Resistance to BRAF inhibition explored through single circulating tumour cell molecular profiling in BRAF-mutant non-small-cell lung cancer

Resistance mechanisms to combination therapy with dabrafenib plus trametinib remain poorly understood in patients with BRAF^V600E-mutant advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). We examined resistance to BRAF inhibition by single CTC sequencing in BRAF^V600E-mutant NSCLC.

CTCs and cfDNA were examined in seven BRAF^V600E-mutant NSCLC patients at failure to treatment. Matched tumour tissue was available for four patients. Single CTCs were isolated by fluorescence-activated cell sorting following enrichment and immunofluorescence (Hoechst 33342/CD45/pan-cytokeratins) and sequenced for mutation and copy number-alteration (CNA) analyses.

BRAF^V600E was found in 4/4 tumour biopsies and 5/7 cfDNA samples. CTC mutations were mostly found in MAPK-independent pathways and only 1/26 CTCs were BRAF^V600E mutated. CTC profiles encompassed the majority of matched tumour biopsy CNAs but 72.5% to 84.5% of CTC CNAs were exclusive to CTCs. Extensive diversity, involving MAPK, MAPK-related, cell cycle, DNA repair and immune response pathways, was observed in CTCs and missed by analyses on tumour biopsies and cfDNA. Driver alterations in clinically relevant genes were recurrent in CTCs.

Resistance was not driven by BRAF^V600E-mutant CTCs. Extensive tumour genomic heterogeneity was found in CTCs compared to tumour biopsies and cfDNA at failure to BRAF inhibition, in BRAF^V600E-mutant NSCLC, including relevant alterations that may represent potential treatment opportunities.