Real world treatment and outcomes in EGFR mutation-positive non-small cell lung cancer: Long-term follow-up of a large patient cohort

Objectives Epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors (EGFR-TKIs) have been shown to be effective for the treatment of EGFR mutation-positive non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in clinical trials. However, there is a lack of data from routine clinical practice. This study determined treatment and outcomes in patients with EGFR mutation-positive NSCLC treated in a real world setting. Materials and methods Clinical characteristics, information about NSCLC treatment regimens and survival outcomes data were obtained retrospectively from 17 medical centers across Japan. In addition to overall survival (OS), subgroup analyses were conducted based on first- and second-line treatments and combinations, and for patients who had survived >5 years from initiation of first-line treatment. Results The full analysis set comprised 1656 patients (mean 67 years, 80.6% with performance status 0 or 1). Median follow-up was 29.5 months and median OS was 29.7 months; 3- and 5-year survival rates were 41.2% and 21.5%, respectively. Significant predictors of OS were younger age, no smoking history, histological diagnosis of adenocarcinoma, less advanced clinical stage, good performance status and major EGFR-activating mutation. Despite some imbalances in baseline characteristics, patients who received first-line chemotherapy had numerically higher 5-year survival rates than those who received first-line EGFR-TKIs. Conclusions This large, long-term analysis of EGFR mutation-positive NSCLC patients provides useful information about treatment outcomes in clinical practice. Updated analyses are required to determine real world outcomes for NSCLC patients treated with the latest available agents, including immunotherapies.