Factors associated with time to EGFR TKI treatment in patients with non-squamous metastatic non-small-cell lung cancer.

Assess factors associated with EGFR TKI initiation among patients with metastatic non-small-cell lung cancer (mNSCLC). Medicare Part D patients diagnosed with non-squamous mNSCLC and starting an EGFR TKI within 1 year of diagnosis were selected from the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER)-Medicare database. Associations between patient characteristics and time from diagnosis to treatment initiation (time-to-treatment [TTT]) were analyzed. Among the sample (n = 890), the patients who were younger, African-American or from rural communities had significantly longer TTT. Patients who did not receive surgery, who were Asian and those with brain metastases had significantly shorter TTT. Patient demographics and clinical characteristics may affect timeliness of EGFR TKI treatment for mNSCLC. Future research should examine potential barriers to treatment.