Genetic profiling of primary and secondary tumors from patients with lung adenocarcinoma and bone metastases reveals targeted therapy options.

BACKGROUND: Patients newly diagnosed with lung adenocarcinoma with bone metastases (LABM) have poor survival rates after treatment with conventional therapies. To improve outcomes, we retrospectively investigated whether the application of a more comprehensive genetic test of tumor biopsies samples from LABM patients could provide the basis for treatment with more effective tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) regimens. METHODS: Fine needle biopsies were taken from the primary tumor (PT) and a secondary bone metastasis (BM) of 17 LABM patients before treatment. Simple genetic profiles for selecting therapies were initially obtained using an ARMS-PCR test for EGFR and ALK fusion mutations. More detailed genetic profiles of somatic exon SNVs and CNVs in 457 cancer-related genes were retrospectively derived using capture single molecule amplification and resequencing technology (capSMART). RESULTS: ARMS-PCR identified 14 EGFR positive, 3 EGFR negative and 1 ALK fusion positive patient. A therapy regimen incorporating TKIs Gefitinib and Crizotinib was offered to the EGFR and ALK fusion positive patients, respectively. With the exception of two patients, molecular profiling of matching PT and BM biopsies identified a highly shared somatic variant fingerprint, although the BMs exhibited additional genomic instability. In six of 13 EGFR positive patients and in all three EGFR negative patients, examination of the genetic profiles identified additional clinically significant mutations that are known or experimental drug targets for treatment of lung cancer. CONCLUSION: Our findings firstly suggest that treatment regimens based on comprehensive genetic assessment of newly diagnosed LABM patients should target both the PT and secondary BMs, including rogue clones with potential to form new BMs. Second, the additional information gained should allow clinicians to design and implement more personalized treatment regimens and potentially improve outcomes for LABM patients.

Positive association between heart dosimetry parameters and a novel cardiac biomarker, solubleST-2, in thoracic cancer chest radiation.

BACKGROUND: Early screening and diagnosis of radiation-induced heart disease (RIHD) is difficult in patients with chest radiation exposure. sST-2 is involved in myocardial stress or injury. We evaluated the relationship between heart dose parameters and sST-2 changes in chest malignant tumor patients who received chest radiation. METHODS: We prospectively collected thoracic malignancy cancer patients who had received chest radiotherapy. Heart dosimetry parameters were extracted from the treatment planning system. sST-2 was measured at baseline, the middle stage, and after radiotherapy (recorded as pre-ST-2, mid-ST-2, and post-ST-2). sST-2 change rate was calculated. Scatter plots showed the relationship between cardiac dose parameters and ST-2 change rate. Multiple regression was used to analyze the relationship between cardiac dose parameters and ST-2 change rate. RESULTS: Totally, 60 patients were enrolled. The mean V5 , V10 , V20 , V30 , V40 , and MHD was 60.93 ± 27.79%, 51.43 ± 25.44%, 39.17 ± 21.75%, 28.07 ± 17.15%,18.66 ± 12.18%, and 18.60 ± 8.63 Gy, respectively. The median M-LAD was 11.31 (IQR 3.33-18.76) Gy. The mean pre-ST-2, mid-ST-2, and post-ST-2 was 5.1 ± 3.8, 6.4 ± 3.9, and 7.6 ± 4.4, respectively. sST-2 was elevated with thoracic irradiation (P < .001). Multivariate linear regression analyses showed that V5 , V10 , V20 , and MHD were independently and positively associated with ST-2 change rate (ß = .04, .04, .04, and .10, respectively, all P < .05). CONCLUSION: Serum sST-2 levels were elevated over time during radiotherapy. V5 , V10 , V20 and MHD were independently and positively associated with the elevated ST-2 change rate.