Quality-of-life benefits and evidence of antitumour activity for patients with brain metastases treated with gefitinib.
Br J Cancer
; 89 Suppl 2: S15-8, 2003 Dec.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-14661048
ABSTRACT
Brain metastases are a common complication of non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The role of chemotherapy in the treatment of brain metastases has not been clearly defined. Emerging case reports of patients with recurrent NSCLC treated as part of the Expanded Access Programme reveal that gefitinib ("Iressa", ZD1839) has clinical activity in some patients with brain metastases. Here, we describe a number of case studies documenting the response of patients with brain metastases to treatment with gefitinib. Many of these patients had quality-of-life benefits with improvement of neurological and systemic symptoms; some had a partial response of their brain metastases and even complete responses have been seen in a few patients. One case report also describes a durable long-term response with concurrent treatment with gefitinib and radiotherapy. Such results call for larger trials designed to evaluate and define the role of gefitinib in the treatment of brain metastases in NSCLC patients, either as a single agent or in combination with radiation therapy.
Full text:
1
Collection:
01-internacional
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Quinazolines
/
Brain Neoplasms
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Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung
/
Lung Neoplasms
/
Neoplasm Recurrence, Local
/
Antineoplastic Agents
Aspects:
Patient_preference
Limits:
Humans
Language:
En
Journal:
Br J Cancer
Year:
2003
Document type:
Article
Affiliation country:
Brazil
Country of publication:
ENGLAND
/
ESCOCIA
/
GB
/
GREAT BRITAIN
/
INGLATERRA
/
REINO UNIDO
/
SCOTLAND
/
UK
/
UNITED KINGDOM