As molecular targets continue to be identified and more targeted inhibitors are developed for personalized treatment of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), multigene mutation determination will be needed for routine oncology practice and for clinical trials. In this study, we evaluated the sensitivity and specificity of multigene mutation testing by using the Snapshot assay in NSCLC. We retrospectively reviewed a cohort of 110 consecutive NSCLC specimens for which epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutation testing was performed between November 2011 and December 2011 using Sanger sequencing. Using the Snapshot assay, mutation statuses were detected forEGFR, Kirsten rate sarcoma viral oncogene homolog (KRAS), phosphoinositide-3-kinase catalytic alpha polypeptide (PIK3CA), v-Raf murine sarcoma viral oncogene homolog B1 (BRAF), v-ras neuroblastoma viral oncogene homolog (NRAS), dual specificity mitogen activated protein kinase kinase 1 (MEK1), phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN), and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) in patient specimens and cellline DNA. Snapshot data were compared to Sanger sequencing data. Of the 110 samples, 51 (46.4%) harbored at least one mutation. The mutation frequency in adenocarcinoma specimens was 55.6%, and the frequencies ofEGFR, KRAS, PIK3CA, PTEN, andMEK1 mutations were 35.5%, 9.1%, 3.6%, 0.9%, and 0.9%, respectively. No mutation was found in theHER2, NRAS, orBRAF genes. Three of the 51 mutant samples harbored double mutations: twoPIK3CA mutations coexisted withKRAS orEGFR mutations, and another KRAS mutation coexisted with aPTEN mutation. Among the 110 samples, 47 were surgical specimens, 60 were biopsy specimens, and 3 were cytological specimens; the corresponding mutation frequencies were 51.1%, 41.7%, and 66.7%, respectively (P = 0.532). Compared to Sanger sequencing, Snapshot specificity was 98.4% and sensitivity was 100% (positive predictive value, 97.9%; negative predictive value, 100%). The Snapshot assay is a sensitive and easily customized assay for multigene mutation testing in clinical practice.

Despite recent improvements to current therapies and the emergence of novel agents to manage advanced non-smal celllung cancer (NSCLC), the patients′overal survival remains poor. Re-chal enging with first-line chemotherapy upon relapse is common in the management of smal celllung cancer but is not wel reported for advanced NSCLC. NSCLC relapse has been attributed to acquired drug resistance, but the repopulation of sensitive clones may also play a role, in which case re-chal enge may be appropriate. Here, we report the results of re-chal enge with gemcitabine plus carboplatin in 22 patients from a single institution who had previously received gemcitabine plus platinum in the first-line setting and had either partial response or a progression-free interval of longer than 6 months. In this retrospective study, the charts of patients who underwent second-line chemotherapy for NSCLC in our cancer center between January 2005 and April 2010 were reviewed. Al the patients who received a combination of gemcitabine and carboplatin for re-challenge were included in the study. These patients were offered second-line treatment on confirmation of clear radiological disease progression. The overall response rate was 15%and disease control rate was 75%. The median survival time was 10.4 months, with 46%of patients alive at 1 year. These results suggest that re-chal enge chemotherapy should be considered in selected patients with radiological partial response or a progression-free survival of longer than 6 months to the initial therapy.