New Hope to Lung Cancer Patients

According to an article published in the Science Daily, outcome of an international phase 3 clinical trial on the effects of an oral prescription for medical treatment has accomplished that the drug is effective among tumor patients.

Researchers at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center conducted this study. These researchers studied the reports of 1,466 patients suffering from lung cancer in more than 24 countries.

Patients who underwent chemotherapy treatment showed the survival rate of 8 months and 34 percent survived for a year.  The patients who received the Iressa treatment had survival rate of 7.6 percent.  According to a report published in the Science Daily, lung cancer patients suffering from EGFR gene mutation and who were given Iressa treatment showed “an improved response rate and progression-free survival compared to docetaxel.”

Iressa can be described as a “biological oral therapy treatment”. According to the researchers, “this is the largest study in lung cancer comparing an oral biologic to chemotherapy, and shows, for the first time that an oral biologic therapy is just as effective as chemotherapy.”

Causes of Lung Cancer

American Cancer Society (ACS) describes lung cancer as one of the leading causes for deaths in the United States. According to the Mayo Clinic, “smoking causes the majority of lung cancers — both in smokers and in people exposed to secondhand smoke.”

Lung cancer can be prevented through the therapies of smoking cessation. Following are the steps that may help the smoker in quitting this habit:

Remove all the products linked with tobacco from your home and office.

Determine the challenges and strategies to overcome them.

Inform your family, coworkers and friends about your decision and request for support.

Set duration to quit this habit of smoking.

There are many other varieties of Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT), which may help a smoker in quitting this addiction. According to the American Cancer Society , following are the smoking cessation aids:

• Nicotine lozenges
• Nicotine nasal spray
• Nicotine gum
• Nicotine inhalers
• Nicotine patches
• High dose of nicotine replacement therapy like Zyban and Chantix

Dangers Linked with Smoking Cessation Drugs

There are many side effects associated with the use of smoking termination prescription or non-prescription. Not every drug is ideal for consumption. For example, Chantix continues to make headlines for various side effects linked with it. Pfizer introduced Chantix to the market in May 2006. Currently, it is consumed by around three million Americans with a hope to quit smoking.

In November 2007, FDA received hundreds of complaint related to the use of Chantix. Patients using this drug developed suicidal tendencies and behaviors and 37 of them successfully committed suicide.