Annual Evidence Update on Lung Cancer: 16-20 November 2009

An update of the evidence on this topic from NHS Evidence - cancer.

This is the 5th Annual Evidence Update (AEU) on lung cancer and presents the results of the new evidence that has been published since the previous AEU in November 2008. This year there are a number of interesting commentaries by members of the expert panel. These include:

1. Causes, risks and prevention by John Field and colleagues, Roy Castle, Lung Cancer Research Programme. This highlights socioeconomic factors, respiratory disease risk factors, genetic susceptibility risks and details about a recently developed lung cancer risk prediction modelling tool, currently being assessed in a primary care setting.
2. Biological agents in non-small cell lung cancer by Ekaterini Boleti and Michael Cullen. This commentary provides an overview of the emerging studies in this challenging treatment area and discusses the need for further trials to inform routine practice so that these patients benefit from optimal, cost-effective treatment.
3. Heparin and survival in cancer by Fergus Macbeth. This review looks at the effect of heparin on patients with small cell lung and other types of cancer.
4. Second line chemotherapy for small cell lung cancer by Sarah Danson. The importance of better treatments for relapsed small cell lung cancer is addressed in this commentary.
5. ERS/ESTS taskforce guidelines on fitness for radical surgery by Eric Lim and David Baldwin. New guidelines from Europe have been published on fitness for radical therapy and the authors look at the recommendations and highlight the complexities of the issues addressed.

Find out more at www.library.nhs.uk/cancer.