Advances in lung cancer research announced

PHOENIX, Aug. 10 (UPI) -- U.S. scientists have announced two significant advances in lung cancer research.

Dr. Glen Weiss of the Translational Genomics Research Institute made both announcements last week in San Francisco during the 13th World Conference on Lung Cancer.

In one presentation, Weiss described research that eventually might help prevent lung cancer from spreading to the brain. A team led by Weiss found several microRNAs, which are single-stranded RNA molecules that regulate how genes control cellular development -- as well as several high-tech imaging characteristics – all associated with the spread of lung cancer to the brain.

"With additional validation, this work can lead to better techniques to predict, treat and ultimately prevent brain metastasis in patients with non-small cell lung cancer," Weiss said.

In another presentation, he discussed the release by Threshold Pharmaceuticals Inc. and the Virginia Piper Cancer Center at Arizona's Scottsdale Healthcare of results of two clinical trials for a drug called TH-302, which is activated in the absence of oxygen, on patients with advanced solid tumors.

In the study of patients with advanced solid tumors, those treated only with TH-302, 75 percent of patients with small cell lung cancer achieved "stable disease or better," officials said Of those treated with TH-302 in combination with other chemotherapy agents, 67 percent achieved "stable disease or better."