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Safety and efficacy of erlotinib in patients with squamous cell lung cancer

Background Erlotinib is epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine-kinase inhibitor which showed efficacy and tolerability in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), especially in group of patients which harbor activating mutations in EGFR. Aim To determine safety and efficacy of erlotinib in patients with advanced (stage IIIB and IV) squamous NSCLC. Methods Patients with advanced squamous NSCLC who had failed prior chemotherapy were treated with oral erlotinib 150 mg daily until disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Data was analyzed retrospectively. Results A total of 122 patients (107 men and 15 women, mean age 62±8 years) with advanced squamous NSCLC were enrolled in the study from 2006 to 2012 in 14 centers in throughout Croatia. More than 50% of patients were active smokers. Most of the patients were in performance status ECOG 1 and 2 (91%). Vast majority of patients was treated with erlotinib in third line setting. After cycle 2, 10% of patients had partial response (PR), and 45% of patients had stable diseases. In total, 55% of patients had disease control after cycle 2. Progression free survival (PFS) was 3.7 months in overall population. Statistically significant differences in PFS were recorded according to response to treatment ; patients with PR after two cycles had PFS of 6.2 months comparing with patients with progressive disease of 2.0 months (P<0.001). Patients with better ECOD status (ECOG 1 and 2) had trend to improved PFS (3.8 vs. 1.9 months). Patients with rash after cycle 2 also showed trend to improved PFS (4.1 vs. 2.4 months). There were no grade 3 and 4 toxicities noticed during the study. Conclusions Erlotinib as single agent showed efficacy in treatment of patients with squamous cell lung cancer. There were no significant toxicities. The best predictive factor of response to treatment was response to erlotinib after 2 months of treatment.

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), squamous cell carcinoma, erlotinib

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