Dr. Perol on EGFR TKI/Chemotherapy Combinations in Advanced EGFR+ NSCLC

Maurice Perol, MD, a medical oncologist with Léon Bérard Cancer Center, discusses combination regimens comprised of chemotherapy and EGFR TKIs in the treatment of patients with EGFR-mutated advanced non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), as investigated in the OPAL trial presented during the ESMO Asia Virtual Congress 2020.

This combination is an interesting frontline treatment approach for this patient population, Perol says. Two phase 3 studies that were conducted in Japan and India have indicated that the addition of chemotherapy to gefitinib (Iressa) resulted in a significantly improved progression-free survival and overall survival. The results in both studies were consistent, Perol says.

However, it is important to be mindful of the toxicities associated with a chemotherapy/TKI combination, Perol explains. The addition of chemotherapy to an EGFR TKI like osimertinib (Tagrisso) can lead to more adverse effects versus a TKI alone, which could impact a patient's quality of life, Perol concludes.