Oncogenic drivers in daily practice improve overall survival in patients with lung adenocarcinoma

Background EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors and crizotinib are nowadays the optimal treatment for metastatic lung cancer with activation of EGFR mutations and ALK rearrangement. In addition, several targeted agents are in development for lung cancer with other oncodrivers. In France, since 2011, six oncodrivers are routinely tested in patients with stage IV. The aim of this study was to assess whether systematic detection of oncodrivers and matched targeted therapy improve overall survival in patients with advanced lung adenocarcinoma. Methods This study included all consecutive patients treated in our department for advanced lung adenocarcinoma from January 2012 to December 2013. We studied the impact in survival according to the presence of the driver and the targeted therapy. Results Among the 261 patients included, oncodrivers alterations were found in 43.5% of patients: EML4-ALK fusion genes (2.1%), EGFR (10.3%), KRAS (27.7%), BRAF (2.5%), HER2 (0.8%), and PI3KCA (0.8%) mutations. Twenty-nine percent of patients (n = 32) with oncodrivers received matched targeted therapy. Patient treated by targeted agent appropriate to an oncogenic driver had a median survival of 21.1 months (95% CI: 14.7–27.5). The patients (n = 79) who did not receive targeted therapy had a median survival of 6.6 months (95% CI: 4.3–8.9). The patients (n = 150) without identified driver had a median survival of 9.7 months (95% CI: 6.7–11.7); P < 0.001. Conclusion An actionable oncodriver was routinely detected in nearly half of patients with advanced lung adenocarcinoma. This systematic detection may influence treatment outcomes, notably with matched targeted therapy.