Patient-centric thresholding of Cobas® EGFR mutation Test v2 for surveillance of EGFR-mutated metastatic non-small cell lung cancer.

Cobas EGFR mutation Test v2 was FDA-approved as qualitative liquid biopsy for actionable EGFR variants in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). It generates semiquantitative index (SQI) values that correlate with mutant allele levels, but decision thresholds for clinical use in NSCLC surveillance are lacking. We conducted long-term ctDNA monitoring in 20 subjects with EGFR-mutated NSCLC; resulting in a 155 on-treatment samples. We defined optimal SQI intervals to predict/rule-out progression within 12 weeks from sampling and performed orthogonal calibration versus deep-sequencing and digital PCR. SQI showed significant diagnostic power (AUC 0.848, 95% CI 0.782-0.901). SQI below 5 (63% of samples) had 93% (95% CI 87-96%) NPV, while SQI above 10 (25% of samples) had 69% (95% CI 56-80%) PPV. Cobas EGFR showed perfect agreement with sequencing (Kappa 0.860; 95% CI 0.674-1.00) and digital PCR. SQI values strongly (r: 0.910, 95% 0.821-0.956) correlated to mutant allele concentrations with SQI of 5 and 10 corresponding to 6-9 (0.2-0.3%) and 64-105 (1.1-1.6%) mutant allele copies/mL (VAF) respectively. Our dual-threshold classifier of SQI 0/5/10 yielded informative results in 88% of blood draws with high NPV and good overall clinical utility for patient-centric surveillance of metastatic NSCLC.

Utility of FDG PET-CT in CT Stage IA non-small cell lung cancer: The New Zealand Te Whatu Ora Northern region experience.

INTRODUCTION: Our objective was to investigate the utility of fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography-computed tomography (FDG PET-CT) in assessing CT Stage 1A non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in patients under consideration for curative treatment. Performing FDG PET-CT in these patients may lead to unnecessary delays in treatment if it can be shown to provide no added value. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed 735 lesions in 653 patients from the New Zealand Te Whatu Ora Northern region lung cancer database with suspected or pathologically proven Stage 1A NSCLC on CT scan who also underwent FDG PET-CT imaging. We determined how often FDG PET-CT findings upstaged patients and then compared to pathological staging where available. RESULTS: FDG PET-CT provided an overall upstaging rate of 9.7%. Category-specific rates were 0% in Tis, 0.9% in T1mi, 7.4% in T1a, 10% in T1b and 12% in T1c groups. The percentage of lesions upstaged on FDG PET-CT that remained Stage 1A was 100% in T1mi, 100% in T1a, 47.1% in T1b and 40.7% in T1c groups. The P value was statistically significant at 0.004, indicating upstaging beyond Stage 1A was dependent on T category. CONCLUSION: Our data suggests that FDG PET-CT is indicated for T1b and T1c lesions but is of limited utility in Tis, T1mi and T1a lesions. Adopting a more targeted approach and omitting FDG PET-CT in patients with Tis, T1mi, and T1a lesions may benefit all patients with lung cancer by improving accessibility and treatment timelines.

Safety of pembrolizumab as adjuvant therapy in a pooled analysis of phase 3 clinical trials of melanoma, non-small cell lung cancer, and renal cell carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: The safety profile of adjuvant pembrolizumab was evaluated in a pooled analysis of 4 phase 3 clinical trials. METHODS: Patients had completely resected stage IIIA, IIIB, or IIIC melanoma per American Joint Committee on Cancer, 7th edition, criteria (AJCC-7; KEYNOTE-054); stage IIB or IIC melanoma per AJCC-8 (KEYNOTE-716); stage IB, II, or IIIA non-small cell lung cancer per AJCC-7 (PEARLS/KEYNOTE-091); or postnephrectomy/metastasectomy clear cell renal cell carcinoma at increased risk of recurrence (KEYNOTE-564). Patients received adjuvant pembrolizumab 200 mg (2 mg/kg up to 200 mg for pediatric patients) or placebo every 3 weeks for approximately 1 year. Adverse events (AEs) were summarized for patients who received ≥ 1 dose of treatment. RESULTS: Data were pooled from 4125 patients treated with pembrolizumab (n = 2060) or placebo (n = 2065). Median (range) duration of treatment was 11.1 months (0.0-18.9) with pembrolizumab and 11.2 months (0.0-18.1) with placebo. Treatment-related AEs occurred in 78.6 % (1620/2060) of patients in the pembrolizumab group (grade 3-5, 16.3 % [336/2060]) and 58.7 % (1212/2065) in the placebo group (grade 3-5, 3.5 % [72/2065]). Immune-mediated AEs (e.g. adrenal insufficiency, hypophysitis, and thyroiditis) occurred in 36.2 % (746/2060) of patients in the pembrolizumab group (grade 3-5, 8.6 % [177/2060]) and 8.4 % (174/2065) in the placebo group (grade 3-5, 1.1 % [23/2065]). Of patients with ≥ 1 immune-mediated AE or infusion reaction, systemic corticosteroids were required for 35.2 % (268/761) and 20.2 % (39/193) of patients in the pembrolizumab and placebo groups, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Adjuvant pembrolizumab demonstrated a manageable safety profile that was comparable to prior reports in advanced disease.

Cost-of-care discussions for individuals with advanced non-small cell lung cancer and melanoma: Findings from a large, population-based pilot study.

BACKGROUND: Costs of cancer care can result in patient financial hardship; many professional organizations recommend provider discussions about treatment costs as part of high-quality care. In this pilot study, the authors examined patient-provider cost discussions documented in the medical records of individuals who were diagnosed with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and melanoma-cancers with recently approved, high-cost treatment options. METHODS: Individuals who were newly diagnosed in 2017-2018 with stage III/IV NSCLC (n = 1767) and in 2018 with stage III/IV melanoma (n = 689) from 12 Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results regions were randomly selected for the National Cancer Institute Patterns of Care Study. Documentation of cost discussions was abstracted from the medical record. The authors examined patient, treatment, and hospital factors associated with cost discussions in multivariable logistic regression analyses. RESULTS: Cost discussions were documented in the medical records of 20.3% of patients with NSCLC and in 24.0% of those with melanoma. In adjusted analyses, privately insured (vs. publicly insured) patients were less likely to have documented cost discussions (odds ratio [OR], 0.54; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.37-0.80). Patients who did not receive systemic therapy or did not receive any cancer-directed treatment were less likely to have documented cost discussions than those who did receive systemic therapy (OR, 0.39 [95% CI, 0.19-0.81] and 0.46 [95% CI, 0.30-0.70], respectively), as were patients who were treated at hospitals without residency programs (OR, 0.64; 95% CI, 0.42-0.98). CONCLUSIONS: Cost discussions were infrequently documented in the medical records of patients who were diagnosed with advanced NSCLC and melanoma, which may hinder identifying patient needs and tracking outcomes of associated referrals. Efforts to increase cost-of-care discussions and relevant referrals, as well as their documentation, are warranted.

Trends in lung cancer survival in the Nordic countries 1990-2016: The NORDCAN survival studies.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to evaluate if the previously reported improvements in lung cancer survival were consistent across age at diagnosis and by lung cancer subtypes. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Data on lung cancers diagnosed between 1990 and 2016 in Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden were obtained from the NORDCAN database. Flexible parametric models were used to estimate age-standardized and age-specific relative survival by sex, as well as reference-adjusted crude probabilities of death and life-years lost. Age-standardised survival was also estimated by the three major subtypes; adenocarcincoma, squamous cell and small-cell carcinoma. RESULTS: Both 1- and 5-year relative survival improved continuously in all countries. The pattern of improvement was similar across age groups and by subtype. The largest improvements in survival were seen in Denmark, while improvements were comparatively smaller in Finland. In the most recent period, age-standardised estimates of 5-year relative survival ranged from 13% to 26% and the 5-year crude probability of death due to lung cancer ranged from 73% to 85%. Across all Nordic countries, survival decreased with age, and was lower in men and for small-cell carcinoma. CONCLUSION: Lung cancer survival has improved substantially since 1990, in both women and men and across age. The improvements were seen in all major subtypes. However, lung cancer survival remains poor, with three out of four patients dying from their lung cancer within five years of diagnosis.

Patient-reported outcomes after personalised dose-escalation for stage II-III non-small-cell lung cancer patients: Results from the randomised ARTFORCE PET-Boost trial.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The ultimate challenge in dose-escalation trials lies in finding the balance between benefit and toxicity. We examined patient-reported outcomes (PROs), including health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in patients with locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer (LA-NSCLC), treated with dose-escalated radiotherapy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The international, randomised, phase 2 ARTFORCE PET-Boost study (NCT01024829) aimed to improve 1-year freedom from local failure rates in patients with stage II-III NSCLC, with a ≥ 4 cm primary tumour. Treatment consisted of an individualised, escalated fraction dose, either to the primary tumour as a whole or to its most FDG-avid subvolume (24 x 3.0-5.4 Gy). Patients received sequential or concurrent chemoradiotherapy, or radiotherapy only. Patients were asked to complete the EORTC QLQ-C30, QLQ-LC13, and the EuroQol-5D at eight timepoints. We assessed the effect of dose-escalation on C30 sum score through mixed-modelling and evaluated clinically meaningful changes for all outcomes. RESULTS: Between Apr-2010 and Sep-2017, 107 patients were randomised; 102 were included in the current analysis. Compliance rates: baseline 86.3%, 3-months 85.3%, 12-months 80.3%; lowest during radiation treatment 35.0%. A linear mixed-effect (LME) model revealed no significant change in overall HRQoL over time, and no significant difference between the two treatment groups. Physical functioning showed a gradual decline in both groups during treatment and at 18-months follow-up, while clinically meaningful worsening of dyspnoea was seen mainly at 3- and 6-months. CONCLUSION: In patients with LA-NSCLC treated with two dose-escalation strategies, the average patient-reported HRQoL remained stable in both groups, despite frequent patient-reported symptoms, including dyspnoea, dysphagia, and fatigue.

Predicting epidermal growth factor receptor mutations in non-small cell lung cancer through dual-layer spectral CT: a prospective study.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether quantitative parameters of detector-derived dual-layer spectral computed tomography (DLCT) can reliably identify epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutation status in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). METHODS: Patients with NSCLC who underwent arterial phase (AP) and venous phase (VP) DLCT between December 2021 and November 2022 were subdivided into the mutated and wild-type EGFR groups following EGFR mutation testing. Their baseline clinical data, conventional CT images, and spectral images were obtained. Iodine concentration (IC), iodine no water (INW), effective atomic number (Zeff), virtual monoenergetic images, the slope of the spectral attenuation curve (λHU), enhancement degree (ED), arterial enhancement fraction (AEF), and normalized AEF (NAEF) were measured for each lesion. RESULTS: Ninety-two patients (median age, 61 years, interquartile range [51, 67]; 33 men) were evaluated. The univariate analysis indicated that IC, normalized IC (NIC), INW and ED for the AP and VP, as well as Zeff and λHU for the VP were significantly associated with EGFR mutation status (all p < 0.05). INW(VP) showed the best diagnostic performance (AUC, 0.892 [95% confidence interval {CI}: 0.823, 0.960]). However, neither AEF (p = 0.156) nor NAEF (p = 0.567) showed significant differences between the two groups. The multivariate analysis showed that INW(AP) and NIC(VP) were significant predictors of EGFR mutation status, with the latter showing better performance (p = 0.029; AUC, 0.897 [95% CI: 0.816, 0.951] vs. 0.774 [95% CI: 0.675, 0.855]). CONCLUSION: Quantitative parameters of DLCT can help predict EGFR mutation status in patients with NSCLC. CRITICAL RELEVANCE STATEMENT: Quantitative parameters of DLCT, especially NIC(VP), can help predict EGFR mutation status in patients with NSCLC, facilitating appropriate and individualized treatment for them. KEY POINTS: Determining EGFR mutation status in patients with NSCLC before starting therapy is essential. Quantitative parameters of DLCT can predict EGFR mutation status in NSCLC patients. NIC in venous phase is an important parameter to guide individualized treatment selection for NSCLC patients.

A cuproptosis score model and prognostic score model can evaluate clinical characteristics and immune microenvironment in NSCLC.

BACKGROUND: Cuproptosis-related genes (CRGs) are associated with lung adenocarcinoma. However, the links between CRGs and non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) are not clear. In this study, we aimed to develop two cuproptosis models and investigate their correlation with NSCLC in terms of clinical features and tumor microenvironment. METHODS: CRG expression profiles and clinical data from NSCLC and normal tissues was obtained from GEO (GSE42127) and TCGA datasets. Molecular clusters were classified into three patterns based on CRGs and cuproptosis cluster-related specific differentially expressed genes (CRDEGs). Then, two clinical models were established. First, a prognostic score model based on CRDEGs was established using univariate/multivariate Cox analysis. Then, through principal component analysis, a cuproptosis score model was established based on prognosis-related genes acquired via univariate analysis of CRDEGs. NSCLC patients were divided into high/low risk groups. RESULTS: Eighteen CRGs were acquired, all upregulated in tumor tissues, 15 of which significantly (P < 0.05). Among the three CRG clusters, cluster B had the best prognosis. In the CRDEG clusters, cluster C had the best survival. In the prognostic score model, the high-risk group had worse prognosis, higher tumor mutation load, and lower immune infiltration while in the cuproptosis score model, a high score represented better survival, lower tumor mutation load, and high-level immune infiltration. CONCLUSIONS: The cuproptosis score model and prognostic score model may be associated with NSCLC prognosis and immune microenvironment. These novel findings on the progression and immune landscape of NSCLC may facilitate the provision of more personalized immunotherapy interventions for NSCLC patients.

Predicting programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression with fluorine-18 fluorodeoxyglucose ([18F]FDG) positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) metabolic parameters in resectable non-small cell lung cancer.

BACKGROUND: Programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression is a predictive biomarker for immunotherapy in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). PD-L1 and glucose transporter 1 expression are closely associated, and studies demonstrate correlation of PD-L1 with glucose metabolism. AIM: The aim of this study was to investigate the association of fluorine-18 fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography ([18F]FDG-PET/CT) metabolic parameters with PD-L1 expression in primary lung tumour and lymph node metastases in resected NSCLC. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective analysis of 210 patients with node-positive resectable stage IIB-IIIB NSCLC. PD-L1 tumour proportion score (TPS) was determined using the DAKO 22C3 immunohistochemical assay. Semi-automated techniques were used to analyse pre-operative [18F]FDG-PET/CT images to determine primary and nodal metabolic parameter scores (including max, mean, peak and peak adjusted for lean body mass standardised uptake values (SUV), metabolic tumour volume (MTV), total lesional glycolysis (TLG) and SUV heterogeneity index (HISUV)). RESULTS: Patients were predominantly male (57%), median age 70 years with non-squamous NSCLC (68%). A majority had negative primary tumour PD-L1 (TPS < 1%; 53%). Mean SUVmax, SUVmean, SUVpeak and SULpeak values were significantly higher (p < 0.05) in those with TPS ≥ 1% in primary tumour (n = 210) or lymph nodes (n = 91). However, ROC analysis demonstrated only moderate separability at the 1% PD-L1 TPS threshold (AUCs 0.58-0.73). There was no association of MTV, TLG and HISUV with PD-L1 TPS. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated the association of SUV-based [18F]FDG-PET/CT metabolic parameters with PD-L1 expression in primary tumour or lymph node metastasis in resectable NSCLC, but with poor sensitivity and specificity for predicting PD-L1 positivity ≥ 1%. CLINICAL RELEVANCE STATEMENT: Whilst SUV-based fluorine-18 fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography metabolic parameters may not predict programmed death-ligand 1 positivity ≥ 1% in the primary tumour and lymph nodes of resectable non-small cell lung cancer independently, there is a clear association which warrants further investigation in prospective studies. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Non-applicable KEY POINTS: • Programmed death-ligand 1 immunohistochemistry has a predictive role in non-small cell lung cancer immunotherapy; however, it is both heterogenous and dynamic. • SUV-based fluorine-18 fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography ([18F]FDG-PET/CT) metabolic parameters were significantly higher in primary tumour or lymph node metastases with positive programmed death-ligand 1 expression. • These SUV-based parameters could potentially play an additive role along with other multi-modal biomarkers in selecting patients within a predictive nomogram.

A deep learning model integrating multisequence MRI to predict EGFR mutation subtype in brain metastases from non-small cell lung cancer.

BACKGROUND: To establish a predictive model based on multisequence magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) using deep learning to identify wild-type (WT) epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), EGFR exon 19 deletion (19Del), and EGFR exon 21-point mutation (21L858R) simultaneously. METHODS: A total of 399 patients with proven brain metastases of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) were retrospectively enrolled and divided into training (n = 306) and testing (n = 93) cohorts separately based on two timepoints. All patients underwent 3.0-T brain MRI including T2-weighted, T2-weighted fluid-attenuated inversion recovery, diffusion-weighted imaging, and contrast-enhanced T1-weighted sequences. Radiomics features were extracted from each lesion based on four sequences. An algorithm combining radiomics approach with graph convolutional networks architecture (Radio-GCN) was designed for the prediction of EGFR mutation status and subtype. The area under the curve (AUC) at receiver operating characteristic analysis was used to evaluate the predication capabilities of each model. RESULTS: We extracted 1,290 radiomics features from each MRI sequence. The AUCs of the Radio-GCN model for identifying EGFR 19Del, 21L858R, and WT for the lesion-wise analysis were 0.996 ± 0.004, 0.971 ± 0.013, and 1.000 ± 0.000 on the independent testing cohort separately. It also yielded AUCs of 1.000 ± 0.000, 0.991 ± 0.009, and 1.000 ± 0.000 for predicting EGFR mutations respectively for the patient-wise analysis. The κ coefficients were 0.735 and 0.812, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The constructed Radio-GCN model is a new potential tool to predict the EGFR mutation status and subtype in NSCLC patients with brain metastases. RELEVANCE STATEMENT: The study demonstrated that a deep learning approach based on multisequence MRI can help to predict the EGFR mutation status in NSCLC patients with brain metastases, which is beneficial to guide a personalized treatment. KEY POINTS: • This is the first study to predict the EGFR mutation subtype simultaneously. • The Radio-GCN model holds the potential to be used as a diagnostic tool. • This study provides an imaging surrogate for identifying the EGFR mutation subtype.

Real-world outcomes associated with afatinib use in patients with solid tumors harboring NRG1 gene fusions.

OBJECTIVES: Neuregulin-1 (NRG1) fusions may drive oncogenesis via constitutive activation of ErbB signaling. Hence, NRG1 fusion-driven tumors may be susceptible to ErbB-targeted therapy. Afatinib (irreversible pan-ErbB inhibitor) has demonstrated activity in individual patients with NRG1 fusion-positive solid tumors. This study collected real-world data on demographics, clinical characteristics, and clinical outcomes in this patient population. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this retrospective, multicenter, non-comparative cohort study, physicians in the US-based Cardinal Health Oncology Provider Extended Network collected data from medical records of patients with NRG1 fusion-positive solid tumors who received afatinib (afatinib cohort) or other systemic therapies (non-afatinib cohort) in any therapy line. Objectives included demographics, clinical characteristics, and outcomes (overall response rate [ORR], progression-free survival [PFS], and overall survival [OS]). RESULTS: Patients (N = 110) with a variety of solid tumor types were included; 72 received afatinib, 38 other therapies. In the afatinib cohort, 70.8 % of patients received afatinib as second-line treatment and Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status (ECOG PS) was 2-4 in 69.4 % at baseline. In the non-afatinib cohort, 94.7 % of patients received systemic therapy as first-line treatment and ECOG PS was 2-4 in 31.6 % at baseline. In the afatinib cohort, ORR was 37.5 % overall (43.8 % when received as first-line therapy); median PFS and OS were 5.5 and 7.2 months, respectively. In the non-afatinib cohort, ORR was 76.3 %; median PFS and OS were 12.9 and 22.6 months, respectively. CONCLUSION: This study provides real-world data on the characteristics of patients with NRG1 fusion-positive solid tumors treated with afatinib or other therapies; durable responses were observed in both groups. However, there were imbalances between the cohorts, and the study was not designed to compare outcomes. Further prospective/retrospective trials are required.

Delta-radiomics features for predicting the major pathological response to neoadjuvant chemoimmunotherapy in non-small cell lung cancer.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate if delta-radiomics features have the potential to predict the major pathological response (MPR) to neoadjuvant chemoimmunotherapy in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients. METHODS: Two hundred six stage IIA-IIIB NSCLC patients from three institutions (Database1 = 164; Database2 = 21; Database3 = 21) who received neoadjuvant chemoimmunotherapy and surgery were included. Patients in Database1 were randomly assigned to the training dataset and test dataset, with a ratio of 0.7:0.3. Patients in Database2 and Database3 were used as two independent external validation datasets. Contrast-enhanced CT scans were obtained at baseline and before surgery. The delta-radiomics features were defined as the relative net change of radiomics features between baseline and preoperative. The delta-radiomics model and pre-treatment radiomics model were established. The performance of Immune-Related Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (iRECIST) for predicting MPR was also evaluated. RESULTS: Half of the patients (106/206, 51.5%) showed MPR after neoadjuvant chemoimmunotherapy. For predicting MPR, the delta-radiomics model achieved a satisfying area under the curves (AUCs) values of 0.768, 0.732, 0.833, and 0.716 in the training, test, and two external validation databases, respectively, which showed a superior predictive performance than the pre-treatment radiomics model (0.644, 0.616, 0.475, and 0.608). Compared with iRECIST criteria (0.624, 0.572, 0.650, and 0.466), a mixed model that combines delta-radiomics features and iRECIST had higher AUC values for MPR prediction of 0.777, 0.761, 0.850, and 0.670 in four sets. CONCLUSION: The delta-radiomics model demonstrated superior diagnostic performance compared to pre-treatment radiomics model and iRECIST criteria in predicting MPR preoperatively in neoadjuvant chemoimmunotherapy for stage II-III NSCLC. CLINICAL RELEVANCE STATEMENT: Delta-radiomics features based on the relative net change of radiomics features between baseline and preoperative CT scans serve a vital support tool in accurately identifying responses to neoadjuvant chemoimmunotherapy, which can help physicians make more appropriate treatment decisions. KEY POINTS: • The performances of pre-treatment radiomics model and iRECIST model in predicting major pathological response of neoadjuvant chemoimmunotherapy were unsatisfactory. • The delta-radiomics features based on relative net change of radiomics features between baseline and preoperative CT scans may be used as a noninvasive biomarker for predicting major pathological response of neoadjuvant chemoimmunotherapy. • Combining delta-radiomics features and iRECIST can further improve the predictive performance of responses to neoadjuvant chemoimmunotherapy.

Targeted treatment for unresectable EGFR mutation-positive stage III non-small cell lung cancer: Emerging evidence and future perspectives.

Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations are detected in up to one third of patients with unresectable stage III non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The current standard of care for unresectable stage III NSCLC is consolidation durvalumab for patients who have not progressed following concurrent chemoradiotherapy (the 'PACIFIC regimen'). However, the benefit of immunotherapy, specifically in patients with EGFR mutation-positive (EGFRm) tumors, is not well characterized, and this treatment approach is not recommended in these patients, based on a recent ESMO consensus statement. EGFR-tyrosine kinase inhibitors (EGFR-TKIs) have demonstrated significant improvements in patient outcomes in EGFRm metastatic NSCLC. The benefits of these agents have also translated to patients with EGFRm early-stage resectable disease as adjuvant therapy. The role of EGFR-TKIs has yet to be prospectively characterized in the unresectable setting. Preliminary efficacy signals for EGFR-TKIs in unresectable EGFRm stage III NSCLC have been reported from a limited number of subgroup and retrospective studies. Several clinical trials are ongoing assessing the safety and efficacy of EGFR-TKIs in this patient population. Here, we review the current management of unresectable EGFRm stage III NSCLC. We outline the rationale for investigating EGFR-TKI strategies in this setting and discuss ongoing studies. Finally, we discuss the evidence gaps and future challenges for treating patients with unresectable EGFRm stage III NSCLC.

Recent Advances in Adjuvant Therapy for Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer.

After the successful development of targeted therapy and immunotherapy for the treatment of advanced-stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), these innovative treatment options are rapidly being applied in the adjuvant setting for early-stage NSCLC. Some adjuvants that have recently been approved include osimertinib for epidermal growth factor receptor-mutated tumors and atezolizumab and pembrolizumab for selected patients with resectable NSCLC. Numerous studies on various targeted therapies and immunotherapy with or without chemotherapy are currently ongoing in the adjuvant setting. However, several questions regarding optimal strategies for adjuvant treatment remain unanswered. The present review summarizes the available literature, focusing on recent advances and ongoing trials with targeted therapy and immunotherapy in the adjuvant treatment of early-stage NSCLC.

Chlorogenic acid induces mitochondrial dysfunction in lung cancer A549 cells by inhibiting the PI3K-Akt pathway / 国际肿瘤学杂志

Objective:To investigate whether chlorogenic acid can inhibit the proliferation, migration, invasion and promote apoptosis of lung cancer A549 cells by causing mitochondrial dysfunction through PI3K-Akt pathway.Methods:A549 cells were treated with chlorogenic acid at concentrations of 0, 25, 50, 100, 150, and 200 μg/ml for 48 h. CCK-8 assay was used to detect the cell proliferation rate and calculate the half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC 50). A549 cells were divided into three groups: control group, chlorogenic acid group (IC 50) and chlorogenic acid + 740-YP group (IC 50 chlorogenic acid +50 μg/ml 740YP). After 48 h of intervention, the cell migration distance was detected by cell scratch assay. Cell invasion assay was used to detect cell invasion ability. Cell cycle, apoptosis and mitochondrial membrane potential were detected by flow cytometry. The content of malondialdehyde (MDA) in cell supernatant was detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Western blotting was used to detect the protein expression of p-PI3K, p-Akt and Caspase3. Results:The IC 50 of chlorogenic acid to A549 cells was 57.45 μg/ml. The results of cell scratch assay showed that the 48 h migration distances of the control group, chlorogenic acid group and chlorogenic acid + 740YP group were (424.80±14.43), (289.67±18.93) and (402.22±17.99) μm, respectively. The results of cell invasion assay showed that the numbers of invasive cells after 48 h were 96.00±6.24, 35.33±7.64 and 83.00±2.00, and the results of flow cytometry showed that the 48 h apoptosis rates were (6.15±0.17) %, (54.63±0.72) % and (17.27±0.39) %, respectively, among the three groups with statistically significant differences ( F=105.98, P<0.001; F=90.62, P<0.001; F=8 321.99, P<0.001). Compared with the control group, the cell migration distances and invasive numbers of chlorogenic acid group and chlorogenic acid + 740YP group were decreased (all P<0.05), while the apoptosis rates were significantly increased (both P<0.001). Compared with chlorogenic acid group, the cell migration distance of chlorogenic acid + 740YP group increased ( P<0.001), the number of cell invasion increased ( P<0.001), and the apoptosis rate decreased ( P<0.001). The results of flow cytometry showed that the proportions of cells in G 0/G 1 phase in the control group, chlorogenic acid group and chlorogenic acid + 740YP group were (65.75±0.58) %, (55.84±0.78) % and (55.24±1.37) %, respectively. The proportions of G 2/M phase were (11.21±1.03) %, (20.23±0.62) % and (9.96±0.33) %, and the proportions of S phase were (23.04±0.49) %, (23.92±1.36) % and (34.80±1.15) %, respectively, with statistically significant differences ( F=111.02, P<0.001; F=181.26, P<0.001; F=113.05, P<0.001). Compared with the control group, the proportions of G 0/G 1 phase cells in chlorogenic acid group and chlorogenic acid + 740YP group decreased (both P<0.001), and the proportion of G 2/M phase in chlorogenic acid group increased ( P<0.001), and the proportion of S phase cells in chlorogenic acid + 740YP group increased ( P<0.001). Compared with chlorogenic acid group, the proportion of G 2/M phase cells decreased and the proportion of S phase cells increased in chlorogenic acid + 740YP group (both P<0.001). The results of mitochondrial membrane potential detection showed that the JC-1 fluorescence intensity of mitochondria in the control group, chlorogenic acid group and chlorogenic acid + 740YP group were 39.51±1.32, 10.05±0.19 and 21.85±1.45, respectively, with a statistically significant difference ( F=508.82, P<0.001). Compared with the control group, the fluorescence intensity of chlorogenic acid group and chlorogenic acid + 740YP group decreased (both P<0.001). Compared with chlorogenic acid group, the fluorescence intensity of chlorogenic acid + 740YP group increased ( P<0.001). ELISA results showed that the MDA contents of the control group, chlorogenic acid group and chlorogenic acid + 740YP group were (0.47±0.01), (0.61±0.01) and (0.56±0.01) nmol/ml, respectively, with a statistically significant difference ( F=162.30, P<0.001). Compared with the control group, MDA contents in chlorogenic acid group and chlorogenic acid + 740YP group increased (both P<0.001). Compared with chlorogenic acid group, MDA content in chlorogenic acid + 740YP group decreased ( P=0.001). Western blotting results showed that the relative protein expression levels of p-PI3K in the control group, chlorogenic acid group and chlorogenic acid + 740YP group were 1.01±0.33, 0.28±0.14 and 0.34±0.20, respectively. The relative protein expression levels of p-Akt were 1.00±0.16, 0.43±0.05 and 0.95±0.14, and the relative protein expression levels of Caspase3 were 1.00±0.04, 1.41±0.05 and 0.70±0.13, respectively, and there were statistically significant differences ( F=8.48, P=0.018; F=19.11, P=0.002; F=57.50, P<0.001). Compared with the control group, the expressions of p-PI3K and p-Akt protein in chlorogenic acid group decreased, and the expression of Caspase3 protein increased (all P<0.05). The expressions of p-PI3K and Caspase3 protein in chlorogenic acid + 740YP group decreased (both P<0.05). Compared with chlorogenic acid group, the expression of p-Akt protein in chlorogenic acid + 740YP group increased, and the expression of Caspase3 protein decreased (both P<0.05) . Conclusion:Chlorogenic acid may inhibit the PI3K-Akt pathway by reducing the phosphorylation of PI3K and Akt proteins, resulting in the damage of mitochondrial function and the accumulation of MDA, which eventually leads to the damage of lung cancer A549 cells function and the reduction of cells activity, and then promotes cells apoptosis.

Clinical value of serum miR-19b and miR-744-5p levels in the diagnosis of non-small cell lung cancer / 国际肿瘤学杂志

Objective:To investigate the serum levels of miR-19b and miR-744-5p in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), and to analyze the clinical value of miR-19b and miR-744-5p in the diagnosis of NSCLC.Methods:A total of 226 NSCLC patients (NSCLC group) and 100 healthy people (control group) admitted to Jilin Cancer Hospital from August 2019 to August 2022 were selected as research objects. Quantitative real-time PCR was used to measure and compare the serum levels of miR-19b and miR-744-5p between the NSCLC group and the control group, and the relationships between the two indicators and different clinical and pathological characteristics of NSCLC patients were analyzed. The receiver operating characteristic curve was used to analyze the clinical value of miR-19b, miR-744-5p and their joint detection in the diagnosis of NSCLC.Results:Compared with the control group, the serum miR-19b level (3.86±1.25 vs. 1.06±0.41) in the NSCLC group significantly increased ( t=21.87, P<0.001), while the miR-744-5p level (1.80±0.48 vs. 5.75±1.69) significantly decreased ( t=32.36, P<0.001). The serum miR-19b levels in NSCLC patients with pathological types of adenocarcinoma, maximum tumor diameter ≥3 cm, medium to low differentiation, stage Ⅲ-Ⅳ, and with lymph node metastasis were higher than those in squamous cell carcinoma ( t=5.94, P<0.001), maximum tumor diameter <3 cm ( t=2.65, P=0.009), well differentiation ( t=4.33, P<0.001), stageⅠ-Ⅱ ( t=12.32, P<0.001), patients without lymph node metastasis ( t=8.13, P<0.001), while miR-744-5p levels were lower than those in squamous cell carcinoma ( t=8.27, P<0.001), tumor maximum diameter <3 cm ( t=5.34, P<0.001), well differentiation ( t=6.95, P<0.001), stageⅠ-Ⅱ ( t=11.40, P<0.001), patients without lymph node metastasis ( t=10.36, P<0.001). The area under the curve (AUC) of serum miR-19b combined with miR-744-5p in the diagnosis of NSCLC was 0.914 (95% CI: 0.841-0.959), with sensitivity and specificity of 90.9% and 84.0%, respectively. AUC was significantly than that of the single indicator detection of miR-19b (AUC=0.824, 95% CI: 0.770-0.869) and miR-744-5p (AUC=0.783, 95% CI: 0.709-0.838) ( Z=2.28, P=0.021; Z=2.36, P=0.017) . Conclusion:Serum miR-19b level of NSCLC patients is increased, miR-744-5p levels is decreased, and joint detection of serum miR-19b and miR-744-5p has high clinical value in the diagnosis of NSCLC.

Impact of pembrolizumab combined with chemotherapy on angiogenesis and circulating endothelial cells in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer / 国际肿瘤学杂志

Objective:To explore the impact of pembrolizumab combined with chemotherapy on angiogenesis and circulating endothelial cells in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) .Methods:The retrospective analysis of clinical data from 121 patients diagnosed with advanced NSCLC who were admitted to the Second Affiliated Hospital of Xingtai Medical College from August 2021 to January 2023 was conducted. These patients were divided into a control group ( n=57) and an observation group ( n=64) based on the designated treatment protocol. Specifically, individuals in the control group received standard chemotherapy (cisplatin+paclitaxel), while those in the observation group underwent penpilimab therapy in conjunction with conventional chemotherapy. The comparative assessment encompassed short-term clinical efficacy, quality of life, immune function parameters, angiogenic factors [including endostatin, insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1), and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) ], circulating endothelial cells, and adverse reactions within the two groups. Results:After 6 courses of treatment, the objective response rate [67.19% (43/64) vs. 49.12% (28/57) ] and disease control rate [87.50% (56/64) vs. 70.18% (40/57) ] in observation group were higher than those in control group, with statistically significant differences ( χ2=4.06, P=0.044; χ2=5.52, P=0.019). The quality of life score of observation group [ (56.77±6.81) points] was significantly higher than that of control group [ (47.73±8.23) points], with a statistically significant difference ( t=6.61, P<0.001) ; The T cell subgroup CD3 + levels [ (63.59±9.00) % vs. (53.06±8.80%), t=6.49, P<0.001], CD4 + levels [ (46.54±8.20) % vs. (30.74±7.32) %, t=11.13, P<0.001] and CD4 +/CD8 + ratio (1.90±0.36 vs. 1.21±0.28, t=11.66, P<0.001) in observation group were significantly higher than those in control group, with statistically significant differences; Endostatin in observation group [ (48.99±3.43) μmol/L] was significantly higher than that in control group [ (31.35±3.87) μmol/L], with a statistically significant difference ( t=26.58, P<0.001), IGF-1 [ (102.31±20.35) μg/L vs. (134.98±19.02) μg/L] and VEGF [ (31.70±4.32) pg/ml vs. (58.71±5.99) pg/ml] were significantly lower in observation group than those in control group, with statistically significant differences ( t=18.73, P<0.001; t=28.14, P<0.001). The number of circulating endothelial cells in observation group [ (58.77±10.03) /ml] was significantly lower than that in control group [ (87.01±8.01) /ml], with a statistically significant difference ( t=17.20, P<0.001). During treatment, there were no statistically significant differences in the incidence of gastrointestinal reaction ( χ2=0.01, P=0.908), leukopenia ( χ2=0.64, P=0.424), thrombocytopenia ( χ2=0.28, P=0.597), anemia ( χ2=1.66, P=0.197), nephrotoxicity ( χ2=0.64, P=0.424), skin rash ( χ2=1.33, P=0.249) between the two groups. Conclusion:The combination therapy of pembrolizumab and chemotherapy for the treatment of advanced NSCLC has demonstrated noteworthy effectiveness. This regimen has the potential to enhance patients' immune functionality, ameliorate their overall quality of life, suppress angiogenesis, and exhibits a commendable profile of safety and reliability.

Progress of KRAS G12C mutations in non-small cell lung cancer / 国际肿瘤学杂志

With the continuous in-depth research on the mechanism of KRAS G12C mutations in targeted therapy of non-small cell lung cancer, KRAS G12C has evolved from non producible to an important targeted therapy site. The KRAS G12C mutation inhibitor has achieved dual progress in efficiency and survival in targeted therapy of non-small cell lung cancer. Although drug resistance is inevitable with treatment, research on drug resistance mechanisms has found that combination medication is one of the ways to overcome or reduce drug resistance.

Clinical efficacy and safety of camrelizumab and sintilimab in the treatment of advanced non-small cell lung cancer / 国际肿瘤学杂志

Objective:To compare the clinical efficacy of camrelizumab and sintilimab in the treatment of advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) , and to explore its impact on tumor marker levels and immune function index, as well as to perform safety analysis.Methods:A total of 87 patients with advanced NSCLC who were treated in Hai'an People's Hospital of Jiangsu Province from May 2019 to May 2021 were selected as the research objects. According to the treatment scheme, the patients were divided into camrelizumab group ( n=41) and sintilimab group ( n=46) . The clinical efficacy, prognosis, tumor marker levels, immune function index and immune related adverse reactions of the two groups were compared. Results:There were no statistically significant differences in objective response rate [48.78% (20/41) vs. 39.13% (18/46) , χ2=0.82, P=0.365] or disease control rate [78.05% (32/41) vs. 71.74% (33/46) , χ2=0.46, P=0.499] in both camrelizumab and sintilimab group. The median progression-free survival (PFS) in the camrelizumab group was 9.1 months, and the median overall survival (OS) was 15.4 months. The median PFS in the sintilimab group was 9.7 months, and the median OS was 15.7 months. There were no statistically significant differences in median PFS and median OS between the two groups ( χ2=0.18, P=0.633; χ2=0.15, P=0.697) . Before treatment, there were no statistically significant differences in carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) [ (47.68±8.12) ng/ml vs. (49.03±8.70) ng/ml, t=0.75, P=0.458], cytokeratin 19 fragment antigen 21-1 (CYFRA21-1) [ (18.06±3.41) ng/ml vs. (17.25±3.78) ng/ml, t=1.05, P=0.299], and carbohydrate antigen 125 (CA125) [ (72.26±21.06) U/ml vs. (74.03±22.10) U/ml, t=0.38, P=0.704] levels between the camrelizumab group and sintilimab group. After treatment, there were no statistically significant differences in CEA [ (28.11±7.68) ng/ml vs. (27.63±5.71) ng/ml, t=0.33, P=0.740], CYFRA21-1 [ (9.29±1.88) ng/ml vs. (9.06±1.80) ng/ml, t=0.15, P=0.814], and CA125 [ (61.39±21.22) U/ml vs. (60.51±11.03) U/ml, t=0.25, P=0.806] levels between the two groups, but CEA, CYFRA21-1, and CA125 levels decreased after treatment compared with those before treatment in both groups (all P<0.05) . Before treatment, there were no statistically significant differences in T cells CD4 + [ (41.15±3.24) % vs. (41.17±2.90) %, t=0.03, P=0.976], CD8 + [ (68.82±3.94) % vs. (70.06±4.08) %, t=1.44, P=0.154], and CD4 +/CD8 + (1.88±0.33 vs. 1.76±0.25, t=1.92, P=0.058) between the two groups. After treatment, there were no statistically significant differences in T cells CD4 + [ (47.08±3.22) % vs. (48.53±5.07) %, t=1.57, P=0.120], CD8 + [ (61.22±1.67) % vs. (61.45±1.66) %, t=0.64, P=0.522], and CD4 +/CD8 + (2.31±0.17 vs. 2.36±0.12, t=1.60, P=0.114) between the two groups, while T cells CD8 + was lower than that before treatment, and CD4 + as well as CD4 +/CD8 + were higher than those before treatment in both groups (all P<0.05) . The overall incidence of adverse reactions in the sintilimab group [10.87% (5/46) ] was lower than that in the camrelizumab group [31.71% (13/41) ], and with a statistically significance ( χ2=5.74, P=0.016) . Conclusion:The clinical efficacy of camrelizumab and sintilimab in NSCLC patients is basically the same, the impacts of which on tumor markers and immune function are comparable, but the safety of sintilimab is better than that of camrelizumab.

Exploration of prognostic factors and nomogram construction for advanced non-small cell lung cancer treated with immunotherapy based on hematologic indexes / 国际肿瘤学杂志

Objective:To explore influencing factors affecting the prognosis of patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) receiving immunotherapy based on hematologic indexes, thus to construct and evaluate a nomogram prediction model.Methods:The clinical data of 80 patients with advanced NSCLC treated with programmed death-1 inhibitor monotherapy or combination regimen from January 2018 to June 2020 at the Affiliated Hospital of North China University of Science and Technology and Tangshan People's Hospital were retrospectively analyzed. Hematologic indexes at the baseline, the optimal remission and the progressive disease (PD) were collected separately, and independent influencing factors for patient prognosis were analyzed using Cox proportional hazards regression model. A nomogram prediction model was constructed based on the results of the multifactorial analysis, and the predictive performance of the model was evaluated by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, concordance index (C-index) and calibration curves.Results:As of the follow-up cut-off date, of the 80 patients, 63 had PD, with a median overall survival (OS) of 16.9 months. Univariate analysis showed that, age ( HR=2.09, 95% CI: 1.17-3.74, P=0.013) , number of treatment lines ( HR=2.23, 95% CI: 1.21-4.12, P=0.010) , lymphocyte to monocyte ratio (LMR) at the baseline ( HR=0.75, 95% CI: 0.57-0.97, P=0.028) , D-dimer ( HR=1.00, 95% CI: 1.00-1.00, P=0.002) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) ( HR=1.01, 95% CI: 1.00-1.01, P=0.006) at the optimal remission, haemoglobin ( HR=0.97, 95% CI: 0.96-0.99, P<0.001) , D-dimer ( HR=1.00, 95% CI: 1.00-1.00, P=0.002) , C-reactive protein ( HR=1.01, 95% CI: 1.00-1.01, P=0.011) , albumin (ALB) ( HR=0.91, 95% CI: 0.87-0.96, P=0.001) , neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR) ( HR=1.16, 95% CI: 1.05-1.27, P=0.002) and LMR ( HR=0.62, 95% CI: 0.42-0.90, P=0.012) at the PD were all influencing factors for the prognosis of advanced NSCLC patients receiving immunotherapy. Least absolute shrinkage and selection operator regression were used to screen the variables for P<0.10 in the univariate analysis, and nine possible influencing factors were obtained, which were age, fibrinogen and LDH at the optimal remission, haemoglobin, D-dimer, C-reactive protein, LDH, ALB and LMR at the PD. Multivariate analysis of the above variables showed that, age ( HR=0.91, 95% CI: 0.86-0.97, P=0.004) , LDH ( HR=1.01, 95% CI: 1.00-1.01, P=0.013) and ALB ( HR=0.82, 95% CI: 0.67-0.99, P=0.041) at the PD were independent influencing factors for the prognosis of patients with advanced NSCLC who received immunotherapy. The area under curve of the nomogram predicting model based on the above indexes, 1- and 2-year OS rates of patients were 0.77 (95% CI: 0.65-0.89) and 0.75 (95% CI: 0.66-0.88) , respectively, and C-index was 0.71 (95% CI: 0.64-0.78) , the calibration curves showed good consistency between predicted and actual probability of occurrence. Patients in the low-risk group ( n=40) had a median OS of 29.9 months (95% CI: 22.5 months-NA) , which was significantly better than that of the high-risk group ( n=40) [13.4 months (95% CI: 11.4-23.5 months) , χ2=11.30, P<0.001]. Conclusion:Age, LDH and ALB at the PD are independent influencing factors affecting the prognosis of patients with advanced NSCLC receiving immunotherapy, and the nomogram model constructed based on the above indexes has good differentiation and calibration for predicting 1- and 2-year OS rates in advanced NSCLC patients receiving immunotherapy.