Safety of EGFR-TKIs for EGFR mutation-positive non-small cell lung cancer

Introduction: Lung cancer is the most prevalent malignant tumors worldwide. Over the past decade, the emergence of epidermal growth factor receptor-tyrosine kinase inhibitors (EGFR-TKIs) has ushered in a new era of lung cancer treatment. Therefore, clinical trials investigating the efficacy and safety of these drugs are important.Areas covered: This review provides an overview on the safety of three classes of EGFR-TKIs and discusses the adverse events (AEs) and reactions reported in the literature.Expert opinion: EGFR-TKIs significantly improve progression-free survival and overall survival in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients with an activating mutation of EGFR. However, EGFR-TKIs also block the EGFR-regulating pathways in the skin and gastrointestinal tract and cause AEs, including diarrhea, liver toxicity, skin disease, stomatitis, interstitial lung disease, and ocular toxicity, which have detrimental effects on quality of life and drug compliance. Clinicians should understand how to prevent and control these adverse reactions, which can often be achieved by dose reduction, discontinuation of treatment, or switching to another drug.