Patients with stage IIIB and IV lung adenocarcinoma and progression to first-line chemotherapy were enrolled to receive afatinib 40 mg/day. Mutational EGFR and HER-2 status were assessed by RT-PCR. HER2 amplification was evaluated by FISH. Plasma HGF levels were measured by ELISA before and 2 months (mo) after the start of treatment. We assessed changes in serum HGF levels and their association with objective response rate (ORR), PFS and overall survival (OS).
Lung cancer is the main cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide, accounting for 1.6 million deaths in 2012. Non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) histology comprises ap-proximately 85% of cases. At the time of diagnosis, 75% of the patients have locally advanced or metastatic disease, with a 5-year survival rate of less than 5%. Although treatment options for these patients remain limited, drugs targeting the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) have proved to be a highly effective therapy in NSCLC patients harboring sensitizing EGFR mutations. Afatinib, a second-generation irreversible TKI, confers a theoretical advantage over re-versible TKIs in patients with acquired resistance. Through covalent binding to the kinase domain of EGFR, afatinib down regulates signaling from all homodimers and heter-odimers formed by ERBB receptor family members including EGFR, HER2 (ErbB2), HER3 (ErbB3) and HER4 (ErbB4). HER2 mutations in NSCLC are rare, being found in approximately 1-4% of lung adenocarcinomas. In contrast with reversible TKIs, the mechanisms of resistance to irreversible TKIs have not been fully elucidated, and identification of biomarkers that predict response to these drugs, particularly in patients progressing after first line therapy, is needed. In this study we assess the usefulness of plasma HGF concentrations as a predictor of response to afatinib in patients with advanced-stage lung adenocarcinoma.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
NA
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
66
All patients will receive: BIBW 2992 40mg every 24 hours orally, where a cycle corresponds to complete this treatment for 28 days; option 30mg/day dose reductions, according to established criteria. Not to be compared with any other drug.
National Cancer Institute of Mexico
Mexico City, Mexico City, Mexico
Overall response
Is assigned to each subject the best objective response according to the investigator's decision (according to RECIST criteria). This is defined as the best response recorded from the start of treatment until progression / recurrence of disease. For patients with response status partial (PR) or complete response (CR), changes in tumor measurements must be confirmed by repeated assessments to be made not less than 4 weeks after it first reached the response criteria The CT will be made every two months to assess response to treatment. The objective response will be summarized descriptively.
Time frame: from the start of consumption until at least 6 months after stopping BIBW 2992 or when all patients have died.
Progression Free Survival
Is defined as the time from start of treatment until the date of the first documented evidence of progression (RECIST criteria) or the date of death for any reason in the absence of disease progression (EP). For patients who have died or progressed at the time of final analysis, use the date of last contact.
Time frame: from the start of consumption until at least 6 months after stopping BIBW 2992 or when all patients have died.
Overall survival
Overall survival will be determined from the date of commencement of treatment to date of death, regardless of the cause of death. In patients who did not die at the time of final analysis will use the date of last contact.
Time frame: from the start of consumption until at least 6 months after stopping BIBW 2992 or when all patients have died.
Evaluation of the HER-2 gene copy number and amplification
Assessing the number of copies of the HER-2 gene by FISH
Time frame: Baseline
DNA Extraction and Mutational Analysis of EGFR and HER-2
Tumor samples were fixed in formalin and embedded in paraffin, used for histologic diagnosis of patients will be obtained from the Departments of Pathology participating institutes.
Time frame: Baseline
Toxicity evaluation
adverse effect from CTCAE
Time frame: from the start of consumption until at least 6 months after stopping BIBW 2992 or when all patients have died.
Determination of plasma HGF pre and post-treatment concentration
Plasma samples were collected before the start of treatment with afatinib and after 2 months of treatment. HGF plasma levels were determined using ELISA, which was per-formed according to Quantikine human HGF immunoassay (DHG00; R\&D System, Minneapolis, MN, USA). All assays were performed in duplicate. Color intensity was measured at 450 nm with a spectrophotometric plate reader. HGF concentrations were determined by comparison with standard curves.
Time frame: Baseline and after 2 months of treatment.
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