In a nutshell This study wanted to find out what works better in patients with lung cancer that has spread to the brain; performing radiotherapy and treatment with EGFR inhibitors one after the other, or performing radiotherapy and treatment with EGFR inhibitors at the same time. The study found that performing them at the same time had the best results....
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In a nutshell This phase I/IB trial aims to determine whether combining MEK162(ARRY-162) and erlotinib (Tarceva) is safe and effective at treating patients with stage IV non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with KRAS or EGFR mutations and no curative treatment options. The main outcome of the trial will be maximum tolerated dose (MTD – highest dose...
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In a nutshell This trial examined whether osimertinib (Tagrisso) was effective at treating patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) that has progressed after EGFR tyrosine-kinase inhibitor (TKI) treatment. The authors concluded that osimertinib is both effective and tolerable as treatment for these patients. Some background...
Read MoreIn a nutshell This study compared afatinib (Gilotriff) and gefitinib (Iressa) in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients with positive EGFR mutations. The authors concluded that afatinib was associated with better treatment outcomes than gefitinib. Some background Mutations (genetic changes) in the epidermal growth factor...
Read MoreIn a nutshell This review aimed to provide updated guidelines on treating non-small-cell lung cancer depending on the genetic profile of the cancer. The authors conclude that in certain types of cancers with genetic mutations (changes) drugs aimed at the specific mutation could be more beneficial than chemotherapy and other treatments. Some background...
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In a nutshell This trial aimed to assess the effectiveness of using erlotinib (Tarceva) to treat EGFR-mutation positive advanced non-small-cell lung cancer. The study concluded that erlotinib had an overall survival (OS) benefit comparable to first line chemotherapy. Some background Genetic mutations (changes) in the epidermal growth factor...
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In a nutshell The American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) gathered a panel of experts to update guidelines on systemic therapy (such as chemotherapy) for stage 4 non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). They provided updated guidelines with recommendations for first, second and third-line systemic therapy as well as targeted therapy. Some...
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In a nutshell This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of the anti-cancer drug erlotinib (Tarceva) in treating advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with positive EGFR mutations in caucasian patients. The study concluded that erlotinib was safe and effective as first-line treatment in this type of cancer. Some background A mutation...
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In a nutshell This review compared the combination of cetuximab (Erbitux) and chemotherapy to chemotherapy alone in treating advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The review found that combining cetuximab with chemotherapy is more effective than chemotherapy alone. It also found that although there were more adverse effects with the...
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In a nutshell This review aimed to assess the efficacy and safety of the new anticancer drug dacomitinib in comparison to current drug erlotinib. Both drugs are used to treat advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with EGFR mutations. The study found that dacomitinib was marginally more effective than erlotinib in specific EGFR-mutant-NSCLC. Some...
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In a nutshell This study aimed to determine the efficacy of a combination of the anticancer drugs afatinib (Gilotrif) and paclitaxel (Taxol) to treat non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), compared to chemotherapy alone. The study found that a combination of these drugs significantly improved progression free survival (PFS, time from treatment until...
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In a nutshell The authors aimed to determine the effect of erlotinib (Tarceva) in delaying treatment change in patients with progressive lung cancers with and without epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations (changes to the cell). Some background Erlotinib is a biological therapy (drug used to stimulate or restore the body's...
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