UK advisory body supports chemotherapy drugs for lung cancer

The National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE), which advises the NHS in England and Wales on the clinical and cost effectiveness of medicines, has issued guidance recommending several new drugs for chemotherapy in non-small cell lung cancer.

Gemcitabine, paclitaxel, and vinorelbine should each be considered as part of firstline chemotherapy for patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer, the guidance says. The use of any one of these drugs in combination with a platinum based chemotherapy drug is likely to be the most effective form of treatment, the guidelines suggest.

Docetaxel monotherapy should be considered in the treatment of patients with locally advanced or metastatic cancer, but only if …