Timing and heterogeneity of mutations associated with drug resistance in metastatic cancers

Abstract

Targeted therapies provide an exciting new approach to combat human cancer. The immediate effect is a dramatic reduction in disease burden, but in most cases, the tumor returns as a consequence of resistance. Various mechanisms for the evolution of resistance have been implicated, including mutation of target genes and activation of other drivers. There is increasing evidence that the reason for failure of many targeted treatments is a small preexisting subpopulation of resistant cells; however, little is known about the genetic composition of this resistant subpopulation. Using the novel approach of ordering the resistant subclones according to their time of appearance, here we describe the full spectrum of resistance mutations present in a metastatic lesion. We calculate the expected and median number of cells in each resistant subclone. Surprisingly, the ratio of the medians of successive resistant clones is independent of any parameter in our model; for example, the median of the second clone divided by the median of the first is √2-1. We find that most radiographically detectable lesions harbor at least 10 resistant subclones. Our predictions are in agreement with clinical data on the relative sizes of resistant subclones obtained from liquid biopsies of colorectal cancer patients treated with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) blockade. Our theory quantifies the genetic heterogeneity of resistance that exists before treatment and provides information to design treatment strategies that aim to control resistance.