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Lung Cancer

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PHILADELPHIA-SmithKline Beecham’s topoisomerase I inhibitor Hycamtin (topotecan HCl for injection) has received FDA approval for the treatment of small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) after failure of first-line chemotherapy. The agent was previously approved for use in ovarian cancer after failure of initial or subsequent chemotherapy.

ATHENS-Patients with inoperable non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who receive paclitaxel (Taxol) together with best supportive care survive significantly longer than those managed with best supportive care alone, according to results from a phase III, randomized trial conducted at six sites in the United Kingdom and Canada, and presented at the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) congress.

NEW YORK-The availability of new therapeutic options are focusing more attention on lung cancer, a disease for which advances have been slow in coming, said Ronald Blum, MD, director of the Comprehensive Cancer Center and chief of oncology, St. Vincent’s Hospital and Medical Center, New York City. He discussed these advances during a Cancer Care, Inc., teleconference for patients.

DETROIT--A regimen combining vinorelbine (Navelbine) with cisplatin (Platinol) improved survival in patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) over that achieved with cisplatin alone, said Antoinette Wozniak, MD, associate professor of clinical oncology, Wayne State University Medical School, Karmanos Cancer Institute.

INDIANAPOLIS--Eli Lilly and Company’s Gemzar (gemcitabine) has received FDA approval for use as first-line treatment of inoperable, locally advanced, or metastatic non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in combination with cisplatin (Platinol). The agent was previously approved as first-line, single-agent therapy of locally advanced or metastatic pancreatic cancer

BETHESDA, Md--A Food and Drug Administration panel has urged expanding the use of Photofrin (porfimer sodium, QLT PhotoTherapeutics) in lung cancer. In a unanimous vote, the Oncologic Drugs Advisory Committee (ODAC) recommended that the FDA approve the photodynamic therapy (PDT) for reduction of obstruction and palliation of symptoms in patients with completely or partially obstructing endobronchial non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

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LOS ANGELES--The addition of tirapazamine to cisplatin (Platinol) significantly prolongs survival in patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), without causing additional myelosuppression, Joachim von Pawel, MD, of Central

CHICAGO--A role is emerging for multimodality therapy in the treatment of both resectable and unresectable stage III non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). When given as an adjunct to radiotherapy or surgery, chemotherapy can downstage local disease and control systemic disease spread by eliminating micro-metastases or delaying the development of metastases, Ann Mauer, MD, a senior fellow in oncology at the University of Chicago, said at the International Conference of the American Thoracic Society and American Lung Association.

CHICAGO--Monitoring instruments that evaluate the symptoms and psychosocial problems of patients with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) may not provide clear answers regarding the quality of patients’ lives because they are difficult to analyze and they measure aspects of quality that are not affected by chemotherapy, said Richard Gralla, MD, chief of immunology and oncology and director of the Ochsner Cancer Center, New Orleans.

INDIANAPOLIS--Patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) have higher response rates, longer time to progression, and better overall survival with gemcitabine (Gemzar) plus cisplatin (Platinol) than with cis-platin alone, according to data from a multicenter, randomized, phase III study presented at the annual ASCO meeting.

NAPLES, Italy--Platinum-based chemotherapy is often avoided in elderly lung cancer patients due to concerns about tolerability. Since about one-third of patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) are over age 70 at diagnosis, this presents a significant problem.

HAMBURG, Germany--Increasing cisplatin dose intensity was less effective than combining standard cisplatin (Platinol) with paclitaxel (Taxol) in a multicenter multinational study of advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) reported at ASCO.

LOS ANGELES--Twice-daily chest irradiation concurrent with cycle 1 chemotherapy substantially improves survival and reduces the rate of local failure in limited stage small-cell lung cancer (SCLC), compared with a less intensive once-daily schedule, a large intergroup trial has shown.

HOUSTON--Adenoviral-p53 gene therapy with Introgen Therapeutics’ INGN 201 was well tolerated and showed evidence of clinical activity both alone and with cisplatin (Platinol) in patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who had failed conventional therapy. Stephen Swisher, MD, of the M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, presented the completed phase I/II trial results at an ASCO poster session.

NASHVILLE--Adding gemcitabine (Gemzar) to the widely used combination of paclitaxel (Taxol) and carboplatin (Paraplatin) may increase the response rate in advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), compared with the two-drug combination, a phase I/II study has shown.

CHICAGO--Molecular biologic markers may be able to identify patients with early-stage non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who are at the highest risk for metastasis and therefore may benefit from aggressive therapy.