Response of an HER2-Mutated NSCLC Patient to Trastuzumab Deruxtecan and Monitoring of Plasma ctDNA Levels by Liquid Biopsy

Curr Oncol. 2023 Jan 30;30(2):1692-1698. doi: 10.3390/curroncol30020130.

Abstract

HER2-targeted therapy is currently the subject of several studies in lung cancer and other solid tumors using either tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI) or targeted-antibody-drug conjugates. We describe a 61-year-old female patient with HER2 mutated adenocarcinoma of the lungs who received chemo-immunotherapy, followed by trastuzumab deruxtecan (T-DXd) and third-line Ramucirumab/Docetaxel at disease progression. Plasma ctDNA monitoring was obtained at 12 timepoints during therapy and revealed HER2 mutation allele frequencies that corresponded to the clinical course of disease. HER2-targeted T-DXd therapy resulted in a profound clinical response and may be an option for NSCLC patients carrying an activated HER2 mutation. Longitudinal liquid biopsy quantification of the underlying driver alteration can serve as a powerful diagnostic tool to monitor course of therapy.

Keywords: HER2 mutation; disease monitoring; liquid biopsy; trastuzumab deruxtecan.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized / therapeutic use
  • Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung* / drug therapy
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Immunoconjugates* / therapeutic use
  • Liquid Biopsy
  • Lung Neoplasms* / drug therapy
  • Middle Aged
  • Receptor, ErbB-2 / genetics

Substances

  • trastuzumab deruxtecan
  • Receptor, ErbB-2
  • Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized
  • Immunoconjugates

Grants and funding

This work was funded by an unrestricted grant to WMB from the “Förderverein des Tumorzentrums Erlangen”, FAU Erlangen and the W. Lutz Stiftung, Nuremberg, Germany.