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Updated: Sep 8, 2025

Author Spotlight: Advancements in Molecular Biomarker Testing for Non-Squamous Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer
Published on: September 8, 2023
Outcomes Following First-Line Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors With or Without Chemotherapy Stratified by KRAS Mutational
David J Cantor1, Halla Nimeiri2, Leora Horn3
1Division of Hematology-Oncology, Department of Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA.
Introduction:
Prior studies evaluating the efficacy of first line (1 L) immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) monotherapy or combined chemoimmunotherapy in advanced NSCLC found improved outcomes with chemoimmunotherapy independent of PD-L1 and KRAS mutation status. As such, combined chemoimmunotherapy was proposed as the preferred comparator arm for 1 L trials in KRAS mutated (KRAS mt) NSCLC. Herein, we report a multimodal, real world data (RWD) analysis for outcomes with 1 L therapy in patients with advanced NSCLC stratified by KRAS mutation status and PD-L1 levels.
Patients And Methods:
Deidentified, multimodal RWD from the Tempus database was utilized to retrospectively analyze 1980 patients with advanced NSCLC receiving 1 L ICI containing therapy. Patients were stratified by tumor KRAS mutational status. Subgroup analyses were performed using Cox model stratified by KRAS mutational status, PD-L1 levels, and the presence of pathogenic alterations in STK11, KEAP1 and TP53.
Results:
KRAS mutations were identified in 33.4% (662/1980) of patients. There was a higher proportion of PD-L1 high tumors in the KRASmt to KRAS wild-type cohort. Among KRASmt NSCLC, median overall survival (mOS) was longest in the PD-L1 high cohort. Patients with KRAS G12C and PD-L1 high tumors had the longest mOS at 30.28 months. Finally, pathogenic mutations in KEAP1 and STK11 correlated with worse outcomes in KRASmt tumors.
Conclusions:
Outcomes following 1 L therapy in KRASmt advanced NSCLC varied based on PD-L1 levels and the presence of STK11 and KEAP1 co-mutations, indicating that KRASm NSCLC represents a heterogeneous disease.
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