CONTACT:
Lauren Ward
Amy Kemp
(412) 624-2607
FAX: (412) 624-3184
EMBARGOED FOR 10 A.M., EDT, MONDAY, MAY 19
NEW COMBINATION TREATMENT FOR NON-SMALL CELL LUNG CANCER FROM UPCI SIGNIFICANTLY IMPROVES SURVIVAL
DENVER, May 19 -- University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute
(UPCI) researcher Chandra Belani, M.D., announced today that his novel
treatment using combination chemoradiation for regionally advanced,
surgically unremovable Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC) appears
promising and could lead to the development of a new standard of care
for this disease. The treatment uses TAXOL (paclitaxel) and
PARAPLATIN (carboplatin for injection), in conjunction with thoracic
radiotherapy.
The unprecedented three-year expected survival of 54 percent
of patients treated was presented today at the American Society of
Clinical Oncology annual meeting in Denver.
"Historically, conventional chemotherapy and radiation
treatment for NSCLC patients results in 19 percent survival at the
three-year mark," said Dr. Belani, associate professor of medicine
at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and co-director of
Experimental Therapeutics at the UPCI. "We are very encouraged to
see the exciting results from our study as compared to historical
data."
Dr. Belani's ongoing study enrolled 38 regionally advanced
lung cancer patients who received a combination of weekly, low-dose
TAXOL (45 mg/M2, 3 hour infusion) plus weekly carboplatin (100 mg/M2) plus
combination thoracic radiotherapy (external chest radiation).
"The message here is that this early, aggressive, well
tolerated treatment appears to save a significant number of
lives," said Dr. Belani.
Because the one-year survival rate was 63 percent and the two-
and three-year expected survival rates are 54 percent, the researchers
believe that this early combination treatment may be beneficial in
regionally advanced NSCLC.
According to the National Cancer Institute (NCI), lung cancer
is the largest single cause of cancer mortality in the United States.
Hard to detect and difficult to treat, it is responsible for one of
every four cancer deaths in the nation. The current five-year
survival rate has remained stubbornly low over time -- 12 percent in
1973 and 13 percent in 1992.
With the rising number of women who smoke, lung cancer
surpassed breast cancer in 1987 as the leading cause of cancer deaths
among women. However, overall deaths from lung cancer have declined,
falling 1.5 percent between 1991 and 1995.
According to Dr. Belani, 170,000 Americans are diagnosed with
lung cancer every year. Eighty percent of these patients have NSCLC.
The success of TAXOL continues to evolve and there are a
large number of ongoing studies around the world looking at its effect
on virtually every type of cancer.
As one of 26 NCI-designated comprehensive cancer centers, the
UPCI is recognized for its interdisciplinary approach to cancer
prevention, detection, diagnosis, treatment, education and community
outreach and for its commitment to translational research that rapidly
brings new cancer therapies from the laboratory bench to the
patient's bedside.
For additional information about this study, please contact
the UPCI's Cancer Information and Referral Service toll-free at
1-800-237-4PCI(724).
# # #
NOTE TO EDITORS: To arrange an interview with Dr. Belani, please
contact Amy Kemp at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center
(412-624-2607) or Lauren Ward at the ASCO meeting (hotel number in
Denver is (303) 297-1717).
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