Phase III Data Support Frontline Osimertinib in EGFR-Mutant Lung Cancers

Zofia Piotrowska, MD, MHS, a medical oncologist at Massachusetts General Hospital and an instructor at Harvard Medical School, discusses the data from the randomized phase III FLAURA trial, which led to the widespread use of frontline osimertinib (Tagrisso) for the treatment ofEGFR-mutant lung cancers.

Prior to these data, the standard of care was first-generation EGFR inhibitors, such as erlotinib (Tarceva) or gefitinib (Iressa). Osimertinib showed promising responses in the second-line setting for patients who developed a T790M resistance mutation as well, Piotrowska says. The agent had a great safety profile and encouraging activity, so it was evaluated in the FLAURA trial as a frontline option, according to Piotrowska.

The primary end point of the study was progression-free survival, and the data demonstratedanimprovement with osimertinib. Based on recent data, the overall survival findings were also positive and demonstrated improvement compared with the standard of care, erlotinib or gefitinib. These positive results led many physicians to use osimertinib as the preferred frontline treatment ofEGFR-mutant lung cancers, Piotrowska notes.

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