In a nutshell This study looked at the anticancer effect of metformin (Glucophage), a drug commonly used to treat type 2 diabetes. The authors concluded that metformin in combination with current cancer therapies such as chemotherapy improved progression free survival in patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer. Some background Patients with...
Read MoreType of lung cancer-Non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) Posts on Medivizor
Is targeted therapy better at treating advanced NSCLC than current chemotherapy treatment?
In a nutshell This study examined the effectiveness of the targeted therapy drug nivolumab (Opdivo) at treating advanced non-small-cell lung cancer, particularly for patients with cancer that has spread to the liver. The authors concluded that nivolumab led to an improved overall survival compared to chemotherapy for these patients. Some background...
Read MoreThe socioeconomic impact of cachexia in elderly patients with advanced lung cancer
In a nutshell This study looked at the impact of cachexia (weakness or wasting of the body) in elderly patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer on disability, hospitalization and medical costs. The authors concluded that patients with cachexia had a higher risk of disability, longer hospital stays and higher medical costs, while being treated...
Read MoreCombining the old and the new – Can combination therapy improve cancer treatment?
In a nutshell This study looked at combining therapies designed to stimulate the immune system with chemotherapy to treat patients with advanced lung cancer. The authors concluded that a combination of immune checkpoint inhibitors and chemotherapy is effective and tolerable at treating these patients. Some background Many tumor cells have proteins...
Read MoreIs there a benefit in combining radiation treatments for patients with limited brain metastases?
In a nutshell This study examined the effectiveness of whole brain radiation therapy (WBRT) at treating non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) that has spread to the brain. The trial focused on patients with few brain metastases (tumors that spread) and combined WBRT with stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS). The authors concluded that they did not find a...
Read MoreCan acupuncture improve fatigue during cancer treatment?
In a nutshell This study looked at whether acupuncture could improve cancer related fatigue for patients with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The authors concluded that acupuncture is safe and may be beneficial at improving fatigue in these patients during their treatment regimes. Some background Fatigue is one of the most common side effects...
Read MoreComparing targeted therapies for patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer
In a nutshell The authors aimed to understand the effectiveness of anti-PD-L1 therapy in patients with previously treated non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) compared to current treatments. The authors concluded that anti-PD-L1 therapy could be more beneficial than the chemotherapy drug docetaxel (Taxotere) at treating patients with previously treated...
Read MoreUpdated guidelines for treating stage IV non-small-cell lung cancer
In a nutshell The authors reviewed data from recent clinical trials to update guidelines on treating stage IV non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). This article provided a summarized account of the updates included in the American Society of Clinical Oncology guidelines for treating NSCLC. Some background The American Society of Clinical Oncology...
Read MoreShould elderly patients with NSCLC be treated with less aggressive radiation therapy?
In a nutshell This trial examined whether aggressive radiation would cause severe side effects in patients over 80 years old with early stage non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The authors concluded that SBRT is safe and tolerable for older patients. Some background Stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) is a type of radiation that delivers...
Read MoreIncidence of side effects associated with common targeted therapy drug
In a nutshell This meta-analysis aimed to establish the incidence of severe and fatal side effects associated with crizotinib (Xalkori) in patients with ALK-positive non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The authors concluded that crizotinib does not increase the risk of severe or fatal side effects compared to chemotherapy. Some background The...
Read MoreCombining radiation with chemotherapy to treat advanced NSCLC that has spread around the body
In a nutshell This study examined whether patients with non-small-cell lung cancer that has spread to multiple sites in the body may benefit from radiation combined with chemotherapy. The authors of this trial concluded that for patients with high tumor volume, high dose radiation with effective chemotherapy could benefit. Some background In...
Read MoreActivating the immune system to treat advanced non-small-cell lung cancer
In a nutshell This meta-analysis looks at the safety and effectiveness of a new type of treatment called immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). The authors concluded that ICIs are safe and effective treatment for patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Some background The emergence of targeted therapy has been beneficial...
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