PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - A-M. Ruppert
AU  - M. Beau-Faller
AU  - A. Neuville
AU  - E. Guerin
AU  - A-C. Voegeli
AU  - B. Mennecier
AU  - M. Legrain
AU  - A. Molard
AU  - M-Y. Jeung
AU  - M-P. Gaub
AU  - P. Oudet
AU  - E. Quoix
TI  - EGFR-TKI and lung adenocarcinoma with CNS relapse: interest of molecular follow-up
AID  - 10.1183/09031936.00162307
DP  - 2009 Feb 01
TA  - European Respiratory Journal
PG  - 436--440
VI  - 33
IP  - 2
4099  - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/33/2/436.short
4100  - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/33/2/436.full
SO  - Eur Respir J2009 Feb 01; 33
AB  - 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.