A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of the Efficacy and Safety of Lazertinib as First-Line Treatment for EGFR-Mutated Locally Advanced or Metastatic Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC).

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations are a common driver of oncogenesis in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Lazertinib, a third-generation EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI), has shown promise as a first-line treatment for patients with locally advanced or metastatic EGFR-mutated NSCLC. However, the comparative efficacy and safety of lazertinib in this setting have not been thoroughly investigated. This study aims to evaluate the efficacy and safety of lazertinib for EGFR-mutated locally advanced NSCLC.

METHOD

This study was conducted following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. We performed a search of PubMed, ProQuest, EBSCO, and ScienceDirect to identify eligible studies based on the PICOTS-SD criteria. The meta-analysis of overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), and adverse effects was performed using RevMan 5.4 software.

RESULTS

This review included a total of three randomized controlled trials. The pooled analysis revealed significant differences in PFS, with a hazard ratio (HR) of 0.44 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.37-0.53). However, OS showed no significant differences, with an HR of 0.82 (95% CI: 0.64-1.06). Paresthesia occurred significantly more frequently in the lazertinib group (odds ratio [OR]: 11.30; 95% CI: 7.30-17.49). In contrast, the incidence of diarrhea and increases in Alanine Transaminase (ALT) and Aspartate Aminotransferase (AST) levels were significantly higher in the gefitinib group, with ORs of 0.52 (95% CI: 0.39-0.70), 0.35 (95% CI: 0.25-0.50), and 0.32 (95% CI: 0.22-0.47), respectively.

CONCLUSION

Lazertinib demonstrated a greater therapeutic benefit for patients with EGFR-mutated advanced NSCLC compared to first-generation EGFR-TKIs. Further research is needed to validate these findings.