How effective is brigatinib/brigatinib when it enters the brain?

Brigatinib is an oral targeted therapy drug used to treat ALK (ectopic lymphoma kinase)-positive non-small cell lung cancer. It blocks tumor growth and spread by inhibiting the activity of the ALK protein. Studies have shown that brigatinib has good efficacy in the treatment of ALK-positive non-small cell lung cancer. For patients who have not received other treatments or whose treatment has failed, brigatinib can effectively inhibit tumor growth and prolong progression-free survival. In addition, brigatinib also has the ability to penetrate the blood-brain barrier and can have a therapeutic effect on brain metastases.

Anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) fusion gene-positive lung cancer often develops brain metastases at initial diagnosis or during treatment. Molecular targeted drugs are known to pass through the blood-brain barrier and have a positive effect on central nervous system lesions. A patient in his 50s with stage IV pleural metastases developed brain metastases after taking crizotinib for 10 years, but showed complete response after switching to brigatinib. In addition, a patient in his early 60s developed stage III recurrent large brain metastasis 5 years after radiotherapy and chemotherapy. The tumor shrank significantly after taking brigatinib. In each case of ALK fusion gene-positive lung cancer brain metastasis, brigatinib showed high efficacy and good tolerability after previous ALK TKI treatment and treatment of large lesions.

However, everyone responds differently to treatment medications, and brigatinib may cause some side effects. Common side effects include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, fatigue, rash, etc. Some patients may experience more serious side effects, such as high blood pressure, liver problems, pneumonia, and more. Therefore, before using brigatinib, doctors will evaluate the patient's disease status and overall health, and weigh the benefits and risks of treatment.