Molecular matching and treatment strategies for lung cancer at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center: A three year review of a molecular tumor board.

Abstract

e20585 Background: Matching of actionable tumor mutations with targeted therapy has been shown to increase response rates and prolong survival in lung cancer patients. Drug development and trials targeting genetic alterations are expanding rapidly. We describe the role of a Molecular Tumor Board (MTB) in the design of molecularly informed treatment strategies in our lung cancer patient population. Methods: DNA from tumor specimens was sequenced to identify coding mutations using a 50-gene targeted next-generation sequencing panel (Ampliseq v2). Cases were evaluated by a multidisciplinary MTB that included medical oncologists, hematologists, molecular and anatomic pathologists, genetic counselors, and basic science researchers who suggested a course of treatment based on the patient’s molecular findings. Results: During a three-year period, 88 patients were presented to the MTB. Of these, 21 patients had lung cancer (23.9%). All patients lacked common (indicated for FDA approved drug) activating EGFR and ALK mutations. One patient was stage IIIb, all others were stage IV; 18 had previously received at least one prior line of therapy (range 0-5). Suggestions for treatment with a targeted therapy were made for 19 of 21 (90.5%) and four patients underwent treatment with a MTB-suggested targeted agent (21.1%); two as part of a clinical trial. One patient received targeted therapy for 27 months before his disease eventually progressed. Barriers to treatment with targeted therapy included: ineligibility for study (n = 2), lack of interest in study/distance to travel (n = 2), lack of disease progression (n = 2), death/hospice enrollment (n = 5), decision to treat with immunotherapy (n = 3), and unknown (n = 1). Conclusions: For the majority of lung cancer patients, the MTB was able to provide suggestions based on targetable genetic alterations. The largest barriers to treatment were death and hospice enrollment indicating that molecular testing and presentation to the MTB at earlier stages of disease may increase the number of patients who ultimately are eligible for treatment with a targeted agent.