Front-Line Therapy in EGFR Exon 19 Deletion and 21 Leu858Arg Mutations in Advanced Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: A Network Meta-Analysis

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to compare the efficacy of different first-line strategies based on different EGFR mutation types (19 deletion and 21 Leu858Arg mutations). METHODS: We conducted a systematic review and network meta-analysis (NMA) by searching and analyzing RCTs on PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, ASCO.org, and ESMO.org, from inception to September 30(th), 2020. RESULTS: Nineteen RCTs involving 5450 patients were finally included in this study, covering 10 different treatment strategies. The Bayesian ranking results suggested that, in terms of PFS, in the overall population and in patients with 19del mutation, osimertinib was most likely to rank the first, with the cumulative probabilities of 41.89% and 45.73%, respectively, while for patients with 21 Leu858Arg mutation, standard of care (SoC, represents first-generation EGFR-TKIs in this NMA) + chemotherapy was most likely to rank the first, with the cumulative probabilities of 30.81% in PFS. Moreover, SoC + chemotherapy provided the best overall survival benefit for the overall population and patients with 19del, with the cumulative probabilities of 57.85% and 33.51%, respectively. In contrast, for patients with 21 Leu858Arg mutation, dacomitinib showed the most favorable overall survival, with the cumulative probabilities of 36.73%. CONCLUSIONS: In this NMA, osimertinib and SoC combined with chemotherapy would be the optimal first-line treatment options for advanced NSCLC patients harboring EGFR 19 deletion mutation and 21 Leu858Arg mutation, respectively. This finding is likely to be adopted in clinical practice and provide guidance for future clinical study design. Systematic review registration: INPLASY2020100059.