KRAS G12C Stage IV lung adenocarcinoma with synchronous urothelial carcinoma and durable response

This lung cancer diagnosis at a glance

Stage at diagnosis
Stage IV
Subtype
Adenocarcinoma
Biomarkers
Lung adenocarcinoma: KRAS G12C; PD-L1 TPS 5%. Urothelial carcinoma: GATA3-positive; CK7-positive; TTF1-negative.
Sex
Male
Spread to
homolateral pulmonary metastases and N2 lymph nodes for lung cancer; separate renal/periaortic nodal disease from urothelial carcinoma
Treatment
chemotherapy, immunotherapy, targeted therapy and antibody therapy
Outcome
Responding Well

Treatment course, step by step

  1. Carboplatin + pemetrexed + pembrolizumab for 4 cycles
  2. pemetrexed + pembrolizumab maintenance for 5 cycles
  3. pembrolizumab alone for 2 cycles
  4. gemcitabine + carboplatin for Stage IV urothelial carcinoma, then reduced-dose gemcitabine/carboplatin
  5. avelumab maintenance
  6. enfortumab vedotin with dose reductions/holds for skin toxicity and neuropathy, then discontinued after complete radiologic/metabolic response.

What happened, in summary

This 74-year-old man presented with suspected lung cancer and excellent functional status despite diabetes and stroke-related right hemiparesis. He was diagnosed with Stage IV lung adenocarcinoma, T2N2M1, with homolateral pulmonary metastases. The lung tumor was PD-L1 positive with a tumor proportion score of 5% and carried a KRAS G12C mutation, while no EGFR or ALK driver was reported. He began carboplatin, pemetrexed, and pembrolizumab every 3 weeks for 4 cycles, followed by maintenance pemetrexed plus pembrolizumab for 5 cycles. Because of worsening general condition and major fatigue, pemetrexed was stopped and pembrolizumab continued briefly. Pembrolizumab was then stopped when nodal disease increased and kidney damage appeared. Biopsy of abnormal renal hilar lymph nodes revealed a second cancer: Stage IV renal urothelial carcinoma, positive for GATA3 and CK7 and negative for TTF1, confirming it was distinct from the lung adenocarcinoma. Surgery was not offered because of nodal disease and the concurrent metastatic lung cancer. He received gemcitabine plus carboplatin for 6 cycles, achieving partial response for 11 months, then reduced-dose gemcitabine/carboplatin for 8 cycles after nodal recurrence. Avelumab maintenance was tried, but renal and periaortic nodes recurred after 2 months. Enfortumab vedotin was then started through early access. After 12 weekly injections, scans showed complete response of renal and nodal urothelial disease while the lung lesions stayed stable. Dose reductions and treatment holds were needed for blistering skin toxicity and later neuropathy. After 16 months, treatment stopped with complete radiologic response, and PET 2 months later showed complete metabolic response.

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This is a lay summary of an account first published by PMC / PubMed Central. Read the original in full

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