Antisoma plc announces that the journal Lung Cancer has published the results of a single-arm phase II trial of ASA404 in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The trial included patients with both major histological forms of NSCLC: squamous and non-squamous. Positive data from this trial supported the progress of ASA404 into phase III trials in patients with NSCLC of all histologies.

I’m glad to see so many lung cancer advocacy groups working together these days, and one of the leaders in advocacy and collaboration (including grant support for GRACE) is the Bonnie J. Addario Lung Cancer Foundation. A survivor herself, Bonnie started a foundation working on research and advocacy issues and isn’t afraid to chase visible people down to convince them why they need to care about lung cancer.

Mutation analysis predicted response to different therapies in a randomized clinical trial that compared two first-line regimens for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Patients with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations had significantly better progression-free survival (PFS) and overall response rate when treated with gefitinib (Iressa), Masahiro Fukuoka, M.D., told the media before the American Society of Clinical Oncology meeting.

A recent study indicated alterations to cigarettes over the years have led to an even higher risk of a certain type of lung cancer, according to ABC News. Up to half of the lung cancer cases in the United States could be attributed to these changes.

When AstraZeneca got U.S. clearance to sell the lung cancer-fighting pill Iressa in May 2003, it seemed to be a victory for patients and the company. Chief Executive Tom McKillop predicted the pill would become a “megabrand” with sales of more than $1 billion.

“It is already clear that Iressa is a valuable product for many patients with lung cancer,” McKillop told Wall Street analysts, “but its full potential will only be evident when we see the results from the ongoing clinical studies.”

During a two-year project, UCF researchers from three colleges will use computed tomography and physiological data from 24 patients with non-small cell lung cancer to develop a patient-specific model that predicts tumor movement during a single breathing cycle.

The new products, for the detection of lung and esophageal cancer, are based on GT’s LightTouch™ non-invasive cervical cancer detection technology, which is undergoing the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s premarket approval process. Lung cancer is the most prevalent cancer in the world and esophageal cancer ranks just below cervical cancer in newly diagnosed cases, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

The genetically engineered stem cells are able to home to the cancer cells, both in culture and in mouse models, and deliver TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL), destroying the tumor cells while sparing normal cells.

In culture, the stem cells caused lung, squamous, breast and cervical cancer cells to die (all p< 0.01), even at low stem cell/tumor cell ratios (1:16).

Scientists have detected two substances in tobacco smoke that directly cause lung cancer, and they said on Sunday the finding may help one day predict which smokers will develop the disease.

It’s no secret that smoking isn’t a healthy habit for anyone. But a growing body of research suggests women are more vulnerable to the lung-damaging effects of cigarettes than men.

Previous studies on lung cancer have also shown that smoking is more likely to cause lung cancer in women than men, even though they tend to start at a later age and smoke less.