Exploring immunotherapy efficacy in non-small cell lung cancer patients with mutations: a case series and literature review.

BACKGROUND

The use of immunotherapy in treatment of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients with the gene mutations is an area of active research and is an item of clinical trials. While mutations are relatively infrequent in NSCLC patients, comprising approximately 1-3% of cases, the V600E substitution stands out as the most prevalent subtype of mutations. The presence of this mutation in cancer cells qualifies the patients for first-line therapy with BRAF and MEK inhibitors. This study aims to evaluate the efficacy of immunotherapy in NSCLC patients with BRAF mutations. We presented a series of seven NSCLC cases with mutations, four of whom received immunotherapy or chemoimmunotherapy.

METHODS

We observed benefit from immunotherapy in all patients, but its duration depended on comorbidities and the presence of brain metastases. Utilization of the next generation sequencing (NGS) technique causes high detection frequency of BRAF mutations (4.7% of patients), although mutations other than V600E may predominate (4 out of 7 patients).

RESULTS

In patients receiving immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs)-based therapy, the median progression-free survival (PFS) was 17 months from the start of immunotherapy, the overall objective response rate (ORR) was 50%, and disease control was achieved in all patients.

CONCLUSIONS

Immunotherapy can benefit NSCLC patients with BRAF mutations, though its efficacy is affected by comorbidities and brain metastases. The use of NGS enhances mutation detection, highlighting the need for personalized treatment approaches in NSCLC management. The varying responses to treatments among the patients emphasize the complexity of NSCLC management and the necessity for a personalized approach.