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Komatsu, Yoshito

0000-0002-1570-6802

Mayo Clinic

Hokkaido University Hospital

Citations 8

Abstract CT131: A randomized, double-blind, phase III study comparing trifluridine/tipiracil (FTD/TPI) versus placebo in patients with molecular residual disease following curative resection of colorectal cancer (CRC): The ALTAIR Study
Watanabe, Jun, Kotaka, Masahito , Matsuhashi, Nobuhisa , Hirata, Keiji , Liu, Minetta C. , Aleshin, Alexey , Takemasa, Ichiro , Sato, Akihito , Taniguchi, Hiroya, Bando, Hideaki , Oki, Eiji , Komatsu, Yoshito , Shiozawa, Manabu , Miyamoto, Yuji , Yeh, Kun‐Huei , Sharma, Shruti , Aushev, Vasily N. , Jurdi, Adham Adel , Kotani, Daisuke , Sato, Akihito, Misumi, Toshihiro , Nakamura, Yoshiaki , Shi, Qian , Kato, Takeshi , Yoshino, Takayuki

Cancer Research | April 25, 2025 | Volume: 85 | Issue: 8_Supplement_2 | Pages: CT131-CT131

10.1158/1538-7445.am2025-ct131 Get It

Abstract Background: Tumor-informed circulating tumor (ct) DNA testing is recognized as a powerful predictor of CRC recurrence. However, the benefit of systemic therapy to prevent or delay clinical recurrence in patients (pts) with molecular recurrence after curative surgery remains uncertain. Methods: Pts with CRC who had undergone curative resection of primary and/or metastatic sites + standard of care (SoC) adjuvant treatment, if applicable, were enrolled in ALTAIR study if they (1) prospectively tested positive for ctDNA using a clinically validated, personalized assay (Signatera™, Natera, Inc.) within 3 months before enrollment and (2) had no recurrence on radiological (CT) imaging. Pts were randomized to receive FTD/TPI or placebo for 6 months. CT scans and ctDNA analyses were conducted every 2 months in the first year, every 3 months in the second year, and every 6 months in the third year. The primary endpoint was disease-free survival (DFS), with secondary endpoints including ctDNA clearance, overall survival (OS), and adverse events. The study assumed a median DFS of 8 months in the placebo group, an HR of 0.667 for the FTD/TPI group, 0.05 significance level, 0.80 power, 2-year enrollment, and 1-year follow-up, requiring 240 pts and 190 DFS events. Baseline ctDNA levels were evaluated by mean tumor molecules (MTM)/ml. Results: Between July 2020 and June 2023, 243 pts were enrolled and randomized to FTD/TPI (n=122) or placebo (n=121). Baseline characteristics were balanced, and 96.3% of pts received SoC treatment postoperatively. FTD/TPI group had a median DFS of 9.30 months vs. 5.55 months in the placebo group, which did not reach statistical significance in the primary population (HR, 0.79; 95% CI, 0.60-1.05; P = 0.107). The benefit was highly pronounced, however, in stage IV pts (HR: 0.53, P = 0.012). In addition, after excluding pts with low ctDNA levels (<0.179 MTM/mL, threshold determined by ROC analysis) from both arms, significant benefit with FTD/TPI was observed in the primary population, resulting in an improved DFS (N=154, HR: 0.61 95% CI: 0.43-0.85; P = 0.003) with a median DFS of 8.12 months for FTD/TPI vs. 3.89 months for placebo; consistent with these findings, a trend toward higher ctDNA clearance rate was observed for the FTD/TPI group (8.33%), compared to placebo (4.05%).OS data remain immature, with 24 events reported across both arms. Grade ≥3 adverse events occurred in 73.0% of the FTD/TPI arm versus 3.3% in the placebo arm, with no new safety signals. Conclusions: Although statistical significance was not reached in the primary population, FTD/TPI showed benefit in pts with high molecular tumor burden and/ or Stage IV disease, resulting in improved DFS. Citation Format: Hideaki Bando, Jun Watanabe, Masahito Kotaka, Nobuhisa Matsuhashi, Eiji Oki, Yoshito Komatsu, Manabu Shiozawa, Keiji Hirata, Yuji Miyamoto, Kun-Huei Yeh, Shruti Sharma, Vasily Aushev, Adham Jurdi, Minetta C. Liu, Alexey Aleshin, Ichiro Takemasa, Daisuke Kotani, Akihito Sato, Toshihiro Misumi, Yoshiaki Nakamura, Qian Shi, Hiroya Taniguchi, Takeshi Kato, Takayuki Yoshino. A randomized, double-blind, phase III study comparing trifluridine/tipiracil (FTD/TPI) versus placebo in patients with molecular residual disease following curative resection of colorectal cancer (CRC): The ALTAIR Study [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2025; Part 2 (Late-Breaking, Clinical Trial, and Invited Abstracts); 2025 Apr 25-30; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2025;85(8_Suppl_2):Abstract nr CT131.
A randomized, double-blind, phase III study comparing trifluridine/tipiracil (FTD/TPI) versus placebo in patients with molecular residual disease following curative resection of colorectal cancer (CRC): The ALTAIR study.
Watanabe, Jun, Kotaka, Masahito , Matsuhashi, Nobuhisa , Hirata, Keiji , Aleshin, Alexey , Takemasa, Ichiro , Sato, Akihiro , Taniguchi, Hiroya, Bando, Hideaki , Oki, Eiji , Komatsu, Yoshito , Shiozawa, Manabu , Miyamoto, Yuji , Yeh, Kun‐Huei , Kotani, Daisuke , Misumi, Toshihiro , Nakamura, Yoshiaki , Shi, Qian , Kato, Takeshi , Yoshino, Takayuki

Journal of Clinical Oncology | January 27, 2025 | Volume: 43 | Issue: 4_suppl | Pages: No page available

10.1200/jco.2025.43.4_suppl.lba22 Get It

LBA22 Background: Tumor-informed circulating tumor (ct) DNA testing is recognized as a powerful predictor of CRC recurrence. However, the benefit of systemic therapy to prevent or delay clinical recurrence in patients (pts) with molecular recurrence after curative surgery remains uncertain. Methods: Pts with CRC who had undergone curative resection of primary and/or metastatic sites + standard of care (SoC) adjuvant treatment if applicable, were enrolled in ALTAIR study if they (1) prospectively tested positive for ctDNA using a clinically validated, personalized assay (Signatera™, Natera, Inc.) within 3 months before enrollment and (2) had no recurrence on radiological (CT) imaging. Pts were randomized to receive FTD/TPI or placebo for 6 months. CT and ctDNA analyses were conducted every 2 months in the first year, every 3 months in the second year, and every 6 months in the third year. The primary endpoint was disease-free survival (DFS), with secondary endpoints including ctDNA clearance, overall survival (OS), and adverse events. The study assumed a median DFS of 8 months in the placebo group, an HR of 0.667 for the FTD/TPI group, 0.05 significance level, 0.80 power, 2-year enrollment, and 1-year follow-up, requiring 240 pts and 190 DFS events. Baseline ctDNA levels were evaluated by mean tumor molecules (MTM)/ml. Results: Between July 2020 and June 2023, 243 pts were enrolled and randomized to FTD/TPI (n=122) or placebo (n=121). Baseline characteristics were balanced, and 96.3% of pts received SoC treatment postoperatively. FTD/TPI group had a median DFS of 9.30 months vs. 5.55 months in the placebo group, but this difference did not reach statistical significance in the primary population (HR, 0.79; 95% CI, 0.60-1.05; P = 0.107). The FTD/TPI benefit was highly significant in resected oligometastatic stage IV pts as shown in Table. The baseline MTM/ml levels were significantly higher in resected oligometastatic Stage IV pts vs non-Stage IV (0.68 vs 0.32, P = 0.024). Overall, FTD/TPI benefit was significantly pronounced with higher MTM/mL, with linear benefit observed with increasing MTM/mL values at the enrollment time point. OS data remain immature, with 24 events reported across both arms. Grade ≥3 adverse events occurred in 73.0% of the FTD/TPI arm versus 3.3% in the placebo arm, with no new safety signals. Conclusions: Although statistical significance was not reached in the primary population, FTD/TPI showed clinically meaningful DFS benefit in pts with resected oligometastatic disease and a trend towards increasing DFS benefits with increasing MTM/mL values. Clinical trial information: NCT04457297 . Number Baseline MTM/ml Median DFS FTD/TPI(months) Placebo (months) Primary population 243 0.40 9.30 5.55 HR, 0.79 P = 0.107 Stage IV 66 0.68 9.76 3.96 HR, 0.53 P = 0.012 Non-Stage IV 177 0.32 9.26 6.05 HR, 0.86 P = 0.378
Clinical impact of MAPK pathway alterations in advanced biliary tract cancer (BTC): SCRUM-Japan GOZILA and COLOMATE international collaboration.
Takahashi, Hideaki , Umemoto, Kumiko , Datto, Michael , Ueno, Makoto, Walden, Daniel , Esaki, Taito, Thomas, Oliver , Taniguchi, Hiroya, Bando, Hideaki, Morizane, Chigusa, Caughey, Bennett Adam , Green, Michelle F. , Nakamura, Yoshiaki , Ueno, Makoto , Esaki, Taito , Oliver, Thomas, Komatsu, Yoshito , Mizuno, Nobumasa , Oki, Eiji , Bando, Hideaki , Morizane, Chigusa , Yoshino, Takayuki , Strickler, John H. , Ikeda, Masafumi , Bekaii‐Saab, Tanios

Journal of Clinical Oncology | June 6, 2022 | Volume: 40 | Issue: 16_suppl | Pages: 4086-4086

10.1200/jco.2022.40.16_suppl.4086 Get It

4086 Background: Abnormalities in the MAPK pathway are potential therapeutic targets in various cancers. However, the clinical impact of alterations in the MAPK pathway in BTC have not been elucidated, especially outside of canonical mutations in KRAS and BRAF. We investigated the clinical outcomes of advanced BTC with MAPK pathway alterations treated with chemotherapy in Japan and the United States. Methods: Patients with advanced BTC who received gemcitabine plus cisplatin as first-line therapy were included from the GOZILA study in Japan and Duke Molecular Registry of Tumors in the US. Genetic abnormalities were detected by Guardant360, a cell-free DNA assay, in Japan and by blood or tissue-based next-generation sequencing (NGS) at Duke University. Two hundred and seven patients with BTC from Japan were included in an exploratory cohort to evaluate the association of MAPK alterations with overall survival (OS) according to MAPK alteration status. One hundred and ten patients with BTC from both Japan and the US harboring oncogenic alterations in the MAPK pathway were included in a biomarker selected cohort to assess the association of specific MAPK alterations with OS. Multivariate analysis was performed using a Cox regression model based on a univariate p-value < 0.2. Results: MAPK pathway-related oncogenic alterations detected in each cohort are shown in the table below. In the exploratory cohort, median OS was shorter for patients with MAPK alterations vs. no MAPK alteration (15.9 m vs. 24.9 m, log-rank p = 0.001). Based on univariate analysis, the following covariates were selected for multivariate analyses: age, prior resection, and MAPK pathway alteration in the exploratory cohort; country, the timing of NGS, distant metastasis, KRAS amplification, and BRAF class 2 mutation in the biomarker selected cohort. In the exploratory cohort, multivariate analysis identified MAPK pathway alterations as an independent predictor of shorter OS with a HR of 1.92 (95% CI = 1.28-2.87, p = 0.001). In the biomarker selected cohort, multivariate analysis identified BRAF class 2 mutations and KRAS amplification as independent predictors of shorter OS with a HR of 16.2 (95% CI = 3.26-80.8, p = 0.001) and 5.97 (95% CI = 1.74-19.3, p = 0.002) respectively. Conclusions: MAPK pathway alterations, especially BRAF class 2 mutation and KRAS amplification, had a significant negative impact on clinical outcomes in BTC receiving first-line chemotherapy. These results are newly confirmed in BTC. [Table: see text]
Updated results of the FOENIX-CCA2 trial: Efficacy and safety of futibatinib in intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (iCCA) harboring FGFR2 fusions/rearrangements.
Morizane, Chigusa, Kelley, Robin Kate , Furuse, Junji , Chang, Heung-Moon, Masuda, Kunihiro , Ahn, Daniel H. , Li, Kate , Goyal, Lipika , Meric‐Bernstam, Funda , Hollebecque, Antoine , Morizane, Chigusa , Valle, Juan W. , Karasic, Thomas Benjamin , Abrams, Thomas A. , Cassier, Philippe A. , Furuse, Junji , Klümpen, Heinz‐Josef , Chen, Li‐Tzong , Komatsu, Yoshito , Benhadji, Karim A. , Wacheck, Volker , Bridgewater, John

Journal of Clinical Oncology | June 6, 2022 | Volume: 40 | Issue: 16_suppl | Pages: 4009-4009

10.1200/jco.2022.40.16_suppl.4009 Get It

4009 Background: Survival outcomes are historically poor in patients (pts) with advanced/metastatic iCCA, with median overall survival (mOS) times of approximately 1 year with first-line gemcitabine plus cisplatin and approximately 6 months with second-line chemotherapy. Futibatinib, a highly selective, irreversible FGFR1–4 inhibitor, demonstrated efficacy with durable responses in pts with iCCA harboring FGFR2 fusion/rearrangements in the pivotal FOENIX-CCA2 phase 2 study (NCT02052778). At the primary analysis of this trial (data cutoff: October 1, 2020), an objective response rate (ORR) of 41.7% was observed, with a median duration of response (mDOR) of 9.7 mo. Here, we report updated efficacy (including mature OS data) and safety data from the final analysis with an additional 8 mo of follow-up. Methods: FOENIX-CCA2 was a single-arm phase 2 study that enrolled pts with advanced/metastatic iCCA with FGFR2 fusion/rearrangement and progressive disease (PD) after ≥1 prior treatment (tx; including gemcitabine plus platinum-based chemotherapy). Pts received futibatinib 20 mg once daily until PD/intolerability. The primary endpoint was ORR per RECIST v1.1 by independent central review. Secondary endpoints were DOR, disease control rate (DCR), progression-free survival (PFS), OS, safety, and patient-reported outcomes. Results: At the time of the final data cutoff (May 29, 2021), median follow-up was 25.0 mo, and 96/103 pts (93%) had discontinued tx. The median number of tx cycles was 13.0 for a median tx duration of 9.1 mo. The confirmed ORR was 41.7% (43/103) and thereby the same as of the primary analysis, as was the DCR (at 82.5%). The ORR was consistent across pt subgroups. The mDOR was 9.5 mo, and 74% of responses lasted ≥6 mo. mPFS was 8.9 mo, with a 12-mo PFS rate of 35.4%. Mature mOS was 20.0 mo, with a 12-mo OS rate of 73.1% . No new safety signals were identified. Common tx-related adverse events (TRAEs) included hyperphosphatemia (85%), alopecia (33%), dry mouth (30%), diarrhea (28%), dry skin (27%), and fatigue (25%). TRAEs resulted in tx discontinuation in 4 pts (4%). No tx-related deaths occurred. Quality of life was maintained from baseline to tx cycle 13. Conclusions: Findings from the final analysis of FOENIX-CCA2 confirm the results of the primary analysis and reinforce the durable efficacy and continued tolerability of futibatinib in previously treated pts with advanced/metastatic iCCA harboring FGFR2 fusion/rearrangements. Mature OS data were consistent with data from the primary analysis and far exceed historical data in this patient population. Clinical trial information: NCT02052778.
Identification of an optimal circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) shedding threshold to detect actionable driver mutations in colorectal and pancreatic adenocarcinoma.
Umemoto, Kumiko , D'Anna, Rachel , Ueno, Makoto, Taniguchi, Hiroya , Walden, Daniel , Esaki, Taito, Ramaker, Ryne C. , Denda, Tadamichi , Datto, Michael , Bando, Hideaki, Caughey, Bennett Adam , Green, Michelle F. , Ikeda, Masafumi , Ueno, Makoto , Niedzwiecki, Donna , Komatsu, Yoshito , Zhou, Katherine Ismei , Esaki, Taito , Bando, Hideaki , Bekaii‐Saab, Tanios , Yoshino, Takayuki , Strickler, John H. , Nakamura, Yoshiaki

Journal of Clinical Oncology | June 6, 2022 | Volume: 40 | Issue: 16_suppl | Pages: 3571-3571

10.1200/jco.2022.40.16_suppl.3571 Get It

3571 Background: In colorectal cancer (CRC), mutations in KRAS, NRAS, and BRAF predict resistance to anti-EGFR therapies. In pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), ~90% of patients harbor KRAS mutations, while KRAS wild-type tumors often have clinically actionable fusion alterations. Thus, in both cancers, the accurate ascertainment of RAS and BRAF driver status is essential. Sequencing of cell-free DNA (cfDNA) from plasma allows convenient assessment of a tumor’s molecular profile, but sensitivity can be limited by low ctDNA shedding. We sought to establish a ctDNA shedding threshold at which actionable driver mutations can be reliably detected. Methods: Molecular reports and matched clinical data were obtained from the Duke Molecular Registry of Tumors and the SCRUM-Japan GOZILA and GI-SCREEN. CRC or PDAC patients with a pathogenic KRAS, NRAS, or BRAF activating point mutation (“driver”) present on tissue next-generation sequencing (NGS) assays and who also had cfDNA assay available were included. Tissue NGS included Foundation One CDx and Oncomine Comprehensive Assay. Guardant 360 (G360) was the sole plasma cfDNA assay. 131 CRC and 24 PDAC cases with 189 total G360 assays met criteria and were included. Samples were analyzed according to detection of the driver mutation and the maximum mutant allele frequency (MAF) of non-driver mutations on G360. An optimal cut-point for max MAF was explored among the CRC and PDAC patients using a maximally selected Wilcoxon rank statistic method. Results: 76.8% of driver mutations were in KRAS, 22.6% in BRAF, and 1.9% in NRAS with an overlap of 1 BRAF and 1 NRAS mutation with a KRAS mutation. Overall sensitivity of G360 for drivers was 83.0% for CRC and 54.2% for PDAC. No variants were detected on G360 in 9.1% of CRC and 37.5% of PDAC. Sensitivity for driver mutations increased with higher maximum non-driver MAF, with MAF > 1% predicting sensitivity > 98% (Table). Optimal cut-point analysis identified MAF of > 0.34% (p < 0.0001), above which the driver was identified in 97% of patients and below which only 27%. Conclusions: In our study, non-driver MAF > 1% on cfDNA NGS predicts high sensitivity for RAS and BRAF mutations and thus is adequate to guide clinical decisions such as anti-EGFR therapy in CRC, evaluation for fusions in PDAC, and validity in clinical trials. MAF ≤0.34% is a clear threshold to consider an assay inadequate and thus seek alternative testing. Sensitivity rises for MAF between 0.35 and 1% but will require greater patient numbers to establish clinically relevant sensitivity thresholds. These results will be updated with additional data for final presentation. [Table: see text]
Abstract CT010: Primary results of phase 2 FOENIX-CCA2: The irreversible FGFR1-4 inhibitor futibatinib in intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (iCCA) with FGFR2 fusions/rearrangements
Morizane, Chigusa , Kelley, Robin Kate , Furuse, Junji , Chang, Heung-Moon, Masuda, Kunihiro , Ahn, Daniel H. , He, Yaohua, Soni, Nital, Goyal, Lipika , Meric‐Bernstam, Funda , Hollebecque, Antoine , Valle, Juan W. , Karasic, Thomas Benjamin , Abrams, Thomas A. , Cassier, Philippe A. , Furuse, Junji , Klümpen, Heinz‐Josef , Chen, Li‐Tzong , Komatsu, Yoshito , Benhadji, Karim A. , Bridgewater, John

Cancer Research | July 1, 2021 | Volume: 81 | Issue: 13_Supplement | Pages: CT010-CT010

10.1158/1538-7445.am2021-ct010 Get It

Abstract Background FGFR2 fusions occur in ~15% of patients (pts) with iCCA, a rare cancer with a poor prognosis. Futibatinib, a highly selective, irreversible FGFR1-4 inhibitor, has shown activity across tumor types, including iCCA, in a phase 1 study. The pivotal phase 2 FOENIX-CCA2 trial (NCT02052778) is evaluating futibatinib in iCCA harboring FGFR2 fusions/rearrangements. Here, we report the first efficacy, safety, and quality of life (QoL) data for the complete FOENIX-CCA2 population. Methods Eligible pts had unresectable/metastatic iCCA with an FGFR2 fusion/rearrangement and progressive disease (PD) after ≥1 prior treatment (tx; excluding FGFR inhibitors). Pts received futibatinib 20 mg QD until PD/intolerability. The primary endpoint was objective response rate (ORR) per RECIST v1.1 by independent central review (target ORR: 20%). Secondary endpoints included duration of response (DOR), disease control rate (DCR), progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), safety, and patient-reported outcomes (PROs). Subgroup analyses were performed by pt characteristic and molecular alteration. Results Among 103 pts (56% female), 53% had received ≥2 prior tx. FGFR2 fusions were present in 78% (23% had FGFR2-BICC1 fusions) and FGFR2 rearrangements in 22%. At data cutoff (Oct 1, 2020), 72 pts (70%) had discontinued tx. The study met its primary objective with a confirmed ORR of 41.7% (43/103). Responses were durable, with a median (m) DOR of 9.7 mo and 72% of responses ≥6 mo. DCR was 82.5%. mPFS was 9.0 mo; mOS was 21.7 mo, with a 12-mo OS rate of 72%. ORR was consistent across pt demographic subgroups (≥65 y: 65.2%; 2 prior tx: 38.7%). Common tx-related AEs (TRAEs) were hyperphosphatemia (85%), alopecia (33%), and dry mouth (30%). The most frequent grade 3 TRAE, hyperphosphatemia (30%), resolved with adequate management (median 7 d). Retinal disorders (all grade 1-2) were reported in 8% of pts. TRAEs were managed with dosing interruptions (50%)/reductions (54%); 2 pts discontinued tx due to TRAEs. No tx-related deaths occurred. ORRs were consistent in pts with dosing interruptions (40.2%) or reductions (46.8%). PROs were stable through 11.0 mo of tx. In exploratory biomarker analyses, ORR was consistent in pts with FGFR2 fusions (43.8%) and other FGFR2 rearrangements (34.8%) and in pts with BICC1 (41.7%) and non-BICC1 (44.6%) fusion partners. Notably, no obvious differences in ORR were observed in pts with co-occurring genetic alterations, including TP53 comutations (ORR, 38.5% [5/13]). Additional biomarker data will be presented. Conclusions Futibatinib resulted in frequent, durable objective responses in pts with iCCA harboring FGFR2 fusion/rearrangements, regardless of pt baseline characteristic, molecular alteration, or comutation. AEs were manageable with dosing modifications that did not impact response. QoL was maintained. Citation Format: Lipika Goyal, Funda Meric-Bernstam, Antoine Hollebecque, Chigusa Morizane, Juan W. Valle, Thomas B. Karasic, Thomas A. Abrams, Robin Kate Kelley, Philippe Cassier, Junji Furuse, Heinz-Josef Klümpen, Heung-Moon Chang, Li-Tzong Chen, Yoshito Komatsu, Kunihiro Masuda, Daniel Ahn, Yaohua He, Nital Soni, Karim A. Benhadji, John A. Bridgewater. Primary results of phase 2 FOENIX-CCA2: The irreversible FGFR1-4 inhibitor futibatinib in intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (iCCA) with FGFR2 fusions/rearrangements [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2021; 2021 Apr 10-15 and May 17-21. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2021;81(13_Suppl):Abstract nr CT010.
Recommendations for the Prophylactic Management of Skin Reactions Induced by Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor Inhibitors in Patients With Solid Tumors
Hofheinz, Ralf‐Dieter , Deplanque, G., Kobayashi, Yoshimitsu, Ocvirk, Janja , Racca, Patrizia, Guenther, Silke, Lacouture, Mario E. , Jatoi, Aminah , Komatsu, Yoshito , Zhang, Jun

The Oncologist | July 23, 2016 | Volume: 21 | Issue: 12 | Pages: 1483-1491

10.1634/theoncologist.2016-0051 Get It

Abstract Inhibition of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is an established treatment that extends patient survival across a variety of tumor types. EGFR inhibitors fall into two main categories: anti-EGFR monoclonal antibodies, such as cetuximab and panitumumab, and first-generation tyrosine kinase inhibitors, such as afatinib, gefitinib, and erlotinib. Skin reactions are the most common EGFR inhibitor-attributable adverse event, resulting in papulopustular (acneiform) eruptions that can be painful and debilitating, and which may potentially have a negative impact on patients’ quality of life and social functioning, as well as a negative impact on treatment duration. Shortened treatment duration can, in turn, compromise antineoplastic efficacy. Similarly, appropriate management of skin reactions is dependent on their accurate grading; however, conventional means for grading skin reactions are inadequate, particularly within the context of clinical trials. Treating a skin reaction only once it occurs (reactive treatment strategies) may not be the most effective management approach; instead, prophylactic approaches may be preferable. Indeed, we support the viewpoint that prophylactic management of skin reactions should be recommended for all patients treated with EGFR inhibitors. Appropriate prophylactic management could effectively reduce the severity of skin reactions in patients treated with EGFR inhibitors and therefore has the potential to directly benefit patients and improve drug adherence. Accordingly, here we review published and still-emerging data, and provide practical and evidence-based recommendations and algorithms regarding the optimal prophylactic management of EGFR inhibitor-attributable skin reactions.