Dr. Drilon Discusses CNS Penetration in NSCLC

Alexander Drilon, MD, medical oncologist, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, discusses central nervous system penetration in the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer.

Alexander Drilon, MD, medical oncologist, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, discusses central nervous system (CNS) penetration in the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

In general, NSCLC tumors like to metastasize to a CNS compartment, says Drilon. Now that tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) are being tested, it is important to focus on CNS penetration during new drug development.

Drilon says that investigators could take note from studies in ALK-rearranged disease, which has been testing drugs that successfully penetrate the CNS.