Cetuximab for Advanced Non–Small-Cell Lung Cancer

Patients who received cetuximab plus chemotherapy achieved modestly longer survival than those who received chemotherapy alone.

The landmark ECOG 4599 study was the first to show an overall survival (OS) benefit associated with the addition of a molecularly targeted agent (bevacizumab [Avastin]) to a platinum-based two-drug regimen in patients who had advanced non–small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with nonsquamous histology (JW Oncol Hematol Jan 12 2007). More recently, results of a phase II study suggested that first-line therapy with the three-drug regimen of cisplatin and vinorelbine plus the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-targeted monoclonal antibody cetuximab (Erbitux) improved activity versus cisplatin and vinorelbine alone in the first-line treatment of 86 patients with advanced EGFR-positive NSCLC (Ann Oncol 2008; 19:362).

Now, to investigate further th…

Reviewing Author

Lin-Chi Chen, MD, PhD