EGFR-TKI Treatment Research Articles

Usage of epidermal growth factor mutation testing and impact on treatment patterns in non-small cell lung cancer: An international observational study

ObjectivesEpidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations (EGFRm) are common oncogene drivers in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). This real-world study explored treatment patterns and time to receive EGFRm test results in patients with advanced EGFRm NSCLC. MethodsA cross-sectional medical chart review was completed May–August 2020 in Australia, Canada, Germany, Italy, South Korea, Taiwan, UK, and USA. Eligible patients had advanced NSCLC and a positive EGFRm test result January–December 2017. Data were abstracted from NSCLC diagnosis to end of follow-up (31 March 2020) or patient’s death whichever occurred earlier. The index date was the date of EGFRm confirmation. Results223 physicians provided data for 1,793 patients. Patients’ mean age was 64.7 years, 54 % were male, 30.7 % had no history of smoking. Overall, 78 % of EGFRm test results were received ≤ 2 weeks after request (range of median 7–14 days across countries). Median time from advanced NSCLC diagnosis to EGFRm test result was 18 days (median range 10–22 days across countries). Over a third (37 %) of patients received a systemic treatment prior to EGFRm result; chemotherapy (25 %) and EGFR-TKI (15 %) were most commonly prescribed; post-EGFR test-result was EGFR-TKI (68 %); 80 % of patients initiated EGFR-TKI at any time point post-NSCLC diagnosis. Of those receiving a first-line EGFR-TKI post-EGFRm testing, 84 % received a TKI alone, 12 % in combination with chemotherapy, and 3 % with other treatments. Median time from first-line EGFR-TKI initiation post-EGFRm testing to first subsequent treatment was 19.8 months. ConclusionOver one-fifth of patients wait >14 days for their EGFRm test results, affecting their likelihood of receiving first-line EGFR-TKI with 20 % of patients never receiving EGFR TKI treatment. There was significant inter-country variability in the proportion of patients receiving EGFR TKIs. Our study highlights the need to improve EGFRm testing turnaround times and treatment initiation across countries.

The effect of EGFR-TKIs on survival in advanced non-small-cell lung cancer with EGFR mutations: A real-world study.

Few large-scale studies have been published using real-world data related to overall survival (OS) improvements in advanced epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-mutant lung cancer patients; therefore, little is known regarding the characteristics of patients who could benefit most from EGFR-tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs). Our study aimed to assess whether EGFR-TKI treatment confers survival benefits among advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients harboring EGFR mutations in the Chinese population. A total of 6451 advanced NSCLC patients were diagnosed between January 1, 2013 and June 30, 2019 in Zhejiang Cancer Hospital. Ultimately, 2864 patients with a confirmed EGFR mutation genotype were enrolled in our study. OS was measured from the time of diagnosis of advanced NSCLC until death or last follow-up. Median follow-up for OS of advanced EGFR-mutant NSCLC patients was 28.33 months in our study. Patients who received EGFR-TKIs demonstrated better survival compared to those without EGFR-TKI treatment (mOS: 29.77 vs. 22.97 months, p < 0.0001). A total of 451 patients switched to third-generation EGFR-TKI treatment and obtained a significantly better survival than those who adopted first-line third-generation EGFR-TKIs or those who did not receive third-generation EGFR-TKIs after disease progression with first- or second-generation EGFR-TKI treatment (mOS: 38.0 vs. 32.5 vs. 28.3 months, p < 0.0001). As for EGFR genotypes, patients with exon 19 deletion showed better OS, followed by those with L858R mutation (32.4 vs. 24.83 months, p=0.0013). NGS versus PCR testing showed no statistical differences with respect to survival outcomes (mOS: 27.5 vs. 27.47 months, p=0.6745). Advanced EGFR-mutant patients treated with EGFR-TKIs obtained absolute superior survival in the Chinese population.

A fluorogenic probe for predicting treatment response in non-small cell lung cancer with EGFR-activating mutations

Therapeutic responses of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) to epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) - tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) are known to be associated with EGFR mutations. However, a proportion of NSCLCs carrying EGFR mutations still progress on EGFR-TKI underlining the imperfect correlation. Structure-function-based approaches have recently been reported to perform better in retrospectively predicting patient outcomes following EGFR-TKI treatment than exon-based method. Here, we develop a multicolor fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) with an EGFR-TKI-based fluorogenic probe (HX103) to profile active-EGFR in tumors. HX103-based FACS shows an overall agreement with gene mutations of 82.6%, sensitivity of 81.8% and specificity of 83.3% for discriminating EGFR-activating mutations from wild-type in surgical specimens from NSCLC patients. We then translate HX103 to the clinical studies for prediction of EGFR-TKI sensitivity. When integrating computed tomography imaging with HX103-based FACS, we find a high correlation between EGFR-TKI therapy response and probe labeling. These studies demonstrate HX103-based FACS provides a high predictive performance for response to EGFR-TKI, suggesting the potential utility of an EGFR-TKI-based probe in precision medicine trials to stratify NSCLC patients for EGFR-TKI treatment.

Erratum to NOTCH alteration in EGFR-mutated lung adenocarcinoma leads to histological small-cell carcinoma transformation under EGFR-TKI treatment

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.21037/tlcr-21-536.].

ODP359 Thyrotropin secreting pituitary microadenoma and lung adenocarcinoma treated with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) Erlotinib and Osimertinib: a case report

Abstract Background Thyrotropin secreting pituitary adenoma (TSHoma) of the pituitary specific transcription factor-1 (PIT-1) lineage, is the rarest subtype of pituitary neuroendocrine tumours (pitNETs). TSHomas must be discriminated from primary hyperthyroidism and can cause morbidity through thyrotoxicosis or local mass effect. Serum alpha-subunit level may be used as a marker of tumour activity, as 50-85% of TSHoma patients have high serum alpha-subunit levels. First line treatment is surgical resection of the tumour. Medical therapy with somatostatin analogues or radiotherapy may be used for tumour control. Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) expression has been demonstrated in pitNETs including corticotrophs, gonadotrophs, lactotrophs and somatotrophs. EGFR inhibiting agent, Lapatinib, has been investigated for treatment of prolactinomas and EGFR expression is implicated in tumorigenesis of corticotrophs. EGFR targeting tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) can be used first line to treat metastatic adenocarcinoma of the lung harbouring activating EGFR mutations. Case Report A non-smoking 53-year-old male of Middle Eastern heritage was seen in clinic with secondary hyperthyroidism on a background of metastatic adenocarcinoma of the lung and hypertension. The patient had no symptoms of hyperthyroidism and had no personal or family history of thyroid dysfunction. No new headaches or visual disturbance were reported. Physical exam showed brisk reflexes, no specific signs of hyperthyroidism or thyromegaly were seen. Thyroid function tests demonstrated a persistently elevated TSH 5.1mIU/L (0.4-4. 0), T4 21.8pmol/L (9-19) and T3 6.4pmol/L (2.6-6. 0) with negative anti- thyroid receptor, thyroperoxidase and thyroglobulin antibodies. Ultrasound of the thyroid was unremarkable. MRI revealed a well-circumscribed left anterior pituitary lesion of 5.4×6.8mm in size. Surgery was deferred as 3 months prior, he was diagnosed with stage 4 intrapulmonary adenocarcinoma of the lung with an exon-19 deletion mutation in the EGFR gene. He received stereotactic radiotherapy and EGFR targeted therapy using 100mg of Erlotinib daily, which increased to 200mg 6 months later. After 1 year of therapy, his adenocarcinoma progressed and he was transitioned to the 3 rd generation EGFR-TKI Osimertinib. Instead of undergoing the risk of pituitary surgery, a trial of EGFR therapy for its pleiotropic pituitary adenoma effects was decided. During the EGFR-TKI treatment period, alpha subunit levels have remained stable and serial MRI imaging at 1 year showed no interval pituitary adenoma growth. Conclusion This is a rare case of TSHoma identified during treatment of lung cancer with EGFR-TKIs. EGFR signalling is implicated in prolactinomas and corticotrophs though there is a paucity of data regarding TSHomas. To date, our patient has achieved radiological and biochemical stability in his TSHoma, with hyperthyroidism control on EGFR-TKI therapy, suggestive of a therapeutic benefit from EGFR signal blockade. Further studies are needed in larger cohorts to quantify EGFR expression in TSHomas and evaluate its possible role in pathogenesis. Presentation: No date and time listed

Pharmaceutical Reactivation of Attenuated Apoptotic Pathways Leads to Elimination of Osimertinib Drug-Tolerant Cells.

These studies uncover strategies to use targeted agents that activate apoptosis in non-small cell lung cancer cells that survive initial EGFR TKI treatment.

AZ12756122, a novel fatty acid synthase inhibitor, decreases resistance features in EGFR-TKI resistant EGFR-mutated NSCLC cell models

Different EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) have been developed for the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients harboring sensitizing mutations in the EGFR gene. Apart from acquired secondary mutations, multiple resistance mechanisms have been reported, such as the overexpression of fatty acid synthase (FASN), a multi-functional enzyme essential for the de novo lipogenesis, or the increase of cancer stem cells, a small subpopulation within the tumor responsible for relapse, metastasis, and resistance to therapies. Hence, the purpose of this work is to evaluate the novel FASN inhibitor AZ12756122, both alone and in combination with gefitinib and osimertinib, in EGFR-mutated (EGFRm) lung adenocarcinoma cell models sensitive and resistant to EGFR-TKIs. The molecular effect of AZ12756122 (alone and in combination with EGFR-TKI) on FASN, EGFR/STAT3, Akt/mTOR, and MAPK signaling pathways was analyzed using RT-qPCR and Western blot. FASN expression was also evaluated in samples from patients with EGFRm NSCLC through immunohistochemistry. Our findings revealed that AZ12756122 caused cytotoxic effects inducing apoptosis, downregulated FASN expression and activity, decreased the activation of EGFR and Akt/mTOR pathway, and reduced cancer stem-like cells. Furthermore, the combination of AZ12756122 and osimertinib sensitized cells to EGFR-TKI, showing a synergistic effect that resulted in a reduction in the activation of EGFR, Akt/mTOR, and MAPK signaling pathways. Our study also showed that FASN+ EGFRm NSCLC patients exhibited a longer mPFS in patients who responded to EGFR-TKI treatment. In conclusion, FASN inhibition should be further studied for the treatment, alone or in combination with EGFR-TKIs, for EGFRm NSCLC patients.

Preoperative MRI-Based Radiomics of Brain Metastasis to Assess T790M Resistance Mutation After EGFR-TKI Treatment in NSCLC.

Preoperative assessment of the acquired resistance T790M mutation in patients with metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) based on brain metastasis (BM) is important for early treatment decisions. To investigate preoperative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-based radiomics for assessing T790M resistance mutation after epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) treatment in NSCLC patients with BM. Retrospective. One hundred and ten primary NSCLC patients with pathologically confirmed BM and T790M mutation status assessment from two centers divided into primary training (N=53), internal validation (N=27), and external validation (N=30) sets. Contrast-enhanced T1-weighted (T1CE) and T2-weighted (T2W) fast spin echo sequences at 3.0 T. Forty-five (40.9%) patients were T790M-positive and 65 (59.1%) patients were T790M-negative. The tumor active area (TAA) and peritumoral edema area (POA) of BM were delineated on pre-treatment T1CE and T2W images. Radiomics signatures were built based on features selected from TAA (RS-TAA), POA (RS-POA), and their combination (RS-Com) to assess the T790M resistance mutation after EGFR-TKI treatment. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were used to assess the capabilities of the developed RSs. The area under the ROC curves (AUC), sensitivity, and specificity were generated as comparison metrics. We identified two features (from TAA) and three features (from POA) that are highly associated with the T790M mutation status. The developed RS-TAA, RS-POA, and RS-Com showed good performance, with AUCs of 0.807, 0.807, and 0.864 in the internal validation, and 0.783, 0.814, and 0.860 in the external validation sets, respectively. Pretreatment brain MRI of NSCLC patients with BM might effectively detect the T790M resistance mutation, with both TAA and POA having important values. The multi-region combined radiomics signature may have potential to be a new biomarker for assessing T790M mutation. 3 TECHNICAL EFFICACY: Stage 2.

Concurrent TP53 mutations predict a poor prognosis of EGFR-mutant NSCLCs treated with TKIs: An updated systematic review and meta-analysis.

The prognostic value of tumor protein P53 (TP53) mutation for tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) treatment in EGFR-mutant non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) remains controversial. Therefore, the present meta-analysis was performed to investigate the potential association between the prognosis of TKI treatment for patients with advanced EGFR mutation-positive NSCLC and the presence or absence of concurrent TP53 mutations. In the present study, 24 eligible studies from the PubMed, Embase and Cochrane databases were identified by screening prior to inclusion. Data were extracted by two independent investigators and analyzed using STATA 14.0 software. Pooled odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence interval (CIs) were used to determine the association between objective response rates (ORRs) and TP53 mutations. In addition, differences in the incidence of TP53 mutations between patients with exon 21 L858R mutations and exon 19 deletions of EGFR were evaluated using this method. Pooled hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% CIs were used to calculate the prognostic value of TP53 mutations for progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS). No significant difference in the incidence of TP53 mutations was detected between the patients with exon 21 L858R mutation and those with exon 19 deletion (OR=0.91; 95% CI=0.65-1.27; P=0.568). However, the pooled results revealed that TP53 mutations were significantly associated with shorter PFS (HR=1.51; 95% CI=1.33-1.71; P<0.001) and OS (HR=1.64; 95% CI=1.33-2.02; P<0.001). By contrast, TP mutations were not associated with the ORR of EGFR-TKI treatment (OR=0.91; 95% CI=0.69-1.21; P=0.529). In conclusion, a worse prognosis for TKI treatment was observed in patients with EGFR-mutant NSCLCs and concurrent TP53 mutations, suggesting that TP53 mutations is associated with primary resistance to EGFR-TKIs.

1012P Resistance mechanisms to dual EGFR and MET inhibition in patients with EGFR-mutant MET-amplified non-small cell lung cancer

MET amplification is a known resistance mechanism to EGFR-mutant NSCLC with EGFR TKI treatment. Dual EGFR-MET inhibition has been reported with success in overcoming such resistance and inducing clinical benefit. There are currently clinical trials ongoing to evaluate such benefit formally. However, resistance mechanisms to dual MET-EGFR inhibition require further investigation and characterization.

EP08.02-022 Investigating Partners in Crime: Osimertinib Resistance Mechanisms in Non-small Cell Lung Cancer Using Focused CRISPR Screen

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is the most prevalent and detrimental cancer type, accounting for 85% of all lung cancer cases. EGFR mutations, which can be targeted by tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs), have been addressed as one of the cancer driving mechanisms in NSCLC adenocarcinomas. Osimertinib, a third generation EGFR-TKI, has been recently approved for clinical use in the first-line treatment of advanced NSCLC. Unfortunately, the long-standing obstacle in EGFR-TKI treatments, including Osimertinib, is the inevitable resistance.

1078P Correlation between T cell immunity and EGFR-TKI treatment in patients harboring EGFR driver mutation

Although osimertinib provides a longer survival time than first/second-generation EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) harboring EGFR mutations, acquired resistance is inevitable. Since the time to acquire resistance to TKI is shorter for cancers with a higher mutational burden and mutations increase after TKI resistance is acquired, the acquired resistance mechanism depends primarily on acquired mutations. Although the cancer immunoediting theory indicates that the process of genetic mutation accumulation by cancer cells involves a conflict with T-cell immunity, which recognizes gene mutation products as neoantigens and destroys them, the relationship between TKI treatment effect and immunological response in patients with EGFR-bearing NSCLC is unknown.To identify the correlation between T-cell immunity and the duration of TKI response, we examined the peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of patients with lung cancer prior to osimertinib therapy.

EP08.02-095 Successful Treatment of EGFR Exon 19 Deletion with TP53 and ERBB2 20ins Mutation in Stage IVB NSCLC Patient with Aumolertinib

Based on BENEFIT study, EGFR sensitive mutation NSCLC patients could benefit from first-line EGFR-TKI treatment regardless of combination with tumor suppressor or driver gene mutation. However, for patients combined with both tumor suppressor and driver gene mutations, it is still an unresolved challenge for clinical practice. Herein, we reported a case happened to be this intractable situation.

Real-World Study of Osimertinib in Korean Patients with Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor T790M Mutation-Positive Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer.

Although osimertinib is the standard-of-care treatment of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) T790M mutation-positive non-small cell lung cancer, real-world evidence on the efficacy of osimertinib is not enough to reflect the complexity of the entire course of treatment. Herein, we report on the use of osimertinib in patients with EGFR T790M mutation-positive non-small cell lung cancer who had previously received EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) treatment in Korea. Patients with confirmed EGFR T790M after disease progression of prior EGFR-TKI were enrolled and administered osimertinib 80 mg daily. The primary effectiveness outcome was progression-free survival, with time-to-treatment discontinuation, treatment and adverse effects leading to treatment discontinuation, and overall survival being the secondary endpoints. A total of 558 individuals were enrolled, and 55.2% had investigator-assessed responses. The median progression-free survival was 14.2 months (95% confidence interval [CI], 13.0 to 16.4), and the median time-to-treatment discontinuation was 15.0 months (95% CI, 14.1 to 15.9). The median overall survival was 36.7 months (95% CI, 30.9 to not reached). The benefit with osimertinib was consistent regardless of the age, sex, smoking history, and primary EGFR mutation subtype. However, hepatic metastases at the time of diagnosis, the presence of plasma EGFR T790M, and the shorter duration of prior EGFR-TKI treatment were poor predictors of osimertinib treatment. Ten patients (1.8%), including three with pneumonitis, had to discontinue osimertinib due to severe adverse effects. Osimertinib demonstrated its clinical effectiveness and survival benefit for EGFR T790M mutation-positive in Korean patients with no new safety signals.

Real-world management patterns in EGFR-mutant advanced non-small-cell lung cancer before first-line adoption of osimertinib: the REFLECT study in Greece.

Aim: To retrospectively characterize real-world therapeutic strategies, clinical outcomes and attrition rates with EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs), before first-line osimertinib approval, in EGFR-mutated advanced/metastatic non-small-cell lung cancer patients in Greece. Results: Among 160 patients, the discontinuation rate for first-line first- or second-generation EGFR-TKIs was 85%; among these patients, 43% did not receive any second-line therapy and 9.4% died during an 18.7-month follow-up period. Median progression-free and overall survival were 12.1 and 20.9months, respectively. Osimertinib was offered as second- and third-line treatment in 69.6 and 21.7% of patients with the T790M mutation, respectively. Brain metastases were recorded in 10.6% of patients during treatment, with median overall survival of 4.9months. Conclusion: Given the high attrition rates and the impact of CNS progression, offering the most appropriate first-line EGFR-TKI treatment with CNS penetration is key to maximize outcomes.

Efficacy and safety of immune checkpoint inhibitors in post-TKI NSCLC patients harboring EGFR mutations.

Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have been validated in epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) wild-type advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients. However, there exists no evidence regarding NSCLC patients harboring EGFR mutations, experiencing EGFR-TKI (tyrosine kinase inhibitor) treatment failure. We collected clinical information from real world and conducted a time series-based meta-analysis to determine the efficacy and safety of ICIs in patients harboring EGFR mutations and experienced EGFR-TKIs resistance. Twenty-two NSCLC patients with EGFR mutations after TKI resistance were included from two hospitals. PubMed, Embase and Cochrane Library were searched for relevant literature published until December 31, 2021. Endpoint outcomes included mortality and progression-free survival (PFS) at different times of follow-up. In total, 22 patients showed that the median PFS was 5.6months (range 2.0-9.0months). According to treatment strategies, the median PFS was 2.4months (range 2.0-5.3months) in the ICI monotherapy group and 5.9months (range 2.8-9.0months) in the ICI combined Chemotherapy group. Additionally, sixteen studies, including 5 trials, 10 controlled cohorts and 1 real-world study, were assessed, involving a total of ICI-treated NSCLC patients with EGFR mutation after TKI failure. The 6-month survival and PFS rate were 0.82 (95% CI 0.36-0.97) and 0.55 (95% CI 0.34-0.74), respectively. ICI combined chemotherapy showed the best survival outcome among these groups, as demonstrated by the 12-month survival rate and PFS. No new safety signals were identified with the combination therapy. The frequency of treatment-related adverse events was similar to that in previously reported studies of chemotherapy combined with checkpoint inhibitors. The addition of ICIs plus chemotherapy may significantly improve progression-free survival among patients with locally advanced or metastatic non-squamous NSCLC who EGFR-TKIs resistance.

Dysregulated Metabolism in EGFR-TKI Drug Resistant Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer: A Systematic Review

Drug resistance is a common barrier to continued effective treatment in cancer. In non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), tyrosine kinase inhibitors that target the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR-TKIs) exhibit good efficacy in cancer treatment until acquired resistance occurs. It has been observed that drug resistance is accompanied by numerous molecular-level changes, including significant shifts in cellular metabolism. The purpose of this study was to critically and systematically review the published literature with respect to how metabolism differs in drug-resistant compared to drug-sensitive NSCLC. Understanding the differences between resistant and sensitive cells is vital and has the potential to allow interventions that enable the re-sensitisation of resistant cells to treatment, and consequently reinitiate the therapeutic effect of EGFR-TKIs. The main literature search was performed using relevant keywords in PubMed and Ovid (Medline) and reviewed using the Covidence platform. Of the 1331 potentially relevant literature records retrieved, 27 studies were subsequently selected for comprehensive analysis. Collectively, the literature revealed that NSCLC cell lines resistant to EGFR-TKI treatment possess characteristic metabolic and lipidomic phenotypic signatures that differentiate them from sensitive lines. Further exploration of these reported differences suggests that drug-resistant cell lines are differentially reliant on cellular energy sources and that modulation of relative energy production pathways may lead to the reversal of drug resistance.

CD8+ T-cell Responses Are Boosted by Dual PD-1/VEGFR2 Blockade after EGFR Inhibition in Egfr-Mutant Lung Cancer.

Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is the most frequently mutated driver oncogene in nonsmoking-related, non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). EGFR-mutant NSCLC has a noninflamed tumor microenvironment (TME), with low infiltration by CD8+ T cells and, thus, immune-checkpoint inhibitors, such as antiprogrammed cell death-1 (anti-PD-1), have weak antitumor effects. Here, we showed that CD8+ T-cell responses were induced by an EGFR-tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) in syngeneic Egfr-mutant NSCLC tumors, which was further pronounced by the sequential dual blockade of PD-1 and vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 (VEGFR2). However, the simultaneous triple blockade had no such effect. The PD-1/VEGFR2 dual blockade did not exert tumor-inhibitory effects without pretreatment with the EGFR-TKI, suggesting that the treatment schedule is crucial for the efficacy of the dual blockade therapy. Pretreatment with EGFR-TKI increased the CD8+ T-cell/regulatory T-cell (Treg) ratio, while also increasing the expression of immunosuppressive chemokines and chemokine receptors, as well as increasing the number of M2-like macrophages, in the TME. Discontinuing EGFR-TKI treatment reversed the transient increase of immunosuppressive factors in the TME. The subsequent PD-1/VEGFR2 inhibition maintained increased numbers of infiltrating CD8+ T cells and CD11c+ dendritic cells. Depletion of CD8+ T cells in vivo abolished tumor growth inhibition by EGFR-TKI alone and the sequential triple therapy, suggesting that EGFR inhibition is a prerequisite for the induction of CD8+ T-cell responses. Our findings could aid in developing an alternative immunotherapy strategy in patients with cancers that have driver mutations and a noninflamed TME.

Effect of smoking habits on the efficacy of EGFR-TKI plus anti-angiogenic agent in advanced EGFR-mutant NSCLC

BackgroundThe types of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)–mutant non–small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients who could obtain significant clinical benefit from the dual inhibition of EGFR/vascular EGFR (VEGFR) pathways remain unclear. No consensus has been reached on the significance of smoking habits in clinical benefit obtained from EGFR-TKI plus anti-angiogenic agents. MethodsPubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane databases for all phase II/III randomized clinical trials (RCTs) investigating the efficacy of EGFR-TKI combined with anti-angiogenic agents stratified by smoking habits (updated October 2021) were searched systematically. The primary outcomes were the pooled HRs for PFS/OS in smokers and non-smokers, and differences in efficacy of EGFR-TKI plus anti-angiogenic treatment between smokers and non-smokers, measured by difference in PFS and OS. ResultsSeven phase II/III RCTs involving 1452 patients were identified. The pooled analysis demonstrated that EGFR-TKI plus anti-angiogenic agent could decrease the risk of progression by 40% (HR, 0.60; 95%CI 0.48–0.75) in smokers when compared with EGFR-TKI alone, but not in non-smokers (HR, 0.92; 95%CI 0.68–1.25). The comparison analysis further demonstrated that EGFR-mutated NSCLC patients who smoked obtained greater progression-free survival (PFS) benefit from treatment with EGFR-TKI plus anti-angiogenic agents (HR, 0.68; 95%CI 0.51–0.91). Consistent with the results for PFS, smokers receiving EGFR-TKI plus anti-angiogenic agents appeared to exhibit better overall survival (OS) than non-smokers but not to a statistically significant degree (HR, 0.60; 95%CI 0.23–1.52). Meta-regression analysis revealed no significant effect of the line of treatment (P = 0.52), trial phase (P = 0.52), EGFR-TKI type (P = 0.13), or anti-angiogenic agent type (P = 0.50) on PFS effect sizes under multivariate models. ConclusionComprehensive analysis suggested that EGFR-TKI plus anti-angiogenic agents led to favorable PFS among smoking EGFR-mutant patients, comparable to nonsmokers, which might provide a useful guide for clinicians.

Clinical value of PET/CT in identifying patients with oligometastatic/oligoprogressive disease among first-line tyrosine kinase inhibitor-treated advanced EGFR-mutant non-small cell lung cancer: Implications from survival comparisons.

Local therapy (LT) could potentially prolong the survival of patient with advanced epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-mutant non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) receiving tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) and harboring oligometastatic/oligoprogressive disease (OMD/OPD). However, the optimal imaging method for identifying patients with OMD/OPD remains controversial. The objective of this study was to investigate the clinical value of incorporating PET/CT in detecting patients with OMD/OPD. Consecutive cases with metastatic EGFR-mutant NSCLC undergoing first-line EGFR-TKI treatment were retrospectively screened and those receiving baseline PET/CT and brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or complete conventional imaging (CIM), including brain MRI, chest computed tomography (CT), abdomen ultrasound or CT and bone scintigraphy were included. OMD/OPD was defined as metastases/progressions documented at a maximum of five lesions and three organs, otherwise was defined as multiple metastatic/progressive disease (MMD/MPD). Progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were analyzed. Of the 392 patients evaluated, baseline OMD was detected in 22.7% (53/233) of patients by PET/CT and in 18.2% (29/159) of patients by CIM (p = 0.171). Among the patients evaluated with baseline PET/CT, patients with OMD had longer PFS (p = 0.016) and tendency of improved OS (p = 0.058) than those with MMD. However, this result was not observed with patients evaluated using baseline CIM. With a median follow-up of 24.2 (range, 1.1-124.6) months, 297 patients had their first disease progression (FPD), of whom 164 (55.2%) had adequate imaging scans to analyze the tumor distributions at FPD comprehensively. OPD was detected in 63.0% (34/54) and 35.0% (39/110) of patients among the PET/CT and CIM assessed group (p = 0.003), respectively. Among the PET/CT assessed group, patients with OPD had significantly longer post-progressive overall survival (OS2) than those with MPD (p = 0.011). However, no significant difference of OS2 in the CIM assessed group was found. Patients with OMD/OPD, evaluated by PET/CT but not CIM, generally had more favorable survival outcomes than those with MMD/MPD among patients with metastatic NSCLC undergoing first-line EGFR-TKI treatment. PET/CT seems to affect the survival of patients under first-line EGFR-TKI treated metastatic NSCLC with OMD/OPD.