New Perspectives on Lung Cancer Classification and Treatment, December 8, 2004

New Perspectives on Lung Cancer Classification and Treatment, December 8, 2004

Currently, lung cancer is classified as squamous, adenocarcinoma, small-cell, and large-cell types. Small-cell lung cancer progresses rapidly and has a high mortality rate, with COPP, COMP, and HOPP regimens considered the most effective treatments. Lung cancer other than small-cell is generally referred to as non-small-cell lung cancer, specifically adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma. Chemotherapy for these types typically involves doxorubicin, carboplatin, and cyclophosphamide; MMC, 5-FU, and MTX can also be used, but their efficacy is unsatisfactory for advanced non-small-cell lung cancer. Recently, targeted drug gefitinib combined with chemotherapy has been proposed, showing significant efficacy for advanced non-small-cell lung cancer. However, recent evidence-based medical studies using small sample sizes conclude that gefitinib combined with chemotherapy is no better than chemotherapy alone. Gefitinib is an epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor. By inhibiting the epidermal growth factor receptor, it suppresses both squamous and adenocarcinoma cells—squamous cells being squamous epithelium, and adenocarcinoma cells being glandular epithelium—all targets activated by epidermal growth factor.