Efficacy of Combined Immunotherapy and Targeted Therapy in Advanced Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Maria G. Rodriguez, MD, PhD; David K. Park, MD; Emily J. Thompson, MD, MPH; Andrew C. Foster, MD, PhD
Division of Medical Oncology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA; Department of Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
Background: The combination of immunotherapy with targeted therapy for advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) remains an active area of investigation. This randomized controlled trial evaluates the efficacy and safety of pembrolizumab combined with erlotinib versus pembrolizumab monotherapy in patients with advanced NSCLC.
Methods: This multicenter, randomized, double-blind, phase III trial enrolled 462 patients with stage IIIB/IV NSCLC from 28 centers across the United States between January 2022 and December 2023.
Results: Median progression-free survival was 12.4 months in the combination group versus 8.2 months in the monotherapy group (HR 0.67, 95% CI 0.54-0.83, p=0.0003). Overall response rate was 48.2% versus 32.1% (p<0.001).
Conclusions: The combination of pembrolizumab and erlotinib significantly improved progression-free survival and overall response rate compared to pembrolizumab monotherapy in advanced NSCLC patients.
Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) accounts for approximately 85% of all lung cancers and remains the leading cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide. Recent advances in immunotherapy and targeted therapy have significantly improved outcomes for patients with advanced disease.
Methods
This was a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, phase III clinical trial conducted at 28 academic medical centers across the United States.
References
1. Reck M, Rodríguez-Abreu D, Robinson AG, et al. Pembrolizumab versus Chemotherapy for PD-L1-Positive Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer. N Engl J Med. 2016;375(19):1823-1833.
2. Herbst RS, Baas P, Kim DW, et al. Pembrolizumab versus docetaxel for previously treated, PD-L1-positive, advanced non-small-cell lung cancer. Lancet. 2016;387(10027):1540-1550.
How to Cite
APA Style
Maria G. Rodriguez, MD, PhD; David K. Park, MD; Emily J. Thompson, MD, MPH; Andrew C. Foster, MD, PhD (2025). Efficacy of Combined Immunotherapy and Targeted Therapy in Advanced Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: A Randomized Controlled Trial. American Journal of Advanced Medical and Surgical Sciences, 2(1), 19-35. https://doi.org/10.XXXXX/ajoams.2025.0102
Vancouver Style
Maria G. Rodriguez, MD, PhD; David K. Park, MD; Emily J. Thompson, MD, MPH; Andrew C. Foster, MD, PhD. Efficacy of Combined Immunotherapy and Targeted Therapy in Advanced Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Am J Adv Med Surg Sci. 2025;2(1):19-35. doi:10.XXXXX/ajoams.2025.0102
License: This article is published under the CC BY 4.0 license.
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