Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: EC:2.7.10.1 (ERK)
 95,504 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Current agents for the treatment of non-small-cell lung cancer include gemcitabine (Gemzar), paclitaxel (Taxol), docetaxel (Taxotere), vinorelbine (Navelbine), and irinotecan (CPT-11, Camptosar). Experimental agents include pemetrexed (LY231514, Alimta) and tirapazamine. Molecular and biological therapies include angiogenesis inhibitors, epidermal growth factor receptor inhibitors, HER2/neu inhibitors, and inhibitors of ras activation and function. Doublet chemotherapy is currently the standard treatment for advanced non-small-cell lung cancer. In the past 2 years, randomized trials have shown that many of the new two-drug combinations used to treat non-small-cell lung cancer have equivalent efficacy. These combinations produce 1-year survival rates of about 35% and 2-year survival rates of about 15%. Toxicity rates vary but are sufficiently low as to make the development of three-drug combinations feasible. Preliminary studies from several phase I and II trials suggest that triplet therapy can improve survival beyond that of double therapy regimens.
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PMID:Triplet combination chemotherapy and targeted therapy regimens. 1130 45

Docetaxel (Taxotere) has been intensively investigated for the treatment of metastatic breast cancer, where it has proved to be one of the most active agents. Initial phase II studies in anthracycline-resistant metastatic breast cancer demonstrated impressive response rates that have been confirmed in phase III randomized trials. Docetaxel remains the only single agent to demonstrate a survival benefit in anthracycline-resistant patients. More recently, the combination of docetaxel with capecitabine (Xeloda) has demonstrated additional improvement in survival over docetaxel alone in a randomized phase III trial. In patients previously treated with an alkylating agent, docetaxel is the only single drug to demonstrate improved efficacy over doxorubicin in a randomized trial. Docetaxel has been investigated in combination with the anthracyclines doxorubicin and epirubicin in randomized trials. The docetaxel-containing regimens have consistently demonstrated improvement over the non-docetaxel-containing regimens. The efficacy and safety of weekly docetaxel has extended the line of investigation for combinations with agents normally administered on a weekly basis, such as vinorelbine [Navelbine], gemcitabine [Gemzar], and trastuzumab [Herceptin], with promising findings. In addition, the results of the triple-drug combination of docetaxel, a platinum salt (cisplatin or carboplatin), and trastuzumab have resulted in impressive response rates and time to progression in a population of metastatic breast cancer patients with HER2/neu-positive tumors. The consistent demonstration of a high level of efficacy with manageable toxicity ensures the continued widespread investigation of docetaxel in metastatic breast cancer.
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PMID:The current status of docetaxel for metastatic breast cancer. 1210 94

Cisplatin (Platinol; Bristol-Myers Squibb, Princeton, NJ, http://www.bms.com) and carboplatin (Paraplatin; Bristol-Myers Squibb), together with newer chemotherapies, such as docetaxel (Taxotere; Aventis Pharmaceuticals Inc., Bridgewater, NJ, http://www.aventispharma-us.com), paclitaxel (Taxol; Bristol-Myers Squibb), vinorelbine (Navelbine; GlaxoSmith-Kline, Philadelphia, http://www.gsk.com), pemetrexed (Alimta; Eli Lilly and Company, Indianapolis, http://www.lilly.com), and gemcitabine (Gemzar; Eli Lilly and Company), have improved treatment outcomes in both advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and in the adjuvant/neoadjuvant setting. Newer systemic treatments for NSCLC, used in advanced stage IV management, are beginning to be studied in earlier stages of the disease, when treatment is better tolerated and potentially curative. Hopefully, newer agents with proven efficacies in advanced disease will enhance curability. Following the successful addition of bevacizumab (Avastin; Genentech, Inc., South San Francisco, CA, http://www.gene.com) to carboplatin/paclitaxel in advanced disease, bevacizumab is now being incorporated into adjuvant and neoadjuvant trials. Trials in stage IB-IIIA patients will study neoadjuvant docetaxel/cisplatin/bevacizumab. The discovery that patients with exon 19 and 21 mutations in the epidermal growth factor receptor gene EGFR have around an 80% response rate to gefitinib (Iressa; AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals, Wilmington, DE, http:// www.astrazeneca-us.com) and that this response confers survival benefit indicates its potential utility for mutation-positive patients with advanced- and earlier-stage disease. Clinical characteristics, such as never smoking status and adenocarcinoma, and especially bronchioloalveolar carcinoma histological features, can also identify individuals likely to respond to EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors. Studies of neoadjuvant erlotinib (Tarceva; OSI Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Melville, NY, http://www.osip.com) in operable NSCLC are planned. One such study includes cisplatin and docetaxel. Effective development of active agents and disease management based on molecular profiling of lung tumors will change tomorrow's standard of care.
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PMID:How today's developments in the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer will change tomorrow's standards of care. 1627 56

The development of an oral formulation of vinorelbine (Navelbine softgelatine capsules, Pierre Fabre Pharma, Freiburg i.Br., Germany) represents a significant advance in the treatment of patients with cancer. Oral chemotherapy is more convenient for the patients and brings significant time savings. Vinorelbine is rapidly absorbed after oral ingestion. The bioavailability is in the range of 33 to 43% and is not affected by concomitant food intake or by vomiting occuring 1.5 h or later after dosing. No significant differences in the pharmacokinetics of oral vinorelbine were observed between elderly (> or =70 years) and younger patients. The recommended dose schedule for oral vinorelbine is 60 mg/m(2) weekly for the initial 3 weeks (cycle 1) and 80 mg/m(2) weekly thereafter. However, if severe neutropenia is encountered during the first cycle, treatment is continued with weekly doses of 60 mg/m(2). Bioavailability studies have demonstrated that oral vinorelbine doses of 60 and 80 mg/m(2) are comparable to intravenous doses of 25 and 30 mg/m(2), respectively. Several clinical studies have demonstrated that the new oral formulation of vinorelbine can be safely administered, even to elderly patients, and is comparable in activity to intravenous vinorelbine in advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and metastatic breast cancer (MBC). A randomized phase II comparison of oral vinorelbine at the recommended dose schedule vs. intravenous vinorelbine at 30 mg/(2) in patients with advanced NSCLC found no significant differences in response rate, progression-free and overall survival between the two treatments. In studies of combination chemotherapy using vinorelbine plus cisplatin or carboplatin in advanced NSCLC, or vinorelbine plus taxanes, capecitabine,epirubicin, or the monoclonal HER2/neu antibody trastuzumab in MBC, intravenous vinorelbine could be completely or partially replaced by oral vinorelbine, resulting in maintained efficacy, good tolerability and improved patient convenience. Concurrent chemoradiation with oral vinorelbine and cisplatin was shown to be well tolerated and produced significant down-staging in patients with locally advanced NSCLC. Metronomic chemotherapy is a new treatment approach designed to maximize the antiangiogenic effect. Oral vinorelbine given every other day at low doses is currently evaluated in patients with refractory solid tumors. Oral vinorelbine has also proven useful as a substitute for intravenous vinorelbine in patients experiencing intractable acute tumor pain during or after intravenous infusion of vinorelbine.
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PMID:[Oral vinorelbine: pharmacology and treatment outcome in non-small cell bronchial carcinoma and breast carcinoma]. 1653 41

BACKGROUND The treatment of locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer involves a combination of chemotherapy, surgery, and radiotherapy. Each case is discussed and the best strategy is chosen individually, following international guidelines. CASE REPORT A 37-year-old man was diagnosed with locally advanced broncho-pulmonary adenocarcinoma (stage IIIA). The disease was stable after 2 cycles of cisplatin plus Navelbine used as neoadjuvant therapy. FISH analysis revealed an ALK rearrangement. The patient then received unlicensed crizotinib as second-line neoadjuvant treatment, which led to an almost complete radiological and metabolic response. A left upper lobectomy was performed, followed by post-operative chemotherapy and radiotherapy. At 18 months post-surgery, the patient is still disease-free according to the last CT scan. CONCLUSIONS Targeted therapy was an alternative solution when chemotherapy was not helping. Randomized studies are needed to define its precise role in the neoadjuvant scheme.
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PMID:Off-Label Use of Crizotinib as a Neoadjuvant Treatment for a Young Patient When Conventional Chemotherapy Gave No Benefits in Stage IIIA Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer. 2880 24