A groundbreaking development in lung cancer treatment has emerged with the first trial results of lorlatinib, a new drug that has shown unprecedented success in halting disease progression.
According to The Guardian, this breakthrough, considered "off the chart" by experts, provides new hope for patients diagnosed with advanced forms of lung cancer - the leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide.
(Photo : National Cancer Institute on Unsplash)
Breakthrough Lung Cancer Treatment
Lorlatinib has demonstrated remarkable efficacy in a clinical trial, stopping the progression of lung cancer for a significantly longer period than any other treatment available.
This drug, a third-generation ALK tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI), targets ALK-positive non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), the most common form of lung cancer. ALK-positive NSCLC is characterized by mutations in the ALK gene, which can be effectively targeted by ALK inhibitors.
The findings were presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) annual meeting in Chicago. Dr. Benjamin Solomon, a medical oncologist at the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre in Melbourne, led the phase 3 trial involving 296 patients with advanced NSCLC. Participants were randomly assigned to receive either lorlatinib (149 patients) or crizotinib (147 patients), another ALK TKI.
More than half of the patients (60%) treated with lorlatinib were still alive and progression-free after five years. In stark contrast, only 8% of those treated with crizotinib showed the same results. Dr. Solomon stated, "To our knowledge, these results are unprecedented."
The study highlighted the remarkable difference in progression-free survival (PFS) between the two drugs. The five-year PFS rate for patients on lorlatinib was 60%, compared to just 8% for those on crizotinib.
Additionally, lorlatinib was effective in controlling disease progression in the brain. Approximately 25% of the participants had brain metastases at the start of the study. Lorlatinib's ability to penetrate the brain and target these metastases contributed significantly to its superior outcomes.
The medical community has warmly welcomed these findings. Dr. David Spigel, chief scientific officer of the Sarah Cannon Research Institute in London, described the results as "off the chart."
Cancer Research UK's chief clinician, Prof. Charles Swanton, referred to the study's outcomes as "groundbreaking" and emphasized their potential to offer fresh hope for patients with advanced lung cancer.
Side Effects and Safety
While lorlatinib shows remarkable efficacy, it does come with side effects. The trial reported treatment-related issues in 77% of patients on lorlatinib, compared to 57% on crizotinib.
Somce common side effects included swelling, high cholesterol, and elevated lipid levels. Despite these issues, the safety profile of lorlatinib was consistent with previous reports, and no new safety concerns were identified.
The introduction of lorlatinib is a major progress in the treatment of the advanced ALK-positive NSCLC, offering patients hope. The drug's ability to halt disease progression and control brain metastases sets a new standard for targeted cancer treatments.
