BackgroundThere are limited data from randomized trials regarding whether volume-based, low-dose computed tomographic (CT) screening can reduce lung-cancer mortality among male former and current smokers. MethodsA total of 13,195 men (primary analysis) and 2594 women (subgroup analyses) between the ages of 50 and 74 were randomly assigned to undergo CT screening at T0 (baseline), year 1, year 3, and year 5.5 or no screening. We obtained data on cancer diagnosis and the date and cause of death through linkages with national registries in the Netherlands and Belgium, and a review committee confirmed lung cancer as the cause of death when possible. A minimum followup of 10 years until December 31, 2015, was completed for all participants.

Small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) is an aggressive lung tumor subtype with poor survival1–3. We sequenced 29 SCLC exomes, two genomes and 15 transcriptomes and found an extremely high mutation rate of 7.4±1 protein-changing mutations per million basepairs. Therefore, we conducted integrated analyses of the various data sets to identify pathogenetically relevant mutated genes. In all cases we found evidence for inactivation of TP53 and RB1 and identified recurrent mutations in histone-modifying genes, CREBBP, EP300, and MLL. Furthermore, we observed mutations in PTEN, in SLIT2, and EPHA7, as well as focal amplifications of the FGFR1 tyrosine kinase gene. Finally, we detected many of the alterations found in humans in SCLC tumors from p53/Rb1-deficient mice4. Our study implicates histone modification as a major feature of SCLC, reveals potentially therapeutically tractable genome alterations, and provides a generalizable framework for identification of biologically relevant genes in the context of high mutational background.

We performed a second-generation genome wide association study of 4,533 celiac disease cases and 10,750 controls. We genotyped 113 selected SNPs with PGWAS<10−4, and 18 SNPs from 14 known loci, in a further 4,918 cases and 5,684 controls. Variants from 13 new regions reached genome wide significance (Pcombined<5×10−8), most contain immune function genes (BACH2, CCR4, CD80, CIITA/SOCS1/CLEC16A, ICOSLG, ZMIZ1) with ETS1, RUNX3, THEMIS and TNFRSF14 playing key roles in thymic T cell selection. A further 13 regions had suggestive association evidence. In an expression quantitative trait meta-analysis of 1,469 whole blood samples, 20 of 38 (52.6%) tested loci had celiac risk variants correlated (P<0.0028, FDR 5%) with cis gene expression.

Lung cancer remains one of the leading causes for cancer-related death in developed countries. In lung adenocarcinomas, EGFR mutations and EML4-ALK fusions are associated with response to EGFR and ALK inhibition. By contrast, therapeutically exploitable genetic alterations have been lacking in squamous-cell lung cancer. We conducted a systematic search for alterations that are therapeutically amenable and performed high-resolution gene-copy number analyses in a set of 232 lung cancer specimens. We identified frequent and focal FGFR1 amplification in squamous-cell lung cancer (n=155), but not in other lung cancer subtypes, and confirmed its presence in an independent cohort of squamous-cell lung cancer samples employing FISH (22% of cases). Using cell-based screening with the FGFR inhibitor (PD173074) in a large (n=83) panel of lung cancer cell lines, we demonstrated that this compound inhibited growth (p=0.0002) and induced apoptosis (p=0.008) specifically in those lung cancer cells carrying amplified FGFR1. We validated the dependency on FGFR1 of FGFR1-amplified cell lines by knockdown of FGFR1 and by ectopic expression of a resistance allele of FGFR1 (FGFR1V561M), which rescued FGFR1-amplified cells from PD173074-mediated cytotoxicity. Finally we showed that inhibition of FGFR1 with a small molecule led to significant tumor shrinkage in vivo. Focal FGFR1 amplification is common in squamous-cell lung cancer and associated with tumor growth and survival, suggesting that FGFR inhibitors may be a viable therapeutic option in this cohort of patients.

Background BRAF mutations act as an oncogenic driver via the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). BRAF inhibition has demonstrated antitumor activity in patients with BRAF V600E (Val600Glu)–mutant NSCLC. Dual MAPK pathway inhibition with BRAF and MEK inhibitors in BRAF V600E–mutant NSCLC may improve efficacy over BRAF-inhibitor monotherapy based on observations in BRAF V600–mutant melanoma. Methods In this phase 2, multicenter, nonrandomized, open-label study of patients with pretreated metastatic BRAF V600E–mutant NSCLC, antitumor activity and safety of oral dabrafenib (150 mg twice daily) plus oral trametinib (2 mg once daily) were evaluated. Adult patients (≥ 18 years) with documented progression following at least one prior platinum-based chemotherapy and no more than three prior systemic anticancer therapies were enrolled. Patients with prior BRAF or MEK inhibitor treatment were ineligible. Patients with brain metastases were permitted to enroll only if the lesions were asymptomatic, untreated (or stable > 3 weeks after local therapy if treated), and measured < 1 cm. The primary endpoint was investigator-assessed overall response, which was assessed by intention-to-treat in the protocol-defined population (≥ second-line); safety was also assessed in this population. The study is ongoing but no longer recruiting patients. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT01336634. Findings Fifty-seven patients previously treated with systemic chemotherapy for metastatic BRAF V600E–mutant NSCLC were enrolled. The investigator-assessed overall response was 63·2% (36 of 57; 95% CI 49·3–75·6). Serious adverse events were reported in 32 (56%) of 57 patients and included pyrexia (16%; 9 of 57), anemia (5%; 3 of 57), confusional state (4%; 2 of 57), decreased appetite (4%; 2 of 57), hemoptysis (4%; 2 of 57), hypercalcemia (4%; 2 of 57), nausea (4%; 2 of 57), and cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (4%; 2 of 57). Common grade 3/4 AEs included neutropenia (9%; 5 of 57), hyponatremia (7%; 4 of 57), and anemia (5%; 3 of 57). Interpretation Dabrafenib plus trametinib represents a new targeted therapy with robust antitumor activity and a manageable safety profile in patients with BRAF V600E–mutant NSCLC. Funding GlaxoSmithKline.

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ObjectivesTo meta-analyze complication rate in computed tomography (CT)-guided transthoracic lung biopsy and associated risk factors.MethodsFour databases were searched from 1/2000 to 8/2015 for studies reporting complications in CT-guided lung biopsy. Overall and major complication rates were pooled and compared between core biopsy and fine needle aspiration (FNA) using the random-effects model. Risk factors for complications in core biopsy and FNA were identified in meta-regression analysis.ResultsFor core biopsy, 32 articles (8,133 procedures) were included and for FNA, 17 (4,620 procedures). Pooled overall complication rates for core biopsy and FNA were 38.8 % (95 % CI: 34.3–43.5 %) and 24.0 % (95 % CI: 18.2–30.8 %), respectively. Major complication rates were 5.7 % (95 % CI: 4.4–7.4 %) and 4.4 % (95 % CI: 2.7–7.0 %), respectively. Overall complication rate was higher for core biopsy compared to FNA (p < 0.001). For FNA, larger needle diameter was a risk factor for overall complications, and increased traversed lung parenchyma and smaller lesion size were risk factors for major complications. For core biopsy, no significant risk factors were identified.ConclusionsIn CT-guided lung biopsy, minor complications were common and occurred more often in core biopsy than FNA. Major complication rate was low. For FNA, smaller nodule diameter, larger needle diameter and increased traversed lung parenchyma were risk factors for complications.Key Points• Minor complications are common in CT-guided lung biopsy • Major complication rate is low in CT-guided lung biopsy • CT-guided lung biopsy complications occur more often in core biopsy than FNA • Major complication rate is similar in core biopsy and FNA • Risk factors for FNA are larger needle diameter, smaller lesion size Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s00330-016-4357-8) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

While genomically targeted therapies have improved outcomes for patients with lung adenocarcinoma, little is known about the genomic alterations which drive squamous cell lung cancer. Sanger sequencing of the tyrosine kinome identified mutations in the DDR2 kinase gene in 3.8% of squamous cell lung cancers and cell lines. Squamous lung cancer cell lines harboring DDR2 mutations were selectively killed by knock-down of DDR2 by RNAi or by treatment with the multi-targeted kinase inhibitor dasatinib. Tumors established from a DDR2 mutant cell line were sensitive to dasatinib in xenograft models. Expression of mutated DDR2 led to cellular transformation which was blocked by dasatinib. A squamous cell lung cancer patient with a response to dasatinib and erlotinib treatment harbored a DDR2 kinase domain mutation. These data suggest that gain-of-function mutations in DDR2 are important oncogenic events and are amenable to therapy with dasatinib. As dasatinib is already approved for use, these findings could be rapidly translated into clinical trials.