What are the current FDA-approved Lung Cancer Treatments?

Learn more about the FDA-Approved Lung Cancer Treatments

The two major types of lung cancer, non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and small cell lung cancer (SCLC) have different treatment pathways. Today, using genetic information about tumor type and what stage the disease is at allows healthcare teams to create personalized cancer treatments for lung cancer patients. These individualized treatments may help patients avoid treatments that are unlikely to work and help to decrease the side effects of treatment. These FDA-approved treatments are grouped as  Chemotherapy, Combination Therapy,  Immunotherapy and Targeted Therapy.

Here are the current FDA-approved lung cancer treatments being used. Click on the treatment to see more details about the specific drug. Select a biomarker to see available treatment options.

  • All types
  • ALK
  • BRAF
  • EGFR
  • EGFR Exon 19
  • EGFR Exon 20 insertion
  • EXON 21 L858R
  • KRAS G12C
  • MET
  • MET Exon 14
  • NTRK
  • PD-L1
  • RET
  • ROS1
Targeted Therapy

Afatinib (Gilotrif)

FDA-Approval Date: 01/01/2018
Approved for: NSCLC
Biomarker: EGFR
Chemotherapy

Afatinib Dimaleate (Gilotrif)

FDA-Approval Date: 07/01/2013
Approved for: NSCLC
Biomarker:
Targeted Therapy

Alectinib (Alecensa)

FDA-Approval Date: 06/01/2017
Approved for: NSCLC
Biomarker: ALK
Targeted Therapy

Amivantamab (Rybrevant)

FDA-Approval Date: 05/01/2021
Approved for: NSCLC
Biomarker: EGFR exon 20
Combination Therapy

Atezolizumab (Tecentriq)

FDA-Approval Date: 03/01/2019
Approved for: SCLC
Biomarker:
Combination Therapy

Atezolizumab (Tecentriq)

FDA-Approval Date: 12/01/2018
Approved for: NSCLC
Biomarker:
Targeted Therapy

Atezolizumab (Tecentriq)

FDA-Approval Date: 05/01/2020
Approved for: NSCLC
Biomarker: PD-L1
Combination Therapy

Atezolizumab (Tecentriq)

FDA-Approval Date: 12/01/2019
Approved for: NSCLC
Biomarker:
Chemotherapy

Bevacizumab (Avastin/Mvasi/Zirabev)

FDA-Approval Date: 10/01/2006
Approved for: NSCLC
Biomarker: test
Targeted Therapy

Brigatinib (Alunbrig)

FDA-Approval Date: 05/01/2020
Approved for: NSCLC
Biomarker: ALK
Targeted Therapy

Capmatinib (Tabrecta)

FDA-Approval Date: 05/01/2020
Approved for: NSCLC
Biomarker: MET
Chemotherapy

Carboplatin (Paraplatin)

FDA-Approval Date: 01/01/1998
Approved for: NSCLC, SCLC
Biomarker:
Immunotherapy

Cemiplimab-rwlc

FDA-Approval Date: 02/01/2021
Approved for: NSCLC
Biomarker:
Targeted Therapy

Ceritinib (Zykadia)

FDA-Approval Date: 04/01/2014
Approved for: NSCLC
Biomarker: ALK
Chemotherapy

Cisplatin

FDA-Approval Date:
Approved for: NSCLC, SCLC
Biomarker:
Targeted Therapy

Crizotinib (Xalkori)

FDA-Approval Date: 11/01/2013
Approved for: NSCLC
Biomarker: ALK, ROS1
Combination Therapy, Targeted Therapy

Dabrafenib (Tafinlar)

FDA-Approval Date: 06/01/2017
Approved for: NSCLC
Biomarker: BRAF
Targeted Therapy

Dacomitinib (Vizimpro)

FDA-Approval Date: 09/01/2018
Approved for: NSCLC
Biomarker: EGFR
Chemotherapy

Docetaxel (Taxotere)

FDA-Approval Date: 01/01/2000
Approved for: NSCLC
Biomarker:
Chemotherapy

Doxorubicin Hydrochloride (Totect/Zinecard)

FDA-Approval Date: 01/01/1970
Approved for: NSCLC, SCLC
Biomarker:
Combination Therapy

Durvalumab (Imfinzi)

FDA-Approval Date: 02/01/2018
Approved for: NSCLC
Biomarker:
Combination Therapy

Durvalumab (Imfinzi)

FDA-Approval Date: 03/01/2020
Approved for: SCLC
Biomarker:
Targeted Therapy

Entrectinib (Rozlytrek)

FDA-Approval Date: 06/01/2019
Approved for: NSCLC
Biomarker: ROS1
Targeted Therapy

Erlotinib (Tarceva)

FDA-Approval Date: 11/01/2004
Approved for: NSCLC
Biomarker: EGFR
Chemotherapy

Etoposide

FDA-Approval Date: 01/01/1998
Approved for: SCLC
Biomarker:
Targeted Therapy

Gefitinib (Iressa)

FDA-Approval Date: 05/01/2003
Approved for: NSCLC
Biomarker: EGFR
Chemotherapy

Gemcitabine Hydrochloride (Gemzar/Infugem)

FDA-Approval Date: 08/01/1998
Approved for: NSCLC
Biomarker:
Targeted Therapy

Larotrectinib (Vitrakvi)

FDA-Approval Date: 11/01/2018
Approved for: NSCLC
Biomarker: NTRK
Targeted Therapy

Lorlatinib (Lorbrena)

FDA-Approval Date: 11/01/2018
Approved for: NSCLC
Biomarker: ALK
Chemotherapy

Lurbinectedin (Zepzelca)

FDA-Approval Date: 06/02/2020
Approved for: SCLC
Biomarker:
Chemotherapy

Methotrexate Sodium (Trexall/Xatmep)

FDA-Approval Date: 01/01/1970
Approved for: NSCLC, SCLC
Biomarker:
Targeted Therapy

Mobocertinib

FDA-Approval Date: 09/15/2021
Approved for: NSCLC
Biomarker: EGFR Exon20 Insertion
Chemotherapy

Necitumumab (Portrazza)

FDA-Approval Date: 11/01/2015
Approved for: NSCLC
Biomarker:
Combination Therapy

Nivolumab (Opdivo/Opdivo Injection)

FDA-Approval Date: 08/01/2018
Approved for: SCLC
Biomarker:
Targeted Therapy

Nivolumab (Opdivo/Opdivo Injection)

FDA-Approval Date: 05/01/2020
Approved for: NSCLC
Biomarker: PD-L1
Targeted Therapy

Osimertinib (Tagrisso)

FDA-Approval Date: 04/01/2018
Approved for: NSCLC
Biomarker: EGFR
Targeted Therapy

Osimertinib (Tagrisso)

FDA-Approval Date: 12/01/2020
Approved for: NSCLC
Biomarker: EGFR exon 19, exon 21 L858R
Chemotherapy

Paclitaxel Albumin-Stabilized Nanoparticle Formulation (Abraxane)

FDA-Approval Date: 10/01/2012
Approved for: NSCLC
Biomarker:
Combination Therapy

Pembrolizumab (Keytruda)

FDA-Approval Date: 10/01/2018
Approved for: NSCLC
Biomarker:
Combination Therapy

Pembrolizumab (Keytruda)

FDA-Approval Date: 08/01/2018
Approved for: NSCLC
Biomarker: PD-L1
Immunotherapy

Pembrolizumab (Keytruda)

FDA-Approval Date: 06/01/2019
Approved for: SCLC
Biomarker:
Chemotherapy

Pemetrexed (Pemfxy/Alimta)

FDA-Approval Date: 02/01/2020
Approved for: NSCLC
Biomarker:
Chemotherapy

Pemetrexed Disodium (Pemfxy/Alimta)

FDA-Approval Date: 09/01/2008
Approved for: NSCLC
Biomarker:
Targeted Therapy

Pralsetinib (Gavreto)

FDA-Approval Date: 09/01/2020
Approved for: NSCLC
Biomarker: RET
Targeted Therapy

Ramucirumab (Cyramza)

FDA-Approval Date: 12/01/2014
Approved for: NSCLC
Biomarker: EGFR, ALK
Targeted Therapy

Ramucirumab (Cyramza)

FDA-Approval Date: 05/01/2020
Approved for: NSCLC
Biomarker: EGFR, ALK
Targeted Therapy

Selpercatinib (Retevmo)

FDA-Approval Date: 05/01/2020
Approved for: NSCLC
Biomarker: RET
Targeted Therapy

Sotorasib

FDA-Approval Date: 05/28/2021
Approved for: NSCLC
Biomarker: KRAS G12C
Targeted Therapy

Tepotinib (Tepmetko)

FDA-Approval Date: 02/01/2021
Approved for: NSCLC
Biomarker: MET Exon 14 Skipping
Chemotherapy

Topotecan Hydrochloride (Hycamtin)

FDA-Approval Date: 10/01/2007
Approved for: SCLC
Biomarker:
Combination Therapy, Targeted Therapy

Trametinib (Mekinist)

FDA-Approval Date: 06/01/2017
Approved for: NSCLC
Biomarker: BRAF

The Future of Lung Cancer Treatments: Clinical Trials

Breakthroughs in research are happening at a faster pace leading to new FDA-approved treatments. These current lung cancer treatments and other personalized approaches to lung cancer treatment are not only improving a patient’s quality of life, but are even prolonging lives.

Many of today’s life-lengthening treatments are based on results from previous clinical trials. Clinical trials are research studies that help to determine whether new treatments are safe and effective, or better than existing treatments.
Because of progress made through clinical trials, many people with cancer are living longer and better. The conversation has changed to discussion on lung cancer – treating it as a manageable disease. Researchers need to find new therapies for patients whose cancer has recurred following standard lung cancer treatment.

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