Alexander Drilon, MD, research director, Early Drug Development, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, discusses the safety profile of brigatinib (Alunbrig) in ALK-positive non&shy;—small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Brigatinib is associated with a risk of early pulmonary events. These events occur in about 3% of patients who receive brigatinib as first-line therapy, according to results of the phase III ALTA-1L trial.

This toxicity appears to be mitigated with a lead-in dose of 90 mg daily for a week before increasing the dose to 180 mg daily for the remainder of treatment. If an early pulmonary event does occur, it can be managed by reducing the 90 mg dose, says Drilon.

Other toxicities with brigatinib are also associated with other TKIs, such as gastrointestinal issues, changes in liver function tests, and transaminitis. Additionally, myositis may occur as indicated through increased creatine phosphokinase levels, concludes Drilon.

Publications

® Publications page showcases all of the exclusive content that appears in the twice-monthly print publication 

 Multiple print supplements that run in tandem with 

, including meeting reporters, priority reports, My Treatment Approach, and Year in Review publications, can all be found on this Publications page. 

Lung Cancer

The OncLive Lung Cancer condition center page is a comprehensive resource for clinical news and expert insights on non–small cell lung cancer, small cell lung cancer, mesothelioma, and more. This page features news articles, interviews in written and video format, and podcasts that focus on unmet needs, treatment advances, and ongoing research in lung cancer.

Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center 

Cancer Centers

Partner

Targeted Advances in ALK+ NSCLC

Supplements and Featured Publications

Alexander Drilon, MD, discusses the safety profile of brigatinib in ALK-positive non&shy;–small cell lung cancer.

Dr. Drilon on the Safety Profile of Brigatinib in ALK+ NSCLC