Concomitant radiotherapy and TKI in metastatic EGFR- or ALK-mutated non-small cell lung cancer: a multicentric analysis on behalf of AIRO lung cancer study group

Purpose: To investigate the role of radiotherapy (RT) in the management of EGFR- or ALK-mutated metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) treated with TKI. Materials and methods: Clinical data of 106 patients (pts) from five Institutions treated with RT concomitant to TKI were retrospectively revised. Overall survival (OS) and toxicities were analyzed as endpoints of the study. Results: Median age of pts was 65 years. TKIs were given for EGFR (81%)- or ALK (19%)-mutated metastatic NSCLC. Stereotactic RT (SRT) was delivered to 49 pts (46%). Patients with four or less metastasis were defined as oligometastatic/oligoprogressive (OM/OP); sites of RT were brain, bone, lung or others in 46%, 27%, 14% and 13%, respectively. Median OS was 23 months. At univariate analysis SRT, ECOG PS 0–1, OM/OP disease, lung sites and a TKI duration longer than median favorably affected OS (all p < 0.001). Multivariate analysis confirmed SRT (HR 0.355, CI 95% 0.212–0.595; p < 0.001) and median duration of TKI > 14 months (HR 0.17, 95% CI 0.10–0.30; p < 0.001) as independent factors related to better OS. Toxicities were rare. Conclusions: SRT seems to positively affect OS with limited toxicity in selected patients.