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Updated: Feb 13, 2026

Profiling Sensitivity to Targeted Therapies in EGFR-Mutant NSCLC Patient-Derived Organoids
Published on: November 22, 2021
Does sarcopenia affect outcome in patients with non-small-cell lung cancer harboring EGFR mutations?
Sabrina Rossi1, Vincenzo Di Noia2, Laura Tonetti3
1Department of Oncology & Hematology, Humanitas Clinical & Research Center, Via Manzoni 56, 20089 Rozzano (MI), Italy.
Aim:
To evaluate gefitinib outcomes in EGFR-mutated non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients harboring EGFR mutations, according to their sarcopenia status.
Patients & Methods:
We retrospectively evaluated 33 patients with advanced NSCLC and EGFR mutations (exon 19 or 21), dividing them into sarcopenic patients, with low skeletal muscle index ≤39 cm2/m2 for women and ≤55 cm2/m2 for men, and nonsarcopenic patients.
Results:
Sarcopenia does not affect response to gefitinib treatment in EGFR mutated NSCLC patients, even if it is a bad prognostic indicator for overall survival (p = 0.035).
Conclusion:
Early recognition of sarcopenia is beneficial for prevention of cancer cachexia and detection of patients at potential risk of serious adverse events. Gefitinib dosage should be reduced and modulated in sarcopenic patients.
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