/PRNewswire/ -- Today, Lung Cancer Alliance-Georgia (LCA-GA) acknowledged Senators Saxby Chambliss (R-GA) and Johnny Isakson (R-GA) for their leadership and support in establishing the first ever multi-agency, comprehensive program targeted at lung cancer.
Entitled Lung Cancer Mortality Reduction Act of 2009, S.332 authorizes a five year program to reduce the mortality rate of lung cancer which continues to be the number one cause of cancer deaths both nationally and in the state of Georgia. Lung cancer causes more deaths each year than breast, prostate, colon, kidney, melanoma and liver cancers combined.
"Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths among men and women. Anything that can be done to increase the parity in funding for this deadly disease will be a significant advance in reducing cancer morbidity and mortality," commented Senator Chambliss. "This legislation is a strong step in the right direction."
"We must make every effort to address lung cancer comprehensively and not overlook the import of earlier detection and better disease management," said Senator Isakson. "This is how we are going to make a difference in lung cancer mortality,"
In thanking the senators for their support, LCA-GA Chair and lung cancer survivor, Ed Levitt said, "Senators Chambliss and Isakson are looked to as leaders on cancer issues and their co-sponsorships of this breakthrough legislation is very significant. We sincerely thank them and look forward to working to continue to improve lung cancer outcomes in Georgia and beyond."
The bill requires the Secretaries of Health and Human Services, Defense and Veterans Affairs to combine forces on a comprehensive, coordinated plan of action with funding authorized for five years to accomplish the mortality reduction goal.
The National Cancer Institute (NCI) is required to review its funding priorities in order to meet the lung cancer mortality reduction goal and more national institutes are called on directly to take part, including the National Institute of Heart, Lung and Blood, the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering and the National Institute for Environmental Health
To ensure accountability, the bill requires an annual report to Congress and creates an oversight board composed of the three Cabinet Secretaries and representatives from the fields of lung cancer treatment, research and advocacy.
In addition, the bill directs the Secretaries of Department of Defense (DOD) and Veterans' Affairs (VA) to implement an early detection and disease management program for military personnel who are at high risk for lung cancer because of smoking or exposure to carcinogens during active duty.
The bill also:
-- Authorizes the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to create a new Lung
Cancer Mortality Reduction drug program with incentives for new
treatments, targeted therapies, vaccines and chemoprevention drugs for
precancerous conditions.
-- Requires the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to carry out
an early disease research program targeted at the high incidence and
mortality rates among minority and low-income populations.
The bill includes specific authorizations of $75,000,000 for certain NIH agencies in FY10 and authorizes such additional sums as may be necessary for all the cited agencies to accomplish the goal for FY 2010 through FY2014.
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Monday, December 7, 2009
Lung Cancer Alliance-Georgia Hails Senate Leadership on Lung Cancer Mortality Reduction Act of 2009
Monday, July 6, 2009
FDA Approves First Maintenance Drug Therapy for Advanced Lung Cancer
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved Alimta (pemetrexed), the first drug available for maintenance therapy of advanced or metastatic lung cancer.
Patients with cancer often receive maintenance therapy to prevent the disease from progressing after their tumor has shrunk or the disease has stabilized in response to chemotherapy. Alimta disrupts metabolic processes that are dependent on the B-vitamin folate, a necessary ingredient for cell replication.
“This drug represents a new approach in the treatment of advanced non-small cell lung cancer,” said Richard Pazdur, M.D., director, Office of Oncology Drug Products in the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research. “Typically, patients whose tumors respond to chemotherapy do not receive further treatment after four-to-six chemotherapy cycles. This study demonstrates an advantage in overall survival in certain patients who received Alimta for maintenance therapy.”
Non-small cell lung cancer has several subtypes, including squamous cell, large cell, adenocarcinoma and mixed histology cancers. In a 600-patient clinical trial, people with predominantly squamous cell cancer did not benefit from Alimta. But those with other subtypes of non-small lung cancer survived an average 15.5 months following treatment compared with 10.3 months for patients who received an inactive substance (placebo). All patients in the study received standard medical care.
Reported adverse events included damage to blood cells, fatigue, nausea, loss of appetite, tingling or numbness in the hands and feet, and skin rash.
Alimta initially was approved in 2004 for the treatment of patients with mesothelioma, a cancer frequently related to asbestos exposure. The drug was later approved for the treatment of patients with non-small cell lung cancer whose disease worsened on prior chemotherapy drugs and also as an initial therapy for advanced non-small cell lung cancer.
Alimta is manufactured by Eli Lilly & Co. of Indianapolis.
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