Targeted therapy blocks aggressive lung cancer

Alectinib is believed to improve survival lung cancer advanced stage. It increases the period of remission by 15 months compared to crizotinib therapy, according to Phase III clinical trial results presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) annual conference.

This study carried out on 303 patients showed that Alecensa (alectinib), from the Swiss laboratory Roche, stopped the proliferation of this non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with the ALK genetic mutation for 15 more months, than Xalkori ( crizotinib) manufactured by the American Pfizer.

This trial also showed that this targeted therapy caused fewer side effects. Indeed, the patients showed less metastases to the brain. Only 9% of them suffered from this type of advance, against 41% in the other group. “With this breakthrough, we are on the path to a treatment that helps patients live better and longer lives,” said Dr. Heymach, professor of medicine in the head and neck cancer department at the Anderson Cancer Center. at the University of Texas in the United States, which did not participate in the clinical study.

“Alecensa reduced the risk of disease progression by more than half and reduced the risk of cancer spreading or growing in the brain, which can have devastating effects for patients,” said Sandra Horning, chief of the Roche laboratory product.

“The fact that this second generation targeted therapy stops the progression of a advanced lung cancer for more than two years while preventing metastasis in the brain, is a remarkable result against this difficult disease “, ruled Dr. John Heymach.

Lung cancer is the fourth most common cancer behind those of prostate, of breast and colon, with nearly 37,000 new cases per year (27,000 men and 10,000 women). It remains the leading cancer in terms of mortality.

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