Genomic and immunologic characterization of large-cell neuroendocrine carcinoma of the lung.

Authors

null

Chul Kim

Georgetown University, Department of Hematology and Oncology, School of Medicine, Washington, DC

Chul Kim , Julie Elaine McGrath , Joanne Xiu , Misako Nagasaka , Patrick C. Ma , Jorge J. Nieva , Gilberto Lopes , Hossein Borghaei , Chukwuemeka Ikpeazu Sr., Taofeek K. Owonikoko , Michael J. Demeure , Antoinette J. Wozniak , Chadi Nabhan , Wolfgang Michael Korn , Stephen V. Liu

Organizations

Georgetown University, Department of Hematology and Oncology, School of Medicine, Washington, DC, Caris Life Sciences, Phoenix, AZ, Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute, Detroit, MI, Penn State Cancer Institute, Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Hershey, PA, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, University of Miami Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, Miami, FL, Fox Chase Cancer Center, Philadelphia, PA, University of Miami Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, Plantation, FL, Emory University Winship Cancer Institute, Atlanta, GA, Translational Genomics Research Institute, Phoenix, AZ, Hillman Cancer Center University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA

Research Funding

No funding received
None

Background: Large-cell neuroendocrine carcinoma (LCNEC) is a rare type of lung cancer with a poor prognosis. Due to its rarity, molecular characterization of LCNEC is not well elucidated. We aim to understand the genomic and immunologic landscape of LCNEC to identify molecular alterations and relevant biological pathways with potential therapeutic value. Methods: Comprehensive profiling including whole exome sequencing (WES), next-generation sequencing (NGS), whole transcriptome sequencing (WTS), and immunohistochemistry (IHC) for PD-L1 was performed (Caris Life Sciences, Phoenix, AZ). Tumor mutational burden (TMB) was calculated based on somatic nonsynonymous mutations. LCNEC was categorized as small cell lung cancer (SCLC)-like LCNEC (TP53/RB1 co-mutated) and non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC)-like LCNEC (wild type for one or both of TP53/RB1). Molecular features of LCNEC were compared among the subgroups and with those of SCLC using the χ2 test with Benjamini & Hochberg correction. Results: A total of 467 cases of LCNEC were included. Commonly altered genes (≥ 5%) included TP53 (79.1%), RB1 (36.8%), SMARCA4 (10.4%), ARID1A (10.3%), KRAS (9.7%), KEAP1 (9.2%), KMT2D (8.7%), STK11 (8.4%), NF1 (7.1%), PTEN (6.1%), and CDKN2A (5.9%). The prevalence of potentially actionable mutations was as follows: EGFR exon 19 deletion (0.48%), EGFR L858R (0.48%), ALK fusion (1.7%), KRAS G12C (2.9%). EGFR exon 19 deletion, EGFR L858R, and ALK fusion were exclusive to NSCLC-like LCNEC tumors. RET fusion, NTRK fusion and BRAFV600E were not detected. Copy number alterations (CNAs) were found in MYC (8.8%), ZNF703 (4.1%), FOXA1 (4.0%), FGFR1 (4.0%), ATK2 (3.9%), CCNE1 (3.7%), FGF19 (3.4%), TNFRSF14 (3.4%), and CCND1 (2.7%). Over-expression of cMET was noted in 10% and PD-L1 expression (by 22C3 pharmDx) of > 1% was noted in 21.5% of samples. WTS detected cMET exon 14 skipping mutations in 2.4% of samples. High tumor mutation burden (TMB; ≥ 10 Mut/MB) was seen in 40.6%. Among the 467 cases of LCNEC, 112 (24%) were SCLC-like LCNEC and 335 (76%) NSCLC-like LCNEC. Mutations in KRAS (12%), STK11 (11%), CDKN2A (9%), and SMARCA4 (14%) were more common in NSCLC-like LCNEC, compared with SCLC-like LCNEC (p value < 0.05). 442 cases of SCLC were compared with LCNEC tumors. SLFN11:SLFN12 fusion events, detected by WTS, were exclusively seen in SCLC and were not seen in any of the LCNEC cases. Gene expression profiles revealed that 1) B cell infiltration was higher in SCLC-like LCNEC, compared with SCLC, and 2) NK and T cell infiltration was lower, but B-cell infiltration was higher in NSCLC-like LCNEC, compared with SCLC. Conclusions: LCNEC displays a broad pattern of genomic alterations that overlap in the SCLC-like subset with the classic alterations in SCLC. The distinct genomic alterations and transcriptomic profiles present opportunities for therapeutic targeting and inform a future framework for development of therapeutics for LCNEC.

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Abstract Details

Meeting

2021 ASCO Annual Meeting

Session Type

Poster Session

Session Title

Lung Cancer—Non-Small Cell Local-Regional/Small Cell/Other Thoracic Cancers

Track

Lung Cancer

Sub Track

Biologic Correlates

Citation

J Clin Oncol 39, 2021 (suppl 15; abstr 8535)

DOI

10.1200/JCO.2021.39.15_suppl.8535

Abstract #

8535

Poster Bd #

Online Only

Abstract Disclosures