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Gefitinib in patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer
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Abstract
Introduction: Patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) have a very poor prognosis. Individualization of treatment and identification of therapeutic molecular targets may improve outcomes. Gefitinib was introduced recently among several other molecular-targeted drugs of activity in NSCLC. Gefitinib is indicated for patients diagnosed with advanced or disseminated NSCLC with an activating mutation in the EGFR (epidermal growth factor receptor) gene. The paper summarize experience with gefitinib in the Department of Lung and Thoracic Tumors of Maria Sklodowska-Curie Memorial Cancer Centre and Institute in Warsaw.
Material and methods: The group of 11 patients diagnosed with advanced NSCLC and activating mutations in the EGFR gene was analyzed. Patients were treated from April 2010 to April 2011. Tolerability, objective response rate (ORR) and progression free survival (PFS), which was calculated by the Kaplan-Meier method, were assessed.
Results: Median observation time from the start of gefitinib treatment was 14 months (range 4,8–19 months). The rate of one-year survival in this group of patients was 91% (10 patients) with 54% of patients (6 patients) surviving one year without progression of disease. The ORR rate of 82% and median PFS 11.4 months were reached. No treatment-related deaths were reported. Among the complications skin toxicity (82%) and diarrhea (45%) were most frequently observed, in most cases the Common Toxicity Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE) first grade.
Conclusions: The results confirm the literature data on the efficacy and safety profile of gefitinib in the treatment of patients with the diagnosis of advanced NSCLC and activating mutation in the EGFR gene.
Abstract
Introduction: Patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) have a very poor prognosis. Individualization of treatment and identification of therapeutic molecular targets may improve outcomes. Gefitinib was introduced recently among several other molecular-targeted drugs of activity in NSCLC. Gefitinib is indicated for patients diagnosed with advanced or disseminated NSCLC with an activating mutation in the EGFR (epidermal growth factor receptor) gene. The paper summarize experience with gefitinib in the Department of Lung and Thoracic Tumors of Maria Sklodowska-Curie Memorial Cancer Centre and Institute in Warsaw.
Material and methods: The group of 11 patients diagnosed with advanced NSCLC and activating mutations in the EGFR gene was analyzed. Patients were treated from April 2010 to April 2011. Tolerability, objective response rate (ORR) and progression free survival (PFS), which was calculated by the Kaplan-Meier method, were assessed.
Results: Median observation time from the start of gefitinib treatment was 14 months (range 4,8–19 months). The rate of one-year survival in this group of patients was 91% (10 patients) with 54% of patients (6 patients) surviving one year without progression of disease. The ORR rate of 82% and median PFS 11.4 months were reached. No treatment-related deaths were reported. Among the complications skin toxicity (82%) and diarrhea (45%) were most frequently observed, in most cases the Common Toxicity Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE) first grade.
Conclusions: The results confirm the literature data on the efficacy and safety profile of gefitinib in the treatment of patients with the diagnosis of advanced NSCLC and activating mutation in the EGFR gene.
Keywords
gefitinib; non-small cell lung cancer; EGFR mutation
About this articleTitle
Gefitinib in patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer
Journal
Advances in Respiratory Medicine
Issue
Pages
439-449
Published online
2012-08-27
Bibliographic record
Pneumonol Alergol Pol 2012;80(5):439-449.
Keywords
gefitinib
non-small cell lung cancer
EGFR mutation
Authors
Magdalena Knetki-Wróblewska
Dariusz M. Kowalski
Katarzyna Zajda
Adam Płużański
Paweł Badurak
Anna Janowicz-Żebrowska
Piotr Jaśkiewicz
Maciej Krzakowski