The histopathological spectrum and molecular changes associated with KRAS G12C mutation in non-small cell lung carcinoma

KRAS G12C is the most common KRAS mutation in non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC), for which targeted therapy has recently been developed.

From the 732 cases of NSCLC that underwent next-generation sequencing at the Department of Anatomical Pathology, Liverpool Hospital, between July 2021 and May 2023, we retrieved 83 (11%) consecutive cases of KRAS G12C mutated NSCLC, and analysed their clinical, pathological, and molecular features.

Of the 83 cases of KRAS G12C mutated NSCLC, there were 46 (55%) men and 37 (45%) women, with mean age of 72 years. Of the 49 cases with known clinical information, 94% were current or ex-smokers, and 49% were stage IV at diagnosis with median survival of 12 months. Sixty-three percent were histology cases and the remainder were cytology cases. Eighty-two percent were non-mucinous adenocarcinomas, with conventional histology including lepidic, acinar, solid, single cells and micropapillary patterns, and 62% were poorly differentiated. There were five (6%) cases of mucinous adenocarcinoma, one case of pleomorphic carcinoma and one case of high-grade fetal adenocarcinoma. TTF1 was positive in the majority (89%) of cases. Nineteen (23%) cases had TP53 co-mutation, and these cases had trends towards higher PD-L1 expression, poor differentiation, and presentation as stage IV disease, but the differences were not statistically significant.

KRAS G12C mutated NSCLCs almost exclusively occurred in smokers and were mostly non-mucinous adenocarcinomas with conventional histological patterns which ranged from well to poorly differentiated. Around a quarter had TP53 co-mutation, the histological impacts and immune profile of which need to be assessed in a larger study.