Work

Neoadjuvant almonertinib as a bridging strategy to surgery in resectable lung cancer with active COVID-19: a case report

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: While surgical postponement is recommended for patients with resectable non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and active COVID-19, safe and effective bridging therapies during the delay remain poorly defined, especially for epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-mutant disease. We report a 71-year-old woman with resectable EGFR-mutant lung adenocarcinoma and concurrent active COVID-19 pneumonia. After multidisciplinary consensus, neoadjuvant almonertinib (110 mg daily) was administered as a bridging strategy. After 10 weeks, imaging showed significant tumor regression and complete resolution of pulmonary infiltrates. The patient subsequently underwent successful thoracoscopic radical resection. Pathological examination revealed less than 5% viable tumor cells, meeting criteria for major pathologic response (MPR). Adjuvant almonertinib was started on postoperative day 2. At 36-month follow-up, she remains disease-free with no significant treatment-related adverse events observed. This case demonstrates a potentially viable approach that warrants further investigation in this high-risk clinical scenario, offering a management template that simultaneously addresses infection resolution and tumor control to enable curative surgery.

Source: Frontiers in Pharmacology

DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2026.1808763

Authors: Shihui Sun, Henghui Bian, Lili Jin, Jianbin Zhang

Institutions: Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Huzhou Central Hospital

Language: English

Topic: Lung Cancer Treatments and Mutations

Subfield: Pulmonary and Respiratory Medicine

Field: Medicine

Domain: Health Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $3,801