New chemotherapy agents in the treatment of advanced non-small cell lung cancer: an update including data from the Seventh World Conference on Lung Cancer.
Over the past two decades, modest gains have been made in chemotherapy for non-small cell lung cancer with the addition of cisplatin-based regimens to the therapeutic armamentarium. Over the last decade, several new agents with significant activity have reached the level of Phase II and III testing. This list of new drugs includes: navelbine, the taxanes--taxol and taxotere, gemcitabine, edatrexate and the camptothecins--irinotecan and topotecan. During this period, oral etoposide and epirubicin were re-investigated and biological agents such as the retinoids, interferons and interleukins were also explored as alternatives to traditional chemotherapy. As these new drug investigations proceeded, basic scientists made important discoveries which are now beginning to be applied to therapy. The future promises to combine these active new drugs with therapies directed against targets unique to non-small cell lung cancer cells.
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Jefferson Cancer Center, Jefferson Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19107, USA.
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D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use* / Q000633:toxicity*; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000627:therapeutic use / Q000633:toxicity; D002166:Camptothecin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000627:therapeutic use / Q000633:toxicity; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000628:therapy*; D017322:Clinical Trials, Phase II as Topic; D017326:Clinical Trials, Phase III as Topic; D015195:Drug Design; D006133:Growth Substances / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D007372:Interferons / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007378:Interleukins / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000628:therapy*; D017239:Paclitaxel / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000627:therapeutic use / Q000633:toxicity; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D006133:Growth Substances; D007378:Interleukins; D007372:Interferons; D017239:Paclitaxel; D002166:Camptothecin