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Latest and Archived Lung Cancer News
Lung Cancer: Small Cell - Recurrent
ASCO 2009: Phase I-II Results of New Bcl-2 Inhibitor, AT-101 (8/5/2009)
At the 2009 meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) there were several preclinical and Phase I-II clinical presentations suggesting activity for a new inhibitor of the Bcl-2 family of proteins (Bcl-2, Bcl-xL, Mel-1, Bcl-W), AT-109, developed by Ascenta Therapeutics.

Non-Platinum Chemotherapy as Effective for SCLC (10/17/2008)
Researchers affiliated with the Cochrane Library have reported that chemotherapy regimens that do not contain platinum agents (Platinol and Paraplatin) appear to be just as effective as regimens that do contain platinum agents in the treatment of small cell lung cancer. These results were recently published in the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews.

Aranesp® Has No Adverse Effect on Survival or Progression-free Survival when Used to Treat Chemotherapy-induced Anemia in SCLC (9/17/2007)
Researchers involved in Amgen’s Aranesp pharmacovigilance program (the 145 Study) have reported that Aranesp (darbepoetin alfa) has no adverse effect on the outcomes of patients with extensive stage small cell lung cancer (SCLC) receiving platinum-based chemotherapy. The details of this randomized Phase III study were reported at the 2007 World Conference on Lung Cancer.

Further Results Show Improved Survival with Picoplatin for Small Cell Lung Cancer (9/11/2007)
Researchers affiliated with the Picoplatin Small Cell Lung Cancer (SCLC) Study Group have reported that follow-up of a Phase II study presented at the 2007 American Society of Clinical Oncology Meeting (ASCO) showed that picoplatin may improve survival compared to existing therapies in the treatment of patients diagnosed with SCLC who have previously received platinum-based therapies. The details of this study were presented at the 2007 meeting of the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC). 

Radiation to the Brain Should Become Standard Therapy for Extensive-Disease Small Cell Lung Cancer (8/21/2007)
Researchers affiliated with the EORTC Radiation Oncology Group and Lung Cancer Group have reported that prophylactic cranial radiation following treatment with chemotherapy should now become a standard treatment option for patients with extensive-disease small cell lung cancer (SCLC). The details of this randomized trial were published in the August 16, 2007 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine. This study had previously been presented at the 2007 meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology.

Oral and Intravenous Hycamtin® Equally Effective for Small Cell Lung Cancer (5/24/2007)
Researchers involved in an international study have confirmed that the oral form of Hycamtin (topotecan) is as effective as the intravenous form for the second line palliative treatment of small cell lung cancer (SCLC). The details of this randomized trial appeared in the May 20, 2007 issue of the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

Calypso® 4D Localization System May Improve Efficacy of External Beam Radiotherapy (12/1/2006)
At the 2006 meeting of the American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology (ASTRO) in November there were 10 abstracts presented that describe a new system for measuring and monitoring organ motion in real time during external beam radiotherapy (EBRT).

Oral Hycamtin® Better than Best Supportive Care for Recurrent Small Cell Lung Cancer (11/14/2005)
Researchers from the United Kingdom have reported that oral Hycamtin (topotecan) improves survival compared to best supportive care as second-line therapy for small cell lung cancer (SCLC).

Correction of Anemia with Aranesp® Decreases Cancer Related Fatigue, Anxiety and Depression (7/24/2003)
Analysis of a large multinational randomized trial of darbepoetin alfa (erythropoietin, Aranesp®) for treatment of cancer-induced anemia demonstrated significant improvement in cancer-related fatigue, which was associated with less anxiety and depression. These result appeared in the July 2003 issue of Cancer. 1

Temodol® Improves the Response Rate to Radiation Therapy for Cancer Metastatic to Brain (10/11/2002)
Temozolomide (Temodol®) is an analog of the alkylating agent procarbazine which has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of recurrent brain tumors. Current research with this drug primarily involves treatment of newly diagnosed brain tumors. However, researchers in Greece have evaluated the effectiveness of Temodol® for the treatment of cancer metastatic to brain. At the 2002 meeting of the American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology, the researchers reported that the addition of Temodol® to whole-brain radiation therapy resulted in significantly higher response rates of brain metastases compared to whole brain radiation alone.

Stereotactic Radiosurgery Following Whole Brain Radiation Therapy Improves Palliation of Patients with Cancer Metastatic to Brain (10/8/2002)
Whole brain radiation therapy (WBRT) is the most frequent palliative modality for patients with cancer metastatic to the brain. Stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS), also called gamma knife therapy or 3-dimensional radiation therapy, can deliver precise doses of radiation to tumor sites while sparing normal tissue. Stereotactic techniques are used to treat a variety of cancers and are widely accepted as superior to non-precise radiation techniques. Since 1996, researchers from 34 medical institutions affiliated with the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group have been carrying out a study to document the benefits of SRS in individuals with cancers that are metastatic to the brain. They have concluded from this study that SRS adds significantly to the palliation achieved with WBRT alone. They reported these results at a plenary session of the annual meeting of the American Society of Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology in October of 2002.

Intraspinal Implantable Drug System Effective in Controlling Pain Due to Metastatic Cancer (10/1/2002)
The management of pain is an important component for the treatment of most patients with metastatic cancer. It is estimated that 5-15% of patients with metastatic cancer have pain that is refractory to oral and i.v. narcotics. Intraspinal implantable drug delivery systems (IDDSs) deliver small doses of morphine directly to the spinal fluid, theoretically requiring smaller doses of narcotics. Although this system is known to be effective, there have been no randomized controlled trials. Researchers in the U.S. and Europe affiliated with the Implantable Drug Delivery Systems Study Group have determined that IDDSs are better than conventional pain management techniques. They reported these results in the October 2002 issue of the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

Aranesp™ Reduces Blood Transfusions in Patients with Lung Cancer Receiving Chemotherapy (8/21/2002)
Patients with lung and other cancers receiving chemotherapy may develop anemia, which is corrected by blood transfusions. The main symptomatic side effect of anemia is fatigue. Some patients receiving chemotherapy have low levels of endogenous erythropoietin, although the cause of anemia is multifactorial and significantly includes chemotherapy suppression of blood production. Human recombinant erythropoietin (rHuEPO) can enhance red blood cell production in patients receiving chemotherapy and theoretically avoid blood transfusions despite continued myelosuppression. Darbepoetin alfa (Aranesp") is a new erythropoiesis-stimulating protein that has a longer half-life than rHuEPO and can be administered less frequently.

Mortality from Major Cancer Surgery and Morbidity From Prostate Surgery Lower in High Volume Hospitals Than in Low Volume Hospitals (4/16/2002)
There were two reports in the April 11 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine which strongly support the concept that patients facing major cancer surgery should select a high volume hospital near where they live.




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