BJMO - 2024, issue Special, june 2024
J. Blokken PhD, PharmD, T. Feys MBA, MSc
The percentage of brain metastases at initial diagnosis ranges from 10–30% in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), with increasing incidence throughout the disease course. These brain metastases can cause motor dysfunction, mental dysfunction, seizures, headaches, nausea and vomiting and can thus severely hamper the patient’s quality of life. Historically, the presence of brain metastasis is a poor prognostic factor, and its control may prolong the prognosis of the patient. Brain metastases can be addressed with local therapy (such as surgery and radiotherapy), or with systemic therapy using classical anticancer drugs. Unfortunately, one of the major limitations in defining the optimal initial treatment for NSCLC patients with brain metastases is that patients with untreated brain metastases were often excluded from randomised clinical trials evaluating systemic therapies.1 Furthermore, also a drug’s inability to penetrate the blood-brain barrier (BBB) can result in treatment resistance.2 The most suitable treatment should be determined during a multidisciplinary consult and should be based on histologic type, the general condition of the patient, and the size and number of brain metastases.2 This mini-review discusses the systemic management of patients with NSCLC and brain metastases, with a particular focus on patients with actionable genomic alterations.
Read moreBJMO - 2024, issue Special, june 2024
J. Blokken PhD, PharmD, T. Feys MBA, MSc
There is growing interest for biomarkers that allow a better selection of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients that are likely to benefit from immunotherapy. To date, several biomarkers are under investigation, including the PD1/PL-L1 axis, the tumour mutational burden, and the gut microbiota. The gut microbiota seems interesting due to its role in cancer, cancer treatment and treatment-related toxicities. Below we briefly summarize the conditions that might influence the composition of the gut microbiota and the subsequent effect on a response to immunotherapy, immune-related adverse events, and their management in NSCLC.1
Read moreBJMO - 2024, issue Special, june 2024
James Collins PhD, T. Feys MBA, MSc
There continues to be a large unmet medical need for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients in whom immunotherapy and chemotherapy have failed.1 Several studies have suggested that antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) hold promise for the treatment of these patients. This mini-review will briefly summarise the available data on the use of TROP-2 directed ADCs in this setting.
Read moreBJMO - 2024, issue Special, june 2024
James Collins PhD
Lung cancer is a leading cause of cancer mortality for both men and women. Guidelines for the clinical staging and prognosis of lung cancer are under constant revision due to advancement and generation of new data. At the European Lung Cancer Congress 2024 in Prague, the 9th TNM classification for lung cancer was discussed by Dr. Ramon Rami-Porta from the Hospital Universitari Mútua Terrassa, Spain.1
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