What happens when Tagrisso stops working?

[Chands]

Dear Friends,

My brother is undergoing stage 4 lung cancer treatment . Currently he is under Tagrisso treatment. Can you please let me know what are the options available, if Tagrisso stop working.

Also what is the median when using Tagrisso.. Please do take a minute to share if you have any relevant information.

Thanks,

Chands

[Rower Michelle]

Hi Chands, 

These are really difficult questions to answer since the treatment path is very individualized.  There’s little evidence to project which patients get a longer ride on Tagrisso than others. 
 

In general the mean can range between 12-24 months BUT this is based on clinical data where Tagrisso may not have been the first line of treatment (could have been the third line of therapy. ). There’s not a lot of longitudinal data for 1st line Tagrisso.  

So what happens next, it depends.  A biopsy and PET scan would need to be done.  If there are no changes in the biopsy noted, then precision radiation becomes an option while continuing on Tagrisso.  If there are molecular changes in the tumor, the treatment plan would be tailored.  
 

If another mutation is detected like BRAF or MET then an additional targeted therapy would be added.  Clinical trials would be evaluated as there is a good deal of emerging research.  Chemotherapy/Immunotherapy is also an option.   This is a long way of saying there are options after Tagrisso and with today’s research the tool kit is growing.  
 

Michelle
 

 

[Chands]

Hi Michelle,

Thank you for your response. Definitely make sense.