Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related death in the world as well as in China. It is estimated that approximately 429 000 Chinese individuals may die from lung cancer in 2005, and the mortality rate for l...Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related death in the world as well as in China. It is estimated that approximately 429 000 Chinese individuals may die from lung cancer in 2005, and the mortality rate for lung cancer will double in the next century. 1 Currently, chemotherapy is the a main treatment of advanced and recurrent lung cancer. However, the recent development of tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) such as gefitinib and erlotinib may change the therapeutic approaches for this disease. Gefitinib, for example, induces clinical responses in approximately 10% of patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in the USA and Europe, and 26% in Japan. 2,3 A study of gefitinib in 31 patients from Beijing showed an objective tumor response rate of 36%. 4展开更多
文摘Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related death in the world as well as in China. It is estimated that approximately 429 000 Chinese individuals may die from lung cancer in 2005, and the mortality rate for lung cancer will double in the next century. 1 Currently, chemotherapy is the a main treatment of advanced and recurrent lung cancer. However, the recent development of tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) such as gefitinib and erlotinib may change the therapeutic approaches for this disease. Gefitinib, for example, induces clinical responses in approximately 10% of patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in the USA and Europe, and 26% in Japan. 2,3 A study of gefitinib in 31 patients from Beijing showed an objective tumor response rate of 36%. 4