Erbitux Plus Chemo Improves Lung Cancer Outcomes

byBy Amanda Gardner
HealthDay Reporter

SATURDAY, May 31 (HealthDay News) -- The long-awaited results of a trial of the biologic drug Erbitux on patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer show it prolonged survival by about five weeks when combined with chemotherapy.

Medical professionals have known the drug improved survival, but the question has been by how much.

By Amanda Gardner
EmpowHer's HealthDay Reporter

FRIDAY, May 16 (HealthDay News) -- A panel of 15 genes may help determine which patients with early-stage non-small cell lung cancer will experience a recurrence and, therefore, benefit the most from chemotherapy, a new study shows.

EVERY 13 MINUTES someone dies from breast cancer. But did you know that almost 100 percent of all government and private funding supports ways to fight breast cancer rather than prevent it?

That’s right. After 30 years of research and billions of dollars spent, we still don’t know the cause of this deadly disease. And while an abundance of funding is pouring in to advance mechanical forms of fighting breast cancer such as chemo therapy and radiation, there is basically no research being administered that looks at the cause of breast cancer.

Information on Stage 4 Breast Cancer - treatment & facts from Dr. Harness, Pres. American Society of Breast Surgeons. St. Joseph Hospital Comprehensive Breast Center.

Facts on Stage 3 Breast Cancer - treatment & diagnosis from Dr. Harness, Pres American Society of Breast Surgeons. St. Joseph Hospital Comprehensive Breast Center.

The Washington Post has a story on how anti-anemia drugs, prescribed for many patients undergoing chemotherapy, can actually shorten a patient’s life. Have you seen the ads about the cancer patient who is too tired to play with his grandchildren, and then takes Procrit? Procrit is also prescribed by surgeons so lessen the use of blood transfusions during joint replacements and other surgeries accompanied by blood loss. But apparently neither making you more energetic or preventing you from needing a transfusion are FDA-approved uses for Procrit. Those ads will soon go away.

Dr. Harness if I get a mastectomy do I need chemotherapy (chemo)? Dr. Jay Harness gives breast cancer treatment and facts. He's the President American Society of Breast Surgeons. St. Joseph Hospital Comprehensive Breast Center.

THURSDAY, March 13 (HealthDay News) -- Radioimmunotherapy after chemotherapy is safe and effective for patients with follicular non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL), according to an Italian study.

TUESDAY, March 11 (HealthDay News) -- Chemotherapy following surgery does not improve survival in stomach cancer patients, says an Italian study.

FRIDAY, Feb. 29 (HealthDay News) -- Some men with advanced prostate cancer can safely take a break from chemotherapy, says a study by researchers at the Oregon Health & Science University Cancer Institute.