Gefitinib: Survival profile in the treatment of advanced lung cancer

Introduction: Gefitinib is an oral epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitor that is widely used to treat advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), especially patients carrying EGFR-sensitive mutations. The emergence of gefitinib has significantly improved the treatment and survival of these patients.

Survival period of gefitinib in the treatment of advanced lung cancer

The time from taking the drug to developing drug resistance ranges from 6 to 18 months, so the overall survival rate is unclear, usually 1 to 2 years. If some patients develop drug resistance after taking gefitinib for a period of time, lung cancer may metastasize, which will shorten their survival time. Judging from current clinical trials, the survival time of patients in the median progression-free stage after taking gefitinib is about 10.9 months. However, for patients in the terminal stage of disease development, the survival time after taking gefitinib may be reduced.

Survival in clinical research trials of gefitinib

According to the IPASS study, compared with traditional chemotherapy regimens, patients with advanced NSCLC with EGFR-sensitive mutations who received gefitinib targeted therapy had better results. The study showed that the objective response rate (ORR) of patients using gefitinib was 71.2%, the median progression-free survival (PFS) was 9.6 months, and the median overall survival (OS) was 21.6 months. Although the overall survival rates of patients in the two groups were similar in the IPASS study, toxic side effects (such as bone marrow suppression) were significantly reduced in the gefitinib group. Reports show that a 45-year-old female patient with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) has benefited from targeted drug treatment for more than 10 years and has a survival period of more than 20 years.

Survival with gefitinib compared with chemotherapy

In the NEJ009 study, combined with chemotherapy (carboplatin + pemetrexed), the median PFS was 11.2 months and 20.9 months, ORR was 67% and 84%, respectively, and the median OS was 38.8 months and 52.2 months, respectively. Although the incidence of grade 3 and above adverse reactions was higher in the combination group, the overall tolerability was good. However, not all patients treated with gefitinib can achieve such a survival period, because each patient's specific situation and response are different, and the survival period is naturally different.

The survival period of gefitinib in the treatment of advanced lung cancer is a complex issue and needs to be judged based on the patient's specific situation and disease progression. During the treatment process, doctors will develop a personalized treatment plan based on the patient's specific situation and closely monitor the patient's response and condition changes to maximize the patient's survival and improve their quality of life. Patients should also actively cooperate with treatment and maintain a good mentality and living habits to improve treatment effects and survival.