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Updated: Mar 15, 2026
Imaging Features of Systemic Sclerosis-Associated Interstitial Lung Disease
Published on: June 16, 2020
Transient Asymptomatic Pulmonary Opacities Occurring during Osimertinib Treatment
Sinead A Noonan1, Peter B Sachs2, D Ross Camidge1
1Division of Medical Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Colorado, Aurora, Colorado; University of Colorado Cancer Center, University of Colorado, Aurora, Colorado.
Introduction:
Osimertinib is an EGFR inhibitor licensed for the treatment of EGFR-mutant, T790M-positive NSCLC. Previously unreported, frequent transient asymptomatic pulmonary opacities were noted in patients during osimertinib therapy at the University of Colorado.
Methods:
Computed tomography imaging and clinical notes on patients with NSCLC who had been treated with osimertinib at the University of Colorado were retrospectively reviewed.
Results:
Transient asymptomatic pulmonary opacities developed in seven of 20 patients (35%) while they were receiving osimertinib. The radiological patterns seen included ground-glass opacities with or without nodular consolidation. The median time to development of the first lesion was 8.7 weeks (range 1.6-43 weeks), the median time to resolution during continued osimertinib was 6 weeks (range 1-11 weeks).
Conclusions:
Transient asymptomatic pulmonary opacities may be a previously unrecognized, benign feature associated with osimertinib therapy that may be mistaken for isolated pulmonary progression or the beginning of more severe pneumonitis. If new-onset pulmonary lesions, especially those associated with ground-glass appearances, are asymptomatic and localized and there is no evidence of disease progression elsewhere, it may be reasonable to continue treatment with osimertinib and monitor the lesions for resolution.
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