Dr. Halmos on the Implications of the IPASS Study

Balazs Halmos, MD, section chief of Thoracic Oncology at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Medical Center, discusses the implication of the IPASS study.

The IPASS study was a key study in the field, Halmos says, as it analyzed the EGFR inhibitor gefitinib compared with standard chemotherapy for patients with advanced lung adenocarcinoma without knowledge of EGFR mutation status.

Results of the study showed that the two groups fared similarly over the long term, but that there was a huge discrepancy between outcomes in patients with EGFR mutated and wild-type tumors. Patients treated with gefitinib demonstrated a 70-fold greater benefit in EGFR mutated tumors compared with wild-type. This group of patients also experienced quality of life benefits.

The IPASS study was the first that concluded there was a need to identify patients early on with EGFR mutations and ensure that they receive an upfront EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor.