Cited by 1,724Lung Cancer Treatments and MutationsCancer Genomics and DiagnosticsLung Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment

Using Multiplexed Assays of Oncogenic Drivers in Lung Cancers to Select Targeted Drugs

Open access
Kris, Mark G., Johnson, Bruce E., Berry, Lynne D., Kwiatkowski, David J., Iafrate, A. John, Wistuba, Ignacio I., Varella-Garcia, Marileila, Franklin, Wilbur A. +20 more·2014·JAMA

Abstract

IMPORTANCE: Targeting oncogenic drivers (genomic alterations critical to cancer development and maintenance) has transformed the care of patients with lung adenocarcinomas. The Lung Cancer Mutation Consortium was formed to perform multiplexed assays testing adenocarcinomas of the lung for drivers in 10 genes to enable clinicians to select targeted treatments and enroll patients into clinical trials. OBJECTIVES: To determine the frequency of oncogenic drivers in patients with lung adenocarcinomas and to use the data to select treatments targeting the identified driver(s) and measure survival. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: From 2009 through 2012, 14 sites in the United States enrolled patients with metastatic lung adenocarcinomas and a performance status of 0 through 2 and tested their tumors for 10 drivers. Information was collected on patients, therapies, and survival. INTERVENTIONS: Tumors were tested for 10 oncogenic drivers, and results were used to select matched targeted therapies. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: Determination of the frequency of oncogenic drivers, the proportion of patients treated with genotype-directed therapy, and survival. RESULTS: From 2009 through 2012, tumors from 1007 patients were tested for at least 1 gene and 733 for 10 genes (patients with full genotyping). An oncogenic driver was found in 466 of 733 patients (64%). Among these 733 tumors, 182 tumors (25%) had the KRAS driver; sensitizing EGFR, 122 (17%); ALK rearrangements, 57 (8%); other EGFR, 29 (4%); 2 or more genes, 24 (3%); ERBB2 (formerly HER2), 19 (3%); BRAF, 16 (2%); PIK3CA, 6 (<1%); MET amplification, 5 (<1%); NRAS, 5 (<1%); MEK1, 1 (<1%); AKT1, 0. Results were used to select a targeted therapy or trial in 275 of 1007 patients (28%). The median survival was 3.5 years (interquartile range [IQR], 1.96-7.70) for the 260 patients with an oncogenic driver and genotype-directed therapy compared with 2.4 years (IQR, 0.88-6.20) for the 318 patients with any oncogenic driver(s) who did not receive genotype-directed therapy (propensity score-adjusted hazard ratio, 0.69 [95% CI, 0.53-0.9], P = .006). CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: Actionable drivers were detected in 64% of lung adenocarcinomas. Multiplexed testing aided physicians in selecting therapies. Although individuals with drivers receiving a matched targeted agent lived longer, randomized trials are required to determine if targeting therapy based on oncogenic drivers improves survival. TRIAL REGISTRATION: clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT01014286.

Integrity signals

Registry

Crossref · 10.1001/jama.2014.3741

Cites

71 of 71 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

Statistics

Nothing to recompute.

Claims the paper makes

0 of 15 cited sources checked · 0 supported · 0 flagged

  • Findingown data

    Drivers in two genes were found in 3% (24 of 733) of fully genotyped tumors.

    “2 or more genes, 24 (3%)”
    • Also stated in: § Results · plain
      “we found drivers in 2 genes in 24 tumors (3%).”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim
  • Findingown data

    In the full genotype set, patients with a driver and targeted therapy had a median survival of 3.5 years, versus 2.5 years for those with a driver and no targeted therapy (P<.001).

    “The 190 patients with an oncogenic driver and treatment with a targeted agent had a median survival of 3.5 years (IQR, 1.96-7.70); the 248 with a driver and no targeted therapy, 2.5 years (P < .001”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim
  • Findingown data

    ERBB2 mutations occurred in 3% (19 of 733) of fully genotyped tumors.

    “ERBB2 (formerly HER2), 19 (3%)”
    • Also stated in: § Results · plain
      “The frequencies of ERBB2 (all exon 20 insertions) were 3% (19 of 733 specimens)”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim
  • Findingown data

    Among patients with an oncogenic driver, those given genotype-directed therapy had a median survival of 3.5 years, compared with 2.4 years for those who did not receive such therapy.

    “The median survival was 3.5 years (interquartile range [IQR], 1.96-7.70) for the 260 patients with an oncogenic driver and genotype-directed therapy compared with 2.4 years (IQR, 0.88-6.20) for the 318 patients with any oncogenic driver(s) who did not receive genotype-directed therapy”
    • Also stated in: § Results · plain
      “The 260 patients with an oncogenic driver and treatment with a targeted agent had a median survival of 3.5 years; the 318 patients with a driver and no targeted therapy, 2.4 years”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim
  • Findingown data

    ALK rearrangements were found in 8% (57 of 733) of fully genotyped tumors.

    “ALK rearrangements, 57 (8%)”
    • Also stated in: § Results · plain
      “ALK rearrangements occurred in 57 of 733 specimens (8%).”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim
  • The quote only partly states this claim. 1
  • May combine two claims. 8
  • Classified as probably not a substantial claim. 9
  • The quote only partly states this claim.

    Findingown data

    Other EGFR mutations not linked to kinase inhibitor sensitivity were identified in 4% (29 of 733) of fully genotyped tumors.

    “other EGFR, 29 (4%)”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim
  • May combine two claims.

    Findingown data

    The LCMC characterized at least one gene in 91% (1007 of 1102) of eligible patients and all 10 genes in 66% (733 of 1102).

    “The LCMC characterized at least 1 gene for 91% (1007 of 1102 patients) of eligible patients with genotyping of all 10 genes in 66% (733 of 1102 patients).”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim
  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing).

    Findingown data

    The median potential follow-up was 2.0 years.

    “The median potential follow-up was 2.0 years.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim
  • May combine two claims.

    Findingown data

    Excluding EGFR- and ALK-positive cancers, patients with other drivers who received targeted therapy had a median survival of 4.9 years, compared with 2.4 years for those with a driver not receiving targeted therapy and 2.1 years for those without a driver (P=.14).

    “The 49 patients with oncogenic drivers other than EGFR or ALK who received a targeted therapy had a median survival of 4.9 years compared with the 678 with (318 patients) or without (360 patients) a driver identified, but not receiving a targeted agent, whose median survivals were 2.4 years with a driver (IQR, 0.88-6.20) and 2.1 years without (P = .14”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim
  • May combine two claims.

    Findingown data

    Of 175 patients with sensitizing EGFR mutations, 146 received targeted therapy: 130 erlotinib alone and 16 another EGFR inhibitor alone or in combination.

    “Of the 175 patients (83%) with EGFR(s) mutations, 146 were treated with targeted therapy: 130 with erlotinib alone, and 16 with another EGFR inhibitor alone or in combination.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim
  • May combine two claims.

    Findingown data

    Patients in the driver plus treatment group had better prognostic features: 5% better performance status, 3-year lower median age, and more likely to be never smokers.

    “Patients in the driver + treatment group had a 5% better performance status, a 3-year lower median age, and were more likely to be never smokers (Table 1); factors that could lead to an improved prognosis.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim
  • May combine two claims.

    Interpretationown data

    Multiplexed testing helped physicians select therapies and patients for targeted trials.

    “Multiplexed testing aided physicians in selecting therapies.”
    • Also stated in: § Conclusions · plain
      “Multiplexed testing aided physicians in selecting therapies and patients for targeted trials.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim
  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing).

    Premisecitation

    Testing for somatic EGFR mutations and ALK rearrangements is now routine.

    “Testing for somatic mutations in the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) gene4-6 and rearrangements of the anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) gene7 is now routine.8”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim0 of 5 sources checked
    • cites [4] Lynch TJ Bell DW Sordella R Activating mutations in the epidermal growth factor receptor underlying responsiveness of non-small cell lung cancer to gefitinib N Engl J Med 2004 350 21 2129 2139 15118073

      Not checked in the free run.

    • cites [5] Paez JG Jänne PA Lee JC EGFR mutations in lung cancer: correlation with clinical response to gefitinib therapy Science 2004 304 5676 1497 1500 15118125

      Not checked in the free run.

    • cites [6] Pao W Miller V Zakowski M EGF receptor gene mutations are common in lung cancers from “never smokers” and are associated with sensitivity of tumors to gefitinib and erlotinib Proc Natl Acad SciUS A 2004 101 36 13306 13311 PMC516528 15329413

      Not checked in the free run.

    • cites [7] Kwak EL Bang YJ Camidge DR Anaplastic lymphoma kinase inhibition in non-small cell lung cancer N Engl J Med 2010 363 18 1693 1703 20979469 PMC3014291

      Not checked in the free run.

    • cites [8] National Comprehensive Cancer Network NCCN clinical practice guidelines in oncology 2014 http://www.nccn.org/professionals/physician_gls/f_guidelines.asp. Accessed April 21

      Not checked in the free run.

  • Classified as probably not a substantial claim.

    Study design and conductnone given

    Adenocarcinoma was centrally confirmed.

    “Adenocarcinoma was centrally confirmed.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim
  • Classified as probably not a substantial claim.

    Study design and conductown data

    The LCMC clinical committee chairs reviewed records to verify that the treatment administered was directed against the driver detected in the patient's tumor.

    “The LCMC clinical committee chairs reviewed the records of each patient with an oncogenic driver and the targeted agent administered to verify that the treatment was directed against that driver(s) detected in the patient’s tumor.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim
  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing).

    Study design and conductreasoning

    With a planned sample size of 1000, the half-width of the 95% CI would be less than 5% if the oncogenic driver rate were less than 40%.

    “With the proposed sample size of 1000, the half-width of the 95% CI is less than 5% if the oncogenic driver rate is less than 40%.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim
  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing).

    Study design and conductnone given

    The decision to recommend targeted therapy for a patient with a driver was left to the treating physician.

    “The decision to recommend a targeted therapy to a patient with a tumor harboring an oncogenic driver was left to the treating physician.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim
  • Classified as probably not a substantial claim.

    Study design and conductown data

    The propensity model adjusted for sex, age at enrollment, performance status, smoking history, stage at diagnosis, prior therapy, and elapsed time from metastatic diagnosis to enrollment.

    “The knowledge-based confounding variables adjusted in the propensity model were sex, age at enrollment, performance status, smoking history, stage at diagnosis, prior therapy (surgery, chest radiotherapy, or chemotherapy), and elapsed time from metastatic disease diagnosis to study enrollment (years).”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim
  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing).

    Study design and conductnone given

    Criteria for specimen adequacy were not prespecified.

    “Criteria for specimen adequacy were not prespecified.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim
  • May combine two claims.

    Premisecitation

    The LCMC effort differs from other genomic characterization efforts such as TCGA, which studied localized disease and used resection specimens.

    “The LCMC effort differs from other genomic characterization efforts, like the Cancer Genome Atlas that studied patients with localized disease and obtained tissues exclusively from resection specimens.35-40”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim0 of 6 sources checked
    • cites [35] Weir BA Woo MS Getz G Characterizing the cancer genome in lung adenocarcinoma Nature 2007 450 7171 893 898 17982442 PMC2538683

      Not checked in the free run.

    • cites [36] Barletta JA Perner S Iafrate AJ Clinical significance of TTF-1 protein expression and TTF-1 gene amplification in lung adenocarcinoma J Cell Mol Med 2009 13 8B 1977 1986 19040416 PMC2830395

      Not checked in the free run.

    • cites [37] Hammerman PS Sos ML Ramos AH Mutations in the DDR2 kinase gene identify a novel therapeutic target in squamous cell lung cancer Cancer Discov 2011 1 1 78 89 22328973 PMC3274752

      Not checked in the free run.

    • cites [38] Cancer Genome Atlas Research Network Comprehensive genomic characterization of squamous cell lung cancers Nature 2012 489 7417 519 525 [published online September 27, 2012] 22960745 PMC3466113

      Not checked in the free run.

    • cites [39] D’Angelo SP Janjigian YY Ahye N Distinct clinical course of EGFR-mutant resected lung cancers: results of testing of 1118 surgical specimens and effects of adjuvant gefitinib and erlotinib J Thorac Oncol 2012 7 12 1815 1822 23154553

      Not checked in the free run.

    • cites [40] Peifer M Fernández-Cuesta L Sos ML Integrative genome analyses identify key somatic driver mutations of small cell lung cancer Nat Genet 2012 44 10 1104 1110 22941188 PMC4915822

      Not checked in the free run.

  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing). May combine two claims.

    Study design and conductnone given

    LCMC pathologists shared blinded samples, with a positive sample included for all 10 drivers.

    “The LCMC pathologists shared blinded samples, with a positive sample included for all 10 drivers.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim
  • May combine two claims.

    Interpretationreasoning

    The multiplexed genotyping platforms made effective use of patient tissue and identified actionable drivers sooner, giving patients earlier access to therapies or trials.

    “The multiplexed genotyping platforms made effective use of patient tissue and identified actionable drivers sooner, giving patient’s earlier access to therapies or trials.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim
17 of 17

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Self-check

Percentages, sums and reported differences re-computed from the paper’s own numbers.

Each contradiction between two passages listed here was confirmed by an independent check.

  • MET amplification count differs within the full-genotyping results

    Major

    MET amplification is reported in 5 of the 733 fully genotyped tumors, but the later count assigns MET amplification to 8 double-driver tumors in that group.

  • Targeted-therapy percentage is overstated

    Minor

    The reported 275 of 1007 patients is 27.3%, which rounds to 27%, not 28%.

    Reported 28 · recomputed 27.308838

  • Supplementary figure number conflicts for the exclusion analysis

    Minor

    The Results attribute the analysis excluding EGFR- and ALK-positive cancers to eFigure 6, whereas the Discussion attributes that analysis to eFigure 4.

3 of 3

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Authors
Kris, M. G., Johnson, B. E., Berry, L. D., Kwiatkowski, D. J., Iafrate, A. J., Wistuba, I. I., Varella-Garcia, M., Franklin, W. A., Aronson, S. L., Su, P.-F., Shyr, Y., Camidge, D. R., Sequist, L. V., Glisson, B. S., Khuri, F. R., Garon, E. B., Pao, W., Rudin, C., Schiller, J., Haura, E. B., Socinski, M., Shirai, K., Chen, H., Giaccone, G., Ladanyi, M., Kugler, K., Minna, J. D., & Bunn, P. A.
Affiliations
  • Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (US)
  • Dana-Farber Cancer Institute (US)
  • Vanderbilt University (US)
  • Brigham and Women's Hospital (US)
  • Massachusetts General Hospital (US)
  • The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center (US)
  • University of Colorado Cancer Center Denver, Aurora
  • University of Colorado Cancer Center (US)
  • The Partners HealthCare Center for Personalized Genetic Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts
  • Winship Cancer Institute (US)
  • University of California, Los Angeles (US)
  • Johns Hopkins University (US)
  • The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center (US)
  • Moffitt Cancer Center (US)
  • UPMC Hillman Cancer Center (US)
  • Medical University of South Carolina (US)
  • National Institutes of Health (US)
Corresponding author
Kris, Mark G.
Venue
JAMA
Published
2014-05-21
Volume
311
Issue
19
Pages
1998
ISSN
  • 0002-9955 (ISSN-L)
  • 0098-7484
OpenAlex
W2065477010
Cited by
1,724
References
69
Citations by year
2026: 55 · 2025: 99 · 2024: 101 · 2023: 116 · 2022: 164 · 2021: 171 · 2020: 173 · 2019: 137 · 2018: 186 · 2017: 162 · 2016: 173 · 2015: 146 · 2014: 37 · 2013: 2
FWCI
138.25
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • JAMA (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (acceptedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
Funders
  • National Institutes of Health (UL1TR000124)
  • National Cancer Institute (RC2CA148394, K23CA149079, P01CA129243, 1RC2CA148394‐010, P50CA058187, P30CA008748, P30CA016672, P30CA046934)
  • National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Pulmonary and Respiratory Medicine › Lung Cancer Treatments and Mutations
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Cancer Research › Cancer Genomics and Diagnostics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Pulmonary and Respiratory Medicine › Lung Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment
Keywords
lung adenocarcinoma, oncogenic drivers, targeted therapy, multiplex genotyping, KRAS, EGFR, ALK rearrangement, BRAF, PIK3CA, ERBB2, MET amplification, NRAS, MEK1, AKT1, metastatic lung cancer, survival, genotype-directed therapy, clinical trial recruitment
MeSH terms
Adenocarcinoma of Lung, Adenocarcinoma, Aged, Female, Genotype, Humans, Lung Neoplasms, Male, Middle Aged, Proto-Oncogenes, Survival Analysis, Sequence Analysis, DNA, Spectrometry, Mass, Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption-Ionization, Molecular Targeted Therapy, Multiplex Polymerase Chain Reaction

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