Abstract 939: Serial monitoring of <i>EGFR</i> mutations in plasma and matched tissue from <i>EGFR</i> mutant non-small cell lung cancer patients on erlotinib
Authors: Cloud P. Paweletz, Geoffrey R. Oxnard, Yanan Kuang, Allison O'Connell, Masahiko Yanagita, Melissa M. Messineo, Paul Kirschmeier, Jessie M. English, David M. Jackman, Pasi A. Jänne
Journal: Cancer Research (2014)

Abstract Tumor genotyping has become standard in the care of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), colorectal cancer, and melanoma because of its power in guiding the personalization of treatment with molecularly targeted therapies. A major limitation of cancer genotyping is the availability of pre- and post-treatment tumor biopsy specimens for accurate assessment of cancer biology. In addition, serial tumor biopsies from NSCLC patients at time of disease response or progression are not always desirable from the patient perspective and feasibility can be limited due to accessible tumor tissue and cost. The analysis of circulating cell-free DNA (cfDNA) has demonstrated potential to be a non-invasive means of interrogating the biology underlying response and resistance. Here we report the detection, quantification and monitoring of EGFR mutations by droplet digital PCR in cfDNA on a prospective clinical trial of EGFR-mutant NSCLC patients on erlotinib. Droplet digital PCR, a novel technology that emulsifies DNA input into ∼20,000 consistently sized droplets, each individually genotyped, represents a promising approach for non-invasive quantification of specific tumor mutations. EGFR L858R, Del(19) and T790M were serially measured in over 300 samples from 40 lung cancer patients treated on erlotinib. Complete plasma response was seen in 8 cases; in 6, rising levels of inhibitor sensitizing EGFR Del(19) and L858R and acquired EGFR T790M mutations were detected up to 4 months prior to objective radiographic progression. An analysis of patients that progressed showed that 53% had tumor-genotype-confirmed EGFR sensitizing mutations in their plasma at diagnosis. Four of these patients had a tumor rebiopsy adequate for EGFR genotyping at progression, and EGFR T790M was confirmed in each. This contrasts to the same analysis on circulating tumor cells (CTC), collected simultaneously: No CTCs were identified at diagnosis and only 22% of patients had any detectable CTCs at progression. Our results strongly suggest that cfDNA genotyping has clinical utility in the molecular assessment of patients at diagnosis, and providing molecular understanding of patient's tumor evolution, in real time, by serial monitoring for resistance mutations. Citation Format: Cloud P. Paweletz, Geoffrey R. Oxnard, Yanan Kuang, Allison O'Connell, Masahiko Yanagita, Melissa M. Messineo, Paul Kirschmeier, Jessie M. English, David M. Jackman, Pasi A. Jänne. Serial monitoring of EGFR mutations in plasma and matched tissue from EGFR mutant non-small cell lung cancer patients on erlotinib. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 105th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2014 Apr 5-9; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2014;74(19 Suppl):Abstract nr 939. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2014-939