Can lung cancer be considered cured after taking the targeted drug Osimertinib/Tagressa for 6 years?

The cure of lung cancer is a comprehensive process that not only relies on drug treatment, but is also related to the patient's overall health status, the type and stage of lung cancer, and the choice of treatment options. Therefore, whether the patient is cured cannot be directly judged simply based on the length of time taking Osimertinib/Tagressa.

Osimertinib is a targeted drug for lung cancer, mainly used for the treatment of EGFR (epidermal growth factor receptor) mutation-positive non-small cell lung cancer For such patients, osimertinib is considered an effective treatment option and can prolong patient survival to some extent. It can prolong patients' survival and improve their quality of life by inhibiting the growth and spread of tumor cells. However, even if a patient's condition is controlled after using osimertinib, the possibility of tumor recurrence cannot be completely ruled out.

In the study of nearly people who were randomly assigned to receive osimertinib (called adjuvant therapy) after surgery to remove their tumors lived much longer overall than those who were assigned to receive a placebo after surgery to remove the disclaimer. Five years after starting adjuvant therapy, 88% of those who received osimertinib were still alive, compared with 78% of those who received placebo.

When evaluating whether lung cancer is cured, doctors usually consider multiple indicators, including the patient's symptoms, signs, imaging examination results, and tumor markers. If these symptoms and indicators are significantly improved after the patient receives treatment, and there is no recurrence or progression for a long time, it can be initially judged that the lung cancer has been controlled or relieved.

However, it is important to note that lung cancer is a malignant tumor with a risk of recurrence. Even if the patient's condition is controlled after receiving treatment, regular review and monitoring are required to detect and deal with any possible recurrence or progression in a timely manner.