Metastatic lung cancer in the age of targeted therapy: improving long-term survival

Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations are the most frequent targetable genetic abnormality observed in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). More than a decade after EGFR mutations were shown to predict sensitivity to EGFR-tyrosine kinase inhibitors (EGFR-TKI), retrospective cohort studies are now identifying and characterizing 5-year survivors. While these studies indicate subsets of patients achieving long-term survival, there is paucity of data pertaining to the long-term survival benefits of these targeted therapies at a population level. Improving access to molecular testing and treatment are key to maximizing the survival benefits at a population level.