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Objective: Metastasized non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with an anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) rearrangement is usually sensitive to a range of ALK-tyrosine kinase inhibitors. ALK-positive NSCLC have been identified in pivotal phase III trials with fluorescence in situ hybridization (ALK FISH +). These tumors are also expressing the fusion product (ALK immunohistochemistry (IHC) +). However, discrepant cases occur, including ALK IHC + FISH-. The aim of this study was to collect ALK IHC + cases and compare within this group response to crizotinib treatment of ALK FISH + cases with ALK FISH- cases.Materials and methods: In this European prospective multicenter research study patients with Stage IV ALK IHC + NSCLC treated with crizotinib were enrolled. Tumor slides were validated centrally for ALK IHC and ALK FISH.Results: Registration of 3523 ALK IHC tests revealed a prevalence of 2.7% (n = 94) ALK IHC + cases. Local ALK FISH analysis resulted in 48 concordant (ALK IHC + /FISH +) and 16 discordant (ALK IHC + /FISH-) cases. Central validation revealed 37 concordant and 7 discordant cases, 5 of which had follow-up. Validation was hampered by limited amount of tissue in biopsy samples. The PFS at 1 year for ALK concordant and discordant was 58% and 20%, respectively (HR = 2.4; 95% CI: 0.78-7.3; p = 0.11). Overall survival was significantly better for concordant cases than discordant cases after central validation (HR = 4.5; 95% CI = 1.2-15.9; p = 0.010.Conclusion: ALK IHC + FISH- NSCLC is infrequent and associated with a worse outcome on personalized treatment. A suitable predictive testing strategy may be to screen first with IHC and then confirm with FISH instead of considering ALK IHC equivalent to ALK FISH according to the current guidelines.

9020 Background: Capmatinib, a selective MET inhibitor, is approved in the USA and Japan for the treatment of patients (pts) with MET exon 14 skipping mutation ( METex14) advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) based on the multi-cohort phase II GEOMETRY mono-1 study. This is the first report on expansion Cohort 7 in first line (1L) METex14 NSCLC pts, with updates to previously reported results (Wolf et al, NEJM 2020) for METex14 pts. Methods: In GEOMETRY mono-1, pts were assigned to cohorts based on previous lines of therapy and MET status ( METex14 or MET amplification). This efficacy analysis includes patients with METex14 NSCLC who were treatment-naive (Cohort 5b and 7) and those who had previously received 1L or 2L of therapy (expansion Cohort 6 and Cohort 4) for their advanced disease (data cutoff: Sep 18, 2020). Evaluated outcomes included overall response rate (ORR), duration of response (DOR), and progression-free survival (PFS), all by BIRC; and overall survival (OS). The safety analysis includes all patients enrolled. Results: In total, 160 pts with METex14 who received capmatinib 400 mg BID were analyzed. ORR of 65.6% (95% CI 46.8-81.4) for the treatment-naive expansion Cohort 7 was in line with that previously reported for Cohort 5b (Table). Though Cohort 7 data are still immature, median PFS was 10.8 mo (95% CI 6.87-not estimable [NE]). Mature median OS was 20.8 mo (95% CI 12.4-NE) in Cohort 5b and 13.6 mo (95% CI 8.6-22.2) in Cohort 4. Median OS for Cohorts 6 and 7 and DOR for Cohort 7 are not yet reached. The safety profile remained unchanged across all study cohorts (N = 373): 98.4% of pts reported AEs (68.6% Grade [G] 3/4) regardless of causality and 16.1% reported AEs leading to discontinuation (10.5% G3/4). The most common AEs (≥20% all G) were peripheral edema (54.2%), nausea (45.0%), vomiting (28.2%), increased blood creatinine (26.5%), dyspnea (23.3%), fatigue (22.3%), and decreased appetite (21.2%). Conclusions: Results of Cohort 7 confirm those previously reported for Cohort 5b showing higher efficacy of capmatinib when used as 1L in METex14 NSCLC pts. A clinically meaningful median OS of 20.8 mo in 1L (Cohort 5b) and of 13.6 mo in relapse (Cohort 4) was also observed and, together with the continued manageable toxicity profile, the data support capmatinib as a valuable targeted treatment option for METex14 NSCLC pts. Clinical trial information: NCT02414139. [Table: see text]

Background: Immune checkpoint inhibitors are a new standard of care for patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) without EGFR tyrosine kinase or anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) genetic aberrations (EGFR−/ALK−), but clinical benefit in patients with EGFR mutations or ALK rearrangements (EGFR+/ALK+) has not been shown. We assessed the effect of durvalumab (anti-PD-L1) treatment in three cohorts of patients with NSCLC defined by EGFR/ALK status and tumour expression of PD-L1. Methods: ATLANTIC is a phase 2, open-label, single-arm trial at 139 study centres in Asia, Europe, and North America. Eligible patients had advanced NSCLC with disease progression following at least two previous systemic regimens, including platinum-based chemotherapy (and tyrosine kinase inhibitor therapy if indicated); were aged 18 years or older; had a WHO performance status score of 0 or 1; and measurable disease per Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST) version 1.1. Key exclusion criteria included mixed small-cell lung cancer and NSCLC histology; previous exposure to any anti-PD-1 or anti-PD-L1 antibody; and any previous grade 3 or worse immune-related adverse event while receiving any immunotherapy agent. Patients in cohort 1 had EGFR+/ALK+ NSCLC with at least 25%, or less than 25%, of tumour cells with PD-L1 expression. Patients in cohorts 2 and 3 had EGFR−/ALK− NSCLC; cohort 2 included patients with at least 25%, or less than 25%, of tumour cells with PD-L1 expression, and cohort 3 included patients with at least 90% of tumour cells with PD-L1 expression. Patients received durvalumab (10 mg/kg) every 2 weeks, via intravenous infusion, for up to 12 months. Retreatment was allowed for patients who benefited but then progressed after completing 12 months. The primary endpoint was the proportion of patients with increased tumour expression of PD-L1 (defined as ≥25% of tumour cells in cohorts 1 and 2, and ≥90% of tumour cells in cohort 3) who achieved an objective response, assessed in patients who were evaluable for response per independent central review according to RECIST version 1.1. Safety was assessed in all patients who received at least one dose of durvalumab and for whom any post-dose data were available. The trial is ongoing, but is no longer open to accrual, and is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT02087423. Findings: Between Feb 25, 2014, and Dec 28, 2015, 444 patients were enrolled and received durvalumab: 111 in cohort 1, 265 in cohort 2, and 68 in cohort 3. Among patients with at least 25% of tumour cells expressing PD-L1 who were evaluable for objective response per independent central review, an objective response was achieved in 9 (12·2%, 95% CI 5·7–21·8) of 74 patients in cohort 1 and 24 (16·4%, 10·8–23·5) of 146 patients in cohort 2. In cohort 3, 21 (30·9%, 20·2–43·3) of 68 patients achieved an objective response. Grade 3 or 4 treatment-related adverse events occurred in 40 (9%) of 444 patients overall: six (5%) of 111 patients in cohort 1, 22 (8%) of 265 in cohort 2, and 12 (18%) of 68 in cohort 3. The most common treatment-related grade 3 or 4 adverse events were pneumonitis (four patients [1%]), elevated gamma-glutamyltransferase (four [1%]), diarrhoea (three [1%]), infusion-related reaction (three [1%]), elevated aspartate aminotransferase (two [

9509 Background: In the ongoing, multicohort, phase 2 GEOMETRY mono-1 study, capmatinib (INC280) has shown efficacy in METex14–mutated NSCLC patients (pts) who were pretreated (cohort 4) or treatment (tx)-naïve (cohort 5b). Here, we report the efficacy and safety of capmatinib in pts with high-level MET-amplified (gene copy number [GCN] ≥10) advanced NSCLC who were either pretreated with 1 or 2 prior lines of systemic therapy (cohort 1a) or tx-naïve (cohort 5a). Methods: Adult pts (≥18 years), ECOG PS 0–1 who had ALK and EGFR wt, stage IIIB/IV (any histology) MET-amplified NSCLC with GCN≥10 received capmatinib 400 mg twice daily (fasting). Primary and key secondary endpoints were overall response rate (ORR) and duration of response (DOR), respectively, by blinded independent review committee (BIRC) assessment per RECIST v1.1. Other secondary endpoints included investigator-assessed ORR, DOR, disease control rate (DCR), progression-free survival (PFS, BIRC and investigator assessment), overall survival, and safety. Results: As of Jan 06, 2020, 84 pts were evaluable for efficacy (cohort 1a [2nd/3rd line], 69 pts; Cohort 5a [1st line], 15 pts). Tx was ongoing for 3 pts in cohort 1a, none in cohort 5a. Per BIRC assessment in cohorts 1a and 5a, respectively, ORR was 29% and 40%, median DOR was 8.31 months (mo, 20 responders, 95% CI: 4.17–15.44) and 7.54 mo (6 responders, 95% CI: 2.56–14.26), and median PFS was 4.07 (95% CI: 2.86–4.83) and 4.17 (95% CI: 1.45–6.87) mo. Investigator assessment was in line with BIRC assessment (Table). The most common adverse events across all cohorts (≥25%, all grades, N = 364) were peripheral edema (51.1%), nausea (44.8%) and vomiting (28.0%). Data for biomarker analysis and pts with brain metastasis will be presented at the ASCO 2020 meeting. Conclusion: Capmatinib has demonstrated activity in the subset of pts with high-level MET-amplified (GCN≥10) NSCLC, with a higher response rate in tx-naïve pts. Safety profile remains favorable and similar to previous reports of capmatinib. Clinical trial information: NCT02414139 . [Table: see text]

e13525 Background: Due to the lack of specificity of contrast-enhanced (CE) MRI, the differentiation of progression from pseudoprogression (PsP) following immunotherapy using checkpoint inhibitors (IT) or targeted therapy (TT) may be challenging, especially when IT or TT is applied in combination with radiotherapy (RT). Similarly, for response assessment of RT plus IT or targeted therapy (TT), the use of CE MRI alone may also be difficult. For problem solving, the integration of advanced imaging methods may add valuable information. Here, we evaluated the value of amino acid PET using O-(2-[18F]fluoroethyl)-L-tyrosine (FET) in comparison to CE MRI for these important clinical situations in patients with brain metastases (BM) secondary to malignant melanoma (MM) and non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Methods: From 2015-2018, we retrospectively identified 31 patients with 74 BM secondary to MM (n = 20 with 42 BM) and NSCLC (n = 11 with 32 BM) who underwent 52 FET PET scans during the course of disease. All patients had RT prior to IT or TT initiation (61%) or RT concurrent to IT or TT (39%). In 13 patients, FET PET was performed for treatment response assessment of IT or TT using baseline and follow-up scans (median time between scans, 4.2 months). In the remaining 18 patients, FET PET was used for the differentiation of progression from PsP related to RT plus IT or TT. In all BM, metabolic activity on FET PET was evaluated by calculation of tumor/brain ratios. FET PET imaging findings were compared to CE MRI and correlated to the clinical follow-up or neuropathological findings after neuroimaging. Results: In 4 of 13 patients (31%), FET PET provided additional information for treatment response evaluation beyond the information provided by CE MRI alone. Furthermore, responding patients on FET PET had a median stable clinical follow-up of 10 months. In 10 of 18 patients (56%) with CE MRI findings suggesting progression, FET PET detected PsP. In 9 of these 10 patients, PsP was confirmed by a median stable clinical follow-up of 11 months. Conclusions: FET PET may add valuable information for treatment monitoring in individual BM patients undergoing RT in combination with IT or TT.

BACKGROUND Capmatinib is a highly potent, selective MET-inhibitor known to cross the BBB, and intracranial activity with capmatinib has been previously reported. Updated results for overall response rate (ORR), duration of response (DOR), progression-free survival (PFS), and brain metastases (BM) activity from the GEOMETRY mono-1 study are presented here. METHODS GEOMETRY mono-1 is a phase 2, multi-cohort, multicenter study evaluating capmatinib in METΔex14-mutated or MET-amplified NSCLC patients. Patients (≥18 years) with ECOG PS 0–1, ALK-/EGFR-wt, and stage IIIB/IV NSCLC were eligible. Patients with asymptomatic BM were allowed. METΔex14-mutated patients were assigned to Cohorts 4 (1–2 prior lines of treatment) and 5b (treatment-naive) and received capmatinib 400mg BID. Endpoints by BIRC: ORR (primary, RECIST v1.1), DOR, and PFS. Ad hoc BIRC neuro-radiologic assessments of all Cohort 4 and 5b patients with baseline BM were performed. RESULTS As of April 15, 2019, 97 patients (Cohort 4: 69 patients; Cohort 5b: 28 patients) were evaluable for efficacy. BIRC assessments: ORR (95%CI): 40.6% (28.9–53.1) in Cohort 4; 67.9% (47.6–84.1) in Cohort 5b. Median DOR (95%CI): 9.7 (5.55–12.98) and 11.1 (5.55-NE) months and median PFS (95%CI): 5.4 (4.17–6.97) and 9.7 (5.52–13.86) months for Cohorts 4 and 5b, respectively. Of 13 evaluable patients with BM at baseline, 7 (54%) had intracranial response by BIRC, including 4 patients with complete resolution of brain lesions, and 12/13 had intracranial disease control. Responses in the brain were as fast as systemic responses. Most common treatment-related AEs (≥15%, all grades) across all cohorts (N=334): peripheral edema (41.6%), nausea (33.2%), increased blood creatinine (19.5%), and vomiting (18.9%); most AEs were grade 1/2. CONCLUSION These data confirm capmatinib to be a promising new treatment option for patients with METΔex14-mutated advanced NSCLC regardless of line of therapy, with deep and durable responses including in patients with brain metastases, and a manageable toxicity profile.

Introduction Mutations in erb-b2 receptor tyrosine kinase 2 (HER2) oncogene are observed in approximately 3% of lung adenocarcinomas or mixed tumors with adenocarcinoma component. Activity of various biologically distinct HER2 inhibitors, including the pan-HER inhibitor afatinib, has been reported in several retrospective trials or small series in advanced pretreated NSCLC with HER2 mutations. We report the first prospective evaluation of afatinib for the treatment of this molecularly defined entity. Methods NICHE, a single-arm phase II trial using a two-stage Simon's design, explored the potential of afatinib to control disease in pretreated patients with advanced NSCLC harboring HER2 exon 20 mutations. A total of 13 patients entered the trial and were treated with afatinib 40 mg/day until tumor progression or lack of tolerability. Results The first-stage stopping boundary was crossed when five of nine patients did not achieve disease control at 12 weeks. The accrual into the trial was stopped with total 13 patients enrolled, with 7 (53.8%) achieving disease control at 12 weeks. Except for 1 patient with early death, progression was documented for all patients, with median progression-free survival of 15.9 weeks (95% confidence interval: 6.0–35.4), and median overall survival of 56.0 weeks (95% confidence interval: 16.3– upper limit not estimable). The toxicity profile was in the expected range. Conclusions Afatinib did not show the expected potential for disease control in NSCLC. However, more than half of the patients in the full cohort achieved disease control at 12 weeks.

One distinct molecular subtype of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is defined by rearrangement of the anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK). The increasing knowledge over the last years has enabled the continuous improvement of ALK inhibitors; however, resistance in these patients remains a major concern. In this review, we summarize recent findings in ALK+-adenocarcinoma of the lung, highlighting the role of TP53 mutations in this specific cancer type and suggest new diagnostic strategies for the future, in order to improve patient's outcome.

e20577 Background: Multiple mechanisms of resistance to EGFR TKIs therapy in EGFR-mutant non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) have been described, most often including the acquisition of the secondary resistance mutations in exon 20 of EGFR. Preclinical models and clinical findings have also shown that co-occurring activation of the RAS/MEK pathway may result in reduced EGFR dependency, which may be overcome by co-inhibition of MEK. We thus hypothesize that the combined inhibition of EGFR and MEK may restore sensitivity to EGFR inhibition in patients with acquired resistance to EGFR inhibition and may as well prolong the acquisition of resistance in treatment-naïve patients. Methods: EATON is an international, multicenter, phase I, dose escalation investigator-initiated trial investigating the recommended phase 2 dose (RP2D), safety and preliminary efficacy of the combination of the third-generation EGFR inhibitor EGF816 with the MEK inhibitor trametinib (NCT03516214). Eligibility criteria: Advanced NSCLC harboring EGFR del19 or p.L858R, first-line or after failure of any EGFR TKI including osimertinib, independently of p.T790M status. Patients with high-level MET amplification are excluded. Dose level escalation will be based on a modified traditional cumulative 3+3 design, i.e. “up and down” (dose level 1: 100 mg nazartinib (EGF816) QD + 1 mg trametinib QD). A total number of 24 patients is planned to be enrolled in 8 trial sites in Germany and Spain. At a first stage, 18 (6´3) patients will be treated and evaluated. Exploratory endpoints aim at the identification of potential mechanisms of resistance to the trial treatment by massively parallel sequencing (MPS), FISH, phospho-protein analyses and whole exome/genome sequencing of baseline and PD biopsy tumour tissue. Additionally blood samples for MPS of cell free DNA will be collected throughout the trial treatment. Results: At the time of data-cut off for this abstract, one patient received treatment at dose-level 1. Treatment was withdrawn due to a serious, bacterial soft tissue infection of the hand outside the DLT period. Conclusions: Data on safety and tolerability of the combination of nazartinib and trametinib is premature. Updated results will be presented at the conference. Clinical trial information: NCT03516214.

9520 Background: Capmatinib (INC280) has shown promising efficacy in patients (pts) with MET exon 14 ( METex14)–mutated NSCLC who were pretreated (cohort 4) or treatment (tx)-naïve (cohort 5b) in the ongoing, multicohort, phase 2 GEOMETRY mono-1 study. We report the results for pts enrolled in the expansion cohort 6 with either high-level MET amplification (gene copy number [GCN] ≥10) or METex14 mutation (any MET GCN) whose disease progressed on 1 prior line of systemic therapy. Methods: Adult pts (≥18 years), ECOG PS 0–1 who had ALK and EGFR wt, stage IIIB/IV NSCLC (any histology) received capmatinib tablets 400 mg twice daily (with or without food). Key efficacy endpoints were overall response rate (ORR) and duration of response (DOR) by blinded independent review committee (BIRC) per RECIST v1.1. Other secondary endpoints included investigator-assessed ORR, DOR, disease control rate (DCR), progression-free survival (PFS; BIRC and investigator assessment) and safety. Results: As of Jan 6, 2020, 34 NSCLC pts with METex14 mutation (n = 31) or high-level MET amplification (n = 3) were included in this analysis. Tx was ongoing for 38.2% of pts. In METex14-mutated NSCLC pts, per BIRC assessment: ORR was 48.4%, median DOR was 6.93 months (mo, not yet mature, 95% CI: 4.17–NE) and median PFS was 8.11 mo (not yet mature, 95% CI: 4.17–9.86). Investigator-assessed responses were similar to BIRC assessment (Table). Only 3 pts with high-level MET amplification were included in this cohort due to challenges in enrollment. All 3 pts had stable disease per BIRC assessment and were on treatment for 48, 85 and 97 days. Most common AEs (≥25%, all grades, N = 34) were peripheral edema (64.7%), nausea (35.3%), fatigue (29.4%), back pain (26.5%) and vomiting (26.5%). Data for pts with brain metastasis will be presented at the ASCO 2020 meeting. Conclusions: Capmatinib was confirmed to be efficacious in 2nd line, METex14-mutated NSCLC pts. This is the first cohort where capmatinib has been administered without fasting restriction and data confirm the favorable safety profile. Clinical trial information: NCT02414139 . [Table: see text]

Background: We analyzed whether co-occurring mutations influence the outcome of systemic therapy in ALK-rearranged non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Patients and methods: ALK-rearranged stage IIIB/IV NSCLC patients were analyzed with next-generation sequencing and fluorescence in situ hybridization analyses on a centralized diagnostic platform. Median progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were determined in the total cohort and in treatment-related sub-cohorts. Cox regression analyses were carried out to exclude confounders. Results: Among 216 patients with ALK-rearranged NSCLC, the frequency of pathogenic TP53 mutations was 23.8%, while other co-occurring mutations were rare events. In ALK/TP53 co-mutated patients, median PFS and OS were significantly lower compared with TP53 wildtype patients [PFS 3.9 months (95% CI: 2.4–5.6) versus 10.3 months (95% CI: 8.6–12.0), P < 0.001; OS 15.0 months (95% CI: 5.0–24.9) versus 50.0 months (95% CI: 22.9–77.1), P = 0.002]. This difference was confirmed in all treatment-related subgroups including chemotherapy only [PFS first-line chemotherapy 2.6 months (95% CI: 1.3–4.1) versus 6.2 months (95% CI: 1.8–10.5), P = 0.021; OS 2.0 months (95% CI: 0.0–4.6) versus 9.0 months (95% CI: 6.1–11.9), P = 0.035], crizotinib plus chemotherapy [PFS crizotinib 5.0 months (95% CI: 2.9–7.2) versus 14.0 months (95% CI: 8.0–20.1), P < 0.001; OS 17.0 months (95% CI: 6.7–27.3) versus not reached, P = 0.049] and crizotinib followed by next-generation ALK-inhibitor [PFS next-generation inhibitor 5.4 months (95% CI: 0.1–10.7) versus 9.9 months (95% CI: 6.4–13.5), P = 0.039; OS 7.0 months versus 50.0 months (95% CI: not reached), P = 0.001). Conclusions: In ALK-rearranged NSCLC co-occurring TP53 mutations predict an unfavorable outcome of systemic therapy. Our observations encourage future research to understand the underlying molecular mechanisms and to improve treatment outcome of the ALK/TP53 co-mutated subgroup.

Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) represents the most aggressive pulmonary neoplasm and is often diagnosed at late stage with limited survival, despite combined chemotherapies. We show in an autochthonous mouse model of SCLC that combined anti-VEGF/anti-PD-L1–targeted therapy synergistically improves treatment outcome compared with anti–PD-L1 and anti-VEGF monotherapy. Mice treated with anti–PD-L1 alone relapsed after 3 weeks and were associated with a tumor-associated PD-1/TIM-3 double-positive exhausted T-cell phenotype. This exhausted T-cell phenotype upon PD-L1 blockade was abrogated by the addition of anti-VEGF–targeted treatment. We confirmed a similar TIM-3–positive T-cell phenotype in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of patients with SCLC with adaptive resistance to anti–PD-1 treatment. Mechanistically, we show that VEGFA enhances coexpression of the inhibitory receptor TIM-3 on T cells, indicating an immunosuppressive function of VEGF in patients with SCLC during anti–PD-1-targeted treatment. Our data strongly suggest that a combination of anti-VEGF and anti–PD-L1 therapies can be an effective treatment strategy in patients with SCLC. Significance: Combining VEGF and PD-L1 blockade could be of therapeutic benefit to patients with small cell lung cancer. Cancer Res; 78(15); 4270–81. ©2018 AACR.

Within 4 years of the discovery of anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) rearrangements in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), the ALK inhibitor crizotinib gained US and European approval for the treatment of advanced ALK-positive NSCLC. This was due to the striking response data observed with crizotinib in phase I and II trials in patients with ALIC-positive NSCLC, as well as the favorable tolerability and safety profile observed. Recently published phase III data established crizotinib as a new standard of care for this NSCLC molecular subset. A consequence of such rapid approval, however, is the limited clinical experience and relative paucity of information concerning optimal therapy management. In this review, we discuss the development of crizotinib and the clinical relevance of its safety profile, examining crizotinib-associated adverse events in detail and making specific management recommendations. Crizotinib-associated adverse events were mostly mild to moderate in severity in clinical studies, and appropriate monitoring and supportive therapies are considered effective in avoiding the need for dose interruption or reduction in most cases. Therapy management of patients following disease progression on crizotinib is also discussed. Based on available clinical data, it is evident that patients may have prolonged benefit from crizotinib after Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors-defined disease progression, and crizotinib should be continued for as long as the patient derives benefit. (C) 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.

Inhibition of the PD-1/PD-L1 pathway may induce anticancer immune responses in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Two PD-L1 immunohistochemistry (IHC) assays have been approved as companion diagnostic tests for therapeutic anti-PD-1 antibodies. However, many aspects of PD-L1 prevalence and association with genetically defined subtypes have not been addressed systematically. Here, we analyzed PD-L1 expression in 436 genetically annotated NSCLC specimens enriched for early stages using PD-L1 antibody 5H1. Expression of PD-L1 was detected in the tumor cells (TC) (34% of cases) and in associated immune cells (IC) (49%) across all stages of NSCLC, either alone or in combination. PD-L1 IHC-positive TC, but not IC showed significantly higher PD-L1 RNA expression levels. Expression in TC was associated with TP53, KRAS and STK11 mutational status in adenocarcinomas (AD) and with NFE2L2 mutations in squamous cell carcinomas (SQ). No correlations with histological subtype, clinical characteristics and overall survival were found. The presence of PD-L1-positive IC was significantly associated with patients' smoking status in AD. The findings are in agreement with the emerging concept that tumors with high mutational burden are more likely to benefit from immunotherapy, since TP53 and KRAS mutations are linked to smoking, increased numbers of somatic mutations and expression of neoantigens. Current clinical studies focus on stage IIIB and IV NSCLC; however, PD-L1 expression occurs in earlier stages and might be a predictive biomarker in clinical trials testing (neo-) adjuvant strategies.

BackgroundBRAF V600 mutations occur in various nonmelanoma cancers. We undertook a histology-independent phase 2 “basket” study of vemurafenib in BRAF V600 mutation–positive nonmelanoma cancers. MethodsWe enrolled patients in six prespecified cancer cohorts; patients with all other tumor types were enrolled in a seventh cohort. A total of 122 patients with BRAF V600 mutation–positive cancer were treated, including 27 patients with colorectal cancer who received vemurafenib and cetuximab. The primary end point was the response rate; secondary end points included progression-free and overall survival. ResultsIn the cohort with non–small-cell lung cancer, the response rate was 42% (95% confidence interval [CI], 20 to 67) and median progression-free survival was 7.3 months (95% CI, 3.5 to 10.8). In the cohort with Erdheim–Chester disease or Langerhans’-cell histiocytosis, the response rate was 43% (95% CI, 18 to 71); the median treatment duration was 5.9 months (range, 0.6 to 18.6), and no patients had diseas...

BACKGROUND: Ceritinib is an ALK inhibitor (ALKi) recently approved for patients with ALK+ advanced NSCLC. Efficacy and safety were evaluated in a subset of patients with BM in the phase I ASCEND-1 study. In 246 patients with ALK+ NSCLC who received ceritinib 750 mg/day, overall response rate (ORR) was 58.5% (95% CI: 52.1, 64.8) and was 66.3% (55.1, 76.3) and 54.6% (46.6, 62.4) in ALKi-naive and ALKi-treated patients, respectively. METHODS: Patients with ALK+ advanced NSCLC and clinically/neurologically stable BM at baseline who received ceritinib 750 mg/day were analyzed for response based on investigator assessment. RESULTS: Among 246 patients, 124 had BM at baseline, including 98 with prior ALKi treatment and 26 who were ALKi-naive. The BM subset had a median age of 51.0 years; 85.5% with an ECOG PS ≤1; 58.1% Caucasian, 39.5% Asian; median time from NSCLC diagnosis to first ceritinib dose was 20.5 months. Median duration of exposure was 27 weeks. ORR was 54.0% (44.9, 63.0) in the full cohort [50.0% (39.7, 60.3) in ALKi-treated and 69.2% (48.2, 85.7) in ALKi-naive]. Median DOR was 7.0 mo (5.5, 9.7) for the full subset [6.9 mo (4.8, 8.5) in ALKi-treated and not estimable (NE) in ALKi-naive]. Median PFS was 6.9 mo (5.4, 8.4) [6.7 mo (4.9, 8.4) and 8.3 mo (4.6, NE) in ALKi-treated and ALKi-naive]. Measurable target lesions were identified at baseline in 14 patients (10 ALKi-treated, 4 ALKi-naive). Seven of these patients achieved a response in the brain (4 ALKi-treated, 3 ALKi-naive) and 3 had stable disease (all ALKi-treated). The most common adverse events (all grades) in all patients and the BM subset were diarrhea (86% vs 79%), nausea (80% vs 82%), and vomiting (60% vs 63%). CONCLUSIONS: Ceritinib has clinically significant durable efficacy in patients with ALK+ NSCLC, including patients with BM, regardless of prior ALKi treatment.

BackgroundNon–small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) harboring the anaplastic lymphoma kinase gene (ALK) rearrangement is sensitive to the ALK inhibitor crizotinib, but resistance invariably develops. Ceritinib (LDK378) is a new ALK inhibitor that has shown greater antitumor potency than crizotinib in preclinical studies. MethodsIn this phase 1 study, we administered oral ceritinib in doses of 50 to 750 mg once daily to patients with advanced cancers harboring genetic alterations in ALK. In an expansion phase of the study, patients received the maximum tolerated dose. Patients were assessed to determine the safety, pharmacokinetic properties, and antitumor activity of ceritinib. Tumor biopsies were performed before ceritinib treatment to identify resistance mutations in ALK in a group of patients with NSCLC who had had disease progression during treatment with crizotinib. ResultsA total of 59 patients were enrolled in the dose-escalation phase. The maximum tolerated dose of ceritinib was 750 mg once daily; dose-l...

8109 Background: HER2 amplifications and/or mutations are rare genetic alterations in NSCLC accounting for approximately 4%. Preliminary clinical data suggested efficacy of trastuzumab (Herceptin) ...

8034 Background: Identifying molecular drivers in lung squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is a major medical need since no targeted therapy is available yet for this subtype. Fibroblast growth factor receptors (FGFRs) are physiologically involved in cell proliferation and survival. Genetic alteration of FGFR genes leads to deregulated activation in various cancers, and FGFR1 amplification has been detected in lung SCC. Here, we report on patients (pts) with FGFR1-amplified lung SCC treated in a phase 1 study of BGJ398, a potent, selective pan-FGFR inhibitor. Methods: While this phase 1 dose-escalation study enrolled pts ≥ 18 years of age with any FGFR genetically altered tumor, we report here on the subgroup of pts with FGFR1-amplified advanced or metastatic lung SCC treated with 100 or 125 mg BGJ398 once daily in 28-day cycles. Pts who had progressed following at least 1 line of therapy, including platinum, were eligible for enrollment. FGFR1-amplified tumors were identified by fluorescent/chromogenic in situ...

8003^ Background: ALK+ NSCLC is sensitive to crizotinib (CRZ) but patients (pts) invariably progress. Ceritinib (LDK378) is a novel ALK inhibitor (ALKi) more potent than CRZ in enzymatic and cell-b...

Hodgkin-Reed Sternberg cells are derived from germinal centre B-cells in most cases. Somatic mutations affecting their rearranged immunoglobulin genes were detected, rendering potential functional rearrangements non-functional. Under physiological conditions such cells would be designated to undergo apoptosis within the germinal centre. In search for the specific transforming event that prevents Hodgkin-Reed Sternberg cells from programmed cell death, cytogenetic analyses were broadly performed but did not reveal specific chromosomal aberrations. Analysis of these cells on the molecular level is difficult to perform due to the scarcity of the cells in the lymphoma tissue and the given limitations of in situ studies. To overcome these limitations, the cell line L1236, known to be derived from Hodgkin-Reed Sternberg cells in situ, was chosen for allelotype analysis. Using a panel of microsatellite loci assigned to nearly all chromosomal arms, regions of loss of heterozygosity were detected on chromosomal arms 6p, 9q and 17p. The size of lost segments was estimated by amplification of additional microsatellite loci mapped to the respective regions. Further analyses of single Hodgkin-Reed Sternberg cells will reveal whether LOH affecting these regions is a recurrent event in HD and to which extent the smallest commonly affected region can be estimated. © 2001 Cancer Research Campaign http://www.bjcancer.com

International audience; Ubiquitous mitochondrial creatine kinase (uMtCK), a key enzyme in energy metabolism, was identified by differential display PCR to be specifically overexpressed in L1236, the first cell line of definite Hodgkin origin. RT-PCR confirmed overexpression of uMtCK in the L1236 cell line and the absence of cytosolic B-CK, which is co-expressed with MtCK physiologically. Cyclocreatine (cCr), whose phosphorylated form is a very poor substrate for CK, inhibited proliferation of the L1236 cell line nearly entirely. This inhibition by cCr was partially reversed by competition with creatine, which by itself had no effect on proliferation of the L1236 cell line. Although these results support a role of CK activity in the inhibitory action of cCr, it remains open whether the cCr effect is due to its inhibition of CK-linked energy metabolism or if alternative mechanisms have to be considered. Because the anti-proliferative effect of cCr was not due to induction of apoptosis, in contrast to most other anticancer agents, treatment with the creatine analogue cCr may represent an advantageous therapeutic approach for cells resistant to programmed cell death.

Introduction Approximately 2% of lung adenocarcinomas have BRAF (v-Raf murine sarcoma viral oncogene homolog B) mutations, including V600E and other types. Vemurafenib, dabrafenib, and sorafenib as BRAF inhibitors are currently tested in clinical trials, but access for patients is limited. The aim of this study was to document the clinical course of patients treated outside of clinical trials. Methods We conducted a retrospective multicenter cohort study in Europe of patients with advanced BRAF-mutant lung cancer treated with known BRAF inhibitors. Data were anonymized and centrally assessed for age, gender, smoking, histology, stage, local molecular diagnostic results, systemic therapies, and survival. Best response was assessed locally by RECIST1.1. Results We documented 35 patients treated in 17 centers with vemurafenib, dabrafenib, or sorafenib. Median age was 63 years (range 42–85); gender was balanced; 14 (40%) were never smokers; all (100%) had adenocarcinoma; 29 (83%) had V600E; 6 (17%) had other mutations; one of them had a concomitant KRAS mutation. Thirty (86%) patients had chemotherapy in the first line. Overall survival with first-line therapy was 25.3 months for V600E and 11.8 months for non-V600E. Thirty-one patients received one BRAF inhibitor, and four received a second inhibitor. Overall response rate with BRAF therapy was 53%, and disease control rate was 85%. Median progression-free survival with BRAF therapy was 5.0 months, and overall survival was 10.8 months. Conclusions These results confirm the activity of targeted therapy in patients with BRAF-mutant lung adenocarcinoma. Further trials are warranted to study combination therapies and drug resistance mechanisms.