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EGFR-TKI and lung adenocarcinoma with CNS relapse: interest of molecular follow-up

Depts of ¹ Chest Diseases, ² Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, ³ Anatomopathology, and ⁴ Radiology, Hôpitaux Universitaires, Strasbourg, France.

CORRESPONDENCE: E. Quoix, Dept of Chest Diseases, Hôpitaux Universitaires Strasbourg, 1 place de l'Hôpital, BP 426, 67091 Strasbourg, France. Fax: 33 388116351. E-mail: elisabeth.quoix{at}chru-strasbourg.fr

Keywords: Brain metastases, epidermal growth factor receptor, epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor, lung cancer, mutation

Received: December 3, 2007
Accepted June 12, 2008

The epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor (EGFR-TKI) erlotinib improves survival of lung cancer as second- or third-line therapy. However, after an initial response, most patients will recur, particularly within the central nervous system.

The present study reports the case of a 27-yr-old nonsmoking male presenting with a metastatic lung adenocarcinoma with EGFR exon 19 deletion, associated with sensitivity to EGFR-TKI. Gefitinib, followed by chemotherapy and finally erlotinib resulted in prolonged disease control, until multiple liver metastases were detected. After stopping EGFR-TKI, brain metastases with carcinomatous meningitis were diagnosed. A secondary T790M mutation, associated with resistance to EGFR-TKI, was found on the liver biopsy but not in the cerebrospinal fluid. Erlotinib was reintroduced and allowed a quick neurological improvement, even though the extra-cranial disease remained resistant to erlotinib.

The present report underscores the interest of molecular monitoring in lung cancer. Persistent cerebral tyrosine kinase inhibitor sensitivity should be considered in patients presenting with an early central nervous system relapse after stopping epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor, even with a T790M-resistant mutation in noncerebral metastases. Questions remain concerning the selection of sub-clones during epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor therapy, which could differ according to metastatic sites, especially in the central nervous system.