Lung cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer death, claiming more lives each year than prostate, colon, breast, and ovarian cancers combined. It starts in the lungs and, depending on the stage, can spread to other parts of the body. Lung cancer has a variety of causes. However, people who smoke regularly are at a higher risk of developing lung cancer. The risk increases with how long they smoke and how many cigarettes they smoke. Other causes include secondhand smoke, exposure to radon gas, exposure to asbestos and other carcinogens, and a family history of lung cancer.
Lung cancer can cause a persistent cough. In addition, people with lung cancer may cough up blood, experience shortness of breath, chest pain, hoarseness, unexplained weight loss, bone pain, and headaches. Treatment usually includes surgery and medication. The drugs mentioned below are FDA-approved and should only be taken on a doctor's prescription.
Xalkori: Xalkori, also known as crizotinib, has been approved by the FDA for patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer. Previously used for patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer, the drug is now recommended for patients with ROS1-positive non-small cell lung cancer that has begun to spread.
It acts as an inhibitor in targeted therapy. It blocks changes in lung cancer cells, thereby disrupting the growth and spread of cancer cells.
Tagrisso: Tagrisso, also known as osimertinib, is used to treat non-small cell lung cancer. The drug is a tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI); it inhibits an enzyme called tyrosine kinase, which is involved in cell signaling. Tyrosine kinases are involved in stimulating cell division and leading to uncontrolled growth of cancer cells. Tagrisso controls these enzymes and blocks the growth and spread of cancer cells.
Alecensa: The drug is used to treat ALK-positive metastatic (advanced) non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). ALK is the gene for anaplastic lymphoma kinase. In lung cancer patients, chromosomal rearrangements of the gene lead to the formation of fusion proteins in cancer tissue. ALK then causes uncontrolled growth of cancer cells. Alcensa, also known as Alectinib, targets and disrupts ALK so that it does not stimulate the growth of cancer cells. In addition, it blocks the growth of tumors and causes cancer cell death, thereby shrinking the size of the tumor.
Gilotrif: Gilotrif, also known as afatinib and Giotrif, is an anticancer drug used to treat non-small cell lung cancer. It is used for targeted treatment, with better results and fewer side effects. The drug acts as an irreversible inhibitor of the tyrosine kinases EGRF and HER2. It can slow the progression of lung cancer.
Iressa: Iressa, also known as gefitinib, is used to treat non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). This treatment is usually recommended when NSCLC has spread to other parts of the body. Iressa is for patients who have certain mutations in the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) gene and have not received previous cancer treatment. This drug acts as a kinase inhibitor, blocking proteins that help cancer cells grow. It can slow the growth of cancer cells and reduce the size of tumors.
Alimta: This lung cancer drug is specifically used to treat non-small cell lung cancer. It is a folate analog metabolic inhibitor. Alimta is usually used in combination with platinum chemotherapy drugs and other drugs.
