Phase II study of erlotinib in advanced non-small-cell lung cancer after failure of gefitinib.
OBJECTIVE
This study was designed to evaluate the efficacy and toxicity of erlotinib in patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who experienced disease progression after treatment with gefitinib.


METHODS
The study included stage IIIB/IV recurrent or metastatic NSCLC patients who received two or three prior chemotherapy regimens and showed progressive disease within 4 months of gefitinib therapy discontinuation. Patients received erlotinib 150 mg/d until disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations and other genetic abnormalities were analyzed from available tumor samples.


RESULTS
Patient and disease characteristics (N = 21) included median age 56 years; number of prior chemotherapy regimens (three; n = 11); female sex (n = 11); adenocarcinoma (n = 15); and never-smoker status (n = 11). Among the 17 patients with tumor samples available, EGFR mutations were detected in five. The disease control rate (DCR) and response rate (RR) for all patients were 28.6% and 9.5%, respectively. The median duration of disease control was 125 days. The median time to progression and overall survival were 60 days and 158 days, respectively. Patients who had stable disease (SD) while receiving gefitinib showed significantly higher DCR (75% v 17.6% in non-SD patients; P = .050) and RR (50.0% v 0% in non-SD patients; P = .029). Among 17 patients with biomarker results available, those lacking EGFR mutations who had SD while receiving gefitinib showed significantly higher DCR and RR.


CONCLUSIONS
Erlotinib seems to be a potential therapeutic option for the treatment of advanced NSCLC patients with wild-type EGFR who had SD while receiving gefitinib.
Cho
Byoung Chul
BC
Yonsei Cancer Center, Seoul, Korea.
Im
Chong-Kun
CK
Park
Moo-Suk
MS
Kim
Se Kyu
SK
Chang
Joon
J
Park
Jong Pil
JP
Choi
Hye Jin
HJ
Kim
Yu Jin
YJ
Shin
Sang-Joon
SJ
Sohn
Joo Hyuk
JH
Kim
Hoguen
H
Kim
Joo Hang
JH
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D018450:Disease Progression; D019008:Drug Resistance, Neoplasm; D000069347:Erlotinib Hydrochloride; D005260:Female; D000077156:Gefitinib; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D047428:Protein Kinase Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011799:Quinazolines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015996:Survival Rate; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D047428:Protein Kinase Inhibitors; D011799:Quinazolines; D000069347:Erlotinib Hydrochloride; D000077156:Gefitinib