Efficacy and safety of erlotinib in 1242 East/South-East Asian patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer.
BACKGROUND
Erlotinib is an epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor that significantly increases survival for patients with previously treated advanced non-small cell lung cancer. Epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors have been reported to be particularly effective in Asian patients and may have a distinct safety profile in this population compared with non-Asian patients. We report safety and efficacy data from a subpopulation of East/South-East (E/SE) Asian patients enrolled in a global, open-label, phase IV trial of erlotinib (Tarceva Lung Cancer Survival Treatment study).


METHODS
Patients who had previously failed on chemotherapy or radiotherapy, or were unsuitable for these treatments, were treated with oral erlotinib (150 mg/d) until disease progression or unacceptable toxicity.


RESULTS
Best response data were available for 1118 E/SE Asian and 4276 non-E/SE Asian patients. The overall response rates were 27% versus 10%, respectively (p < 0.0001). The disease control rates were 78% versus 66%, respectively (p < 0.0001). Survival data were available for 1242 E/SE Asian and 5338 non-E/SE Asian patients. The median progression-free survival times were 5.78 months versus 2.92 months, respectively (hazard ratio = 0.66, p < 0.0001). The median overall survival times were 14.7 months versus 6.8 months, respectively (hazard ratio = 0.57, p < 0.0001). One-year survival rates were 58.3% and 32.7%, respectively. Safety data were available for 1242 E/SE Asian patients. Seventeen percent of these patients experienced one or more erlotinib-related adverse event (AE) (other than the most frequently occurring AEs prespecified in the protocol) and 2% experienced an erlotinib-related serious AE. Dose reductions were reported for 171 (14%) patients.


CONCLUSIONS
Erlotinib is an effective and well-tolerated treatment for Asian patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer.
Mok
Tony
T
Department of Oncology, Prince of Wales Hospital, Hong Kong, China.
Wu
Yi-long
YL
Au
Joseph Siu-kie
JS
Zhou
Caicun
C
Zhang
Li
L
Perng
Reury-Perng
RP
Park
Keunchil
K
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D002282:Adenocarcinoma, Bronchiolo-Alveolar / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D044466:Asian People / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D018287:Carcinoma, Large Cell / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D066246:ErbB Receptors / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D000069347:Erlotinib Hydrochloride; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D020714:Maximum Tolerated Dose; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011446:Prospective Studies; D047428:Protein Kinase Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011799:Quinazolines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012449:Safety; D015996:Survival Rate; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
D047428:Protein Kinase Inhibitors; D011799:Quinazolines; D000069347:Erlotinib Hydrochloride; D066246:ErbB Receptors