Early Blood-based Liquid Biopsy in Patients with Treatment-naïve Metastatic Adenocarcinoma of the Lung: A Case Series

Isr Med Assoc J. 2020 Dec;22(12):784-787.

Abstract

Background: Guidelines recommend testing for multiple biomarkers in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) tumors. Blood-based liquid biopsy analyzing cell-free DNA (cfDNA) could be used in addition to tumor biopsy genotyping, especially if tissue/time are limiting.

Objectives: To investigate the clinical utility of early cfDNA analysis (Guardant360® CDx) in treatment-naïve NSCLC patients.

Methods: A prospective cohort of treatment-naïve patients with metastatic NSCLC who underwent tumor and cfDNA analysis between 12/2018 and 2/2019 were included.

Results: Ten patients were included: 6 males, median age 70.5 years (range 48-87), 8 prior smokers. Liquid biopsy was sent when cancer cells were detected in the biopsy specimen. Median time from diagnosis to receiving the report on the last biomarker from the tumor biopsy was 20 days (range 9-34); median time from blood draw to receiving the cfDNA findings was 9 days (range 7-12). The median difference between the cfDNA and the tumor analysis reports was 20 days (range 9-28). Actionable biomarkers were identified in four patients by both the biopsy analysis and the cfDNA analysis (2cases with EGFR mutations, one with ROS1 fusion, and one with EML4-ALK fusion for whom the biopsy analysis also identified an EGFR mutation not detected in the cfDNA analysis). Overall, eight patients received treatment (2 died before treatment initiation). Three patients received biomarker-based treatment (1 osimertinib, 1 alectinib, and 1 crizotinib).

Conclusions: These findings suggest that cfDNA analysis should be ordered by the pulmonologists early in the evaluation of patients with NSCLC, which might complement the tumor biopsy.

MeSH terms

  • Acrylamides / therapeutic use
  • Adenocarcinoma of Lung / blood
  • Adenocarcinoma of Lung / diagnosis*
  • Adenocarcinoma of Lung / drug therapy
  • Adenocarcinoma of Lung / genetics
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Aniline Compounds / therapeutic use
  • Antineoplastic Agents / therapeutic use
  • Biomarkers, Tumor / blood
  • Carbazoles / therapeutic use
  • Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / blood
  • Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / diagnosis
  • Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / drug therapy
  • Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / genetics
  • Crizotinib / therapeutic use
  • DNA, Neoplasm / blood
  • Female
  • Genotyping Techniques
  • Humans
  • Lung Neoplasms / blood
  • Lung Neoplasms / diagnosis*
  • Lung Neoplasms / drug therapy
  • Lung Neoplasms / genetics
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Piperidines / therapeutic use
  • Prospective Studies

Substances

  • Acrylamides
  • Aniline Compounds
  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • Biomarkers, Tumor
  • Carbazoles
  • DNA, Neoplasm
  • Piperidines
  • osimertinib
  • Crizotinib
  • alectinib