Erlotinib improves the survival of patients with non-small cell lung cancer

In a study presented by the National Cancer Institute of Canada at the 2005 American society for Clinical Oncology, patients who had EGFR (epidermal growth factor receptor)positive non-small cell lung cancer, and after receiving chemotherapy for advanced disease,derived a survival advantage from receiving the interesting new orally active tyrosine kinase inhibitor: erlotinib. TRhis group of drugs is entering a new and promising phase of clinical trials in a number of cancers.