ASCO 2017: Update on New Second-Generation EGFR Inhibitor
Posted: Thursday, June 8, 2017
Compared with the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) inhibitor gefitinib, the second-generation EGFR inhibitor dacomitinib delayed cancer growth by a median of 5.5 months in newly diagnosed patients with advanced EGFR-positive non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), according to the results of the ongoing phase III ARCHER 1050 trial. These findings were presented by lead study author Tony Mok, MD, Professor and Chair of the Department of Clinical Oncology at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, at the 2017 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting (Abstract LBA9007).
A total of 452 patients with newly diagnosed stage IIIB or IV EGFR-positive NSCLC were randomly assigned to receive either dacomitinib or gefitinib. Patients who received dacomitinib had a 41% lower chance of cancer progression or death than those who received gefitinib. Progression-free survival was 14.7 months with dacomitinib, versus 9.2 months with gefitinib. However, dacomitinib was associated with more side effects, including skin rash, acne, and diarrhea.
“We changed the treatment paradigm for EGFR-positive lung cancer a few years ago when targeted therapy replaced chemotherapy,” said Dr. Mok at the ASCO Meeting. “This study shows that dacomitinib may be an even more effective treatment for these patients.” According to the investigators, these findings point to a potential new first-line treatment for EGFR-positive lung cancer.
