese population were analyzed. If tissues were sufficient, the overexpression was assessed by immunohistochemical staining.

RESULTS

Among 39 (3.0%) patients with HER2 alterations, 31 patients (79.5%) had HER2 mutations. HER2 insertion mutation in exon 20 was the most common type (A775_G776 ins YVMA). Seven patients (17.9%) had amplification, and one had both. The HER2 kinase domain was most commonly mutated. A majority of patients in the study were young-aged with no smoking history; 66.7% had stage III/IV adenocarcinoma. Compared with Chinese patients, HER2 alterations in Western counterparts were mostly associated with old age, previous smoking, and stages I and II at diagnosis. The most common type of HER2 alteration was HER2 amplification; one patient had coexistence of HER2 gene amplification and fusion. The furin-like cysteine-rich region was most commonly mutated. The median overall survival (OS) of the Chinese patients was 41 months. The univariate analysis showed that age > 60 years, no surgical treatment, no liver or renal cysts on imaging, and maximum tumor diameter ≥ 4.25 cm were significantly associated with poor OS. The multivariate analysis showed that age, presence of surgery, and no hepatic or renal cysts were independent prognostic factors for OS. Chemotherapy achieved better outcomes, and HER2 mutations were not associated with HER2 amplification and overexpression.

CONCLUSIONS

This study was novel in comprehensively investigating the clinical and molecular characteristics of patients in Chinese and Western populations, and in analyzing the factors affecting the prognosis of Chinese patients. It provided critical data for future therapies against HER2-altered NSCLC.

Trastuzumab and pertuzumab combination therapy for advanced pre-treated HER2 exon 20-mutated non-small cell lung cancer

INTRODUCTION

In 1-3% of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) human epidermal growth factor 2 (HER2) mutations are identified as a genomic driver. Nevertheless, no HER2-targeted treatment is approved for NSCLC. In the Drug Rediscovery Protocol (DRUP), patients are treated with off-label drugs based on their molecular profile. Here, we present the results of the cohort 'trastuzumab/pertuzumab for HER2 exon20 mutation positive (HER2m+) NSCLC'.

METHODS

Patients with treatment refractory, advanced HER2m+ NSCLC with measurable disease (RECISTv1.1) were eligible. Treatment with intravenous trastuzumab combined with pertuzumab every 3 weeks was administered. The primary end-point was clinical benefit (CB: either objective response or stable disease ≥ 16 weeks). Patients were enrolled using a Simon-like 2-stage design, with 8 patients in stage 1 and up to 24 patients in stage 2 if at least 1 patient had CB in stage 1. At baseline, a biopsy for biomarker analysis, including whole genome sequencing, was obtained.

RESULTS

Twenty-four evaluable patients were enrolled and treated between May 2017 and August 2020. CB was observed in 9 patients (38%); including an objective response rate of 8.3% (2 patients had a partial response) and 7 patients with stable disease ≥ 16 weeks. The most frequently observed HER2 mutation was p.Y772_A775dup (71%, n = 20). Median follow-up was 13 months, median progression-free survival and overall survival 4 (95% CI 3-6) and 10 months (95% CI 4 - not reached), respectively. Whole genome sequencing data (available for 67% of patients) confirmed the inclusion mutation in all cases. No unexpected toxicity was observed.

CONCLUSION

Despite the fact that the study did meet its primary end-point, trastuzumab/pertuzumab was only marginally active in a subset of patients with heavily pre-treated HER2m+ NSCLC.

A novel treatment strategy of HER2-targeted therapy in combination with Everolimus for HR+/HER2- advanced breast cancer patients with HER2 mutations

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Trastuzumab combined with Everolimus is an effective treatment for ER+/HER2-HER2-mutant breast cancer patients.

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HER2 mutant breast cancer cells are highly sensitive to the combination of HER2-targeted therapies and Everolimus.

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Lapatinib combined with Everolimus inhibits HER2 downstream signaling.

The incidence of HER2 somatic mutations in breast cancer is about 2–4%, mainly occurring in the HR+/HER2- subtype. Preclinical studies suggest that HER2 mutations can lead to constitutive HER2 activation, but effective treatment options for the clinical management of patients with HER2 mutations remain obscure. Our study analyzed HER2 mutation status by performing next-generation sequencing using tumor tissues and over 300 plasma samples from 72 metastatic breast cancer patients. We observed that two patients bearing HER2 mutations (Patient #1 bearing S310F and V777L mutations, Patient #2 bearing 778insGSP mutation) achieved a durable partial response to Trastuzumab combined with Everolimus. In vitro experiments showed that T47D and MCF7 cells overexpressing these HER2 mutants (S310F, V777L, 778insGSP and L755S) were sensitive to HER2-targeted therapies combined with the mTOR inhibitor Everolimus. These findings provide a treatment option for patients with HER2 mutations by combining HER2-targeted therapies with Everolimus.

Afatinib combined with anlotinib in the treatment of lung adenocarcinoma patient with novel HER2 mutation: a case report and review of the literature

Background

HER2 is a member of the ERBB family of receptor tyrosine kinases, and HER2 mutations occur in 1–4% of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) as an oncogenic driver mutation. We found a rare mutation of HER2 p.Asp769Tyr in NSCLC.

Case presentation

We presented a case of a 68-year-old nonsmoking male patient with brain metastasis from lung adenocarcinoma harboring a rare mutation of HER2 p.Asp769Tyr. After multiple lines of treatment, he obtained a durable response (10 months) to afatinib and anlotinib.

Conclusion

We reported for the first time that afatinib and anlotinib have successfully treated lung adenocarcinoma with HER2 p.Asp769Tyr mutation. This finding can provide an insight into the optimal treatment of lung adenocarcinoma patients with novel mutations. Additionally, we summarized the efficacy of targeted therapy for HER2 mutant lung cancer in this article.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12957-021-02444-7.

The Evolving Role of Consensus Molecular Subtypes: a Step Beyond Inpatient Selection for Treatment of Colorectal Cancer

OPINION STATEMENT

The heterogenous nature of colorectal cancer (CRC) renders it a major clinical challenge. Increasing genomic understanding of CRC has improved our knowledge of this heterogeneity and the main cancer drivers, with significant improvements in clinical outcomes. Comprehensive molecular characterization has allowed clinicians a more precise range of treatment options based on biomarker selection. Furthermore, this deep molecular understanding likely extends therapeutic options to a larger number of patients. The biological associations of consensus molecular subtypes (CMS) with clinical outcomes in localized CRC have been validated in retrospective clinical trials. The prognostic role of CMS has also been confirmed in the metastatic setting, with CMS2 having the best prognosis, whereas CMS1 tumors are associated with a higher risk of progression and death after chemotherapy. Similarly, according to mesenchymal features and immunosuppressive molecules, CMS1 responds to immunotherapy, whereas CMS4 has a poorer prognosis, suggesting that a CMS1 signature could identify patients who may benefit from immune checkpoint inhibitors regardless of microsatellite instability (MSI) status. The main goal of these comprehensive analyses is to switch from "one marker-one drug" to "multi-marker drug combinations" allowing oncologists to give "the right drug to the right patient." Despite the revealing data from transcriptomic analyses, the high rate of intra-tumoral heterogeneity across the different CMS subgroups limits its incorporation as a predictive biomarker. In clinical practice, when feasible, comprehensive genomic tests should be performed to identify potentially targetable alterations, particularly in RAS/BRAF wild-type, MSI, and right-sided tumors. Furthermore, CMS has not only been associated with clinical outcomes and specific tumor and patient phenotypes but also with specific microbiome patterns. Future steps will include the integration of clinical features, genomics, transcriptomics, and microbiota to select the most accurate biomarkers to identify optimal treatments, improving individual clinical outcomes. In summary, CMS is context specific, identifies a level of heterogeneity beyond standard genomic biomarkers, and offers a means of maximizing personalized therapy.

The Effects of HER2 Alterations in EGFR Mutant Non-small Cell Lung Cancer

BACKGROUND

HER2 alteration (mutation and/or amplification) is associated with poor survival in NSCLC and can mediate resistance to EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors.

METHODS

We retrospectively analyzed de-identified molecular information from 12,946 NSCLC samples that underwent next-generation sequencing (NGS) with Caris Life Sciences. The objectives were to determine the prevalence and type of HER2 alterations with and without EGFR as a co-mutation. Insurance claims were utilized to obtain outcomes data.

RESULTS

Three hundred and twenty-one patients (2.5%) had HER2 alteration: mutation in 197 patients and amplification in 134. Median age was 65 years and 62% were female. A total of 84% were adenocarcinoma. HER2 exon 20 insertion was most common (69%). A total of 1551 (12%) patients had EGFR mutations. Among samples with EGFR mutations, 24 (1.5%) had concurrent HER2 alteration (8 with HER2 mutation and 16 with amplification). Among 8 patients who had both EGFR and HER2 mutations, 3 had EGFR exon 19 deletions and exon 8 HER2 mutation (S310F). One-third of the patients (7/21) with HER2 extracellular domain (ECD) mutation had co-occurring EGFR mutations. All 7 were S310. Patients with concurrent EGFR mutation and HER2 amplification had longer median time on treatment with EGFR TKI(s) than those with EGFR mutation without HER2 amplification (HR 2.284, P =.004).

CONCLUSION

A minority of NSCLC samples with EGFR mutations had HER2 alterations. In patients with both mutations, exon 21 mutations for EGFR and exon 8 mutations for HER2 were common. It will be critical to continue to accumulate valuable clinical data for further real-world outcomes analysis.

Targeting HER2 in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC): a glimpse of hope? An updated review on therapeutic strategies in NSCLC harbouring HER2 alterations

Non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) harbouring HER2 alterations is now considered a distinct molecular subtype. The activation of HER2 in NSCLC occurs via three mechanisms, i.e. gene mutation (1%-4% of cases), gene amplification (2%-5%) and protein overexpression (2%-30%), with different prognostic and predictive outcomes. So far, non-selective tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) have shown a minor benefit in HER2-mutant NSCLC patients with objective response rates (ORRs) ranging from 0% to 19%. Trastuzumab-based chemotherapy was not found to be superior to chemotherapy alone [median progression-free survival (PFS) 6.1 versus 7 months, respectively] and dual HER2 antibody blockade with trastuzumab and pertuzumab had limited efficacy (ORR 13%-21%). In contrast, novel more selective HER2 TKIs such as poziotinib and pyrotinib have shown a promising activity in HER2-mutant pre-treated NSCLC patients, with response rates up to 38% and 44%, respectively. The most encouraging data come from phase II studies that evaluated the antibody–drug conjugates (ADCs) ado-trastuzumab–emtansine and trastuzumab–deruxtecan in patients with HER2-mutant NSCLC, with response rates of 50% and 62%, respectively. These agents are bringing hope to the management of HER2-altered NSCLC. Moreover, a paradigm shift from monotherapies towards combinations of agents with distinct mechanisms of action, such as ADCs with irreversible TKIs or immune checkpoint inhibitors, is already taking place and will change the therapeutic landscape of HER2-driven NSCLC. This paper provides a practical, concise and updated review on the therapeutic strategies in NSCLC with HER2 molecular alterations.

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Activation of Her2 in NSCLC occurs via gene mutation, amplification or protein overexpression.

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Selective Her2 TKIs like poziotinib and pyrotinib induced responses in up to 44% of pre-treated Her2-mutant NSCLC patients.

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ADCs trastuzumab–emtansine and trastuzumab–deruxtecan showed impressive response rates in 62% of Her2-mutant NSCLC patients.

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Ongoing studies evaluating combination strategies may help improve the therapeutic landscape in Her2-dependent NSCLC.

HER2 transmembrane domain mutation: comprehensive characteristics and real-world evidence of treatment response in Chinese lung adenocarcinoma

Background

HER2 transmembrane domain (TMD) mutation has been reported as a rare driver mutation associated with advanced stage disease and a poor prognosis in patients with lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD). We aimed to comprehensively profile the genetic landscape and treatment response information of HER2 TMD-mutant LUAD.

Methods

An in-house database of 7,812 LUAD patients was screened for mutation prevalence. A multi-center cohort of 16 HER2 V659E-mutant patients and an external cohort of 38 HER2-mutant patients from cBioPortal with overall survival (OS) data were analyzed. Eight patients from the in-house cohort were included in the real-world study of treatment response. Molecular docking simulation and binding affinity prediction were performed.

Results

In Chinese LUAD, the prevalence of HER2 TMD mutation was 0.18% (14/7,812), and 0.14% (11/7,812) for the HER2 V659E mutation. The most recurrent co-alteration was TP53 mutation (n=4, 25%) and HER2 amplification (n=2, 12.5%). TMD-mutant patients were diagnosed at more advance stages (P<0.001) and had poorer OS (median OS 10.0 vs. 61.6 months, HR =7.9, 95% CI: 1.0-61.0, P<0.001) than non-TMD mutations. The overall response rate of targeted therapy, chemo-based therapy, and immunotherapy was 57.1%, 22.2%, and 0%, respectively. We postulated to challenge the resistance of tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) with another with stronger binding energy to HER2 and supported the conclusion with a successful case. Additionally, we demonstrated a three-month response to the off-label use of pyrotinib in fifth-line therapy.

Conclusions

Comapred with non-TMD mtuations, HER2 TMD mutation is a rare driver mutation with poorer prognosis in LUAD. Targeted therapy is the dominant choice for patients harboring this targetable mutation and longer OS could possibly be achieved through rechallenge with TKI of stronger binding affinity. Response to fifth-line pyrotinib was observed.

Exon 20 YVMA insertion is associated with high incidence of brain metastasis and inferior outcome of chemotherapy in advanced non-small cell lung cancer patients with HER2 kinase domain mutations

BACKGROUND

Chemotherapy remains the standard care for HER2 mutated advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) even though several targeted drugs showed promising results in preliminary stages. This study aimed to investigate the association of mutation variants with clinical features and the efficacy of chemotherapy in patients with HER2 mutated advanced NSCLC.

METHODS

ARMS-PCR was used to identify HER2 mutation in patients without common oncogenic alterations. Patients with detailed information were further enrolled for analysis of clinical features and efficacy of first line chemotherapy. Survival data was analyzed by Kaplan-Meier method and compared by log-rank test. Brain metastasis incidence was analyzed and compared by Gray's test.

RESULTS

YVMA insertion accounted for the majority (68.4%, 67/98) of HER2 mutation, and associated with significantly higher incidence of baseline extrathoracic metastasis (P=0.009), notably brain metastasis (P=0.004). Among 82 patients those received first line chemotherapy, YVMA insertion remarkably associated with inferior treatment outcomes, namely, a significantly shorter median progression free survival (PFS) and lower objective response rate (ORR) both in total patients (PFS: 5.2 vs. 7.7 m, P=0.038; ORR: 30.9% vs. 51.9%, P=0.09) and pemetrexed subgroup (PFS: 5.2 vs. 6.5 m, P=0.022; ORR: 31.8% vs. 60.0%, P=0.054). Multivariate analysis further established YVMA insertion as prognostic factor of worse PFS both for total patients (HR =1.578, 95% CI, 0.956-2.606) and patients received pemetrexed-based chemotherapy (HR =1.789, 95% CI, 1.013-3.160). In addition, YVMA insertion associated with higher incidence of lifetime brain metastasis (P=0.002) compared by Gray's test, with estimated 12-month brain metastasis incidence as 40.2% compared with 3.6% in the non-YVMA group.

CONCLUSIONS

YVMA insertion is associated with a higher incidence of brain metastasis, and inferior outcomes to chemotherapy than non-YVMA variants in patients with advanced NSCLC and HER2 kinase domain mutations, which emphasized the unmet need of more potent anti-cancer therapies with high blood-brain barrier (BBB) penetration capacity for patients with YVMA insertion.

Efficacy of Pyrotinib in a Heavily Pretreated Patient with Lung Adenocarcinoma Harboring HER2 Amplification and Exon 20 Insertions: A Case Report

The clinical benefits of HER2 inhibitors in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) have been limited. There is a paucity of effective therapies in NSCLC after developing resistance to initial anti-HER2 therapy. Herein, we presented the clinical benefit of pyrotinib in a 53-year-old patient with advanced lung adenocarcinoma whose circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) analysis of pleural effusion revealed the coexistence of HER2 exon 20 p.Y772_A775dup (mutation ratio: 38.86%) and HER2 amplification (copy number: 4.5) following failures of multiple therapies including afatinib and ado-trastuzumab emtansine (T-DM1). Notably, pyrotinib treatment induced rapid and marked improvement of clinical symptoms, and partial response was observed after 8 weeks. CtDNA monitoring during the treatment showed that the mutation ratio of HER2 decreased to 7.99%, and the amplification disappeared. The patient achieved a progression-free survival of 7.5 months after treatment with pyrotinib. Thus, pyrotinib may be a new treatment strategy for the subgroup of lung adenocarcinoma patients, with coexistence of HER2 exon 20 p.Y772_A775dup and HER2 amplification even after failures of multiple anti-HER2 therapies. It also indicated the value of capture-based next-generation sequencing to monitor and guide therapy.

Is There a Role for Multiple Lines of Anti-HER2 Therapies Administered Beyond Progression in HER2-Mutated Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer? A Case Report and Literature Review

Oncogene-addicted non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) comprises a number of distinct disease subtypes, each of which is characterised by druggable genetic alterations. Among them, the receptor tyrosine kinase protein human epidermal receptor 2 (HER2) is occasionally found deregulated via gene mutation and/or amplification and/or protein overexpression. HER2 mutation, in particular, is a relatively rare condition which occurs in 1-4% of NSCLC patients, especially in those with adenocarcinoma histology and a never/light smoking history. However, the clinical relevance of a HER2 mutation in NSCLC relies on the fact that this genetic alteration has been associated with sensitivity to anti-HER2 therapies such as the monoclonal antibody trastuzumab or the pan-HER-tyrosine kinase inhibitor poziotinib. Here we describe the case of a NSCLC patient with an activating exon 20 G776VinsC mutation in the HER2 gene who responded well to multiple lines of trastuzumab-based therapies administered beyond progression and poziotinib given sequentially. In this specific case, the discovery of a druggable genetic alteration such as a mutation in the HER2 gene allowed for long-term control of the disease through the use of highly effective anti-HER2 therapies.

Clinical outcomes of patients with HER2-mutant advanced lung cancer: chemotherapies versus HER2-directed therapies

BACKGROUND

Lung cancer is now the leading cause of cancer mortality worldwide for both men and women. In non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), matching a specifically targeted drug to the identified driver mutation in each patient resulted in dramatically improved therapeutic efficacy, often in conjunction with decreased toxicity. Mutations in HER2 have been identified as an oncogenic driver gene for NSCLC. This retrospective study was conducted to better understand the clinical outcomes of advanced lung cancer patients harboring HER2 mutations treated with chemotherapies and HER2-targeted agents, as well as the optimal clinical choice.

METHODS

Patients who were diagnosed with advanced lung cancer (stage IIIB/IV) and had undergone molecular testing at Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China from April 2016 to December 2018 were reviewed. For patients that had HER2 mutant advanced lung cancer, we analyzed their clinical and molecular features and clinical outcomes, including overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), disease control rate (DCR) and objective response rate (ORR).

RESULTS

We identified 44 patients harboring HER2 mutations. Their median age was 56 years, with the majority being women (n = 24), never smokers (n = 32), and having the adenocarcinoma genotype (n = 42). Amongst the HER2 mutations present, a 12 base pair in-frame insertion in exon 20 with p.771insAYVM was the most common subtype in patients with known detail variants of HER2 mutation (9/27). The median OS from the date of advanced disease diagnosis was 9.9 months with 24 deaths, and a median follow-up of 12.7 months for survivors. For patients with a known HER2 exon 20 insertion mutation, OS tended to be superior (though not statistically) in the first-line HER2-TKI group to that in the group receiving chemotherapy (10.8 versus 9.8 months, p = 0.40). However, patients that received first-line chemotherapy had a median PFS of 5.9 months, numerically longer than that of the HER2-TKI group (4.6 months, p = 0.63). Patients who received HER2-targeted therapy as first-line therapy had an improved OS (10.8 versus 10.1 months, p = 0.30) and PFS (4.6 versus 2.8 months, p = 0.36) relative to those who received HER2-targeted therapy as subsequent-line therapy, although they did not meet the threshold for statistical significance. Furthermore, patients with AYVM mutation were associated with poor clinical outcomes.

CONCLUSION

Pemetrexed-based chemotherapy remains an important component of care for patients with HER2-mutant NSCLC. HER2-TKI given as an initial therapy may bring more clinical benefits than when given as a subsequent-line therapy. Refining the patient population based on patterns of HER2 variants may help improve the efficacy of anti-HER2 treatment in lung cancer. Developing highly effective and tolerable HER2-targeted agents is urgently needed for this population.

The efficacy of afatinib in patients with HER2 mutant non-small cell lung cancer: a meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Erb-b2 receptor tyrosine kinase 2 (ErbB2/HER2) mutation has been found in approximately 2-4% of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients and has been identified as one of carcinogenic mutations. Afatinib, a member of irreversible HER family inhibitor, has been investigated by a number of literatures, yet whose therapeutic efficiency remains uncertain in NSCLC with HER2 mutation. To elucidate the clinical efficacy and safety of afatinib in treating HER2 mutant NSCLC, we integrated and reanalyzed the data from current available studies.

METHODS

We conducted a systematic literature search for published articles regarding afatinib treating HER2-mutant lung cancer. Eight studies met the inclusion and exclusion criteria. The main outcomes were the objective response rate (ORR) and disease control rate (DCR).

RESULTS

Ninety-five patients with HER2 mutations were identified from eight studies. The pooled ORR was 21% (95% CI: 11-34%) and the pooled DCR was 66% (95% CI: 57-76%). The patients harboring A775-G776ins YVMA mutation, the most common subtype of HER2 exon 20 mutation, derived greater clinical benefit. Most adverse events were grade 1-2, except a case of fatal acute renal injury, possibly related to afatinib.

CONCLUSIONS

Afatinib monotherapy demonstrated frustrating anti-tumor activity with tolerable toxicity in HER2 mutant NSCLC. Based on current available data, we do not recommend the regular application of afatinib in NSCLC with HER2 mutations unless the response heterogeneity with specific genomic variant of HER2 mutation was further clarified.

Vestigial like family member 3 is a novel prognostic biomarker for gastric cancer

BACKGROUND

Vestigial like family member 3 (VGLL3) is associated with the prognosis of epithelial ovarian cancer and soft tissue sarcoma, but its role in gastric cancer (GC) is unclear.

AIM

To explore the expression pattern and clinical significance of VGLL3 in GC.

METHODS

Integrative analysis was performed on the GC transcriptome profiles and survival information deposited in the ONCOMINE, GEPIA, and ONCOLNC databases. The expression levels of VGLL3 mRNA and protein were analyzed in the freshly resected tumor and normal gastric tissues from GC patients by quantitative RT-PCR and Western blot, respectively. In addition, the in situ expression of VGLL3 in the GC tissues was determined by immunohistochemistry (IHC), and the patients were accordingly classified into the high and low expression groups. The correlation of VGLL3 expression status with patient prognosis was then determined by univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses.

RESULTS

Analysis of the ONCOMINE and GEPIA databases showed that VGLL3 was significantly up-regulated in GC tissues (P = 0.003), and associated with the tumor TNM stage (P = 0.0163). The high VGLL3 expression group had a significantly worse prognosis compared to the low expression group, as per both GEPIA (P = 0.0057) and ONCOLNC (P = 0.01). The bioinformatics results were validated by the significantly higher VGLL3 mRNA and protein levels in the GC tissues compared to the adjacent normal tissues (P < 0.001) in a cohort of 30 GC patients. Furthermore, high in situ expression of VGLL3 protein was associated with more advanced N and TNM stages and HER2 mutation (P < 0.05) in a cohort of 172 patients. Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that the high VGLL3 expression group had a worse prognosis compared to the low expression group (P = 0.019). Multivariate analysis showed that VGLL3 expression status was an independent risk factor for prognosis. In addition, the prognostic risk model nomogram showed that VGLL3 was the most important indicator, with an area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve (AUC) of 0.613 for 3-year survival and 0.706 for 5-year survival. Finally, the protein interaction network analysis revealed that VGLL3 is likely involved in the Hippo signaling pathway.

CONCLUSION

VGLL3 is overexpressed in GC tissues and associated with a poor prognosis, indicating its potential as a novel prognosis biomarker and therapeutic target for GC.

Cohort HER2 EXPLORE GFPC 02-14

Background

Mutation of human receptor tyrosine kinase epidermal growth factor receptor-2 (HER2) is a rare event, found in approximately 1% non-small cell lung cancers (NSCLC). The objective was to investigate the clinical characteristics and management of HER2-mutated NSCLCs in a real-life setting.

Methods

This multicenter study described NSCLCs harboring HER2 mutations diagnosed between January 2012 and December 2014, according their clinical characteristics, management, and outcomes: response rate (RR), progression-free survival (PFS), and overall survival (OS).

Results

Thirty patients were included: 66.7% women; median age 65.2 ± 12 years; never or former smokers 73.3%. Of the stage IV patients (n = 23), 86% received first-line platin doublet chemotherapy: RR 61.5% and PFS 6.7 (95% CI 5.9–9.5) months; 52.1% received a second-line therapy: RR 18.2% and PFS 4.9 (95% CI 2.5–11.9) months. Median OS of stage IV was 10.7 months and 2-year OS was 27.2% (95% CI 11.7–63.2). All patients with stage I–III NSCLCs were alive at 2 years.

Conclusion

The rarity of HER2-mutated NSCLCs requires specific studies.

Clinical Characteristics and Outcomes of Non-small Cell Lung Cancer Patients with HER2 Alterations in Korea

Purpose

Human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) alterations are found in approximately 1%-3% of non-small cell lung cancers (NSCLCs). We evaluated the clinical features and outcomes of NSCLC harboring HER2 alteration detected by next-generation sequencing (NGS) in Korea.

Materials and Methods

A total of 1,108 patients who were diagnosed with NSCLC between December 2015 and December 2017 were screened and analyzed by NGS. Medical records were reviewed retrospectively to analyze the clinical characteristics and outcomes from various treatments.

Results

HER2 alterations were identified in 36 NSCLC patients. Of the patients, 22 (61.1%) had an exon 20 in-frame insertion mutation, 15 (41.7%) had HER2 amplification, and one had both. The median patient age was 58 years, 55.6% were male, and 50.0% were never-smokers. Adenocarcinoma was predominant (88.9%). The most common metastatic site was bone (58.3%), and 66.7% of patients were stage IV at initial diagnosis. Six patients (16.7%) had a coexistent sensitizing epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutation, and two patients (5.6%) had anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) rearrangement. With a median 14 months of follow-up, the median progression-free survival of first-line treatment was 6 months (95% confidence interval, 4.172 to 7.828), and median overall survival was not reached. The proportions of adenocarcinoma, never-smokers, and metastasis to the liver were higher in the exon 20 in-frame insertion mutation group, whereas coexistence of EGFR mutation was more frequently found in the HER2 amplification group.

Conclusion

HER2-altered NSCLC showed distinct clinical features. Moreover, different characteristics were identified between the HER2 in-frame insertion mutation group and the HER2 amplification group.

Afatinib in patients with metastatic or recurrent HER2-mutant lung cancers: a retrospective international multicentre study

INTRODUCTION

HER2 mutations occur in 1-3% of lung adenocarcinomas. With increasing use of next-generation sequencing at diagnosis, more patients with HER2-mutant tumours present for treatment. Few data are available to describe the clinical course and outcomes of these patients when treated with afatinib, a pan-HER inhibitor.

METHODS

We identified patients with metastatic or recurrent HER2-mutant lung adenocarcinomas treated with afatinib among seven institutions across Europe, Australia, and North America between 2009 and 2017. We determined the partial response rate to afatinib, types of HER2 mutations, duration of response, time on treatment, and survival.

RESULTS

We collected information on 27 patients with stage IV or recurrent HER2-mutant lung adenocarcinomas treated with afatinib. Of 23 patients evaluable for response, three partial responses were noted (13%, 95% confidence interval [CI] 4-33%). In addition, 57% of patients (13/23) had stable disease, and 30% (7/23) had progressive disease. We documented partial responses in patients with HER2 exon 20 insertions, including two with YVMA insertion and one with VAG insertion. Two patients with partial responses were previously treated with trastuzumab and pertuzumab. Median duration of response to afatinib was 6 months (range 5-10); median time on treatment was 3 months (range 1-30) and median overall survival from the date of diagnosis of metastatic or recurrent disease was 23 months (95% CI 18-53 months).

CONCLUSIONS

Afatinib is modestly active in patients with HER2-mutant lung adenocarcinomas, including responses after progression on prior HER2-targeted therapies. However, investigations into the biology of HER2-mutant lung adenocarcinomas and development of better HER2-directed therapies are warranted.

Afatinib as first-line treatment for advanced lung adenocarcinoma patients harboring HER2 mutation: A case report and review of the literature

HER2 mutations are a rare group of driving genes that respond to HER2 targeted therapy, particularly afatinib. No more than 20 such cases have been reported, but afatinib was used after first-line chemotherapy. We present the case of a never-smoking female patient diagnosed with stage IV lung adenocarcinoma harboring a Her2 exon 20 inserted mutation who achieved a durable response (12 months) to first-line afatinib treatment. We review the literature concerning afatinib therapy in this rare cohort of mutated lung cancer patients.

Activity of a novel HER2 inhibitor, poziotinib, for HER2 exon 20 mutations in lung cancer and mechanism of acquired resistance: An in vitro study

OBJECTIVES

Oncogenic HER2 mutations are present in 2-4% of lung adenocarcinomas, but the relevant clinical trials are unsatisfactory. The novel HER2 inhibitor poziotinib was recently developed and clinical trials are ongoing. We compared poziotinib with nine tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs), and derived poziotinib-resistant clones to investigate the resistant mechanism.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We introduced three common HER2 mutations A775_G776insYVMA (YVMA), G776delinsVC (VC) and P780_Y781insGSP (GSP), which account for 94% of HER2 exon 20 insertions in the literature, into Ba/F3 cells. We then compared the activity of poziotinib with that of nine TKIs (erlotinib, afatinib, dacomitinib, neratinib, osimertinib, AZ5104, pyrotinib, lapatinib, and irbinitinib), determined the 90% inhibitory concentration (IC₉₀) through a growth inhibition assay, and defined a sensitivity index (SI) as IC₉₀ divided by the trough concentration at the recommended dose as a surrogate for drug activity in humans. We also generated resistant clones by exposure to poziotinib in the presence of N-ethyl-N-nitrosourea, and HER2 secondary mutations that might serve as a resistance mechanism were searched.

RESULTS

YVMA showed resistance to all tested drugs except neratinib, poziotinib and pyrotinib. Poziotinib was the only drug with an SI less than 10 for YVMA, the most common HER2 exon 20 insertion. We established 62 poziotinib-resistant clones, and among these, only C805S of HER2, which is homologous to C797S of the EGFR, was identified as a secondary mutation in 19 clones. We also revealed that heat shock protein (HSP) 90 inhibitors show potent anti-growth activity to the C805S secondary mutant clone.

CONCLUSIONS

Poziotinib showed the most potent activity against HER2 exon 20 mutations. We identified the secondary C805S at the covalent binding site of HER2 to poziotinib as a potential mechanism of acquired resistance. HSP90 inhibitors might be a therapeutic strategy for the C805S secondary mutation.

Combined therapy with osimertinib and afatinib in a lung adenocarcinoma patient with EGFR T790M mutation and multiple HER2 alterations after resistance to icotinib: A case report

Acquired resistance inevitably occurs after initial treatment with first-generation EGFR-tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs). Several mechanisms have been identified, including EGFR T790M mutation and HER2 amplification. Herein, we present the case of a patient who progressed on first-generation EGFR-TKIs and developed EGFR T790M mutation, HER2 amplification, and HER2 mutation. The administration of single-agent osimertinib yielded an inconsistent response, with worsened pleural effusion and a reduction to lung metastases, but remarkably, a partial response was achieved after four weeks of treatment with combined osimertinib and afatinib, with grade 1 rash and grade 2 diarrhea. Our findings indicate an overlap of T790M, HER2 amplification, and HER2 mutation, which is rarely reported. Moreover, HER2 mutation was identified during the development of resistance, suggesting that HER2 mutation may cause resistance to first-generation EGFR-TKIs.

Outcomes of Pemetrexed-based chemotherapies in HER2-mutant lung cancers

Background

HER2 mutation has been found to be an oncogenic driver gene in non-small cell lung cancers(NSCLC) and HER2-directed therapies have shown promising results in this unique population, while little is known about its association with outcomes of chemotherapy. The aim of this study was to investigate the efficacy of first line chemotherapy in patients with advanced HER2-mutant lung adenocarcinomas.

Methods

Patients with advanced NSCLC(N = 1714) initially underwent testing for EGFR, KRAS, BRAF mutations and ALK, ROS1 rearrangements, and negative cases were then assessed for HER2 mutations using the method of amplification refractory mutation system(ARMS). The efficacy of first line pemetrexed-based chemotherapy was investigated in patients with HER2-mutant and those with EGFR-mutant, ALK/ROS1-rearranged and KRAS-mutant advanced adenocarcinomas.

Results

HER2 mutations were detected in 29 of 572(5.1%) specimens from a selected population of EGFR/KRAS/BRAF/ALK/ROS1 negative patients. All of them are adenocarcinomas. Among patients with HER2-mutant lung cancers, 25 received pemetrexed-based first line chemotherapy. The objective response rate(ORR) was 36.0%. Their median progression free survival(PFS) was 5.1 months, which was similar with that of KRAS-mutant group (n = 40,5.0 months, p = 0.971), numerically shorter than that of EGFR-mutant group(n = 74, 6.5 months, p = 0.247) and statistically significantly shorter than that of ALK/ROS1-rearranged group (n = 39,9.2 months, p = 0.004). Furthermore, HER2 variants subgroup analysis showed that PFS was inferior in A775_G776insYVMA group compared with other variants (4.2 vs 7.2 months, p = 0.085).

Conclusions

Patients with advanced HER2-mutant lung adenocarcinomas showed an inferior outcome of first line pemetrexed-based chemotherapy compared to those with ALK/ROS1 rearrangements, which strengthen the need for effective HER2-targeted drugs in clinical practice.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1186/s12885-018-4277-x) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

HER2 mutations in Chinese patients with non-small cell lung cancer

Background

ERBB2 (HER2) is a driver gene identified in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The prevalence, clinicopathology, genetic variability and treatment of HER2-positive NSCLC in Chinese population are unclear.

Patients and Methods

Eight hundred and fifty-nine patients with pathologically confirmed NSCLC were screened for HER2 mutations using Sanger sequencing. Next-generation sequencing (NGS) was performed in positive cases. HER2 amplification was detected with FISH. Overall survival (OS) was evaluated using Kaplan-Meier methods and compared with log-rank tests.

Results

Twenty-one cases carrying HER2 mutations were identified with a prevalence of 2.4%. HER2 mutations were more frequently encountered in females, non-smokers and adenocarcinoma. NGS was performed in 19 out of 21 patients, The results showed 16 cases with additional genetic aberrations, most commonly associated with TP53 (n = 6), followed by EGFR (n = 3), NF1 (n = 3), KRAS (n = 2) and other mutations. One patient harbored HER2 amplification. Four patients with stage IV received afatinib treatment, and three showed stable disease with a median progression-free survival of 4 months and one patient was diagnosed with progressive disease.

Conclusion

HER2 mutations represent a distinct subset of NSCLC. NGS showed that HER2 mutations commonly co-existed with other driver genes. Afatinib treatment displayed moderate efficacy in patients with HER2 mutations.

Efficacy of Afatinib in a Previously-Treated Patient with Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Harboring HER2 Mutation: Case Report

Human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) mutation in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is an oncogenic driver that possibly becomes a druggable target to HER2-targeted therapy. The benefit of HER2-targeted therapy is much less defined especially in eastern populations. We provide evidence of clinical benefit of afatinib in a 50-year-old Asian woman with HER2-mutant NSCLC who previously failed cytotoxic chemotherapy and gefitinib treatment. Next-generation sequencing of the tumor tissue revealed a HER2 exon 20 mutation (c.2437A>G), which has never been reported. The patient was treated with afatinib for more than four months. She showed rapid radiologic response within a month, and maintained stable state until the last dose of afatinib.

Novel EGFR Inhibitors in Non-small Cell Lung Cancer: Current Status of Afatinib

Afatinib, a second-generation epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitor, has been approved worldwide as a first-line treatment for advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) that harbors activating EGFR mutations. Here, we have reviewed the recent clinical developments in the treatment of lung cancer using afatinib. Emerging data have revealed the overall survival benefit of first-line afatinib therapy in patients with advanced EGFR ^del19-positive NSCLC. Phase III studies of afatinib have shown the effectiveness of afatinib as a second-line treatment for advanced lung squamous cell carcinoma, as well as the benefit of continuing afatinib therapy in combination with cytotoxic chemotherapy for advanced NSCLC after the occurrence of disease progression in patients who are receiving afatinib monotherapy. Therapeutic benefits of afatinib have also been reported in studies of patients with central nervous system metastasis and patients with HER2 mutation. The utility of afatinib-based combination therapies is being investigated in ongoing research.

Role of HER2 mutations in refractory metastatic breast cancers: targeted sequencing results in patients with refractory breast cancer

In women with metastatic breast cancer (MBC), introduction of the anti-HER2 (human epidermal growth factor receptor-2) directed therapies including trastuzumab, pertuzumab, lapatinib, and/or trastuzumab-DM1 has markedly improved overall survival. However, not all cases of HER2-positive breast tumours derive similar benefit from HER2-directed therapy, and a significant number of patients experience disease progression because of primary or acquired resistance to anti-HER2-directed therapies. We integrated genomic and clinicopathological analyses in a cohort of patients with refractory breast cancer to anti-HER2 therapies to identify the molecular basis for clinical heterogeneity. To study the molecular basis underlying refractory MBC, we obtained 36 MBC tumours tissues and used next-generation sequencing to investigate the mutational and transcriptional profiles of 83 genes. We focused on HER2 mutational sites and HER2 pathways to identify the roles of HER2 mutations and the HER2 pathway in the refractoriness to anti-HER2 therapies. Analysis using massively parallel sequencing platform, CancerSCAN™, revealed that HER2 mutations were found in six of 36 patients (16.7%). One patient was ER (estrogen receptor)-positive and HER2-negative and the other five HER2 mutated patients were HER2-positive and HR (hormone receptor)-negative. Most importantly, four of these five patients did not show any durable clinical response to HER2-directed therapies. The HER2 pathway score obtained through transcriptional analyses identified that Growth Receptor Biding protein 2 (GRB2) was the most significantly down regulated gene in the HER2 mutated samples. Detection of HER2 mutations using higher deep DNA sequencing may identify a predictive biomarker of resistance to HER2-directed therapy. Functional validation is warranted.

Sensitive methods for the detection of an insertion in exon 20 of the HER2 gene in the metastasis of non-small cell lung cancer to the central nervous system

The HER2 (ErbB2/neu) protein is a member of the HER (ErbB) receptor family (EGFR, HER2, HER3 and HER4) that expresses tyrosine kinase activity in the intracellular domain. EGFR and HER2 overexpression is observed in numerous types of cancer, nevertheless, the susceptibility of patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) to therapy with EGFR and HER2 tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) depends on mutations present in the respective coding genes (driver mutations). In the present study, PCR and amplified DNA fragment length analysis (FLA) were used along with the multi-temperature single-strand conformation polymorphism (MSSCP) technique in order to identify the 12 base pair insertion in exon 20 of the HER2 gene in 143 patients with NSCLC metastasis to the central nervous system. The prevalence of the HER2 gene mutation was correlated with mutations in the EGFR and BRAF genes. The insertion in exon 20 of the HER2 gene was observed in a single 77-year-old, non-smoking male, with poorly-differentiated adenocarcinoma of the lung (1.5% of adenocarcinoma patients). No other genetic abnormalities were identified in this patient. In the therapy of NSCLC patients with HER2 gene mutations, drugs that inhibit the EGFR and HER2 receptors, for example afatinib, may be effective. The identification of other driving mutations in NSCLC cells appears to be key to the appropriate qualification of molecular targeted therapies.