Afatinib for the first-line treatment of EGFR mutation-positive NSCLC in China: a review of clinical data
This review article published in Future Oncology discusses the use of afatinib in the treatment of EGFR-mutation-positive NSCLC.
Abstract
Mutations in the EGFR gene are particularly prevalent among Chinese patients with NSCLC. Six EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors are approved for the first-line treatment of EGFR-mutation-positive NSCLC in China, which poses questions about which agent is most suitable for which patient. In this article, we review available clinical trial and real-world data with afatinib in Chinese patients. We assess its efficacy and safety in key patient subgroups such as those with uncommon mutations or brain metastases. We also consider possible subsequent therapies following afatinib. Encouragingly, available data suggest that sequential afatinib and osimertinib confer prolonged overall time to failure of almost 4 years in Asian patients and represents a viable option in this setting.