Investigation of EGFR and ALK mutation frequency and treatment results in advanced non‑small cell lung cancer

Cancer research · NSCLC · EGFR · ALK

Patients with EGFR and ALK mutations had a longer life expectancy than those without the mutation

This retrospective cohort study evaluated 593 advanced‑stage non‑small‑cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients from a single Turkish centre to determine the prevalence of EGFR and ALK mutations and assess their impact on clinical characteristics, treatment patterns, and overall survival. EGFR mutations were detected in 10.6% and ALK rearrangements in 3.2% of the cohort, with higher frequencies among females, non‑smokers, and adenocarcinoma histology. Patients harbouring either mutation displayed a significantly longer overall survival (median 28.3 months for EGFR, 27.1 months for ALK) compared to mutation‑negative patients (15.4 months). Targeted therapy with EGFR TKIs or ALK inhibitors conferred additional survival benefits in the mutation‑positive groups. The findings support routine testing for EGFR and ALK status in advanced‑stage NSCLC to guide personalized treatment and improve outcomes.

Identifying actionable EGFR and ALK mutations in advanced NSCLC allows clinicians to initiate targeted therapies that markedly extend survival and improve quality of life. This study demonstrates that such testing yields clinically meaningful benefits in a real‑world Turkish population, reinforcing the global recommendation for routine molecular profiling in this disease.

Evidence level: Korai humán adat. Kis vagy feltáró emberi adat.

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