Clinical and molecular characteristics of Chinese non‐small cell lung cancer patients with ERBB2 transmembrane domain mutations

Transmembrane domain (TMD) mutations of ERBB2 have previously been reported in lung cancer patients in addition to well‐studied kinase domain (KD) mutations, which may stabilize ERBB2 heterodimerization with other EGFR family members and favor a kinase active conformation. However, the frequency and clinical significance of ERBB2 TMD mutations in Chinese population is unknown. We prospectively analyzed the next‐generation sequencing data of 34 368 Chinese lung cancer patients with different sample types, including tumor tissue, plasma, cerebrospinal fluid, and pleural effusion. Patients' clinical characteristics and treatment history were retrieved from the database for further evaluation. Our findings show that ERBB2 V659/G660 mutations were detected at a frequency of 0.13% (45/34 368), of which the most frequent was V659D/E (88.9%), with a trend in nonsmokers and male. Moreover, 18% of patients (8/45) showed EGFR and/or ERBB2 amplification, whereas nine patients presented EGFR L858R or exon19 deletion. Interestingly, novel ERBB3 TMD mutation I646R was found coexisting in three patients with ERBB2 V659D and one patient with ERBB2 G660D, which might influence its heterodimerization with ERBB2 and further activate ERBB2. Four ERBB2 TMD mutation‐positive patients received afatinib monotherapy or combination therapy, but showed variable responses. One patient with V659E responded well to ERBB2 inhibitor lapatinib plus capecitabine as well as subsequent afatinib treatment upon progression. Our study provides valuable insights into the distribution of ERBB2 TMD mutations by employing the largest Asian lung cancer cohort thus far. Patients with ERBB2 TMD mutations who received afatinib, a pan‐ERBB inhibitor, demonstrated mixed responses, posing the urgent need to develop more effective therapeutic strategy for patients who carry ERBB2 TMD mutations.