阿帕替尼联合多西他赛与多西他赛二线治疗晚期非鳞非小细胞肺癌的疗效、安全性及预后对比

目的:对比阿帕替尼联合多西他赛与单纯多西他赛在晚期非鳞非小细胞肺癌(NSCLC)二线治疗中的疗效及安全性,并对预后影响因素进行分析。方法:纳入98例晚期非鳞NSCLC,随机分为治疗组（阿帕替尼联合多西他赛）48例以及对照组（多西他赛）50例,观察客观缓解率（ORR)、疾病控制率（DCR)、无进展生存期（PFS)、总生存期（OS）及不良反应,并将治疗组的临床病理因素纳入单因素及多因素分析。结果:两组患者近期疗效无明显差异;中位PFS分别为4.1个月与3.1个月（P=0.045）;中位OS分别为10.4个月与8.8个月（P=0.023）。两组患者3-4级不良反应发生例数未见明显差异。单因素分析显示中高分化、转移灶≤1个预后较好,多因素分析提示肿瘤分化程度是阿帕替尼联合多西他赛治疗晚期非鳞NSCLC的独立预后因素。结论:在晚期非鳞NSCLC二线治疗中,阿帕替尼联合多西他赛与多西他赛对比有生存获益,且耐受性好,肿瘤分化程度是独立的预后因素。     

Gefitinib in the treatment of advanced non-small-cell lung cancer

Most patients with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) present with advanced disease and their long-term prognosis remains poor, even after platinum-based chemotherapy. EGF receptor (EGFR)-targeted therapies, such as gefitinib, have been subject to comprehensive clinical development. Several Phase II and III trials have evaluated the clinical efficacy of gefitinib as monotherapy in pretreated patients with advanced NSCLC, as well as both monotherapy and combined with chemotherapy in chemo-naive patients. A Phase III trial in heavily pretreated advanced NSCLC patients, 90% of whom were refractory, demonstrated some improvement in survival with gefitinib compared with placebo; however, the difference was not statistically significant in the overall population. A second large Phase III trial in patients with pretreated advanced NSCLC (INTEREST) demonstrated the noninferiority of gefitinib in comparison with docetaxel for overall survival together with an improved quality of life and tolerability profiles. As a result, gefitinib is expected to have a large impact in the management of pretreated patients with NSCLC.     

Docetaxel in advanced non-small cell lung cancer

Based on the survival benefit demonstrated in large randomized clinical trials, docetaxel is approved for the treatment of advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in both the first- and second-line settings. The efficacy of docetaxel in combination with cisplatin is equivalent to some, and superior to other, platinum-based doublets for first-line management of NSCLC, and has a manageable toxicity profile. Carboplatin-based regimens and nonplatinum combinations with docetaxel also have proven efficacy in first-line therapy of patients with advanced NSCLC. Combinations of docetaxel with various novel targeted agents have produced encouraging data in Phase II studies. This article reviews recent studies of docetaxel as a single agent and in combination regimens with cytotoxic and more recent targeted agents in the management of advanced NSCLC.     

Docetaxel Plus RAmucirumab With Primary Prophylactic Pegylated Granulocyte-ColONy Stimulating Factor Support for Elderly Patients With Advanced Non–small-cell Lung Cancer: A Multicenter Prospective Single Arm Phase II Trial: DRAGON Study (WJOG9416L)

We exhibit our ongoing multicenter, prospective, single-arm, phase II trial of docetaxel plus ramucirumab with primary prophylactic pegylated-granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (PEG-G-CSF) support for chemotherapy-naive elderly patients with advanced non–small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) (University Hospital Medical Information Network database: UMIN000030598). Docetaxel monotherapy is the Japanese standard of care for chemotherapy-naive elderly patients with advanced NSCLC. Docetaxel plus ramucirumab showed superior survival benefit over docetaxel monotherapy in the second-line setting for NSCLC. A Japanese phase II study comparing docetaxel plus ramucirumab and docetaxel monotherapy in the second-line setting showed febrile neutropenia (FN) incidence of approximately one-third in the docetaxel plus ramucirumab arm. Docetaxel plus ramucirumab could be a promising candidate for elderly patients with NSCLC, but such high FN incidence is a clinically critical concern. To overcome this problem, we adopt a routine primary prophylactic PEG-G-CSF with docetaxel plus ramucirumab therapy. We hypothesize that primary prophylactic PEG-G-CSF reduces FN and maximizes the efficacy of docetaxel plus ramucirumab in Japanese elderly patients with NSCLC. Intravenous docetaxel (60 mg/m², day 1) plus ramucirumab (10 mg/kg, day 1) with subcutaneous PEG-G-CSF (3.6 mg, day 2) every 3 weeks is administered until progression. The primary endpoint is overall response rate (ORR). We decided the threshold ORR to be 20%, and the expected ORR 35%. Taking statistical points (α/β errors: 0.05/0.80) and ineligible patients into account, the sample size was set at 65. When the study results are promising, we will conduct a phase III trial to compare docetaxel plus ramucirumab with PEG-G-CSF support versus docetaxel monotherapy for chemotherapy-naive elderly patients with NSCLC.     

Apatinib Monotherapy or Combination Therapy for Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Patients With Brain Metastases

Apatinib, an oral small molecular receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) developed first in China, exerts antiangiogenic and antineoplastic function through selectively binding and inhibiting vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 (VEGFR-2). In this study, we aimed to explore the efficacy and safety profile of apatinib monotherapy, or combined with chemotherapy or endothelial growth factor receptor (EGFR)-TKI in heavily pretreated non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients with brain metastases. We performed a retrospective analysis for relapsed NSCLC patients with brain metastases from our institute, who received apatinib (250 mg or 500 mg p.o. qd) monotherapy, or combination with EGFR-TKI or chemotherapy as second or more line systemic therapy until disease progression or unacceptable toxicity occurred. The objective response rate (ORR), disease control rate (DCR), median progression-free survival (mPFS), median overall survival (mOS), and safety were analyzed. A total of 26 eligible patients were included: 24 patients diagnosed with adenocarcinoma, 2 with squamous carcinoma, and 14 patients harboring EGFR sensitizing mutations. The mPFS and mOS were 4.93 (range, 0.27−32.91; 95% CI 3.64−6.22) and 14.70 (range, 0.27−32.91; 95% CI 0.27−43.60) months for the whole group. The ORR and DCR were 7.7% (2/26) and 69.2% (18/26) for the entire lesions, and 7.7% (2/26) and 79.6% (20/26) for brain metastases, respectively. Compared with patients who received apatinib monotherapy, patients who received apatinib combination treatment had more favorable mPFS (11.77 vs. 2.27 months, p<0.05) and mOS (24.03 vs. 6.07 months, p<0.05). Treatment-related toxicities were tolerable including grade 1/2 hypertension, hand-and-foot syndrome, fatigue, nausea, liver dysfunction, myelosuppression, skin rash, and palpitation. In conclusion, apatinib exhibited high activity and good tolerance for NSCLC patients with brain metastasis, and it might become a potential choice for metastatic brain tumors in NSCLC patients.     

New Treatment Options for Lung Adenocarcinoma - in View of Molecular Background

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer related mortality all over the world, and a number of developments have indicated future clinical benefit recently. The development of molecular pathology methods has become increasingly important in the prediction of chemotherapy sensitivity and mutation analysis to identify driver mutations as important targets of new therapeutic agents. The most significant changes in the treatment of NSCLC revealed in new pathologic classification and in the introduction of molecularly targeted therapies, which include monoclonal antibodies and small molecule tyrosine kinase inhibitors. The side effects of these agents are generally better tolerated than those of conventional chemotherapy and show higher efficacy. The most important factor follows: histology subtypes, gene mutation status, patients’ selection, drug toxicities and occurence of drug resistance. In the advanced disease, the hope of cure is less than 3 %, but improvements in survival have been clearly achieved. Some years ago the median lung cancer survival rate was 10–12 months, now in case of available specific molecular targets, a significant increase in median survival rates to 24–36 months has been achieved. These agents give an opportunity to provide a new standard of care. Therefore testing EGFR mutations and ALK rearrangements in patients with advanced lung adenocarcinoma should be incorporated into routine clinical practice. This review focuses on the rationale for targeted agents and new treatment possibilities in case of advanced lung adenocarcinoma.     

Docetaxel in the treatment of advanced non-small-cell lung cancer

Systemic chemotherapy provides improvement in both survival and quality of life for patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Docetaxel is the only agent currently approved for both first- and second-line treatment of advanced NSCLC. Multiple randomized clinical trials have established the efficacy of platinum–docetaxel regimens for the first-line treatment of advanced NSCLC. Carboplatin-based regimens and nonplatinum combinations with docetaxel also have proven efficacy in first-line therapy. Combinations of docetaxel with various novel targeted agents have produced encouraging data in Phase II trials. This review article summarizes recent studies of docetaxel as a single agent and in combination regimens with cytotoxic or targeted therapies in the management of patients with advanced NSCLC.     

驱动基因突变非小细胞肺癌免疫治疗的研究进展

随着肺癌靶点的发现和药物研发,靶向治疗改善了驱动基因突变非小细胞肺癌(NSCLC)的临床预后。同时,免疫检查点抑制剂在驱动基因阴性NSCLC中也取得了良好的疗效。虽然部分驱动基因突变患者从对应靶向治疗中明显获益,但对免疫治疗反应欠佳。在大部分免疫治疗临床研究和日常实践中,EGFR/ALK等驱动基因突变阳性的NSCLC患者也被排除在外,或者仅占少数。免疫治疗如何应用于驱动基因突变患者,以及如何在靶向治疗、化疗及免疫治疗中选择最佳治疗方案,制定最优治疗策略,对改善晚期驱动基因突变NSCLC患者预后至关重要。本文对不同基因突变肿瘤免疫微环境的特点及免疫治疗在不同基因突变的NSCLC患者中的应用进行简要综述。     

Advances in Targeted Therapy Against Driver Mutations and Epigenetic Alterations in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

The incidence and mortality of lung cancer rank top three of all cancers worldwide. Accounting for 85% of the total number of lung cancer, non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is an important factor endangering human health. Recently, targeted therapies against driver mutations and epigenetic alterations have made encouraging advances that benefit NSCLC patients. Druggable driver mutations, which mainly occur in EGFR, KRAS, MET, HER2, ALK, ROS1, RET and BRAF, have been identified in more than a quarter of NSCLC patients. A series of highly selective mutant targeting inhibitors, such as EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors and KRAS inhibitors, have been well studied and applied in clinical treatments, which greatly promote the overall survival of NSCLC patients. However, drug resistance has become a major challenge for targeted treatment, and a variety of methods to overcome drug resistance are constantly being developed, including inhibitors against new mutants, combination therapy with other pathway inhibitors, etc. In addition, epigenetics-based therapy is emerging. Epigenetic regulators such as histone deacetylases and non-coding RNA play a crucial role in the development of cancer and drug resistance by affecting multiple signaling pathways. Epigenetics-based therapeutic strategies combined with targeted drugs show great clinical potential. Many agents targeting epigenetic changes are being investigated in preclinical studies, with some already under clinical trials. This article focuses on driver mutations and epigenetic alterations in association with relevant epidemiological data. We introduce the current status of targeted inhibitors and known drug resistance, review advances in major targeted therapies with recent data from preclinical and clinical trials, and discuss the possibility of combination therapy against driver mutations and epigenetic alterations in overcoming drug resistance.     

Docetaxel in the treatment of advanced non-small-cell lung cancer

Systemic chemotherapy provides improvement in both survival and quality of life for patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Docetaxel is the only agent currently approved for both first- and second-line treatment of advanced NSCLC. Multiple randomized clinical trials have established the efficacy of platinum-docetaxel regimens for the first-line treatment of advanced NSCLC. Carboplatin-based regimens and nonplatinum combinations with docetaxel also have proven efficacy in first-line therapy. Combinations of docetaxel with various novel targeted agents have produced encouraging data in Phase II trials. This review article summarizes recent studies of docetaxel as a single agent and in combination regimens with cytotoxic or targeted therapies in the management of patients with advanced NSCLC.     

First-line treatment for advanced non-small-cell lung cancer

With best supportive care alone, patients with metastatic non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) have a median survival of 4 to 5 months and a 1-year survival rate of approximately 10%. Trials carried out in the 1980s and 1990s comparing chemotherapy to best supportive care reported variable efficacy results; however, a pivotal meta-analysis of these data indicated that cisplatin-based chemotherapy provided a survival benefit in advanced NSCLC. In the past decade newer agents such as gemcitabine (Gemzar), vinorelbine, paclitaxel, and docetaxel (Taxotere) have all demonstrated activity in NSCLC as single agents; consequently these agents have been combined with cisplatin or carboplatin. Randomized phase III trials comparing these "newer" platin-based doublets have failed to identify an optimal platinum-based doublet therapy regimen. Though it is clear that chemotherapy is an appropriate treatment for many patients with lung cancer, there a sense in which the use of traditional chemotherapeutic agents has reached a therapeutic plateau. Increased understanding of cancer biology has revealed numerous potential therapeutic strategies, including targeting the epidermal growth factor receptor, protein kinase C, rexinoid receptors, and the angiogenesis pathway. The Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group study E4599 comparing paclitaxel/carboplatin with/without bevacizumab is the first phase III randomized trial to show a survival advantage with the addition of a molecularly targeted agent to chemotherapy in the chemotherapy-naive patient population. Future studies will involve the evaluation of additional targeted agents plus chemotherapy as well as looking at combinations of these targeted agents alone or with chemotherapy.     

阿帕替尼在非小细胞肺癌中的研究进展

非小细胞肺癌（non-small cell lung cancer, NSCLC）是我国死亡率最高的恶性肿瘤之一。近年来,NSCLC的治疗取得了长足的进步,众多新药的问世显著改善了晚期NSCLC患者的生存期。甲磺酸阿帕替尼是一种新型口服小分子血管内皮生长因子受体酪氨酸激酶抑制剂,目前已被批准用于胃癌的三线治疗。目前,大量研究证实阿帕替尼单药治疗晚期NSCLC也有较好效果。临床前研究提示,阿帕替尼还可改善化疗和EGFR TKI耐药,因此,阿帕替尼联合化疗或EGFR TKI治疗晚期NSCLC也进行了广泛的探索。现就阿帕替尼在NSCLC的基础及临床研究中的进展作一综述。     

Optimizing chemotherapy and targeted agent combinations in NSCLC

Chemotherapy extends life and provides symptom palliation for patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Numerous trials have been conducted that evaluate a variety of doublet regimens, but the majority of trials have found equal efficacy among the treatment arms. Indeed, a plateau appears to have been reached with respect to survival associated with traditional cytotoxic drug regimens. It was initially hoped that the addition of novel targeted agents to conventional chemotherapy would produce significant survival benefits for patients with advanced NSCLC; however, most trials have failed to show such a benefit. There is no survival benefit associated with adding erlotinib or gefitinib to a chemotherapy regimen, although there is a significant improvement in survival associated with erlotinib monotherapy in the second- and third-line advanced disease setting. In contrast, the results of E4599 clearly demonstrate that the addition of bevacizumab to paclitaxel-carboplatin chemotherapy extends survival in a select group of patients with non-squamous cell NSCLC. E4599 also represents a rational approach to drug development that could be modeled in other trials, namely, the use of a large, well designed, randomized trial prior to beginning a traditional phase II approach. This strategy can lead to the identification of subgroups most likely to benefit, as well as those that might experience increased toxicity, such as patients with squamous cell carcinoma treated with bevacizumab. Another approach to optimizing targeted therapy involves selecting a chemotherapy regimen with the greatest potential for synergy based on preclinical modeling. Because docetaxel has been shown to prolong survival in second-line treatment, a number of novel agents have been combined with docetaxel in order to improve efficacy. Alternatively, investigators have sought to combine novel agents with either carboplatin-paclitaxel or cisplatin-gemcitabine in first-line treatment. A number of trials are underway that combine these agents with inhibitors of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and the proteasome, as well as COX2 inhibitors, and novel immunomodulators.     

Second- and third-line systemic therapy in patients with advanced esophagogastric cancer: a systematic review of the literature

The optimal second- and third-line chemotherapy and targeted therapy for patients with advanced esophagogastric cancer is still a matter of debate. Therefore, a literature search was carried out in Medline, EMBASE, CENTRAL, and oncology conferences until January 2016 for randomized controlled trials that compared second- or third-line therapy. We included 28 studies with 4810 patients. Second-line, single-agent taxane/irinotecan showed increased survival compared to best supportive care (BSC) (hazard ratio 0.65, 95 % confidence interval 0.53–0.79). Median survival gain ranged from 1.4 to 2.7 months among individual studies. Taxane- and irinotecan-based regimens showed equal survival benefit. Doublet chemotherapy taxane/irinotecan plus platinum and fluoropyrimidine was not different in survival, but showed increased toxicity vs. taxane/irinotecan monotherapy. Compared to BSC, second-line ramucirumab and second- or third-line everolimus and regorafenib showed limited median survival gain ranging from 1.1 to 1.4 months, and progression-free survival gain, ranging from 0.3 to 1.6 months. Third- or later-line apatinib showed increased survival benefit over BSC (HR 0.50, 0.32–0.79). Median survival gain ranged from 1.8 to 2.3 months. Compared to taxane-alone, survival was superior for second-line ramucirumab plus taxane (HR 0.81, 0.68–0.96), and olaparib plus taxane (HR 0.56, 0.35–0.87), with median survival gains of 2.2 and 4.8 months respectively. Targeted agents, either in monotherapy or combined with chemotherapy showed increased toxicity compared to BSC and chemotherapy-alone. This review indicates that, given the survival benefit in a phase III study setting, ramucirumab plus taxane is the preferred second-line treatment. Taxane or irinotecan monotherapy are alternatives, although the absolute survival benefit was limited. In third-line setting, apatinib monotherapy is preferred.     

Development of docetaxel in advanced non-small-cell lung cancer

Docetaxel, a semisynthetic taxane initially developed for the treatment of breast cancer, has a high degree of activity in lung cancer. Although the mechanisms of action of the taxanes docetaxel and paclitaxel are identical, docetaxel has almost a twofold higher binding affinity for the target site, beta tubulin. In clinical trials, individuals previously treated with paclitaxel benefited from docetaxel. Docetaxel is the standard of care in second-line therapy of advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and is effective, alone and in combination, in first-line treatment of advanced NSCLC. The standard in first-line therapy of metastatic NSCLC is a platinum doublet with one of the third-generation chemotherapy agents, docetaxel, paclitaxel, gemcitabine, or vinorelbine. Each of these doublets offers similar therapeutic benefit. In a phase-III study comparing docetaxel-cisplatin and docetaxel-carboplatin with vinorelbine-cisplatin, patients treated in the two docetaxel arms had consistently improved global QoL compared to patients treated with the vinorelbine-cisplatin doublet. This landmark study led to Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval of cisplatin-docetaxel for the treatment of advanced NSCLC. Non-platinum doublets such as docetaxel-gemcitabine have also demonstrated efficacy and safety. Docetaxel has undergone extensive evaluation and is the only agent approved for use in both first- and second-line therapy of advanced NSCLC.     

Efficacy and safety of immune checkpoint inhibitor monotherapy in pretreated elderly patients with non-small cell lung cancer

Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) are an effective subsequent-line treatment for patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, it remains unclear whether the efficacy and safety of subsequent-line ICI monotherapy in elderly patients (aged ≥ 75 years) are similar to that in non-elderly patients. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the efficacy and safety of ICI monotherapy in pretreated elderly patients with NSCLC. Between January 2016 and February 2018, 131 elderly patients with advanced NSCLC who received subsequent-line ICI monotherapy at 13 Japanese institutions were enrolled in this study. Baseline characteristics, the efficacy of ICI treatment, and adverse events were evaluated. Ninety-eight men and 33 women (median age 77 [range 75–87] years) were enrolled. Among those who received subsequent-line ICI monotherapy, the overall response, disease control rates, median progression-free survival (PFS), and overall survival (OS) were 27.4%, 61.8%, 4.5 months, and 16.0 months, respectively. Adverse events such as anorexia, fatigue, pneumonitis, and hypothyroidism were observed. There were two treatment-related deaths due to pneumonitis and thrombocytopenia. Subsequent-line ICI monotherapy in patients with good performance status (PS), receiving steroids for immune-related adverse events (irAEs), and exhibiting partial response (PR) was associated with improved PFS, as well as OS in patients with good PS and PR. Subsequent-line ICI monotherapy in elderly patients, with previously treated NSCLC, was effective, safe and showed outcomes equivalent to those in non-elderly patients. Immunotherapy provides a survival benefit for elderly patients, who exhibit its efficacy and a favorable general condition.     

Apatinib Plus Chemotherapy Shows Clinical Activity in Advanced NSCLC: A Retrospective Study

Apatinib is an oral TKI with antiangiogenic properties, and it is currently approved for the treatment of advanced gastric cancer in China. This agent has also been tested in other human solid tumors, including non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Since the combination of chemotherapy and an antiangiogenic agent has been shown to be a feasible strategy in NSCLC, it is conceivable that a similar approach combining apatinib with chemotherapy may yield clinical activity. With this in mind, we investigated the efficiency of apatinib in combination with pemetrexed or docetaxel in advanced NSCLC. We treated a total of 20 patients with metastatic NSCLC adenocarcinoma with apatinib in combination with either pemetrexed or docetaxel from January 2016 to March 2017. The performance status of these patients was 0 or 1. All of these patients had been previously treated with two or more lines of treatment and had experienced disease progression prior to study enrollment. The overall objective response rate (ORR) was 30%, with 6 patients who had partial response (PR), 10 patients who had stable disease (SD), and 4 patients who had progressive disease (PD). The main adverse events were skin rash, hypertension, palmar–plantar erythrodysesthesia syndrome, diarrhea, and fatigue. Nearly 30% of patients required interruption of treatment as a result of toxicity. Our study demonstrated that apatinib combined with systemic cytotoxic chemotherapy has clinical efficacy in patients with disease-refractory metastatic NSCLC and provides evidence for further studies investigating apatinib-based combination regimens.     

阿帕替尼用于一线治疗进展后晚期非鳞非小细胞肺癌的疗效和生存分析

背景与目的 晚期非小细胞肺癌(non-small cell lung cancer,NSCLC)的二线、三线化疗有效率较低,靶向药物的应用为部分患者带来生存获益.阿帕替尼是一种新型小分子抗血管生成药物,在多种恶性肿瘤治疗中展现出令人满意的抗癌活性.本研究旨在评价阿帕替尼用于一线治疗进展后晚期非鳞NSCLC的安全性和疗效.方法 回顾性分析128例晚期非鳞NSCLC不同治疗组患者的疗效和生存情况,用Kaplan-Meier法和Cox模型进行分析.结果 以单纯化疗组为对照,阿帕替尼单药组、单纯化疗组和阿帕替尼联合化疗组的中位无进展生存期(progression free survival,PFS)分别为3.0个月(P=0.381)、3.7个月和6.0个月(P<0.001),中位总生存期(overall survival,OS)分别为6.0个月(P=0.494)、6.5个月和9.0个月(P=0.001).3级-4级不良反应发生率分别为18.5%、15.8%和16.0%(P=0.947).治疗方案(P=0.018)及体能状态(performance status,PS)(P<0.001)是PFS的独立影响因素,吸烟史(P=0.014)、治疗方案(P=0.002)和PS(P<0.001)是OS的独立影响因素.结论 阿帕替尼安全性高,肺癌一线治疗失败后,二线或三线化疗联合阿帕替尼,与单纯化疗相比,患者有PFS和OS获益,阿帕替尼单药与单纯化疗组间PFS和OS无明显差异;无吸烟史、PS 0分-1分和联合治疗的患者预后更好.     

Antitumor activity and tolerability of gefitinib in patients with non-small-cell lung cancer treated in an expanded access program

We present a series of cases that illustrate potential benefits of the targeted agent gefitinib for patients with advanced and heavily pretreated non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). In 2 phase II clinical trials, 250 mg/day of gefitinib produced objective tumor response rates of 18% and 11%, with excellent tolerance in patients with advanced NSCLC who had previously received standard chemotherapy. Treatment with gefitinib also led to improvements in disease-related symptoms in approximately 40% of cases. Gefitinib is one of a class of agents that selectively inhibit the epidermal growth factor receptor-tyrosine kinase, which is aberrantly activated in many human solid tumors. Gefitinib treatment resulted in objective radiographic regressions of tumor and symptom improvement in patients with advanced, heavily pretreated NSCLC in clinical trials and in the Expanded Access Program. This series illustrates that the benefits of gefitinib are not limited to patients selected for clinical trial participation but can be generalized to the broader population of patients with NSCLC.     

KRAS突变非小细胞肺癌的生物学和治疗研究进展

KRAS突变是非小细胞肺癌(NSCLC)最为常见的驱动基因突变之一。KRAS突变NSCLC具有高度异质性,多种突变亚型和不同共突变特征均影响其生物学行为和治疗应答。KRAS突变NSCLC是免疫治疗相对获益人群,而KRAS突变对化疗存在的影响仍存有争议。KRAS突变肺癌多年来遵循无驱动基因突变NSCLC的治疗方案。随着KRASG12C抑制剂的问世,该人群的靶向治疗已取得初步进展,联合治疗的效果在临床前和早期临床研究中初见成效。现就KRAS突变NSCLC的生物学和临床特征及治疗研究进展进行综述。