Highlights from the 12th World Conference on Lung Cancer - CME
Chandra Belani, MD, Penn State Cancer Center, Hershey, PA; David Spigel, MD, The Sarah Cannon Research Institute, Nashville, TN; David Jackman, MD, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MD.

Platinol®-Alimta® Less Toxic than Platinol®-Gemzar® for Advanced NSCLC (7/23/2008)
Researchers from Italy have reported that the combination of Platinol® (cisplatin) and Alimta® (pemetrexed) is less toxic and equally or more effective for initial therapy of patients with non–small cell carcinoma (NSCLC) than Platinol-Gemzar® (gemcitabine). The details of this study were published in the July 20, 2008 issue of the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

Alimta® and Gemzar® Effective for Peritoneal Mesothelioma (7/22/2008)
Researchers affiliated with a multicenter U.S. trial have reported that the combination of Alimta® (pemetrexed) and Gemzar® (gemcitabine) was active in patients with peritoneal mesothelioma. The details of this study appeared in the July 20, 2008 issue of the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

Radiofrequency Ablation Effective for Lung Tumors (7/22/2008)
Researchers involved in a multicenter international trial have reported that the use of radiofrequency ablation for the treatment of lung cancer or pulmonary metastases provides an effective and safe therapeutic option for selected patients. These results were recently published in the July 7, 2008 issue of Lancet Oncology.

Navelbine® and Platinol® Effective for Mesothelioma (7/10/2008)
Researchers from Denmark have reported that the combination of Navelbine® (vinorelbine) and Platinol® (cisplatin) is highly active in patients with newly diagnosed non-resectable malignant pleural mesothelioma. The details of this study appeared in an early online publication in the British Journal of Cancer on June 10, 2008.

Mutations of EGFR in Circulating Cancer Cells May Help Monitoring of Patients with NSCLC (7/9/2008)
Researchers from the Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center have reported that molecular analysis of circulating tumor cells in patients with non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) may provide a way to monitor treatment effectiveness. These results were published in an early online publication in the New England Journal of Medicine on July 2, 2008.