AUTHOR=Guo Long-Hua , Zhang Ming-Feng , Zhang He-Long , Zhou Jian-Ying , Cai Xiao-Hong , Long Yu , Guo Qi-Sen , Yang Nong , Zhao Jun , Xie Zhan-Hong , Jiang Bo , Zhu Ying , Fan Yun , Xie Cong-Ying , Hu Yi , Yao Yu , Jia Jun , Li Xiao-Ling , Cui Jiu-Wei , Sui Xi-Zhao , Lin Wen , Cheng Ying , Wang Hui-Juan , Wang Chang-Li , Zhao Ming-Fang , Qiao Gui-Bin , Peng Li-Jun , Yang Lin , Chen Gong-Yan , Cai Kai-Can , Xu Xin-Hua , Zhang Liang-Ming , Feng Guo-Sheng , Zhou Jing-Min , Wu Guo-Wu , Dong Xiao-Rong , Wang Li-Feng , Zhang Hong-Mei , Gao Ya-Jie , Jiang Qiu-Ying , Cang Shun-Dong , Yang Zhi-Xiong , Song Xia , Liu Xiao-Qing , Zhu Bo , Chen Feng-Xia , Hu Chun-Hong , Chen Xi , Wu Yi-Long , Zhou Qing 

TITLE=Survival Benefit and Genetic Profile of Pemetrexed as Initial Chemotherapy in Selected Chinese Patients With Advanced Lung Adenocarcinoma

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Oncology

VOLUME=10

YEAR=2020

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/oncology/articles/10.3389/fonc.2020.01568

DOI=10.3389/fonc.2020.01568

ISSN=2234-943X

ABSTRACT=<p><bold>Objective:</bold> This study investigated survival in selected Chinese patients with advanced lung adenocarcinoma who received initial chemotherapy with pemetrexed. We also explored the relationship between genetic biomarkers and pemetrexed efficacy.</p><p><bold>Methods:</bold> We retrospectively collected patients (<italic>n</italic> = 1,047) enrolled in the Chinese Patient Assistance Program from multiple centers who received pemetrexed alone or combined with platinum as initial chemotherapy and continued pemetrexed maintenance therapy for advanced lung adenocarcinoma from November 2014 to June 2017. The outcomes were duration of treatment (DOT) and overall survival (OS). Clinical features were analyzed for their influence on the treatment effect and prognosis. Next-generation sequencing (NGS) was performed to identify genetic biomarkers associated with the efficacy of pemetrexed.</p><p><bold>Results:</bold> The median DOT was 9.1 months (95% CI: 8.5–9.8), and the median OS was 26.2 months (95% CI: 24.2–28.1). OS was positively correlated with DOT (<italic>r</italic> = 0.403, <italic>P</italic> &lt; 0.001). Multivariable analysis showed that smoking status and Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status (PS) were independently associated with DOT; smoking status, ECOG PS, targeted therapy, and <italic>EGFR/ALK/ROS1</italic> status were independently associated with OS. NGS in 22 patients with available samples showed genes with high mutation rates were: <italic>TP53</italic> (54.5%), <italic>EGFR</italic> (50.0%), <italic>MYC</italic> (18.2%), and <italic>PIK3CA</italic> (13.6%). When grouped based on progression-free survival (PFS) reported in the PARAMOUNT study, the DOT &gt; 6.9 months set was associated with <italic>PIK3CA, ALK, BRINP3, CDKN2A, CSMD3, EPHA3, KRAS</italic>, and <italic>RB1</italic> mutations, while <italic>ERBB2</italic> mutation was observed only in the DOT ≤ 6.9 months set.</p><p><bold>Conclusion:</bold> This study shows that initial chemotherapy with pemetrexed is an effective regimen for advanced lung adenocarcinoma in selected Chinese patients. There is no specific genetic profile predicting the benefit of pemetrexed found by NGS. Biomarkers predicting the efficacy of pemetrexed need further exploration.</p>