Can my brother's lung cancer be cured with targeted therapy?

Question

Hello doctor,

My younger brother is 24 years old and was recently diagnosed with lung cancer after having a persistent cough and occasional chest pain for about three months. We were very shocked because he had never smoked and was otherwise healthy. A CT scan showed a tumor in the right lung measuring around 2.6 cm, and the biopsy confirmed lung adenocarcinoma.

Further genetic testing of the tumor showed an EGFR mutation, and the oncologist said this is a type of genetic lung cancer that can respond to targeted therapy. His hemoglobin is 12.9 grams per deciliter, and other routine blood tests are mostly normal. Doctors are considering starting targeted therapy soon instead of traditional chemotherapy.

Can targeted therapy cure genetic lung cancer at such a young age, or does it mainly help control the disease?
How long do these treatments usually work, and
Are there chances of long-term remission?
What factors determine whether targeted therapy will be successful?

Kindly advise.

Answer 1

Hello,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

I have read your query and understand your concern.

I understand how concerning this situation is for the family, especially at a young age, in a non-smoker. The presence of an EGFR mutation in lung adenocarcinoma is an important finding because it allows the use of targeted therapy.

Targeted therapy works differently from chemotherapy. These medicines block the abnormal epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) pathway responsible for cancer growth. As a result, many patients show tumor shrinkage and improvement in symptoms, sometimes within a few weeks.

Whether the disease can be cured depends mainly on the stage at diagnosis. If it is detected early and can be completely removed by surgery, a cure is possible, and targeted therapy may be used afterward to reduce the risk of recurrence. In more advanced cases, targeted therapy is mainly used to control the disease for a longer period.

These treatments can remain effective for a few years in many patients, commonly around 2 to three years, and sometimes longer. Over time, resistance may develop, but additional newer targeted drugs are often available to manage this.

The outcome depends on factors such as the specific EGFR mutation type, stage of disease, overall tumor burden, timing of treatment, and response on follow-up scans. In general, patients who start appropriate therapy early and are closely monitored tend to have better control of the disease.

I hope you are satisfied with my answer. For further queries, you can consult me at iCliniq.

Thank you.