Presented during the ASCO 2020 plenary session, the results of the phase 3 ADAURA trial will prove practice-changing, according to Dr. Mark Kris of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. Over 600 patients whose resected tumors were found to have EGFR mutations were treated with osimertinib. The results more than doubled disease-free survival rates, from 44% to 90% at 2 years.
Among other adjuvant trials, the phase 2 VISION study looked at tepotinib, a once-daily, highly selective oral MET inhibitor. The study showed durable responses coupled with acceptable side effects. The drug has been given fast-track status by the US Food and Drug Administration.
Dr. Kris notes that the DESTINY study introduces trastuzumab deruxtecan, an antibody- drug conjugate, as a promising new class of drugs for lung cancer patients. Interim results presented at ASCO further support the HER2 mutation as another potential target for patients with lung cancer.
Finally, the phase 2 CITYSCAPE study provides preliminary evidence for a new checkpoint inhibitor. The monoclonal antibody tiragolumab was developed to block TIGIT. The study showed that the combination of tiragolumab and atezolizumab can improve both rates of response and time to disease recurrence — results Dr. Kris considers encouraging for patients with advanced lung cancer.
Mark G. Kris, MD
Mark G. Kris, MD, Professor, Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College; Attending Physician, Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY.