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How effective is Alecensa for ALK-positive NSCLC?

Medically reviewed by Melisa Puckey, BPharm. Last updated on Jan 31, 2024.

Official answer

by Drugs.com

Alecensa (alectinib) is used to treat anaplastic lymphoma kinase positive non-small cell lung cancer (ALK-positive NSCLC) that has spread to other parts of the body.

The updated results from the ALEX clinical trial (NCT02075840) shows that alectinib (Alecensa) is very effective at treating ALK-positive non-small-cell lung cancer (ALK-positive NSLC cancer), as it significantly prolonged the median progression-free survival to 34.8 months compared to 10.9 months for crizotinib.

For patients with ALK-positive NSLC cancer that has spread to the central nervous system (CNS), alectinib was effective in increasing progression-free survival to 25.4 months compared to 7.4 months for crizotinib .

The recent updated results from the ALEX clinical trial showed a higher 5-year overall survival rate for alectinib of 62.5% compared to 45.5% with crizotinib.


Bottom line:

  • Alectinib is an effective medicine used to treat metastasized anaplastic lymphoma kinase positive non-small cell lung cancer.
  • Alectinib has been shown to increase the median progression-free survival to 34.8 months (compared to 10.9 for crizotinib)
  • Alectinib has an increase in the 5-year overall survival rate to 62.5% compared to 45.5% to crizotinib.
References

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