DOI： 10.1016/j.clc.2024.06.010

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Language：English   Publisher：Clinical Lung Cancer  

Background: Thymic carcinoma is a rare cancer with an aggressive clinical presentation and no organotypic symptoms. Despite using platinum-based chemotherapy as first-line treatment, the prognosis remains poor, necessitating a novel therapeutic strategy. Methods: The artemis trial is a Phase II, single-arm, multicenter study designed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of carboplatin, paclitaxel, lenvatinib, and pembrolizumab as first-line chemotherapy for patients with advanced or recurrent thymic carcinoma. A total of 35 patients will be enrolled in this study and will receive induction therapy every 3 weeks for up to 4 cycles, followed by pembrolizumab every 3 weeks, and daily lenvatinib as maintenance therapy for up to 31 cycles (for 2 years). Lenvatinib will be continued until disease progression or unacceptable toxicity based on the discretion of the attending physician. Conclusion: The primary endpoint of the study is the objective response rate, with secondary endpoints including progression-free survival, overall survival, duration of response, disease control rate, and safety profile. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05832827 Registered on April 27, 2023, https://classic.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT05832827. Japan Registry of Clinical Trials (jRCT), jRCT2031230114. Registered on May 22, 2023, https://jrct.niph.go.jp/latest-detail/jRCT2031230114.

DOI： 10.1016/j.cllc.2024.02.002

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Language：English   Publisher：Thoracic Cancer  

Tracheomediastinal fistula is a rare but life-threatening complication of cancer. We report a case of tracheomediastinal fistula induced by concurrent chemoradiotherapy in limited stage small cell lung cancer. Despite the treatment response, the metastatic paratracheal lymph node increased gradually during concurrent chemoradiotherapy, resulting in the occurrence of tracheomediastinal fistula and mediastinitis. Without any surgical intervention, the patient achieved successful recovery from mediastinitis through antibiotic treatment, although the tracheomediastinal fistula remained open. In this report, we also review previous studies of tracheomediastinal and bronchomediastinal fistulas and summarize the clinical features.

DOI： 10.1111/1759-7714.15270

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Language：English   Publisher：Respiratory Investigation  

Background: Osimertinib shows pronounced efficacy for EGFR mutation–positive non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) including associated central nervous system (CNS) metastases. Tumors inevitably develop resistance to the drug, however. Osimertinib is sometimes readministered after completion of standard chemotherapy. To clarify which patients might receive benefit from osimertinib readministration, we have retrospectively assessed its efficacy with a focus on CNS metastases. Methods: A retrospective analysis of medical records was performed for 21 patients who underwent osimertinib readministration at Kyushu University Hospital between March 2016 and April 2023. CNS metastases were evaluated according to modified Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST). Results: Among the 21 enrolled patients, 16 individuals had target lesions on the basis of RECIST. One (6.3%) of these 16 patients achieved a partial response to osimertinib readministration, with the remaining 15 patients showing stable or progressive disease. The median overall progression-free survival (PFS) and median overall survival for all 21 patients were 3.8 and 13.9 months, respectively. The efficacy of osimertinib readministration for CNS metastases was evaluable in eight patients including five individuals with leptomeningeal metastases. The objective response rate for CNS metastases and the improvement rate for leptomeningeal metastases were both 100%. The median PFS with regard to CNS or non-CNS lesions for these eight patients was 24.7 and 10.5 months, respectively. Conclusions: Osimertinib readministration showed limited efficacy for non-CNS lesions but excellent efficacy for CNS metastases, suggesting that such treatment is an option for EGFR-mutated NSCLC patients with CNS metastases.

DOI： 10.1016/j.resinv.2024.02.001

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Language：English   Publisher：Lung Cancer  

Objectives: In this study, we explored the clinical outcomes of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients with EGFR Exon20 in-frame insertions (Exon20ins), and the impact of the location of Exon20ins on these clinical outcomes. Materials and methods: The efficacies of current systemic therapies in NSCLC patients harboring Exon20ins were investigated using a large-scale clinico-genomic database of LC-SCRUM-Asia, and compared with that of amivantamab in the CHRYSALIS trial. Results: Of the 11,397 patients enrolled in LC-SCRUM-Asia, Exon20ins were detected in 189 patients (1.7 %). Treatment with classical EGFR tyrosine-kinase inhibitors (classical TKIs) was associated with a significantly shorter progression-free survival (PFS) in NSCLC patients with Exon20ins as compared with Exon19 deletions and L858R. Post platinum-based chemotherapy, classical TKIs and immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) were associated with a shorter PFS than with docetaxel in patients with Exon20ins (HR [95 % CI]; TKIs vs docetaxel, 2.16 [1.35–3.46]; ICIs vs docetaxel, 1.49 [1.21–1.84]). Patients treated with amivantamab in the CHRYSALIS trial showed a risk reduction in PFS and overall survival as compared with LC-SCRUM-Asia patients treated with docetaxel, classical TKIs, or ICIs. Among the 189 patients, Exon20ins were classified as near-loop or far-loop insertions in 115 (61 %) and 56 (30 %) patients, respectively. Treatment with osimertinib was associated with a longer PFS in patients with Exon20ins in near-loop as compared with far-loop (median, 5.6 vs. 2.0 months; HR [95 % CI], 0.22 [0.07–0.64]). Conclusions: After platinum-based chemotherapy, classical TKIs and ICIs are less effective in NSCLC patients with Exon20ins, and amivantamab may be a promising targeted therapy. There is a possibility that the location of Exon20ins has an impact on the efficacy of TKIs.

DOI： 10.1016/j.lungcan.2024.107798

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Language：English   Publisher：JCO Precision Oncology  

PURPOSE The impact of genomic alterations on response and resistance to trastuzumab deruxtecan (T-DXd) has not been elucidated. Thus, we sought to identify factors predicting sensitivity to T-DXd in gastric or gastroesophageal junction (G/GEJ) cancer. METHODS We conducted a retrospective study using real-world clinical data and next-generation sequencing–based comprehensive genomic profiling (CGP) data from patients with advanced G/GEJ cancers, collected by the nationwide database in Japan. We analyzed the associations between genomic alterations and the patients’ survivals after T-DXd treatment. RESULTS In 114 patients with human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 (HER2)–positive G/GEJ cancer treated with T-DXd, the most frequently altered genes were TP53 (82%), ERBB2 (80%), and CCNE1 (36%). Multivariate Cox regression analysis revealed CCNE1 amplification to be a significant predictor of shorter progression-free survival (PFS) after T-DXd treatment among 91 patients whose CGP samples were obtained before T-DXd (median PFS, 131 days v 189 days; hazard ratio [HR], 1.90 [95% CI, 1.02 to 3.53]; P 5 .044). Analyses of 1,450 G/GEJ cancers revealed significant CCNE1/ERBB2 coamplification (41% relative to 11% CCNE1 amplification in ERBB2-nonamplified tumors; P < .0001). ERBB2-activating mutations were also detected in 3.7% of G/GEJ cancers and in 8.8% of HER2-positive G/GEJ cancers treated with T-DXd. Patients with ERBB2-mutated tumors showed shorter PFS than those without ERBB2 mutations after T-DXd treatment (mPFS, 105 v 180 days; P 5 .046). CONCLUSION CCNE1 amplification may confer primary resistance to T-DXd in HER2-positive G/GEJ cancer, suggesting that the cell cycle could be a potential therapeutic target in CCNE1/ERBB2 coamplified tumors. ERBB2-activating mutation may also attenuate T-DXd efficacy in HER2-positive G/GEJ cancer.

DOI： 10.1200/PO.23.00681

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Language：English   Publisher：Journal of Clinical Oncology  

PURPOSE Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) are standard first-line therapy for EGFR-mutant, metastatic non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC); however, most patients experience disease progression. We report results from the randomized, double-blind, phase III KEYNOTE-789 study of pemetrexed and platinum–based chemotherapy with or without pembrolizumab for TKI-resistant, EGFR-mutant, metastatic nonsquamous NSCLC (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT03515837). METHODS Adults with pathologically confirmed stage IV nonsquamous NSCLC, documented DEL19 or L858R EGFR mutation, and progression after EGFR-TKI treatment were randomly assigned 1:1 to 35 cycles of pembrolizumab 200 mg or placebo once every 3 weeks plus four cycles of pemetrexed and carboplatin or cisplatin once every 3 weeks and then maintenance pemetrexed. Dual primary end points were progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS). Final PFS testing was completed at the second interim analysis (IA2; data cutoff, December 3, 2021); OS was tested at final analysis (FA; data cutoff, January 17, 2023). Efficacy boundaries were one-sided P 5 .0117 for PFS and OS. RESULTS Four hundred ninety-two patients were randomly assigned to pembrolizumab plus chemotherapy (n 5 245) or placebo plus chemotherapy (n 5 247). At IA2, the median PFS was 5.6 months for pembrolizumab plus chemotherapy versus 5.5 months for placebo plus chemotherapy (hazard ratio [HR], 0.80 [95% CI, 0.65 to 0.97]; P 5 .0122). At FA, the median OS was 15.9 versus 14.7 months, respectively (HR, 0.84 [95% CI, 0.69 to 1.02]; P 5 .0362). Grade ≥3 treatment-related adverse events occurred in 43.7% of pembrolizumab plus chemotherapy recipients versus 38.6% of placebo plus chemotherapy recipients. CONCLUSION Addition of pembrolizumab to chemotherapy in patients with TKI-resistant, EGFR-mutant, metastatic nonsquamous NSCLC did not significantly prolong PFS or OS versus placebo plus chemotherapy in KEYNOTE-789.

DOI： 10.1200/JCO.23.02747

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Language：English   Publisher：Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications  

Mechanisms underlying the growth and survival of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells positive for activating mutations of the epidermal growth factor receptor gene (EGFR) have remained unclear. We here examined the functional relation between such mutant forms of EGFR and Yes-associated protein (YAP), a transcriptional coactivator of the Hippo signaling pathway that regulates cell proliferation and survival. Under the condition of serum deprivation, epidermal growth factor (EGF) induced activation of YAP in NSCLC cell lines positive for mutated EGFR but not in those wild type (WT) for EGFR. Similar EGF-induced activation of YAP was apparent in A549 lung cancer cells forcibly expressing mutant EGFR but not in those overexpressing the WT receptor. Furthermore, EGF induced apoptotic cell death in serum-deprived A549 cells overexpressing the WT form of EGFR but not in those expressing mutant EGFR, and knockdown of YAP rendered the latter cells sensitive to this effect of EGF. Our results thus suggest that activation of YAP mediates resistance of EGFR-mutated NSCLC cells to EGF-induced apoptosis and thereby contributes specifically to the survival of such cells.

DOI： 10.1016/j.bbrc.2023.09.067

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Language：English   Publisher：Cancer Science  

Treatment with immune checkpoint inhibitors induces a durable response in some patients with non-small-cell lung cancer, but eventually gives rise to drug resistance. Upregulation of CD155 expression is implicated as one mechanism of resistance to programmed death receptor-1 (PD-1)/PD-1 ligand (PD-L1) inhibitors, and it is therefore important to characterize the mechanisms underlying regulation of CD155 expression in tumor cells. The aim of this study was to identify microRNAs (miRNAs) that might regulate CD155 expression at the posttranscriptional level in lung cancer. Comprehensive miRNA screening with target prediction programs and a dual-luciferase reporter assay identified miR-346, miR-328-3p, miR-326, and miR-330-5p as miRNAs that bind to the 3′-UTR of CD155 mRNA. Forced expression of these miRNAs suppressed CD155 expression in lung cancer cell lines. Immunohistochemical staining of CD155 in tissue specimens from 57 patients with lung adenocarcinoma revealed the median tumor proportion score for CD155 to be 68%. The abundance of miR-326 in these specimens with a low level of CD155 expression was significantly greater than in specimens with a high level (p < 0.005). Our results thus suggest that miR-326 negatively regulates CD155 expression in lung adenocarcinoma and might therefore play a role in the development of resistance to PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors.

DOI： 10.1111/cas.15921

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Language：English   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)  

Language：English   Publisher：Lung Cancer  

Background: Damage-associated molecular pattern (DAMP)-related immunogenic cell death triggers secondary adaptive immune responses. The relationship between DAMP levels and prognosis in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who undergo a combination therapy of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) and chemotherapy remains unclear. Methods: Serial plasma samples were prospectively collected from 45 patients treated with ICI combination therapy for advanced NSCLC. Plasma concentrations of high-mobility group box 1 (HMGB1), calreticulin (CRT), annexin A1, and heat shock protein 70 were measured. Associations between increases in plasma DAMP levels and the efficacy of the ICI combination therapy were evaluated. Results: The maximum fold changes in plasma levels differed across individuals but demonstrated a marked increase, especially for CRT (mean ± SEM, 11.61 ± 46.15). Increased plasma DAMP levels were not clearly associated with clinical responses. There was a significant correlation between the maximum fold change in CRT levels and progression-free survival (PFS; r = 0.49, P < 0.001). Median PFS and overall survival (OS) rates were higher in patients with a ≥ 2-fold increase in plasma CRT levels than in those with a < 2-fold increase (PFS, 14.9 versus 6.0 months, hazard ratio (HR), 0.58; P = 0.17; OS, not reached versus 21.6 months, HR, 0.31, P = 0.02). Conclusions: Plasma CRT level monitoring has the potential to predict the efficacy of ICI combination therapy and shed light on the mechanisms underlying DAMP-related immunogenic cell death.

DOI： 10.1016/j.lungcan.2023.107264

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Language：English   Publisher：Frontiers in Immunology  

Introduction: Programmed cell death–ligand 1 (PD-L1) is a biomarker for prediction of the clinical efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitors in various cancer types. The role of cytokines in regulation of PD-L1 expression in tumor cells has not been fully characterized, however. Here we show that interleukin-1β (IL-1β) plays a key role in regulation of PD-L1 expression in non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Methods: We performed comprehensive screening of cytokine gene expression in NSCLC tissue using available single-cell RNA-Sequence data. Then we examined the role of IL-1β in vitro to elucidate its induction of PD-L1 on NSCLC cells. Results: The IL-1β gene is highly expressed in the tumor microenvironment, particularly in macrophages. The combination of IL-1β and interferon-γ (IFN-γ) induced a synergistic increase in PD-L1 expression in NSCLC cell lines. IL-1β and IFN-γ also cooperatively activated mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling and promoted the binding of downstream transcription factors to the PD-L1 gene promoter. Furthermore, inhibitors of MAPK signaling blocked upregulation of PD-L1 by IL-1β and IFN-γ. Discussion: Our study reports high levels of IL-1β in the tumor microenvironment may cooperate with IFN-γ to induce maximal PD-L1 expression in tumor cells via activation of MAPK signaling, with the IL-1β–MAPK axis being a promising therapeutic target for attenuation of PD-L1–mediated suppression of antitumor immunity.

DOI： 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1192861

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Publisher：Current Problems in Cancer: Case Reports  

DOI： 10.1016/j.cpccr.2023.100236

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Publisher：Current Problems in Cancer: Case Reports  

We report a case of bronchiolitis obliterans (BO) due to afatinib treatment. A 42-year-old woman was diagnosed with stage IVB lung adenocarcinoma (cT1bN3M1c) positive for the L861Q mutation of EGFR and was treated with afatinib. Seven months after the onset of afatinib therapy, she presented with a cough that gradually worsened despite treatment for bronchial asthma. Pulmonary function tests showed severe obstructive patterns that were not improved with inhaled bronchodilators. Chest computed tomography revealed a mosaic attenuation pattern, and pulmonary ventilation-perfusion scintigraphy showed a matched defect. She had no underlying causes of secondary BO, and she was therefore diagnosed with afatinib-induced BO. Respiratory function did not deteriorate further after discontinuation of afatinib or after subsequent treatment with osimertinib. This case indicates that afatinib is a potential trigger for BO. Clinical oncologists should therefore bear in mind the possible development of this potentially fatal adverse event in patients undergoing afatinib treatment; they should be alert to respiratory symptoms and consider periodic pulmonary function tests.

DOI： 10.1016/j.cpccr.2023.100231

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Language：English   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)  

Language：English   Publisher：Cancer Science  

Malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) is an aggressive solid cancer with a poor prognosis, whereas coxsackievirus A11 (CVA11) is a potential oncolytic virus for cancer treatment. We here investigated the oncolytic activity of CVA11 with human MPM cell lines. CVA11 infection was cytotoxic in all six MPM cell lines examined and showed no or minimal cytotoxicity toward normal human normal cell lines. MPM cells with a higher surface level of intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) expression tended to be more susceptible to CVA11-induced cytotoxicity, and a neutralizing antibody to ICAM-1 attenuated such cytotoxicity. CVA11 infection activated signaling by Akt and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) pathways, and inhibitors of such signaling also abrogated CVA11-mediated cytotoxicity. Furthermore, CVA11 infection-triggered multiple modes of tumor cell death including apoptosis, pyroptosis, and necroptosis, and such death was accompanied by the release or exposure of the proinflammatory cytokine interleukin-1β and damage-associated molecular patterns such as calreticulin, high-mobility group box-1, annexin A1, and heat shock protein 70, which are hallmarks of immunogenic cell death. Notably, in vivo treatment of human MPM xenografts with intratumoral CVA11 injection resulted in significant suppression of tumor growth in SCID mice, and all mice infected with CVA11 showed no significant change in body weight. Our findings collectively suggest that the oncolytic activity of CVA11 for MPM is dependent on ICAM-1 as a virus receptor, as well as on Akt and ERK signaling, and that oncolytic virotherapy with CVA11 is a promising treatment modality with immunostimulatory activity for human MPM.

DOI： 10.1111/cas.15645

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Lessons Learned: Alectinib confers a pronounced survival benefit in patients with ALK rearrangement-positive non-small cell lung cancer and a poor performance status. Survival benefit of alectinib for patients with a poor performance status was consistent regardless of the presence of central nervous system metastases. Background: We previously reported a marked objective response rate (ORR) and safety for alectinib treatment in patients with ALK rearrangement-positive non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and a poor performance status (PS) in the Lung Oncology Group in Kyushu (LOGiK) 1401 study. It remained unclear, however, whether alectinib might also confer a long-term survival benefit in such patients. Methods: Eighteen patients with ALK rearrangement-positive advanced NSCLC and a PS of 2, 3, or 4 (n = 12, 5, and 1, respectively) were enrolled in LOGiK1401 between September 2014 and December 2015 and received alectinib. We have now updated the survival data for the study. Results: The median follow-up time for all patients was 27.3 months. The median progression-free survival (PFS) was 16.2 months (95% confidence interval [CI], 7.1–30.8 months), and the median survival time (MST) and the 3-year overall survival rate were 30.3 months (95% CI, 11.5 months to not reached) and 43.8% (95% CI, 20.8–64.7%), respectively. This survival benefit was similarly manifest in patients with a PS of 2 (MST, 20.5 months) and those with a PS of ≥3 (MST, not reached). PFS did not differ between patients with or without central nervous system (CNS) metastases at baseline (median of 17.5 and 16.2 months, respectively, p =.886). Conclusion: Alectinib showed a pronounced survival benefit for patients with ALK rearrangement-positive NSCLC and a poor PS regardless of the presence of CNS metastases, a patient population for which chemotherapy is not indicated.

DOI： 10.1634/theoncologist.2019-0728

Language：English   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)  

Background: The aim of this study was to evaluate the potential of liquid biopsy for prediction of the efficacy of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)–tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) treatment and for assessment of the changes in genetic alterations during such treatment. Methods: Plasma samples were prospectively collected from non–small cell lung cancer patients with EGFR-activating mutations during EGFR-TKI treatment until disease progression and were analyzed for such mutations with droplet digital polymerase chain reaction and for other somatic alterations with next-generation sequencing. Results: One hundred patients, including 87 who were EGFR-TKI naïve, were enrolled. Median progression-free survival was significantly shorter for EGFR-TKI–naïve patients with EGFR-activating mutations detected in plasma at baseline than for those without them (7.9 vs 19.0 months; P <.001), with the values being significantly longer for initially positive patients who became negative for these mutations at 12 or 24 weeks than for those who remained positive. An increase in the number of alleles positive for EGFR-activating mutations in plasma during treatment was associated with disease progression, with a hazard ratio of 4.72 (95% CI, 2.07-10.79; P <.001) for EGFR-TKI–naïve patients showing an increase within 36 weeks. For 55 patients with available samples, the total number of somatic alterations (other than activating mutations or T790M of EGFR) in plasma was higher at disease progression than at baseline (33 vs 19; P = 0.04). Conclusion: Liquid biopsy shows potential for prediction of EGFR-TKI efficacy and elucidation of clonal tumor evolution during targeted therapy.

DOI： 10.1002/cncr.32481

Language：English   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)  

DOI： 10.1016/j.cllc.2019.09.001

Language：English   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)  

Epidermal growth factor receptor-tyrosine kinase inhibitors (EGFR-TKIs) are standard therapy for EGFR-mutant non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Preclinically, HER3 ligand heregulin induces resistance to EGFR-TKIs, whereas the pan-human EGFR family inhibitor afatinib remains effective. Here, we examined whether soluble heregulin levels have clinical implications for EGFR-mutant NSCLC treated with EGFR-TKIs. Soluble heregulin was immunologically measured in plasma from EGFR-mutant NSCLC patients. Cutoff values were determined by 1-year PFS ROC curve. The relationship between soluble heregulin and PFS following EGFR-TKI therapy was analyzed by Cox proportional hazards model. Seventy-three patients were enrolled: 44 were treated with 1^st-generation and 29 with 2^nd-generation EGFR-TKIs. Soluble heregulin levels varied (range: 274–7,138 pg/mL, median: 739 pg/mL). Among patients treated with 1^st-generation EGFR-TKIs, those with high heregulin (n = 20, >800 pg/mL) had a tendency for shorter PFS than those with low heregulin (n = 24, <800 pg/mL), with median PFS of 322 and 671 days, respectively. Cox proportional hazards model also indicated a trend toward resistance against 1^st-generation EGFR-TKIs (HR: 1.825, 95% CI: 0.865–4.318) but not against 2^nd-generation EGFR-TKIs. Soluble heregulin potentially correlates with resistance to EGFR-TKIs but not 2^nd-generation EGFR-TKIs in patients with EGFR-mutant NSCLC.

DOI： 10.1038/s41598-019-55939-5

Language：English   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)  

Objectives: Pleural effusion (PE) occasionally develops in cancer patients during treatment with antibodies to programmed cell death–1 (PD-1) or to its ligand PD-L1 (hereafter, αPD-1 therapy). Such effusion often contains infiltrated mononuclear cells, although the types of immune cell present as well as the outcome of such patients have remained unclear. Materials and methods: We performed a multi-institutional, observational study to examine the clinical outcome of patients who develop PE after the onset of αPD-1 therapy. We compared the immune cell profiles and the immune status of lymphocytes in PE as determined by flow cytometry between nine patients who developed effusion during αPD-1 therapy (αPD-1 group) and 15 patients who developed PE during treatment with other anticancer agents (control group). Results: Most mononuclear cells in PE were lymphocytes in both the αPD-1 and control groups. The frequency of both CD4⁺ and CD8⁺ T lymphocytes expressing the immune checkpoint proteins TIM-3 or TIGIT as well as that of CD8⁺ T lymphocytes expressing PD-L1 were increased in the αPD-1 group compared with the control group. αPD-1 therapy continued for a substantial period after the emergence of PE in six of the nine patients in the αPD-1 group, and the frequency of CD4⁺ T lymphocytes in PE expressing the immune checkpoint protein LAG-3 or the cytokine interkeukin-17 was lower for these patients than for those who did not receive a sustained treatment benefit. Conclusion: Our results suggest a clinical benefit of continuing αPD-1 therapy in some patients who develop PE. We found that infiltrating T lymphocytes in PE manifest a more exhausted phenotype during αPD-1 therapy than during treatment with other cancer drugs, with subpopulations of these cells characterized by specific immune checkpoint protein and cytokine expression profiles possibly contributing to the antitumor immune response.

DOI： 10.1016/j.lungcan.2019.10.011

Language：English   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)  

Objectives: To examine the possible effects of antinuclear antibodies (ANA) on the safety and efficacy of programmed cell death–1 (PD-1) inhibitors in patients with advanced non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Patients and methods: Clinical data including ANA status were reviewed retrospectively for patients with advanced NSCLC who received monotherapy with a PD-1 inhibitor. Results: Of the 83 patients analyzed, 18 (21.7%) were positive for ANA. The incidence of immune-related adverse events (irAEs) did not differ significantly between patients with ANA (6/18, 33.3%) and those negative for ANA (21/65, 32.3%), although it tended to increase as the ANA titer increased. Progression-free survival (2.9 versus 3.8 months, p = 0.03) and overall survival (11.6 versus 15.8 months, p = 0.03) were significantly shorter in patients positive for ANA than in those without ANA. Conclusion: PD-1 inhibitors can be administered safely in advanced NSCLC patients positive for ANA without obvious exacerbation of autoimmune disease, although patients with a high titer of such antibodies may warrant close monitoring. However, the presence of ANA might be associated with a poor outcome of such treatment.

DOI： 10.1016/j.lungcan.2019.01.014

Language：English   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)  

Background/Aim: Patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) treated with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) eventually develop resistance to these drugs. Although various mechanisms of such resistance have been identified, the mechanism in many cases remains unknown. Materials and Methods: Whole-exome sequencing was performed for tumor tissue from 15 patients with NSCLC who developed EGFR-TKI resistance. Tumor specimens obtained before EGFR-TKI treatment were also analyzed for four patients and normal white blood cell samples for six patients in order to detect genomic alterations that occurred during treatment. Results: The mutational signature and mutational load acquired during EGFR-TKI treatment varied among patients, with common EGFR-TKI resistance mechanisms including the T790M secondary mutation of EGFR and MET amplification being acquired together with many other genomic alterations. Our results provide insight into the mutational landscape acquired during the development of EGFR-TKI resistance in NSCLC.

DOI： 10.21873/anticanres.13162

Language：English   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)  

Patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) treated with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) eventually acquire resistance to these drugs. The identification of various resistance mechanisms for determination of subsequent treatment for these patients will require a method for simultaneous detection of multiple genetic alterations with high sensitivity. We performed cancer personalized profiling by deep sequencing (CAPP-Seq) with circulating tumor DNA obtained from patients with NSCLC who acquired resistance to first- or second-generation EGFR-TKIs. Plasma samples from 27 patients were analyzed, and 24 samples underwent CAPP-Seq successfully. Original activating EGFR mutations were detected in 23 patients, with the remaining patient showing MET amplification. With regard to known mechanisms of EGFR-TKI resistance, the T790M mutation of EGFR was detected in 17 of the 24 patients, MET amplification in 9 patients (6 of whom also harbored T790M), ERBB2 amplification in 2 patients (1 of whom also harbored T790M), and EGFR amplification in 4 patients (all of whom harbored T790M). Our results thus show that CAPP-Seq is applicable to clinical samples for the identification of multiple somatic mutations in circulating tumor DNA obtained from patients with NSCLC at the time of disease progression during treatment with first- or second-generation EGFR-TKIs. Patients positive for the T790M mutation of EGFR were also found to constitute a molecularly heterogeneous population. Key Points: CAPP-Seq is applicable to clinical samples for the identification of multiple somatic mutations. The T790M mutation of EGFR is associated with amplification of MET, ERBB2, or EGFR in NSCLC patients resistant to EGFR-TKIs. T790M-positive patients are molecularly heterogeneous, and genetic alterations coexisting with T790M may differ between patients treated with first-generation or second-generation EGFR-TKIs.

DOI： 10.1634/theoncologist.2019-0101

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Event date： 2022.12

Language：Japanese   Presentation type：Symposium, workshop panel (public)  

Venue：福岡   Country：Japan  

Event date： 2020.11

Language：English  

Country：Japan  

Event date： 2014.11

Language：Japanese   Presentation type：Symposium, workshop panel (public)  

Venue：京都   Country：Japan  

Language：English   Presentation type：Oral presentation (general)  

Venue：Toronto   Country：Canada  

Language：English   Presentation type：Oral presentation (general)  

Country：Armenia  

Event date： 2025.3

Language：English   Presentation type：Symposium, workshop panel (nominated)  

EGFR遺伝子変異陽性肺癌に対する体積所克服のための多面的アプローチを自身の研究に基づき発表した

Event date： 2024.10 - 2024.11

Presentation type：Symposium, workshop panel (public)  

Venue：横浜  

Event date： 2024.10 - 2024.11

Presentation type：Symposium, workshop panel (nominated)  

Venue：横浜  

Event date： 2024.10

Presentation type：Symposium, workshop panel (nominated)  

Venue：福岡  

Event date： 2024.10

Presentation type：Public lecture, seminar, tutorial, course, or other speech  

Venue：福岡  

Event date： 2024.4

Venue：横浜  

Event date： 2024.2

Language：English   Presentation type：Symposium, workshop panel (public)  

Country：Japan  

Event date： 2023.11

Language：Japanese   Presentation type：Symposium, workshop panel (public)  

Venue：千葉   Country：Japan  

Event date： 2023.9

Language：English  

Country：Japan  

Event date： 2023.6

Language：Japanese   Presentation type：Oral presentation (general)  

Venue：佐賀   Country：Japan  

Event date： 2023.4

Language：Japanese   Presentation type：Symposium, workshop panel (public)  

Country：Japan  

Event date： 2023.4

Language：Japanese   Presentation type：Symposium, workshop panel (public)  

Country：Japan  

Event date： 2023.2

Language：Japanese   Presentation type：Oral presentation (general)  

Country：Japan  

Event date： 2022.9

Language：Japanese   Presentation type：Oral presentation (general)  

Country：Japan  

Event date： 2022.7

Language：Japanese   Presentation type：Oral presentation (general)  

Country：Japan  

Event date： 2021.11

Language：Japanese   Presentation type：Oral presentation (general)  

Venue：横浜   Country：Japan  

Event date： 2021.11

Language：Japanese   Presentation type：Oral presentation (general)  

Venue：横浜   Country：Japan  

Event date： 2021.11

Language：Japanese   Presentation type：Oral presentation (general)  

Venue：横浜   Country：Japan  

Event date： 2021.11

Language：Japanese   Presentation type：Oral presentation (general)  

Venue：横浜   Country：Japan  

Event date： 2021.10

Language：Japanese   Presentation type：Symposium, workshop panel (public)  

Venue：横浜   Country：Japan  

Event date： 2020.11 - 2021.11

Language：Japanese  

Country：Japan  

Event date： 2020.11

Language：Japanese  

Country：Japan  

Language：Japanese   Presentation type：Symposium, workshop panel (public)  

Venue：京都   Country：Japan  

Language：English  

Country：Japan  

Language：Japanese   Presentation type：Oral presentation (general)  

Country：Japan  

Language：English   Presentation type：Oral presentation (general)  

Country：Japan  

Language：Japanese   Presentation type：Oral presentation (general)  

Country：Japan  

Language：English   Presentation type：Oral presentation (general)  

Country：Korea, Republic of  

Language：Japanese   Presentation type：Oral presentation (general)  

Country：Japan  

Language：Japanese   Presentation type：Symposium, workshop panel (public)  

Country：Japan  

Language：English   Presentation type：Oral presentation (general)  

Venue：Singapore   Country：Singapore  

Language：English   Presentation type：Symposium, workshop panel (public)  

Venue：京都   Country：Japan  

Language：Japanese   Presentation type：Oral presentation (general)  

Country：Japan  

Language：Japanese  

Language：Japanese  

Language：Japanese  

Language：English  

Language：Japanese  

Language：Japanese  

Language：English  

Language：Japanese  

Language：Japanese  

Language：Japanese  

Language：Japanese  

Language：Japanese  

Language：Japanese  

Language：Japanese  

Language：Japanese  

Language：Japanese  

Language：Japanese  

Language：Japanese  

Language：Japanese  

Language：Japanese  

Language：Japanese  

Language：English  

Language：Japanese  

Language：English  

Language：Japanese  

Language：Japanese  

Language：Japanese  

Language：Japanese  

Language：English  

Language：Japanese  

Language：English  

Language：English  

Language：English  

Language：Japanese  

Language：Japanese  

Language：Japanese   Publishing type：Article, review, commentary, editorial, etc. (scientific journal)  

Language：Japanese   Publishing type：Article, review, commentary, editorial, etc. (scientific journal)  

Language：English   Publishing type：Article, review, commentary, editorial, etc. (scientific journal)  

Language：English   Publishing type：Article, review, commentary, editorial, etc. (scientific journal)  

Language：Japanese   Publishing type：Article, review, commentary, editorial, etc. (scientific journal)  

Language：Japanese   Publishing type：Article, review, commentary, editorial, etc. (scientific journal)  

Language：Japanese   Publishing type：Article, review, commentary, editorial, etc. (scientific journal)  

Language：Japanese   Publishing type：Article, review, commentary, editorial, etc. (scientific journal)  

Language：Japanese   Publishing type：Article, review, commentary, editorial, etc. (scientific journal)  

Language：Japanese   Publishing type：Article, review, commentary, editorial, etc. (scientific journal)