OBJECTIVES: Recently a number of drugs improving overall survival in lung cancer have become available. The objective of the study is to assess their potential impact on reducing cancer mortality in Russia.

METHODS: Based on clinical guidelines for lung cancer, we selected medications registered in Russia, which have demonstrated proven overall survival benefits in clinical trials. The target patient population size was assessed for each selected medication and clinical scenario. Allocation of patients between therapy schemes was determined based on expert survey. Using this information and overall survival data from clinical trials, we estimated the difference in patient cohort size after 1 year of treatment between the modern medication and its standard alternative. This difference represents the medication's contribution to reducing mortality.

RESULTS: 13 medications that are used in 8 clinical scenarios meet the selection criteria. These drugs have the potential to benefit a total of 23,232 patients annually, ranging from 521 individuals (ALK inhibitors) to 8,561 individuals (combination of immunotherapy and chemotherapy). This patient population represents 41% of the newly diagnosed cases of lung cancer in 2021, totaling 56,328 cases. Among the selected drugs, pembrolizumab+chemo exhibits the most significant impact, with an estimated benefit of 1,116 prevented deaths, followed by atezolizumab (350) and nivolumab (316). Collectively, the considered medications have the potential to prevent 3,064 deaths annually, accounting for approximately 7% of the total deaths from lung cancer in Russia in 2021 (46,798 cases).

CONCLUSIONS: Using modern medications in the treatment of lung cancer demonstrates a notable reduction in mortality rates from neoplasms. However their contribution varies significantly due to differences in patient population size and variations in the comparative effectiveness of these drugs.