The identification of biomarkers to drive treatment is one of the most important objectives of precision medicine. During last years, the role of PIK3CA mutations have been related to clinical benefit deriving from treatment with PI3K, and mTOR inhibitors. In breast cancer (BC), PIK3CA mutations are widely present and the use, in clinical trials, of selective inhibitors improved clinical outcomes. The aim of this study is to assess the value of a monocentric genomic screening program to select patients for trials with experimental targeted agents.
We examined PIK3CA mutation in a cohort of 312 metastatic BC patients diagnosed at Hospital Clínico València-INCLIVA from Jan-13 to Apr-19. The sequencing of hotspot mutations was performed in primary (29.9%) and metastatic tissue (70.1%). We used two different technologies: MassARRAY technology (Sequenom MassARRAY, OncoCarta v1.0) and Iluminia MiSeq System (customised panel, OncoSpot v.1). Hotspots were selected according to databases already published. To be diagnosed as mutated, tumors needed to harbor at least 5% of mutant alleles. 7 clinical trials against PI3K pathway were available.
PIK3CA analysis was performed in 312 paraffin embedded tumor samples, in which only 5.8% the analysis was not possible due to low quality of DNA. The distribution of BC subtypes were 77.6% Luminal, 13.9% HER2, and 8.5% triple negative (TN). PIK3CA mutations were detected in 96 patients (32.7%). In Luminal, PIK3CA mutations reached 36.8% while only 19.5% in HER2 and 16.0% in TN, respectively. A wide spectrum of PIK3CA mutations was found: H1047R (38.5%), E545K (30.2%), E542K (19.8%), R88Q (3.1%), M1043I (3.1%), N345K (2.1%), P539R (1.0%), K111E (1.0%), C420R (1.0%). One hundred and ninety (64.6%) patients were included in clinical trials, and 74 (38.9%) were treated with PI3K, AKT and mTOR inhibitors.
PIK3CA mutations were widely present among luminal BC, being actually a specific target for new drugs. PIK3CA mutational analysis was easily and successfully performed in our center. The identification of PIK3CA hotspots mutations lead to the access for our patient to novel drugs into clinical trials, achieving relevant clinical benefits in most of the cases.
The authors.
Has not received any funding.
A. Lluch: Advisory / Consultancy: Novartis; Advisory / Consultancy: Pfizer; Advisory / Consultancy: Roche/Genentech; Advisory / Consultancy: Eisai; Advisory / Consultancy: Celgene. A. Cervantes: Advisory / Consultancy: Merk serono; Advisory / Consultancy: Roche; Advisory / Consultancy: Beigine; Advisory / Consultancy: Bayer; Advisory / Consultancy: Servier; Advisory / Consultancy: Lilly; Advisory / Consultancy: Novartis; Advisory / Consultancy: Takeda; Advisory / Consultancy: Astelas; Advisory / Consultancy: Pierre Fabre; Speaker Bureau / Expert testimony: Foundation Medicine. All other authors have declared no conflicts of interest.