Lungs Unleashed: Exploring the Frontiers of Lung Disease Research
Did you know more than 34 million people (about twice the population of New York) in America live with lung disease? And if you combine this with lung cancer and respiratory diseases like COVID-19 and influenza, lung disease is the most common cause of death by disease in America. That’s why people with lung diseases need to know what advancements are happening in pulmonary medicine to treat lung diseases. Learn about the new treatment advancements in lung disease research in this article. Contact the best pulmonologist in Brooklyn by visiting Doral Health and Wellness Pulmonary Center.
Latest research of new treatment options for lung disease
Here are the latest researchers of new treatment options for lung disease you should know about:
- Zephyr valve treatment:
This new treatment is approved by the FDA to treat patients with severe COPD or emphysema. This treatment can improve lung function, exercise capacity, and life quality. It has tiny, one-way valves that allow the trapped air to be exhaled from the lungs and prevent more air from getting trapped there, which makes your breathing better continuously.
To insert the device, you need to go through a minimally invasive procedure called bronchoscopy. In this procedure, the doctor uses a thin tube with a camera to place tiny valves in the airways of the lungs. These valves allow healthy portions of the lungs to expand, lifting pressure off the diaphragm to enhance breathing.
Patients report that they can take full breaths immediately after the procedure and within a few days they can do everyday tasks with ease. Around 25,000 people globally have received this treatment.
- Drug Ingrid:
This drug was approved last year by the FDA to treat advanced non-small cell lung cancer with a ROS1 fusion. This approval was based on findings from the trial where Ingrid was one of the very first patients. The study was called TRIDENT-1, in which 127 patients around the world participated. Researchers found encouraging results, including:
- Of patients who were not treated with a ROS1 inhibitor, nearly 80% responded to the drug, meaning their tumors either got smaller or stopped growing. Repotrectinib held lung cancer tumors at bay for an average of 3 years.
- Of the patients who received other therapies including a ROS1 inhibitor, nearly 405 responded to it, which makes tumors shrink or stop them from growing. Repotrectinib not only shrinks tumors of the lung but also the ones that spread to other locations, including the brain, a common site for lung cancer metastases. However, repotrectinib does cause some side effects, only 7% need to stop taking the drug due to that.
This drug targets the error in cells called ROS1 fusion, which occurs when a piece of one gene breaks off and attaches to another unrelated gene. As a result, the defect causes cells to grow uncontrollably and form tumors. This fusion is found in 1 to 2% of lung cancers. And also found in other cancers including glioblastoma, a type of brain cancer, and cholangiocarcinoma, a type of bile duct cancer.
This drug is not the first drug used to target ROS1 fusions, but it lasts longer than others with fewer side effects. Most patients tolerate this medicine well, and only experience dizziness or other symptoms. Serious side effects are less common including muscle breakdown and liver or lung inflammation.
- Dupixent medicine:
This medicine can be the new treatment option for people with COPD due to its performance in a recent drug trial; it could improve lung function and significantly reduce COPD exacerbations, which often lead to hospitalization. The drug is approved by the FDA for treating people with allergic asthma, and eczema. This drug is a biologic, which is a drug class of powerful medication that slows or stops inflammation.
It works by blocking both interleukin 4 (IL-4) and interleukin 13 (IL-13), which are a type of protein called cytokines that are released by the immune system in response to allergic reactions. Dupixent targets the receptor that causes inflammation response during an allergic reaction, such as pollen that causes you to sneeze, cough, and wheeze by blocking the pathway that releases inflammation chemicals that trigger these symptoms.
However, this drug is not beneficial for all people, because the research trial results are not published yet. However, peer reviews show positive results which makes this drug the first new treatment for COPD in over a decade.
These new treatment options for lung disease look promising and ensure that lung disease can be more treatable and manageable in the near future.
Need help with lung problems, visit our pulmonologists in Brooklyn clinic to get professional medical help. Call us to book your appointment now!!!!
At Doral Health and Wellness Pulmonary Center, we offer the best possible expertise and care in all aspects of pulmonology. Visit our pulmonologists to have your signs and symptoms checked. To schedule an appointment, you can visit us at 1797 Pitkin Avenue, Brooklyn, New York 11212, or call us at 1-347-384-5690. You can also visit our website at https://pulmonologistbrooklyn.com.