Metastatic lung cancer in the age of targeted therapy: improving long-term survival.
Epidermal growth factor receptor(EGFR) mutations are the most frequent targetable genetic abnormality observed in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). More than a decade afterEGFRmutations were shown to predict sensitivity to EGFR-tyrosine kinase inhibitors (EGFR-TKI), retrospective cohort studies are now identifying and characterizing 5-year survivors. While these studies indicate subsets of patients achieving long-term survival, there is paucity of data pertaining to the long-term survival benefits of these targeted therapies at a population level. Improving access to molecular testing and treatment are key to maximizing the survival benefits at a population level.
Medical Oncology Branch, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.
Jaydira
J
Del Rivero
Healthcare Assessment Research Branch, Healthcare Delivery Research Program, Division of Cancer Control and Population Sciences, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD, USA.
Lindsey
L
Enewold
Thoracic and Gastrointestinal Oncology Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD, USA.
Anish
A
Thomas
Lung cancer; epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR); erlotinib; genetics; survival