Highlights
Treatment News
Gefitinib (Iressa), a second-line therapy for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), appears to have an uncertain future. While the drug initially showed great promise in clinical trials, results from a newer study failed to show that the drug prolonged survival in advanced lung cancer patients who failed other forms of therapy. AstraZeneca, the drug manufacturer, has withdrawn the drug’s application from the European market. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration will determine whether or not the drug should be withdrawn from the U.S. market. If you are taking Iressa, talk to your doctor. Do not stop taking the drug without a physician’s approval.
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Erlotinib (Tarceva) has been approved as a single agent second-line therapy for non-small cell lung cancer. Studies suggest the drug increases survival by two months over that of a placebo.
About the disease
Non-small cell lung cancers are broken down into three types: squamous cell carcinoma (also called epidermoid carcinoma), adenocarcinoma, and large cell carcinoma. In the early stages, they all can be treated surgically.
Squamous Cell Carcinoma. These tumors are usually found in the center of the lung. They may grow to large sizes and form holes (cavities) in the lungs. This type of NSCLC is nearly always caused by smoking.
Adenocarcinoma. Most adenocarcinomas develop in the outer regions of the lung. It is the predominant lung cancer in women. A European study showed that about one-third of women with lung cancer in their trial had adenocarcinoma. This type of NSCLC is also increasing dramatically in men. In the past, adenocarcinoma was only weakly linked to smoking, however, some say low-tar, filtered cigarettes may be to blame for the growing rates of this type of cancer.
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