Efficacy of erlotinib as neoadjuvant regimen in EGFR-mutant locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer patients

Background The optimal neoadjuvant regimen for locally advanced resectable non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) remains controversial. EGFR inhibitors have significantly improved survival in patients with EGFR-mutant advanced NSCLC. However, their efficacy in neoadjuvant settings, particularly for treating locally advanced NSCLC, remains unclear. We compared the clinical benefits of chemotherapy and erlotinib as neoadjuvant therapy for stage IIIA NSCLC. Method Thirty-one treatment-naive Chinese patients with stage IIIA NSCLC were enrolled. Patients without EGFR mutation received cisplatin-based doublet chemotherapy (n = 16; N-chemo group) while EGFR-mutant patients received erlotinib (n = 15; N-TKI group) as neoadjuvant therapy. Results After completing neoadjuvant treatment, 12 and 8 patients from the N-TKI and N-chemo groups underwent surgery, respectively. Our data revealed that patients who received erlotinib had a marginally better clinical objective response rate (67% vs. 19%), pathological response rate (67% vs. 38%), and overall survival (51.0 months vs. 20.9 months) compared with those who received chemotherapy. Furthermore, patients in the N-TKI group had a significantly greater reduction in tumor diameter, serum carcinoembryonic level, and maximum allelic fraction. Conclusion Our findings demonstrate that erlotinib is an effective neoadjuvant regimen in patients with EGFR-mutant locally advanced NSCLC, paving the way for its extended use in neoadjuvant settings. [ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01217619]