Weight Gain as a Side Effect of Lung Cancer Targeted Therapy

In recent years, targeted therapies have transformed the treatment landscape for non-small cell lung cancer; however, as these therapies become increasingly used, new and sometimes underrecognized side effects have emerged, according to Dr. Lorenzo Belluomini.

One such side effect is weight gain, particularly associated with tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) targeting ALK and other oncogenes. At the IASLC 2025 World Conference on Lung Cancer in Barcelona, Spain, Belluomini presented findings from his research, “Weight Gain Induced by Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors in Oncogene-Addicted Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: A Meta-Analysis and Meta-Regression Study,” highlighting this important issue.

Belluomini is a medical oncologist and researcher based at the University of Verona, in Italy, where he serves as an assistant professor.

Transcript

What are some of the lesser-known side effects of targeted therapies in non-small cell lung cancer, and how do you manage them in clinical practice?

As we all know, targeted therapies have revolutionized the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer, especially in advanced stages but also in the early setting. We now know that there are several adverse events that are underreported or not well understood. One of these, and an important one for me and our group, is weight gain.

Weight gain is something that we face every day in clinical practice, especially with some specific drugs, such as certain TKIs like anti-ALK TKIs. We have focused our clinic and our research on this specific topic because we believe that with appropriate management (especially with nutritional counseling or a specific exercise program) this type of [side effect] could be mitigated to some degree.

Weight gain usually starts from the first month of treatment. With the appropriate management, as I said, such as specific nutritional counseling or an exercise program, it could be mitigated. The duration of these [side effects] is usually three to six months, but it's important to discover and diagnose this type of [side effect] early in the treatment pathway in order to manage it.

Transcript has been edited for clarity and conciseness.

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