Fast Breaking Comment by Frances A. Shepherd

Frances A. Shepherd answers a few questions about this month's fast breaking paper in the field of Clinical Medicine.

From •>>April 2006

Field: Clinical Medicine
Article Title: Erlotinib in previously treated non-small-cell lung cancer
Authors: Shepherd, FA;Pereira, JR;Ciuleanu, T;Tan, EH;Hirsh, V;Thongprasert, S;Campos, D;Maoleekoonpiroj, S;Smylie, M;Martins, R;van Kooten, M;Dediu, M;Findlay, B;Tu, DS;Johnston, D;Bezjak, A;Clark, G;Santabarbara, P;Seymour, L;Natl Canc Inst Canada Clin Trials
Journal: N ENGL J MED
Volume: 353
Issue: 2
Page: 123-132
Year: JUL 14 2005
* Univ Hlth Network, Dept Med Oncol & Hematol, Princess Margaret Site, Toronto, ON, Canada.
* Univ Hlth Network, Dept Med Oncol & Hematol, Toronto, ON, Canada.
* Univ Hlth Network, Dept Radiat Oncol, Toronto, ON, Canada.
* Univ Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
* Inst Canc Arnaldo Vieira de Carvalho, Sao Paulo, Brazil.
* Oncol Inst Ion Chiricuta, Cluj Napoca, Romania.
* Natl Canc Ctr, Dept Med Oncol, Singapore, Singapore.
* McGill Univ, Dept Oncol, Montreal, PQ, Canada.
* Chiang Mai Univ, Fac Med, Chiang Mai 50000, Thailand.
* Confidence Med Ctr, San Isidro, Argentina.
* Pramongkutklao Hosp, Bangkok, Thailand.
* Cross Canc Inst, Edmonton, AB T6G 1Z2, Canada.
* Inst Nacl Canc, Rio De Janeiro, Brazil.
* Inst Med Alexander Fleming, Buenos Aires, DF, Argentina.
* Inst Oncol, Bucharest, Romania.
* Hop Hotel Dieu, Hlth Sci Hosp, St Catharines, ON, Canada.
* Natl Canc Inst Canada Clin Trials Grp, Kingston, ON, Canada.
* OSI Pharmaceut, Boulder, CO USA.

Why do you think your paper is highly cited?

This is the first, and, to date, only trial of an epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitor to show a survival advantage for patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer.

Does it describe a new discovery or a new methodology that's useful to others?

Yes, in that this is a new form of treatment that differs from chemotherapy. It is an oral drug, and not associated with many of the side effects of chemotherapy, such as hair loss and falling blood counts.

Could you summarize the significance of your paper in layman's terms?

The trial documents a role for relotinib, a well tolerated agent for the treatment of advanced non-small cell lung cancer after chemotherapy has failed to work or stopped working. It provides a new treatment option for patients who previously had no options left. Erlotinib prolongs survival, improves symptoms, and improves quality of life in this particular patient population.

How did you become involved in this research?

This trial was led by the National Cancer Institute of Canada Clinical Trials Group (NCIC CTG). I am the Chair of the Lung Cancer Committee of the NCIC CTG and was the Principal Investigator of the study.

Frances A. Shepherd, M.D., FRCPC
Scott Taylor Chair in Lung Cancer Research
Senior Staff Physician at the Princess Margaret Hospital
Site Group Leader for the Lung Cancer site
Professor of Medicine in the Department of Medicine at the University of Toronto
Toronto, Ontario, Canada

ESI Special Topics, April 2006
Citing URL - http://www.esi-topics.com/fbp/2006/april06-FrancesAShepherd.html