Computed Tomography Imaging Features and Distribution of Metastases in ROS1-rearranged Non-Small-cell Lung Cancer

Abstract

Background: ROS proto-oncogene 1 (ROS1) rearrangements are a known molecular target in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Our goal was to determine whether ROS1-rearranged NSCLC has imaging features and patterns of metastasis, which differ from those of anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK)-rearranged or epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-mutant NSCLC.

Patients and methods: We retrospectively identified patients with metastatic ROS1-rearranged, ALK-rearranged, or EGFR-mutant NSCLC from January 2014 to June 2018 and included those with pretreatment imaging studies available. We assessed the imaging features of the primary tumor and the distribution of metastases in these patients. The Wilcoxon rank-sum test and Fisher exact test were used to compare the imaging features.

Results: We identified 257 patients (167 women and 90 men; median age, 56 years; range, 19-90 years) with metastatic NSCLC (ROS1, 53; ALK, 87; EGFR, 117). Compared with ALK-rearranged or EGFR-mutant NSCLC, ROS1-rearranged NSCLC was less likely to present with extrathoracic metastases (ROS1, 49%; ALK, 75%; EGFR, 72%; P < .01), including brain metastases (ROS1, 9%; ALK, 25%; EGFR, 40%; P < .04). Compared with EGFR-mutant NSCLC, ROS1-rearranged tumors were more likely to exhibit imaging features of lymphangitic carcinomatosis (ROS1, 42%; EGFR, 12%; P < .01) and less likely to have air bronchograms in the primary tumor (ROS1, 2%; EGFR, 28%; P < .01). ROS1-rearranged tumors were also more likely to present with distant nodal metastases (ROS1, 15%; EGFR, 2%; P < .01) and sclerotic-type bone metastases (ROS1, 17%; EGFR, 6%; P < .01).

Conclusion: Although considerable overlap exists in the imaging features of ROS1-rearranged, ALK-rearranged, and EGFR-mutant NSCLC, we found that ROS1-rearranged NSCLC has certain distinct imaging features and patterns of spread.

Keywords: ALK; Lung cancer; ROS1; Radiology; Rearrangement.