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Vol.52 No.2 contents | Japanese/English |
 | Full Text of PDF (1960K) Article in Japanese |
- Review Article -
How Should Targeting Agents Be Used?
Miyako Satouchi11Department of Thoracic Oncology, Hyogo Cancer Center, Japan
The molecular targeting agents that are currently available for use in Japan on non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) are epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI) and anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) antibody. The anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) inhibitor represents as an option that is highly anticipated for early clinical adoption. EGFR-TKI was first used clinically in 2002. After nearly 10 years, testing for EGFR mutations has become commonplace in the clinical setting. This make an impression that we are now able to 'appropriately use EGFR-TKI based upon an understanding the real target of the effect'. In regard to bevacizumab, which is now in its 2nd year of clinical use, there is much debate on how to 'prevent toxicity' and 'how long to use it'. The problem is, however, that there is little evidence of the biomarkers that function as the theoretical rationale for the question of 'on what cases/how long should it be used'. Therefore, much is expected in regard to the testing for new biomarkers, i.e., the involvement of other vascular growth factors. By the time ALK inhibitors are approved, how far diagnostic methods using the echinoderm microtubule-associated protein-like 4 (EML4)-ALK fusion gene will be established, and brought into general use and validated is a vital issue. We hope that this method will be appropriately used for selecting patients for this agent, and that it will become widely used in clinic.
key words: Epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor (EGFR-TKI), EML4-ALK, Anti-vascular endothelial growth factor antibody (anti-VEGF antibody), Oncogene addiction, Non-oncogene addiction
JJLC 52 (2): 142-152, 2012
