ADVERTISEMENT ADVANCES IN CANCER TREATMENTS OFFER FOR PATIENTS
Update on What You Need to Know A diagnosis of cancer is a life-changing event. At one time, having cancer was virtually a death sentence, but progress has been made. The National Cancer Institute now reports that the five year survival rate for all cancers combined is approximately 65 percent.
What will tomorrow bring? In this mini
series, some of the leading cancer researchers and practitioners in the country offer a look at current diagnostic and treatment procedures and a glimpse at the research that will, we all hope, someday provide a cure.
Making Strides in the Treatment of Lung Cancer Yes, lung cancer is a serious illness—in
fact, the major cause of death in the United States. But advances in treating this disease, using a combination of surgery, radiation and chemotherapy, have not only improved the cure rates for many lung cancer patients but have also done much to give patients a better quality of life. Surgery and radiation were once the
traditional forms of lung cancer treatment, but in the last 25-30 years, the addition of chemotherapy to the regimen has shown significant benefits to a wide range of lung cancer patients, according to Martin J. Edelman, M.D., professor of medicine at the University of Maryland School of Medicine and director of solid tumor oncology at the University of Maryland Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum Cancer Center (UMGCC). One cohort of patients that hasn’t been
seeing the same benefits of chemotherapy, however, is the elderly. That’s because older patients have not been receiving the same treatment as their younger counterparts. Edelman had the distinct honor of reviewing
and presenting two research studies at the annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology. He found that, while the average age for lung cancer to strike is 70, the average age for patients in lung cancer trials is 61.
“Standard treatment for lung cancer differs
for those 65 to 70 and older, but not many studies have been done in that population,” Edelman said. One that has, he cited, was conducted by clinical researchers in France
To learn more about the clinical trials offered at the University of Maryland Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum Cancer Center, call 1-800-888- 8823 or visit
umgcc.org/clinicaltrials
who found that a two-drug chemotherapy combination in lung cancer patients between the ages of 70 and 89 was “markedly superior” to the use of two traditionally used single drugs. “These results can change the standard of
care, offering a significant day-to-day impact on how lung cancer in the elderly is treated,” Edelman said. Another encouraging development in the
treatment of lung cancer is the identification of an experimental drug, known as crizotinib, which is showing much promise in trials of lung cancer patients who have a certain gene that promotes tumor growth. This gene is found in about 4 percent (nearly 220,000) of new lung cancer cases, especially among younger, non-smokers. “Early stage trials have shown dramatic
results in using this drug,” Edelman said, with more than 90 percent of the 82 patients studied in one trial seeing a significant reduction in the size of their tumor after just two months on the drug. UMGCC is also running clinical trials on crizotinib, in addition to more than 125 clinical trials pertaining to every stage of cancer and every patient population, including the elderly. As a National Cancer Institute-designated cancer center, UMGCC is among the top tier of centers nationwide for cancer research and patient care, and was ranked 21 out of 900 cancer programs nationally in the U.S. News & World Report’s America’s Best Hospitals list. “Lung cancer remains a difficult disease,” Edelman said. One reason being because early screening for the disease is not as effective as it is with, say, breast, colon or prostate cancers, he explained. Lung cancer is also more resistant to treatment than some other cancers, Edelman continued. But 20 years ago, for example, there was no
proven benefit of chemotherapy in treating lung cancer, Edelman said. “Now, though, we know that in locally advanced cases, chemotherapy can improve cure rates, and in cases where cure is not an option, it can still improve the longevity and quality of life … There is still a long way to go, but much progress has been made,” Edelman said.
Dr. Cullen and Dr. Edelman of University of Maryland Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum Cancer Center.
Focusing on Both the Present and the Future Great strides have been made in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer, but much remains to be done. At leading research centers throughout the world, clinical trials are a significant part of that effort. UNC Cancer in Chapel Hill, N.C., consists
of the newly opened N.C. Cancer Hospital and the Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center. As only one of only 40 institutions designated as a comprehensive cancer center by the National Cancer Institute, UNC Cancer conducts numerous clinical studies in the prevention, treatment and public health impact of cancer. In addition to trials developed at UNC Lineberger, patients coming to UNC also have access to many national research studies. One distinguishing feature of UNC and UNC Cancer is the culture of collaboration
CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE
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Health MINI SERIES
Photo courtesy of UMGCC
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