The Implications of the IPASS Study in Lung Cancer

Balazs Halmos, MD, section chief of Thoracic Oncology at New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Medical Center, discusses the implication of the IPASS study.

Clinical Pearls:

• The IPASS study analyzed the EGFR inhibitor gefitinib compared with standard chemotherapy for patients with advanced lung adenocarcinoma without knowledge of EGFR mutation status
• Results showed that patients with EGFR mutated tumors who were treated with gefitinib demonstrated a 70-fold greater benefit and saw improvements in quality of life compared to patients with wild-type tumors
• The IPASS study was the first that concluded there was a need to identify patients early on with EGFR mutations and ensure that they receive an upfront EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor