Key clinical point: For patients with EGFR-mutated, advanced non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), adding pemetrexed and carboplatin to standard gefitinib markedly extends survival, but at the cost of twice as many serious toxicities.

Major finding: Patients who received gefitinib with pemetrexed and carboplatin chemotherapy had a progression-free survival of 16 months, compared with 8 months among those who received gefitinib alone (P less than .001).

Study details: A randomized, open-label, phase III trial involving 350 patients with EGFR-mutated, advanced NSCLC.

Disclosures: The study was funded by Tata Memorial Center Research Administration Council, Fresenius Kabi India, Lung Cancer Consortium India, and others. The investigators reported relationships with Roche, Biocon, Amgen, and others.