Vorinostat/SAHA-induced apoptosis in malignant mesothelioma is FLIP/caspase 8-dependent and HR23B-independent.

Introduction: Malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) is a rapidly fatal malignancy that is increasing in incidence. The caspase 8 inhibitor FLIP is an anti-apoptotic protein over-expressed in several cancer types including MPM. The histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitor Vorinostat (SAHA) is currently being evaluated in relapsed mesothelioma.

Afatinib treatment in advanced non-small cell lung cancer.

Despite some recent advances in the management of advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), prognosis for these patients remains poor. Small molecule epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) have however provided a new therapeutic option in this disease setting and mutation testing is now routine practice for newly diagnosed NSCLC patients. A proportion of patients will not respond to first-generation EGFR-TKIs however, and those who do will ultimately develop resistance and disease relapse.

New advances in the second-line treatment of small cell lung cancer.

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related death in the U.K., with small cell histology accounting for 15%-20% of cases.