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Maria Gonzalez-Cao



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    P1.03 - Biology (ID 161)

    • Event: WCLC 2019
    • Type: Poster Viewing in the Exhibit Hall
    • Track: Biology
    • Presentations: 2
    • Now Available
    • Moderators:
    • Coordinates: 9/08/2019, 09:45 - 18:00, Exhibit Hall
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      P1.03-14 - HLA-E and FAT1 in Head and Neck and Lung Cancer. The Effect of Osimertinib or Olmutinib with Artesunate (Dihydroartemisinin) (ID 912)

      09:45 - 18:00  |  Author(s): Maria Gonzalez-Cao

      • Abstract
      • Slides

      Background

      Cisplatin and cetuximab have little effect in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) and lung squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC). HLA-E expression suppressed the cetuximab effect and HLA-E is overexpressed in both HNSCC and LSCC. In addition, FAT1 inactivating mutations are present in 30% of HNSCCs and 19% of LSCCs. Dihydroartemisinin (DHA) inhibits STAT3 and increases cisplatin effect in HNSCC. Osimertinib and olmutinib increase intracellular accumulation of doxorubicin by blocking the efflux function of ABC transporters. We posit that osimertinib or olmutinib, plus DHA, could have activity in the HNSCC cell lines, FaDu and CAL27, with loss of FAT1 expression.

      Method

      Osimertinib and olmutinib plus DHA were tested in the FaDu and CAL27 cell lines. Tumor cell proliferation assays (MTTs) and mouse xenografts were performed, and western blotting analysis was carried out. FaDu CTXR clone #3 (cetuximab-resistant, a gift from Bhola) and SCCNC4 (EGFR exon 20 S768_D770 dup, a gift from Hermsen) were also examined.

      Result

      1. DHA decreased HLA-E protein levels in a dose dependent manner in the FaDu CTXR.

      2. DHA was able to induce the expression of FAT1 in FaDu and CAL27 cells.

      3. Osimertinib plus DHA had a synergistic effect (<1, Combination index (CI)=0.468 and 0.593 in FaDu and CAL27, respectively). Olmutinib with DHA was also synergistic (CI=0.773 and 0.762 in FaDu and CAL27).

      4. Osimertinib plus DHA was validated in vivo in FaDu and CAL27 mice xenografts with significant tumor regression.

      5. Osimertinib plus DHA suppress the expression of onco-effectors: STAT3, Src, YAP and AXL.

      6. Osimertinib plus DHA was also synergistic in SCCNC4 (CI=0.596).

      Conclusion

      The findings indicate that DHA can revert resistance to cetuximab by repressing the expression of HLA-E. The combination of DHA plus osimertinib was active in the parental FaDu, but not in FaDu CTXR. For tumors with lack of FAT1 expression, the use of DHA reactivates FAT1 and YAP1 inhibition was noted. DHA has been tested for the treatment of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), orally, daily for 2 years. The results encourage development of clinical trials with DHA to re-sensitize HNSCC and LSCC cells to cetuximab-based therapy.

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      P1.03-31 - BRAF Mutations: Classes I, II and III in NSCLC Patients Included in the SLLIP Trial, Targeted Treatment According to Class (Now Available) (ID 897)

      09:45 - 18:00  |  Author(s): Maria Gonzalez-Cao

      • Abstract
      • Slides

      Background

      BRAF V600 mutations have been found in 2% of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients, with FDA approved treatment of dabrafenib plus trametinib and progression free survival (PFS) of 10.9 months. However, 50-80% of BRAF mutations in lung cancer are non-V600, and can be class 2, with intermediate to high kinase activity and RAS independence, or class 3, with impaired kinase activity, upstream signaling dependence and consequently sensitivity to receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) inhibitors. Non-V600 tumors require combinatory therapy with RAF/MEK inhibitors and blockers of RTK signaling, like SHP2 (PTPN11) inhibitors.

      Method

      Plasma DNA of 185 newly diagnosed advanced lung adenocarcinoma patients was examined for BRAF and other mutations with a clinically validated cell-free DNA (cfDNA) assay (Guardant360, Guardant Health Inc. CA, U.S), and results were correlated with patient outcome. In addition, two NSCLC cell lines and one Triple Negative Breast Cancer (TNBC), H1395 (class 2 BRAF mutation), H1666 (class 3 BRAF mutation) and MDA-MB-231 (class 2 BRAF mutation) were treated with single or combined BRAF, MEK and SHP2 inhibitors and cell viability was assessed.

      Result

      BRAF mutations were found in 17/185 (9%) and BRAF amplification in five patients (3%). Three patients had BRAF V600E mutations (2%) and 14 patients non-V600 BRAF mutations (8%), including four class 2 and four class 3 mutations. Patients were treated with chemotherapy and/or immunotherapy, or targeted therapy for other co-alterations. PFS was 1.8, 6.1, 5.0, 5.3 and 5.3 months for Class 1, 2, 3, other BRAF, and BRAF amplification, respectively. These low survival rates indicate that new treatment options are urgently needed. In vitro results confirm sensitivity of class 3, and resistance of class 2 BRAF mutations to single SHP2 inhibition with RMC-4550 and SHP099, with similar results in TNBC and lung cancer cells. Combined dabrafenib and trametinib treatment indicated antagonistic effects, especially in the class 3 BRAF mutant cell line. Concomitant MEK and SHP2 inhibition was synergistic in both class 2 and 3 BRAF mutations.

      Conclusion

      It is evident that different classes of BRAF mutations require distinct treatments, which could even outweigh tumor type. Therefore, we should examine BRAF class in daily clinical practice. Upfront targeting of the MAPK signaling pathway combined with SHP2 inhibitors reveals synergistic interactions, and additional inquisition may pave the way for new treatment options in the most frequently found mutations in BRAF patients.

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    P2.01 - Advanced NSCLC (ID 159)

    • Event: WCLC 2019
    • Type: Poster Viewing in the Exhibit Hall
    • Track: Advanced NSCLC
    • Presentations: 1
    • Moderators:
    • Coordinates: 9/09/2019, 10:15 - 18:15, Exhibit Hall
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      P2.01-56 - Copy Number Gains (CNGs) of Clinically Relevant Genes in Advanced NSCLC Patients (ID 2519)

      10:15 - 18:15  |  Author(s): Maria Gonzalez-Cao

      • Abstract

      Background

      Somatic copy number variations (CNV; i.e. amplifications and deletions) have been implicated in the origin and development of multiple cancers and some of these aberrations are designated targets for therapies, such as amplified ERBB2 in breast cancer. In the case of NSCLC patients, MET alterations are receiving increasing attention as targets in precision medicine, and several clinical trials of anti-MET agents are ongoing. Routine testing for these potential targets on formalin-fixed paraffin embedded (FFPE) samples is mainly carried out by in-situ hybridization (FISH) approaches covering only a single gene of interest. Although this methodology is still the gold standard of CNV detection, it presents several drawbacks. Here we aimed to determine the potential of next generation sequencing (NGS) to simultaneously determine CNGs across many in FFPE samples

      Method

      FFPE biopsies from 140 stage IIIb-IV NSCLC patients (p) of our institution were prospective tested. Of them, 110 corresponded to samples at diagnostic and 30 after progression to targeted therapies. DNA was purified submitted to NGS using the 16-gene QIAact Lung Panel (Genereader®, Qiagen). Coverages for the genes analyzed were normalized using the total coverage of the panel. Cut-off values for CNVs were established as the average normalized coverage for each gene plus two times the standard deviation. Representative samples were analyzed by FISH

      Result

      Validation analyses in 8 cell lines showed 100% concordance between FISH and NGS for detection of EGFR, MET and ERBB2 amplifications. Among the 140 NSCLC p, MET was the gene showing a higher frequency of CNGs, followed by PIK3CA, NRAS, EGFR and KRAS (Table 1). In contrast, only one p was found to harbor a ROS1 CNG. Among the 17 samples with MET CNG (12%), 6 corresponded to p progressing to targeted therapies. In addition, 8 of the 17 samples with MET CNGs were submitted to FISH, 6 of them were positive and the remaining 2 samples had copy numbers higher than 3.5 by this technique. In the case of EGFR, CNGs were associated with sensitizing mutations, with 5 samples showing both alterations concomitantly. In contrast, PIK3CA, NRAS, ALK, BRAF, HER2, PDGFRA, KIT and MET CNGs were not associated with mutations (Table 1).

      n CNG

      %

      n MUTANT

      MET

      17

      12.1

      0

      PIK3CA

      12

      8.6

      0

      NRAS

      10

      7.1

      0

      EGFR

      10

      7.1

      5

      KRAS

      10

      7.1

      2

      ALK

      8

      5.7

      0

      BRAF

      8

      5.7

      0

      ERBB2

      8

      5.7

      0

      PDGFRA

      6

      4.3

      0

      KIT

      6

      4.3

      0

      ROS1

      1

      0.7

      0

      Conclusion

      CNGs in clinically relevant genes are present in a significant percentage of advanced NSCLC patients and, except in the case of EGFR, are not associated with driver mutations. Further research is warranted to determine the clinical implications of this finding.

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    P2.04 - Immuno-oncology (ID 167)

    • Event: WCLC 2019
    • Type: Poster Viewing in the Exhibit Hall
    • Track: Immuno-oncology
    • Presentations: 1
    • Moderators:
    • Coordinates: 9/09/2019, 10:15 - 18:15, Exhibit Hall
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      P2.04-79 - High Rate of Immune Related Pneumonitis in Lung Cancer Patients Treated with Anti PD-1 Antibodies (ID 1061)

      10:15 - 18:15  |  Author(s): Maria Gonzalez-Cao

      • Abstract
      • Slides

      Background

      Treatment with anti PD-1/PD-L1 antibodies has demonstrated survival improvement in several malignancies, including non small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), but these therapies are not exempt from risks. Meta-analysis and clinical trials have reported immune related (ir) pneumonitis of any grade in 3-5% of patients treated with anti PD-1/PD-L1 antibodies, including grade 3 or higher in 0.8% to 1.8% of patients.

      Method

      We have retrospectively reviewed clinical reports from 125 cancer patients treated at our center with anti PD-1/PD-L1 antibodies (55 were treated with nivolumab, 27 with pembrolizumab, 33 with atezolizumab, 6 with avelumab, and 4 with durvalumab) from January 2016 to January 2019.

      Result

      Nineteen patients (15.2%) developed ir pneumonitis. Four (21%) patients had recurrent pneumonitis during tapering corticoesteroid dose after an initial improvement and finally died. Patient characteristics are summarized in Table 1. Median time to pneumonitis was 4 months (m) (range 1m to 9m). Twelve patients (9.6% %) had grade 3-5 and 7 patients (5.6 %) grade 1-2 pneumonitis. Nine (7.2 %) patients died from ir pneumonitis, including 4 patients with no tumor progression (1 had received only one cycle, and 3 patients had ongoing tumor response at 10m+, 12m+ and 30m+). Ir pneumonitis was more frequent with nivolumab (any grade 21.8 %, grade 3 or higher 18.2 %, including 7 fatal cases-12.7%-), while no patient treated with atezolizumab developed pneumonitis (Table 2).

      Table 1
      Total 19

      Gender

      Women, n (%)

      7 (36,8%)

      Age

      Median (range)

      63,4 (51-82)

      Cancer type, n (rate)

      NSCLC Adenoca

      NSCLC Squamous

      SCLC

      Mesothelioma

      13 (68,4 %)

      4 (21%)

      1 (5,3%)

      1 (5,3%)

      Line of therapy, n (rate)

      Adjuvant

      First line

      Second or further line

      1 (5,2 %)

      8 (42,1%)

      10 (52,6%)

      Tumor Response, n (rate)

      CR

      PR

      SD

      PD

      NE

      2 (10,5%)

      8 (42,1%)

      5 (26,3%)

      3 (15,8%)

      1 (5,2%)

      table 2
      Drug,n patients treated Any Grade, n (%) Grade 3-5, n (%) Grade 5, n (%)
      Nivolumab, 55 12 (21,8%) 10 (18,2%) 7 (12,7%)
      Pembrolizumab, 27 3 (11,1%) 1 (3,7%) 1 (3,7%)
      Atezolizumab, 33 0 0 0
      Durvalumab, 4 2 (50%) 0 0
      Avelumab, 6 2 (33,3%) 1 (16,7%) 1 (16,7%)
      Total, 125 19 (15,2%) 12 (9,6%) 9 (7,2%)

      Conclusion

      In our experience, ir pneumonitis rate with anti PD-1/PD-L1 antibodies in lung cancer patients was 15.2%, including 7.2% of fatal complications. It suggests that previous clinical trials could have under diagnosed this serious complication. Further studies must be performed in order to specifically assess the rate of pneumonitis in patients treated with anti PD-1 and anti PD-L1 antibodies in lung cancer patients.

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