In a nutshell
This study wanted to find out which type of medication is better for patients with lung cancer and cancer of the head and neck, cisplatin (Platinol) or lipoplatin (Nanoplatin). The study found that lipoplatin was better overall, and had less side effects than cisplatin.
Some background
Cisplatin has been used as a type of chemotherapy for a long time. It is known to work very well in patients with non-small cell lung cancer. However, it is linked with a number of serious side effects. These include issues with the kidneys, the brain, vomiting, and blood problems. Lipoplatin works like cisplatin, but it is made slightly differently. Because of this, it is able to work the same to kill cancer cells, but does not have the side effects of cisplatin. It is not known overall which medication works better, or which is safer.
Methods & findings
This study looked at 523 patients. These patients came from 5 clinical trials across the world. They all had either non-small cell lung cancer, or squamous cell carcinomas of the head and neck. Of these, 279 patients were treated with lipoplatin and 244 patients were treated with cisplatin.
Overall, patients who were treated with lipoplatin were less likely to have the cancer grow compared to those who were treated with cisplatin. In the patients with non-small cell lung cancer, the ones treated with lipoplatin had a better response compared to the patients treated with cisplatin. Overall it was found that lipoplatin had a lot less side effects compared to cisplatin.
The bottom line
The study found that lipoplatin worked better and had less side effects than cisplatin in the treatment of patients with lung cancer and cancer of the head and neck.
The fine print
This is a medium sized study which took into account a lot of results.
What’s next?
Discuss your treatment plan with your oncologist.
Published By :
Medicine
Date :
Nov 01, 2018
