Current research in EGFR-mutated NSCLC focuses on the management of drug resistance and uncommon mutations, as well as on the opportunity to extend targeted therapies' field of action to earlier stages of disease. We conducted a review analyzing literature from the PubMed database with the aim to describe the current state of art in the management of EGFR-mutated NSCLC, but also to explore new strategies under investigation. To this purpose, we collected recruiting phase II-III trials registered on Clinicaltrials.gov, conducted in EGFR-mutated NSCLC both in early and advanced stage. With this review we want to provide an exhaustive overview of current and new potential treatments in EGFR-mutated NSCLC, with emphasis on the most promising newly investigated strategies, such as association therapies in the first-line setting involving EGFR-TKIs and chemotherapy (FLAURA2) or drugs targeting different driver pathways (MARIPOSA). We also aimed at unearthing challenges to achieve in this field, specifically the need to fully exploit already available compounds while developing new ones, the management of new emerging toxicities and the necessity to improve our biological understanding of the disease to design trials with a solid scientific rationale and to allow treatment personalization such in case of uncommon mutations.

Background: Docetaxel is the standard of care for advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) after platinum-based chemotherapy and/or immunotherapy but is associated with modest clinical outcomes and considerable toxicity. Sacituzumab govitecan and datopotamab deruxtecan are trophoblast cell surface antigen (TROP)-2-directed antibody–drug conjugates (ADCs) that showed encouraging activity in pretreated patients with advanced NSCLC. This systematic review and pooled analysis aims to comprehensively assess the efficacy and safety of anti-TROP-2 ADCs compared to docetaxel in pretreated patients with advanced NSCLC. Methods: A systematic search through PubMed and EMBASE before 31 January 2025 was performed to identify eligible studies. Randomized controlled phase III trials comparing an anti-TROP-2 regimen to docetaxel in patients with pretreated advanced NSCLC were included. Overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), and grade ≥ 3 treatment-related adverse events (TRAEs) were extracted from the identified trials. A pooled analysis of reconstructed patient data and meta-analysis employing the random-effect model were used to summarize the efficacy and safety outcomes. Results: Across the two trials included, 1207 patients were enrolled, 598 in the TROP-2 ADC arm and 609 in the docetaxel arm. Anti-TROP-2 treatment did not produce significant improvements in OS (HR: 0.90; 95% CI, 0.78–1.03; P = 0.13) and PFS (HR: 0.84; 95% CI, 0.68–1.02; P = 0.08), compared to docetaxel, even in patients with a nonsquamous histology (OS HR: 0.86; 95% CI, 0.73–1.01; P = 0.06; PFS HR: 0.76; 95% CI, 0.52–1.12; P = 0.17). Across the subgroup analyses, a statistically significant improvement in OS was observed in patients with actionable genomic alterations (AGAs) (HR: 0.63; 95% CI, 0.41–0.95; P = 0.03). Compared to docetaxel, the anti-TROP-2 regimen demonstrated a lower risk of developing grade ≥ 3 TRAEs (RR: 0.76; 95% CI, 0.55–1.05; P = 0.09). Conclusions: The anti-TROP-2 regimen showed a better safety profile but failed to demonstrate a relevant clinical improvement over docetaxel. Anti-TROP-2 ADCs could find a role in the management of patients with AGAs.

PURPOSE: Epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors (EGFR-TKIs) revolutionized the therapeutic landscape of non–small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, despite significant survival improvement, the emergence of resistance mechanisms represents a common event. In this meta-analysis, we compared the efficacy and safety of third-generation EGFR-TKIs, the current standard of care, to first-generation EGFR-TKIs with antiangiogenic drugs for the first-line treatment of NSCLC harboring EGFR mutations. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Randomized controlled clinical trials (RCTs) reporting survival data published before September 1, 2022, were searched through the MEDLINE databases (PubMed), the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, and Central Register of Controlled Trials (Wiley). Progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), objective response rate (ORR), and grade 3 or higher treatment-related adverse events (≥3 TRAEs) data were analyzed. RESULTS: Twelve RCTs were included in our meta-analysis, with a total of 3,565 patients. We observed that third-generation EGFR-TKIs and first-generation EGFR-TKIs combined with antiangiogenic drugs provided a similar OS benefit over first-generation EGFR-TKIs in any of the subgroups. However, we indirectly observed a greater PFS benefit of third-generation EGFR-TKIs over first-generation EGFR-TKIs in females, never-smokers, in patients harboring exon 19 deletions, and in those with brain metastasis, as compared with using first-generation EGFR-TKIs plus antiangiogenic drugs. The ORR did not differ between the combination strategy and third-generation EGFR-TKIs. Finally, the risk of developing grade ≥3 TRAEs was higher using the combination of first-generation EGFR-TKIs and antiangiogenic drugs over first-generation EGFR-TKIs than third-generation EGFR-TKIs over first-generation EGFR-TKIs. CONCLUSION: This meta-analysis suggests that the combination strategy may provide an alternative to third-generation EGFR-TKIs, but more data are needed to determine the predictive clinicopathologic characteristics that can influence the treatment choice. Until then, third-generation EGFR-TKIs still represent the first choice in advanced NSCLC harboring EGFR mutations.

Purpose:Predictive biomarkers of response to immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) remain poorly defined in patients with non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) without a history of tobacco use and lacking actionable genomic alterations (AGA). We aimed to identify clinical and molecular predictors of response to ICI-based regimens in patients who have never smoked and lack AGAs. Experimental Design:We retrospectively analyzed patients with metastatic, AGA-negative NSCLC who never smoke treated with ICI-based regimens across multiple independent cohorts. Tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte (TIL) densities were quantified using a machine learning–based algorithm, and immune cell biomarkers were assessed with multiplexed immunofluorescence. Transcriptomic correlates of ICI response were analyzed in the Stand Up To Cancer cohort. Results:Among 741 patients with AGA-negative NSCLC and no history of tobacco use, the objective response rate (ORR) was 23.2%, median progression-free survival (mPFS) was 4.5 months, and median overall survival (mOS) was 16.8 months. PD-L1 ≥90% and tumor mutational burden (TMB) ≥90th percentile were independently and significantly associated with improved ORR, mPFS, and mOS (all P <0.01). PD-(L)1 + CTLA-4 combinations outperformed chemoimmunotherapy and PD-(L)1 monotherapy in terms of mPFS and mOS. Transcriptomic analysis revealed enrichment of innate and adaptive immune pathways in responders, including increased MHC class I/II antigen presentation and T-cell activity. High TIL density was also associated with superior ORR and PFS. Multiplexed immunophenotyping confirmed higher immune cell infiltration in patients who experienced durable clinical benefit. Conclusions:We demonstrated how combination therapies may improve ICI outcomes in patients with AGA-negative NSCLC and no history of tobacco exposure. Very high PD-L1, TMB, and immune-enriched phenotypes may guide treatment personalization.

Purpose: Predictive biomarkers of response to immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) remain poorly defined in patients with non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) without a history of tobacco use and lacking actionable genomic alterations (AGA). We aimed to identify clinical and molecular predictors of response to ICI-based regimens in patients who have never smoked and lack AGAs. Experimental Design: We retrospectively analyzed patients with metastatic, AGA-negative NSCLC who never smoke treated with ICI-based regimens across multiple independent cohorts. Tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte (TIL) densities were quantified using a machine learning–based algorithm, and immune cell biomarkers were assessed with multiplexed immunofluorescence. Transcriptomic correlates of ICI response were analyzed in the Stand Up To Cancer cohort. Results: Among 741 patients with AGA-negative NSCLC and no history of tobacco use, the objective response rate (ORR) was 23.2%, median progression-free survival (mPFS) was 4.5 months, and median overall survival (mOS) was 16.8 months. PD-L1 ≥90% and tumor mutational burden (TMB) ≥90th percentile were independently and significantly associated with improved ORR, mPFS, and mOS (all P <0.01). PD-(L)1 + CTLA-4 combinations outperformed chemoimmunotherapy and PD-(L)1 monotherapy in terms of mPFS and mOS. Transcriptomic analysis revealed enrichment of innate and adaptive immune pathways in responders, including increased MHC class I/II antigen presentation and T-cell activity. High TIL density was also associated with superior ORR and PFS. Multiplexed immunophenotyping confirmed higher immune cell infiltration in patients who experienced durable clinical benefit. Conclusions: We demonstrated how combination therapies may improve ICI outcomes in patients with AGA-negative NSCLC and no history of tobacco exposure. Very high PD-L1, TMB, and immune-enriched phenotypes may guide treatment personalization.