Tagrisso® for Lung Cancer

Tagrisso® (osimertinib) is a targeted therapy designed to treat non-small cell lung cancer in patients with specific genetic mutations. Many patients have lived for 3 years or more cancer-free with this treatment. Learn more about Tagrisso and see if our team may be able to help you afford top lung cancer treatments.

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What Is Tagrisso for Lung Cancer?

Tagrisso is a medication used to kill lung cancer cells and potentially allow patients to live longer. It’s a type of lung cancer targeted therapy, meaning it identifies mutations unique to cancer cells so as to not harm normal cells.

Patients who have genetic mutations in a protein called epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) may be good candidates to receive Tagrisso.

Quick Facts About Tagrisso Lung Cancer Treatment

  • It’s a targeted lung cancer treatment used to treat early-stage and late-stage NSCLC.
  • The 5-year survival rate among early-stage lung cancer patients treated with Tagrisso is 88%.
  • Doctors may use Tagrisso by itself or in combination with other treatments to help patients live longer.
  • This treatment is the standard of care for advanced NSCLC.
  • Lung cancer compensation is available to help patients afford Tagrisso and other treatments.

Tagrisso is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Doctors continue to study Tagrisso for use in treating small cell lung cancer (SCLC), which is more aggressive and rare.

Get our Free Lung Cancer Guide to find out how treatments like Tagrisso may be able to help you or a loved one after a diagnosis.

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How Are Tagrisso Lung Cancer Drugs Used?

Tagrisso binds to mutated EGFR proteins found in lung cancer cells. EGFR helps cells grow, but mutations can cause out-of-control spread and lead to cancer. As a result, doctors can use Tagrisso to right this wrong and destroy lung cancer cells.

There are many ways doctors can use Tagrisso to treat lung cancer and improve patient survival times. Learn about the most common ways Tagrisso is used below.

Tagrisso for Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

Tagrisso is typically prescribed for patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). It is taken in a pill form once a day.

Tagrisso is used in the following ways to treat NSCLC:

  • After surgery: This is also known as adjuvant Tagrisso for lung cancer. Administering Tagrisso as a follow-up treatment after surgery could help kill microscopic cancer cells.
  • As a monotherapy: If patients have unresectable cancer (meaning surgery isn’t possible), doctors may use Tagrisso by itself to shrink cancer tumors. The 2024 LAURA trial found that using Tagrisso for stage 3 lung cancer reduced the risk of death by 84% in those who couldn’t get surgery.
  • With other treatments: Doctors may use Tagrisso in tandem with chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and other types of targeted therapy to help kill as many cancer cells as possible.

Doctors can recommend the best way to use Tagrisso in your case depending on factors like cancer spread, overall health, and more.

Tagrisso for Small Cell Lung Cancer

Tagrisso is currently not used for cases involving small cell lung cancer. However, researchers continue to study targeted therapies like Tagrisso with the hopes of improving survival rates among SCLC patients.

Tagrisso for Metastatic Lung Cancer

Tagrisso is considered one of the benchmark treatments for metastatic lung cancer. If NSCLC metastasis has occurred, Tagrisso may be used to control disease progression and improve quality of life.

Call (877) 446-5767 now for help affording treatments like Tagrisso that may allow you to live longer after a lung cancer diagnosis.

What Happens in Lung Cancer Tagrisso Treatment?

If you are prescribed Tagrisso for lung cancer, you’ll follow a standard treatment routine to maximize its benefits.

Most patients are prescribed a set dose of Tagrisso (often one 80 mg pill) once a day. Patients may receive Tagrisso treatments for up to 3 years if their cancer doesn’t spread and side effects are minimal, according to the drug’s manufacturer AstraZeneca.

After starting Tagrisso, ongoing care is key to monitoring its effectiveness and managing side effects. Patients should expect routine visits with their oncologists, as well as imaging tests like CT scans and MRIs, to ensure the treatment is working.

These appointments are also a good time to address any potential side effects with doctors. Additional labwork (like blood tests) may be ordered in some cases to ensure Tagrisso isn’t affecting the kidney, heart, or liver.

Tagrisso Lung Cancer Prognosis

Tagrisso has the potential to greatly improve lung cancer prognosis (patient health outcomes) for both early-stage and late-stage patients.

Learn about how Tagrisso can improve life expectancies and survival rates below.

Tagrisso Lung Cancer Survival Rate

Survival rate is the percentage of patients who are still living after a set period of time (usually 5 years).

Patients treated with Tagrisso had a 5-year lung cancer survival rate of 88% compared to just 78% who didn’t receive it, according to results from the 2023 ADAURA clinical trial.

This study shows the potential that Tagrisso has in helping more people become long-term lung cancer survivors.

Tagrisso and Lung Cancer Life Expectancy

Tagrisso may improve the life expectancy (average survival time) of many patients. Early-stage patients who received Tagrisso following surgery had a median survival of 5.5 years in a 2022 study.

Additionally, in a 2024 study, patients who couldn’t get surgery had a progression-free survival of over 3 years, greatly increasing their lung cancer life expectancies. Those treated with a placebo had a progression-free survival of just 5.6 months.

Get our Free Lung Cancer Guide to explore treatments like Tagrisso that could help improve your survival time after a lung cancer diagnosis.

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  • Find top treatments
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Side Effects of Tagrisso Lung Cancer Treatments

Like other lung cancer treatments, Tagrisso does pose a risk of side effects. Patients taking Tagrisso for lung cancer should report any side effects or signs of toxicity (bad reaction to treatment) so their oncology team can make adjustments to their care plan.

Notable side effects of Tagrisso for lung cancer include:

  • Blistering and skin lesions
  • Blood vessel inflammation
  • Bruising
  • Changes to vision
  • Dry skin
  • Electrolyte imbalances (low magnesium or potassium)
  • Fatigue
  • Fever
  • Heart failure
  • Lack of bone marrow blood cell production
  • Serious and potentially fatal lung problems
  • Shortness of breath

Another notable side effect of Tagrisso is that NSCLC cells can become resistant to it and actually turn into SCLC cells, according to the Go2 Foundation for Lung Cancer.

Cost of Tagrisso for Lung Cancer

While Tagrisso is a crucial lung cancer treatment for many, it’s often very expensive. Tagrisso can potentially cost tens of thousands of dollars out of pocket.

When Tagrisso was first approved, the manufacturer charged $12,750 for a one-month supply, making it unaffordable for many lung cancer patients.

Even with insurance, other treatment costs, hospital stays, and traveling to see lung cancer specialists can all add up. However, financial compensation options are available to help families afford the care they deserve.

Contact us now to find out if we may be able to help you afford Tagrisso and other lung cancer treatments. Our team will explore your options and pursue compensation on your behalf, if eligible.

Get Help Accessing Tagrisso Lung Cancer Treatments

If you or a loved one has lung cancer with EGFR genetic mutations, Tagrisso is an important treatment option to consider.

This therapy has the potential to help both early and late-stage NSCLC patients live longer and make more memories with their families.

At Lung Cancer Group, we may be able to assist you in:

  • Affording lung cancer targeted therapies like Tagrisso
  • Exploring the best treatment options after a diagnosis
  • Getting the support you and your family deserve

Get our Free Lung Cancer Guide or call (877) 446-5767 now to explore all the ways we may be able to help you.

Lung Cancer Tagrisso FAQs

How long does Tagrisso work for lung cancer?

Tagrisso can work to stop cancer spreading for 5 years or more in some cases. If your cancer is responding well to Tagrisso — in other words, it’s shrinking or not spreading — doctors may recommend you stay on the medication so you can hopefully live longer.

Yes, Tagrisso is effective for metastatic stage 4 lung cancer. Roughly 1 in 4 patients with metastatic NSCLC have mutations in the EGFR gene, meaning Tagrisso can be used in these patients to shrink tumors.

Patients treated with Tagrisso for stage 4 lung cancer lived for over 38 months on average when treated with Tagrisso, and 8 out of 10 patients saw their cancer shrink.

The life expectancy of a lung cancer patient on Tagrisso is typically several years.

A 2022 study found that early-stage NSCLC patients treated with Tagrisso following surgery had a progression-free survival of 5.5 years. If patients couldn’t get surgery, their progression-free survival was over 3 years in a separate study.

Contact us now for help finding and affording Tagrisso and other lung cancer treatments that could potentially improve your survival time.

Tagrisso is very effective in treating many cases of lung cancer, allowing patients to live longer and spend more time with their loved ones.

The 5-year overall survival rate for lung cancer patients treated with Tagrisso was 88% in a 2023 study, which was 10% higher than those treated with a placebo.

Patients with early-stage or late-stage non-small cell lung cancer may benefit from Tagrisso treatments. It can be used as the main treatment if other therapies fail or as part of a multimodal treatment plan.

Crucially, Tagrisso is only available to NSCLC patients who have EGFR mutations. Your health care providers can determine if you have this mutation through biomarker testing.

While Tagrisso doesn’t cure lung cancer, it can significantly slow progression and, in early-stage cases, reduce the risk of recurrence after surgery.

Doctors may use Tagrisso by itself or in combination with surgery, immunotherapy, or platinum-based chemotherapy drugs like pemetrexed to improve survival.

Call (877) 446-5767 now to learn more about top treatments like Tagrisso and how to get help paying for them.

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Lung Cancer Group was established by a team of caring advocates so those with lung cancer and other asbestos-related diseases can get the help they deserve. Our site provides the most accurate and up-to-date information about lung cancer, its link to asbestos, and financial compensation available to patients. Contact us to learn more and get assistance.

  1. American Lung Association. (2025, January 22). EGFR and Lung Cancer. Retrieved from https://www.lung.org/lung-health-diseases/lung-disease-lookup/lung-cancer/symptoms-diagnosis/biomarker-testing/egfr.
  2. AstraZeneca. (n.d.). New England Journal of Medicine publishes results of Phase III FLAURA trial in the 1st-line treatment of EGFR-mutated non-small cell lung cancer. Retrieved from https://www.astrazeneca.com/media-centre/medical-releases/new-england-journal-of-medicine-publishes-results-of-phase-iii-flaura-trial-in-the-1st-line-treatment-of-egfr-mutated-non-small-cell-lung-cancer-20112017.html.
  3. AstraZeneca. (2024, September 26). Tagrisso approved in the US for patients with unresectable, Stage III EGFR-mutated lung cancer. Retrieved from https://www.astrazeneca.com/media-centre/press-releases/2024/tagrisso-us-approval-in-unresectable-lung-cancer.html.
  4. AstraZeneca. (2022, September 11). Tagrisso demonstrated 5.5-year median disease-free survival in the adjuvant treatment of patients with EGFR-mutated lung cancer. Retrieved from https://www.astrazeneca.com/media-centre/press-releases/2022/tagrisso-demonstrated-5-year-median-disease-free-survival-in-the-adjuvant-treatment-of-patients-with-egfr-mutated-lung-cancer.html.
  5. ClinicalTrials.gov. (n.d.). FLAURA: A phase III study of AZD9291 versus standard EGFR-TKI therapy in patients with advanced EGFR mutation-positive NSCLC (Protocol No. NCT02511106). Retrieved from https://cdn.clinicaltrials.gov/large-docs/06/NCT02511106/Prot_000.pdf.
  6. Go2 Foundation for Lung Cancer. (2022, April 28). Small Cell Lung Cancer Transformation: What Is It and How Do We Treat It? Retrieved from https://go2.org/blog/small-cell-lung-cancer-transformation-what-is-it-and-how-do-we-treat-it/.
  7. Phillips, C. (2023, July 5). Lung Cancer Trial of Osimertinib Draws Praise—and Some Criticism. Retrieved from https://www.cancer.gov/news-events/cancer-currents-blog/2023/osimertinib-lung-cancer-adaura.
  8. Phillips, C. (2019, December 12). Osimertinib Improves Survival in Advanced Lung Cancer with EGFR Mutations. Retrieved from https://www.cancer.gov/news-events/cancer-currents-blog/2019/osimertinib-lung-cancer-improves-survival-flaura.
  9. Reuters. (n.d.). AstraZeneca’s Tagrisso to cost $12,750 for a month’s supply. Retrieved from https://www.reuters.com/article/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/astrazenecas-tagrisso-to-cost-12750-for-a-months-supply-idUSKCN0T61J1/.
  10. Tagrisso. (n.d.). About Tagrisso for late-stage EGFR+ NSCLC. Retrieved from https://www.tagrisso.com/late-stage-egfr-nsclc/about-tagrisso.html.
  11. Tagrisso. (n.d.). TAGRISSO: Convenient, once-daily dosing. Retrieved from https://www.tagrissohcp.com/resectable/adaura/dosing.html.
  12. Tagrisso. (n.d.). Official website for Tagrisso (osimertinib). Retrieved from https://www.tagrisso.com/.
  13. Tagrisso. (n.d.). Understanding different types of lung cancer. Retrieved from https://www.tagrisso.com/late-stage-egfr-nsclc/about-late-stage-nsclc.html.
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