A new international Phase III trial has shown that oral targeted therapy Vandetanib shows clinical benefit when combined with standard chemotherapy for lung cancer.
Lung Cancer - Types, Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis, Treatment and Prevention
Lung cancer is a malignant tumor in the lung tissues. Smoking is the main cause of lung cancer with symptoms like recurrent respiratory diseases.
Lung cancer is a malignant tumor in the lung tissues. Smoking is the main cause of lung cancer with symptoms like recurrent respiratory diseases.
Study's corresponding author Roy Herbst, professor and chief of the section of MD Anderson's Department of Thoracic/Head and Neck Medical Oncology, said: "This study shows that an oral tyrosine kinase inhibitor can be combined with chemotherapy safely and effectively to provide systematic benefit to patients with this life-threatening disease.
"Still, we need to build on this research and turn our focus toward better identifying molecular markers involved, with the ultimate goal of personalizing our patient's care."
Respiratory Diseases - Diseases of the Human Respiratory System
Respiratory diseases affect any part of the respiratory system. Some of the lung diseases like chronic obstructive pulmonary disease can lead to respiratory failure.
Respiratory diseases affect any part of the respiratory system. Some of the lung diseases like chronic obstructive pulmonary disease can lead to respiratory failure.
It is the first single agent in lung cancer to target both receptors, said Herbst, the study's international principal investigator.
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Health Hazards of Smoking Cigarettes
Smoking causes many diseases and affects the overall health of smokers.
Smoking causes many diseases and affects the overall health of smokers.
"As a dual inhibitor, it also may provide cost-savings to patients in that they can now potentially take one therapy instead of two."
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Lung Biopsy - Indications - Procedures - Risks - FAQs - Reference
The procedure by which tissue samples are obtained from the lung is known as lung biopsy. The biopsy tissues obtained from the lungs are examined by a pathologist.
The procedure by which tissue samples are obtained from the lung is known as lung biopsy. The biopsy tissues obtained from the lungs are examined by a pathologist.
Participants were randomised to receive either docetaxel and placebo, or docetaxel and vandetanib.
The median follow-up was 12.8 months and the study's primary endpoint was progression-free survival.
Patients in the combination arm had a 21 percent reduction in disease progression, compared to those who received docetaxel alone (hazard ratio, .79), and their median progression-free survival was 17.3 weeks.
In contrast, the median progression-free survival in the control arm was 14 weeks.
While it trended positive, however, there was no statistical difference in overall survival in the two groups.
There was a statistically significant improvement in the time to worsening of symptoms (hazard ratio, .77).
Herbst said: "Obviously, our ultimate goal is to always improve survival for our patients, however the improved time to progression with less of a number of significant effects is important.
"This is certainly a drug, where, if we could identify molecular parameters that predict response, we could some day take a group that's receiving docetaxel and vandetanib and see them do even better. We're not there yet, but hopefully this study will serve as the foundation for the merger of personalization and discovery with the now-proven safety and efficacy."
In terms of side effects, patients who received vandetanib experienced more diarrhea, rash and neutropenia.
However, they experienced less of the significant side effects - nausea, vomiting, and anemia - than those who received docetaxel alone.
The lack of significant side effects is quite striking, said Herbst, because other agents that target VEGF are associated with increased toxicity, including pulmonary bleeding
Source-ANI
