Changing causes of death post-epidermal growth factor receptor-tyrosine kinase inhibitor (EGFR-TKI) era in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

e18132 Background: EGFR-TKIs are effective against tumor EGFR-mutated NSCLC. Patients with tumor EGFR activating mutation (EGFRmu) (exon 19 deletions or exon 21 L958R) had better survival than those with EGFR wild-type tumors (EGFRwt). Many EGFRmu patients have had disease progression with EGFR-TKI treatment due to central nervous system (CNS) metastases, including meningeal carcinomatosis. The objective of this retrospective study is to compare the causes of death in patients with a known tumor EGFR mutation status who had been treated with EGFR-TKIs. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the chart records of our advanced NSCLC patients who had received diagnosis, treatment, and supportive and hospice care in our hospital between July 2005 and June 2010. Tumor EGFR mutation status was analyzed using the DNA sequence method. All enrolled patients had a documented cause of death. Results: Ninety-four patients had documented tumor EGFR data, had received EGFR-TKI treatment (either erlotinib or gefitinib), an...