A new analysis shows that adding local consolidative therapy (LCT), such as radiation, to osimertinib can significantly improve outcomes for patients with EGFR-mutated non–small cell lung cancer.
Patients who received both LCT and osimertinib had longer disease control, with progression-free survival reaching 25.3 months compared with 17.5 months for those on osimertinib alone. Higher-dose radiation worked even better, nearly doubling progression-free survival compared with lower doses. Radiation also controlled tumors very effectively at treated sites, with more than 90% local control, while most cancer progression occurred in new areas like the lungs, bones, or brain.
The study found that patients benefited most when cancer in lymph nodes had cleared and when pleural effusion had resolved before starting local therapy. The treatment combination was generally safe, with most side effects—such as pneumonitis, esophagitis, and shortness of breath—being mild. Careful radiation planning, especially keeping lung exposure below certain limits, was linked to better outcomes and low toxicity.