Virtual Library

Start Your Search

B. Wang



Author of

  • +

    P3.07 - Immunology and Immunotherapy (ID 723)

    • Event: WCLC 2017
    • Type: Poster Session with Presenters Present
    • Track: Immunology and Immunotherapy
    • Presentations: 1
    • +

      P3.07-009 - PI3K/mTOR Pathway Altertions May Mediate PD-1/PD-L1 Blockade Resistance in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (ID 10489)

      09:30 - 09:30  |  Author(s): B. Wang

      • Abstract

      Background:
      Immune checkpoint inhibitors have changed the clinical practice for patients with locally advanced or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) as the first line or second line therapies. Although PD-1/PD-L1 blockade has been demonstrated as a promising anti-tumor therapy with significant clinical benefits, the fact of acquired resistance after a response to PD-1/PD-L1 blockade has become a common concern. The mechanism underlying acquired resistance to immune checkpoint inhibitors have remained unclear.

      Method:
      FFPE samples from 127 Chinese NSCLC patients were collected, including 103 (81.1%) adenocarcinoma, 21 (16.5%) squamous cell carcinoma, 2 (1.6%) adenosquamous carcinoma and 1 (0.8%) large cell carcinoma. Comprehensive genomic profiling (CGP) assay with 450 genes whole exon region were performed for the analysis of genomic alterations including single base substitution, short and long insertions/deletions, copy number variations, gene rearrangement in selected genes and also tumor mutation burden (TMB) calculated as total somatic substitutions and indels per megabase. We considered high TMB as over 80% of the 500 patient TMB distrbutions from our inhouse cancer database across solid tumor types.

      Result:
      32 patients with higher TMB values were collected from 127 Chinese NSCLC patients. Interestingly, we identified the frequency of PI3K/mTOR pathway genes (AKT1, FBXW7, PIK3CA, PTEN, TSC1/2, STK11 and mTOR) was significantly higher in patients with high TMB value (28.1% vs 10.5%, p=0.033). Moreover, PI3K/mTOR pathway alterations existed in 3 patients who initially responded to PD-1/PD-L1 blockade and then were resistant to immune checkpoint inhibitors. Two patients with PIK3CA K111N and FBXW7 R465H have started to receive mTOR inhibitor everolimus mono therapy after 6 cycle nivolumab or pembrollizumab treatments. So far both showed stable disease or minor shrinkage on tumor. More investments are under way.

      Conclusion:
      In our study, PI3K/mTOR pathway alterations occurred more frequently in the NSCLC patients with higher TMB values. Several PD-1/PD-L1 blockade resistance patients harbored PI3K/mTOR mutations showed responses. The activation of PI3K/mTOR pathway might mediate the acquired resistance to immune checkpoint inhibitors. This finding suggested that mTOR inhibitors might be a potential strategy for those who harbored mutations in PI3K/mTOR pathway after the resistance of PD-1/PD-L1 blockade therapies.