Tarceva Battles Lung Cancer in Some
July 22nd, 2011
Study found drug tripled survival — 13.1 months versus 4.6 months for chemo group — in those with EGFR mutation
Posted: July 22, 2011
By Amanda Gardner
HealthDay Reporter
THURSDAY, July 21 (HealthDay News) — New research finds that the targeted cancer drug Tarceva nearly triples the amount of time lung cancer patients survive without a recurrence and has fewer side effects than standard chemotherapy.
The authors of a study appearing in the July 21 online issue of The Lancet Oncology recommend using Tarceva (erlotinib) as a first-line treatment for patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer who have the particular gene mutation this drug targets. Other experts agreed.