Dr. Bhalla on Unmet Needs in the Treatment of EGFR Exon 20–Mutant NSCLC

Sheena Bhalla, MD, assistant professor, Department of Internal Medicine, UT Southwestern Harold C. Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center, discusses the need for improved understanding of EGFR exon 20 insertion mutations in the development of non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) treatment.

Platinum-based chemotherapy remains the standard frontline treatment for patients with EGFR exon 20–mutant NSCLC, Bhalla states. In 2021, the FDA approved 2 targeted therapies, amivantamab-vmjw (Rybrevant) and mobocertinib (Exkivity), as second-line therapies for patients with EGFR exon 20–mutant NCSLC.

Despite this, patients with EGFR exon 20 insertion mutations still have poorer prognosis compared with most patients with common sensitizing EGFR mutations, Bhalla explains. By improving understanding of different EGFR mutations, practitioners seek to improve treatment algorithms and create more effective treatment approaches for patients, Bhalla concludes.