The ratio of T790M to EGFR-activating mutation predicts response of osimertinib in 1st or 2nd generation EGFR-TKI-refractory NSCLC

The most frequent mechanism of resistance after 1st/2nd-generation (G) epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) is secondary point mutation Thr790Met (T790M) in EGFR. Afatinib followed by osimertinib (Afa group) may provide better outcomes for T790M-positive non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) than 1st-G EGFR-TKI followed by osimertinib (1st-G group). We studied 111 consecutive NSCLC patients with T790M mutation treated with osimertinib after progression following 1st/2nd-G EGFR-TKI between March 28, 2016 and March 31, 2018. We analyzed the ratio of T790M to EGFR-activating mutation (T790M ratio) in post EGFR-TKI resistance re-biopsy tissue using droplet digital polymerase chain reaction. And investigated whether afatinib purified the T790M mutation more than 1st-G EGFR-TKI. Among 60 patients with preserved re-biopsy tissue, we analyzed 38 having adequate DNA content. The response rate in Afa group was 81.8% (n = 11) and 1st-G group was 85.2% (n = 27). The mean T790M ratio in total population was 0.3643. The ratio in those with response to osimertinib was significantly higher than in the non-responders (0.395, 0.202; p = 0.0231) and was similar in Afa and 1st-G group (0.371, 0.362; p = 0.9693). T790M ratio significantly correlated with osimertinib response and was similar between the 1st/2nd-G EGFR-TKIs in 1st/2nd-G EGFR-TKI-refractory tumors.