About Clinical Trials of Small Cell Lung Cancer

Clinical trials are research studies that involve testing new drugs and other related treatments among individuals. Comparing the standard therapy with others in the clinical trials that may provide better outcomes. Hence, the conduction of clinical trials is the best method towards the newest cancer treatment. It has been helpful for doctors to find better ways to treat small-cell lung cancer. Even if the patient chooses to participate in the clinical trial, they have the right to withdraw their participation at any point in time. 

Clinical trials is a crucial phase among individuals suffering from small cell lung cancer for two main reasons. The individuals participating in the clinical trials contributes tumor and blood samples for conducting further research studies. Hence, the individuals are specifically contributing to the broader aspects of future development towards treating small cell lung cancer ​1​

New Drug Efficacy

The second essential component of the clinical trial involves the evaluation of the new drug efficacy within the individuals and observing the fact that the newly developed drug is capable of controlling small cell lung cancer more effectively. Therefore, the clinical trials result in the development of new therapies for small cell lung cancer. This will further help in improving the outcome in treating the patients. It is hard to achieve better outcomes with many clinical trials in small cell lung cancer.

Different groups of targeted therapies that are the pills or non-chemotherapy, non-immunotherapy treatment options among the patients with small cell lung cancer are still under the developmental phase ​2​. The broader aspects into which they fit have tended to block cell growth through epigenetic modification, which refers to a comprehensive cell growth modality or blocking pills to block the specific cell cycle. And so, the mechanism of every category of the targeted therapy is being evaluated among the patients diagnosed with small cell lung cancer. But still, the research is being conducted to integrate the use of pills that are being targeted for cancer compared with the normal cells among the individuals suffering from small cell lung cancer. 

Efficacy of Clinical Trials

The clinical trials regarding the targeted therapies among the individuals suffering from small cell lung cancer tend to move towards specific applications of the targeted therapies. The data of clinical trials are used for such patients whose tumor shrinkage was not evaluated. Also, the subgroups of small-cell lung cancer patients have been categorized and have shown effectiveness in the outcome after conducting the targeted therapies in the clinical trial. Hence, the undertaken therapies’ efficacy helps determine the treatment efficacy by comparing the treatment therapies. 

The clinical trials on monitoring the small cell lung cancer within the bloodstream helps to improve care among the patients. Hence, blood cells and liquid biopsies have been helps to monitor the small cell lung cancer among the patients. This clinical trial has provided helpful insights towards the management of small cell lung cancer, which can integrate among the small cell lung cancer patients who have undergone surgery, and the blood test can be effective in analyzing the borderline cases of small cell lung cancer patients who are capable of undergoing surgery.

Care and Concern

Everything from individuals with recurrent small cell lung cancer receiving chemotherapy can be practical in subgroups but shows no efficacy. The clinical trials have integrated the checking by CAT scan for two months after every treatment. The appropriate outcome among the patients after receiving even one dose of chemotherapy is also under observation. The knowledge about pros and cons regarding the continuation of the treatment is important. Understanding the possible side effects that the individuals and their families need to know for informed decision making.

One of the most common approaches for the clinical trial for the past year is the efficacy of immunotherapy for complete cure. Therefore, the individuals receiving chemotherapy and radiation have undergone immunotherapy with the essential goal of increasing the cure rates. These trials have been running for the past few years. The individuals volunteer for clinical trials as these studies have contributed to minor cell lung cancer treatment.

References 

  1. 1.
    Byers LA, Rudin CM. Small cell lung cancer: Where do we go from here? Cancer. Published online October 21, 2014:664-672. doi:10.1002/cncr.29098
  2. 2.
    Cottin V, Arpin D, Lasset C, et al. Small-cell lung cancer: Patients included in clinical trials are not representative of the patient population as a whole. Annals of Oncology. Published online July 1999:809-816. doi:10.1023/a:1008399831512