Site Editor

Gregory J. Riely, MD, PhD

Advertisement
Advertisement

EGFR-Mutant NSCLC: Weight Loss, Osimertinib, and Survival

By: Amanda E. Ruffino, MD
Posted: Friday, January 24, 2025

In patients with metastatic EGFR-mutant non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) treated with osimertinib, nearly half experienced significant weight loss, defined as at least 5% reduction in body weight. Of note, those with weight loss had significantly worse overall survival, despite no observed differences in progression-free survival or time on treatment with the tyrosine kinase inhibitor. According to Catherine A. Shu, MD, of Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, and colleagues, their findings about the connection between weight loss, use of osimertinib, and survival outcomes “underscore the need for effective anticachexia therapies” for these patients. Their findings were published in The Oncologist.

This single-center retrospective pilot study analyzed 56 patients receiving first-line osimertinib for metastatic EGFR-mutant NSCLC. On-treatment weight loss was assessed at 6 and 12 months, with patients categorized based on whether they experienced at least 5% reduction in body weight. Patient and disease characteristics, as well as clinical outcomes including progression-free survival, duration of osimertinib therapy, and overall survival, were compared between those with and without weight loss.

Weight loss was observed in 46% of patients (n = 26). There were no significant differences in baseline characteristics, indicating weight loss did not appear to be linked to identifiable patient or disease factors at diagnosis. Progression-free survival and duration of osimertinib treatment were similar between the groups, suggesting weight loss did not directly correlate with disease progression or treatment discontinuation. However, patients with weight loss had markedly worse overall survival, with a nearly fivefold higher hazard of mortality (hazard ratio = 4.91; 95% confidence interval = 1.56–15.5; P = .007).

Disclosure: For full disclosures of the study authors, visit academic.oup.com.


By continuing to browse this site you permit us and our partners to place identification cookies on your browser and agree to our use of cookies to identify you for marketing. Read our Privacy Policy to learn more.