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M. Majem



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    O15 - NSCLC - Chemotherapy II (ID 109)

    • Event: WCLC 2013
    • Type: Oral Abstract Session
    • Track: Medical Oncology
    • Presentations: 1
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      O15.02 - The Spanish Lung Cancer Group (SLCG) BRCA1-RAP80 Expression Customization (BREC) randomized phase III trial of customized chemotherapy in advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients with wild-type epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) (NCT00617656/GECP-BREC) (ID 1157)

      10:30 - 12:00  |  Author(s): M. Majem

      • Abstract
      • Presentation
      • Slides

      Background
      RAP80, a component of the BRCA1 complex, influenced outcome both in p with low BRCA1 expression treated with cisplatin (cis)/gemcitabine (gem) and in p with intermediate/high BRCA1 levels treated with cis/docetaxel (doc) or with doc alone in the SLCG phase II customized chemotherapy trial (NCT00883480). Based on these findings, the SLCG and the French Lung Cancer Group performed a prospective, randomized phase III trial in metastatic NSCLC patients to compare non-customized cis/doc with customized therapy customized according to BRCA1 and RAP80 mRNA expression levels.

      Methods
      From 2008 to 2013, patients with wild-type EGFR were randomized 1:1 to the control or experimental arm. Planned accrual was 391 patients. Treatment in the control arm was cis/doc, while patients in the experimental arm received treatment according to their BRCA1 and RAP80 levels: 1) those with low RAP80, regardless of BRCA1 levels, received cis/gem; 2) those with intermediate/high RAP80 and low/intermediate BRCA1 received cis/doc; and 3) those with intermediate/high RAP80 and high BRCA1 received doc alone. The primary endpoint was progression-free survival (PFS).

      Results
      At 15 October 2012, 279 patients had been included and the planned interim analysis was performed. PFS was 5.49 months (m) in the control and 4.38 m in the experimental arm (P=0.07). Overall survival (OS) was 12.66 m in the control and 8.52 m in the experimental arm (P=0.006). Response rate (RR) was 37.3% in the control and 27% in the experimental arm (P=0.07). In the multivariate analysis including PS, treatment arm, BRCA1, RAP80, histology, smoking status and metastatic site, only extrathoracic metastases were associated with an increased risk of progression (HR, 1.78; P=0.02). In a post hoc analysis restricted to patients with ECOG PS 0, PFS was 3.91 m in the control and 7.47 m in the experimental arm (P=0.01) for those with low RAP80 levels (experimental group 1). PFS for patients in experimental groups 1, 2 and 3 was 7.47, 7.01 and 3.22 m, respectively (P=0.02). OS for patients in experimental groups 1, 2 and 3 was 28.88, 15.86 and 11.81 m, respectively (P=0.04).

      Conclusion
      Based on the negative results for PFS at the interim analysis, accrual was closed on this study. The negative results may be due to the poor predictive capacity of RAP80 and/or to the inclusion of doc alone as a treatment in the experimental arm. In addition, doc/cis may not have been the ideal combination for the control arm. Customized chemotherapy could be further encouraged in oncogene-driven pan-negative patients with PS 0.

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    P1.11 - Poster Session 1 - NSCLC Novel Therapies (ID 208)

    • Event: WCLC 2013
    • Type: Poster Session
    • Track: Medical Oncology
    • Presentations: 1
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      P1.11-046 - Women with lung cancer harboring epidermal growth factor (EGFR) mutations: prevalence, clinical characteristics and EGFR tyrosine kinase (TKI) treatment-related outcomes. Results from the Spanish WORLD07 database (ID 3078)

      09:30 - 16:30  |  Author(s): M. Majem

      • Abstract

      Background
      EGFR mutations define a distinct molecular subset of non-small-cell lung cancer patients (p). Prevalence, baseline clinical characteristics and outcomes for women with lung cancer harboring EGFR mutations would be of interest.

      Methods
      We analyzed the clinical characteristics of women with lung cancer harboring EGFR mutations included in the WORLD07, a Spanish prospective, multicenter, epidemiologic female-specific e-database.

      Results
      A total of 2081 newly-diagnosed women with lung cancer from 38 Spanish centers were included in the WORLD07 e-database from October/2007 to October/2012. Overall 915 p were evaluated for EGFR mutation status, and 342 of them were found to have EGFR mutation (16% of all p in the e-database, 37% of p tested). EGFR-mutated p characteristics: median age 64.6 years; 86% had offspring; 8.2% had used oral contraceptives; smoking habit: 72% never smokers, 14% current smokers, 13% former smokers; for those never smokers, second-hand smokers 35%; histology: 91% adenocarcinoma, 1.5% squamous cell carcinoma, 2% large-cell carcinoma, 5% other; EGFR mutation type: 60% deletions in exon 19, 32.5% L858R mutations, 8% exon 20 mutations, 1% exon 18 mutations, 14% unknown. Sixty-nine percent of p had stage IV disease. A total of 184 EGFR mutated p received an oral EGFRTKI as 1[st] line (ECOG PS: 0 in 24%, 1 in 53%, 2 in 13%, 4 in 4%, unknown in 5%) achieving a 59% response rate (RR), 20% stable disease (SD), 10% progression (PD) and 11% not evaluable (NE); with a median follow-up of 12 months, median overall survival for these p was 21 months. A total of 72 p received an EGFRTKI as 2[nd] line with 37% RR, 34% SD, 19% PD and 10% NE. Only 16 p received an EGFRTKI as 3[rd] line, achieving a 38% RR, 19% SD, 31% PD and 12.5% NE. For those EGFR mutated women receiving an EGFRTKI as 1[st] line, RR to an EGFRTKI was 70% in those women harboring deletion in exon 19, and 45% in those with L858R mutation; median overall survival was 24 months in those with deletion in exon 19, and 17 months in those with L858R mutation. Response rate to an EGFRTKI as 1[st] line treatment was 59% in never-smoker p and 53% in current-smoker/former-smoker p with a median overall survival of 23 months and 21 months, respectively.

      Conclusion
      According to our prospective e-database of women with lung cancer, not selected for clinical trials and including all histologies, a high proportion harbor an EGFR mutation (16% of non-selected women, 37% of those tested). The vast majority of women with lung cancer harboring EGFR mutation are never smokers, have adenocarcinoma histology and outcomes similar to those previously reported in the literature. Additional epidemiologic and treatment data will be presented at the meeting.

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    P2.02 - Poster Session 2 - Novel Cancer Genes and Pathways (ID 148)

    • Event: WCLC 2013
    • Type: Poster Session
    • Track: Biology
    • Presentations: 1
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      P2.02-001 - MED12, a component of the transcriptional MEDIATOR complex, and STAT3 influence outcome to platinum-based chemotherapy in patients (p) with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) (ID 323)

      09:30 - 16:30  |  Author(s): M. Majem

      • Abstract

      Background
      MED12 negatively regulates TGF-b receptor signaling. Loss of MED12 induces an EMT-like phenotype associated with chemotherapy resistance. IDO and IL6 activate the JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway, which – together with NFkB (RelA) signaling – is often altered in lung cancer. BIM could influence response to chemotherapy. We have examined these components and KRAS mutations in NSCLC tumor samples and correlated results with progression-free survival (PFS).

      Methods
      The mRNA expression of MED12, IDO, JAK2, STAT3, RelA and BIM was examined in microdissected tumor samples from p with stage IV NSCLC. mRNA levels were assessed by RT-PCR and categorized by terciles (high vs low/intermediate). KRAS mutations were assessed by high resolution melting.

      Results
      A total of 55 p with performance status (PS) 0-1, treated with platinum plus either gemcitabine or pemetrexed: median age, 62 years; 27.6% females; 84.2% smokers; 66% adenocarcinoma; 16% with KRAS mutations. There was no correlation between gene expression levels and KRAS mutation status. In the multivariate analysis, including gene expression levels, histology and PS, only MED12 and STAT3 were associated with PFS (low MED12: HR=11.6, P=0.005; high STAT3: HR=6.5, P=0.01). HR for low BIM expression was 2.4 (P=0.16). None of the markers were associated with overall survival.

      Conclusion
      To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time that low expression of MED12 with significantly shorter PFS in NSCLC p receiving platinum-based chemotherapy. MED12 could be a new biomarker of chemoresistance and inhibition of TGF-bR signaling can restore chemotherapy response in patients with low MED12.

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    P2.06 - Poster Session 2 - Prognostic and Predictive Biomarkers (ID 165)

    • Event: WCLC 2013
    • Type: Poster Session
    • Track: Biology
    • Presentations: 1
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      P2.06-012 - Impact of EGFR T790M mutations and BIM mRNA expression on progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) in patients with EGFR-mutant non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) treated with erlotinib or chemotherapy in the randomized phase III EURTAC trial (ID 1167)

      09:30 - 16:30  |  Author(s): M. Majem

      • Abstract

      Background
      Activating EGFR mutations confer sensitivity to EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) in patients with NSCLC, but responses are transient, with delay in disease progression but no impact on survival. Concomitant genetic alterations could account for these incomplete clinical responses. Erlotinib-treated EGFR-mutant NSCLC patients harboring the EGFR T790M mutation had shorter PFS than those without the mutation (12 vs 18 months [m]). Low BIM levels were associated with gefitinib resistance in EGFR-mutant NSCLC.

      Methods
      The efficacy results of the EURTAC trial were updated at January 24, 2013. We have evaluated the frequency and potential impact of pretreatment EGFR T790M mutations and BIM mRNA expression in 95 patients with EGFR-mutant NSCLC included in the EURTAC trial.

      Results
      T790M mutations were detected in 65.26% of patients. PFS to erlotinib was 9.7 m for those with T790M mutations and 15.8 m for those without, while among patients receiving chemotherapy, it was 6 and 5.1 m, respectively (P<0.0001). BIM expression was successfully analyzed in 83 patients. PFS to erlotinib was 12.9 m for those with high BIM levels and 7.2 m for those with low/intermediate BIM levels, while among chemotherapy-treated patients, it was 5.8 and 5.5 m, respectively (P=0.0003). OS was 28.6 m for patients with high BIM expression and 22.1 m for those with low/intermediate BIM expression (P=0.0364). The multivariate analyses showed that erlotinib was a marker of longer PFS (HR, 0.35; P=0.0003), while high BIM expression was a marker of longer PFS (HR, 0.49; P=0.0122) and OS (HR, 0.53; P=0.0323).

      Conclusion
      BIM mRNA expression is a biomarker of PFS and OS in EGFR-mutant NSCLC. T790M mutations and BIM mRNA expression can potentially be used for designing combination therapeutic strategies for use in lieu of EGFR TKI monotherapy.

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    P3.02 - Poster Session 3 - Novel Cancer Genes and Pathways (ID 149)

    • Event: WCLC 2013
    • Type: Poster Session
    • Track: Biology
    • Presentations: 1
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      P3.02-009 - <b>ROR1 as a novel therapeutic target for EGFR-mutant non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients with the EGFR T790M mutation</b> (ID 1395)

      09:30 - 16:30  |  Author(s): M. Majem

      • Abstract

      Background
      Molecular cross-talk between EGFR and other signaling pathways creates alternative means of tumor cell proliferation and promotes resistance to single-agent erlotinib therapy in NSCLC driven by EGFR mutations. ROR1 knockdown inhibited the growth of NCI-H1975 cells (harboring EGFR L858R and T790M mutations). A pro-survival function for ROR1/MEK/ERK signaling in cooperation with AKT has been demonstrated. We have assessed ROR1 expression in 45 patients from the EURTAC trial (clinicaltrials.gov NCT00446225), 27 of whom harbored pretreatment concomitant EGFR T790M mutations, and correlated results with outcome.

      Methods
      ROR1 mRNA expression was examined by quantitative RT-PCR and categorized by terciles; patients were classified as having low/intermediate or high ROR1 expression. The T790M mutation was determined by Taqman with a PNA to inhibit amplification of the wild-type (wt) allele. Tumor samples were run in octuplicates; this method can detect 1 mutated allele among 10,000 wt alleles.

      Results
      Median age 65; 68.9% female; 57.8% never-smokers; 95.6% ECOG PS <2; 91.1% adenocarcinoma; 68.9% exon 19 deletion. No differences in baseline characteristics were observed according to ROR1 expression levels. 24 patients (53.3%) were treated with erlotinib and 21 (46.7%) with chemotherapy. 10 (41.7%) erlotinib-treated patients and 6 (28.6%) chemotherapy-treated patients had high ROR1 mRNA levels. Among erlotinib-treated patients, response rate (RR) was 40% for the 10 patients with high ROR1 levels vs 71.4% for the 14 with low/intermediate levels (P=0.058). Among chemotherapy-treated patients, RR for the 15 patients with low/intermediate ROR1 levels was 6.7%; the 6 patients with high ROR1 levels did not respond. Progression-free survival (PFS) was 11.8 months (m) for erlotinib-treated patients with low/intermediate ROR1 levels vs 5.8 m for those with high levels. PFS for chemotherapy-treated patients was 5.6 and 9 m, respectively (P=0.0165). 15 erlotinib-treated patients harbored concomitant T790M mutations; for these patients, PFS was10.8 m for those with low/intermediate ROR1 levels vs 2.7 m for those with high levels (P=0.0138).

      Conclusion
      ROR1 expression has a differential effect on outcome to erlotinib and chemotherapy in EGFR-mutant NSCLC patients. High ROR1 expression significantly limits PFS in erlotinib-treated patients with T790M mutations and ROR1-directed therapies can enhance the efficacy of treatment. In contrast, high ROR1 expression confers longer PFS to chemotherapy in the same group of patients. The role of chemotherapy and erlotinib in EGFR-mutant NSCLC patients with high ROR1 expression warrants further investigation.

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    P3.06 - Poster Session 3 - Prognostic and Predictive Biomarkers (ID 178)

    • Event: WCLC 2013
    • Type: Poster Session
    • Track: Biology
    • Presentations: 1
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      P3.06-006 - Integrated genomic analysis of EGFR-mutant non-small cell lung cancer immediately following erlotinib initiation in patients (ID 1003)

      09:30 - 16:30  |  Author(s): M. Majem

      • Abstract

      Background
      Major obstacles limiting the clinical success of EGFR TKI therapy in EGFR mutant non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients are heterogeneity and variability in the initial anti-tumor response to treatment. The underlying molecular basis for this heterogeneity has not been explored in patients immediately after initiation of therapy.

      Methods
      We conducted CT-guided core needle biopsies immediately prior to erlotinib treatment initiation and at 6 days and 60 days post erlotinib initiation in a patient with histologically confirmed NSCLC harboring an established activating mutation in EGFR. DNA and RNA from each of the frozen biopsies were analyzed by whole exome sequencing and whole transcriptome sequencing, respectively. High-resolution CT images were also obtained at the time of each biopsy to assess the degree of molecular and radiographic responses observed.

      Results
      Two established activating somatic mutations were identified in EGFR (p.G719A and p. R776H). Gene expression analysis revealed that several proapoptotic genes including BID, CASP3 and several growth inhibitory genes including GADD45B, GADD45G were upregulated at 6 days post erlotinib treatment, while at 60 days their expression levels decreased to below pretreatment levels. Other proapoptotic genes such as BAD and BAX and were noted to be upregulated most significantly 60 days, as was growth inhibitory gene CDKN1A. In contrast, the growth-promoting genes CCNB1 and CCND3 exhibited a progressive decrease in expression across time points. Whole exome sequencing demonstrated the progressive evolution of global copy number abnormalities. High-resolution CT scans revealed no interval radiographic change in tumor size after 6 days of erlotinib treatment, and a decrease in tumor size 60 days into therapy. No clinical complications were encountered.

      Conclusion
      This study is the first reported longitudinal integrated genomic analysis of EGFR-mutant NSCLC in a patient treated with an EGFR TKI. We documented the feasibility, safety and utility of this strategy to establish initial drug efficacy at the molecular level prior to any radiographic evidence of response (6 days), as well as evidence that acquired resistance can emerge early in the course of TKI therapy. Serial integrated genomic analysis is ongoing in other TKI treated patients to enhance the management of NSCLC patients on targeted therapy.