Epidermal growth factor receptor-tyrosine kinase inhibitors are used as effective first-line and salvage therapy in the treatment of advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients in East Asia. The objective of this study was to compare the efficacy of gefitinib and erlotinib in Taiwanese patients with advanced NSCLC.

Clinical data of NSCLC patients treated with gefitinib or erlotinib from January 2004 to December 2008 were collected retrospectively. Five tertiary referral centers in Taiwan participated in the study.

Of the 1122 patients enrolled, 506 (45%) were female, 594 (53%) were never smokers or former light smokers, and 867 (77%) were diagnosed with adenocarcinoma. Epidermal growth factor receptor-tyrosine kinase inhibitors were prescribed as first-line treatment in 465 (41%) patients and as second-line or salvage therapy in 657 patients (59%). The objective response rate was similar between the gefitinib and erlotinib treatment groups, while disease control rate was 58.9 and 65.8% (p = 0.025), respectively. Median progression-free survival of gefitinib and erlotinib groups was 3.6 and 4.6 months, respectively (p = 0.027). Median overall survival of gefitinib and erlotinib groups was 9.6 and 10.7 months, respectively (p = 0.013).

Taiwanese patients with advanced NSCLC treated with erlotinib reported higher disease control rate, longer progression-free survival, and overall survival compared with patients treated with gefitinib.