Summary
A new study offers hope for people with EGFR lung cancer whose treatment stopped working. Published in the New England Journal of Medicine, it found that osimertinib and savolitinib together beat chemotherapy.
Many people with EGFR-mutated non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) take osimertinib. Over time, however, the cancer often finds a way around it. One common escape route involves a gene called MET. When MET gets too active, the tumor keeps growing.
Savolitinib blocks MET. So researchers paired it with osimertinib to shut down both growth signals at once.
The SAFFRON trial tested this idea. First, doctors screened 1,746 patients for high MET levels. Only 338 qualified. Next, half took the two pills daily. Meanwhile, the other half received standard platinum-pemetrexed chemotherapy.
The pill combination worked better. For instance, it lowered the risk of cancer growth or death by about 45%. After one year, 36% of combination patients had no cancer growth. In comparison, only 10% of chemo patients did.
Patients also lived longer. At one year, 70% of combination patients were alive versus 53% on chemo. Overall, the risk of death dropped by about 32%.
Both groups had similar rates of serious side effects, at 64% and 63%. Swelling in the legs and feet was most common with the combination, affecting 49% of patients. Anemia and diarrhea each affected 26%.
Notably, patients and doctors knew which treatment each person received. AstraZeneca funded the study.
If your EGFR lung cancer grows on osimertinib, ask your oncologist about testing your tumor again. Specifically, ask whether MET testing could make osimertinib and savolitinib an option for you.
