Abstract

“According to the new NICE guidance for non-small cell lung cancers (NSCLC), EGFR mutations must now be routinely screened for all newly diagnosed patients with local advanced disease to assess whether they are eligible for first-line targeted treatment with the tyrosine kinase inhibitor gefitinib. Recent results from phase III trials have shown a selective response to TKi for those NSCLC patients carrying EGFR mutations, as well as a significant improvement in progression-free survival. These results represent one of the major advances in the treatment of NSCLC in decades and it is one of the best examples we currently have for Personalised Cancer Medicine. However, implementation of EGFR mutation screening within the clinical diagnostic setting presents certain challenge, including the quality of the samples, tissue types, methodology used, etc. as well as the turnaround times and integration of the mutation data in the multidisciplinary team (MDTs) approach to diagnosis in the UK. These challenges and the practical and clinical implications of EGFR mutation testing will be addressed during the presentation.”