Plasma next generation sequencing and droplet digital PCR‐based detection of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations in patients with advanced lung cancer treated with subsequent‐line osimertinib

Background Gene mutation analysis from plasma circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) can provide timely information regarding the mechanism of resistance that could translate to personalised treatment. We compared concordance rate of next generation sequencing (NGS) and droplet digital polymerase chain reaction (ddPCR) in the detection of the EGFR activating and T790M mutation from plasma ctDNA with diagnostic tissue biopsy‐based assays. The second objective was to test whether putative osimertinib resistance associated mutations were detectable from plasma using NGS. Methods From January 2016 to December 2017, we prospectively collected plasma samples from patients prior to commencement of second‐ or third‐line osimertinib therapy and upon disease progression, in a single tertiary hospital in South Western Sydney, Australia. Amplicon‐based NGS and ddPCR assays were used to detect activating epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and T790M mutations in 18 plasma samples from nine patients; all patients were required to have tissue biopsies with known EGFR status. Results High concordance of allelic fractions were seen in matched plasma NGS and ddPCR for activating EGFR mutations and T790M mutations (R2 = 0.92, P