About Lung Cancer
About Lung Cancer
Two Categories of Lung Cancer
Signs and Symptoms of Lung Cancer
About Lung Cancer
Lung cancer begins in the lungs, where cells multiply at a very fast rate to form "tumors" that invade and destroy normal tissue. These cancer cells sometimes spread from one or both lungs to other parts of the body. That process is known as "metastasis."
Approximately 350,000 people in the United States are living with lung cancer at any given time.1
Fortunately, the number of new lung cancer cases and deaths reported in recent years is going down due to less smoking, better diagnostic tools, and new treatment options. But lung cancer remains the second most common form of cancer diagnosed, and is the number one cause of cancer-related deaths in the U.S.1
In the United States, 80% to 85% of those diagnosed with lung cancer have non-small cell lung cancer.1
ALIMTA is approved by the FDA in combination with cisplatin (another chemotherapy drug) for the initial treatment of advanced nonsquamous non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), a specific type of NSCLC. ALIMTA is not indicated for patients who have a different type of NSCLC called squamous cell.
Two Categories of Lung Cancer
The two main categories of lung cancer are non-small cell lung cancer (also known by its initials as "NSCLC") and small cell lung cancer (SCLC).
The difference between non-small cell and small cell lung cancer has to do with the kind of cancer cells, how quickly the cancer cells grow, and how each kind of cancer cell responds to treatment.
Signs and Symptoms of Lung Cancer2
Lung cancer symptoms usually occur when the cancer has progressed to an advanced stage. But seeing your healthcare team when you first notice symptoms might enable your cancer to be diagnosed and treated while still in a curable stage. Early detection can improve the likelihood that treatment can extend your life.
Although the symptoms listed here can have many causes, it is important for you to see your healthcare team as soon as possible, just in case.
The most common symptoms of lung cancer are:
- Chest pain that may feel worse with coughing or laughing, or even deep breathing
- Bloody or rust-colored spit or phlegm
- Loss of appetite and weight loss
- Cough that does not go away
- Wheezing
- Shortness of breath
- Infections, like pneumonia or bronchitis, which continue to come back
- Hoarseness
Symptoms that lung cancer may have spread to distant organs include:
- Limb weakness or numbness, dizziness, headache, or seizure
- Pain in the bones
- Lumps near the surface of the body
- Jaundice (yellowing of the skin and eyes)
Remember to contact your healthcare team if you have any of these symptoms so the cause can be found and treated, if needed.
Important Safety Information for ALIMTA (pemetrexed for injection)
ALIMTA is approved by the FDA in combination with cisplatin (another chemotherapy drug) for the initial treatment of advanced nonsquamous non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), a specific type of NSCLC. ALIMTA is not indicated for patients who have a different type of NSCLC called squamous cell.
ALIMTA as a single agent (used alone) is approved for maintaining the initial treatment effect of chemotherapy in patients with advanced nonsquamous non-small cell lung cancer whose disease has not worsened after initial therapy. ALIMTA is not indicated for patients who have another type of non-small cell lung cancer called squamous cell.
ALIMTA is approved by the FDA as a single agent (used alone) for the treatment of patients with advanced nonsquamous non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), a specific type of NSCLC, after prior chemotherapy. ALIMTA is not indicated for patients who have a different type of NSCLC called squamous cell.
ALIMTA is a treatment for malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM), which is a cancer that affects the inside lining of the chest cavity. ALIMTA is given with cisplatin, another anticancer medicine (chemotherapy), when surgery is not an option.
ALIMTA may not be appropriate for some patients. If you are allergic to ALIMTA, tell your doctor because you should not receive it. If you think you are pregnant, are planning to become pregnant, or are nursing, please tell your healthcare team. ALIMTA may harm your unborn or nursing baby. Your physician may advise you to use effective contraception (birth control) to prevent pregnancy while you are being treated with ALIMTA.
If you have liver or kidney problems, be sure to tell your doctor. Your dose of ALIMTA may have to be changed, or ALIMTA may not be right for you. There is a risk of side effects associated with ALIMTA therapy. ALIMTA can suppress bone marrow function. It is very important to take folic acid and vitamin B12 prior to and during your treatment with ALIMTA to lower your chances of harmful side effects.
Your healthcare professional will prescribe a medicine called a corticosteroid, which lowers your chances of getting skin reactions with ALIMTA. Ask your healthcare professional before taking medicines called NSAIDs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs used to treat pain or swelling). Tell your doctor if you are taking other medicines, including prescription and non-prescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements.
The most common side effects of ALIMTA when given alone or in combination with cisplatin, another chemotherapy drug, are low blood cell counts (red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets); tiredness; stomach upset, including nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea; mouth, throat, or lip sores; loss of appetite; rash; and constipation.
Call your healthcare professional right away if you have a fever, chills, diarrhea, or mouth sores. These symptoms could mean you have an infection. These are not all of the side effects of ALIMTA. If you have any side effect that bothers you or that doesn't go away, be sure to talk with your healthcare professional.
You will have regular blood tests before and during your treatment with ALIMTA. Your doctor may adjust your dose of ALIMTA or delay your treatment based on the results of your blood test and on your general condition.
For more information about all of the side effects of ALIMTA, please talk with your healthcare team, see the Patient Prescribing Information and full Prescribing Information, or call 1-800-545-5979.
You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch, or call 1-800-FDA-1088.
SG24
References:
- The Wellness Community. Understanding Lung Cancer. Available at:
http://www.thewellnesscommunity.org/education/lung/understanding.php. Accessed March 3, 2008. - American Cancer Society. How Is Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Diagnosed? Common Signs and Symptoms of Lung Cancer. Available at:
http://www.cancer.org/docroot/CRI/content/CRI_2_4_3x_How_Is_Non-Small_Cell_Lung_Cancer_Diagnosed.asp?sitearea. Accessed August 27, 2008.
