Lung Cancer a dangerous disease but curable with proper guidance. As you regularly reading about lung cancer in this blogs previous posts, also you read about systemic therapy in “Systemic Therapy for Advance Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer” post. After that you read about First-Line treatment in previous post “First-Line Treatment for Lung Cancer”; now know about Second-Line and Third-Line Treatment.
Second-Line Treatment for Lung Cancer is a systemic therapy, in which drug or combination of drugs given to the patient after the failure of first-line treatment.
Following drugs options are suggested in second-line treatment patients with nonsquamous cell carcinoma:
- Docetaxel (Docefrez, Taxotere): is an anti-mitotic chemotherapy drug that is clinically well-established that works by intrusive with cell division.
- Erlotinib: known Tarceva as a trade name; is used to treat non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) by blocking Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR) – EGFR is a protein which involved in growth and development of cancer.
- Gefitinib: known Iressa as a trade name; it also block the growth of Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR).
- Pemetrexed: known Alimta as a trade name. This drug suggested to patients with nonsquamous cell carcinoma; not for patients with squamous cell carcinoma.
Following drugs options are suggested in second-line treatment patients with squamous cell carcinoma:
If first-line treatment with targeted therapy is failed to control the growth of cancer cells for patients with a genetic change to the EGFR gene, chemotherapy or other targeted therapy is recommended.
Patients with a genetic change to the ALK gene who’s cancer goes worse in first-line treatment, chemotherapy or ceritinib (Zykadia) are suggested.
If both first-line treatment and second-line treatment fails; also chemotherapy not recommended; third-line treatment suggested – read about it on post “Third-Line Treatment for Lung Cancer”.
This blog is only for providing information; please concern your doctor before starting any treatment. If he suggests you then only use that treatment. He knows well about your diseases and knows what best treatment for you.
Always follow your doctor!!!