Health News

Good To The Bone
When lung cancer starts to spread, it often goes to the bone. This is the site of metastasis (spread) for other cancers as well. A comparison of bone medications found one to be superior.
Never Too Late for Therapy
Older lung cancer patients who have not responded to standard chemotherapy may be reluctant to continue treatment. Later-stage drug treatment, however, can be effective. Older patients often go under-treated because of concerns that they will not be able to tolerate certain toxic therapies.
Breast Cancer Drug Gets Green Light for Lung Cancer
Since 2005, Abraxane (paclitaxel) has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration to treat breast cancer. Now the drug can also be used for first-line treatment of advanced lung cancer.
Blood Test Spots Who Benefits From Drug
The anti-cancer drug erlotinib ( Tarceva ) may slow or stop cancer depending on the type and extent of the disease. A blood test can help patients find out how they will respond to the drug.
A Welcome Skin Rash
For most people, getting a rash would not be good news. For elderly patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer, however, a rash may indicate a likelihood of living longer.
In the Cancer Game Quitters Are Winners
Why bother quitting smoking if you already have lung cancer? A recent report claims that patients can benefit from stopping even in the later stages of the disease.
When Cancer Drug Trials Are Flawed
Chemotherapy drugs like docetaxel stop or slow cancer cell growth. Adding another medication to the chemo that blocks blood vessel growth may help patients live longer.
Many Not Getting Life-Prolonging Therapy
Radiation treatment is effective at shrinking tumors and killing cancer cells. While this type of treatment can extend lives, many lung cancer patients are not receiving the therapy. But why?
Marriage Improves Lung Cancer
Scientists may have trouble proving it in a lab, but marital support helps cancer patients live longer. How can this be translated to help unmarried patients?
Smoker Vs. Never-Smoker Lung Cancer
Lung cancer patients who never smoked may be treated differently in the future than those who have smoked. That’s because smoking changes a person’s genes – a lot.