Posted on 02/07/2023 3:40:08 PM PST by ConservativeMind
Tagrisso (osimertinib) nearly doubles disease-free survival in earlier-stage patients whose lung cancer is driven by a mutation in their EGFR (epidermal growth factor receptor) gene, researchers report.
After four years of follow-up, disease-free survival was 73% in the Tagrisso group versus 38% in patients who received a placebo, updated results showed.
The drug also cut patients' cancer recurrence in half compared to placebo, 27% versus 60%. In addition, patients were less likely to develop cancers in other parts of the body.
"One of the main benefits of this drug is that it has good brain penetration and it's a whole-body treatment," said Dr. Nicholas Rohs.
About 10% to 15% of lung cancers in the United States are driven by an EGFR mutation. These patients tend to have minimal smoking history.
EGFR is a protein on cells that helps them grow.
Tagrisso works by interrupting the mutated EGFR's effect on cancer cells.
Nearly 700 patients with stage IB to IIIA EGFR-driven lung cancer were randomly assigned to take 80 milligrams of Tagrisso or a placebo once a day for three years.
The trial update also showed that Tagrisso's side effects were manageable, the experts said.
The most common side effects were diarrhea, itchy or inflamed skin, and cough or upper respiratory tract infection, the researchers found.
The drug can also cause liver irritation and can suppress blood cell counts, Rohs said.
"People actually stayed on the drug longer than they stayed on the placebo," Dahut said of the full trial results. "What that tells me is that the drug—by preventing the cancer from coming back, even though there were some side effects—was more tolerable than the fact that people had to stop the placebo and then get treatment where their cancer had recurred. So overall, it's a net positive for patients."
(Excerpt) Read more at medicalxpress.com ...
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My mother was prescribed Tagrisso beginning in late 2021. I believe her cancer was too far advanced when they started her on it. She was diagnosed seven years ago and just passed away this past September. It was expensive! I believe the drug wasn’t approved for first-line treatment for lung cancer until 2018, and it took a while before it was readily available and insurance companies would approve it for treatment. If it had been available for her when she first was diagnosed it might have extended her life a few years further.
Wish it had been around for Rush.😥😥
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