Different efficacies of erlotinib and gefitinib in taiwanese patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer: a retrospective multicenter study.
BACKGROUND
Epidermal growth factor receptor-tyrosine kinase inhibitors are used as effective first-line and salvage therapy in the treatment of advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients in East Asia. The objective of this study was to compare the efficacy of gefitinib and erlotinib in Taiwanese patients with advanced NSCLC.


METHODS
Clinical data of NSCLC patients treated with gefitinib or erlotinib from January 2004 to December 2008 were collected retrospectively. Five tertiary referral centers in Taiwan participated in the study.


RESULTS
Of the 1122 patients enrolled, 506 (45%) were female, 594 (53%) were never smokers or former light smokers, and 867 (77%) were diagnosed with adenocarcinoma. Epidermal growth factor receptor-tyrosine kinase inhibitors were prescribed as first-line treatment in 465 (41%) patients and as second-line or salvage therapy in 657 patients (59%). The objective response rate was similar between the gefitinib and erlotinib treatment groups, while disease control rate was 58.9 and 65.8% (p = 0.025), respectively. Median progression-free survival of gefitinib and erlotinib groups was 3.6 and 4.6 months, respectively (p = 0.027). Median overall survival of gefitinib and erlotinib groups was 9.6 and 10.7 months, respectively (p = 0.013).


CONCLUSIONS
Taiwanese patients with advanced NSCLC treated with erlotinib reported higher disease control rate, longer progression-free survival, and overall survival compared with patients treated with gefitinib.
Department of Medicine, Chutung Veterans Hospital, Chutung, Taiwan.
Wen-Chien
WC
Fan
Chong-Jen
CJ
Yu
Chun-Ming
CM
Tsai
Ming-Shyan
MS
Huang
Chun-Liang
CL
Lai
Te-Chun
TC
Hsia
Yin-Jing
YJ
Tien
Shiang-Fen
SF
Huang
Chieh-Hung
CH
Wu
Kun-Ta
KT
Chou
Yu-Chin
YC
Lee
Reury-Perng
RP
Perng
Yuh-Min
YM
Chen
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D000069347:Erlotinib Hydrochloride; D005260:Female; D000077156:Gefitinib; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis; D011799:Quinazolines / Q000008:administration & dosage; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015996:Survival Rate; D013624:Taiwan
D011799:Quinazolines; D000069347:Erlotinib Hydrochloride; D000077156:Gefitinib