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Lung Cancer treatment details. Biologic therapy.

MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, United States.

Survival: monthsCountry:United States
Toxiciy Grade:5City/State/Province:Houston, TX
Treatments:Biologic therapyHospital:MD Anderson Cancer Center
Drugs:Journal:Link
Date:May 2011

Description:

Patients:
This study involved patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who were divided into 2 separate treatment groups. Group A consisted of 317 patients with a median age of 65 years, 54% of whom were male. Group B had 319 patients with a median age of 64.8 years and 54% male.

Treatment:
Patients in group A were treated with the biologic therapy agent erlotinib, a small molecule inhibitor of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase, which is involved in cell growth and survival.

Patients in group B were treated with erlotinib and the biologic therapy agent bevacizumab.

Toxicity:
There were 14 treatment-related deaths reported for group A, the causes of which were pneumonia, pulmonary embolism, and dyspnea (shortness of breath). Also reported was grade 3 blood clot and grade 3-4 hypertension.

For group B, there were 20 treatment-related deaths due to pneumonia, pulmonary embolism, dyspnea (shortness of breath), and bleeding. Also reported was grade 3 blood clot and grade 3-4 hypertension.

Results:
The median overall survival for groups A and B were 9.2 and 9.3 months, respectively.

Support:
This study was supported by Genentech, makers of erlotinib (brand name Tarceva) and bevacizumab (brand name Avastin).

Correspondence: Dr. Roy Herbst; email: [email protected]

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