EGFR inhibitors with concurrent thoracic radiation therapy for locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer

Currently, a combination of chemotherapy and radiotherapy is the standard treatment approach for locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, the clinical outcomes are still disappointing, with the 5-year survival rate being only approximately 20%. Further improvement in treatment outcome for patients with locally advanced NSCLC will require the development of more effective combined-modality therapies. Increasing attention has focused on the integration of targeted agents into current therapies. Many preclinical studies in this area have targeted the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) signaling pathway to increase radiosensitivity. The in vitro rationale for targeting EGFR and concurrent ionizing radiation is well established, but to date, rare clinical data could provide proof-of-principle. In this review article, we briefly discuss pre-clinical data and the rationale and report all the different published clinical trials focusing on efficacy and toxicity in order to clarify and to summarize the present state-of-the-art of this particular combination in NSCLC.