Change in serum KL-6 level from baseline is useful for predicting life-threatening EGFR-TKIs induced interstitial lung disease

Background A high incidence of interstitial lung disease (ILD) has been reported in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) treated with epidermal growth factor receptor-tyrosine kinase inhibitors (EGFR-TKIs), particularly in Japanese populations. A previous report from our laboratory demonstrated that KL-6 was a useful serum biomarker to assess the severity of drug-induced pneumonitis. Based on these observations, this study was conducted to evaluate the risk factors of EGFR-TKIs induced ILD and the usefulness of monitoring serum KL-6 levels in patients who developed EGFR-TKIs induced ILD in a large multi-institutional setting.