Gefitinib ‐ a potential new treatment option in lung cancer

Lung cancer is the second most common cancer in the UK, accounting for one in seven new cases, 24% of cancer deaths among men and 20% among women.¹ In this article, Dr Fiona Blackhall and Steve Chaplin consider the use of gefitinib for lung cancer its mechanism of action, efficacy and adverse effects are described, followed by its effect on quality of life and its potential place in disease management. Pharmacist Geoff Saunders provides a commentary on the article and remarks on the selective use of gefitinib in lung cancer therapy. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.