Black lung cancer patients have a different gene.  A lung cancer known as non-small cell lung tumors tend to have a different genetic makeup in Blacks than in Whites, which scientists say may explain why Blacks do not do as well in treatment as Whites, a new study found. Blacks with this type of lung cancer typically do not fare well, based on past studies. Blacks who have this type of lung cancer have a gene mutation that causes it to have fewer receptors that cause the cancer not to respond to the current treatments, according to researchers who presented their findings Nov. 13 at the 2008 Chicago Multidisciplinary Symposium in Thoracic Oncology. “The findings of this study were surprising, since it was not expected that drug-sensitizing EGFR mutations would be so rare in this patient population,” study co-author Dr. Rom Leidner, a clinical fellow in hematology/oncology at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, said in a news release. “African-American patients remain underrepresented in clinical studies in oncology, and therefore our knowledge base about how to modify our treatment strategies for this patient population remains poorly defined.” The study’s researchers said they hope their findings influence the design of future clinical studies and the future use of EGFR-targeted agents.  However, they said their efforts because they have a hard time finding enough African Americans to participate in clinical drug trials. The American Cancer Society has more about non-small cell lung cancer.
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TAGS: Black lung cancer patients, cancer, Gene, pills, saving, Thanksgiving, Vitamin C, Vitamin E

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