Lung cancer, once considered a death sentence, is now seeing a glimmer of hope thanks to groundbreaking new drug treatments. These advancements are not only extending the lives of patients but also improving their quality of life, offering a new lease on life for many who had lost hope.
Key Takeaways
- New drug treatments are significantly extending the lives of lung cancer patients.
- Drugs like Tagrisso, Imfinzi, and Lorbrena are showing promising results in clinical trials.
- Patients are experiencing improved quality of life and extended survival times.
New Drugs, New Hope
Recent studies presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology conference in Chicago have shown that new drug treatments can add months or even years to the lives of lung cancer patients. Among the new treatment options are AstraZeneca’s Tagrisso and Imfinzi, and Pfizer’s Lorbrena. These drugs are already approved by the Food and Drug Administration and are being used to treat even the most resistant forms of lung cancer.
For instance, Tagrisso has been shown to contain lung cancer for nearly three years longer than traditional chemotherapy and radiation for some stage-three patients. Imfinzi, an immunotherapy drug, can extend the lives of patients with aggressive lung cancer by nearly two years. Lorbrena has shown that 60% of advanced patients were still alive five years after starting the treatment, compared to just 8% on older drugs.
Real-Life Stories of Survival
Matt Hiznay from Ohio was diagnosed with stage-four lung cancer in 2011. After trying a series of older treatments, he joined a trial for Lorbrena in 2015 and has been on it ever since. Over the years, he has earned his doctorate, got married, and had a daughter. “It became a bit easier to see the future again,” he says.
Emily Daniels, a non-smoker, was diagnosed with stage IV ALK-positive non-small-cell lung cancer while she was 33 weeks pregnant. After her baby was delivered, she started treatment at the University of Colorado Cancer Center. Initially, her cancer responded well to an ALK inhibitor called alectinib, but it later evolved to become resistant. A breakthrough came when her doctors added a MET inhibitor, crizotinib, to her treatment. She has now been living a normal life for six years, enjoying time with her family and raising funds for cancer research.
The Road Ahead
Despite these advancements, researchers acknowledge that there is still a long way to go. Often, the cancer comes back and becomes incurable, or it is caught too late to be treatable. However, the progress made so far is a significant step in the right direction. Dr. Lauren Averett Byers, a lung-cancer oncologist at MD Anderson Cancer Center, notes, “To see something where we’re measuring benefit in years versus months is a huge step in the right direction.”
Conclusion
The new drug treatments for lung cancer are offering unprecedented hope and extended lives for patients. While challenges remain, the stories of survivors like Matt Hiznay and Emily Daniels serve as powerful reminders of the progress being made. With continued research and clinical trials, the future looks brighter for lung cancer patients.
Sources
- Incredible hope for lung cancer patients with new drugs, MSN.
- Lung Cancer Was a Death Sentence. Now Drugs Are Saving Lives., MSN.
- 6 Years After Lung Cancer Diagnosis, Patient Says CU Cancer Center Research is ‘Why I’m Here’, CU Anschutz Newsroom.
Lung Cancer Websites
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