Carcinoma lung - new researches-oral therapies replacing chemotherapy
Carcinoma lung carries a poor outcome and is almost universally fatal unless picked up very early (which is almost never the case).
Smoking, alcohol, air pollution increases the risk of developing this cancer though it could strike non smokers as well.
All early lung cancers which are operable has to undergo surgical resection. Locally advanced cancers are given radiation along with chemotherapy with aim for cure.
Unfortunately for majority of lung cancers they present at Stage 4 (cancer has gone elsewhere like liver, brain or bones) and only chemotherapy is offered.
Carcinoma lung is divided into two distinct subtypes- small cell lung cancer and non small cell lung cancer (NSCLC- which forms the majority of cases)
In last few years thanks to research we have realised that there are two major sub-categories of non small cell carcinoma lung. The Adenocarcinomas and Squamous cell carcinoma.
Of late, Adenocarcinomas have been very successfully treated with the oral agents called Targeted therapy (Eg Tarceva or Iressa),
Typically they block the receptor which causes increased signals to cancer cells to grow rapidly. These drugs have been proven superior to chemotherapy but the doctor need to send biopsy sample for testing for these mutations (EGFR/ ALK/ PDL-1 etc). These drugs have near zero side effects and are very well tolerated.
Squamous cell carcinomas are offered chemotherapy as these targeted drugs are not very successful against them.
Lets hope we have more agents to attack this bad disease with least side effects.