Massachusetts General Hospital

Phase III trial shows crizotinib superior to single-agent chemotherapy for ALK-positive lung cancer

Head-to-head study compares of crizotinib with standard chemotherapy in this patient group

30/Sep/2012

The results of a new phase III trial show that crizotinib, a targeted therapy, is a more effective treatment than standard chemotherapy for patients with advanced, ALK-positive lung cancer, researchers said at the ESMO 2012 Congress of the European Society for Medical Oncology in Vienna.

Rearrangements of the anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) gene are found in about 5% of all lung cancers. In previous uncontrolled studies, crizotinib has been shown to induce significant clinical responses in patients with advanced ALK-positive lung cancer.

Link to full ESMO release.

Media Contacts: Katie Marquedant, (617) 726-0337, kmarquedant@partners.org