MET Target Excites Treatment Paradigm for Patients With Lung Cancer

Roman Perez-Soler, MD, professor in the Department of Medicine (Oncology) and Department of Molecular Pharmacology, and chief of the Department of Medicine Division of Oncology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, discusses how MET mutations have evolved and impacted the treatment of patients with lung cancer.

Several compounds are now being used to target MET in patients with lung cancer, says Perez-Soler. It is exciting to have found a mutation in a sizeable subgroup that drives tumor growth. Capmatinib (Tabrecta), in particular, received its approval from the FDA in May 2020 for the treatment of patients with metastatic non–small cell lung cancer who harbor a MET exon 14 skipping mutation.

These specific compounds for MET can be used in the frontline setting, which was similarly observed with compounds for other targets. The MET mutation has a similar story to others, such as the EGFR inhibitor that has a number of different compounds targeting EGFR. According to Perez-Soler, new technology can help physicians identify a compound specific to MET for these patients so that they achieve response rates of 60% to 80% and progression-free survival medians around 10 to 12 months.