Retrospective database study of druggable mutation detection among patients with non-small cell lung cancer in Japan

Yuya Yokochi1, Moemi Miura2, Masayuki Hamakawa2

  • 1Medical Affairs Division, Novartis Pharma K.K, 23-1, Toranomon 1-chome, Minato-ku, Tokyo, 105-6333, Japan. yuya.yokochi@novartis.com.

Scientific Reports
|May 21, 2025
PubMed

Insights

Nearly half of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients have actionable mutations detectable by cancer gene panel (CGP) testing. Early CGP testing is crucial for guiding targeted therapies in NSCLC patients.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Genetics
  • Medical Diagnostics

Background:

  • Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is the predominant lung cancer type in Japan.
  • Identifying targetable mutations is essential for personalized systemic therapy in NSCLC.
  • Standard therapy often precedes the detection of actionable mutations.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine the prevalence and characteristics of actionable mutations in NSCLC patients.
  • To analyze the treatments received by NSCLC patients after detecting actionable mutations via CGP testing.
  • To highlight the importance of timely multigene testing for NSCLC treatment selection.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective analysis of adult NSCLC cases from a national database.
  • Inclusion criteria: patients without prior confirmed druggable mutations before CGP testing.
  • Descriptive statistics were used to analyze 1,425 cases.

Main Results:

  • 44.6% of NSCLC patients (635/1,425) had detectable druggable mutations.
  • EGFR and NTRK were the most frequent mutations; lung adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma were common subtypes.
  • Median time from primary treatment to mutation detection was 701 days.
  • 23.0% of patients received molecularly targeted agents post-CGP testing.

Conclusions:

  • A significant proportion of NSCLC patients harbor targetable mutations.
  • There are delays in detecting these mutations, impacting timely treatment.
  • Reducing barriers to upfront multigene testing is vital for optimal NSCLC patient care.