About non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC)
NSCLC is the most common type of lung cancer. In some cases, it can spread to other parts of your body. If this happens, it is called metastatic NSCLC.
Types of metastatic NSCLC
NSCLC is divided into different types depending on the genetic changes that caused it to form and that fuel its growth; one type of genetic change is called a mutation. There are many possible genetic mutations that can cause NSCLC to form. These mutations are what make the tumor cells grow and multiply abnormally.
Biomarkers
Biomarkers are signs of these mutations. By testing a sample of your tumor or blood for biomarkers, your doctor can learn if your cancer has certain mutations. This is called biomarker testing, but it may also be referred to as genetic testing or molecular testing.
With this information, your doctor will know more about your type of cancer. It will also help inform your overall treatment plan and shed light on which type of treatment may work best in slowing or stopping cancer growth. If you test positive for a biomarker, your healthcare provider may recommend a biomarker-driven treatment for your cancer. Biomarker-driven treatments are thought to work by blocking the effects of the mutations that are making the cancer cells grow. This is why it’s important to know which biomarker your tumor may have.
About EGFR and EGFR-positive NSCLC treatments
EGFR is one of the most common biomarkers in NSCLC
EGFR is mutated in about 10% of people with NSCLC in the US
People with NSCLC who test positive for epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations are said to have EGFR-positive NSCLC. Although EGFR-positive NSCLC can happen to anyone, it’s more common in women and people who have never smoked.
We now understand that for people with EGFR-positive NSCLC, mutations in the EGFR gene cause the EGFR protein within certain lung cells to be turned on and act in an uncontrolled way. This causes the cells to grow and divide without restrictions, leading to cancer.
The EGFR gene can change in different ways to cause NSCLC. The 2 most common EGFR-activating mutations are called the “exon 19 deletion” and the “L858R substitution in exon 21.”
45
of people with EGFR-positive NSCLC have the “exon 19 deletion”
40
of people with EGFR-positive NSCLC have the “L858R substitution in exon 21”
If your metastatic NSCLC tested positive for either an EGFR exon 19 deletion mutation or the L858R substitution in exon 21 mutation, your doctor may start your treatment plan with VIZIMPRO® (dacomitinib)—an oral medicine called an EGFR inhibitor. EGFR inhibitors are biomarker-driven treatments that work by blocking the abnormal EGFR protein that causes tumor cells to grow and divide.