LungBlog

For patients diagnosed with extensive-stage small-cell lung cancer (SCLC), the standard-of-care remains the chemotherapy combination of VePesid® (etoposide) and Platinol® (cisplatin). A recent study indicates that Camptosar® (irinotecan) plus Platinol does not improve survival in SCLC compared with VePesid/Platinol. These findings were presented at the 2008 annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology.

Oral topotecan (Hycamtin) hard capsules have been approved by the European Commission for the treatment of relapsed small-cell lung cancer (SCLC). Specifically, topotecan hard capsules are indicated as monotherapy for the treatment of adult patients with relapsed SCLC (PS 0-2) for whom retreatment with the first-line regimen is not considered appropriate.

Scientists will use five SOLiD™ Systems from Applied Biosystems to sequence the genome of a small cell lung cancer cell line and a noncancerous cell line.  Scientists from Sanger and Applied Biosystems plan to increase sequence coverage of both genomes by identifying one SNP for every 500,000 bases of DNA. One of the goals of this research is to generate 20-fold genome coverage of the cancer genome as well as the normal DNA using paired-end reads of a wide range of insert sizes.

In response to the success of the studies, PhytoMedical’s collaborating scientists are now synthesizing and testing new derivatives of these anti-cancer agents. Further tests of the “DNA binding” anti-cancer agents are planned for human cancer cell lines specific to glioblastoma (tumors related to the brain) and small cell lung cancer, both of which are associated with a high mortality rate.

The MAGE-A3 vaccine used in this study is manufactured by Glaxo-Smith-Kline, and is currently showing promise in Phase III trials in small cell lung cancer, the researchers said.

Teresa Schumacher is “one in a million.”

Schumacher, 53, was diagnosed with small cell lung cancer in June 2005. Although survival rates for SCLC are low, she has beaten the odds after undergoing chemotherapy and the cancer has not returned.

According to the results of a study presented at the 12^th World Conference on Lung Cancer, the targeted therapy Avastin® (bevacizumab) can be safely added to chemotherapy with Paraplatin® (carboplatin) and Camptosar® (irinotecan) in patients with extensive-stage small cell lung cancer.

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States and Europe. The two main types of lung cancer are small cell lung cancer (SCLC) and non–small cell lung cancer. Small cell lung cancer is less common than non-small cell lung cancer.

Reporting in the Nov. 7 issue of Journal of the National Cancer Institute, researchers explained that the virus, Seneca Valley Virus-001 (SVV-001), was effective in treating lines of cells from small-cell lung cancer and some pediatric cancers, as well as lung cancer and eye cancer in immune-deficient mice.

Researchers from the UK have reported that the addition of Thalomid to etoposide plus Paraplatin (carboplatin) did not improve outcomes of patients with advanced small cell lung cancer SCLC). The details of this randomized trial were presented at the Presidential Symposium of the 12th World Conference on Lung Cancer in Seoul, Korea, September 2-6, 2007.

Pharmion Corporation today announced the initiation of an international pivotal Phase 3 clinical trial evaluating amrubicin, the Company’s third-generation synthetic anthracycline, in the treatment of second-line small cell lung cancer (SCLC). The randomized, controlled, multi-center study will compare amrubicin to topotecan, the only approved chemotherapy for second-line treatment of SCLC in the US and EU. Enrollment in the study of 480 patients is underway.