Clinical response to crizotinib and emergence of resistance in lung adenocarcinoma harboring a MET c-Cbl binding site mutation

Abstract

Objectives: MET c-Cbl binding site mutations constitute about 2 % of MET exon 14 alterations in lung cancer. Preclinical data suggests regarding these mutations as functional analogs of MET exon 14 skipping mutations, but clinical validation is lacking.

Results: We report the case of a patient with metastastic lung adenocarcinoma harboring a c-Cbl binding site alteration and demonstrate clinical, radiological and metabolic response to crizotinib with a PFS of 10.6 months. As escape mechanism, a typical MET resistance mutation could be identified.

Conclusion: MET c-Cbl binding site mutations should be regarded as a distinct subtype of MET exon 14 alterations. Patients with lung cancer harboring such mutations should be offered targeted therapy.

Keywords: Crizotinib; MET mutation; NSCLC; c-Cbl.