Not so long ago, lung cancer was considered totally incurable and quickly fatal. At a recent meeting of leading lung cancer physicians from around the world, it was clear that the scene has changed.
Dr. Purvish Parikh commented in his presentation that the average five-year survival rate of all lung cancers taken together is now 27%. Newer drugs and molecular targets are helping more and more patients.
Targeted treatment
All tumours are now tested for mutations, and up to half show genetic mutations. Most of these can be treated effectively with targeted agents, which do not have the side effects of chemotherapy. We are no longer shooting in the dark.
I saw the first of these newer oral drugs arrive in 2001. Since then the research has borne fruit, and long-term survival with a good quality of life is becoming a reality.