Efficacy and safety of first-line erlotinib in elderly patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer

TaRceva LUng cancer Survival Treatment (TRUST) was an open-label, phase IV study of advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Patients failing or unsuitable for chemotherapy or radiotherapy received erlotinib 150 mg/day until progression. We examined a subpopulation of elderly patients (≥70 years) receiving first-line erlotinib (n=485) in TRUST. In this subpopulation, disease control rate (n=356 with best response data available) was 79% (vs. 69% for the overall TRUST population; p<0.0001); median progression-free survival (PFS) was 4.57 months [95% confidence interval (CI), 3.68-5.22]; median overall survival (OS) was 7.29 months (95% CI, 6.27-8.67); and one-year survival, was 36.6%. PFS and OS were significantly longer in patients developing rash, compared to those without, and in those with good performance status (PS; 0/1), compared to poor PS (≥2). Eighty-seven subpopulation patients (18%) had an erlotinib-related AE; other than the protocol-defined frequent adverse events (AEs); 4% had a grade ≥3 erlotinib-related AE, 7% had an erlotinib-related serious AE. In the subpopulation, dose reductions were required in 27%, most (97%) were reductions to 100 mg/day; treatment was discontinued in 10%, and one death was associated with treatment-related toxicity (<1%). Erlotinib was effective and well-tolerated and may be considered for elderly patients with advanced NSCLC who are unsuitable for standard first-line chemotherapy or radiotherapy.