Sorafenib; a new potential treatment for lung cancer

This study investigated the use of a sorafenib (Nexavar) for the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer.

Approximately 85% of lung cancers are classified as non-small cell lung cancers (NSCLC). NSCLC spreads easily throughout the lung tissue forming small malignant tumors. Although treatments have advanced in recent years, the 5-year survival rates for patients with advanced stages of the disease are still only around 5%. The mechanisms behind NSCLC growth are complex, and often involve mutations in genes such as K-RAS, B-RAF and EGFR.

Sorafenib is an oral drug currently approved for the treatment of advanced kidney and liver cancers. Sorafenib works as a tyrosine kinase inhibitor. Tyrosine kinases are enzymes (active proteins) important in the growth and division of cells. These enzymes are over-produced in the case of specific genetic mutations, leading to uncontrolled cellular growth and tumor formation. Thus, tyrosine kinase inhibitors, such as sorafenib, may slow or prevent the progression of certain cancers.

This study evaluated the short term outcome of NSCLC patients treated with sorafenib. In addition, this study aimed to identify the genetic mutations which make the cancer most responsive to sorafenib treatment.

255 patients took part in a separate study investigating NSCLC. The genetic profile of each patients’ tumor was ascertained. 105 of these patients with stage 3b or 4 NSCLC were assigned to treatment with sorafenib. This sub-analysis of the study concentrates only on this treatment group.

Results showed that 8 weeks after the start of treatment, 58.2% of patients achieved stable disease control (no cancer progression). The average time until cancer progression in these patients was 2.83 months. The average overall survival time among these patients was 8.48 months. Disease control rates among patients treated with sorafenib were highest among patients with a normal EGFR gene, compared to those with a mutated EGFR gene.

This study concluded that sorafenib has potential as a future treatment for NSCLC. In this small group of patients sorafenib showed good disease control rates among advanced cancer patients.

This early study included only a small number of patients, no control group and a short follow-up period. However, sorafenib and its potential to treat NSCLC merits further investigation.

Sorafenib is not currently approved for use in the treatment of lung cancer. Consult with your physician to find out more about clinical trials involving sorafenib for the treatment of NSCLC.