Dr. Konduri on Treatment Options for Patients With EGFR-Mutant NSCLC

Kartik Konduri, MD, medical director, Chest Cancer Research and Treatment Center, Baylor Charles A. Sammons Cancer Center, Baylor Scott & White Health, discusses treatment options available for patients with EGFR-mutant non—small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Data are eagerly anticipated from the phase III RELAY trial, in which investigators are examining the combination of erlotinib (Tarceva) and the antiangiogenic agent ramucirumab (Cyramza) in the frontline setting for patients with EGFR-mutant NSCLC. The trial was initially reported to be positive, but the full data set has yet to be released.

Until those data are released, the standard of care continues to be single-agent osimertinib (Tagrisso). Although data from the phase III FLAURA trial cemented osimertinib as the frontline standard, data from the early-phase AURA trial show additional signals of benefit with the EGFR TKI, both at a dose of 80 mg and 160 mg.

Now, work is being done to overcome resistance to osimertinib, adds Konduri. Many ongoing trials are evaluating the use of specific combinations. There are also trials that are using biomarkers to find a drug that can be paired with osimertinib. If those strategies fail, the combination of chemotherapy and immunotherapy can also be considered.