How long can one live with lung cancer taking Gefitinib?

Gefitinib (Gefitinib) is a targeted drug used to treat non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). It inhibits the activation of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), thereby preventing the growth and spread of cancer cells. Clinical trials are an important way to evaluate the efficacy and safety of drugs. The following will combine the results of clinical trials to explore the possible survival prolongation of using gefitinib in patients with NSCLC.

1. Clinical trial background: The clinical trials of gefitinib mainly focus on EGFR mutation-positive non-small cell lung cancer patients. There are mutations in the EGFR gene in the tumor cells of these patients, making the tumors sensitive to EGFR kinase inhibitors.

2. Early trial results: Early clinical trials have shown that patients with EGFR mutation-positive NSCLC often show significantly prolonged survival after using gefitinib. These trials showed that the use of gefitinib effectively controlled tumor growth and resulted in longer survival.

3. IPASSTrial:IPASS is an important clinical trial comparing the efficacy of gefitinib with conventional chemotherapy in patients with EGFR mutation-positive non-small cell lung cancer. The trial results showed that patients using gefitinib had longer progression-free survival (progression-free survival, PFS) and better quality of life than those in the chemotherapy group. This result prompted the development of gefitinib as first-line treatment.

4. LUX-Lung 3 and LUX-Lung 6 trials: These trials also support the efficacy of gefitinib in EGFR mutation-positive NSCLCEfficacy in patients. LUX-Lung 3The trial found that patients using gefitinib had significantly better PFS than those in the chemotherapy group, and also showed better quality of life. The LUX-Lung 6 trial also reached similar conclusions when directly comparing the efficacy of gefitinib and chemotherapy.

5. Long-term survival data: Over time, some studies began to report long-term survival data after the use of gefitinib. While the scope and results of these data vary from trial to trial, some studies have shown that a subset of patients with EGFR mutation-positive NSCLC can achieve relatively long survival with gefitinib.

6. Drug tolerance and outcome: Although gefitinib can prolong survival, some patients may develop drug tolerance after using it for a period of time. This can cause the drug to fail and the tumor to start growing again. At this time, doctors may need to adjust the treatment plan, such as trying other targeted drugs or chemotherapy.

In general, gefitinib has shown good survival prolongation effects in EGFR mutation-positive non-small cell lung cancer patients. However, each patient's condition is unique, and drug efficacy may vary on an individual basis. Clinicians will comprehensively consider factors such as the patient's condition, the efficacy and side effects of the drug when formulating a treatment plan. It should be emphasized that regular monitoring during treatment and close cooperation with the doctor are important steps to ensure optimal treatment results.

Gefitinib was launched in China in 2005. At that time, the price of a box was about 5,000 yuan. Enter medical insurance in China in 2017. The price after medical insurance has dropped a lot. For the specific price after medical insurance, please consult the local hospital pharmacy or the medical insurance bureau. Other versions include original drugs and cost-effective generic drugs. Generic drugs include generic drugs from India, Bangladesh and Laos. The prices vary with different specifications, about 200~800yuan, and the ingredients of generic drugs are basically the same as domestic drugs.