Efficacy of gefitinib, and inhibitor of the epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase, in symptomatic patients with non-small cell lung cancer: a randomized trial

The drug Iressa may improve symptoms and cause some tumor shrinkage in patients with non-small cell lung cancer, according to a study of 216 patients. Between one-third and one-half experienced an improvement in their symptoms, depending on which dose they received. In one-fifth of the patients, the drug caused the tumor to shrink at least 50%.