Abstract
BACKGROUND: While targeted therapy has become the standard treatment for certain non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients with gene mutation positivity, there remains a lack of enough reports of the efficacy of mesenchymal-epithelial transition (MET) alterations in the real world. OBJECTIVES: We aimed to explore the efficacy and toxicity of targeted therapy in NSCLC patients with different types of MET alterations and hope to provide more clinical medication guidance. DESIGN: Designed different subgroups to compare the efficacy and safety of targeted therapy in NSCLC patients with MET alterations. METHODS: We conducted analyses on the efficacy and safety of mesenchymal-epithelial transition factor-tyrosine kinase inhibitor (MET-TKI) therapy in NSCLC patients with MET alterations. Tumor response was evaluated based on the Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors version 1.1 criteria, and both progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival were determined using the Kaplan-Meier method. RESULTS: Our study encompassed 116 NSCLC patients with MET alterations, including MET ex14 skipping mutation (n = 50), MET primary amplification (amp) (n = 25), and secondary amp (n = 41). Among treated patients, 34 achieved a partial response, while 52 exhibited stable disease. The overall response rate for the entire cohort was 29.31%, with a disease control rate of 74.14%. A significant difference was observed in the median PFS among patients with MET ex14 skipping mutation, MET primary amplification (amp), and secondary amp (10.4 versus 6.6 versus 4.5 months, p = 0.002). In all, 69 patients experienced drug-related adverse effects, with the most common being peripheral edema (35.34%), nausea and vomiting (21.55%), and fatigue (10.34%). In total, 29 patients (25%) encountered drug-related adverse reactions of grade 3 or higher. CONCLUSION: MET-TKI therapy works better for MET ex14 skipping mutation than other types of MET gene alteration. In the two MET amplified groups, the secondary amp was less effective. This study may provide more research support for the treatment of these patients.