Lung Cancer: Targeted Drug Therapy

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Lung Cancer: Targeted Drug Therapy
Last Updated: 10/26/2007
Cancer treatment Centers of America

Targeted Drug Therapy for Lung Cancer Treatment
At Cancer Treatment Centers of America (CTCA), in addition to chemotherapy, we use a variety of targeted drugs for lung cancer treatment. Unlike chemotherapy, which affects all cells, targeted drugs help to stop cancer cell growth and spare healthy tissues.

Iressa (gefitinib) and Tarceva (erlotinib) are examples of targeted drugs used at CTCA for lung cancer treatment. Both Iressa and Tarceva are taken in a daily pill form. They target a gene mutation in tumors called an epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR).

Iressa and Tarceva are typically given to patients with stage III or stage IV non-small cell lung cancer who have previously received chemotherapy. Both of these drugs appear to have fewer side effects than chemotherapy. These targeted lung cancer treatments have close to a 10 percent response rate in patients with a specific gene mutation inside the EGFR, which increases the sensitivity to these drugs.

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