Response and survival in African American (AA) patients (pts) with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) treated with erlotinib (E)
e19006 Background: Pts who respond to the EGFR- tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI's) frequently have activating mutations in the kinase domain of EGFR or EGFR overexpression. EGFR activating mutations correlate with adenocarcinoma histology, non-smoking history, female gender, and Asian ethnicity. The presence of EGFR kinase domain mutations is predictive of response but, the relationship is not always concordant. Furthermore, mutations may not predict survival benefit with TKI therapy and other factors are likely involved. It has also been determined that EGFR and met can crosstalk, and serve as potential mechanism of resistance in NSCLC. Most data collected to date on response and overall survival with EGFR-TKI's have been in the Caucasian or Asian community. Hence we collected data specific to the AA pt as they tend to have worse outcomes stage for stage. The purpose of this study is to report the response rate, overall survival, progression free survival (PFS) and clinical characteristics of AA pts with NSCLC treated with an EGFR-TKI. We will correlate these data with EGFR mutation and c-Met expression/mutations/amplifications for markers of NSCLC. Methods: We have listed patients with NSCLC receiving E therapy over the past 5 years. We then retrospectively collected demographic data (age, race, sex, and tobacco history), tumor histology, response rates, survival data and duration of response from AA pts treated with E as single agent. The response to E was correlated with outcome. Results: Data from 44 AA pts (27 women, 17 men) on erlotinib were reviewed. Mean age was 67.1 years (range 48–89 yrs), tobacco use (37 positive, 3 negative, and 4 not recorded). Histology included NSCLC not specified-14, squamous cell- 16, adenocarcinoma-11, large cell-1 and 2 not available. Overall response rate of 13.6% (6-PR, 16-SD, 18-progessive disease, and 4 patients lost to follow up). The PFS was 4.0 months; 95% CI: (2.5–6.6 mos) and overall survival 8.6 mos; 95% CI: (7.2–30.9 mos). EGFR mutations and c-Met analysis will be provided by ASCO meeting in May 2009. Conclusions: AA survival and response rates appear similar to previous data seen with all NSCLC patients receiving treatment with EGFR-TKI's. More data and relationship to biomarkers is needed in this population. [Table: see text]