Driver Gene Mutations Research Articles

Predictive [18F]-FDG PET/CT-Based Radiogenomics Modelling of Driver Gene Mutations in Non-small Cell Lung Cancer

Rationale and objectivesTo investigate whether [18F]-FDG PET/CT-derived radiomics may correlate with driver gene mutations in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients. Materials and MethodsIn this IRB-approved retrospective study, 203 patients with surgically treated NSCLC who underwent subsequent genomic analysis of the primary tumour at our institution between December 2004 and January 2014 were identified. Of those, 128 patients (mean age 62.4±10.8 years; range: 35-84) received preoperative [18F]-FDG PET/CT as part of their initial staging and thus were included in the study. PET and CT image segmentation and feature extraction were performed semi-automatically with an open-source software platform (LIFEx, Version 6.30, lifexsoft.org). Molecular profiles using different next-generation sequencing (NGS) panels were collected from a web-based resource (cBioPortal.ca for Cancer genomics). Two statistical models were then built to evaluate the predictive ability of [18F]-FDG PET/CT-derived radiomics features for driver gene mutations in NSCLC. ResultsMore than half (68/128, 53%) of all tumour samples harboured three or more gene mutations. Overall, 55% of tumour samples demonstrated a mutation in TP53, 26% of samples had alterations in KRAS and 17% in EGFR. Extensive statistical analysis resulted in moderate to good predictive ability. The highest Youden Index for TP53 was achieved using combined PET/CT features (0.70), for KRAS using PET features only (0.57) and for EGFR using CT features only (0.60). ConclusionOur study demonstrated a moderate to good correlation between radiomics features and driver gene mutations in NSCLC, indicating increased predictive ability of genomic profiles using combined [18F]-FDG PET/CT-derived radiomics features.

Identification of a cancer driver gene-associated lncRNA signature for prognostic prediction and immune response evaluation in clear cell renal cell carcinoma.

Clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) predominates among kidney cancer cases and is influenced by mutations in cancer driver genes (CDGs). However, significant obstacles persist in the early diagnosis and treatment of ccRCC. While various genetic models offer new hopes for improving ccRCC management, the relationship between CDG-related long non-coding RNAs (CDG-RlncRNAs) and ccRCC remains poorly understood. Therefore, this study aims to construct prognostic molecular features based on CDG-RlncRNAs to predict the prognosis of ccRCC patients, and aims to provide a new strategy to enhance clinical management of ccRCC patients. This study employed Cox and Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator (LASSO) regression analyses to comprehensively investigate the association between lncRNAs and CDGs in ccRCC. Leveraging The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) dataset, we identified 97 prognostically significant CDG-RlncRNAs and developed a robust prognostic model based on these CDG-RlncRNAs. The performance of the model was rigorously validated using the TCGA dataset for training and the International Cancer Genome Consortium (ICGC) dataset for validation. Functional enrichment analysis elucidated the biological relevance of CDG-RlncRNA features in the model, particularly in tumor immunity. Experimental validation further confirmed the functional role of representative CDG-RlncRNA SNHG3 in ccRCC progression. Our analysis revealed that 97 CDG-RlncRNAs are significantly associated with ccRCC prognosis, enabling patient stratification into different risk groups. Development of a prognostic model incorporating key lncRNAs such as HOXA11-AS, AP002807.1, APCDD1L-DT, AC124067.2, and SNHG3 demonstrated robust predictive accuracy in both training and validation datasets. Importantly, risk stratification based on the model revealed distinct immune-related gene expression patterns. Notably, SNHG3 emerged as a key regulator of the ccRCC cell cycle, highlighting its potential as a therapeutic target. Our study established a concise CDG-RlncRNA signature and underscored the pivotal role of SNHG3 in ccRCC progression. It emphasizes the clinical relevance of CDG-RlncRNAs in prognostic prediction and targeted therapy, offering potential avenues for personalized intervention in ccRCC.

Correlation analysis between driver gene mutation and clinicopathological features in lung adenocarcinoma based on real-world cumulative clinical data.

Driver genes are essential predictors of targeted therapeutic efficacy. Detecting driver gene mutations in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) patients can help to screen for targeted drugs and improve patient survival benefits. This study aims to investigate the mutation characterization of driver genes and their correlation with clinicopathological features in LUAD. A total of 440 LUAD patients were selected from Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital between July 2019 and September 2022. Postoperative tissue specimens were analyzed for gene mutations using next-generation sequencing technology, focusing, including epidermal growth factor receptor EGFR, ALK, ROS1, RET, KRAS, MET, BRAF, HER2, PIK3CA and NRAS. At the same time, clinicopathological data were collected and organized for multidimensional correlation analysis. Of 440 LUAD patients, driver gene mutations were not detected in 48 patients. The proportion of patients with driver gene mutations was as high as 89.09%. The top three driver genetic mutations were EGFR, KRAS, and MET. Sixty-nine types of EGFR mutations were detected and distributed in the protein tyrosine kinase catalytic domain (56, 81.16%), Furin-like cysteine-rich region (9, 13.04%), receptor binding domain (3, 4.35%), and EGFR transmembrane domain (1, 1.45%). Single gene locus mutation occurred in 343 LUAD patients, but the mutation gene types covered all tested genes. Our findings showed that EGFR mutations were more commonly observed in non-smoking and female patients (P<0.01), KRAS mutations were more prevalent in male patients and smokers (P<0.01), ROS1 mutations had larger tumor diameters (P<0.01) and RET mutations were more prevalent in smokers (P<0.05). LUAD patients exhibit diverse genetic mutations, which may co-occur simultaneously. Integrated analysis of multiple mutations is essential for accurate diagnosis and effective treatment of the disease. The use of NGS can significantly expand our understanding of gene mutations and facilitate integrated analysis of multiple gene mutations, providing critical evidence for targeted treatment methods.

Clinical and molecular significance of homologous recombination deficiency positive non-small cell lung cancer in Chinese population: An integrated genomic and transcriptional analysis.

The clinical significance of homologous recombination deficiency (HRD) in breast cancer, ovarian cancer, and prostate cancer has been established, but the value of HRD in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) has not been fully investigated. This study aimed to systematically analyze the HRD status of untreated NSCLC and its relationship with patient prognosis to further guide clinical care. A total of 355 treatment-naïve NSCLC patients were retrospectively enrolled. HRD status was assessed using the AmoyDx Genomic Scar Score (GSS), with a score of ≥50 considered HRD-positive. Genomic, transcriptomic, tumor microenvironmental characteristics and prognosis between HRD-positive and HRD-negative patients were analyzed. Of the patients, 25.1% (89/355) were HRD-positive. Compared to HRD-negative patients, HRD-positive patients had more somatic pathogenic homologous recombination repair (HRR) mutations, higher tumor mutation burden (TMB) (P<0.001), and fewer driver gene mutations (P<0.001). Furthermore, HRD-positive NSCLC had more amplifications in PI3K pathway and cell cycle genes, MET and MYC in epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)/anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) mutant NSCLC, and more PIK3CA and AURKA in EGFR/ALK wild-type NSCLC. HRD-positive NSCLC displayed higher tumor proliferation and immunosuppression activity. HRD-negative NSCLC showed activated signatures of major histocompatibility complex (MHC)-II, interferon (IFN)-γ and effector memory CD8+ T cells. HRD-positive patients had a worse prognosis and shorter progression-free survival (PFS) to targeted therapy (first- and third-generation EGFR-TKIs) (P=0.042). Additionally, HRD-positive, EGFR/ALK wild-type patients showed a numerically lower response to platinum-free immunotherapy regimens. Unique genomic and transcriptional characteristics were found in HRD-positive NSCLC. Poor prognosis and poor response to EGFR-TKIs and immunotherapy were observed in HRD-positive NSCLC. This study highlights potential actionable alterations in HRD-positive NSCLC, suggesting possible combinational therapeutic strategies for these patients.

A case of selpercatinib treatment for anaplastic thyroid carcinoma resulting in abscess formation.

Rearranged during transfection (RET) gene abnormality is a driver gene mutation that causes thyroid cancer, and selpercatinib has been shown to be useful for treating thyroid cancer with RET gene abnormalities. Anaplastic thyroid cancer is a disease with an extremely poor prognosis with no standard treatment established, and there are only one case reports of the efficacy of selpercatinib for RET fusion gene-positive anaplastic thyroid cancer. We herein report our experience treating an old Japanese woman with unresectable anaplastic thyroid cancer with selpercatinib. Surgical resection was initially attempted but was not possible due to adhesion to the common carotid artery. Postoperative genetic testing was positive for the RET fusion gene, and selpercatinib was administered. However, the administration had to be stopped due to the formation of an abscess on day 14 and a pharyngeal fistula on day 17, after which the tumor grew rapidly, and the patient died on day 65. Although selpercatinib has been reported to have a high safety profile with few adverse events, this case suggests that caution should be exercised when treating anaplastic thyroid cancer with invasion to vital organs.

Emerging chemotherapy-based treatments in anaplastic thyroid cancer: an updated analysis of prospective studies.

For patients with anaplastic thyroid cancer (ATC) without mutational driver genes, chemotherapy is suggested to be the first-line treatment option. However, the benefits of chemotherapy in treating ATC are limited. In this analysis, we collected the prospective data reported since 2010 to analyze the emerging chemotherapy-based treatments in ATC comprehensively. For this updated analysis, we searched PubMed (MEDLINE), Web of Science, Embase, and Cochrane CENTRAL databases from 1 January 2010 to 7 February 2024 for prospective clinical studies that contained chemotherapy-based treatments. This analysis was done to pool overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), objective response rates (ORRs), disease control rates (DCRs), and grade 3 or worse treatment-related adverse events (TRAEs). Six prospective clinical trials with 232 patients were included. Chemotherapy was commonly combined with targeted therapy or radiotherapy. The pooled median OS was 6.0 months (95% CI 4.1-9.7), and the median PFS was 3.2 months (95% CI 1.9-6.0) in patients with ATC who received chemotherapy-based strategies. The integrated ORR and DCR were 21% (95% CI 15%-27%) and 64% (95% CI 55%-72%), respectively. Regarding the grade 3 or worse TRAE, the pooled incidence was 68% (95% CI 47%-86%). Although the emerging chemotherapy-based treatments showed antitumor activity in patients with ATC, these strategies failed to prolong the survival time substantially. More practical, safe, and novel therapeutic regimens for patients with ATC warrant further investigations.

Differences in the molecular organisation of tumours along the colon are linked to interactions within the tumour ecosystem

Tumours exhibit significant heterogeneity in their molecular profiles across patients, largely influenced by the tissue of origin, where certain driver gene mutations are predominantly associated with specific cancer types. Here, we unveil an additional layer of complexity: some cancer types display anatomic location-specific mutation profiles akin to tissue-specificity.To better understand this phenomenon, we concentrate on colon cancer. While prior studies have noted changes of the frequency of molecular alterations along the colon, the underlying reasons and whether those changes occur rather gradual or are distinct between the left and right colon, remain unclear. Developing and leveraging stringent statistical models on molecular data from 522 colorectal tumours from The Cancer Genome Atlas, we reveal disparities in molecular properties between the left and right colon affecting many genes. Interestingly, alterations in genes responsive to environmental cues and properties of the tumour ecosystem, including metabolites which we quantify in a cohort of 27 colorectal cancer patients, exhibit continuous trends along the colon.Employing network methodologies, we uncover close interactions between metabolites and genes, including drivers of colon cancer, showing continuous abundance or alteration profiles. This underscores how anatomic biases in the composition and interactions within the tumour ecosystem help explaining gradients of carcinogenesis along the colon.

Cancer research is not correlated with driver gene mutation burdens

Cancer research is pursued with the goal of positively impacting patients with cancer. Decisions regarding how to allocate research funds reflect a complex balancing of priorities and factors. Even though these are subjective decisions, they should be made with consideration of all available objective facts. An accurate estimate of the affected cancer patient population by mutation is one variable that has only recently become available to inform funding decisions. We compared the overall incident burden of mutations within each cancer-associated gene with two measures of cancer research efforts: research grant funding amounts and numbers of academic manuscripts. We ask to what degree the aggregate set of cancer research efforts reflects the relative burdens of the different cancer genetic drivers. We thoroughly investigate the design of our queries to ensure that the presented results are robust and conclusions are well justified. We find cancer research is generally not correlated with the relative burden of mutation within the different genetic drivers of cancer. We suggest that cancer research would benefit from incorporating, among other factors, an epidemiologically informed mutation-estimate baseline into a larger framework for funding and research allocation decisions. This work was supported in part by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) P30CA014195 and NIH DP2AT011327.

Mutation analysis in individual circulating tumor cells depicts intratumor heterogeneity in melanoma

Circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) is the cornerstone of liquid biopsy diagnostics, revealing clinically relevant genomic aberrations from blood of cancer patients. Genomic analysis of single circulating tumor cells (CTCs) could provide additional insights into intra-patient heterogeneity, but it requires whole-genome amplification (WGA) of DNA, which might introduce bias. Here, we describe a novel approach based on mass spectrometry for mutation detection from individual CTCs not requiring WGA and complex bioinformatics pipelines. After establishment of our protocol on tumor cell line-derived single cells, it was validated on CTCs of 33 metastatic melanoma patients and the mutations were compared to those obtained from tumor tissue and ctDNA. Although concordance with tumor tissue was superior for ctDNA over CTC analysis, a larger number of mutations were found within CTCs compared to ctDNA (p = 0.039), including mutations in melanoma driver genes, or those associated with resistance to therapy or metastasis. Thus, our results demonstrate proof-of-principle data that CTC analysis can provide clinically relevant genomic information that is not redundant to tumor tissue or ctDNA analysis.

Correlation between common driver gene variations and clinicopathological typing in lung adenocarcinoma

Objective: To correlate the common driver gene variations in primary lung adenocarcinoma with their clinical characteristics and histopathological subtypes. Methods: There were 4 995 cases of primary lung adenocarcinoma diagnosed at Weifang People's Hospital of Shandong Province from January 2015 to December 2021 which were retrospectively analyzed. Among them 1 983 cases were evaluated for their histopathological subtype; 3 012 were analyzed for the correlation of their histopathological subtypes and corresponding driver gene variations, including invasive non-mucinous adenocarcinoma (INMA) and invasive mucinous adenocarcinoma (IMA), and morphologically, poorly-differentiated, moderately-differentiated and well-differentiated adenocarcinomas. Next-generation sequencing was used to detect variations in EGFR, KRAS, ALK, RET, ROS1, MET, HER2, or BRAF driver genes. Results: There were 2 384 males and 2 611 females. EGFR and ALK variations were more commonly found in female patients aged 60 years or older, with EGFR mutation rate in clinical stage Ⅰ (25.80%) significantly higher than in other stages (P<0.05). KRAS mutations were more commonly detected in male smokers aged 60 years or older, HER2 mutations were more commonly in patients younger than 60 years, and RET mutations were more commonly in non-smokers (all P<0.05). No correlation was found between ROS1, MET, and BRAF gene variations and their clinical characteristics (P>0.05). For the histopathological subtypes, among the 1 899 cases of acinar adenocarcinoma, EGFR mutation rate was the highest (67.30%) compared to the other genes. Exon 21 L858R and exon 19 del were the main mutation sites in IMA and INMA, with a higher mutation rate at exon 20 T790M (11.63%) in micropapillary adenocarcinoma. In IMA, KRAS had the highest overall mutation rate (43.80%), with statistically significant difference in mutation rates of exon 2 G12D and exon 2 G12V in acinar adenocarcinoma, solid, and IMA (P<0.05). KRAS mutation at various sites were higher in poorly differentiated groups compared to moderately- and well-differentiated groups (P<0.05). HER2 mutations were more commonly observed in acinar adenocarcinoma, papillary, and micropapillary adenocarcinoma of INMA. BRAF mutation was higher in micropapillary adenocarcinoma compared with other types (P<0.05). Conclusions: Variations in EGFR, ALK, KRAS, HER2, and RET in primary lung adenocarcinoma are associated with patients' age, smoking history, and clinical stage, and driver gene mutations vary among different histopathological subtypes. EGFR mutations are predominant in INMA, while KRAS mutations are predominant in IMA.

The "Road" to Malignant Transformation from Endometriosis to Endometriosis-Associated Ovarian Cancers (EAOCs): An mTOR-Centred Review.

Ovarian cancer is an umbrella term covering a number of distinct subtypes. Endometrioid and clear-cell ovarian carcinoma are endometriosis-associated ovarian cancers (EAOCs) frequently arising from ectopic endometrium in the ovary. The mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) is a crucial regulator of cellular homeostasis and is dysregulated in both endometriosis and endometriosis-associated ovarian cancer, potentially favouring carcinogenesis across a spectrum from benign disease with cancer-like characteristics, through an atypical phase, to frank malignancy. In this review, we focus on mTOR dysregulation in endometriosis and EAOCs, investigating cancer driver gene mutations and their potential interaction with the mTOR pathway. Additionally, we explore the complex pathogenesis of transformation, considering environmental, hormonal, and epigenetic factors. We then discuss postmenopausal endometriosis pathogenesis and propensity for malignant transformation. Finally, we summarize the current advancements in mTOR-targeted therapeutics for endometriosis and EAOCs.

Application value of multi-gene mutation detection in the clinical management of pediatric papillary thyroid carcinoma: a preliminary exploration.

Thyroid cancer rarely occurs in children and adolescents. Molecular markers such as BRAF, RAS, and RET/PTC have been widely used in adult PTC. It is currently unclear whether these molecular markers have equivalent potential for application in pediatric patients. This study aims to explore the potential utility of a multi-gene conjoint analysis based on next-generation targeted sequencing for pediatric papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC). The patients diagnosed with PTC (aged 18 years or younger) in the pediatrics department of Lishui District Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine were retrospectively screened. A targeted enrichment and sequencing analysis of 116 genes associated with thyroid cancer was performed on paraffin-embedded tumor tissues and paired paracancerous tissue of fifteen children (average age 14.60) and nine adults (average age 49.33) PTC patients. Demographic information, clinical indicators, ultrasonic imaging information and pathological data were collected. The Kendall correlation test was used to establish a correlation between molecular variations and clinical characteristics in pediatric patients. A sample of 15 pediatric PTCs revealed a detection rate of 73.33% (11/15) for driver gene mutations BRAF V600E and RET fusion. Compared to adult PTCs, the genetic mutation landscape of pediatric PTCs was more complex. Six mutant genes overlap between the two groups, and an additional seventeen unique mutant genes were identified only in pediatric PTCs. There was only one unique mutant gene in adult PTCs. The tumor diameter of pediatric PTCs tended to be less than 4cm (p<0.001), and the number of lymph node metastases was more than five (p<0.001). Mutations in specific genes unique to pediatric PTCs may contribute to the onset and progression of the disease by adversely affecting hormone synthesis, secretion, and action mechanisms, as well as the functioning of thyroid hormone signaling pathways. But, additional experiments are required to validate this hypothesis. BRAF V600E mutation and RET fusion are involved in the occurrence and development of adolescent PTC. For pediatric thyroid nodules that cannot be determined as benign or malignant by fine needle aspiration biopsy, multiple gene combination testing can provide a reference for personalized diagnosis and treatment by clinical physicians.

Prediction accuracy of biomarkers for response to immune checkpoint inhibitors in advanced non-small cell lung cancer: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

e14652 Background: To compare the predictive accuracy of PD-L1 IHC, tissue or blood tumor mutation burden (tTMB, bTMB), gene expression profiling (GEP), driver gene mutation, and combined marker for immunotherapy response of advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Methods: Systematic searches of PubMed, Cochrane CENTRAL, and Embase were conducted from inception to July 6, 2023. Clinical trials involved with predictive biomarkers exploration for immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) in advanced NSCLC were eligible. The response according to the biomarkers were extracted. The primary outcome was the area under the curve (AUC) of the summary receiver operating characteristic (SROC). Sensitivity, specificity, likelihood ratios and predictive values were evaluated. The subgroup analysis of different PD-L1 cut-off, TMB test and driver gene mutation were performed. Results: 36 articles of 59 biomarker tests were included. The AUC of combined marker (0.75; 95%CI, 0.71-0.78) was higher than PD-L1 (0.64; 95%CI, 0.60-0.68), tTMB (0.64; 95%CI, 0.60-0.68), bTMB (0.68; 95%CI, 0.64-0.72), GEP (0.67; 95%CI, 0.63-0.71), and driver gene mutation (0.51; 95%CI, 0.47-0.55). Combined marker also had higher specificity, positive likelihood ratio and positive predictive value than single biomarkers (Table). In subgroup analysis, PD-L1 with cut-off 50% had higher AUC (0.67; 95%CI, 0.63-0.71) than cut-off 1% (0.62; 95%CI, 0.58-0.66); EGFR mutation had higher AUC (0.69; 95%CI, 0.65-0.73) than KRAS (0.53; 95%CI, 0.49-0.58); tTMB measured by Whole Exosome Sequencing (WES) had approximate AUC to that measure by targeted gene panel. The predictive accuracy of the biomarkers was further compared for patients receiving ICI-based combination therapy. The AUC of combined marker (0.70; 95%CI, 0.66-0.74) remained the highest for combination therapy. Conclusions: Combined marker (PD-L1+tTMB/bTMB/GEP) has superior predictive accuracy than single biomarkers for immunotherapy response of NSCLC. bTMB is a promising liquid biopsy biomarker. The prescription of ICI for patients with EGFR mutation should be cautious. Further investigation is warranted to precisely identify biomarkers in various clinical settings. [Table: see text]

A retrospective study of tislelizumab combined with bevacizumab, pemetrexed, and carboplatin in driver-gene mutated advanced non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer after tyrosine kinase inhibitors failure.

e20620 Background: Overcoming resistance to tumor targeted therapies is a major challenge in the management of driver-gene mutated non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Recent clinical trials suggested that the combination approach of immunotherapy, bevacizumab and platinum-based chemotherapy was effective for driver-gene mutated NSCLC after tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) failure. Our retrospective study was aimed to examine the efficacy and safety of tislelizumab (TIS) combined with bevacizumab plus chemotherapy for advanced driver-gene mutated non-squamous NSCLC (nsq NSCLC) who had failed to TKIs therapies. Methods: We retrospectively collected medical records of driver-gene mutations advanced nsq NSCLC who had failed to TKIs therapies in the Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University and Second Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University from January 2021 to December 2023. The participants were sorted into two groups. Pts in TBCP group received TIS combined with bevacizumab, carboplatin and pemetrexed (BCP) for six cycles, followed by TIS with pemetrexed as maintenance therapy. Pts in BCP group received BCP regimen for six cycles, followed by pemetrexed as maintenance therapy. The primary endpoint was progression-free survival (PFS). The secondary endpoints were objective response rate (ORR), disease control rate (DCR), overall survival (OS) and safety. Results: A total of 12 pts were enrolled (6 pts in TBCP group and 6 pts in BCP group). In TBCP group, there was one patient with EGFR exon 19del, KRAS, BRAF V600 mutation and RET fusion, respectively. 2 pts harbored EGFR exon 21 L858R mutations. In BCP group, 4 pts harbored EGFR exon 19del, 1 patient with exon 21 L858R, and 1 patinet with BRAF V600 mutation. All pts were failed to previous TKI therapy. 3 pts (50%) had progression after two systemic treatment lines in ABCP group. 4 pts(66.7%) had progressive disease after at least two systemic regimen. As of 6 February 2024 (median follow-up, 18.6 months), significantly longer PFS was observed in TBCP group compared with BCP group (HR = 0.269 [95% CI: 0.068-1.065], p = 0.0080). Median PFS was 14.20 months (95% CI: 0.5010-5.379) and 8.65 months (95% CI: 0.1859-1.996) in TBCP group and BCP group, respectively. A higher ORR assessed was observed with TBCP group (66.7%) compared with BCP group (33.3%). The DCR were both 100% in two groups. Median OS was not reached. Grade 3-4 TRAEs occurred in 1 and 2 pts in TBCP group and BCP group, respectively. Conclusions: TIS combined with bevacizumab, carboplatin and pemetrexed has shown a promising anti-tumor efficacy with manageable safety profile for TKI failure driver-gene mutations advanced nsq NSCLC. However, these findings still need to be further confirmed by prospective clinical trials with larger sample sizes.

Neoadjuvant toripalimab plus chemotherapy for resectable stage II-IIIB non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer with EGFR mutations: A multi-center, multi-cohort, exploratory study.

TPS8120 Background: Neoadjuvant immunotherapy has been widely applied in the treatment of resectable stage II-IIIB NSCLC patients without driver gene mutation. However, as for the EGFR-positive patients, the therapeutic effect of neoadjuvant treatment, either TKI or chemotherapy, is far from satisfied and the outcome of neoadjuvant immunotherapy plus chemotherapy in these patients remains an unanswered but crucial question. Herein, we conducted a phase 2 prospective trial (NCT05962021). Methods: This is a multicenter, multi-cohort prospective phase 2 study in the treatment-naïve patients with resectable stage II-IIIB (N2) (AJCC 8th edition) non-squamous NSCLC harboring EGFR mutations (19DEL or L858R). Enrolled patients will be divided into two cohorts according to EGFR status and receive neoadjuvant toripalimab (240mg, q3w) plus platinum-based doublet chemotherapy (pemetrexed 500mg/m2 plus carboplatin AUC 5, q3w) for 3 cycles. Surgery will be performed after completion of neoadjuvant therapy based on the multidisciplinary discussion, while local radiotherapy will be considered if the patient cannot undergo surgery due to disease progression. Key inclusion criteria: non-squamous NSCLC, resectable stage II-IIIB (N2), EGFR mutations (19DEL or L858R), age≥18 years, ECOG PS 0-1 and adequate cardiopulmonary function. Exclusion criteria: prior systemic anticancer treatment, contraindication to immunotherapy, active autoimmune disease. Adequate pre-treatment tissue samples are required for RT-PCR or next-generation sequencing to determine the EGFR mutation status and PD-L1 expression immunohistochemical detection. The primary study endpoint is complete pathological response (pCR) rate, per blinded independent pathologist review. Simon's optimal two-stage design will be used to test the null hypothesis of pCR rate ≤5% and alternative hypothesis of pCR rate ≥15%, and 5 or more pCRs among 56 patients per arm are needed for the primary endpoint to be met. Secondary endpoints include major pathological response (MPR) rate, pCR/MPR rate in different EGFR mutation subgroups (19DEL or L858R) and different PD-L1 expression subgroups (TPS &lt; 1% and ≥ 1%), event-free survival and safety and tolerability. Peripheral blood, stool and tissue samples will be obtained longitudinally at baseline, during perioperation and at follow-ups for exploratory analysis. Clinical trial information: NCT05962021 .

Relationship between DTA Mutations and Thromboembolism in Patients with Myeloproliferative Neoplasms

To analyze the DTA (DNMT3A, TET2, ASXL1) mutations in patients with myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPN), and preliminarily explore their correlation with thromboembolism. Clinical characteristics of 62 patients diagnosed de novo MPN at Central Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University from September 2016 to September 2022 were retrospectively analyzed. Next-generation sequencing was used to detect 35 MPN-related genes, and the DTA mutations in MPN patients and their relationship with thromboembolic events were analyzed. 75.8% (47/62) of the patients presented pathogenic non-driver mutations, and the mean number of pathogenic non-driver mutations per patient was 1.08. Among them, the most frequently mutated non-driver genes were TET2 (38.7%, 24/62), DNMT3A (9.7%, 6/62) and ASXL1 (6.5%, 4/62). The presence of DTA gene mutations was 50% (31/62) in the total MPN patients, and mainly accompanied by driver mutations. The mutation rate of DTA in patients aged ≥60 years was significantly higher than that in patients <60 years old (P =0.039). The incidence of thromboembolism in patients with DTA mutation was 58.1% (18/31), which was significantly higher than that in patients without DTA mutation (19.4%, 6/31) (P =0.002). The TET2 gene mutation rate in MPN patients with thromboembolism was 66.7% (16/24), which was significantly higher than that in patients without thromboembolism (21.1%, 8/38) (P =0.00). Patients with MPN have a higher incidence of DTA mutations, which are mainly accompanied by driver gene mutations. The incidence of thromboembolism in MPN patients with DTA mutations is higher than that in patients without DTA mutations. Especially, the elderly (≥60 years) essential thrombocythemia(ET) and polycythemia vera(PV) patients with TET2 mutation should be vigilant for thromboembolic events.

The establishment of kidney cancer organoid line in drug testing.

Kidney cancer is a common urological malignancy worldwide with an increasing incidence in recent years. Among all subtypes, renal cell carcinoma (RCC) represents the most predominant malignancy in kidney. Clinicians faced a major challenge to select the most effective and suitable treatment regime for patients from a wide range of modalities, despite improved understanding and diagnosis of RCC. Recently, organoid culture gained more interest as the 3D model is shown to be highly patient specific which is hypothetically beneficial to the investigation of precision medicine. Nonetheless, the development and application of organotypic culture in RCC is still immature, therefore, the primary objective of this study was to establish an organoid model for RCC. Patients diagnosed with renal tumor and underwent surgical intervention were recruited. RCC specimen was collected and derived into organoids. Derived organoids were validated by histological examminations, sequencing and xenograft. Drug response of organoids were compared with resistance cell line and patients' clinical outcomes. Our results demonstrated that organoids could be successfully derived from renal tumor and they exhibited high concordance in terms of immunoexpressional patterns. Sequencing results also depicted concordant mutations of driver genes in both organoids and parental tumor tissues. Critical and novel growth factors were discovered during the establishment of organoid model. Besides, organoids derived from renal tumor exhibited tumorigenic properties in vivo. In addition, organoids recapitulated patient's in vivo drug resistance and served as a platform to predict responsiveness of other therapeutic agents. Our RCC organoid model recaptiluated histological and genetic features observed in primary tumors. It also served as a potential platform in drug screening for RCC patients, though future studies are necessary before translating the outcomes into clinical practices.

A retrospective study of first-line therapy and subsequent pyrotinib treatment in advanced lung adenocarcinoma with HER2 mutations.

HER2 is an infrequently mutated driver gene in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). At present, there has been no comprehensive large-scale clinical study to establish the optimal first-line treatment strategy for advanced lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) with HER2-Mutant. Besides that, the effectiveness and safety of pyrotinib, a pan-HER inhibitor, in the context of NSCLC are still undergoing investigation. In this study, we conducted a retrospective data collection of HER2-Mutated advanced LUAD who received first-line treatment and pyrotinib between May 2014 and June 2023. Patients treated with chemotherapy, chemotherapy + immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), chemotherapy + bevacizumab and pyrotinib in first-line treatment. Furthermore, we collected data on the efficacy and safety of pyrotinib in these patients after disease progression. The main endpoint of the study was progression-free survival (PFS). In the final analysis, 89 patients were included in the first-line cohort and 30 patients were included in the pyrotinib cohort. In the first-line treatment cohort, chemotherapy + ICIs, chemotherapy + bevacizumab, and pyrotinib exhibited notable survival benefits compared to chemotherapy (median PFS: 9.87 vs. 7.77 vs. 7.10 vs. 5.40 months, p-value < 0.05). Furthermore, patients with a first-line treatment PFS of less than 6 months may potentially benefit from subsequent treatment with pyrotinib (median PFS: 7.467 vs. 3.000, p-value = 0.0490). In the first-line treatment of HER2-Mutant LUAD, regimens involving combinations like chemotherapy + ICIs, chemotherapy + bevacizumab, and pyrotinib may confer enhanced survival advantages compared to chemotherapy. Nevertheless, no significant distinctions were observed among these three treatment strategies, underscoring the imperative to identify biomarkers for the discerning selection of suitable therapeutic modalities. Moreover, patients with suboptimal response to first-line treatment may potentially derive more benefit from pyrotinib.

Genetic characteristics of cerebrospinal fluid-derived circulating tumor DNA in brain metastases of lung adenocarcinoma.

e20503 Background: Brain metastases (BM), encompassing parenchymal metastases (PM) and leptomeningeal metastases (LM), are a common and fatal complication of advanced lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD). However, the genomic disparities between PM and LM, as determined by cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)-derived circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA), and its clinical utility as a liquid biopsy medium remain unclear. Methods: We conducted a retrospective study involving 33 patients diagnosed with BM from LUAD, comprising 16 cases with PM and 17 cases with LM, at Shandong Cancer Hospital between March 2018 and June 2021. CSF and matched peripheral blood lymphocyte samples were collected from all patients, and plasma samples were collected from 25 of them. Genomic profiles of CSF and plasma in patients with PM and LM were compared. CSF-ctDNA, plasma-ctDNA, and DNA from matched peripheral blood lymphocytes underwent next-generation sequencing (NGS) based on a 769 cancer-related gene panel. Results: A total of 363 mutations were detected in CSF-ctDNA, with 90.9% (30/33) of all LUAD patients with PM or LM showing mutations. EGFR mutations were the most common, occurring in PM samples from 56.3% (9/16) of patients and in LM samples from 76.5% (13/17) of patients, followed by other frequently mutated driver genes, including TP53 in 19 (57.6%) patients, MLH1 in 9 (27.3%) patients, and KMT2C in 8 (24.2%). Notably, EGFR 19del was more prevalent as a driver mutation in patients with LM compared to those with PM in our study, particularly the p.E746_A750del mutated subtype. Furthermore, the frequency of mutations in the mismatch repair (MMR) pathway was significantly higher in patients with LM than in those with PM. Additionally, CSF exhibited a more comprehensive profile of driver genomic mutations than matched plasma in patients with any form of BM, accompanied by a higher variation burden and detection of druggable mutations. Conclusions: CSF-ctDNA sequencing revealed distinct genomic patterns in patients with BM, particularly in LM, and could potentially enhance the management of BM patients compared to plasma.

Phase 3 randomized double-blind study evaluating selinexor, an XPO1 inhibitor, plus ruxolitinib in JAKi-naïve myelofibrosis.

TPS6594 Background: Myelofibrosis (MF) is a myeloproliferative neoplasm with common somatic gene driver mutations in JAK2, CALR, and MPL. Selinexor, an investigational oral XPO1 inhibitor, may inhibit MF-relevant JAK/STAT and non-JAK/STAT pathways. Preclinical studies have shown potential synergy with ruxolitinib treatment. In the phase 1 portion of XPORT-MF-034 evaluating selinexor plus ruxolitinib in JAKi-naïve patients with MF, the most common AEs in the 60 mg cohort were nausea (79%), anemia (64%), thrombocytopenia (64%), and fatigue (57%). Nausea was predominantly Grade 1 and transient in nature. Treatment-related AEs leading to treatment discontinuation were thrombocytopenia (n=1) and neuropathy (n=1). SVR35 and TSS50 was achieved by 79% and 58% of the 60 mg cohort intent-to-treat population at Week 24, respectively. Response rates were consistent across subgroups, including sex and regardless of ruxolitinib starting dose. These data provide strong support to further evaluate selinexor (60 mg) and ruxolitinib in patients with JAKi-naïve MF. Methods: The XPORT-MF-034 (NCT04562389) trial includes a global, Phase 3 randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study designed to evaluate selinexor and ruxolitinib. JAKi-naïve patients with MF will be randomized 2:1 to receive oral selinexor 60 mg or placebo once weekly (28-day cycle) and twice daily ruxolitinib. Randomization will be stratified by DIPSS risk category (int-1 vs int-2 or high-risk), spleen volume (&lt;1800 cm3 vs &gt;1800 cm3 by MRI/CT scan), and baseline platelet counts (100-200x109/L vs &gt;200x109/L). Dual anti-emetics for nausea prophylaxis will be required for the first two cycles. Select eligibility criteria include ≥18 years of age, spleen volume ≥450 cm3 by MRI or CT, DIPSS intermediate-1, intermediate-2, or high-risk, active symptoms of MF (MFSAF v4.0), currently not eligible for stem cell transplantation, ECOG≤2, and platelet count ≥100 x 109/L. Select exclusion criteria include &gt;10% blasts in peripheral blood or bone marrow; previous treatment with JAKi for MF, or previous treatment with selinexor or other XPO1 inhibitors. The co-primary study endpoints are SVR35 and TSS50 at Week 24 and will be tested hierarchically. The key secondary endpoint is anemia response at Week 24 per the IWG-MRT and ELN criteria. The XPORT-MF-034 Phase 3 trial is currently open for enrollment; a total of 306 JAKi-naïve MF patients will be enrolled and the study was initiated on June 28, 2023. Clinical trial information: NCT04562389 .