Zactima-docetaxel combo can prolong lung cancer survival rates

WILMINGTON, Del. Zactima, AstraZeneca’s anti-cancer drug combined with another anti-cancer drug, docetaxel, can prolong survival rates in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer, according to a study published last week in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

The tests showed that adding Zactima to docetaxel therapy prolonged median progression-free survival by almost two months. As a result of this, AstraZeneca has begun a Phase III trial to evaluate the combination therapy of the two drugs in second-line treatment of non-small cell lung cancer.

The study is aiming to use 1,400 patients worldwide.