A trial of erlotinib and pemetrexed for non small cell lung cancer in non smokers

This trial was looking at having either erlotinib, pemetrexed, or a combination of both for non small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) that had spread.

Doctors use surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy to treat non small cell lung cancer. But sometimes the cancer continues to grow or comes back after treatment. In this situation, you may have chemotherapy or a type of biological therapy called a tyrosine kinase inhibitor.

In this trial researchers were comparing treatments for locally advanced lung cancer, or lung cancer that had spread to another part of the body (metastatic NSCLC). They compared

• A chemotherapy drug called pemetrexed

• A biological therapy drug called erlotinib

• A combination of both drugs

The aims of the trial were to

• Find out which treatment worked best for non small cell lung cancer

• Learn more about the side effects