Adenocarcinoma of the lung with EGFR gene mutation and subsequent resistance mechanisms exploration: case report

The treatment of lung cancer has made paradigm-shift advancements in the past decade with the development of therapies directed at specific genetic alterations, such as epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR). Here, we present a rare case of lung adenocarcinoma harboring EGFR activating mutation and ALK overexpression. During the EGFR-tyrosine kinase inhibitors treatment, next-generation sequencing revealed phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/Akt/mammalian target of rapamycin pathway amplifications in tumor specimen and subsequent T790M mutation via plasma circulating tumor DNA. In conclusion, this case illustrates the existence of concomitant resistance mechanisms and demonstrates that circulating tumor DNA can reflect tumor heterogeneity.