Disparities in Treatment Patterns for Advanced ALK- and EGFR-Mutated Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Patients in Mexico.

Authors

Luis Arturo Sanchez Trujillo, Diego Armando Díaz García, Ida Caterina García-Appendini, Nohemi Caballero, Nils Ramirez Knape, Sandra Evangelina Herrera, Jose Francisco Olguin, Guilherme Silva Julian

Published in

Thoracic cancer. Volume 17. Issue 21.

Abstract

Lung cancer remains a significant global health burden, with most cases in Mexico diagnosed at advanced stages. Disparities in access to molecular testing and targeted therapies for ALK- and EGFR-mutated non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) may impact patient outcomes.
We conducted a descriptive, observational, cross-sectional study using real-world data from the Oncology Dynamics database. Mexican patients with advanced/metastatic ALK+ or EGFR+ NSCLC were stratified by healthcare sector (public vs. private) to assess differences in diagnostic testing and treatment access.
Among 324 patients with advanced NSCLC, 63.6% were male and 63.9% were treated in public healthcare settings. EGFR and ALK testing rates were higher in the private sector. EGFR mutations were detected in 47% and ALK rearrangements in 13%. Private sector ALK+ patients all received second-generation inhibitors, while public sector patients received a mix of second-generation (38.5%), first-generation (23.1%), and chemotherapy (23.1%). EGFR+ patients in private care had greater access to third-generation therapies (45.5%) compared to public care (28.2%), where first-generation drugs were most common (62.8%). Supportive care was more frequent in private settings. Significant disparities in molecular testing, targeted therapy access, and supportive care were observed between sectors.
This study highlights important differences in molecular testing and access to targeted therapies between public and private healthcare funding sources among patients with EGFR- or ALK-positive advanced NSCLC in Mexico, emphasizing the need for policy interventions to improve equity in cancer care.

PMID:
43003698
Bibliographic data and abstract were imported from PubMed on 10 Nov 2026.

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