If I am diagnosed with advanced lung cancer and don’t want chemotherapy, can I take targeted drugs?

The content of the 94th patient education live broadcast of "Let's Meet the Doctor" on July 15, 2021 is: @Lung cancer patients: Teach you how to use targeted drugs correctly!

This live broadcast is TopMD's "Let's Meet the Doctor" July Health Lecture at the Cancer Hospital of the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences. We invited Professor Liu Yutao from the Department of Internal Medicine at the Cancer Hospital of the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences to broadcast live on the homepages of 8 platforms including the TopMD all-media matrix: Sina News, Tencent News, Tencent Video, Healthy China TV, Toutiao, Xigua Video, Baidu Health, and Qutoutiao, with an online viewing volume of 701,234 times.

We have edited the issues that patients are most concerned about during this live broadcast. Today's episode (1) has been synchronized to the People's Daily client, Xinhuanet client, Toutiao, NetEase News, Sohu News, Tencent News, Science Popularization China, CCTV Video, iQiyi, and Qutoutiao.

Many patients with advanced lung cancer will ask their doctors immediately after being diagnosed: "Chemotherapy is too uncomfortable, can I have targeted therapy?"

In fact, there is an evaluation process for whether targeted therapy can be carried out. Not everyone is suitable for targeted therapy. Targeted therapy can only be carried out if there are corresponding targets.

Currently, the most common pathological types of lung cancer are non-small cell lung cancer and lung adenocarcinoma. Generally speaking, for patients with non-small cell lung cancer and lung adenocarcinoma, there is a greater chance of targeted therapy.

For patients with this pathological type, doctors recommend genetic testing to see if there are any targets, which specific target has a gene mutation, and whether there is a corresponding targeted drug for the gene mutation of this target.

About 50%-60% of Chinese lung adenocarcinoma patients have mutated targets. At this time, some patients may ask: "I have lung adenocarcinoma, and it takes too long for the gene test results to come out. I am afraid that the disease will be delayed. Can I use targeted drugs first?"

In fact, about 40% of lung adenocarcinoma patients do not have corresponding targets and cannot use targeted therapy. They need to choose other treatment methods. Therefore, it is not recommended for patients with lung adenocarcinoma to start taking targeted drugs without undergoing genetic testing.

Tomorrow's highlights

Before targeted therapy, should I choose a puncture or a blood test for genetic testing? Which is more accurate? Professor Liu Yutao will continue to answer your questions in tomorrow's "Let's Meet the Doctor".

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