New Lung Cancer Treatment Approach Raises Hopes and Debate

A number of clinical trials have tried and failed to improve survival in patients who have advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) by extending the duration of their initial treatment. The premise behind the approach, often called maintenance therapy, is simple: In patients whose tumors regress following their initial treatment, give the cancer another kick while it's down, rather than waiting for it to regain steam before delivering further therapy.

FDA approves Drug for Maintenance Therapy in Advanced NSCLC

Pharmaceutical giant Eli Lilly and Co. announced Monday that the Food and Drug Administration have okayed a new use for its cancer treatment Alimta.

Alimta, which hinders the required absorption by certain tumors of B-vitamin folate, is newly approved for people whose tumor has shrunk or whose cancer has stabilized after chemotherapy.

The findings of the worldwide, multi-center double-blind clinical test were presented in Orlando by Chandra Belani, M.D., Miriam Beckner distinguished professor of medicine and deputy director of Penn State Cancer Institute at Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center.

NSCLC is the most common form of lung cancer, resulting in more than 180 thousand new cases annually in the United States.

Generally patients with advanced, or metastatic, lung cancer that has spread to other parts of the body, are treated with four to six rounds of chemotherapy, and then treatment is stopped in patients whose tumors either stop growing or shrink

read more at http://www.efitnessnow.com/news/2009/07/06/fda-approves-drug-for-maintenance-therapy-in-advanced-nsclc/

AS1404 Lung cancer drug

An experimental lung cancer drug has extended patients' life expectancy by more than 50% in preliminary trials.
Patients given the drug AS1404 on top of standard chemotherapy lived an average of 14 months compared with 8.8 months if given chemotherapy alone.

read more at http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/5385726.stm

What causes lung cancer?

Tobacco smoke is the primary cause of lung cancer. Although nonsmokers can get lung cancer, the risk is about 10 times greater for smokers and is also increased by the number of cigarettes smoked per day.

http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/diseases/facts/lungcancer.htm

An Introduction to Kanglaite Injection

An Introduction to Kanglaite Injection
¡¡

Invented by famous pharmacological Prof. Li Dapeng after decades of efforts, Kanglaite Injection (KLT) has been listed by the Chinese government as a "State Basic Drug", a "State Basic Medical Insurance Drug" and a "State Key New Drug". KLT has been on top of the best selling anticancer drugs in China for recent 5 years due to its proven effectiveness.

KLT is a unique botanically sourced molecular targeted agent prepared as a micro-emulsion for intravenous use. It is manufactured by the state of art technology with active substance extracted from a natural herbal plant ¡°semen coicis¡±.

KLT has the following features.

- Killing cancer cells directly and effectively while remarkably improving patient immune function;
- Synergistic in increasing efficacy and in reducing toxicity when combined with chemotherapy regimens or radiation therapy;
- Providing high energy nutrition to treat cachexia;
- Relieving cancerous pain markedly;
- Improving patient quality of life and notably prolonging survival;
- With little adverse reaction itself

read more at http://www.kanglaite.com/home.htm?gclid=CLTWoaiB75ECFQrllAod8UdqpQ

Christie starts one of world’s biggest trials for small cell lung cancer

Doctors at the Christie Hospital are about to start one of the world’s biggest clinical trials of radiotherapy for small cell lung cancer, combining drugs and radiation to boost the survival of small cell lung cancer patients.

At the moment in the UK, most small cell lung cancer patients are given a course of chemotherapy followed by a course of radiotherapy. But Christie doctors believe that combining the two treatments so they are given at the same time could increase survival. Chemotherapy is the use of drugs to treat cancer, and radiotherapy is the use of radiation aimed at cancerous tumours.

The Christie will be coordinating the trial which will involve not only Christie patients, but patients from at least 60 cancer hospitals from all over the world including France, Spain, Belgium, the Netherlands, Canada and the USA

read more at http://www.christie.nhs.uk/press/2008/190208.aspx

Lung Cancer Link

CLC Lung Cancer
Lung Cancer. The CLC offers state-of-the-art diagnostic and treatment services for malignant lung tumors including bronchoscopic laser therapy, stent...