T790M mutation positive squamous cell carcinoma transformation from EGFR-mutated lung adenocarcinoma after low dose erlotinib: A case report and literature review

RATIONALE: Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) are widely used for the treatment of EGFR mutation positive advanced nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC); however, acquired resistance is known to develop during these treatments. Among these mechanisms, histological transformation is seldom encountered. Although platinum based chemotherapy has been reported to be effective in the treatment of patients with small cell lung cancer transformation, there is a lack of information on the treatment of patients with squamous cell carcinoma (SQ) transformation. PATIENT CONCERNS AND DIAGNOSIS: An 80-year-old nonsmoking woman was referred to our hospital because of an abnormal shadow on her chest radiograph. Diagnostic bronchoscopy was performed and pathological examination revealed adenocarcinoma. Mutation analysis of the EGFR gene revealed deletion of E746-A750 in exon 19. She refused both surgical treatment and radiation therapy, and preferred periodic radiologic follow-up. Unfortunately, approximately a year and a half after the initial diagnosis, the primary lesion enlarged, and many pleural nodules were newly detected (clinically T4N2M1a, stage IVA). INTERVENTIONS AND OUTCOMES: Based on EGFR mutation analysis, a reduced dose of daily erlotinib was prescribed, which achieved a partial response and 34 months of progression-free survival (PFS). A repeated biopsy with an endobronchial cryoprobe was performed on the enlarged primary lesion. Pathological examination revealed SQ harboring an identical EGFR mutation with a secondary EGFR T790M mutation. Osimertinib 80 mg once a day was started as second line therapy, which resulted in 8 months of PFS and 15 months of survival. LESSON: The literature review and our report suggest that osimertinib is a promising treatment for NSCLC regardless of histology if T790M is present as an acquired mutation.