Gefitinib versus erlotinib as salvage treatment for lung adenocarcinoma patients who benefited from the initial gefitinib: A retrospective study

Thoracic Cancer

Shufei Yu¹  Yan Wang¹  Junling Li¹  Xuezhi Hao¹  Bin Wang¹  Ziping Wang¹  Xiangru Zhang¹ 

[1] Department of Medical Oncology, Cancer Institute (Hospital), Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China

关键词: adenocarcinoma;    epidermal growth factor receptor;    erlotinib;    gefitinib;    non‐small‐cell lung cancer;   

DOI  :  10.1111/j.1759-7714.2012.00152.x

来源: Wiley

【 摘 要 】

Abstract

Background:  The optimal strategy was not established for patients who initially responded to gefitinib although re-administration of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) has been proven to be an option. Gefitinib and erlotinib were compared as salvage treatment after gefitinib failure.

Methods:  Thirty-eight lung adenocarcinoma patients were analyzed retrospectively as they received the second EGFR-TKIs treatment with either gefitinib or erlotinib. All of them had obtained disease control from initial gefitinib. Sixteen patients received gefitinib (G-G group) and 22 patients received erlotinib (G-E group).

Results:  Of all patients, progress free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were three and 12 months, respectively, and the disease controlled rate (DCR) of the second EGFR-TKIs treatment was 52.6%. One patient (6.3%) had partial remission (PR) and 10 (62.5%) had stable disease (SD), in the G-G group, whereas, three (13.6%) had PR and six (27.2%) had SD, in the G-E group. There was no statistical significance observed, although the DCR in the G-G group was higher than that in G-E group (68.8% vs. 40.8%, P= 0.09). Adverse events of both gefitinib and erlotinib were mild and administered. The median PFS and OS in G-G and G-E groups were similar (PFS four vs. three months; OS 22 vs. 12 months). In multivariate analysis, patients with SD in initial gefitinib treatment had significantly longer OS (P= 0.04).

Conclusions:  Gefitinib as well as erlotinib could be an option for patients who benefited from prior gefitinib treatment. Patients with SD in initial gefitinib obtained a significantly longer OS than those with PR.

【 授权许可】

Unknown   
© 2012 Tianjin Lung Cancer Institute and Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd