Crizotinib: In locally advanced or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer

Crizotinib is an inhibitor of receptor tyrosine kinases (including anaplastic lymphoma kinase ALK).Oral crizotinib 250mg twice daily was associated with clinically meaningful response rates in two noncomparative trials (phase I and phase II) in patients with locally advanced or metastatic ALK-positive non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).In the phase I trial (median duration of treatment of 32 weeks) and phase II trial (median duration of treatment of 22 weeks), the objective response rate in crizotinib recipients was 61 and 50, respectively, and the median duration of response was 48.1 and 41.9 weeks, respectively. Responses were rapid, with the majority of patients achieving an objective response within the first 8 weeks of treatment.Crizotinib was generally well tolerated, with most adverse reactions being grade 1 or 2. The most commonly reported treatment-related adverse reactions were vision disorder, gastrointestinal disorders and oedema. © 2012 Adis Data Information BV. All rights reserved.