Title:Erlotinib and Gefitinib for Elderly Patients with Advanced Non-small-cell Lung Cancer
Volume: 14
Issue: 5
Author(s): Antonio Passaro, Daniele Alesini, Alessia Pochesci and Enrico Cortesi
Affiliation:
Keywords:
EGFR, elderly, erlotinib, gefitinib, non-small-cell lung cancer, tyrosine kinase inhibitor.
Abstract: Erlotinib and gefitinib are tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI) associated with the EGFR, which is involved in cell proliferation,
growth, migration, invasion and survival, and has been found to be overexpressed in non-small-cell lung cancer. Erlotinib was the first
target agent approved for the treatment of NSCLC in second- and third line, in patients unselected for EGFR mutations; gefitinib was the
first EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor approved for the treatment of NSCLC in all lines of setting in patients harbouring EGFR mutations.
In elderly patients, with a poor prognosis, and different co-morbidities, erlotinib and gefitinib could be considered as valid therapeutic
options. This paper reviews the role of both drugs, in the management of elderly patients affected by advanced NSCLC based on an
update analysis of randomised and non-randomised clinical trials.
