Next-Generation Sequencing in Lung Cancers—A Single-Center Experience in Taiwan

<i>Background and Objectives</i>: Lung cancer is a leading cause of cancer mortality in Taiwan. With rapid advancement of targeted therapeutics in non-small cell lung cancers, next-generation sequencing (NGS) is becoming an important tool for biomarker testing. In this study, we describe...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Wei-An Lai, Yen-Shuo Huang, Kung-Chao Chang, Sheau-Fang Yang, Chih-Jen Yang, Yu-Wei Liu, Huan-Da Chen
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2024-01-01
Series:Medicina
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/1648-9144/60/2/236
Description
Summary:<i>Background and Objectives</i>: Lung cancer is a leading cause of cancer mortality in Taiwan. With rapid advancement of targeted therapeutics in non-small cell lung cancers, next-generation sequencing (NGS) is becoming an important tool for biomarker testing. In this study, we describe institutional experience of NGS analysis in non-small cell carcinoma (NSCLC). <i>Materials and Methods</i>: A cohort of 73 cases was identified from the institutional pathology archive in the period between November 2020 and December 2022. <i>Results</i>: Adenocarcinoma was the most common histologic type (91.8%). Most patients presented with stage IIIB and beyond (87.7%). Twenty-nine patients (39.7%) were evaluated at the time of initial diagnosis, while the others had received prior chemotherapy or targeted therapy. The most frequently mutated gene was EGFR (63%), and this was followed by TP53 (50.7%), KRAS (13.7%), RB1 (13.7%), and CDKN2A (13.7%). Clinically actionable mutations associated with a guideline-suggested targeted therapy were identified in 55 cases (75.3%) overall, and in 47.1% of cases excluding EGFR TKI-sensitizing mutation. Biomarkers other than EGFR TKI-sensitizing mutations were compared. Cases without TKI-sensitizing EGFR mutation had more level 1 or 2 biomarkers (excluding EGFR TKI-sensitizing mutations) than cases with TKI-sensitizing EGFR mutations (47.1% versus 20.1%, <i>p</i> = 0.016). Progressive disease was associated with co-occurrence of clinically actionable mutations (20.5% versus 0%, <i>p</i> < 0.05). Eight of the nine cases with co-occurring actionable genetic alternations had an EGFR mutation. After an NGS test, 46.1% of actionable or potentially actionable genetic alternations led to patients receiving a matched therapy. <i>Conclusions</i>: Our study demonstrated that NGS analysis identifies therapeutic targets and may guide treatment strategies in NSCLC. NGS tests may be advantageous over multiple single-gene tests for optimization of treatment plans, especially for those with non-EGFR mutations or those with progressive disease.
ISSN:1010-660X
1648-9144