Silvia Novello, MD, PhD

Silvia Novello, MD, PhD, assistant professor, Thoracic Oncology Unit, University of Turin, San Luigi Hospital, Orbassano, Italy, discusses the use of chemotherapy in lung cancer.

Currently, only patients with stage II and stage III are candidates for chemotherapy treatment

Physicians do not use histology, molecular profiling or other characteristics to select patients for chemotherapy in this space

Chemotherapy is given to patients with stage II or stage III lung cancer who are completely resected and have a successful surgery

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Silvia Novello, MD, PhD, discusses the use of chemotherapy in lung cancer.

The Use of Chemotherapy in Lung Cancer

Silvia Novello, MD, PhD, assistant professor, Thoracic Oncology Unit, University of Turin, San Luigi Hospital, Orbassano, Italy, discusses some of the grey areas in lung cancer care.

While repeated chemotherapy is good for patients with stage 2 or 3A lung cancer, little is known about how to treat the early stages of lung cancer, Novello says.

Novello says that the best chemotherapy for patients with lung cancer is unknown. If the lung cancer indication is for chemotherapy, physicians add a platinum compound but do not know which other drug to add to achieve the best results. Until trials are completed, physicians should use the chemotherapy combination they are the most comfortable with.

It is also unknown as to where targeted therapies fall into place in an adjuvant setting, Novello says.At this time, nothing is known about molecules such as EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors or anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) inhibitors, so if a tumor tests positive for

or ALK, there is not enough data to treat that patient.

Little is known about the early stages of lung cancer

Doctors do not know the best chemotherapy compound to use for patients with lung cancer

The role of targeted therapies in lung cancer is still unknown

Silvia Novello, MD, PhD, discusses some of the grey areas in lung cancer care.

The Grey Areas of Lung Cancer

Silvia Novello, MD, PhD, Assistant Professor, Thoracic Oncology Unit, University of Turin, San Luigi Hospital, Orbassano, Italy, gives an overview of immunotherapy and the targeting of the MAGE-A3 protein in lung cancer.

Though lung cancer is not as immunogenic as some other cancers, Novello says, immunotherapy is still growing in the field. With regards to the amount of disease present, early stage disease is the best situation to use a vaccine.

A vaccine targeting the MAGE-A3 protein is in development for early disease. The trial has completed accrual and is ongoing, with about 35-55% of patients being MAGE-A3-positive. Novello believes the trial results will be clear and positive.

Lung cancer is not as immunogenic as some other cancers

Early stage disease is the best situation to use vaccines

A vaccine targeting the MAGE-A3 protein is in development

Silvia Novello, MD, PhD, from the University of Turin, Italy, gives an overview of immunotherapy and the targeting of the MAGE-A3 protein in lung cancer.

Silvia Novello, MD, PhD | Authors

Articles

The Use of Chemotherapy in Lung Cancer

The Grey Areas of Lung Cancer

Targeting the MAGE-A3 Protein in Lung Cancer