How long does crizotinib need to be taken?

For patients with ALK or ROS1-positive non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who have not received any treatment, crizotinib is usually the first-line treatment. In this setting, patients are typically continued on crizotinib until disease progression, drug resistance, or intolerable side effects develop. Some studies have shown that patients using crizotinib as first-line treatment may achieve better progression survival (PFS) in about 2 years. Physicians may consider crizotinib as second-line therapy if a patient experiences disease progression or development of drug resistance after first-line therapy. In this case, the duration of administration may vary depending on the patient's disease status and response to treatment. For some patients, crizotinib may continue to show efficacy, resulting in prolonged treatment. But for other patients, the drug may lose efficacy or develop resistance, leading to the need to switch to other treatment options. For some patients, treatment with crizotinib may be continued for a longer period of time, and patients can continue using the drug without disease progression. In this case, doctors typically monitor the patient's condition regularly and evaluate the drug's efficacy and safety.