Osimertinib is a third-generation EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor that has improved survival and central nervous system (CNS) outcomes in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with activating EGFR mutations. However, little is known about the efficacy and safety of combining osimertinib with chemotherapy.

This was a retrospective study performed at 3 institutions. Patients with advanced EGFR-mutated NSCLC who received concurrent osimertinib with chemotherapy in the third-line or beyond were identified by chart review. Efficacy outcomes including duration on treatment (DOT), overall survival (OS), and CNS outcomes were assessed. Safety outcomes were also evaluated.

A total of 44 patients met inclusion criteria. Median DOT with osimertinib plus platinum doublet (n = 28) was 6.1 months (95% CI 4.1 months-not reached), and with osimertinib plus single-agent chemotherapy (n = 29) was 2.6 months (95% CI 1.8-4.8 months). Median OS from the start of osimertinib plus chemotherapy was 10.4 months (95% CI 7.0-13.2 months). At initiation of osimertinib plus chemotherapy, 37 patients (84%) had CNS metastases; 9 of these (24%) had CNS disease progression on osimertinib plus chemotherapy. Chemotherapy was delayed or dose reduced due to toxicity in 8 patients (18%); osimertinib was discontinued in 1 patient (2%) for reduced cardiac ejection fraction, and dose reduced in 2 patients (5%).

The combination of osimertinib plus chemotherapy appeared safe and showed favorable control of CNS disease in this cohort of patients who had progressed systemically with multiple prior lines of therapy, with DOT and survival outcomes similar to historical chemotherapy controls.