Genomic mutations impact non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) biology. The influence of sex and age on the distribution of these alterations is unclear. We analyzed circulating-tumor DNA from individuals with advanced NSCLC from March 2018 to October 2020. EGFR, KRAS, ALK, ROS1, BRAF, NTRK, ERBB2, RET, MET, PIK3CA, STK11, and TP53 alterations were assessed. We evaluated the differences by sex and age (<70 and ≥70) using Fisher’s exact test. Of the 34,277 samples, 30,790 (89.83%) had a detectable mutation and 19,923 (58.12%) had an alteration of interest. The median age of the ctDNA positive population was 69 (18–102), 16,756 (54.42%) were female, and 28,835 (93.65%) had adenocarcinoma. Females had more alterations in all the assessed EGFR mutations, KRAS G12C, and ERBB2 ex20 ins. Males had higher numbers of MET amp and alterations in STK11 and TP53. Patients <70 years were more likely to have alterations in EGFR exon 19 del/exon 20 ins/T790M, KRAS G12C/D, ALK, ROS1, BRAF V600E, ERBB2 Ex20ins, MET amp, STK11, and TP53. Individuals ≥70 years were more likely to have alterations in EGFR L861Q, MET exon 14 skipping, and PIK3CA. We provided evidence of sex- and age-associated differences in the distribution of genomic alterations in individuals with advanced NSCLC.
Restaging scans frequency heterogeneity in patients being treated for stage IV non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).
e21161 Background: Patients with stage IV NSCLC undergo frequent restaging scans (RS). While vital to assess treatment response, RS add anxiety and financial burdens to patients. The ideal frequency of RS is unclear. The numerous treatment options available, such as targeted therapy (TT) and immunotherapy (IO), and the variability in frequency of RS in the trials that led to their approval reflect this uncertainty. Due to the lack of clear guidelines about their ideal interval in daily practice, we reviewed the heterogeneity in frequency of RS in those trials, comparing it to the reported progression-free survival (PFS). Methods: In this study, we reviewed the FDA-approved drugs for stage IV NSCLC since 10/18/2016 and selected the TT and IO. Each trial that led to approval was reviewed, collecting the frequency of RS and the median PFS for the intervention (IA) and control arms (CA). Results: 18 TT drugs and 12 IO regimens, with and without chemotherapy (chemo), were found. Among them, the frequency of RS varied from every 4 to 9 weeks (w) upfront, later modified to every 6 to 12 w until disease progression. The median PFS for both groups in the IA ranged from 2.8 to 19.4 months (m), and from 3.0 to 12.4 m in the CA. The TT group had drugs directed at 7 different mutations, and it presented more discrepancy in terms of restaging frequency. The period between RS varied from every 4 to 8 w initially, later modified to every 6 to 12 w. However, 11 of 18 trials had an interval of every 6 w. The shortest median PFS in the IA arm was 5.4 m, and 5.6 m in the CA. While the longest median PFS was 19.4 m in the IA and 12.4 m in the CA. The IO group included 5 regimens with chemo and 7 without. The interval between RS varied from 6 to 9 w originally, to every 8 to 12 w later. Yet, 8 of 12 regimens’ trials scanned patients every 6 w initially. The median PFS in the IA ranged from 2.8 to 10.3 m, and between 3.0 to 6.5 m in the CA. Conclusions: We observed notable heterogeneity among trials regarding the frequency of RS in patients treated for stage IV NSCLC. When comparing these intervals to the median PFS, we noted the shortest PFS reported is longer than most adopted intervals. This may indicate RS were obtained more frequently than needed. The increased frequency of RS raises a burden for patients and the medical system, while contributing to disparities. This finding, coupled with further comparisons between the frequency of RS in trials and in daily practice, may pave the way for prospective studies analyzing the ideal interval for RS. This can lead to a more efficacious and less burdensome strategy for patients. [Table: see text]
Survival trends among patients with mesothelioma: Impact of initial therapy at academic centers.
e20540 Background: Mesothelioma is an aggressive malignancy with few approved treatment options. Rare malignancies are often seen in higher volume at academic centers which are considered equipped with better expertise. Outcomes of mesothelioma in the novel therapeutic era and impact of initial treatment at academic versus community centers have not been reported. Methods: Mesothelioma cases from 2004-2019 were collected from The National Cancer Database (NCDB). Epidemiologic factors including sex, age, income, education, insurance status and location were assessed as well as overall survival across academic and community centers. Overall survival (OS) was plotted by type of treatment facility, accounting for several factors available in NCDB. Results: A total of 30136 mesothelioma patients were included in the analysis. 13482 (44.7%) were treated in academic centers and 16654 (55.3%) were treated in community practice locations. A higher proportion of patients with comorbidity scores of 2 or higher were seen in the community setting as compared to the academic setting (12.2% vs 7.6%). The distribution of diagnostic stages was similar between academic and community settings (14.1% vs 14.5% Stage I; 28.5% vs 30.7% Stage IV). A higher number of patients received surgery (39.6% vs 21.3%), chemotherapy (59% vs 45.3%), and immunotherapy (5.2% vs 3.5%) when presenting to academic rather than community settings, respectively (p value < 0.001). OS for all patients was 1.093 years (range: 0-16.47 years) for those treated in an academic center and 0.66 years (95% CI: 0-16.690; p < 0.001) for those treated in the community. Conclusions: Data from NCDB database shows that treatment of mesothelioma at academic centers was associated with improved overall survival when compared to receiving treatment in the community despite seeing similar proportions of early and late-stage disease at presentation. Patients were more likely to receive treatment of any kind if presenting to academic centers.
Prevalence of Vitamin C Deficiency and Bleeding at a Tertiary Care Center: Mayo Clinic Florida (MCF) Experience