Lung cancer killed over 170,000 patients in 2004, making it one of the most deadly forms of cancer. There are a number of treatments for lung cancer patients that help them minimize pain and discomfort associated with the symptoms, but doctors are quickly trying to find better ways to fight lung cancer through other means. Those researchers are conducting clinical trials that address various stages of lung cancer and new ways to fight it. This article will explore some of those trials and techniques that could lead to new treatments.
Lymph Nodes
Doctors typically do biopsies into the lymph node to find out what stage lung cancer is in. There is currently a clinical trial that involves using ultrasound waves to get a better diagnosis. The endoscopic ultrasound probes the esophagus and stomach, while an endobronchial ultrasound utilizes probes in the trachea and lungs. Non-small cell lung cancer patients are being used in this trial.
Screening
Screening for lung cancer is also being examined. New screening methods are being developed for people at high risk for lung cancer. Doctors are examining the use of biomarkers. Biomarkers are substances that can pinpoint disease development through cell changes in samples of sputum, blood and lung tissue. Rather than wait after symptoms appear and diagnose via a chest X-ray, a doctor can possibly detect lung cancer before it develops into later stages.
Blood Tests
Whenever chemicals attach to DNA, the DNA pattern changes. Doctors believe that specific cancers and treatments create individual patterns in DNA that can be mapped or recorded. These patterns show up in blood and tissue samples. Currently doctors are trying to gather samples after various lung cancer treatments to establish a DNA database known as an epigenetic profile. Although participating in a clinical trial may not change your treatment plan, it could affect the plan of future patients.
Vaccine
Stimuvax is a new cancer vaccine. It works by better prepping your immune system to fight cancer cells that aren't always recognized by it. One indicator of cancer is an MU2 molecule that is abnormally produced in infected cells. The immune system normally doesn't recognize irregular levels, but the Stimuvax vaccine can "educate" the immune system into recognizing it. Doctors are proposing to use this vaccine after a combination of chemotherapy and medications in non-small cell lung cancer patients. They aim to see if Stimuvax is effective in maintenance therapy.
CT Scans
New developments in Computerized Tomography (CT) scans can help doctors diagnose lung cancer with more accuracy. Non-small cell lung cancer patients usually go through radiotherapy for treatment. To plan it, doctors use CT scans. But CT scans are normally inaccurate due to the normal breathing motions of the chest while under scanning, making it difficult to pinpoint the lung cancer. This test also subjects healthy tissue to radiotherapy, which can lead to shortness of breath. With the new 4D scanners, CT machines can take accurate pictures of your breathing motions, adding accuracy to radiotherapy treatment.
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