Somatic gene mutations and their association with treatment outcomes among Indo-Asian Lung Cancer patients.

BACKGROUND

Insight on genetic mutation has essentially helped clinicians in determining treatment outcomes in lung cancer (LC) due to precision and personalized approach. This study evaluates the mutation trends, treatment responses, prognosis and overall survival (OS) 6 months to 2-years of Indo-Asian LC patients at our tertiary care centre.

METHODOLOGY: A retrospective study was conducted on LC patients diagnosed between May 2023 and December 2024 at Mazumdar Shaw Medical Center. Data were collected on patient demographics, genetic mutation profiles (EGFR, ALK, ROS1, P53, KRAS), treatment modalities, and treatment outcomes. Survival was estimated using Kaplan-Meier analysis.

RESULTS

Among 132 patients who underwent molecular testing, the most frequent alterations were EGFR (23.2 %), P53 (17.7 %), KRAS (8.4 %), ALK (5.4 %), and ROS1 (4.4 %). Most patients (86.7 %) presented with advanced disease. Targeted therapies were received by 45 patients; gefitinib was the most common agent. Median overall survival was 16 months in NSCLC, compared to 8-months in SCLC. EGFR mutations trended toward improved prognosis, whereas KRAS mutations were associated with poorer responses.

CONCLUSION

This retrospective study highlights the molecular heterogeneity among lung cancer patients with EGFR and P53 being most frequent. While targeted therapies improved outcomes in mutation-positive patients, KRAS mutations correlated with resistance. Broader access to molecular testing and targeted treatments is essential for optimizing care in resource-limited settings.