Although RET fusions occur in only around 1%-2% of NSCLC patients, outcomes are generally poor and there is a high risk for brain metastases.
RET-positive advanced/metastatic disease has generally been treated with multikinase inhibitors such as cabozantinib, vandetanib, or alectinib. Recently, however, the development and approval of therapies that specifically target RET have provided several new treatment options for this subgroup of patients.
Dr Alexander Drilon, of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, discusses the recently approved RET-specific therapies, selpercatinib and pralsetinib. He reports that clinical trial data show that these targeted agents can achieve higher response rates than multikinase inhibitors while providing a favorable safety profile.
Given the progress in targeting RET fusions, Dr Drilon underscores the importance of mutation identification and describes approaches to next-generation sequencing.
Dr Drilon also considers the potential for drug resistance to these targeted therapies, and outlines strategies for treating resistance with combination therapy and next-generation RET inhibitors currently in development.
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Cite this: RET Targeting in Advanced/Metastatic Non–Small Cell Lung Cancer - Medscape - Oct 04, 2022.
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