09/08/2015
In recent years, a newer form of treatment known as targeted therapy has emerged as another treatment option for stage III and IV of lung cancer, he said. Targeted therapy is a treatment selective for specific molecular structures on or near tumour cells. It has an advantage over the conventional treatment modalities because its effects are generally more focused; it may therefore cause fewer harmful side effects.
An example of targeted therapy is afatinib for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). It works by blocking the signal from epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), a protein commonly found on the surface of cells. Abnormal cell growth and division will be stopped as the signal from EGFR is blocked, explained Mohamed Ibrahim.
Broadly speaking, lung cancer can be divided into NSCLC and small cell lung cancer (SCLC), he said. A total of 85 percent of lung cancer cases are NSCLCs. Even though SCLC makes up only 15 percent of all lung cancer cases, it is more aggressive than NSCLC. So far, afatinib has been shown to be effective only for NSCLC. Thus, continued research is needed to find an equal or superior treatment option for SCLC.
Conventional treatment modalities for lung cancer include surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy. The three options can be used singly or in combination. Patients with early stage lung cancer are best treated with surgery. Chemotherapy and radiotherapy are frequently given to shrink the tumour before proceeding with surgery. In some cases, they are given after surgery to reduce the risk of recurrence.