Osimertinib plus local therapy improves outcomes in EGFR-mutant metastatic lung cancer

Dr Saumil Gandhi speaks to ecancer about a secondary analysis from the NorthStar trial evaluating the addition of local consolidative therapy to osimertinib in patients with metastatic EGFR-mutant non-small cell lung cancer.

The combination approach significantly improved progression-free survival compared with osimertinib alone, with the greatest benefit observed in patients who achieved clearance of thoracic nodal disease or pleural effusion after initial treatment.

In contrast, patients with persistent disease in these areas derived limited benefit from local therapy.
Patterns of recurrence showed that most failures occurred at distant sites rather than within treated radiation fields, highlighting the importance of systemic disease control.

These findings help refine patient selection and support a more personalised approach to integrating local therapy in this setting.