CYFRA 21-1 level predicts survival in non-small-cell lung cancer patients receiving gefitinib as third-line therapy

• Published in: British journal of cancer Vol. 92; no. 1; pp. 13 - 14
• Main Authors: Barlési, F, Tchouhadjian, C, Doddoli, C, Torre, J-P, Astoul, P, Kleisbauer, J-P
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Nature Publishing Group 17.01.2005
• Subjects: Aged; Antigens, Neoplasm - blood; Antineoplastic Agents - therapeutic use; Biomarkers, Tumor - blood; Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung - blood; Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung - drug therapy; Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung - mortality; Female; Gefitinib; Humans; Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins - therapeutic use; Keratin-19; Keratins; Lung cancer; Lung Neoplasms - blood; Lung Neoplasms - drug therapy; Lung Neoplasms - mortality; Male; Prognosis; Quinazolines - therapeutic use; Short Communication
• ISSN: 0007-0920; 1532-1827
• DOI: 10.1038/sj.bjc.6602296

Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI) as gefitinib emerged as an accepted treatment in second- or third-line setting in NSCLC. However, clinical surrogate markers of EGFR-TKI activity in NSCLC patients remain to be identified and we studied the prognostic value of CYFRA 21-1 in this setting. Serum samples from 53 patients with NSCLC receiving gefitinib after failure of at least a platinum-containing regimen were prospectively collected from January 2002 to December 2003. Multivariate analysis demonstrated an independent negative impact on survival for a level of CYFRA 21-1 higher than 3.5 ng ml(-1) (HR=2.45, 95% CI 1.13-5.29; P=0.02). In conclusion, CYFRA 21-1 is a tool available to predict the survival of NSCLC patients receiving gefitinib as third-line therapy in an independent manner. In case of a CYFRA 21-1 level higher than 3.5 ng ml(-1), treatment with gefitinib needs further evaluation giving its relative poor effect on survival.