• Eva Boysen Fynboe Ebert, Tine McCulloch, Holmskov Hansen Karin K Department of Oncology, Odense University Hospital, J.B. Winsløws Vej 4, 5000, Odense, Denmark. Electronic address: karin.holmskov@rsyd.dk., Hanne Linnet, Boe Sorensen, and Peter Meldgaard.
• Department of Oncology, Aarhus University Hospital, Palle Juul-Jensens Blvd. 99, 8200, Aarhus, Denmark. Electronic address: evhase@rm.dk.
• Lung Cancer. 2020 May 1; 143: 67-72.

ObjectivesTyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) are first line treatment choices for patients with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutated non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, responses vary among patients, therefore good biomarkers predicting better responses are required. EGFR mutations are detected in the blood from patients as circulating tumour DNA (ctDNA). Studies have shown that clearing ctDNA during first line TKI treatment predicts outcomes for first and second generation TKI treatments. We aimed to investigate the effects on outcome measures of ctDNA clearing in subsequent treatment lines to treatment with the third generation TKI osimertinib.MethodsIn total, 225 patients were included in a prospective, multicentre study, where consecutive blood samples were monitored for EGFR mutations during systemic treatment lines, using the Cobas® EGFR mutation test v2. This study focused on EGFR mutations in ctDNA of 82 systemically pre-treated patients receiving osimertinib.ResultsClearing all EGFR mutations from the blood after osimertinib treatment, significantly predicted progression-free survival, objective response rates and disease control rates. Primary sensitising EGFR mutations were found in ctDNA in 70 % of patients, and were accompanied by the T790 M mutation in nearly two thirds of cases. The T790 M mutation was cleared in all cases, while the accompanying sensitising mutations did not necessarily clear. However, T790 M clearing without simultaneously clearing of the primary sensitising mutation did not predict clinical responses. Neither the detection of T790 M before osimertinib treatment, nor the presence of EGFR mutations at the time of osimertinib initiation predicted clinical outcomes.ConclusionThe clearing of EGFR mutations in ctDNA after osimertinib treatment initiation in patients with advanced NSCLC is useful as a positive predictor of clinical outcome.Copyright © 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

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