Tyrosine kinase inhibitorFDA-approvedFirst-line
Gilotrif
Generic name: afatinib
How it works
Blocks the activity of certain proteins that help cancer cells grow and divide.
Cancer types
Lung Cancer— EGFR-mutated
Efficacy
Studies show that afatinib improves progression-free survival in patients with EGFR-mutated NSCLC compared to chemotherapy alone.
Side effects
Moderate
Side effects can be significant and may require dose adjustments or supportive medication, but the treatment is usually continued.
Evidence from research
| Study | Cancer type | Stage | Efficacy | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Afatinib's Effect on Cancer Treatment: A Review of Clinical Research | Lung Cancer | review | — | Source → |
| Afatinib Resistance in Lung Cancer Patients with Nonclassical EGFR Mutations | Lung Cancer | observational | — | Source → |
| Comparing Two Treatments for Advanced Lung Cancer | Lung Cancer | phase-3 | The median overall survival was 40.5 months in the afatinib group and 37.0 months in the osimertinib group. | Source → |
| Afatinib May Help Overcome Resistance to Osimertinib in Lung Cancer | Lung Cancer | animal-study | Egfr V804F knock-in cells demonstrated a 5.7-10.5-fold increase in in vitro IC (mean, 8.2-fold) to osimertinib. | Source → |
| Comparing Cancer Treatments for Rare Lung Cancer Mutations | Lung Cancer | observational | Afatinib was associated with higher response rates and more frequent adverse events requiring dose reduction. | Source → |
| Testing Treatments for EGFR-Mutated Lung Cancer | Lung Cancer | phase-3 | — | Source → |
| Managing Allergic Reactions to Lung Cancer Treatment | Lung Cancer | observational | — | Source → |
| Afatinib Resistance in Lung Cancer Patients | Lung Cancer | lab-study | — | Source → |
| Afatinib May Help Some Lung Cancer Patients After Osimertinib | Lung Cancer | observational | — | Source → |
| Afatinib Efficacy in Lung Cancer Patients with Rare EGFR Mutations | Lung Cancer | observational | The median progression-free survival was 12 months, and median overall survival was 29 months. | Source → |
| Afatinib Shows Promise in Treating Solid Tumors with NRG1 Fusions | Colorectal Cancer | phase-2 | One partial response and two stable disease of at least 16 weeks' duration were observed. | Source → |
| Rare Lung Cancer Mutation Responds to Targeted Treatment | Lung Cancer | observational | The patient achieved partial response with afatinib for 17 months. | Source → |
| Combining Cancer Drugs and Radiation in Lung Cancer | Lung Cancer | phase-2 | The objective response rate to induction afatinib was 63%. | Source → |
| Rare Lung Cancer Patient Shows Long-Term Response to Combination Treatment | Lung Cancer | observational | The combination treatment resulted in a durable response of more than two years. | Source → |
| Comparing Two Cancer Treatments for Lung Cancer Patients | Lung Cancer | observational | The partial response rates for first-line treatment with afatinib and dacomitinib were 85.7 and 80.6%, respectively. | Source → |
| Comparing Cancer Treatments in East Asian Patients | Lung Cancer | meta-analysis | Afatinib resulted in significantly longer progression-free survival (PFS) than erlotinib (hazard ratio [HR]: 0.59, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.46-0.75) and gefitinib (HR: 0.41, 95% CI: 0.32-0.53) in patients with the EGFR L858R mutation. | Source → |
| Afatinib Improves Survival in Lung Cancer Patients with Brain Metastases | Lung Cancer | meta-analysis | Afatinib could improve progression-free survival (PFS) by 42% (HR: 0.58, 95% CI: 0.39-0.85, p < 0.05). | Source → |
| Afatinib Effective in Lung Cancer with Rare EGFR Mutation | Lung Cancer | phase-2 | The patient achieved 11 months of progression-free survival. | Source → |
| Combining Herbs and Medication May Help Lung Cancer Treatment | Lung Cancer | lab-study | — | Source → |
| Afatinib Therapy Shows Promise in Treating Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer | Lung Cancer | observational | The total intervention effective rate of patients in treatment group B was significantly higher than that in patients in treatment group A. | Source → |
| New Method for Measuring Afatinib in Human Plasma | Lung Cancer | lab-study | — | Source → |
| Comparing Lung Cancer Treatments: Second- vs Third-Generation EGFR Inhibitors | Lung Cancer | observational | No significant differences in overall survival were observed between the two groups [afatinib vs. osimertinib=36 vs. 33 months (hazard ratio=2.917, 95% confidence interval=0.780-10.905; p=0.112)]. | Source → |
| Afatinib May Help Some Patients with Lung Cancer Resist Osimertinib | Lung Cancer | observational | — | Source → |
| Sarcopenia Affects Afatinib Dose in Lung Cancer Patients | Lung Cancer | observational | The median progression-free survival for afatinib was 12.0 months. | Source → |
| Afatinib's Effectiveness in Lung Cancer Patients with Rare Mutation Questioned | Lung Cancer | observational | — | Source → |
| Lower Starting Dose of Afatinib May Reduce Side Effects in Lung Cancer Patients | Lung Cancer | observational | The patients initially using 30 mg afatinib daily had a similar response rate (75% vs. 83%) and median progression-free survival (14.5 vs. 14.8 months) compared with those initially using 40 mg afatinib daily. | Source → |
| Afatinib Efficacy in Lung Cancer Patients After Prior Treatment | Lung Cancer | phase-2 | The objective response rate was 21.7% and the disease control rate was 76.7%. | Source → |
| Afatinib and Gefitinib Compared in Lung Cancer Patients | Lung Cancer | observational | Afatinib led to significantly longer progression-free survival (13.4 vs. 9.5 months) compared to gefitinib. | Source → |
| Afatinib treatment in elderly patient with rare lung cancer mutation | Lung Cancer | observational | — | Source → |
| Afatinib Efficacy in Advanced Lung Cancer with EGFR Mutations | Lung Cancer | meta-analysis | The overall response rate was 58.9% (48.8%, 68.7%), and the median overall survival was 31.6 (26.7, 36.5) months. | Source → |
This information is provided for general education only and is not medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making treatment decisions.