New Treatment Holds Promise for Advanced Lung Cancer

I don’t like being an alarmist, or someone who raises false hopes based on the latest preliminary study. For this reason, I debated writing about a new study that has hit the headlines, and may offer hope for those living with advanced lung cancer. Yet, looking at this study brings to mind so many of the questions I have been asked. What is a clinical trial? Does being in a clinical trial mean I will get treatment not otherwise available that could save my life? This study is a great way to look at what clinical trials mean.

The Study: Japanese researchers looked at a group of 58 people who had been diagnosed with advanced lung cancer. This group was treated with a combination of S-1 (a drug not approved in the U.S.) and irinotecan (a drug currently being used.) They found that 28% of those in the trial responded to the medication. They do not know if this response was better than current treatments, but it did appear to have fewer side effects.

This trial was a phase 2 trial – that is a trial meant to find out if a treatment works. This combination still needs to be tested in phase 3 trials, that is, trials that look at whether or not a treatment works better or has fewer side effects than treatments currently available.

Since the survival rate is low for those with advanced lung cancer, many people choose to participate in clinical trials. Understanding the types and phases of clinical trials, and the risks, benefits and questions to ask about clinical trials, can help you decide if a clinical trial is right for you.

Articles on Clinical Trials:

• What Are Clinical Trials?
• Should I Participate in a Clinical Trial?
• Types and Phases of Clinical Trials
• How to Find Clinical Trials