Today’s ASCO presentations in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) also featured results from trials with existing agents and exciting data with new molecular entities. Final overall survival (OS) results were presented from a phase 2 study of pemetrexed (Pem) plus cisplatin (Cis) with concurrent thoracic radiation (RT) following Pem-Cis induction in patients with locally advanced nonsquamous-NSCLC (Novello S, et al. ASCO 2014. Abstract 7539). At a 2-year follow-up, Pem-Cis induction followed by full-dose Pem-Cis plus RT resulted in a median OS of 26 months, which is significantly greater than that seen with other regimens. Another important study compared second-line gefitinib (G) with erlotinib (E) in 659 patients with previously treated advanced lung adenocarcinoma in a phase 3 noninferiority study (Katakami N, et al. ASCO 2014. Abstract 8041). Median progression-free survival and OS were not significantly different between the 2 therapies.
