Lung cancer drug being studied in IU study

By Mary Hardin

In the clinical trial, the drug Erbitux is being given to individuals with advanced non-small cell lung cancer who have previously been treated with chemotherapy. Erbitux is administered intravenously once a week.

Dr. Nasser Hanna, the principal investigator for the trial, said recent announcements showed the drug to have a favorable response in patients with colon cancer. The IU Cancer Center is one of only six sites in the nation conducting the Phase II trial.

Erbitux is an antibody that blocks a receptor on cells. The receptor adheres to a naturally occurring growth factor, which is over-produced in lung cancer cells. When absorbed into the cells, it results in the spread and survival of cancer cells in the lungs. Erbitux is a member of a class of drugs called epidermal growth factor receptor inhibitors, which has therapeutic effects in lung and other cancers.

Non-small cell lung cancer accounts for 80 percent of all lung cancers and is the leading cause of cancer-related fatalities in the United States. In the U.S., 170,000 new cases of lung cancer are diagnosed each year, and there are 157,000 deaths caused by the disease.

Participants in the clinical trial must have advanced non-small cell lung cancer, have had at least one prior chemotherapy regimen and be in generally good health.

For information about the trial, contact Deborah Estes at 317-278-6599.