Phase II trial of gefitinib plus pemetrexed after relapse using first-line gefitinib in patients with non-small cell lung cancer harboring EGFR gene mutations.

OBJECTIVES: Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitors (i.e., EGFR-TKIs) improve the survival of lung cancer patients harboring EGFR mutations. Despite the initial efficacy of EGFR-TKIs, the disease progression caused by acquired resistance to these inhibitors is inevitable. T790M mutations represent a major resistance mechanism to EGFR-TKIs but can be overcome using osimertinib. The IMPRESS trial revealed that the continuation of EGFR-TKI beyond progressive disease (PD) concurrent with platinum-doublet chemotherapy was not beneficial. However, various clinical trials have suggested that EGFR-TKI beyond PD plus single-agent chemotherapy may be a possible treatment strategy.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study was a single-arm phase II trial. Patients with EGFR-activating mutations (del19 and L858R) that progressed using first-line gefitinib treatment were enrolled and treated with gefitinib beyond PD plus pemetrexed 500 mg/m2 q3w. The primary endpoint was progression-free survival (PFS). Mutation-biased polymerase chain reaction quenching probe, which is the original method for detecting T790M mutations in cell-free plasma DNA, was used prior to treatment.

RESULTS: Thirty-six patients were enrolled between May 1, 2013, and March 31, 2016. One patient was excluded before starting the treatment. Among the 35 patients, 15 patients had del19 mutations, and 20 patients had L858R mutations; 33 patients were evaluable for response by using radiographic findings. The median PFS was 6.7 months (95% confidence interval: 4.4-7.7 months). Nineteen patients were T790M positive. No significant difference in PFS was found in a subgroup analysis of EGFR mutation status and T790M positivity. All toxicities were tolerable.

CONCLUSION: Gefitinib plus pemetrexed treatment following relapse using gefitinib in patients with Non-small cell lung cancer harboring EGFR mutations demonstrated preferable PFS with mild toxicity. This combination therapy may be considered for platinum-unfit patients without T790M with disease progression using first-line gefitinib. (This clinical trial was registered in UMIN-CTGR as UMIN000010709).