Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors for the Treatment of EGFR Mutation-Positive Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer: A Clash of the Generations

Abstract

The availability of 3 generations of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) with different pharmacologic characteristics and clinical profiles has provided oncologists with a potentially confusing choice for the treatment of EGFR mutation-positive non-small-cell lung cancer. Although recent head-to-head clinical trials have demonstrated improved efficacy with second-generation (ie, afatinib, dacomitinib) and third-generation (ie, osimertinib) TKIs compared with the first-generation TKIs (eg, erlotinib, gefitinib), acquired resistance has been inevitable, regardless of which agent has been chosen as first-line therapy. Thus, the potential availability of subsequent treatment options is an important consideration. Recent data have demonstrated that osimertinib confers an overall survival benefit compared with first-generation EGFR TKIs, and dacomitinib has shown an overall survival benefit compared with gefitinib in an exploratory analysis. However, the relative benefits of different sequential EGFR-TKI regimens, especially those involving second- and third-generation agents, have remained uncertain and require prospective evaluation. Few such data currently exist to inform treatment choices. In the present review, we examined the pharmacologic characteristics and current clinical data for EGFR TKIs, including emerging information on the molecular mechanisms of resistance across the different generations of TKIs. Given the uncertainties regarding the optimal treatment choice, we have focused on the factors that might help determine the treatment decisions, such as efficacy and safety in patient subgroups. We also discussed the emerging real-world data, which have provided some insights into the benefits of sequential regimens in everyday clinical practice.

Keywords: Afatinib; Dacomitinib; Erlotinib; Gefitinib; Osimertinib.