With a recent Health Canada approval for IRESSA(R), Canadian lung cancer patients can now be tested for EGFR mutation status and be treated with a more effective and better tolerated alternative to chemotherapy, as a first-line therapy
AstraZeneca Canada announces the recently approved indication for IRESSA(R), a once-daily oral targeted therapy for the first-line treatment of patients with locally advanced (not amenable to curative therapy) or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who have activating mutations of the epidermal growth factor receptor-tyrosine kinase (EGFR-TK). In conjunction with this approval, AstraZeneca is also announcing the availability of a diagnostic test which can now determine a patient's EGFR mutation status, representing a new era in personalized lung cancer treatment in Canada.
In a recent clinical trial, IRESSA had a response rate of over 70 per cent for NSCLC patients who were identified as EGFR mutation positive. Approximately 10 per cent of non-Asian NSCLC patients and approximately 40 per cent of Asian NSCLC patients have EGFR mutation-positive tumours. These mutations are more commonly observed in never-smokers, patients with adenocarcinoma histology, females and those of Asian origin. Patients with EGFR mutation-negative NSCLC have been shown to respond better to first-line treatment with standard chemotherapy.
"IRESSA, in conjunction with EGFR mutation testing, represents an important step forward in the treatment of this devastating disease," said Dr. Glenwood Goss, Head, Medical Oncology, Ottawa Hospital Cancer Centre. "For the first time, Canadian patients with EGFR mutation-positive advanced NSCLC will have a more effective and better tolerated first-line treatment alternative to chemotherapy, bringing clarity and peace of mind."
Through genetic testing, physicians can now identify which of the distinct EGFR gene mutations their patients have (mutation-positive or mutation-negative) and determine the most appropriate first-line therapy. This shift to a personalized care model allows oncologists to select treatments according to who will benefit. This model will ultimately reduce the risk of progression and positively impact quality of life and symptom control for specific lung cancer patients.
AstraZeneca Assists with EGFR Testing for Canadians