Pulsatile high-dose weekly erlotinib for CNS metastases from EGFR mutant non-small cell lung cancer Journal Article


Authors: Grommes, C.; Oxnard, G. R.; Kris, M. G.; Miller, V. A.; Pao, W.; Holodny, A. I.; Clarke, J. L.; Lassman, A. B.
Article Title: Pulsatile high-dose weekly erlotinib for CNS metastases from EGFR mutant non-small cell lung cancer
Abstract: Erlotinib is effective for epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutant lung cancer, but CNS penetration at standard daily dosing is limited. We previously reported that intermittent "pulsatile" administration of high-dose (1500 mg) erlotinib once weekly was tolerable and achieved concentrations in cerebrospinal fluid exceeding the half maximal inhibitory concentration for EGFR mutant lung cancer cells in a patient with leptomeningeal metastases; we now expand this paradigm to a series of 9 patients. We retrospectively identified patients with EGFR mutant lung cancer treated with pulsatile erlotinib for CNS metastases (brain and/or leptomeningeal) that occurred despite conventional daily erlotinib or other EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors. Mutations in available lung and CNS tissue were correlated with efficacy. Erlotinib was administered as monotherapy at a median dose of 1500 mg weekly. Best CNS radiographic response was partial in 67% (6/9, including 2 with isolated leptomeningeal metastases), stable disease in 11% (1/9), and progressive disease in 22% (2/9). Median time to CNS progression was 2.7 months (range, 0.8- 14.5 months) and median overall survival was 12 months (range, 2.5 months-not reached). Treatment was well tolerated. No acquired resistance mutations in EGFR were identified in the CNS metastases of 4 patients, including 1 harboring T790M outside the CNS. Pulsatile erlotinib can control CNS metastases from EGFR mutant lung cancer after failure of standard daily dosing.CNSdisease may not harbor acquired resistance mutations that develop systemically. A prospective trial is planned. © The Author(s) 2011.
Keywords: adult; clinical article; controlled study; treatment outcome; aged; middle aged; survival rate; retrospective studies; overall survival; mutation; disease course; fatigue; erlotinib; diarrhea; drug efficacy; antineoplastic agents; cancer patient; drug megadose; follow-up studies; prospective study; vasculotropin receptor; lung non small cell cancer; nausea; carcinoma, non-small-cell lung; lung neoplasms; lung cancer; receptor, epidermal growth factor; retrospective study; central nervous system neoplasms; rash; brain metastasis; lung; egfr; quinazolines; brain hemorrhage; mutant; meningeal metastasis; central nervous system metastasis; cns metastases; pulsatile dosing.; pulsatile drug release
Journal Title: Neuro-Oncology
Volume: 13
Issue: 12
ISSN: 1522-8517
Publisher: Oxford University Press  
Date Published: 2011-12-01
Start Page: 1364
End Page: 1369
Language: English
DOI: 10.1093/neuonc/nor121
PROVIDER: scopus
PMCID: PMC3223088
PUBMED: 21865399
DOI/URL:
Notes: --- - "Export Date: 1 March 2012" - "CODEN: NEURJ" - "Source: Scopus"
Altmetric
Citation Impact
BMJ Impact Analytics
MSK Authors
  1. William Pao
    141 Pao
  2. Jennifer L Clarke
    11 Clarke
  3. Andrew Lassman
    111 Lassman
  4. Vincent Miller
    270 Miller
  5. Geoffrey R Oxnard
    24 Oxnard
  6. Christian Grommes
    150 Grommes
  7. Andrei Holodny
    206 Holodny
  8. Mark Kris
    869 Kris