Adjuvant Treatment with Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors in Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor Mutated Non-Small-Cell Lung Carcinoma Patients, Past, Present and Future

SIMPLE SUMMARY: This review article details the progress of lung cancer treatments for a subtype known as non-small cell lung cancer with a special mutation of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR). In the following review article, we included the past trials that exclusively involved the chemotherapy treatments, present trials that explore the use of drugs known as tyrosine kinase inhibitors (different generations of EGFR- TKIs), as well as the ongoing trials that consider an interplay between these two. Finally, we propose some areas of future research given the implications of the current studies, namely regarding metastasis to the brain and central nervous system. ABSTRACT: Lung cancer is the most common malignancy across the world. The new era in lung cancer treatments, especially this past decade, has yielded novel categories of targeted therapy for specific mutations and adjuvant therapy, both of which have led to improved survival rates. In the present study, we review the changes and development of treatments, with a special focus on adjuvant therapy using tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) administered to non-small-cell lung carcinoma patients who had a complete resection of the tumor harboring a mutated epidermal growth factor receptor. The clinical trials are dating from the past (chemotherapy trials), present (TKIs), and future (ongoing trials).