Circulating tumour DNA profiling reveals heterogeneity of EGFR inhibitor resistance mechanisms in lung cancer patients

Nat Commun. 2016 Jun 10:7:11815. doi: 10.1038/ncomms11815.

Abstract

Circulating tumour DNA (ctDNA) analysis facilitates studies of tumour heterogeneity. Here we employ CAPP-Seq ctDNA analysis to study resistance mechanisms in 43 non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients treated with the third-generation epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) inhibitor rociletinib. We observe multiple resistance mechanisms in 46% of patients after treatment with first-line inhibitors, indicating frequent intra-patient heterogeneity. Rociletinib resistance recurrently involves MET, EGFR, PIK3CA, ERRB2, KRAS and RB1. We describe a novel EGFR L798I mutation and find that EGFR C797S, which arises in ∼33% of patients after osimertinib treatment, occurs in <3% after rociletinib. Increased MET copy number is the most frequent rociletinib resistance mechanism in this cohort and patients with multiple pre-existing mechanisms (T790M and MET) experience inferior responses. Similarly, rociletinib-resistant xenografts develop MET amplification that can be overcome with the MET inhibitor crizotinib. These results underscore the importance of tumour heterogeneity in NSCLC and the utility of ctDNA-based resistance mechanism assessment.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Acrylamides / pharmacology
  • Acrylamides / therapeutic use
  • Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / drug therapy
  • Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / genetics
  • Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / pathology
  • Circulating Tumor DNA / metabolism*
  • Cohort Studies
  • Crizotinib
  • Drug Resistance, Neoplasm / drug effects*
  • Drug Resistance, Neoplasm / genetics
  • ErbB Receptors / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • ErbB Receptors / metabolism
  • Gene Amplification
  • Gene Dosage
  • Genetic Heterogeneity
  • Humans
  • Lung Neoplasms / drug therapy
  • Lung Neoplasms / genetics*
  • Lung Neoplasms / pathology*
  • Mutation / genetics
  • Protein Kinase Inhibitors / pharmacology*
  • Protein Kinase Inhibitors / therapeutic use
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-met / genetics
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-met / metabolism
  • Pyrazoles / pharmacology
  • Pyrazoles / therapeutic use
  • Pyridines / pharmacology
  • Pyridines / therapeutic use
  • Pyrimidines / pharmacology
  • Pyrimidines / therapeutic use
  • Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays

Substances

  • Acrylamides
  • Circulating Tumor DNA
  • Protein Kinase Inhibitors
  • Pyrazoles
  • Pyridines
  • Pyrimidines
  • Crizotinib
  • rociletinib
  • ErbB Receptors
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-met