Lung cancer: ASCO 2014 update

Abstract At the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) meeting 2014, the most striking abstracts on lung cancer treatment addressed—as expected—aspects of targeted therapy. The most probable practice changing data came from the presentation of the PROFILE 1014 trial dealing with anaplastic lymphoma kinase-positive non-small-cell lung carcinoma patients treated with crizotinib or chemotherapy in the first-line setting, which confirmed a comparable degree of benefit from crizotinib treatment as reported in second-line treatment. After 10 years of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-directed therapy, there were for the first time reports on phase I data on new agents showing efficacy in tyrosine-kinase inhibitor pre-treated patients with secondary resistance (i.e. T790M mutation). Monoclonal antibodies directed against EGFR and vascular endothelial growth factor receptor given in addition to conventional chemotherapy (SQUIRE and REVEL, respectively) resulted in significant but less impressive results. Notable improvements in overall survival in these two studies were not restricted to patients with adenocarcinoma but proved beneficial in patients with squamous cell carcinoma as well. Unfortunately, as in the aftermath of many past ASCO meetings, there will be no significant changes concerning systemic treatment of small cell lung cancer in the near future.
Source: Memo - Magazine of European Medical Oncology - Category: Cancer & Oncology Source Type: research