Good news for lung cancer patients: nearly 80% remain alive after 8 years

The ADAURA study, presented at the World Conference on Lung Cancer in Seoul, shows that nearly 80% of lung cancer patients with an EGFR mutation who received Tagrisso after surgery were alive after eight years. The survival gap compared to the placebo group stands at 16 percentage points, and the risk of death was reduced by about half. The drug is included in Israel's health basket.

The ADAURA study, presented at the World Conference on Lung Cancer (WCLC) in Seoul, provides encouraging data for lung cancer patients with an EGFR gene mutation. The study, which included 682 patients with early-stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who underwent surgery to remove the tumor, examined the long-term efficacy of adjuvant therapy with the drug Tagrisso (osimertinib). After eight years of follow-up, nearly 80% of patients who received the drug were alive, compared to just over 60% in the placebo group. The survival gap stands at 16 percentage points (74% vs. 58%), and the risk of death was about half among those receiving the drug. The data show that the benefit persists even years after the planned three-year treatment course. Prof. Alona Zer-Koch from Rambam notes that the survival gap widens over time, raising questions about extending treatment duration. Tagrisso, a targeted therapy from the EGFR inhibitor family, is included in Israel's health basket for eligible patients after surgery.