Dr. Dimou on Progress Made in ALK+ Lung Cancer Treatment

Anastasios (Tassos) Dimou, MD, a medical oncologist at Mayo Clinic, discusses the progress made in the treatment of patients with ALK-positive lung cancer.

Crizotinib (Xalkori) was the first drug to receive FDA approval for use in this patient population, says Dimou. The most recent advances include the newer-generation TKIs, which have all been compared with crizotinib in the first-line treatment of patients with ALK-positive lung cancer, adds Dimou.

Results from the phase III ALEX trial showed that treatment with alectinib (Alecensa) resulted in improved progression-free survival (PFS). Furthermore, brigatinib (Alunbrig) was compared directly with crizotinib in the first-line treatment of this patient population; this drug also led to improved PFS, says Dimou.

The biggest advances over the past couple of years has been the change in the first-line choices that are available, says Dimou; there has been a shift from crizotinib to the newer-generation TKIs such as alectinib and brigatinib. After these agents, lorlatinib or other agents can be used in subsequent lines of therapy, concludes Dimou.