Lung Cancer News and Research

Latest Lung Cancer News and Research

MMP-10 gene plays a dual role in lung cancer

A single gene that promotes initial development of the most common form of lung cancer and its lethal metastases has been identified by researchers at Mayo Clinic in Florida.

25 Apr 2012

Cancer, genetic screenings under scrutiny

Various news outlets covered issues around cancer screening, diagnosis and treatment.

23 Apr 2012

Study finds survival advantage for Hispanic lung cancer patients

A new analysis has found that Hispanic lung cancer patients seem to live longer than white or black patients. Published early online in Cancer, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Cancer Society, the study suggests that, as with several other types of cancer, certain yet-to-be-defined genetic and/or environmental factors put Hispanic patients at a survival advantage.

23 Apr 2012

NZ all in for plain tobacco packaging

New Zealand’s cabinet has agreed in principle to introduce plain packaging for all tobacco products in New Zealand, following a similar move in Australia.

22 Apr 2012

VeriStrat test may be useful for NSCLC clinical decision-making

Results from the combined analysis of two European Phase II trials were presented today at the 3rd European Lung Cancer Conference in Geneva, Switzerland. The VeriStrat retrospective analysis was performed on serum samples from advanced non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients treated with the combination therapy bevacizumab plus erlotinib.

21 Apr 2012

Research roundup: Caring for dual eligibles; Antitrust policy and the health law

Using data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), this report notes a systematic difference in life expectancy across region and race. "Within in each sex-race group, there are striking geographical differences in the probability of survival to age 70. ... These differences are larger for males than females within each race and larger for blacks than whites within each sex."

21 Apr 2012

Results from Boehringer Ingelheim's afatinib Phase III lung cancer trial

Highly anticipated results from LUX-Lung 3, the pivotal Phase III lung cancer trial investigating Boehringer Ingelheim's front running oncology investigational compound, the ErbB Family Blocker afatinib, in patients with EGFR mutations, will be presented at the 48th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) in Chicago from 1 - 5 June 2012.

21 Apr 2012

Possibility to render cancer tumours harmless without affecting other cells

New research findings show how it may be possible to render cancer tumours harmless without affecting the other cells and tissues in the body. The findings apply to cancers including breast, lung and bowel cancer. The study was carried out at Lund University in Sweden.

20 Apr 2012

Developments in mesothelioma treatment presented at 3rd European Lung Cancer Conference

New results presented at 3rd European Lung Cancer Conference in Geneva, Switzerland show important steps being made to improve the diagnosis and treatment of malignant pleural mesothelioma, an aggressive cancer of the outer lining of the lungs caused by asbestos exposure.

19 Apr 2012

NSCLC patients with EGFR mutations benefit from erlotinib-first regimen

Patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer should only receive treatment with the drug erlotinib before receiving standard chemotherapy if their tumor is known to harbor EGFR mutations, researchers report at the 3rd European Lung Cancer Conference in Geneva, Switzerland.

19 Apr 2012

New studies on personalized lung cancer treatment presented at 3rd ELCC

Several new studies that may help doctors tailor lung cancer treatment to the characteristics of individual patients and of their tumors are being presented at the 3rd European Lung Cancer Conference in Geneva.

19 Apr 2012

New techniques show promise in detecting early-stage lung cancer

New techniques for identifying lung cancer earlier -including a new type of chest screening, a nanotech 'nose' and a method to examine the cells of the cheek-- are showing substantial promise, according to presentations at the 3rd European Lung Cancer Conference (ELCC) in Geneva.

19 Apr 2012

New genetic signature may predict NSCLC patients at risk of relapse

A new genetic signature identified by Spanish researchers may provide doctors with robust and objective information about which patients with early stage lung cancer are at low or high risk of relapse following surgery, investigators report at the 3rd European Lung Cancer Conference in Geneva. Their work also opens new avenues for immunotherapy for lung cancer.

19 Apr 2012

NSCLC drug regimen approved in 2006 does not improve survival for older patients

Analysis of a drug regimen approved by the F.D.A. in 2006 for the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer (bevacizumab added to the standard chemotherapy regimen carboplatin and paclitaxel) finds Medicare insured patients age 65 years and older who received this regimen did not have improved survival compared to patients who received the standard treatment of carboplatin and paclitaxel alone, according to a study in the April 18 issue of JAMA.

18 Apr 2012

Bevacizumab added to chemotherapy for NSCLC does not improve survival in elderly patients

Adding the drug bevacizumab (Avastin) to the standard chemotherapy regimen for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) - an approach approved by the FDA in 2006 - did not lead to significantly increase survival rates for patients over the age of 65 enrolled in Medicare, a new study by Dana-Farber Cancer Institute researchers has found.

18 Apr 2012

Idera commences IMO-3100 Phase 2 clinical trial for psoriasis

Idera Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced the treatment of the first patient in a Phase 2 clinical trial of IMO-3100, the Company's lead Toll-like receptor (TLR) inhibitor for the treatment of autoimmune diseases, in patients with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis.

18 Apr 2012

FDA grants 510(k) clearance for QIAGEN’s molecular detection PCR technology

QIAGEN N.V. today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted two 510(k) clearances for its real-time PCR (polymerase chain reaction) instrument Rotor-Gene Q MDx and a compatible test for the detection of Influenza A/B, the artus Infl A/B RG RT-PCR Kit, for in vitro diagnostic use.

From QIAGEN Manchester Limited 17 Apr 2012

Merck, Endocyte enter vintafolide development and commercialization agreement

Merck, known as MSD outside the United States and Canada, and Endocyte Inc., today announced that they have entered into an agreement to develop and commercialize Endocyte's novel investigational therapeutic candidate vintafolide (EC145).

16 Apr 2012

Study calls for research into all aspects of follow-up care in lung cancer

Scientist say there is an urgent need for research into all aspects of follow-up care in lung cancer. The study presented in the May 2012 issue of the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer's (IASLC) Journal of Thoracic Oncology focused on different follow-up strategies for patients with lung cancer.

16 Apr 2012

CT guided transthoracic fine needle aspiration might diagnose pulmonary nodules

Screening for lung cancer with low dose CT scans has been shown to save lives. However, research shows that when CT scans reveal nodules in the lungs, it is not cancerous 96 percent of the time. As a result, scientists are looking for ways to more accurately make a diagnosis. One way is by using a CT guided transthoracic fine needle aspiration.

16 Apr 2012