Cancer Genomics and DiagnosticsLung Cancer Treatments and MutationsCancer Immunotherapy and Biomarkers

Yun Fan, Hui Li, Sizhe Yu, Yanjun Xu, Jing Qin, Kai Chen, Lei Gong, Hongyang Lu, Zhiyu Huang, Sini Li, Shichao Zhou, F. Xie, N. Han, Ying Jin, Hao Zhang, Junrong Yan, H. Bao, Haimeng Tang, Shuang Chang

2026.6.1JOURNAL OF CLINICAL ONCOLOGY

DOI: 10.1200/jco.2026.44.16_suppl.8576

tlooto Summary

Both mutation- and fragmentation-based ctDNA-MRD assays effectively stratified risk among aNSCLC patients with radiographic response to 1L Chemo-IO and further improved prognostic performance, refining risk beyond imaging-defined PR/CR and informing post-response management decisions.

Abstract

8576 Background: Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have revolutionized treatment for advanced non–small cell lung cancer (aNSCLC); however, many patients achieving radiographic partial or complete response (PR/CR) relapse early. This underscores the need for more precise risk stratification after an initial response. We investigated whether circulating tumor DNA -based minimal residual disease (ctDNA-MRD) assessment could stratify patients with durable benefit versus those at risk of early progression after chemoimmunotherapy (Chemo-IO). Methods: We analyzed 152 retrospective and 60 prospective aNSCLC patients who achieved PR/CR after first-line (1L) PD-1-based Chemo-IO. Plasma was collected at the first imaging-confirmed PR/CR (retrospective) or at baseline and Cycle 5 Day 1 (C5D1; prospective). ctDNA-MRD was assessed using a tumor-naïve, mutation-based panel and a fragmentomics model derived from low-pass whole-genome sequencing (LP-WGS). In the retrospective cohort, 89 patients were used for LP-WGS model training and 63 for validation. Risk stratification was evaluated using progression-free (PFS) and overall survival (OS). Results: In the retrospective validation cohort (n = 63), both the mutation- and fragmentomic-based assays stratified PFS and OS. For the mutation-based assay, median PFS (mPFS) was 27.0 vs. 10.1 months (negative vs. positive; Hazard ratios [HR] 0.414, 95% confidence intervals [CI] 0.211‒0.814, p = 0.008) and median OS (mOS) was not reached (NR) vs. 17.5 months (HR 0.341, 95% CI 0.151‒0.768, p = 0.007). For the LP-WGS-based model, mPFS was 27.0 vs. 13.8 months (HR 0.412, 95% CI 0.216‒0.785, p = 0.005) and mOS was NR vs. 25.1 months (HR 0.355, 95% CI 0.158‒0.795, p = 0.009). Integration using an either-assay-positive definition further improved prognostic discrimination, with mPFS NR vs. 13.8 months (HR 0.379, 95% CI 0.201‒0.714, p = 0.002) and mOS NR vs. 25.1 months (HR 0.324, 95% CI 0.143‒0.730, p = 0.004). In the prospective cohort (n = 60), both assays at C5D1 identified patients at higher risk of progression: mutation-based mPFS 18.3 vs. 6.1 months (HR 0.184, 95% CI 0.075‒0.457, p < 0.0001); LP-WGS-based mPFS NR vs. 5.3 months (HR 0.178, 95% CI 0.070‒0.456, p < 0.0001). Integration-based mPFS was NR vs. 6.5 months (HR 0.130, 95% CI 0.039‒0.440, p = 0.0001). Multivariable analysis confirmed the independent and complementary prognostic value of both approaches across cohorts. Conclusions: Both mutation- and fragmentation-based ctDNA-MRD assays effectively stratified risk among aNSCLC patients with radiographic response to 1L Chemo-IO. Their integration further improved prognostic performance, refining risk beyond imaging-defined PR/CR and informing post-response management decisions.

Citation format

FAN, Yun, et al. Multi-omic ctdna-based MRD for predicting clinical outcomes in advanced NSCLC receiving chemoimmunotherapy. JOURNAL OF CLINICAL ONCOLOGY, 2026, 44(16_suppl): 8576.