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S. Cappia



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    P3.18 - Poster Session 3 - Pathology (ID 177)

    • Event: WCLC 2013
    • Type: Poster Session
    • Track: Pathology
    • Presentations: 1
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      P3.18-014 - Implementing systematic histological and genotypic re-evaluation of Non Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC) into routine clinical practice: a monocentric study (ID 2691)

      09:30 - 09:30  |  Author(s): S. Cappia

      • Abstract

      Background
      Cancer is a multistep process in which tumor cells progressively harbour genetic alterations that confer growth and spread advantages. These observations are also confirmed in NSCLCs where specific genetic abnormalities are sensitive to the action of targeted drugs, even if secondary mutations could develop conferring drug resistance. Furthermore, in recent studies, histologic and immunophenotypic changes have been described in patients (pts) with a specific molecular alteration re-biopsied after receiving a targeted therapy. This finding suggest the possibility of a "clonal resistance mechanism" in which genetic-similar cell populations had or acquire selective survival features thus escaping the inhibitory drug effect. In the present study histological examination and wide genetic analyses have been performed in tumor tissue sampled both before and after treatment in an unselected NSCLC patient population in order to elucidate progressive clinic-pathological and genetic abnormalities.

      Methods
      NSCLC pts with adequate tissue samples before and after at least one treatment have been evaluated from July 2006 to March 2013, at Department of Oncology of San Luigi Hospital. All had ECOG Performance Status of 0, median age of 51,5 years and IIIA-IV stage at diagnosis. After histological examination, mutational analyses for EGFR, K-RAS, PIK3CA, B-RAF, and HER2 genes were performed using pyrosequencing or RealtimePCR. ALK and c-MET genomic rearrangement were tested by FISH.

      Results
      A total of 24 (12 males and 12 females) pts were collected. Histological diagnoses were re-confirmed in all but one (4%) case in which morphological and immunophenotypical histology of neuroendocrine small cell lung cancer (SCLC) was found. All samples were adequate for molecular analyses. At the first biopsy EGFR activating mutations were 10/24 (42%) and 3/24 (12,5%) were the exon 20 EGFR p.T790M mutation, 2/3 (66%) associated to EGFR activating mutations. At the second biopsy 6/10 (60%) EGFR activating mutations were maintained and no acquired mutations in EGFR wild type pts at first were found at second biopsy. On the other hand, 6/24 (25%) p.T790M mutation were detected at second biopsy, 5/6 (83%) de novo acquired, 1/6 (17%) maintained and only 1/5 (20%) associated to EGFR activating mutations. The patient who acquired SCLC histology, maintained the L858R EGFR activating mutation after treatment with no other acquired mutation. K-RAS mutations were found in 4/24 (16.7%) first biopsies, while 5/24 (21%) were found at the second biopsies. No mutations were found in BRAF, HER2 and PIK3CA genes. ALK rearrangement was assessed in 5/24 (20,8%) patients; otherwise MET amplification was seen in 3/24 (12.5%) cases only 1/3 (30%) in EGFR mutant cases.

      Conclusion
      These preliminary data showed a complex scenario of basal and acquired alterations on tumor tissue before and after treatment highlighting the need of repeated histological and genotypic assessments to guide at the best treatment decisions.

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    P3.24 - Poster Session 3 - Supportive Care (ID 160)

    • Event: WCLC 2013
    • Type: Poster Session
    • Track: Supportive Care
    • Presentations: 1
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      P3.24-009 - Histologic and genotypic evolution in lung cancer harboring mutations in the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR): a clinical case. (ID 708)

      09:30 - 09:30  |  Author(s): S. Cappia

      • Abstract

      Background
      This is a clinical case of an EGFR-mutant Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC) with adenocarcinoma (ADC) histology: a subsequent diagnosis of high grade neuroendocrine small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) carrying an EGFR mutation was done at the first re-biopsy and further, a sarcomatous cancer was finally diagnosed. Recent publications were focused on drug-resistance mechanisms in patients with a specific biomolecular alteration re-biopsed after receiving the targeted therapy: in some cases morphologic and immunophenotypic changes were described. This finding suggests the possibility of "clonal resistance" with a selective pressure of some groups of cells, even if the histopathological features of these mechanisms have not yet been completely elucidated.

      Methods
      A 62-year-old caucasian man, with past smoking habit, presented with a 2-week history of cough and dyspnea. After a diagnosis of stage IV lung ADC, he received, on March 2010, 1st line treatment with cisplatin 75 mg/m2 plus pemetrexed 500 mg/m2 on Day 1 every 21 days, for 6 cycles. He achieved a partial response on computed tomography (CT) and a marked regression of his symptoms. On August 2011, a CT scan revealed a progressive disease (PD); he started treatment with Erlotinib plus ARQ-197/placebo within a clinical trial. As deemed by protocol, molecular analyses were performed on biopsy specimen at time of diagnosis, evidencing exon 21 – point mutation, p.Leu858Arg at EGFR mutational assessment. After 4 cycles, a local progressive disease was described by CT scan and a fibrobronchoscopic re-biopsy was performed in order to define the novel biomolecular profile at that time of the history of the disease. The histological evaluation highlighted a SCLC and molecular analyses confirmed the p.Leu858Arg mutation. Based on new histological diagnosis, he underwent chemotherapy with AUC6 carboplatin on Day 1 every 21 days plus etoposide 100 mg/m2 on Day 1,2,3 every 21 days, for a total of 6 cycles, until May 2012, achieving partial response at CT scan. On August 2012, because of radiological evidence of disease progression, he underwent chemotherapy with Cyclophosphamide 800 mg/m2, Doxorubicine 40mg/m2 and Vincristine 1mg/m2 on Day 1 every 21 days. After 3 cycles, he reported intense swelling in the supraclavicular right fossa and a fine needle aspiration of supraclavicular right lymphadenopathy was performed. The final pathological diagnosis was undifferentiated sarcoma cells (CK-,TTF1-, VIM+) . Patient died, on January 2013, because of worsening of clinical conditions.

      Results
      Not applicable

      Conclusion
      Many studies hypothesize that SCLC either evolved from the previously diagnosed NSCLC or that both arose from a common precursor. Further comparative molecular analysis of these histologically distinct tumors would be of value to better understand the potential role of EGFR in the evolution of lung cancer and the role of selection for an EGFR-mutant SCLC cell subclone as an unusual mechanism of acquired resistance to EGFR inhibitors in NSCLC.