Role of next generation sequencing-based liquid biopsy in advanced non-small cell lung cancer patients treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors: impact of STK11, KRAS and TP53 mutations and co-mutations on outcome
Alberto Pavan, Andrea Boscolo Bragadin, Lorenzo Calvetti, Alessandra Ferro, Elisabetta Zulato, Ilaria Attili, Giorgia Nardo, Alessandro Dal Maso, S. Frega, Andrea Menin, Matteo Fassan, Fiorella Calabrese, Giulia Pasello, Valentina Guarneri, Giuseppe Aprile, PierFranco Conte, Rafael Rosell, Stefano Indraccolo, Laura Bonanno
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Characterization of tumor-related genetic alterations is promising for the screening of new predictive markers in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Aim of the study was to evaluate prognostic and predictive role of most frequent tumor-associated genetic alterations detected in plasma before starting immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). METHODS: test, and MAGIC (Monitoring Advanced NSCLC through plasma Genotyping during Immunotherapy: Clinical feasibility and application), using Myriapod NGS-IL 56G Assay. A control group of patients not receiving ICIs was analyzed. RESULTS: A total of 103 patients receiving ICIs were analyzed: median overall survival (OS) was 20.8 (95% CI: 16.7-24.9) months and median immune-related progression free disease (irPFS) 4.2 (95% CI: 2.3-6.1) months. TP53 mutations in plasma negatively affected OS both in patients treated with ICIs and in control group (P=0.001 and P=0.009), indicating a prognostic role. STK11 mutated patients (n=9) showed a trend for worse OS only if treated with ICIs. The presence of KRAS/STK11 co-mutation and KRAS/STK11/TP53 co-mutation affected OS only in patients treated with ICIs (HR =10.936, 95% CI: 2.337-51.164, P=0.002; HR =17.609, 95% CI: 3.777-82.089, P<0.001, respectively), indicating a predictive role. CONCLUSIONS: Plasma genotyping demonstrated prognostic value of TP53 mutations and predictive value of KRAS/STK11 and KRAS/STK11/TP53 co-mutations.