Prospective study of second-line chemotherapy for non-small cell lung cancer selected according to EGFR gene status

摘要

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is the leading cause of cancer death in Japan. Current chemotherapy regimens for metastatic NSCLC are not particularly effective, and the disease cannot be cured even with the most effective platinum and new combination chemotherapies. The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) superfamily has long been regarded as a potential therapeutic target in solid tumors. Several molecules that can inhibit the EGFR tyrosine kinase domain have been synthesized. These inhibitors include gefitinib (Gef) and erlotinib, both of which are orally active and can produce an objective response in previously treated or untreated advanced NSCLC(l-4). A previous randomized study demonstrated that addition of Gef to standard platinum-based chemotherapy did not improve the outcome of patients with NSCLC( 5,6). However, a randomized study demonstrated a non-inferior survival effect of Gef treatment as a second-line chemotherapy in comparison with docetaxel in NSCLC patients (7) and Gef was approved a treatment of second-line chemotherapy in Japan.