Introduction: Second-generation epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) appear superior to first-generation TKIs in clinical trials, but at the cost of greater toxicity. It is unclear whether real-world patients, who often suffer worse outcomes, experience similar survival benefits. Using population-based data, we aim to characterize outcome differences by type of treatment.
Patients and methods: We reviewed all patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer who initiated treatment with an EGFR TKI at BC Cancer between 2010 and 2015. A propensity score was generated to account for imbalances in patient characteristics between treatment groups. A Cox proportional hazards model based on the propensity score was then used to estimate effects of treatment on survival.
Results: A total of 484 patients were identified for analysis. Patients in the second-generation cohort were younger (62 vs. 67 years), had less baseline central nervous system metastases (9% vs. 22%), and more uncommon EGFR mutations (13% vs. 7%). Patients receiving a second-generation TKI had an improved overall survival (hazard ratio, 0.69; P = .05), driven by the subgroup with an EGFR exon 19 deletion. Patients with a L858R mutation did not appear to derive benefit from a second-generation TKI (hazard ratio, 0.91; P = .74). Overall, 40% of patients receiving a second-generation TKI required a dose reduction, but only 1% required discontinuation.
Conclusions: Second-generation TKIs tended to be chosen over first-generation TKIs as frontline therapy in younger patients with uncommon EGFR mutations and without central nervous system metastases. The survival benefit of a second-generation TKI seen in clinical trials appeared to be generalizable to real-world patients and is a reasonable first-line therapy.
Keywords: Afatinib; Erlotinib; Gefitinib; Real-world population; TKI.
Copyright © 2019 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.