Characterization of BRAF-mutant NSCLC

In this video, Dr Kristof Cuppens, pulmonologist and thoracic oncologist at the Jessa Hospital in Hasselt, discusses data presented as a poster at ELCC 2026 by the Spanish Lung Cancer Group. This large observational cohort study included over 16,000 lung cancer patients and aimed to better characterize patients with BRAF mutations. Among the cohort, 119 patients harbored a BRAF mutation, with approximately 53% presenting with the V600 subtype. These patients were slightly older, with a median age of 69 years compared to 65 years in the broader population. Notably, more than 70% of BRAF-mutant NSCLC patients were current or former smokers, challenging the common perception that oncogene-driven tumors predominantly occur in non-smokers.

In terms of outcomes, patients with BRAF^V600E mutations showed a trend for a better progression-free (7.2 vs. 5.7 months) and overall survival (9.7 vs. 5.9 months) compared to non-V600E patients. Importantly, a first-line treatment approach with targeted kinase inhibitors (TKIs) was associated with a clinically meaningful improvement in PFS for patients with a BRAF^V600E mutation (8.0 vs. 6.8 months; HR 0.56), strongly supporting a TKI-first strategy in these patients.