Real-world outcomes of systemic therapy sequencing after earlier-generation EGFR TKI failure in NSCLC with brain metastases.

2028 Background: Patients with EGFR-mutated non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) frequently develop BM, and CNS progression is a common mode of failure on earlier-generation EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs). After TKI failure in the setting of BM, optimal next-line systemic therapy remains uncertain, particularly regarding the comparative effectiveness of targeted escalation, immunotherapy (IO)-based regimens, and chemotherapy. Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study using the TriNetX Global Collaborative Network. We identified EGFR-mutated NSCLC patients treated with first- or second-generation EGFR TKIs who subsequently developed metachronous BM and initiated next-line systemic therapy between 2015 and 2025. Patients with leptomeningeal disease prior to earlier-generation TKI exposure were excluded. Treatment strategies were categorized as targeted escalation with osimertinib, IO-based therapy (immune checkpoint inhibitor with or without chemotherapy), or chemotherapy alone. The index date was defined as initiation of next-line systemic therapy. Propensity score matching was performed for pairwise comparisons. The primary endpoint was overall survival (OS) at 180 days. Restricted mean survival time (RMST) through 181 days was evaluated as a sensitivity analysis. Baseline covariate balance after matching was assessed using standardized mean differences, with values <0.10 indicating adequate balance. Results: After propensity score matching with adequate baseline balance, osimertinib was associated with significantly lower 180-day mortality compared with chemotherapy (24.5% vs 33.2%; hazard ratio [HR] 0.69, 95% CI 0.47–1.00). Comparisons between osimertinib and IO-based therapy showed numerically lower 180-day mortality with osimertinib (26.0% vs 32.6%; HR 0.79, 95% CI 0.54–1.15), but this difference did not reach statistical significance. Similarly, IO-based therapy was not associated with a statistically significant survival advantage compared with chemotherapy alone (31.7% vs 37.5%; HR 0.78, 95% CI 0.58–1.06). RMST analyses for death over 181 days were directionally consistent with hazard ratio–based results, with modest, non-significant differences in mean survival time. Conclusions: In EGFR-mutated NSCLC patients with metachronous brain metastases after earlier-generation TKI failure, targeted escalation with osimertinib was associated with significantly lower 180-day mortality compared with chemotherapy. IO-based approaches demonstrated intermediate, directionally favorable but non-significant outcomes relative to both osimertinib and chemotherapy. These real-world findings support guideline recommendations prioritizing next-generation TKIs and help inform systemic treatment sequencing in a CNS-enriched population where prospective data remain limited.