Developments in NRG1 Fusion+ Cancers

NRG1 fusions occur in low frequency across solid tumors, and because these alterations can evade traditional sequencing modalities, RNA-based next-generation sequencing is imperative.

Michaël Duruisseaux, MD, a medical oncologist at Lyon Cancer Institute in France, discusses the incidence of NRG1 fusions in solid tumors.

Stephen Liu, MD, associate professor of medicine, Division of Hematology and Oncology, Georgetown University Medical Center, discusses the prevalence of NRG1 fusions in oncology.

A case series presented at the 2019 ESMO Congress highlighted the activity of afatinib in patients with NRG1-positive tumors.

Khaled A. Tolba, MD, MBBCh, discusses the use of afatinib in NRG1 fusion–positive lung adenocarcinoma.

Khaled A. Tolba MD, MBBCh, assistant professor of medicine, School of Medicine, Oregon Health & Science University, discusses the potential to target NRG1 fusion–positive lung adenocarcinoma with afatinib (Gilotrif).

Early data suggest that afatinib (Gilotrif) is a potentially effective treatment option for patients with lung adenocarcinoma who have NRG1 fusions, but the identification of these fusions continues to pose a challenge.

Findings from a small case series of patients with lung cancer added to evidence that afatinib is a potentially effective treatment in patients with lung adenocarcinoma who have NRG1 fusions.

Benjamin Weinberg, MD, provides insight into NRG1 fusions, the effectiveness of afatinib in patients harboring these fusions, and future research being done in NRG1 fusion–positive gastrointestinal cancers.