Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Boston, Massachusetts, USA;
Oncologist. 2013;18(11):1214-20. doi: 10.1634/theoncologist.2013-0168. Epub 2013 Sep 26.
Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-mutant non-small cell lung cancer has an oncogene-addicted biology that confers sensitivity to EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs). Published data suggest that EGFR addiction persists after development of TKI acquired resistance, leading many clinicians to continue TKI with subsequent chemotherapy; however, this strategy has not been formally evaluated. Methods. We retrospectively reviewed an institutional database to identify patients with advanced EGFR mutation with acquired resistance who subsequently received chemotherapy. Patients were classified as receiving chemotherapy with continued erlotinib or chemotherapy alone. We assessed differences in outcomes between the two strategies. Results. Seventy-eight patients were included, 34 treated with chemotherapy and erlotinib and 44 treated with chemotherapy alone. Objective response rate was evaluable in 57 patients and was 41% for those treated with chemotherapy and erlotinib and 18% for those treated with chemotherapy alone. After adjusting for chemotherapy regimen and length of initial TKI course, the odds ratio for the response rate was 0.20 (95% confidence interval: 0.05-0.78; p = .02) favoring treatment with chemotherapy and erlotinib. The median progression-free survival was 4.4 months on chemotherapy and erlotinib and 4.2 months on chemotherapy alone (adjusted hazard ratio = 0.79; 95% confidence interval: 0.48-1.29; p = .34). There was no difference in overall survival. Conclusion. This is the first study, to our knowledge, to demonstrate that continuation of EGFR TKI with chemotherapy in patients with acquired resistance improves outcomes compared with chemotherapy alone. We observed an improved response rate but no difference in progression-free survival or overall survival. A larger prospective clinical trial is needed to evaluate this promising strategy further.
表皮生长因子受体 (EGFR)-突变型非小细胞肺癌具有致癌基因依赖的生物学特性,使其对 EGFR 酪氨酸激酶抑制剂 (TKI) 敏感。已发表的数据表明,在获得性 TKI 耐药后,EGFR 成瘾仍然存在,这导致许多临床医生继续使用 TKI 联合随后的化疗;然而,这种策略尚未得到正式评估。
方法。我们回顾性地审查了一个机构数据库,以确定随后接受化疗的晚期 EGFR 突变获得性耐药患者。患者分为继续厄洛替尼化疗和单独化疗两组。我们评估了两种策略之间的结局差异。
结果。共纳入 78 例患者,其中 34 例接受化疗和厄洛替尼治疗,44 例接受单纯化疗。57 例患者可评估客观缓解率,接受化疗和厄洛替尼治疗的患者客观缓解率为 41%,单独接受化疗的患者客观缓解率为 18%。调整化疗方案和初始 TKI 疗程长度后,反应率的优势比为 0.20(95%置信区间:0.05-0.78;p =.02),支持化疗联合厄洛替尼治疗。化疗联合厄洛替尼组的中位无进展生存期为 4.4 个月,单纯化疗组为 4.2 个月(调整后的危险比=0.79;95%置信区间:0.48-1.29;p =.34)。两组总生存期无差异。
结论。这是我们所知的第一项研究,证明与单独化疗相比,在获得性耐药患者中继续使用 EGFR TKI 联合化疗可改善结局。我们观察到缓解率提高,但无进展生存期或总生存期无差异。需要更大的前瞻性临床试验来进一步评估这一有前途的策略。