Lung cancer is the most common cancer in the world, often advanced by the time of diagnosis. Therefore, surgery is usually not possible and drug treatment, usually chemotherapy, is required. Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is the most common type of lung cancer. About 10% to 15% of people with NSCLC have a special type of cancer known as epidermal growth factor receptor positive (+EGFR M) mutations, in which the cancer cells have changes in genes that control tumor growth. In this review, we examine new therapies targeting EGFR M+ NSCLC to understand how these therapies work.

Goals

The aim of this review was to find out whether people receiving EGFR M+ NSCLC-targeted therapies had longer survival and better health-related quality of life than people receiving standard chemotherapy.

Features of the trial

We found 22 trials that compared five different EGFR-targeted drugs with standard chemotherapy: erlotinib, gefitinib, afatinib, icotinib, and the antibody cetuximab. We included trials that published results by 27 July 2020.

Results

Our results showed that people who received erlotinib, gefitinib, afatinib, or icotinib had a longer time before cancer progression and had fewer side effects than people who received standard chemotherapy. However, we are not sure whether people who received erlotinib, afatinib or icotinib lived longer than people who received standard chemotherapy.

Definitive treatment of lung cancer through surgery

Surgical treatment is performed for cancer that is still in its early stages and has not become advanced. In fact, the purpose of surgery is to remove small malignant cells that have not yet spread to other areas. In this method, the tumor is surgically removed. If the lymph nodes in the breast are also involved, the lymph nodes will also be removed. This operation is performed under general anesthesia. In this operation, only the damaged lung tissue is removed. Before performing this operation, the specialist doctor estimates whether the rest of the healthy lung has the ability to perform the breathing process or not. If the answer is negative, this treatment method will not be suitable for the patient. In this procedure, the doctor cuts open the patient's chest to access the lump or tumor.

Treatment of lung cancer by chemotherapy

Chemotherapy is the use of chemical drugs orally or by injection. Chemotherapy is a method to treat all types of cancer. In this method, malignant cells are completely destroyed or their growth is prevented. With this method, cancer can be completely or partially treated. If the lung cancer is in the early stages and it is not possible to remove the tumor through surgery, this treatment method is used. The use of chemical drugs leads to side effects such as nausea and vomiting, skin damage, hair loss, fatigue, anemia, numbness or numbness of body parts, etc.