Erlotinib as First-Line Treatment in Advanced Lung Cancer

Patients with EGFR mutation-positive non–small-cell lung cancer achieved longer progression-free survival with the tyrosine kinase inhibitor erlotinib than with chemotherapy.

Recent phase III studies indicate that patients with metastatic non–small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) gene mutations achieve longer progression-free survival (PFS) when receiving first-line treatment with the tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) gefitinib than with chemotherapy (N Engl J Med 2009; 361:947 and Lancet Oncol 2010; 11:121).

Now, researchers in China have conducted an industry-supported, randomized, phase III trial to determine whether the TKI erlotinib would also be effective in such patients. A total of 165 NSCLC patients with exon 19 and 21 mutations were randomized to receive erlotinib (150 mg daily until disease progression) or up to 4 cycles of standard platinum doublet chemotherapy (carb…

Reviewing Author

Lin-Chi Chen, MD, PhD