Dr. Horn on Selecting Inhibitors for ALK+ NSCLC

Leora Horn, MD, associate professor of medicine (hematology and oncology), assistant director, educator development program, clinical director, Thoracic Oncology, medical oncologist, Vanderbilt-Ingram Medical Center, discusses selecting the necessary inhibitor for patients with ALK-positive non—small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Horn says that in terms of efficacy, alectinib (Alecensa) is more effective than crizotinib (Xalkori) in the frontline setting. Ceritinib (Zykadia) resulted in better responses than chemotherapy, which is expected when comparing a targeted agent and chemotherapy, she adds.

Data also showed that ceritinib is more toxic than alectinib, suggesting that physicians should choose the latter in the first-line setting. Over time, she says, mechanisms of resistance will also come into play when deciding between these ALK inhibitors.

Overall survival is the key to deciding which drugs to use, Horn concludes.