IP shows potential in lung cancerIntrathecal pemetrexed improves survival outcomes in previously treated EGFR-mutant advanced non-small-cell lung cancer with leptomeningeal metastases.
We explored the effects of intrathecal pemetrexed (IP) on lung cancer patients facing leptomeningeal metastases (LM), particularly after they had not responded to previous treatments with EGFR-TKIs. The study analyzed 50 patients who received a 50 mg dose of IP after their cancer progressed, looking closely at their clinical responses and survival outcomes over two years.
Remarkably, we observed a 64% clinical response rate, indicating that many patients saw improvements in their neurological symptoms and overall performance. The median intracranial progression-free survival was 5.3 months, while overall survival reached up to 12 months for these patients. Those who responded positively to the treatment experienced significantly longer survival compared to non-responders, which is encouraging for both patients and doctors seeking options after traditional therapies fail.
The treatment was generally well tolerated, with manageable side effects mostly related to myelosuppression and liver functions. Additionally, genetic testing revealed consistency between the tumors and the cerebrospinal fluid, which opens up further investigation into the underlying mechanisms of treatment resistance. Overall, our findings suggest that IP could be a promising option for patients battling advanced lung cancer with LM after existing therapies have stopped working.
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Last July, my small dog, 9 years old, was diagnosed with lung cancer and given only 4 months to live without treatment. She struggled to breathe, with frequent gagging. Chemotherapy nearly killed her, and it seemed metastasis had begun during treatment. After starting her on Max3 and a grain-free diet, I noticed a marked improvement. Over 10 months later, she is thriving, gagging just once each morning. Unfortunately, my local store switched to a less convenient version of my supplement, but I ordered the original online. I feel this change impacted effectiveness, so I supplemented it with immune boosters.