Cutsem E et al. Ramucirumab plus paclitaxel versus placebo plus paclitaxel in patients with previously treated advanced gastric or gastro-oesophageal junction adenocarcinoma (RAINBOW): a double-blind, randomised phase 3 trial.
r Squamous cell lung cancer (SqCLC) is challenging to treat according to patients and disease characteristics. r SqCLC is strongly associated to smoking habit and this increases the stigma toward patients affected by this disease. r Immunotherapy has changed the treatment of squamous cell cancer after many years with no relevant changes. r Despite the identification of specific molecular alterations, progress in targeting oncogenic drivers still runs behind adenocarcinoma. r There are not enough resources exclusively dedicated to patients with SqCLC. Lungcancer is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in worldwide, and NSCLC represents around 85% of all lung cancers. Squamous cell lung cancer (SqCLC) is the second most common subtype and it is challenging to treat. New options have been discovered but progresses are still limited for the lack of 'druggable' mutations. Specific resources for SqCLC are limited and this condition affects treatment and outcomes. This paper describes available and emerging therapeutic options and resources that may help patients to face their disease. We have also performed a monocentric survey collecting information about smoking habit and sense of guilty and analyzed the possibility for patients to find helpful sources for their disease. The results suggest that more materials focused on SqCLC are still needed.
Considering all the smoking-related side effects, greater efforts should be made in order to better support patients in smoking cessation. Smoking should be considered as a real physical disorder and similar surveys should be encouraged with the aim to fight the 'stigma' of smoking that still exists among patients.
Despite the advances that have been made in the last decades, lung cancer still represents one of the global health problems worldwide and most lung cancer patients have to deal with a number of unmet needs for which they require assistance. Lung cancer is considered an 'invisible' disease because of getting a low level of public attention. Regardless of its prevalence and the fact that it is one of the hardest cancers to diagnose and to treat, with a poor survival rate, it continues to be one of the most overlooked cancer type [1] and this sentiment is prevalent on a global scale. The poor outcomes of lung cancer and the persistent misconception that the majority of patients are smokers often generate a general negative perception and attitude toward this condition and a poor media coverage.The challenges and the needs in this area are multiple and for most lung cancer patients the assessment is a critical but important step in order to receive high quality of care. With an estimated 1.8 million new cases [2] and 1.59 million deaths per year, lung cancer is one of the most common cancers worldwide and the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the EU with 267,700 deaths recorded in 2012 and representing approximately 20% of all cancer deaths [3].Despite the huge health, social and economic burden associated with lung cancer, it falls far behind other cancers in terms of research, patient support and timely access to innovative therapies. These disparities have a profound impact on patient's quality of life and overall survival.
Being lung cancer the main cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide, mainly dependent on tobacco consumption, fighting the tobacco epidemic and concretely acting in terms of prevention represents a current urgent need. Indeed, it has become clear that the significant reduction in tobacco consumption would result in the prevention of a large fraction of lung cancer cases and other smoking-related diseases. Women Against Lung Cancer in Europe (WALCE) is a non-profit European organisation with more than 10 years of experience, whose mission is promoting communication strategies and awareness initiatives, customized on recipients age, to aware public opinion and decision makers on damages of smoking on health and spreading accurate and updated information in order to support people affected by lung cancer and their caregivers. In this review we will provide a summary of WALCE commitment and experience in the field of smoking cessation and lung cancer prevention.
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