A plain language summary of results from the FLAURA2 study: Effects of initial (first-line) osimertinib plus chemotherapy on the brain in patients with EGFR-mutated advanced non-small cell lung cancer.
Journal
Future oncology (London, England)
Journal Volume
21
Journal Issue
8
ISSN
1744-8301
Date Issued
2025-04
Author(s)
Jänne, Pasi A
Planchard, David
Kobayashi, Kunihiko
Cheng, Ying
Lee, Chee Khoon
Valdiviezo, Natalia
Laktionov, Konstantin
Yang, Tsung-Ying
Yu, Yan
Kato, Terufumi
Jiang, Liyan
Chewaskulyong, Busyamas
Geater, Sarayut Lucien
Maurel, Jean-Marc
Rojas, Carlos
Takahashi, Toshiaki
Shepherd, Frances A
Tanaka, Kentaro
Ghiorghiu, Dana
Amin, Neha P
Armenteros-Monterroso, Elena
Huang, Xiangning
Ahmed Chaudhry, Ammar
Abstract
This is a summary of results from the FLAURA2 clinical study in patients with EGFR-mutated, advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The results were published in full in 2023.NSCLC represents 85% of lung cancer cases, but is often not diagnosed until the cancer has spread beyond the lungs, known as ‘metastatic’ or ‘advanced disease’.EGFR(‘epidermal growth factor receptor’) controls how cells grow and divide.Changes (mutations) in the EGFR gene alter the EGFR-receptor, transforming healthy cells into cancer cells, as occurs in EGFR-mutated NSCLC.Osimertinib (TAGRISSO®) is a drug that has already been shown to treat EGFR-mutated NSCLC by blocking the effects of mutated EGFR, and preventing, slowing or stopping the growth of cancer cells. Osimertinib is approved and recommended by international treatment guidelines as initial (first-line) treatment for EGFR-mutated advanced NSCLC.EGFR-mutated NSCLC is particularly prone to spreading to the brain or spinal cord (known as central nervous system [CNS] metastases). The FLAURA2 study assessed if adding to osimertinib treatment could improve outcomes for patients, compared to osimertinib alone. Patients with brain metastases could participate as long as they were asymptomatic (not experiencing symptoms because of the brain metastases) or the brain metastases had been treated and were stable (not increasing in size or getting worse).The primary findings of FLAURA2 were that osimertinib plus chemotherapy extended the time before NSCLC tumor growth/spread, or patient death compared to osimertinib alone.In patients with brain metastases before treatment, those who were treated with osimertinib plus chemotherapy had a lower risk of their brain tumors growing/spreading, or death compared with patients who received osimertinib alone. Of those without brain metastases before treatment, very few in either treatment group developed a brain metastasis during the study.Based on the primary results of FLAURA2, osimertinib plus chemotherapy was approved for first-line treatment of EGFR-mutated advanced NSCLC. At the time of publication the FLAURA2 study is ongoing; more results, including survival rates, are expected to be released in the future.[Box: see text].
Type
journal article