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Clinical trials have transformed the treatment landscape for people with ALK- and EGFR-positive non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). But while clinical trials are essential, they don’t always reflect what happens with treatments in the real world. Project PEER aims to address this need by capturing the lived experiences of patients outside of a trial setting.
A new data analysis, presented by Upal Basu Roy, PhD, MPH, LUNGevity’s Executive Director of Research at the 2025 World Conference on Lung Cancer, followed patients with ALK+ and EGFR+ NSCLC for 12 months to understand how often and why treatments were changed.
The findings show that more EGFR+ patients changed treatments than ALK+ patients. The most common reason was cancer progression (when the tumor begins to grow again). The second most frequent reason was treatment side effects. Surprisingly, only 27% of patients reported trying a dose adjustment before switching to a new medication.
These results highlight a critical point: treatment experiences in the real-world matter. Understanding how treatments impact a patient’s overall quality of life, including their physical and emotional wellbeing, allows us to create better care strategies and helps doctors and patients make more informed decisions.
As Dr. Basu Roy explains, “Real-world data like these give us a window into how patients are truly living with their treatment, and not just how they’re doing in a controlled trial environment.”
By pairing real-world insights with clinical trial evidence, researchers can better support patients navigating the challenges of lung cancer treatment.
More LUNGevity research from the 2025 World Conference on Lung Cancer: