Chang CY, Chen CY, Chang SC, et al. - Longer progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) in relation to a good ECOG performance status (PS) and < 3 metastatic sites at diagnosis were observed in older patients with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-mutated non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and receiving EGFR- (tyrosine kinase inhibitors) TKI treatment. A longer PFS was afforded by afatinib as first-line therapy whereas better OS was evident in relation to a relatively younger age and no brain metastasis at diagnosis.

• This study included patients 65 years or older with EGFR-mutated Stage IIIB–IV NSCLC, managed with first-line EGFR-TKI treatment.

• Of 237 patients included, 205 were eligible for efficacy and outcome analyses.

• Of those, 91 (44.4%) were grouped as poor PS (2– 4).

• Older age, higher proportion of brain metastases, more comorbidities, and more probability of receiving first-generation TKIs were noted in patients categorized as poor PS vs those with good PS (0– 1).

• PFS and OS of 17.1 and 26.7 months, respectively, were achieved in patients with good PS and 12.7 and 18.2 months in those with poor PS.