Abstract: 【Abstract】ObjectiveTo compare the clinical outcomes of gefitinib and erlotinib treating nonsmallcell lung cancer (NSCLC) with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutation in either exon 19 or 21. MethodsA total of 242 patients diagnosed as NSCLC with EGFR mutation in either exon 19 or 21 from May 2013 to December 2014 in our hospital were chosen in this study. According to age, sex, smoking history, eastern cooperative oncology group performance status and types of EGFR mutation, all the patients were matched to 121 pairs, and randomly divided into group A and B. Patients in group A received gefitinib treatment, and those in group B received erlotinib treatment. Based on the response evaluation criteria in solid tumors (RECIST), overall response rate (ORR), disease control rate (DCR), progressionfree survival (PFS) were assessed. To assess the independent risk factors for PFS by univariate and multivariate Cox regression analysis. The subgroup analysis was performed for the 63 NSCLC patients using these two drugs as the firstline treatment. To evaluate the adverse drug reactions and quality of life between A and B groups. ResultsThe median PFS of group A and B were 11.6 months and 9.5 months， respectively, with no significant difference (HR=0.39, P＞0.05). The ORR and DCR in the two groups were 76.9%, 74.4% (χ2=1.03, P=0.58) and 90.1%, 86.8% (χ2=1.46, P=0.31). The independent risk factors of poor PFS were ECOG PS≥2 (HR=2.60, 95%CI：1.54-4.43, P=0.001) and nonadenocarcinoma (HR=3.61, 95%CI：1.548.66, P=0.003). For patients receiving these two drugs as the firstline treatment, there was no significant difference between two groups in overall response rates (76.6% vs. 90.2%, χ2=0.83, P=0.12) and median PFS (11.6 months vs. 14.4 months, HR=0.59, P＞0.05). The adverse drug reactions were significant differences in emotion function (F=10.27, P=0.03), diarrhea (F=10.24, P=0.03) and pain (F=9.02, P=0.04). After receiving drug treatment, the quality of life scores were improved, and most of the differences were statistically significant between A and B groups(P＜0.05). ConclusionAs for NSCLC with EGFR mutation in either exon 19 or 21, both gefitinib and erlotinib are well tolerated and have similar clinical effectiveness.

Key words: Carcinoma, nonsmallcell lung, Receptor, epidermal growth factor, Gefitinib, Erlotinib