EGFR inhibition and more: a new generation growing up

The discovery of activating epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) has led to a shift in treatment paradigm for some patients with advanced disease. Mutations in exons 18-21 in the tyrosine kinase domain are associated with improved clinical outcomes following treatment with tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs). The first-generation EGFR TKIs erlotinib and gefitinib are most effective in the presence of EGFR mutations (1).