Patient preferences for attributes of tyrosine kinase inhibitor treatments for EGFR mutation-positive non-small-cell lung cancer.

Aim: EGFR-tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) vary in efficacy, side effects (SEs) and dosing regimen. We explored EGFR-TKI treatment attribute preferences in EGFR mutation-positive metastatic non-small-cell lung cancer. Materials & methods: Patients completed a survey utilizing preference elicitation methods: direct elicitation of four EGFR-TKI profiles describing progression-free survival (PFS), severe SE risk, administration; discrete choice experiment involving 12 choice tasks. Results: 90 participated. The preferred profile (selected 89% of times) had the longest PFS (18 months) and the lowest severe SE risk (5%). Patients would need compensation with >= three-times longer PFS for severe SEs. Patients would accept <= 7 months PFS reduction for oral treatments versus intravenous. Conclusion: Patients preferred longer PFS but were willing to accept reduced PFS for more favorable SEs and dosing convenience. [GRAPHICS] Lay abstract: EGFR-TKIs are drugs used to treat a type of non-small-cell lung cancer with a change (mutation) in a gene called EGFR. The way the drug is taken by patients, its effectiveness and side effects are different for each EGFR-TKI. 90 patients with non-small-cell lung cancer containing the EGFR mutation took part in our study. Patients completed an online survey to choose which EGFR-TKI treatment traits are most important to them. We found that patients prefer treatments that offer them longer lengths of time before their cancer worsens; however, patients are willing to accept shorter lengths of time before their cancer worsens if the treatment has fewer side effects and is easier to take.