Efficacy and safety of icotinib in treating non-small cell lung cancer: a systematic evaluation and meta-analysis...

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Pharmacology

Background:

• Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) remains a leading cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide.
• Targeted therapies, such as epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs), have revolutionized NSCLC treatment.
• Icotinib is a novel EGFR-TKI developed and utilized in China for NSCLC management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically evaluate the efficacy and safety of icotinib in treating patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).
• To synthesize data from existing clinical studies to provide a comprehensive assessment of icotinib's therapeutic profile.

Main Methods:

• A systematic literature search was conducted across major databases (Medline, Web of Science, Embase, Cochrane Library) to identify relevant clinical studies.
• Pooled efficacy outcomes, including overall response rate (ORR), disease control rate (DCR), progression-free survival (PFS), and overall survival (OS), were calculated.
• Safety data, focusing on common adverse effects (AEs), were analyzed.

Main Results:

• The analysis included 15 studies involving 2,304 patients.
• Icotinib demonstrated an overall response rate (ORR) of 40.99% and a disease control rate (DCR) of 77.16%.
• Pooled progression-free survival (PFS) was 7.34 months and overall survival (OS) was 14.98 months. Patients with EGFR mutations and those experiencing rash showed improved outcomes. Common adverse effects included skin rash and diarrhea, generally well-tolerated.

Conclusions:

• Icotinib is an effective and well-tolerated treatment option for Chinese patients with advanced NSCLC.
• The drug shows promising efficacy, particularly in patients with EGFR mutations.
• Further large-scale randomized controlled trials are warranted to solidify evidence and explore broader applications.